2024 Playoff Preview – Class 5A

As we get closer to Spring and into the month of February, it means one thing and one thing only for Iowa Women's High School Basketball. Post-Season Play. We begin a journey to see who is the best of the best throughout the state in each perspective Class. Below we dive into the 5A Class and take a closer look to see what it has to offer.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!   Overview:   When we jumped into the 5A Class at the start of the season, we said that Johnston was going to be the powerhouse of the Class but that doesn't mean that you should count anyone else out. In a Class that has programs like Dowling Catholic, PV, Ankeny Centennial, Southeast Polk, Iowa City West, Cedar Falls, and many more, anything can happen. Each of these programs has collegiate level talent. If you don't prepare properly, it's not going to end well. Like they always say, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Whoever comes the most prepared and executes is going to have the best chance to come out on top.   Top Teams & Their Impact Players:   <ul> <li>Johnston (21-0): There isn't enough good things that I could say about the Johnston Dragons and their team so I will keep it short and sweet. This team is legit and one of the best in the country. I've seen them compete against two top teams of other states and in each contest, they handled their own thoroughly. I've also had the chance to see the Top 5 high school teams in the country according to ESPNW and you can call me a homer but give me the Dragons vs everyone else. I'm not sure that there is a deeper team in the country. If they take things seriously and don't act cocky, they should win each game the rest of this season by AT LEAST double-digits. They are just that good. Prospects like [player_tooltip player_id='246101' first='Aaliyah' last='Riley'] (9 PPG/3 RPG/3 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='557354' first='Jenica' last='Lewis'] (12 PPG/4 RPG/3 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='311351' first='Amani' last='Jenkins'] (14 PPG/6 RPG), and [player_tooltip player_id='246121' first='Aili' last='Tanke'] (16 PPG/7 RPG/1 APG) are really good. When they are playing as one unit and firing on all cylinders, they are unbeatable. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Ankeny Centennial (18-3): The Ankeny Centennial Jaguars have the best chance at this moment to upset the Dragons and bring home the Class 5A State Championship. This group may not have all the stars to matchup with some of the other teams in this Class but they make up for it with their execution and adaptability. Whenever their opponent throws something tricky at them, they do a great job in the moment of switching up their strategy. They have two unquestionable leaders in [player_tooltip player_id='311360' first='Jaeden' last='Pratt'] (13 PPG/6 RPG/2 APG) and [player_tooltip player_id='311377' first='Mya' last='Crawford'] (15 PPG/7 RPG/3 APG) along with some other hoopers off of their bench, who consistently step up when it matters the most. Earlier this season when they faced the Dragons, they had them on the ropes at home. I'm not sure if they can replicate that but if so, things will become a lot more interesting in this Class as we move forward. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Dowling Catholic (18-3): You can never count out Dowling Catholic. A team that has the best natural PG in the state, regardless of age in [player_tooltip player_id='311396' first='Ava' last='Zediker'] (19 PPG/5 RPG/4 APG), is one that is always in the game. When you have a playmaker, who consistently has the ball in her hands each possession, anything can happen. So far this season, the DC Maroons have put together a nice season but they aren't satisfied just yet. They still have a long ways to go before they can say this season was memorable by their standards. This program is used to being good and being in the spot light. Last season they made it to the Well and did a good job of showing out as much as they could. If they want to repeat that this time around, Zediker is going to have to do her thing, while [player_tooltip player_id='582813' first='Ellie' last='Muller'] (11 PPG/11 RPG) and Katelyn Muller (11 PPG/3 APG) produce in their own ways. If those big three show up, this team is going to be hard to stop down the stretch of big games. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Pleasant Valley (17-4): It would be criminal for me to make an article like this and to not include the returning 5A State Champs from a season ago. The PV Spartans are coming off of a season where they brought home their first ever State Championship and they are looking to repeat but it won't be that easy. They still have some main producers from a year ago, including [player_tooltip player_id='311385' first='Reagan' last='Pagniano'] (12 PPG/6 RPG), [player_tooltip player_id='617226' first='Quinn' last='Vice'] (13 PPG/4.5 RPG), and Jessie Clemons (11 PPG/4 RPG) but they lost their main star due to graduation in Halle Vice, who is now competing at Marquette University. If they want a shot at bring home some more hardware over these next few weeks, they are going to have to pull a trick or two out of their hat. Like I said, they have producers but at some point, it will all come down to strategy and how they execute that strategy. </li> </ul>   Dark Horse Teams To Make A Run:   <ul> <li>Valley (11-10): At the start of this season, the Valley Tigers were on the up and up, while being considered a top team in this Class but after their lose to Southeast Polk, they were never the same. Over the past few weeks though, they have been showing some more promise and reverting back to how their season originally began and that is by winning some ball games. Valley has all the tools and personal to make a deep run in these Playoffs. They have skilled Guards, dominant Forwards that control the paint, and some smart players. If their coaching staff can get on the same page and put together a smart strategy in each one of their matchups that are coming up, they should continue to win. It will take everyone buying in at this point and trusting in each-other but it could happen. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Waukee (16-4): Waukee has put together a really successful season up until this point and they are looking to keep that rolling as things progress on. Waukee wasn't a top team that we talked about earlier this season but they have slowly turned into one. When you look at them as a whole, they are unselfish, smart, and willing to help each other out when things become tight. A big problem that a lot of teams possess when things get close is trust. Does everyone trust each other to make the extra pass and to do what is best for the team as a whole when it matters the most. The teams who do that, find a lot of success and I think that this team embodies that. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Davenport North (20-2): I fully expect Davenport North to make it to the State Playoff's over the next few weeks but once they are there, things become a little bit more difficult. When you lose a star talent like Jenica Houston (19 PPG/9 RPG/5 APG), it matters. Plain and Simple. You can try all you want but you can't replicate the production that an Iowa commit is going to give you. The Wildcats other star, [player_tooltip player_id='311381' first='Divine' last='Bourrage'] (20 PPG/9 RPG/6 APG), is a Top 10 player in the country in the 2025 Class and that means something but what happens when she is triple teamed or even worse? Who else steps up? They have [player_tooltip player_id='314121' first='Kyra' last='Taylor'] (12 PPG/4 RPG/2 APG) but after that, things become difficult. Against those great teams who have multiple D1 players, I'm not sure how this group is going to respond. I'm not saying they can't do it but their "hill to climb" is mighty steep. </li> </ul>   Interesting Matchup That Could Happen (Prior to State):   <ul> <li>Ankeny vs Valley (2/20/24): The most interesting matchup that could happen before the State Tournament would be between Ankeny High School and Des Moines Valley High School on 2/20/24 at Ankeny. This matchup is interesting because of the personal matchups that we will see. Both programs have high level D1 players and those players are going to have to matchup at times. Specifically, [player_tooltip player_id='342205' first='Jayla' last='Williams'] (14 PPG/6 RPG/2 APG) and [player_tooltip player_id='246134' first='Elise' last='Jaeger'] (14 PPG/9 RPG/3 APG). They may not play the same position but I'm sure that the Hawks are going to look to get Jaeger on a switch with Williams. If that happens, it's game on. Other than their star prospects, the most important pieces of this contest will be the role players. Whoever has the best supporting cast is going to move onto the State Playoffs in the end. If only the stars come out, it's going to be a lopsided contest so the role players will be vital for both parties. This game could turn out as one of the best we have seen up to this point this Winter. If everyone plays how they are suppose to, we will be in for a real treat. </li> </ul>   Prediction:   The top team in this Class has been one that we have featured several times this season and that is the Johnston Dragons. The Dragons are not only the top team in the 5A Class here in Iowa but they are also ranked in the Top 20 in the country according to ESPNW. For all intents and purposes, this is the Dragons Class to lose. They are the most talented team in the state when accounting for their roster, coaching staff's, and program as a whole. If they come correct, there is not a team that should come within 15 points of this group during their Playoff run. Not to discredit or take away from anyone else here but if some other team were to raise the Championship trophy this season, it would be a huge L for Johnston. That's just how good they really are. It'll be interesting the strategy we see out of other teams to try and stop them down the stretch. If programs find out early on how to slow them down, I'm sure that will be replicated for the rest of the Playoffs but either way, they should be good enough to win it all no matter the fact.

As we get closer to Spring and into the month of February, it means one thing and one thing only for Iowa Women's High School Basketball. Post-Season Play. We begin a journey to see who is the best of the best throughout the state in each perspective Class. Below we dive into the 5A Class and take a closer look to see what it has to offer.