2025 – 2026 Playoff Preview: Which 1A Teams Can Win Ugly Games?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The ultimate question everyone has when it comes to winning tough games is - Who advances when shots don't fall, pace starts to slow down, and when every single possession matters like it's the last of the game? Whoever can manage those situations the best will survive when it matters the most. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this article we highlight a few of the 1A teams that can win when games get ugly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears (17-2):</strong> The Golden Bears sit with a 17-2 overall record while continuing to be one of the best teams throughout the 1A Class so far this season. The success of the Bears comes down to the factors of depth, experience, size, and superior overall skill on both sides of the basketball. They return most of their main producers from last Winter and that experience is only going to help them down the stretch. When the game gets ugly and things get out of wack, this group has the two main fundamental pieces to come out on top. They have a Post presence with size that can pass out when she is double teamed or she can score through contact and most of their players make their free throws. (As a whole they are shooting right around 70% from the line and 40% from the field in total this season.) In reality they haven't had many close games over the past two months so the pressure factor, depending on the situation, might be a little different and something you have to account for but that's when their experience from the recent past comes into play. We expect this team to make it to the very end over the next month. They should appear in the State Semi's or 1A Championship if they take care of business and to do that, they are going to have to win some ugly games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Top Producers: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='832196' first='Graclyn' last='Eastman'] (18.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG), [player_tooltip player_id='609457' first='Sacha' last='Alesch'] (13.6 PPG, 3.2 APG), Emmi Bartolo (10.2 PPG, 5.4 APG)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Underrated Prospects: </strong>Carley Nielson (6.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG), [player_tooltip player_id='1239723' first='Madelyn' last='Tigges'] (9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.9 APG)<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The GTRA Titans (20-2): </strong>The GTRA Titans have had some closer battles this season but in general they have taken care of business by beating their opponents by an average of 18 PPG. Usually when you have a 1A team with only 1 or 2 losses, their point differential is giant. Anywhere from 28-40 PPG in reality. That's not the Titan's game though. They beat you with consistency. The reason that they are going to be able to win some tough games down the stretch is because of their depth chart within their roster. If someone doesn't have a great night, that's okay as they usually have 3-4 individuals that produce on both sides of the ball at a higher rate than most and that is hard to stop when its a group effort all at once. That makes them dangerous and a team to note moving forward. They have all the pieces to put together some convincing victories as we move closer to DSM. They just need to play strategically and the rest will be history. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Top Producers: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1239063' first='Kamryn' last='Hough'] (16.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG), Caitlyn Hough (16.4 PPG, 3.6 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='833963' first='Addison' last='Hansen'] (13 PPG, 5 RPG)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Underrated Prospects: </strong>&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1224378' first='Lauryn' last='Hough'] (5 RPG, 4.5 APG)<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Lake Mills Bulldogs (15-5): </strong>The Bulldogs of Lake Mills have taken their lumps this season as they hold a 15-5 record up to this point. Sometimes when you have a team that has taken some losses, it helps them make adjustments towards the end of their season and that's what we are seeing with the Bulldogs. They started off this Winter playing one way with certain prospects and they have finished it with more comfortability as they now have more experience across the board within their core group. Lake Mills has the type of top players to make some big runs come Playoffs over the next few weeks. They are skilled guards with experience as upperclassmen, who play with a high tempo down the court. Those players will need to lead and hold their own within their individual matchups. If they can do that and the others around them can play off of that ability, who knows how far they could take things in reality. The only issue is that they are going to have to go against top rated Bishop Garrigan High School to make it to the State Tournament in DSM with how the brackets are currently laid out. That means they are going to have to win a scrappy game against a very, very good team. Is that possible? Most definitely but certain things will have to fall in their favor. Things that might not always be in their control. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Top Producers:</strong> Cora Sauer (20.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='1195829' first='Kate' last='Bechtel'] (10 PPG, 5.2 RPG), Makenzie Budach (8.5 PPG, 2.6 APG)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Underrated Prospects: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1108474' first='Tatum' last='Sauer'] (5.1 PPG, 2.1 APG), [player_tooltip player_id='1098172' first='Betsy' last='Byars'] (4.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG)<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Saint Ansgar Saints (17-4)</strong>: If you are taking an overall look at rosters throughout the 1A Class throughout the state of Iowa than you'll notice that The Saint Ansgar Saints has one of the more experienced programs across. They possess more upperclassman than most have on roster and they aren't afraid to use any of them when the time calls for it. In the Saints 4 losses this Winter, they have all been pretty close and the teams that they happen to those lost to, are very good teams in their own right. They are all winning programs, that are also going to get a shot to make it to State over the next couple of weeks. The Saints sit in Region #8 as the #2 seed, behind of <a href="https://www.gobound.com/direct/teams/h20222161818211eaab946121f459eb2/show">Gladbrook-Reinbeck</a> High school at 18-3. Reinbeck has already proven that they are beatable but for that to happen the Saints are going to have to "muddy" things up. They have to make it into a rock fight. If they can do that, make their free throws, and run the floor with confidence - they should have a decent shot to survive and advance throughout the first few rounds of the Playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Top Producers: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1169117' first='Jacey' last='Johnston'] (18 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.3 APG), Quinn Osgood (16.8 PPG), Lindsay Kruse (8.5 PPG, 10.4 RPG), Makenna Norby (2.7 APG)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Underrated Prospects: </strong>&nbsp;Alexis Frein (7 RPG), Ava Falk (2 APG)<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> <strong>The Springville Orioles (21-1): </strong>The Springville Orioles are going to be able to win ugly and close games down the stretch because of one reason and one reason only, Forward - [player_tooltip player_id='595151' first='Rowan' last='Jacobi']. Usually it's not so plain and simple but when Jacobi is playing physical, dominant basketball, she is one of the top players in the state and no one can stick with her production. That needs to come out over these next few weeks as we get into the thick of things. When we look back at Springville's only loss of the Winter the opposing team ran as much action away from Jacobi as they could and that stood out to be the reason they won in the end when the final buzzer sounded. The first half Jacobi was unstoppable in the middle and on the glass on both ends but then they made adjustments and that helped them skate on by. If the Orioles don't want that to happen again, they have to keep her in the mix and make in-game adjustments at the same rate as the opponent. If they do that, I like their chances up to make it through regionals. It might not be the prettiest but I know they can get it done. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Top Producers: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='595151' first='Rowan' last='Jacobi'] (26.3 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 2.7 APG), Addison Merrit (12.3 PPG, 3 APG), &nbsp;Lexi Dietiker (7 PPG, 3.5 RPG)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Underrated Prospects: </strong>Jacey Martin (5.8 RPG), Kalleigh Greene (2.8 APG)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->