East, North play for state trip
By Terry Hersom Journal sports editor | Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Neither team has shown up in the Associated Press Top 10 for several weeks, but East and North have both had noteworthy boys basketball seasons.
And, tonight, in an 8 o'clock substate final at the Tyson Events Center, one of them will earn a trip to next week's Class 4A state tournament in Des Moines.
"Coming into the year, I thought this was one of the best years Sioux City's ever had (in boys basketball),'' said East Coach Jeff Vanderloo, who has had five state tournament teams in the last seven years, including a championship outfit in 2002. "I still think basketball in Sioux City's really good, but I think Class 4A basketball in the state, as a whole, probably is as good as it's ever been.''
Indeed, the winner between East (17-5) and North (16-6) will probably be saddled with the No. 8 seed in the eight-team big-school field. That would likely mean a first-round matchup with top-ranked Iowa City High next Wednesday at 1 p.m.
All that matters now, of course, is this third meeting between teams who've split two highly dissimilar encounters during the regular season.
North, coached by John Vanderloo, Jeff's younger brother, spoiled a 10-0 start for East by racking up an impressive 73-53 triumph Jan. 11 at East High.
On Feb. 15 at North, though, it was East, returning the favor, registering a 74-63 verdict over the Stars on their home floor.
"The game at our place, we didn't play very well and they shot it very well,'' said Jeff Vanderloo. "The game at North, we shot it well and they didn't play well.''
North shot 54 percent in the 20-point win at East, hitting 27 of 50 attempts while the Raiders went 17-for-59, converting just two of 17 three-point tries.
East's win at North saw the Raiders shoot 53 percent (24 of 45) while North was only 23 of 64.
"I think the first time it was just an aggressive mindset,'' said John Vanderloo. "They were still undefeated and we had come off a couple of losses. We went out and got after them. We hit some shots early, so we could dictate the tempo.''
North is at its best in an up-tempo transition game while East prefers the half-court game, pounding the ball inside to 6-8 senior center Eric Jorgensen, the school's career rebounding leader.
Jorgensen, an Augustana College recruit, is averaging 18.8 points and 10.6 rebounds to lead East in both categories.
The Raiders have gotten the lion's share of their scoring from a starting five that also includes junior guards Jordan Gentry (12.0 ppg.) and Taylor Pollow (10.9) along with senior forwards Dane Larson (9.9) and Andy Dougherty (9.9).
Larson has been a versatile boost, backing up Jorgensen with 8.3 rebounds a game while dishing off 92 assists, 36 more than anyone else on the team.
Brian Wanner, a 6-2 wing player, is the only senior starter in a balanced lineup for North. Alex Walker, a 6-6 junior, averages 13.1 points, Wanner chips in 12.6 a game, 6-1 sophomore guard Damek Tomscha 11.4 and 6-4 junior Nick Tillo 8.5. Junior guard Dean McArdle rounds out the starting quintet.
Like Jorgensen at East, Walker has recently eclipsed his school's career record for rebounds, even with a full season ahead of him.
East (five times) and North (twice) have combined to represent Sioux City in seven consecutive Class 4A state tournaments. The Stars lost a first-round game last year to eventual champion Linn-Mar, 73-60, and had Walker, Wanner and senior guard Anthony Tomscha returning from that starting lineup. The elder Tomscha missed most of this basketball season after surgery to repair a football knee injury, but he has recently returned to help his teammates in a reserve role.
The last time Sioux City lost Western Iowa's Class 4A substate final was in 2000, when Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln turned back North in a game played at East High. Tonight's matchup means Sioux City will have a team in the 4A field for the 12th time in the last 13 years.
Monday's winter storm forced several the postponement of several substate finals in Iowa high school boys basketball, including a doubleheader at the Tyson Events Center.
The class 1A matchup between Boyden-Hull and Galva-Holstein was moved to tonight at 6:30 p.m., pushing back the start for tonight's 4A final between East and North to approximately 8 o'clock.
Likewise, on Wednesday, the Class 2A game postponed Monday between defending state champion Hull Western Christian and Orange City Unity Christian will be played at 6:30 p.m., moving the start of the 3A game between Bishop Heelan and Spirit Lake to around 8 p.m.
And, tonight, in an 8 o'clock substate final at the Tyson Events Center, one of them will earn a trip to next week's Class 4A state tournament in Des Moines.
"Coming into the year, I thought this was one of the best years Sioux City's ever had (in boys basketball),'' said East Coach Jeff Vanderloo, who has had five state tournament teams in the last seven years, including a championship outfit in 2002. "I still think basketball in Sioux City's really good, but I think Class 4A basketball in the state, as a whole, probably is as good as it's ever been.''
Indeed, the winner between East (17-5) and North (16-6) will probably be saddled with the No. 8 seed in the eight-team big-school field. That would likely mean a first-round matchup with top-ranked Iowa City High next Wednesday at 1 p.m.
All that matters now, of course, is this third meeting between teams who've split two highly dissimilar encounters during the regular season.
North, coached by John Vanderloo, Jeff's younger brother, spoiled a 10-0 start for East by racking up an impressive 73-53 triumph Jan. 11 at East High.
On Feb. 15 at North, though, it was East, returning the favor, registering a 74-63 verdict over the Stars on their home floor.
"The game at our place, we didn't play very well and they shot it very well,'' said Jeff Vanderloo. "The game at North, we shot it well and they didn't play well.''
North shot 54 percent in the 20-point win at East, hitting 27 of 50 attempts while the Raiders went 17-for-59, converting just two of 17 three-point tries.
East's win at North saw the Raiders shoot 53 percent (24 of 45) while North was only 23 of 64.
"I think the first time it was just an aggressive mindset,'' said John Vanderloo. "They were still undefeated and we had come off a couple of losses. We went out and got after them. We hit some shots early, so we could dictate the tempo.''
North is at its best in an up-tempo transition game while East prefers the half-court game, pounding the ball inside to 6-8 senior center Eric Jorgensen, the school's career rebounding leader.
Jorgensen, an Augustana College recruit, is averaging 18.8 points and 10.6 rebounds to lead East in both categories.
The Raiders have gotten the lion's share of their scoring from a starting five that also includes junior guards Jordan Gentry (12.0 ppg.) and Taylor Pollow (10.9) along with senior forwards Dane Larson (9.9) and Andy Dougherty (9.9).
Larson has been a versatile boost, backing up Jorgensen with 8.3 rebounds a game while dishing off 92 assists, 36 more than anyone else on the team.
Brian Wanner, a 6-2 wing player, is the only senior starter in a balanced lineup for North. Alex Walker, a 6-6 junior, averages 13.1 points, Wanner chips in 12.6 a game, 6-1 sophomore guard Damek Tomscha 11.4 and 6-4 junior Nick Tillo 8.5. Junior guard Dean McArdle rounds out the starting quintet.
Like Jorgensen at East, Walker has recently eclipsed his school's career record for rebounds, even with a full season ahead of him.
East (five times) and North (twice) have combined to represent Sioux City in seven consecutive Class 4A state tournaments. The Stars lost a first-round game last year to eventual champion Linn-Mar, 73-60, and had Walker, Wanner and senior guard Anthony Tomscha returning from that starting lineup. The elder Tomscha missed most of this basketball season after surgery to repair a football knee injury, but he has recently returned to help his teammates in a reserve role.
The last time Sioux City lost Western Iowa's Class 4A substate final was in 2000, when Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln turned back North in a game played at East High. Tonight's matchup means Sioux City will have a team in the 4A field for the 12th time in the last 13 years.
Monday's winter storm forced several the postponement of several substate finals in Iowa high school boys basketball, including a doubleheader at the Tyson Events Center.
The class 1A matchup between Boyden-Hull and Galva-Holstein was moved to tonight at 6:30 p.m., pushing back the start for tonight's 4A final between East and North to approximately 8 o'clock.
Likewise, on Wednesday, the Class 2A game postponed Monday between defending state champion Hull Western Christian and Orange City Unity Christian will be played at 6:30 p.m., moving the start of the 3A game between Bishop Heelan and Spirit Lake to around 8 p.m.
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ehs's 6th grade biggest fan wrote on Feb 26, 2008 10:57 PM: