Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The state tournament field is halfway set.

Teams in Class 1A and 2A secured regional final spots with substate finals held in both classes around the state on Saturday.

By Tuesday evening the 2025 state tournament field will be complete.

On Monday it is Class 3A that takes center stage with eight state tournament spots up for grabs in 3A substate title games.

Here is a quick look at the Class 3A, Substate 3 title game between Solon and Clear Lake.

Class 3A, Region 3

Solon (18-5) at No. 1 Clear Lake (23-0)

When: Monday at 7 p.m.

Where: Clear Lake High School

Statistical leaders: Solon – Caleb Bock 6-1, Sr., 14.3 ppg., 7.8 rpg., 2.8 apg.; Isaiah Zoske 6-1, Sr., 12 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 2 apg. Clear Lake – Thomas Meyer 6-6, Sr., 16.9 ppg., 7.8 rpg,, 4 apg.; Jaxson McIntire 6-1, Soph., 11.1 ppg. 4.7 rpg., 3.1 apg.

About the Spartans: Solon returns to the substate title game for the fourth time in five seasons after a substate semifinal loss last season seeking its first state tournament trip since 2016.

The Spartans opened the season 3-4 but have won 15 of 16 games since and bring an eight-game winning streak into the substate title game.

Solon advanced to the substate final with a 68-59 overtime win over Nevada in the substate semifinal.

The Spartans have relied on balanced scoring this season with six players averaging between 5.2 and 14.3 points per game.

Seniors Caleb Bock and Isaiah Zoske lead the way with 14.3 points and 12 points per game respectively.

Sophomore Maddox Kelley averages 8.9 points and sophomore Grant Gordon averages 6.8 points per game.

Seniors Nolan Seagren and Jackson Link average 5.5 points and 5.2 points per game.

About the Lions: Clear Lake has been among the most consistent 3A programs in the state over the past several seasons winning at least 20 games in six of the last seven seasons.

The Lions are 67-4 over the past three seasons but will be seeking to snap a three-game substate title game losing streak.

Clear Lake reached the state tournament in 2019 and again in 2021 but has lost in the substate title game each of the past three seasons.

This season the Lions have been impressive outscoring opponents by a Class 3A-leading 31.6 points per game while ranking third in 3A in points per game with 74.6 points per game.

Clear Lake has outscored two substate opponents by a total of 90 points, advancing to the substate title game with a 75-32 win over Vinton-Shellsburg.

Thomas Meyer, an Iowa football recruit, leads the Lions in scoring and rebounding.

The 6-foot-6 Meyer averages 16.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4 assists per game while shooting 65 percent from the floor.

Four Clear Lake players averaged at least nine points per game as sophomore Jaxson McIntire averages 11.1 points per game and sophomore Carson Riser averages 10.6 points per game.

Senior Titan Schmitt averages 9.7 points and a team-high 5.3 assists per game.

Who to watch: Solon – Senior Caleb Bock has played his best basketball late in the season helping Solon surge down the stretch.

Bock had 19 points and five rebounds in a substate quarterfinal win over Benton Community and had 28 points and 11 rebounds in the semifinal win over Nevada.

On the season the 6-foot-1 Bock is averaging 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Bock is shooting better than 58 percent from the floor, including 36 percent from 3-point range.

Clear Lake – Senior forward Thomas Meyer is an Iowa football recruit, a four-year starter and one of the top players in Class 3A.

Meyer has scored 1,193 career points and has been at his best in a stellar senior season in which he is averaging 16.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

The 6-foot-6 Meyer is shooting 65 percent from the floor and 67 percent from the free throw line.

What to watch: The first quarter could go a long way in determining the outcome in this one.

Solon has a long drive for a road game against a top-ranked team in what should be a charged environment.

In this type of a setting Solon needs to absorb the opening blow from the Lions and put the pressure on the home team.

The longer the Spartans can stay in the game the more the pressure swings to the favorites.

Look for Solon to mix up its defensive looks early and if the Spartans can hit some perimeter shots in the opening quarter it would be a big boost.

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