Iowa

Moore: Who's the Big 12 bully now? It's Iowa State and its unflappable coach

Published

4 months ago

March 17, 2024

Moore: Who's the Big 12 bully now? It's Iowa State and its unflappable coach

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As Iowa State’s players backpedaled on defense, coach T.J. Otzelberger — arms crossed, per usual — shouted, “Get a stop!” His team was up by 24 points with eight and a half minutes left.

Otzelberger’s pulse in Saturday’s Big 12 tournament final against the nation’s No. 1 team seemed as steady as his Cyclones. No nerves. No panic. Just relentless execution on the way to giving legendary coach Kelvin Sampson his worst loss in 10 seasons at Houston, 69-41.

For most of the season, Houston’s defense has been the bogeyman. Big men would catch the ball around the rim against the Cougars, just assume someone was coming to block their shot and miss bunnies. Perimeter players would have space and give a half-second of hesitation to allow Houston to get back in the play. It’s why the Cougars have had the best defensive metrics all season.

Until now.

The Cyclones enter the NCAA Tournament with the best defense in the country, a healthy roster and looking like the Big 12 team most equipped to go on a run. Maybe they’ll even sneak onto the No. 1 line.

It will not matter where you send the Cyclones or what the challenge will be. Otzelberger’s players will be in line, following orders precisely with no egos and no agendas.

Over three days in Kansas City, the Cyclones had three different leading scorers — led by bigs Robert Jones (18) and Tre King (16) in the quarterfinals against Kansas State, then guard Keshon Gilbert (20) in the semis against Baylor and freshman Milan Momcilovic (18) in the finals.

“We’ve had great offensive balance, and it’s not necessarily because it’s by design,” Otzelberger said. “It’s just our guys really don’t care what the right play is. They just want to make it.”

“There’s a lot of people on this team that they would prefer to even get an assist as opposed to getting a bucket,” said Jones, who had just two points and didn’t seem to mind one bit.

Playing against Houston’s suffocating pressure and ball-screen traps for the third time this season, the Iowa State coaches leaned into that unselfishness. They told their guards not to hold onto the ball too long, because that’s when the Cougars swallow you up. They needed to get it out quickly.

“We learned especially after the second game, when the ball stops moving for us, they’re able to get in and really pressure us and dictate what we’re doing,” said ISU assistant Nate Schmidt, who serves as one of the team’s offensive coordinators. “I think part of it for us is our defense. We pressure and dictate so much that we’ve been seeing it since June.”

A month ago in the loss at Houston, the Cyclones had 16 turnovers. This time around, Houston dictated nothing.

The Cyclones had only nine turnovers. The ball had eyes, always finding the open man.

Houston is usually flawless in knowing who is supposed to take the roller and who is zoning up away from the ball. It’s why the Cougars usually recover so quickly. But Iowa State’s off-ball screening and movement left the Cougars pointing fingers at one another and led to some easy buckets, where there was someone at the rim unmarked.

And by not having live-ball turnovers, the Cyclones kept Houston out of transition and forced it to go against their defense.

With no time to really prep, Iowa State’s game plan was simple: keep the Cougars out of the paint, especially All-America guard Jamal Shead. Shead went 3-of-17 from the field, struggling to get into the teeth of the defense. A lot of his shots came late in the shot clock or were contested runners that felt forced.

“I didn’t think Jamal’s looks were that good because they were on the first side,” Sampson said. “You can’t play offensively like that. It’s why we’re good against a lot of teams. You have to play to the third side against good defensive teams and for whatever reason, we just didn’t have the patience to do that today.”

The Cyclones never relented, guarding with the same intensity and focus possession after possession after possession.

“We’re never gonna take the gas pedal off the gas,” sophomore point guard Tamin Lipsey said.

It showed in Houston’s numbers. The Cougars had just four open catch-and-shoot jumpers, and three of those came off offensive rebounds. They went 15-of-56 from the field, finishing with their lowest efficiency in any game Sampson has coached at Houston.

It’s remarkable where this program is just three seasons after going winless in the Big 12. Otzelberger, formerly an assistant at Iowa State under Greg McDermott and Fred Hoiberg, took over his dream job and recreated his identity as a coach. He’d been known for his offense at South Dakota State. After two mostly mediocre years at UNLV, he came home to Iowa State, and immediately made sure defense was his calling card.

The Cyclones had top-10 defenses his first two years, but they needed to catch up offensively this season to climb out of the middle of the Big 12. Iowa State targeted players who could dribble, pass and shoot in recruiting, getting precisely that in transfers Gilbert and Curtis Jones, plus Momcilovic, a freshman.

And in just his third season, Otzelberger has his first Big 12 championship against a team that was supposed to be like looking in the mirror. Otzelberger should be viewed as one of the best young coaches in the sport, based on where Iowa State was and where it looks to be going. And this night was the crowning achievement of his career.

Of course, you’d hardly know it by watching him afterward. Even when his team posed on the stage postgame, his toothy smile looked forced.

Where he’s comfortable is on that sideline, arms folded, watching his guys play for one another. Nothing flashy. Just a calculated beatdown.

(Photo: Jay Biggerstaff / Getty Images)

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Iowa

Surrounding states bracing for spike in demand as Iowa abortion ban set to begin

Published

1 hour ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

Surrounding states bracing for spike in demand as Iowa abortion ban set to begin

Abortion providers are bracing for Iowa’s near total abortion ban to take effect on Monday.

In Illinois, the Chicago Abortion Fund, a group which provides referrals and funds to those seeking abortions, saw a 165 percent increase in support requests from patients in Iowa this month, it told The Washington Post.

“It’s staggering even to me,” the group’s executive director Megan Jeyifo said.

Last month, the Iowa Supreme Court lifted a hold on a 2023 state law, banning abortions in most cases after six weeks, after a lower court temporarily blocked the law.

The ban will now take effect Monday morning.

In preparation, Planned Parenthood told NBC News it’s expanding services in surrounding states like Illinois, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

“We are standing by ready to help patients receive access to care, even if that means traveling out of state,” Ruth Richardson, president of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said.

The Emma Goldman Clinic, based in Iowa City, said it will seek to support patients who need to travel out of state now for care.

“We will help those for whom we are unable to provide abortion services to navigate the logistics of seeking care in other states,” it said in a statement.”

Prior to the 2023 law, which contains exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormality, and lethal risks to the mother, Iowa banned abortions after 22 weeks.

Abortions expected to drop 97 percent once the new law takes effect, according to Planned Parenthood.

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Iowa

These 13 Iowa beaches are not recommended for swimming due to high E. coli or algae

Published

8 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

These 13 Iowa beaches are not recommended for swimming due to high E. coli or algae

Don’t forget to check the water quality reports if you head to the beach this weekend. More than a few beaches are not recommended for swimming.

A total of 13 beaches are not recommended for swimming this week. High E. coli levels were reported at 12 beaches and high algal toxin levels were reported at two.

Wondering how can you check up on water monitoring, beach classifications and know what locations are open or closed? Iowa Department of Natural Resources tracks it all and updates the public weekly on its website and using a phone hotline at 515-725-3434.

The DNR collects weekly samples at 39 state-owned swimming beaches to determine the public’s risk of coming in contact with waterborne diseases. Testing starts a week prior to Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day.

What Iowa beaches are not recommended for swimming?

Backbone Lake

Beach classification: Vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

Beeds Lake

Beach classification: Vulnerable
Last test date: July 23

Black Hawk Lake

Beach classification: Less vulnerable
Last test date: July 23

Blue Lake

Beach classification: Less vulnerable
Last test date: July 23

Denison Beach

Beach classification: Less vulnerable
Last test date: July 23

George Wyth Lake

Beach classification: Vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

Lake Ahquabi

Beach classification: Less vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

Lake Darling

Beach classification: Vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

Lake of Three Fires

Beach classification: Less vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

Nine Eagles Lake

Beach classification: Vulnerable
Last test date: July 23

Pleasant Creek Lake

Beach classification: Less vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

Rock Creek Lake

Beach classification: Less vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

Union Grove Lake

Beach classification: Vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

West Okoboji Lake

Beach classification: Vulnerable
Last test date: July 24

What Iowa beaches have a special status?

Lake Keomah: Monitoring by DNR has been suspended for the 2024 season. The DNR expected to start draining the lake on July 9 for a major renovation and water quality improvement project that will last until spring 2026.

What Iowa beaches have improved to ‘OK for swimming’?

Three beaches previously considered “not recommended for swimming” in Week 9 data, posted on July 19, are now OK for swimming:

Pheasant Creek Beach
Emerson Bay Beach
Denison Beach

How does the Iowa DNR classify Iowa’s beaches based on their water quality?

DNR officials classify state park beaches into one of three categories annually based on their history of bacteria results in recent years:

Vulnerable: Beaches are considered vulnerable when the geometric mean standard is exceeded in three or more of the five most recent sampling seasons.

Transitional: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “vulnerable” in the past monitoring seasons.

Less vulnerable: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “transitional” or “less vulnerable” in past monitoring seasons.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.

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What to know about Iowa wrestling’s Kennedy Blades’ path ahead at the 2024 Olympics

Published

16 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

What to know about Iowa wrestling’s Kennedy Blades’ path ahead at the 2024 Olympics

It was never a matter of if for United States Olympian and recent Iowa commit Kennedy Blades, but a matter of when.

Blades is one of the premier talents in the United States’ pool of youth wrestlers. She made waves initially by becoming the first girl to win a boys state championship in the state of Illinois while in high school, before cementing her status as an elite wrestler by reaching the U.S. Olympic Trials best-of-three finals at the age of 17.

Blades’ opponent in the finals was none other than Adeline Gray, a six-time World champion who had set the standard for women’s wrestling in the U.S. When Gray won her first World title, Blades was just 9, and Gray continued her career in the most dominant and consistent way possible.

Blades came up short, losing to Gray (who went on to win silver in the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics). At that moment, Blades was not quite up to the task.

Fast forward to today. Blades has beaten Gray once (at the 2023 U.S. Open) but lost to her again at Final X. Maybe the torch had been passed, but there was enough doubt that it hadn’t and that Gray may have one more Olympic run in her.

This time at the Olympic Trials at age 20, Blades left little doubt, rolling through to the Olympic Trials finals once again by winning three matches by a total score of 33-1. Facing Gray once again, Blades triumphed with an 11-6 and an 8-3 decision over Gray to become an Olympian.

“It didn’t go my way when I was 17, but I knew I could beat her because I did it before so it’s obviously possible,” Blades said. “I just trusted my training and I literally just said, ‘full send.’”

Now, the Iowa women’s wrestling program has its first Olympian after Blades made her way to Iowa City a couple months after clinching the spot. A dream has been realized as Blades now carries the torch as one of the country’s best wrestlers.

“This was honestly my goal since I was seven. 2024 was definitely my goal,” Blades said. “I’ve never even made a Senior World Team so it’s just amazing to think I made an Olympic team.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Blades’ upcoming test, from her opponents to when she will wrestle.

Opponents in Kennedy Blades’ bracket

Blades showed she is capable of beating anyone in the world with her wins over Gray, but it doesn’t get any easier when she arrives in Paris.

Aiperi Medt Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan is the No. 1 seed at 76 kilograms, a 25-year-old World silver medalist in 2023 and a World bronze medalist in 2021. She thrashed Gray at the Zagreb Open in Croatia in a 10-0 technical fall. She’s wrestled in six World Championships prior to making this year’s Olympic team.

The 2023 World champion at 76 kilograms, and perhaps the favorite in Paris, is Yuka Kagami of Japan. At age 23, she is a World champion and a World bronze medalist. Japan is the top women’s wrestling country in the world.

No. 2 seed Kagami is followed by No. 3 seed Tatiana Renteria of Columbia, a World bronze medalist in 2023.

Rounding out the top five seeds are Catalina Axente of Romania and Milaimys Marin of Cuba. Both took fifth in their respective weight classes at the World Championships a year ago. Mari defeated Blades at the Spanish Grand Prix this summer by a 13-4 score, so there will need to be a game-plan adjustment for Blades if these two face off again.

There also are three other former Olympians in this field in Nigeria’s Hannah Rueben (14th in 2016), Tunisia’s Zaineb Sghaier (16th in 2020) and Turkey’s Yasemin Adar Yigit (bronze medalist in 2020). Of those three, only Rueben is seeded at No. 6.

Combine those with former World medalists in Canada’s Justina Di Stasio (World champion in 2018) and Mongolia’s Davaanasan Enkh Amar (World silver medalist in 2023), this is a field full of experienced and talented wrestlers.

Blades has as much talent as anyone in the world as an offensive dynamo, but the question will be whether her talent will show through again as it did at the Olympic Trials or if she’ll need more experience to compete at an Olympic level.

Full field of wrestlers in 76-kilogram bracket

No. 1 Aiperi Medt Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan)
No. 2 Yuka Kagami (Japan)
No. 3 Tatiana Renteria (Columbia)
No. 4 Catalina Axente (Romania)
No. 5 Milaimys Marin (Cuba)
No. 6 Hannah Rueben (Nigeria)
No. 7 Justina Di Stasio (Canada)
No. 8 Bernadett Nagy (Hungary)
Yuliana Yaneva (Bulgaria)
Juan Wang (Chia)
Genesis Reasco Valdez (Ecuador)
Reetika (India)
Davaanasan Enkh Amar (Mongolia)
Zaineb Sghaier (Tunisia)
Yasemin Adar Yigit (Turkey)
Kennedy Blades (United States)

What is repechage?

Repechage is a French word meaning a second chance, and it will be talked about a lot in Paris.

Fans who watched the Last Chance Qualifier that Iowa’s Spencer Lee competed in to qualify for the Olympics may recall what repechage is, but in case this is new to you, here’s an explainer:

Repechage is the consolation-bracket format the Olympics will use. Unlike the traditional wrestleback format seen at high school and collegiate levels here in the U.S., only the athletes who lost to the gold-medal finalists of the tournament will get another shot in the consolations to take as high as third. In other words, a bracket is created comprised of every wrestler who lost to a finalist.

Losers of the semifinal matches get a bye to the semifinals of the repechage, where four other wrestlers are remaining for a chance at bronze. Winners of those semifinal matches will then wrestle for bronze.

When will Kennedy Blades wrestle at Olympics?

Here are the session times for Kennedy Blades’ matches. Times aren’t an exact science here, but these are the scheduled session times via the Olympics. Blades would wrestle in the repechage matches on Aug. 11 only if she were to lose on Aug. 10 to a gold-medal round finalist as previously mentioned.

All times listed are CT.

Aug. 10 from 4 a.m to 6:30 a.m: Preliminary rounds and Quarterfinals
Aug. 10 from 11:15 a.m to 3 p.m: Semifinals
Aug. 11 from 4 a.m to 7:30 a.m: Repechage
Aug. 11 from 4 a.m to 7:30 a.m: Medal matches

How to watch Olympic Wrestling

Wrestling will be broadcast live on NBC, as well as being streamed and replay-able on Peacock.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23

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