Mount Pleasant plays Western Dubuque in Class 3A quarterfinal game today.

By CHAD DRURY

cdrury@thehawkeye.com

DES MOINES -- Mount Pleasant High School boys basketball coach Paul Rundquist and Western Dubuque's Dennis Geraghty text and e-mail each other frequently. Their friendship goes back almost 30 years.

For 32 minutes today, however, the coaches won't be friends.

The top-ranked Panthers (21-1) and unranked Bobcats (19-5) square off in a Class 3A quarterfinal at the state tournament at 3:30 p.m. today at Wells Fargo Arena. Both teams have been impressive getting to the tournament, and ended long droughts in doing so.

"Coach Geraghty is one of a handful of coaches I look to as a mentor," Rundquist said. "I'd go to his camps in junior high and there'd be shooting clinics he'd be a part of. It's really a privilege to play one of his teams."

"Paul and I are really good friends," Geraghty said. "I coached against his dad (Gordon), and Paul and I have stayed very close. It's a game between two close friends and two good teams."

This is one of the matchups in which the seedings may not mean much. Mount Pleasant earned the top seed based on its record, but will be facing a team that it closely resembles. Both teams have excellent guard play, and good size inside. The Bobcats' Derrick Pape is 6-foot-8, the tallest player in the 3A field.

Both teams play excellent defense, and are at their best when defense is dictating the game. Western Dubuque set a school record for scoring defense this year (44.3 points per game). The Panthers allow 44.0 points per game. The first team to 50 may win it.

"We like to get out and guard, and for us, it starts with defense," Geraghty said. "We live and die on our defense, and we're at our best when the defense is creating transition for us."

"This is a really difficult matchup for us," Rundquist said. "They're extremely talented, and we're going to have to be at our best to stay in it. We've played with great poise the last month. I'm more concerned about what we do defensively because the offense can take care of itself."

Mount Pleasant's Scott Hahn has been one of the driving forces for the Panthers all season. The junior guard has come up with big games offensively and clutch plays as well. Power forward Henry Krieger-Coble is one of the tougher matchups because of his strength, but he'll be giving three inches to Pape in this matchup.

Western Dubuque's Zach Otting has been one of the better guards in the state as well. He averages almost 19 points per game and can shoot from the outside or drive to the basket. Pape almost averaged a double-double this season and is the second-leading rebounder in the tournament (9.1).

"It's been a great combination for us," Geraghty said. "Derrick has really picked it up lately, but we need that third double-figure scorer."

Geraghty is concerned about the Panthers' overall size. Four of Mount Pleasant's starters are at least 6-4. After Pape, the Bobcats have no one taller than 6-3.

"Their strength is a big worry," Geraghty said. "They have some bangers in there and they play kind of a smash-mouth game. They're really good inside."

Going into the season, Rundquist didn't know how his team would fare after losing two players who provided leadership. What resulted was the Panthers' first trip to state since 1997.

"We have a team that's very cerebral with the ball. We think every turnover is one less opportunity to score," Rundquist said. "Whether it takes us one or two passes, or 15, we're going to look for a high-percentage shot and treat it as if it's the last possession. I think it shows a lot of maturity on our part."

Western Dubuque likes to play the same way.

"They're very patient. They'll work the ball until you have a breakdown," Rundquist said. "They will make you play defense, so it'll be important to stay vocal. A lot of what we run is similar to what they do."

Both coaches are proud to be playing in the state tournament. The 3A field is brutal, with all eight teams winning at least 19 games apiece.

"There are only eight teams left and it's a real honor to be there," Geraghty said. "This should be an interesting game. The kids have to get over the stage-fright and play poised."

"This kind of field is exactly what you want," Rundquist said. "I think the nerves are natural and it might take a few minutes to really shake them. However, this is Game 23 for us. Every game is a big game."