Following a 10-day layoff, the Norwalk boys basketball team returns to the court tonight, hosting Sioux City West in a Class 4A Substate 1 semifinal at 7:00 p.m. The Warriors are playing their first game since losing at Class 3A 2nd-ranked ADM, 75-56, last Tuesday. It will be their first home game since Tillman Papcun’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer lifted the Warriors past Dallas Center-Grimes 48-46 on February 3.

A high-scoring Sioux City West squad comes to Norwalk with momentum, having won eight of its last nine games. The Wolverines improved to 16-6 with Monday’s 92-67 playoff victory over Sioux City North – a game that saw freshman standout Roman Henry score a remarkable 52 points and make 20-of-22 free throws. The 6-foot-5 Henry averages 26.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest. He is complemented by the scoring of senior guards Eduardo Frazier and Kamren Hegna, who average 19.4 and 12.8 points, respectively.

West tallies a 4A-leading 76.3 points per game, but allows 66.4. By contrast, Norwalk is outscoring the opposition 55.0 to 49.8. The Wolverines’ pace of play has led to 310 turnovers on the season, but they also have 192 steals. The Warriors have turned the ball over only 190 times while totaling 90 steals. Both teams rely heavily on the three-point shot – combining for 373 makes – and they are the top two free throw shooting teams in Class 4A. Norwalk shoots 78.5 percent at the charity stripe, followed by West at 76.3.

The 14-7 Warriors are led by junior Tillman Papcun’s 20.1 points per game and 60 made 3-pointers. Audric Pelzer adds 10.6 points per game and Jameson Demaray averages 7.5, combining for another 79 treys. Norwalk’s only previous matchup against Sioux City West occurred during the 2023 playoffs when they defeated the Wolverines 71-43.

Tonight’s game can be heard live on 94.3 KNIA, as well as kniakrls.com (KNIA3), with Mike Oeffner and Chris Larson on the call. Pregame coverage begins at 6:45. The winner will face fourth-ranked Dowling Catholic or Sioux City East in the Substate 1 final on Tuesday night.