Grundy Center, Treynor to Clash in Boys Basketball State Tournament

5-seed Grundy Center and 4-seed Treynor will meet in a 2A quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Grundy Center Spartans (23-1) and the Treynor Cardinals (22-3) will face off in a 2A quarterfinal game at the IHSAA State Basketball Tournament on Wednesday. Both teams are making their third consecutive state tournament appearance, with Treynor having more experienced players on the roster. Grundy Center Coach Owen Thomas expects a physically demanding game against Treynor's aggressive defensive style.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the top teams in Class 2A who have established themselves as consistent state tournament contenders in recent years. The winner will advance to the semifinals, putting them one step closer to a state championship.

The details

Grundy Center, the 5-seed, is making its third straight state tournament appearance after falling in the quarterfinals the past two seasons. Treynor, the 4-seed, is also in the state tournament for the third year in a row, having lost in the quarterfinals last year. Treynor has four players with previous state tournament experience, led by Alec Lovely's 17.4 points per game. Grundy Center Coach Owen Thomas expects a physical, aggressive game against Treynor's defensive style, and says his team will need to control the pace and play in transition to be successful.

  • The game will tipoff at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, 2026.
  • Pregame coverage will start at 11:45 a.m.

The players

Owen Thomas

The head coach of the Grundy Center Spartans.

Alec Lovely

The leading scorer for the Treynor Cardinals, averaging 17.4 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“We've got to be ready physically. That's going to be probably the most aggressive defensive team we've played all year on film. They play extremely emotional basketball, which is dangerous because when things go well for a team that plays like that, it goes really well. But on the same hand, when it rains, it pours. And when things go bad, they usually tend to go bad. So we're going to do our best to control, play at the speed we want to play. We struggle when teams slow us down a little bit. We like to play out in transition and use our speed.”

— Owen Thomas, Head Coach, Grundy Center Spartans

What’s next

The winner of the Grundy Center-Treynor quarterfinal will advance to face either Kuemper Catholic or Union in the semifinals.

The takeaway

This highly anticipated 2A quarterfinal matchup features two teams with recent state tournament experience and contrasting styles of play. Whichever team can impose its preferred tempo and defensive intensity will have the best chance of advancing to the semifinals and keeping its championship hopes alive.