The WACO Warrior boys basketball team has a chance to reach Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines and the state tournament Saturday when they travel to Iowa City Liberty High School to battle Alburnett in the class 1A substate championship. 

The Warriors have not attended the state tournament since 2006. WACO advanced to the substate title game by winning the district championship Thursday over No. 5 New London by a 41-37 score, on the strength of a 17-4 fourth quarter run and Nik Coble’s 19 points. On the season the Warriors are led by Coble who leads the Superconference south division at 18 points per game. He is third in the state with 285 rebounds. Colton Horak leads the Warriors with 127 assists, eighth most in class 1A. The Warriors have a 17-4 overall record.

Alburnett enters the game with an overall record of 17-5. The Pirates won the district title Thursday over No. 13 Calamus-Wheatland 71-64 in overtime. On the season, Alburnett is led by Izic Mackey at 18 points per game, fourth in the Tri-Rivers West. Hunter Caves leads Alburnett on the glass with 146 boards, sixth in the Tri-Rivers West. Caves is also fourth in the conference with 92 assists. This week, WACO head coach Paul Kissell talked about what his team needs to do to advance to Des Moines. “For us it all comes down to defense. Taking away their first option and making other guys score. If we stay focused and finish every play, quarter and half. That’s our intent. We are going to put our best defensive effort out there and let the offense come.”

You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Washington HyVee pregame show at 6:30 and tip off between the Warriors and the Pirates at 7p.m. from Iowa City Liberty High School.