Surrounded by his ecstatic teammates, junior Tate Van Dyke, center, holds up the Union Knights’ Class 2A state basketball qualifier banner after beating the second-ranked Kuemper Catholic Knights in last Saturday’s Substate 6 final played at Drake University’s Knapp Center in Des Moines. Union, unranked this season, defeated Kuemper Catholic 77-66 in what has been described as one of the biggest recent upsets in Iowa high school boys basketball history. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB

DES MOINES – Most predicted the Knights would prevail in last Saturday’s Class 2A Substate 6 final played at Drake University’s Knapp Center, they just didn’t think it would be Union’s Knights.

“Heading into the game I would say we were extremely confident. We talked in the days leading up to the game that nobody in the state was predicting or thinking we would win. But as long as everyone in our locker room believed – that is all that mattered,” Union boys basketball head coach Eric Jesse, a Union alumnus in only his first year at the Knights’ helm, told the newspaper on Sunday following his unranked team’s crusade 77-66 over the No. 2 Kuemper Catholic Knights – a dynasty team that has made 17 trips to state beginning in 1969 while capturing the championship in 1985.

If there was ever a Union Cinderella story, this was it.

“Everyone in our locker room knows the type of players we have in there,” Jesse continued. “We all felt great about the game plan and confident in each other. Trust goes a long way!”

Tate Van Dyke – a junior transfer from Hudson – led Union against Kuemper Catholic with 17 points including two 3-pointers; the team’s only senior, Eric Neipert added 14 points and juniors Caden Sorensen, Maddux DeWinter, and Cameron Mullen finished with 13, 12, and 11 points, respectively. Off the bench, junior Sawyer Spence added eight and freshman Bryson DeWinter contributed a field goal.

Union junior Tate Van Dyke (5) drives the basket against Denver during the Class 2A District 6 championship played on Feb. 25 in Dike. The Knights defeated Denver 62-50 for the chance to take on Kuemper Catholic last Saturday – a game Union also won, sending the team to the state tournament for the second time in school history. PHOTO BY SHOTS BY DEV

While the two teams traded the lead for most of the opening period – leaving Kuemper Catholic up 18-14 at the buzzer – roughly two minutes into the second, Union pulled ahead and never looked back. But that certainly didn’t mean the La Porte City Knights rode to an easy victory over the No. 2 team — a team that has been averaging in the mid to high 80s all season.

“We knew we would have to compete for 32 minutes,” Jesse said. “During timeouts and breaks in the action the coaches and players were all saying ‘We still need more’ or ‘It’s not enough.’ We knew it would be a fight ’til the end so we did not look ahead until the final horn rang.”

Jesse addressed Kuemper Catholic’s suffocating offense in a game preview with Cole Blair of 1650 The Fan which was recorded in advance of Saturday’s substate final.

“They score very frequently,” Jesse told Blair with a laugh when asked for his thoughts on the Carroll-based Knights. “I don’t want to say [the game will be a] clash of styles – ’cause we want to get up and down and run, too … but I think it’s going to be an entertaining game.”

In his interview Sunday with the newspaper, Jesse said his players handled Kuemper Catholic’s offense with skill.

Union head coach Eric Jesse cheers on his players from the sidelines during last Saturday’s Class 2A Substate 6 final played at Drake University’s Knapp Center in Des Moines. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB

“We did a great job of limiting their transition offensive attack. We knew coming in how hard they wanted to push the ball and get easy ones. Our goal was to keep them out of the middle of the court and force them into as many mid range jumpers as possible. We also gameplanned to take their best shooter out of the game with an aggressive stay of defense, which worked. We also did a great job of taking care of the basketball and really made them guard the entire court every possession down.”

On defense, Neipert led for the Union Knights with 10 rebounds and two blocks; Van Dyke contribued six rebounds plus a steal and a block, while Maddux DeWinter notched three rebounds. Kuemper Catholic recorded 11 turnovers to Union’s seven.

With the substate championship, Union advances to the state tournament for only the second time in school history after first punching their ticket in 2008 when Jesse himself was a junior. The following year, during his senior season, Union finished with a 22-2 record with Jesse the top scorer at 353 points. In the years since, the Union Knights have managed just one winning season.

“While I was in high school we definitely dreamed of [earning a trip to state] and talked about it weekly. [Those] goals and dreams help make the early mornings and late nights worth it!” Jesse recalled before reflecting on what it means to be back, some 16 years later, but now at the helm.

“I am very fortunate. I came into a group of great young men, great parents, and I have a great coaching staff with me. It all starts with my love for these kids. I love being around them every day. There was not one day I was not excited [to] shoot around/practice/film/games.”

Union senior Eric Neipert dunks against Denver during the Class 2A District 6 championship played on Feb. 25 at Dike-New Hartford High School in Dike. The Knights defeated Denver 62-50 for the chance to take on Kuemper Catholic the following Saturday – a game Union won this past weekend, sending the team to the state tournament for the second time in school history. PHOTO BY SHOTS BY DEV

His love for the game of basketball – particularly Union basketball – also continues to drive him, he said, affecting not just his time on the hardwood but also his time in the classroom as a fifth grade teacher in Waterloo.

“I just love the game of basketball. I am always wanting to get better as a coach, teacher, or just someone the kids can count on. I love everything basketball related and I think it shows with my passion and commitment to the game. Lastly, I just love this program. The Union Knights basketball program is something that has helped shape me and guide me throughout my life. Being the coach here is literally a dream come true and I can’t wait to continue to make more memories with these guys.”

When the buzzer sounded Saturday evening in Drake’s Knapp Center, Jesse said he was bursting with pride for his student-athletes – a team that pretty much everyone had written off when it came to taking down Kuemper Catholic.

“It felt amazing as the buzzer sounded. I felt so proud and happy for our guys. As an athlete and basketball player that is always the ultimate goal. I just couldn’t wait to tell them all how proud I was of them. I felt extremely confident going in [to the game], felt good about the game plan and the matchup. [Prior to tipoff], people that I talked to outside of our locker room were not giving us much of a shot but I knew the type of kids and players we have.”

When asked if he characterizes the win as an ‘upset,’ Jesse said not necessarily.

Union’s Eric Neipert (21), the only senior this season, hoists his team’s No. 12 jersey above his head in honor of the late Gavin Rorhbach while celebrating the Knights’ Class 2A Substate 6 final win last Saturday in Des Moines. Rorhbach, a senior at Union High School this year who played forward last season for the Knights, lost his life in a car accident on Sept. 6, 2024. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB

“To our program, I don’t think we would characterize it as an upset because you never go into games thinking you are going to lose. Obviously, you respect all opponents but every game we go into I always think and believe we have a great shot of winning if we execute, compete, and make shots.”

On Tuesday, March 11, the seventh-seed Union Knights (17-9) will take on the second-seed West Lyon Wildcats (21-3) in the 2A state quarterfinal round at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. In preparation for the game, Jesse said he plans to “stick with some of the same things” that got his team to this point.

“We will take a look at West Lyon and game plan for them. We have to continue to do things the right way during film and practice. [This is a] huge opportunity for us to continue to get better the next week and a half!”

Asked if there were any players in particular he’d like to shout-out this season, the first-year head coach politely declined, citing how well his team shares the workload it takes to win.

“I just want to highlight our kids and just how special they are on and off the court. When kids buy in and don’t care who gets the credit or spotlight, special things can and will happen!”

First-year Union head coach Eric Jesse, second from left, embraces junior Caden Sorensen (10) as his players rush the court around them in celebration following Union’s upset victory over No. 2 Kuemper Catholic last Saturday evening in Des Moines. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB

The 2A quarterfinal schedule at “The Well” on March 11 begins with top-ranked Western Christian vs. Jesup, followed by Grand View Christian vs. Treynor and West Lyon vs. Union before Grundy Center takes the floor in the final matchup of the day against Unity Christian.

Members of the Union Knights boys basketball team celebrate after defeating the Kuemper Catholic Knights during the Class 2A Substate 6 final played last Saturday, March 1, at Drake University’s Knapp Center in Des Moines. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION BOOSTER CLUB