In the class 2A quarterfinals, Council Bluffs St. Albert scored the first four points of overtime enroute to a 61-59 win over Monroe PCM. Zach Gradoville led St. Albert with 21 points but had to watch the final 1:11 of overtime from the bench after fouling out. “I was scared. I wish I could have been out there helping the team, but they pulled it out. They hit their free throws,” Gradoville said. “I was just happy to run out on the floor to give my teammates a hug.” The victory spoiled a second half rally by PCM which trailed by 15 in the third quarter. Senior guard Todd Lorensen led the PCM comeback with 32-points, including 20 in the second half. He also added four assists ans six steals. “The breaks just didn’t go our way,” said Lorensen. In the class 3A quarterfinals, Brett Bogler led a big second half surge by top-ranked Harlan. The senior foraward had 22-points and six three pointers, all in the second half as the Cyclones roared back from a nine point deficit to down Waterloo Columbus 69-51. “I was like, guys, give me the ball,” Bogler said. Harlan was 0 of 11 from behind the arc in the opening half of play but made seven of 10 in the second half rally. Davenport Assumption jumped out to a 19-7 lead at the end of one enroute to a 53-34 win over Spencer. Knights coach Randy Norton says his team was motivated by a loss at last year’s tournament. “We lost a heart-breaker to Heelen, and when we got back and had our team meeting, we wrote on the board ‘Unfinished business,'” Norton said. Tony Armstrong closed out his career for Spencer with 17-points and seven rebounds. “We would have liked to have gone farther, but it was a great, great season. The younger guys, hopefully they have the drive to get back here next year,” Armstrong said.
