Sioux City Heelan used a late 9-0 run to take the lead for good as the Crusaders toppled third-ranked Ballard 70-67 in a class 4A quarterfinal. Tristan Beaulieu scored 21 points on seven of eight shooting as Heelan rallied from a 13 point deficit early in the third quarter. ” I kept reminding my teammates that this could be my last game and we didn’t want that,” Beaulieu said.
Heelan shot a sizzling 64 percent in the second half, including five of six from three point range, to improve to 22-3 on the season. “this is so exciting, last year we lost first round, and I reminded everyone we are not going to lose first round, we are going all the way this year,” Beaulieu said.
Ballard shot 62 percent in the opening half to build a nine point advantage but the Bombers could not stop the Crusaders in the second half. “I give all the credit to them, they just did a super job of running their offense and we didn’t,” Ballard coach Kelly Anderson said. The Bombers close the season with a record of 21-3.
In another 4A game, second-ranked Western Dubuque raced out to an 18-9 lead at the end of one quarter and cruised to a 51-30 victory over Indianola in a class 4A quarterfinal. The Bobcats shot 54 percent for the game to improve to 24-0.
Western Dubuque was the 4A runner up last year and coach Amy Ostwinkle says that experience is a plus. She says they really set the tone for the game early as they wanted to get the ball inside.
Indianola shot only 21 percent for the game, including three of 25 in the second half.
“Our inexperience, our youth I should say, showed through today, we just couldn’t make a shot, couldn’t make a free throw, couldn’t make an easy shot, couldn’t make a three, just really tentative. Played like freshmen and sophomores,” according to Indian’s coach Bert Hansen who says Westrern Dubuque’s defense was a factor in their poor shooting.