Fifth ranked Iowa City West used a 17-0 first half run to take control enroute to a 69-51 victory over tenth ranked Southeast Polk in a class 4A quarterfinal round game at the boys’ state basketball tournament. Senior guard Wyatt Lohaus had a big game for the Trojans as he finished with a game high 22 points, including nine of 14 from the field. “We just started making our shots. We knew we weren’t playing good in the first half and we knew something had to change,” Lohaus says, “so we came out with a lot of energy and we turned it around real quick.”
West is bidding for their third straight title. Lohaus says it was nice to get the first win, especially when they have so many younger guys this year. Southeast Polk led the game 13-10 in the opening quarter before West went on its run.
The Rams end the season with a record of 18-5.
Bettendorf/Urbandale
Second ranked Bettendorf jumped out to a 13 point lead at the end of one quarter and rolled to a 64-33 victory over Urbandale in a class 4A quarterfinal round game. “I thought we executed well, we prepared all week and we did what we planned on doing,” senior guard Cole Clearman said.
Clearman finished with 10 points for a Bulldog team that is looking to take the next step after finishing as the runner-up a year ago. He said they are more relaxed and game out and executed well up and down the lineup.
Urbandale made only 10 of 48 shots for the game and after starting the season 4-8 the J-Hawks finish with a record of 14-11. “I’m not disappointed at all, we made it down here, we beat some good teams, we were playing on a floor where other teams want to play,” Urbandale coach Brad Bjorkgren said. “And I’m really proud of our guys because I’ve got got tough guys. We may not be bigger, faster, stronger, but I’ve got tough guys. And they pulled it together and they got it done when it didn’t look like they were going to get it done.”
In the other quarterfinals West Des Moine Valley got a free throw on a foul at the end of the game and knocked off top ranked Dubuque Senior 42-41. Sioux City North beat Cedar Rapids Kennedy 75-65.