Photo Courtesy of Keota CSD Social Media
The Keota Eagle girls basketball team faces a long road trip and ranked foe Friday when they travel to Dunkerton to meet the Raiders in a Class 1A Regional Semifinal. The Eagle girls are 18-5, after finishing 11-5, third in the South Iowa Cedar League. Keota continued their playoff run with a Regional Quarterfinal win on Tuesday at Highland 49-43, completing a season sweep of the Huskies. On the year, Keota scores 53 points per night and gives up 37 on 37% shooting, 26% from three and 60% at the line with 35 rebounds, 13 steals, 10 assists and 18 turnovers per game. Individually, Cameron Haifley is the leader at 17 points, three steals and two assists per game. Jessalyn Aller leads at seven rebounds per night.
Dunkerton is 20-2 this year, they were undefeated champs of the Iowa Star North Conference. The Raiders beat Pekin last time out 73-35 to advance to Friday. Dunkerton is ranked No. 6 in Class 1A in the final poll of the year from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. This year the Raiders score 69 points per game and give up 33 on 46% shooting, 32% from three and 55% at the line with 34 rebounds, 20 steals, 19 assists and 13 turnovers per game. Individually, Kylee Pexa is best with 19 points, five steals and assists per night with Daisy Fettkether adding six boards per game. Eagle head coach Jeff Sprouse joined Tuesday’s KCII postgame show live to talk about the keys this round. “The effort our girls have put in over the last couple of years to be able to participate in games like this has been fun to watch. (Dunkerton) shoots the ball a lot from the outside. Perimeter defense (will be important). They like to get up and down the floor, we kind of like that too. We have to make sure that we check out individual people and go get the long rebounds. Don’t lose the game in the first quarter. Hang in there for four quarters and let it fall where it may. Just take it all in, relax, and have fun!”
The Eagles and Raiders have never met. This is the first time Keota has advanced this deep in the postseason since a run in 2012, they have not played in a Regional Final since 2009. The winner of this contest is one game from the State Tournament. You can hear all of the action live tonight on all KCII signals, streams and apps beginning with the Eagle playoff pregame show at 6:30p.m. And tip between Keota and Dunkerton at 7p.m. Live from Dunkerton High School.