Raining threes sink Kuemper as Tigers reach state

 HARLAN — For most of the season, the Red Oak girls’ basketball team relied on senior stars Kate Walker and Grace Blomstedt to save the Tigers in close ball games. A different player stepped up Saturday night when not only the game, but the season was on the line. 

 Down 60-58 with less than 10 seconds to go, freshman forward Sierra Athen kept the Red Oak basketball season alive when she took the dish from a double-teamed Walker and went up for the game-tying lay-up. It was Athen’s second bucket of the game as she finished with four.

“When Kate passed me the ball, I was focused on the basket and was like I worked all season for this, so put it in the basket and maybe we can have a chance,” Athen said.

Kuemper Catholic missed its opportunity at a game-winner as the two teams went to overtime, where Red Oak would pull out a 72-69 win in the 3A regional final and make possible their second trip to the state tournament in three seasons.

“We’ve come back before, this season,” Walker said. “You can’t ever count us out and I think Sierra, Hannah [Vial] and Micayla [Taylor] stepped up and hit some big shots. I think everything just kind of came together.”

Athen’s lay-up was critical as the Tigers were down at one point 60-56 with 1:17 to go, following a pair of free throws by Paige Overmohle.

Grace Blomstedt cut the lead in half with 55 seconds to go thanks to a lay-up.

Kuemper tried to run down the clock, but Katie Tigges was fouled with 32.6 left. Tigges missed both free throws and Red Oak got the ball back.

The Knights got the rebound as Maria Dentlinger was fouled and went to the line for two free throws with 14.8 seconds left.

Dentlinger missed both free throws as Red Oak got the rebound, setting up the Athen game-tying lay-up. 

“There’s pressure, but there hasn’t been a lot because Kate, Grace, those seniors make it a lot easier for me and they tell me I’m doing good,” Athen said.

Both teams swapped the lead during overtime, but the Tigers turned to their two best players, Walker and Blomstedt, to help pull out the victory.

“I think the intensity picked up. Kate and Grace stayed calm and did what they usually do,” Athen said.

Blomstedt hit a bucket with 49 seconds left to give the Tigers a 70-69 lead. Kuemper Catholic tried to take the lead, but Red Oak got the ball back as Madison Gilbert was fouled with 37.5 seconds left. Gilbert made 1-of-2 to put Red Oak up 71-69.

Time ran down as Kuemper Catholic tried to set up for a final shot.

However, Walker got a steal and was fouled with 5.2 seconds left. Walker made 1-of-2, to put Red Oak up 72-69.

“You got to get that first one in as it takes a little pressure off,” Walker said. 

Kuemper Catholic had the ball with 3.2 seconds left as they tossed a desperation half court shot, missing and ending the game in favor of Red Oak.

The Knights at one point led by as many as six points with 2:51 to go, thanks to a pair of free throws by Overmohle.

A Micayla Taylor three-pointer cut that lead in half with 2:38 left. The three-pointers were big for Red Oak as they were 10-for-23 from beyond the arc.

Taylor led the three-point charge for Red Oak as the senior guard finished with 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting, all from three-point land.

“Micayla, I can’t say enough about her. She’s really gained confidence lately,” Walker said.

Taylor scored the first nine points for Red Oak, all via three-pointers in the first quarter. Points by Walker late in the quarter gave Red Oak a 13-10 lead through one.

The fourth three-pointer for Taylor was also critical as it came with 3:47 left until halftime. Red Oak trailed 25-17 prior to Taylor’s three as it sparked a 12-0 run to put the Tigers up 29-25 at halftime.

Taylor wasn’t the only one shooting threes for the Tigers. 

Blomstedt used her secret weapon, perimeter shooting skills, to help Red Oak stay in the game during the third quarter.

Blomstedt hit her first three-pointer with 3:31 to go, putting a halt to a 7-0 run by Kuemper Catholic. 

After a Vial and a Kuemper Catholic three tied the game at 40, Blomstedt struck again with her second three-pointer to give Red Oak a 43-40 lead with 2:30 left in the quarter. 

Blomstedt had 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting, including 2-for-3 from three-point range, with six rebounds and three assists. The bulk of Blomstedt’s points came in the second half and overtime.

“Good thing [Grace] was shooting well, because I wasn’t,” Walker said. “We just really needed Micayla, Grace and Hannah to step up.”

Red Oak tried to pull away late in the third, but points by Bauer and Tigges put the Knights ahead 46-45 entering the final quarter.

Walker was 7-for-18 from the field, including 1-for-4 from three-point range in the game as she scored 22 points.

Free throws made the difference for Walker, as she went 7-for-8 at the charity stripe. Walker made clutch free throws during the fourth quarter and overtime to help Red Oak in the win.

Walker had one three-pointer in the game, as did Vial, who finished with seven points.

While it’s the first time to state for Vial and Athen, it will be the second for Walker and Blomstedt, who were both starters on the 2012-13 team that made it to state for the first time in 90 years.

“This trip, I think we’re a lot more confident,” Walker said. “We were underdogs in every single game.”

It’s much different this time around for Red Oak. With their 20-4 record, they’ll be seeded much higher than they were in 2013.

The Tigers were seeded eighth that year as they faced the eventual state champions, Davenport Assumption, who won the 3A quarterfinal game 71-25.

Davenport Assumption would go on to blowout Cascade-Western Dubuque and Estherville-Lincoln Central on its way to the 3A state title.

This time around, Red Oak is seeded fifth as they will face Nevada (21-3).

Nevada reached the state tournament when they defeated Benton Community 60-50 in the Region 5 final in Tama Saturday night.

The Cubs are ranked seventh in the final IGHSAU 3A state rankings. Red Oak is ranked ninth.

The 3A state tournament will begin Tuesday, March 3 at the Wells Fargo Arena. Red Oak and Nevada will be the second game of the day as they play at 1:30 p.m.

The first quarterfinal of the day will feature No. 1-ranked Mediapolis taking on Mount Vernon at 11:45 a.m.

The winners of Red Oak-Nevada and Mediapolis-Mount Vernon will face off in the semifinals Thursday, March 5 at 3:15 p.m.

The other quarterfinal games feature Crestwood against Spirit Lake and Pocahontas Area versus Clear Lake.