Tigers face task with two-time defending champs
DES MOINES — The Red Oak girls basketball team takes to the floor Tuesday morning when they play the two-time defending 3A champions Davenport Assumption in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament at the Wells Fargo Arena.
Red Oak and Davenport Assumption will be the first 3A game of the day with tip-off slated for 11:45 a.m. The Tigers will try to win and advance on in the state tournament for the first time ever.
Red Oak’s making their first trip to state under the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union sponsorship.
The Knights have made their fair share of trips to the state tournament. They’ve won three state titles since 2008. Last year, Davenport Assumption defeated MOC-Floyd Valley 59-32. In 2011, they defeated Mount Vernon 50-39. The first state title the Knights won in 2008 was in Class 2A when they defeated MFL-Mar-Mac 46-27.
The Tigers enter the state tournament with a six-game winning streak, dating back to their Jan. 29 win against the Shenandoah Fillies. In regionals, Red Oak picked up double-digit wins against Clarinda, Shenandoah and Adel-DeSoto-Minburn.
Red Oak will have its hands full as Davenport Assumption has lost just twice this season. Their first loss was to Rock Island, Ill. Jan. 5, 75-70, while the other one came Jan. 19 to Southeast Polk 68-50.
Davenport-Assumption easily dispatched their opponents during regionals as they defeated Camanche, Mount Vernon and Center Point-Urbana all by at least 30 points.
Red Oak will look to its three leading scorers to try and score the upset win against Davenport Assumption. Sophomores Kate Walker and Grace Blomstedt, as well as junior Blake Bergren, will be key for the Tigers Tuesday.
All three players are in the top 10 for the Hawkeye Ten in scoring. Blomstedt, who leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.1 points per game, was third in the Hawkeye Ten in total rebounds, grabbing 187 for the season. Blomstedt’s 74 blocks this season is the most in the Hawkeye Ten and fourth most in Class 3A.
Walker is third on the team in scoring as she averages 11.3 points per game. But the sophomore guard has also been crucial in running the offense this season. Walker has 114 assists this season, most in the Hawkeye Ten and third most in Class 3A.
Bergren has been the go-to shooter for Red Oak this season as the forward averages 12.8 points per game.
Bergren has been key around the perimeter for Red Oak, making 37 three-pointers this season, fourth most in the conference.
The key player to watch for Davenport Assumption will be Danielle Moore. The senior leads the team in scoring and assists, averaging 13.1 points per game, as well as recording 59 assists for the season.
Red Oak will also need to contend with Kate Fennelly and Hailey Schneden. Both seniors are averaging nine points per game this season.
The other quarterfinal games for Tuesday will be Bondurant-Farrar against Cascade, Mid-Prairie against MOC-Floyd Valley and Spirit Lake against Estherville-Lincoln Central.
Should Red Oak win, they would play in the semifinals Thursday afternoon at 3:15 p.m.
The 3A championship game will be Friday at 8 p.m.