Ankeny Centennial girls basketball falls to hot-shooting Waterloo West in Class 5A state quarterfinals
Seeds can be deceiving sometimes.
Such was the case in Monday's state quarterfinal game between third-seeded Ankeny Centennial and sixth-seeded Waterloo West. It was West who won, 67-59, to advance to Thursday's semifinal round of the Class 5A girls state basketball tournament.
The lower seed won both of 5A's latter two quarterfinal games. West, now 22-2 this year, will face seventh-seeded Valley (19-5) in Thursday's semifinal round. Top-seeded Johnston and fourth-seeded Pleasant Valley make up the second semifinal.
The Jaguars came to Wells Fargo Arena cautiously optimistic this week, but their sights were set on advancing to Friday night's title game after reaching the semifinals a year ago. Instead, Centennial bows out at 20-4, its season done before Monday ended.
"I thought we played pretty well," Centennial coach Scott De Jong said. "We fought really, really hard. … (West) just played a great game."
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West won this game because of its efficient shooting. The Wahawks, back at the state tournament for the third year in a row, put up the most points of any team in the 5A quarterfinal round (so did Centennial, for that matter).
Three West players finished in double-figures, led by Sahara Williams' 24 and Halli Poock's 21. Sierra Moore poured in another 17, punctuated by a trio of 3-pointers. The Wahawks collectively shot 55% from the floor — and 60% from deep.
"We just had that determination, as a team," Moore said.
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West's offensive eruption stunned a Centennial team known for its defense. The Jaguars hadn't allowed any opponent to score 50 points all season. West had 45 by the end of the third quarter, and led by as many as 12 midway through the fourth.
The Jaguars kept pace with West early. It was tied 12-12 after the first quarter, but a 19-point second frame — including 10 points from Moore, who averaged just six points per game before Monday's explosion — gave the Wahawks a 31-21 lead.
"It was just too much Waterloo West," De Jong said. "The second quarter was a tough one."
Centennial closed within three points late in the third quarter and was within six in the fourth. Cleao Murray drained five 3-pointers and scored 23 total to keep the Jaguars in it. Elle Street added another 12 points and Kennedy White finished with nine.
But each time the Jaguars made a run, West had an answer. Williams scored 11 of her 24 points in the third quarter, and Moore drained a big triple to effectively ice the game after Centennial came within 58-49 in the fourth quarter.
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It did not help, either, that five Jaguar players finished the game with four fouls each. West capitalized by finished 17-for-22 at the foul line. Poock finished 10-for-12 as part of her 21 points.
"These young ladies, they don't want to be denied, and they won't be denied," West coach Dr. Anthony W. Pappas said afterward. "They've been here before. They know what it's about, and they're very, very determined."
Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.
Class 5A girls state basketball
No. 6 Waterloo West 67, No. 3 Ankeny Centennial 59
WATW 12 19 14 22 — 67
ANKC 12 9 16 22 — 59
STAT LEADERS
Points — West: Williams, 24; Centennial: Murray, 23
Rebounds — West: Moore, 10; Centennial, Pratt, 10
Assists — West: 4 players tied with 2; Centennial: Clark, 6
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Centennial loses to Waterloo West at Iowa girls state basketball 2022
