Davenport North ousts Cedar Rapids Kennedy for first state berth in school history

DAVENPORT – In the end, too much foul trouble and too much Davenport North did in the Cedar Rapids Kennedy girls' basketball team.

The 11th-ranked Cougars were eight minutes away from a berth in the state tournament with a seven-point lead, but the host Wildcats scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter and ousted Kennedy, 68-64, in a Class 5A girls' regional final Tuesday night at the Davenport North gymnasium.

'I told them it was one of those things where they didn't lose the game tonight, the other team won the game,' Kennedy Coach Tony Vis said. 'There's a big difference in that. I don't feel like we gave the game away.'

Kennedy ends the season at 18-5 with four losses in its final seven games. Eighth-ranked Davenport North (21-3) advances to the state tournament for the first time in school history. The Wildcats – three years removed from a winless season – will face No. 3 Ankeny Centennial (20-3) in a state quarterfinal on March 2 at 5 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

The struggle started early for Kennedy when star senior Lela Sellers – who scored eight of the Cougars' first 10 points – was forced to the bench after committing three first-quarter fouls. With Sellers sidelined, Kennedy switched up its offense to more penetration into the paint for baskets.

Davenport North junior Jinaya Houston – a University of Iowa commit – was also called for three fouls in the opening quarter, which left the game's two marquee players as mere spectators for the entire second quarter.

'It was hard,' Sellers said. 'I love playing basketball, so it was hard watching. They were doing a great job staying with them. It was hard because I can't do anything on the bench except cheer.'

Without Sellers, Kennedy's first-half deficit grew to as large as six points at 28-22, but a pair of 3-pointers from senior guard Sydney Hayden and a bucket at the halftime horn from junior Ashley Hamilton sent the Cougars to the locker room with a 10-2 surge and their first lead since the opening basket, 32-30.

'We knew if we were aggressive, we could score some shots driving to the hoop,' said Hayden, who finished with a team-high 22 points. 'Also, if they knew we were good shooters, we could take them to the hoop.'

Sellers returned to the floor less than two minutes into the third quarter and scored nine of Kennedy's next 16 points as the Cougars closed the frame with a 53-46 lead, but with Hayden on the bench nursing a sprained ankle.

Sellers finished with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Davenport North charged out of the break, scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter and claimed the lead behind Houston and junior Jacionna Stowers, who led all scorers with 28 points.

'We had some good looks at some shots there in the fourth quarter,' Vis said. 'Maybe rushed a few of them, but at the same time had open looks that just didn't go down that went down previously. I don't know if we got tired or what the deal was.'

Back-to-back Carly Langhurst baskets for Kennedy tied the game at 59-59, but Sellers fouled out with 2:33 to go. A 3-pointer from Hamilton briefly returned the lead to the Cougars at 62-61, but Davenport North closed with seven of the game's final nine points.

Hamilton was the third Kennedy player in double figures with 11 points, and led the team with seven rebounds.

Houston totaled 12 points, while Paige Bradford added 14 points in the post for Davenport North.

AT DAVENPORT

C.R. KENNEDY (64):

Carly Langhurst 2 0-0 4, Ashley Hamilton 4 0-0 11, Sydney Hayden 9 2-4 22, Lela Sellers 5 8-12 19, Jordan Vaske 1 0-0 2, Hailey Dolphin 1 0-0 2, Linden Runels 0 2-2 2, Kendal Meier 1 0-1 2, Totals 23 12-19 64.

DAVENPORT NORTH (68):

Jacionna Stowers 12 0-0 28, Jinaya Houston 4 3-4 12, Reese Ranum 1 1-2 3, Mckenzie O'Brien 2 3-4 9, Lindsay Wardlow 0 0-0 0, Coral Dillie 1 1-6 3, Paige Bradford 5 4-5 14, Totals 25 12-21 68.

Halftime – Kennedy, 32-30. Three-point goals – Kennedy 8 (Hayden 4, Hamilton 3, Sellers 1), Davenport North 6 (Stowers 4, Houston 1, O'Brien 1). Fouled out –

Sellers.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com