Girls’ state basketball: Thursday’s games

DES MOINES — Thursday's games at the girls' state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena:

CLASS 1A SEMIFINALS

No. 1 TURKEY VALLEY (25-0) vs. No. 4 BURLINGTON NOTRE DAME (24-1)

* Time: 10 a.m.

* Coaches: Carletta Nymeyer and Dan Stepan serve as co-coaches for Turkey Valley. Nymeyer is 61-12 in three seasons; Stepan is 65-28 in four seasons. Jim Myers is in his first season at Notre Dame and holds a 24-1 mark there. He is 86-53 overall in six seasons.

* Top players: Shelby Reicks (5-10, jr.) leads the charge for Turkey Valley. She averages 15.8 points, 6.8 assists and 5.0 steals per game. Emily Busta (5-8, soph.) provides offense off the bench, averaging 10.9 points per contest. Notre Dame is a high-scoring outfit, posting 69.2 points per game. Riley Kilbride (5-8, sr.) is the top scorer at 18.0 points per game, followed by Gabrielle Koelker (5-7, sr., 13.7) and Johanna Myers (5-11, jr., 13.2 ppg).

* How they got here: Turkey Valley made its state-tournament debut Monday by holding off Mount Ayr, 55-51, in the first round. Notre Dame rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to get past Lansing Kee, 56-44.

No. 3 SPRINGVILLE (24-1) vs. No. 7 NEWELL-FONDA (19-6)

* Time: 11:45 a.m.

* Coaches: Nate Sanderson is in his sixth year at Springville and has notched an 83-56 mark. He is 152-152 in 14 years overall. Dick Jungers is 293-63 in 14 seasons and has brought eight teams to state.

* Top players: The sophomore duo of Mikayla Nachazel (5-foot-10) and Rylee Menster (5-4) lead the Orioles at 14.7 and 14.0 per game, respectively. Megan Wagaman (5-8, sr.) adds 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Maddi Morenz (5-7, sr.) and Erin Gerke (5-7, jr.) pace Newell-Fonda at 13.3 and 12.7 points per contest.

* How they got here: Springville fought past Kingsley-Pierson, 60-53, in the quarterfinals. Newell-Fonda downed Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, 53-42. This is a rematch from last year's state championship game, won by the Mustangs, 45-43, on a last-second shot.

CLASS 2A SEMIFINAL

No. 2 IOWA CITY REGINA (25-0) vs. No. 3 UNITY CHRISTIAN (23-1)

* Time: 3:15 p.m.

* Coaches: Matt Bolger has posted a 46-4 mark in two years at Regina. He is 135-82 in nine years overall. Jay Schuiteman is on the verge of a milestone; he is 199-103 in 13 years at Unity.

* Top players: Mary Crompton (5-8, soph.) is an outside threat, averaging 16.0 points per game to lead Regina. Sarah Lehman (5-9, jr.) adds 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. Anna Kiel (6-0, sr.) gives Unity an advantage inside. She averages 19.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Chanda Zomermaand (5-7, sr.) adds 15.6 points per game.

* How they got here: Regina advanced with a 59-47 victory over Manson-NW Webster behind Crompton's 27 points. Unity pulled away late to oust West Branch, 52-33.

CLASS 3A SEMIFINAL

No. 2 CENTER POINT-URBANA (24-1) vs. No. 3 NEVADA (22-3)

* Time: 6:45 p.m.

* Coaches: Philip Klett has amassed a 120-68 record in eight years at CPU; he is 155-82 in 10 years overall. Kristin Meyer earned her 100th career win in the quarterfinals; she is 100-44 in six years at Nevada.

* Top players: Winona State recruit Arika Wooldridge (5-11, sr.) leads CPU at 16.1 points per game. Younger sister Allison Wooldridge (6-0, soph.) adds 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Lexi Koudelka (6-1, soph.) leads a balanced Nevada outfit at 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Kati Cassabaum (6-0, sr.) adds 12.0 ppg.

* How they got here: Center Point-Urbana escaped a stern test by Mid-Prairie, winning 48-43. Defending-champion Nevada got past Sioux Center, 59-49.

OTHER GAMES

* Class 2A semifinal: No. 1 Western Christian (23-2) vs. No. 5 Okoboji (24-1), 1:30 p.m.

* Class 3A semifinal: No. 1 Pocahontas Area (25-0) vs. No. 4 Cherokee (23-2), 5 p.m.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com