History within sight for SE Polk's Borrison

DES MOINES -- Todd Borrison is a coach. He's also into construction.

"I love to build," he said. "And I felt I had one more (project) in me."

When Borrison led Southeast Polk to the girls' state basketball tournament, he became the first coach in state history to coach teams in all four classes.

And with two more wins, he can become the first to coach three different schools to state championships.

Borrison led Preston to Class 1A titles in 2000 and 2001, then piloted Davenport Assumption to the 2A crown in 2008. Assumption was a regular 3A qualifier in his nine years there.

"I've just been very fortunate," Borrison said after the fifth-ranked Rams (23-2) defeated Mason City, 49-35, in a 4A quarterfinal Wednesday.

They face a stiff semifinal challenge: No. 1 Des Moines East (24-0) at 1:45 Friday afternoon.

A year ago, Borrison was still at Assumption and Southeast Polk was 6-15.

"To be honest, I wasn't looking to move," Borrison said. "But then I walked in the gym (at Southeast Polk). The school has 4A facilities and the crowds are (as passionate) as 2A schools. There's a strong sense of community."

The Rams' improvement was swift and immediate.

"The kids bought into it hook, line and sinker," he said. "They've worked extremely hard from last June to now."

Southeast Polk's starting lineup consists of a junior, three sophomores and a freshman.

Call to the Hall

Robin Becker (Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 1986), Mary Berdo (Washington, 1996) and Nicky Wieben (Ankeny, 2005) will be inducted into the Iowa Girls' Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday.

The ceremony is at halftime of the Class 1A final.

Becker is the school record holder for career points and rebounds at St. Ambrose University. She went on to become the head coach at her alma mater, then at Illinois State, and now at Missouri.

Berdo is part of a small group of Iowa high schoolers that reached 2,000 points in her career. She still ranks second in assists (with 745), and she made 229 3-pointers in her prep career. She went on to play at Iowa.

Wieben won four state championships at Ankeny -- the Hawkettes won 66 straight games against Iowa competition in one stretch -- and played on three NCAA tournament teams at Iowa State.