City High trips Iowa City West in a defensive showcase, 33-30

IOWA CITY — It’s not exactly a marketing pitch.

“That’s City High basketball,” Hattie Galloway said in the locker room, according to Coach Lynsey Barnard.

“A lot of (missed shots), and a lot of defense.”

An immense amount of defense.

Class 5A eighth-ranked Iowa City High held No. 5 Iowa City West to 20.5-percent shooting and edged the Trojans, 33-30, in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball game Friday night at West High School.

The Little Hawks (13-3 overall, 7-1 MVC) evened the score this season with the Trojans, and this was the one that counted in the league standings.

West won, 60-51, Dec. 19.

“This is probably the last time I’ll be a part of this rivalry,” said Tessa Driscoll, whose drive gave the Little Hawks a three-point lead with 19 seconds left. “I really wanted to go out with a (win).”

City could exhale when the Trojans missed a 3-point attempt just before the horn.

“The second half, we were finally able to find some gaps,” said City’s Kaitlin Loria, who registered 13 points and eight rebounds. “Beating our rivals, it’s an amazing feeling.”

Neither team led by more than six points all game. West (11-4, 7-1) scored six in the row for a 30-28 lead; Grace Fincham capped it with a nifty step-through move for the go-ahead basket with 4:40 remaining.

But the Trojans didn’t score again.

Loria hit the first of two free throws at the 3:51 mark, but missed the second. The Little Hawks rebounded, and Loria’s drive put them ahead for good with 3:21 left.

The first half was anything but offensive wizardry on either end. The teams combined for 7-of-48 shooting (West was 2-of-26), and City led 12-9 at intermission.

Yes, 12-9.

“There’s so much emotion when we play West, or when we play (Iowa City) Liberty,” Barnard said. “Sometimes West brings out the best in us, and sometimes the worst in us.”

Both teams got the cobwebs out somewhat in the third quarter. City led by as much as 22-16, but Fincham’s 3-pointer got the Trojans within 25-24 just before the horn.

A Drake University signee, Fincham had 13 points and six rebounds for the Trojans. Sasha Baldwin added 10 points.

Iowa City High 33, Iowa City West 30

At Iowa City West

IOWA CITY HIGH (33): Maybes Miller 2-4 2-2 7, Hattie Galloway 1-7 0-0 3, Thisbe Lewis 2-6 0-1 4, Kaitlin Loria 5-12 2-3 13, Tessa Driscoll 2-9 0-0 4, Eve Vitense 0-3 0-0 0, Halle Larew 1-3 0-0 2, Maeve Bowen-Burt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-44 4-6 33.

IOWA CITY WEST (30): Ava Frese 0-5 0-0 0, Abby Neumiller 1-11 0-0 3, Josephine Austen 0-0 0-0 0, Grace Fincham 4-13 4-4 13, Sasha Baldwin 3-7 2-2 10, Kate Van Waning 1-6 0-0 2, Savannah Mathias 0-2 2-2 2. Totals 9-44 8-8 30.

Iowa City High 10 2 13 8 — 33

Iowa City West 7 2 15 6 — 30

3-point goals: City 3-16 (Miller 1-2, Galloway 1-3, Loria 1-3, Driscoll 0-5, Vitense 0-3), West 4-28 (Frese 0-3, Neumiller 1-7, Fincham 1-8, Baldwin 2-6, Van Waning 0-4). Team fouls: City 10, West 10. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: City 38 (Galloway 10), West 29 (Fincham 6). Assists: City 5 (Driscoll 2), West 6 (Van Waning 2). Steals: City 8 (Driscoll 3), West 8 (Fincham 3). Turnovers: City 16, West 13.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com