Saturday’s best: Five area girls’ basketball regional games to watch (3A quarterfinals, 2A first round, Feb. 14, 2026)

For the Alburnett High School girls basketball program, it’s a new era in so many ways.

New conference; welcome to the River Valley South Division.

New classification; say hello to Class 3A.

New coach; howdy, Donnie Dobbs.

Competitive seasons -- not too high, not too low -- have been metronomic at Alburnett. The Pirates have won between nine and 15 games for 13 consecutive seasons. This rendition is 13-8 heading into the postseason.

Alburnett will host Anamosa (10-12) in one of the top area 3A first-round games Saturday.

Saturday marks a full schedule in 3A; the 64-team field includes area heavyweights like

Here is a look at Saturday’s top area games in 3A quarterfinals and 2A first-rounders:

Anamosa (10-12) at Alburnett (13-8)

Class 3A Region 1 quarterfinal

It’s been nearly 20 years since these two teams met, and this is a virtual tossup. Alburnett was competitive in its first year in the River Valley South, finishing fourth with an 8-6 divisional record. Sophomore Kylie Cushman is the Pirates’ top scorer at 11.6 points per game. Volleyball star Sophie Sander (13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds per game) is Anamosa’s headliner, but the rest of the Blue Raiders’ nucleus is comprised of sophomores and freshmen.

Benton Community (8-13) at Monticello (13-8)

Class 3A Region 1 quarterfinal

Monticello won a 27-25 grinder Jan. 31, and expect another down-to-the-wire affair Saturday. The Panthers have survived the graduation of Jayden Kuper (now a freshman starter at Missouri-St. Louis), with senior Kennedy Hermsen (12.3 ppg) doing the heavy lifting now. Monticello posted its 12th consecutive winning season and finished in a third-place tie in the River Valley North Division. Benton counters with senior Aubrey Kelly (14.2 ppg).

Albia (11-9) at No. 12 Mid-Prairie (16-5)

Class 3A Region 3 quarterfinal

The records appear reasonably close, but this one slants Mid-Prairie’s way. The Golden Hawks have won nine consecutive games, including a 55-54 triumph over Iowa City Regina on Thursday. They also handed River Valley South champion Tipton its only defeat in that run. Junior Morgyn Bender and senior Jovi Evans lead Mid-Prairie at 14.3 and 11.2 ppg, respectively. The Golden Hawks handled Albia in the 2024 postseason, 57-29.

Oelwein (12-9) at Waukon (12-9)

Class 3A Region 4 quarterfinal

Not so long ago, these teams would have met twice per season in the Northeast Iowa Conference. But Oelwein is now a NICL member and Waukon resides in the Upper Iowa Conference. The teams did not play in the regular season. Waukon is the team with momentum, winning four of its last five games while Oelwein has dropped three straight. Oelwein McKinzie See (18.7 ppg) and Haydin Becker (18.4) rank third and fourth among NICL scorers.

Northeast (2-20) at Lisbon (13-8)

Class 2A Region 5 first round

Lisbon is a league champion for the first time in 36 years, sharing the Tri-Rivers Conference West Division with Bellevue Marquette. The Lions have won five of their last six, but this might not be the mismatch that records would indicate. According to BC Moore, Northeast has played the fourth most challenging schedule in 2A while Lisbon is 63rd. Senior Kamryn Kahl leads the Lions at 13.1 points per game.

Saturday’s Class 3A regional quarterfinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 1

Wilton (1-19) at No. 2 Maquoketa (18-4)

Anamosa (10-12) at Alburnett (13-8)

Camanche (7-14) at No. 15 Davenport Assumption (12-7)

Benton Community (8-13) at Monticello (13-8)

Region 3

West Liberty (5-17) at No. 1 Mount Vernon (19-2)

Hampton-Dumont/CAL (6-14) at Dike-New Hartford (12-10)

Albia (11-9) at No. 12 Mid-Prairie (15-5)

Chariton (14-6) at Pella Christian (9-11)

Region 4

North Fayette Valley (6-15) at No. 4 Dubuque Wahlert (15-5)

Oelwein (12-9) at Waukon (12-9)

Charles City (1-19) at No. 14 Center Point-Urbana (13-8)

New Hampton (9-12) at Crestwood (12-9)

Region 5

Vinton-Shellsburg (0-21) at No. 5 Williamsburg (17-5)

Iowa Falls-Alden (11-10) at Roland-Story (16-5)

South Tama (6-14) at No. 11 Tipton (19-2)

Fairfield (3-15) at Washington (11-10)

Saturday’s Class 2A regional first round

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 4

Wapsie Valley (6-16) at Sumner-Fredericksburg (8-13)

Louisa-Muscatine (13-8) at Durant (9-13)

Region 5

Central Springs (1-20) at North Butler (10-11)

Northeast (2-20) at Lisbon (13-8)

Region 6

Colfax-Mingo (8-14) at Interstate 35 (8-12)

Cardinal (8-13) at Pleasantville (9-11)

Region 8

Union Community (5-16) at South Hardin (9-12)

Columbus Community (11-10) at Van Buren County (14-7)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com