Anna Quillin adds some offense to her board work, and Solon returns to the 3A girls’ state basketball semifinals

DES MOINES — Everybody should have an Anna Quillin on their side.

“She’s so tough,” teammate Callie Levin said. “I’m glad she’s ours.”

Anything that Quillin can give the Solon Spartans offensively ... that’s a bonus.

Gravy.

“She was just everywhere today,” Coach Jamie Smith.

Especially on the glass.

Quillin supplied eight points to go with her 16 rebounds Tuesday morning, and No. 3 Solon pulled away late to beat No. 7 Dubuque Wahlert, 58-47, in a Class 3A girls’ state basketball quarterfinal at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Spartans (22-3) pulled away from a 39-39 third-quarter deadlock, and advanced to the 3A semifinals for the second consecutive year.

They’ll face No. 2 Des Moines Christian (24-1) — a 49-46 winner Monday over No. 8 Benton Community — at 3:15 Thursday afternoon.

“I looked up and it was 39-39. We took a timeout. We had to recuperate and focus,” said Levin, a University of Iowa signee. “We got on the boards, we played tough defensively and we moved the ball around.”

It started with Quillin, who converted an offensive rebound — one of her eight in the game — into a basket and a 41-39 lead. Hailey Miller followed with a 3-pointer, and the Spartans took a 44-39 advantage to the fourth quarter.

Wahlert (19-6) was still hanging around at 48-43, but Solon scored the next eight to wrap it up.

Quillin entered the game averaging 4.7 points and 8.9 boards per game.

“To me, if she gets eight (points), it’s like somebody getting 30,” Smith said. “She’s a gamer.”

Quillin was quizzed about her role.

“Hustle, effort, rebounds,” she said. “I’ve got to help give our team second chances. I just do what I can.”

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Levin was outstanding early, hitting 6 of her first 7 shots from the floor. She had 15 points by halftime, and finished with a game-high 20.

On the strength of a long-range flurry — Delainey Durr hit a 3-pointer, Levin nailed a pair, Miller added another in a 12-3 run — Solon built a 32-20 lead midway through the second quarter.

A basket and a 3-pointer by Claire King spurred a Wahlert counter-surge, and the Golden Eagles were within 34-29 at intermission.

Miller added 16 points, Kobi Lietz 11.

Claire Lueken paced Wahlert with 15 points. Olivia Donovan added 13 points and 11 rebounds.

“We knew (Lueken) was going to get her points,” Miller said.

“I think we have a good chance (in the semifinals). I don’t want to take anything for granted. We’ve got to keep up the intensity.”

Solon 58, Dubuque Wahlert 47

Class 3A State Quarterfinal, at Des Moines

DUBUQUE WAHLERT (47): Claire King 2-4 2-2 7, Olivia Donovan 6-12 1-2 13, Maria Freed 5-10 0-0 11, Ruth Tauber 0-3 0-0 0, Claire Lueken 7-18 0-0 15, Ana Rivera 0-0 0-0 0, Kylie Sieverding 0-4 1-2 1, Julia Busch 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-51 4-6 47.

SOLON (58): Kobi Lietz 3-9 5-5 11, Hailey Miller 6-13 1-4 16, Mia Stahle 0-3 0-0 0, Anna Quillin 4-5 0-0 8, Callie Levin 7-18 4-6 20, Delainey Durr 1-3 0-0 3, Laney Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-51 10-15 58.

Dubuque Wahlert 11 18 10 8 — 47

Solon 18 16 10 14 — 58

3-point goals: Wahlert 3-15 (King 1-2, Donovan 0-1, Freed 1-5, Tauber 1-4, Sieverding 0-1), Solon 6-21 (Lietz 0-2, Miller 3-7, Stahle 0-1, Levin 2-10, Durr 1-1). Team fouls: Wahlert 15, Solon 12. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Wahlert 34 (Donovan 11), Solon 30 (Quillin 16). Assists: Wahlert 7 (Donovan 2), Solon 8 (Levin 4). Steals: Wahlert 7 (Donovan 5), Solon 14 (Lietz 6). Turnovers: Wahlert 18, Solon 11.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com