Friday’s best: Five area girls’ basketball regional games to watch (2A and 1A semifinals, Feb. 21, 2025)

Suppose Iowa City Regina’s girls basketball team has been looking forward to this opportunity for a while?

Maybe, like, for a year?

Regina lost to Cascade, somewhat unexpectedly, in a Class 2A regional final last year.

Friday night, the second-ranked Regals (21-1) welcome the Cougars (16-7) for a 2A regional semifinal. Three of Regina’s starters this year — and three of Cascade’s starters — also started in last year’s 50-47 Cougars upset.

Regional semifinals are statewide Friday in 2A and 1A, with winners advancing to Wednesday’s regional finals.

Reigning 1A state-champion North Linn (21-1), in the midst of its 15th consecutive 20-win season, is a heavy favorite at home against English Valleys.

Meanwhile, here are five of Friday’s best area matchups:

Cascade (16-7) at No. 2 Iowa City Regina (21-1)

Class 2A Region 2 semifinal

With no disrespect intended toward Danville and Columbus Community, which square off in the other 2A Region 2 semifinal, this is the key game of the bracket. Regina recorded a 58-44 home victory over Cascade in their River Valley Conference cross-divisional contest Jan. 18, building a 15-point halftime lead. That was part of the Regals’ current 12-game winning streak. Senior Morgan Miller (20.5 ppg, 57.3 percent from the field) was named the RVC South Division player of the year and leads an attack that averages 69.8 points per game, best in 2A. Cascade Coach Mike Sconsa recently earned his 400th career victory. Senior Molly Roling averages 13.0 points per game for the Cougars, and junior Addison Frake is a double-double threat.

Hudson (17-6) at Jesup (18-4)

Class 2A Region 5 semifinal

Thanks to a 17-2 second-quarter advantage, Hudson claimed a 38-34 decision in a regular-season grinder, its first win over the J-Hawks since 2019. The Pirates are the more up-tempo team, their 58.0 points per game (73.3 ppg during their current four-game win streak) are 10 points better than Jesup’s, while the NICL East-champion J-Hawks rely on a defense that allows 33.5 points per game (compared to 44.0 for Hudson). It all spells toss-up, really. Senior Madison Willand leads Hudson at 16.7 ppg; Jesup senior Olivia Nesbit is good for 14.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. The winner draws No. 4 North Mahaska (20-2) or Grundy Center (15-7) in the regional-final round.

MFL MarMac (15-8) at No. 8 Maquoketa Valley (20-2)

Class 2A Region 8 semifinal

Maquoketa Valley and No. 7 Denver are side-by-side in the final 2A rankings, but both potential regional-final combatants have work to do to make that showdown a reality. MFL MarMac earned its first out-of-Upper Iowa Conference victory in easier-than-expected fashion over Wapsie Valley, 57-36, in the previous round, breaking it open in the middle two quarters. Both teams can defend: Maquoketa Valley’s 32.5 points per game allowed is fourth-best in 2A; MFL MarMac is seventh at 34.3 ppg surrendered. The majority of the Wildcats’ offense comes from the double-digit trio of freshman Audra Burbridge, senior Bianka Ronnebaum and junior Grace Richter.

Dunkerton (15-7) at No. 10 East Buchanan (16-6)

Class 1A Region 5 semifinal

East Buchanan rallied for a 50-47 road win over Dunkerton on Jan. 23, and a second win over the Raiders would send the Buccaneers to the regional finals for the first time since 2022. Laynee Hogan posted 20 points in the Bucs’ 60-53 regional-quarterfinal victory over Edgewood-Colesburg on Tuesday, and Peyton Bose hit two critical 3-pointers to give EB some late separation. Hogan averages 16.0 points per game, Bose 14.1. Dunkerton hasn’t lost since its last encounter with the Bucs, winning seven straight. The Raiders shrugged off a slow start in the previous round vs. Clarksville, turning an early 13-3 deficit into a 25-17 lead by halftime. Sophomore guard Kylee Pexa averages 15.9 points. 4.5 assists and 5.8 assists per game.

Lone Tree (20-3) at No. 14 Sigourney (18-5)

Class 1A Region 7 semifinal

Once upon a time, Lone Tree was 2-2. But the Lions have rattled off 18 wins in their last 19 games, including 11 in a row. Defense is their strength; the Lions allow 33.6 points per game. Junior Finley Jacque is the offensive leader at 16.4 points per contest. Sigourney repeated as SICL East Division champion behind a veteran (senior Josephine Moore posted 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game) and a rookie (freshman Brynn Clarahan averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 steals per contest). The Savages have won 13 of their last 14 games, bouncing WACO 62-33 in the regional semis. Lone Tree ousted Fort Madison Holy Trinity, 55-36.

Friday’s Class 2A Regional Semifinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 2

Cascade (16-7) at No. 2 Iowa City Regina (21-1)

Danville (14-8) at Columbus Community (18-4)

Region 5

Grundy Center (15-7) at No. 4 North Mahaska (20-2)

Hudson (17-6) at Jesup (18-4)

Region 8

MFL MarMac (15-8) at No. 8 Maquoketa Valley (20-2)

Aplington-Parkersburg (15-7) at No. 7 Denver (21-2)

Friday’s Class 1A Regional Semifinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 2

English Valleys (13-9) at No. 2 North Linn (21-1)

Calamus-Wheatland (15-9) at Bellevue Marquette (16-4)

Region 5

Lansing Kee (18-6) at No. 5 Riceville (21-1)

Dunkerton (15-7) at No. 10 East Buchanan (16-6)

Region 6

Melcher-Dallas (17-5) at No. 6 Montezuma (17-5)

No. 15 Lenox (18-5) at No. 9 Mount Ayr (21-1)

Region 7

Highland (17-7) at No. 7 Springville (18-4)

Lone Tree (20-3) at No. 14 Sigourney (18-5)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com