Tuesday’s best: Five area girls’ basketball regional games to watch (2A and 1A quarterfinals, Feb. 17, 2026)

They played in something called the Four Corners Shootout, a season-opener way back on Nov. 21.

They’ll meet again Tuesday, and for either Keota or Highland, it will be a season-ender.

The Eagles and the Huskies collide in a Class 1A girls basketball regional quarterfinal Tuesday at rural Riverside. Both are enjoying their best season in more than a decade.

Southeast Iowa Conference North Division champion Highland (20-3) certainly has recovered since that season debut, a 73-51 Keota victory. The Huskies’ 20 wins are the most for the program since hitting that landmark in 2009-10.

Keota (17-5) is in the midst of its first winning season since 2013-14, and the 17 wins are the most by the Eagles since an 18-6 campaign in 2010-11.

The postseason series reaches the regional-quarterfinal level in 1A and 2A. Along with the Keota-Highland matchup, a 1A South Iowa Cedar League rubber match between Montezuma (17-6) and English Valleys (17-5) contains massive intrigue.

Here is a look at Tuesday’s top area games:

Lisbon (14-8) at No. 14 Maquoketa Valley (17-4)

Class 2A Region 5 quarterfinal

Maquoketa Valley handed Lisbon a 66-38 defeat on Jan. 9 at Delhi, but that doesn’t take the shine off Lisbon’s breakthrough season. The Lions shared the Tri-Rivers Conference East Division title (with Bellevue Marquette), their first league title since the six-on-six days in 1990. Lisbon got past Northeast, 61-50, in a first-round game while this marks Maquoketa Valley’s postseason debut. The Wildcats started 12-0, and will try to regain that momentum. Sophomore Audra Burbridge is averaging 21.3 points, 4.5 assists and 5.6 steals per game.

Van Buren County (15-7) at No. 10 Iowa City Regina (16-5)

Class 2A Region 8 quarterfinal

The records are close, but Regina is a substantial favorite to advance. The Regals have a backcourt ace in sophomore Addie McLaughlin, the River Valley Conference South Division leader in scoring (22.2 points per game), assists (6.5 per game) and steals (4.9). They also have a substantial advantage in strength of schedule. Junior Adalee Klein and freshman Jada Wiltz add 11.2 and 10.9 points per game, respectively. Van Buren County has won six of its last seven games, including a first-round victory over Columbus Community.

Wapello (13-9) at Lone Tree (15-7)

Class 1A Region 4 quarterfinal

Wapello claimed a pair of close victories in the regular season — 59-54 (Dec. 9) and 56-48 (Jan. 16). But Lone Tree was 12-4 in the SEISC North and Wapello finished 8-8. Lone Tree senior Finley Jacque led the division in scoring at 19.1 points per game. Jacque has been a four-year impact player for the Lions, who have put together a 67-24 record during her time there. Wapello has strung together four straight victories, allowing 27.5 points per game in that streak.

Keota (17-5) at Highland (20-3)

Class 1A Region 6 quarterfinal

As mentioned above, both teams are experiencing success at a level they haven’t seen in quite some time. The best part? Even better days may be ahead for both programs. Led by sophomore Kamryn Fink, Highland’s top four scorers consist of a sophomore, two juniors and a freshman. Fink (16.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, 6.0 steals per game) is the latest in a series of prolific Highland rebounders. Keota counters with Cameron Haifley, a sophomore who scores at a 17.5-point-per-game pace and one of four non-senior starters.

Montezuma (17-6) at English Valleys (17-5)

Class 1A Region 8 quarterfinal

These teams finished in the second-place tie (along with North Mahaska and behind champion Lynnville-Sully) in the South Iowa Cedar League. Montezuma breezed to a 48-23 victory on Dec. 12, then English Valleys answered with a 39-38 win Jan. 30. That was part of a late-season push of 12 wins in 13 games by the Bears. EV does not have a senior on its roster, and soph Anna Luers averages 12.7 points per game. Montezuma continues to love the long ball; the Bravettes average 26 3-point attempts per game. Junior Vivian Cook and senior Claire Erselius average 15.0 and 14.2 ppg.

Tuesday’s Class 2A regional quarterfinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 4

Sumner-Fredericksburg (9-13) at No. 4 Denver (19-2)

South Winneshiek (13-8) at Aplington-Parkersburg (14-8)

Durant (10-13) at No. 13 Cascade (16-5)

West Branch (8-13) at Bellevue (14-7)

Region 5

North Butler (11-11) at No. 5 Emmetsburg (20-2)

Nashua-Plainfield (15-6) at Garner GHV (13-8)

Lisbon (14-8) at No. 14 Maquoketa Valley (17-4)

Dyersville Beckman (6-15) at MFL MarMac (14-7)

Region 6

Interstate 35 (9-12) at No. 6 Treynor (18-2)

Central Decatur (13-8) at Southwest Valley (15-6)

Pleasantville (10-11) at No. 12 Mount Ayr (20-1)

Eddyville EBF (10-11) at Sigourney (14-8)

Region 8

South Hardin (10-12) at No. 7 Grundy Center (19-2)

Jesup (13-8) at Hudson (15-6)

Van Buren County (15-7) at No. 8 Iowa City Regina (16-5)

West Burlington (11-10) at Danville (15-5)

Class 1A regional quarterfinals

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 4

North Cedar (7-14) at No. 4 Springville (21-1)

Wapello (13-9) at Lone Tree (15-7)

Clayton Ridge (3-16) at No. 15 Lansing Kee (14-7)

Easton Valley (7-14) at Bellevue Marquette (13-7)

Region 5

Moravia (11-12) at No. 5 Lynnville-Sully (21-0)

Wayne (9-13) at North Mahaska (16-6)

West Hancock (10-11) at No. 13 North Union (13-8)

Garwin GMG (12-10) at Meskwaki (17-3)

Region 6

Pekin (11-11) at No. 6 Dunkerton (19-2)

Keota (17-5) at Highland (20-3)

Calamus-Wheatland (10-13) at No. 9 Turkey Valley (19-2)

East Buchanan (8-14) at Edgewood-Colesburg (14-8)

Region 8

BGM (9-12) at No. 8 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (18-3)

Montezuma (17-6) at English Valleys (17-5)

Tripoli (11-11) at No. 14 Saint Ansgar (17-4)

Janesville (8-10) at North Linn (9-11)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com