Regina rolls to 13-0

IOWA CITY — It just didn't add up.

Their opponent shot 59 percent. Their post got into early foul trouble and sat the majority of the first half.

It could have been a recipe for trouble for the Regina Regals. It wasn't.

Alex Wiese returned with a monster second half, and Class 2A top-ranked Iowa City Regina won its 36th consecutive regular-season girls' basketball game, 77-63, over 3A No. 15 Mid-Prairie in a River Valley Conference battle Tuesday night at Regina High School.

'We got through the first half with Alex on the bench, and we said, 'Let's get the ball inside more,'' Regina Coach Jeff Wallace said.

The outcome effectively put the RVC South Division race to bed. The Regals (13-0 overall, 11-0 RVC) own a 2 1/2-game lead with seven league games to play, and the majority of their toughest challenges are behind them.

'They're a great team,' Mid-Prairie Coach Stephen Bender said. 'They're the best team in the state for a reason.'

A 2A state semifinalist last season, Regina was going to be a handful anyway. The addition of Wiese (a sophomore transfer from Tipton) makes them an even tougher puzzle to solve.

'I love it here,' she said. 'Everybody is so nice to me ... When I got in foul trouble, I just had to cheer my teammates on in the second half.'

Wiese picked up her second foul about three minutes into the game, but the Regals forced eight first-quarter turnovers, and built a 24-9 advantage early in the second period.

But this is a much better team than the one the Regals swamped, 60-29, early in the season at Wellman. The Golden Hawks (10-4, 9-3) made shots, 23 of 39, and competed throughout.

At one juncture, Addison Rath and Ireland Hostetler were a combined 14 of 14 from the floor, but the Golden Hawks still trailed by nine points late in the third quarter.

Wiese registered 25 points (22 in the second half) and nine rebounds as the Regals enjoyed a 34-17 advantage on the glass.

Mary Crompton added 19 points, Sarah Lehman 14.

Rath paced the Golden Hawks with 24 points. Hostetler scored 15, Alison Butters 13.

In the boys' game, Masen Miller ignited a game-closing 11-0 run with back-to-back 3-pointers as Regina escaped, 67-60.

Jacob Phillips scored 18 points to lead the Regals (8-4, 7-3). Miller added 17.

Caleb Statler paced Mid-Prairie (4-11, 3-9) with 12 points. The Golden Hawks led 56-52 after three quarters, but managed just four points in the fourth.

IOWA CITY REGINA 77, MID-PRAIRIE 63

At Iowa City

MID-PRAIRIE (63): Anna Vilovchik 1-4 0-0 2, Addison Rath 11-14 0-1 24, ShaeLynn Becker 1-3 5-6 7, Alison Butters 4-10 5-6 13, Ireland Hostetler 5-6 5-8 15, Delaney Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Caitlyn Riggan 1-2 0-0 2, Kessa Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-39 15-23 63.

IOWA CITY REGINA (77): Mary Crompton 6-10 3-3 19, Sarah Lehman 6-13 2-2 14, Greyson Dumont 0-4 0-0 0, Kennedy Wallace 2-6 4-4 9, Alex Wiese 8-10 8-11 25, Lauren Gaarde 2-4 0-0 5, Katie Dunn 0-2 0-0 0, Alexa Lehman 1-3 0-0 3, Megan Wick 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 26-55 17-20 77.

Halftime: Regina 31, Mid-Prairie 25. 3-point goals: Mid-Prairie 2-4 (Rath 2-3, Riggan 0-1), Regina 8-20 (Crompton 4-7, S.Lehman 0-1, Dumont 0-3, Wallace 1-4, Wiese 1-2, Gaarde 1-2, A.Lehman 1-1). Team fouls: Mid-Prairie 12, Regina 20. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Mid-Prairie 17 (Butters 5), Regina 34 (Wiese 9). Assists: Mid-Prairie 7 (Butters 4), Regina 15 (Crompton, Dumont, Wallace 3). Steals: Mid-Prairie 13 (Butters 6), Regina 10 (four with 2). Turnovers: Mid-Prairie 18, Regina 15.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com