Boys’ state basketball roundup: No. 7, 8 seeds to meet in Class 1A final

DES MOINES - Everyone had the seventh and eighth seeds meeting in the Class 1A state championship basketball game, right? That's what you've got after Council Bluffs St. Albert and South O'Brien won their semifinals Thursday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena.

Travis Miller hit five 3-pointers and scored 24 points to help eighth-seeded St. Albert past West Hancock, 70-52. Tyler Blaha and Matt Fagan added 12 points apiece for the Falcons (17-9), who outrebounded West Hancock (24-3) by a telltale margin of 44-26.

St. Albert eliminated top-seeded Danville in the quarterfinals, 69-46. Connor Sonius had 17 points and 10 rebounds for West Hancock, with Seth Weiland adding 15, all on 3-pointers.

Damon Struve had 20 points and 14 rebounds as South O'Brien (24-3) beat defending champion Gladbrook-Reinbeck, 65-56. The Wolverines shot 56.8 percent from the field.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck (24-3) got another great game from junior guard Joe Smoldt, who finished with 33 points, including 13 of 14 free throws. He scored 35 in G-R's quarterfinal win over Jesup.

DUBUQUE WAHLERT 68, CHARITON 46 - Iowa Hawkeye signee Cordell Pemsl scored 20 points and hauled in 15 rebounds as Wahlert's attempt at a three-peat got anotehr step closer. The Golden Eagles (21-5) play Cedar Rapids Xavier in Saturday night's Class 3A championship game at 6:35.

David Wedewer added 16 points and Josh Schmitt 12 for Wahlert, which outscored Chariton (24-2) by 18 points in the second half.

The Chargers got 16 points apiece from Daric Laing and T.J. Hockenson, a University of Iowa football signee.