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♪♪ >>> Welcome do downtown Des Moines for a busy evening of girls high school hoops at Wells Fargo arena.

It is night number 1 of our 2022 girls championship coverage.

And we are back and in the arena.

Hello everybody.

I'm Paul GAGer.

I'm already on set.

At on onsite Iowa PBS sports desk.

High above the action this week.

And a quick reminder.

You can watch tonight's games throughout all of Iowa's 99 counties right here on statewide Iowa PBS or anywhere online at Iowa PBS.org.

First we're going to jump right into tonight's match-ups in the 5A and 3A championships and show how those teams made their way out of the semifinals and into tonight's finals.

Let's begin in class 5A.

Pleasant valley earned their efficiency tournament in school history with a win.

And the dragons took step one when they knocked out catholic early on.

Clemens takes it in more the Spartans.

And Clemens does it on defense.

Gets the steal.

Goes to the other end of the floor.

Coast to coast for two.

She'd finish with 9.

Johnston's Jada gymfy, you are going to hear a lot about her tonight.

Gyamfi would finish with 134.

-- 13.

>> And the second half.

Buchan beautiful from outside.

Hitting the three-ball.

And Zoey again.

This time the drive and the baby hook off the glass.

Zoey would add 11.

And Aaliyah Riley out front on the steal gets the outlet pass and lays it in.

And now Riley is going to flash some of hers defensive skill.

Steps in front of that.

And now she's going to go to other way.

And lay it in.

Riley would have eight assists to go with her 12 points.

The dragons still perfect, back into the title game for the third year in a row with a 20-point win.

They would play the winner of this one.

Valley and Waterloo West.

Dr. Pappas approaching a coaching milestone.

Early on.

Williams into the Brooklynn Smith.

Smith will get another opportunity here.

We'll talk more about her as the night goes on but her mom Nina was miss Iowa basketball in 1999.

That run from outside for three.

And now drives in.

Right spot for the tigers.

West though would lead at the break 31-18.

And the second half, tigers trying to keep it close.

Lip finds Jaeger at the top of the free-throw line.

Jaeger again.

Waterloo west.

Look at Sahara Williams.

Scoop underneath.

We're going talk about her in a moment.

Another drive.

This moves even better.

The euro step through the defense and one.

Williams had 24 in the quarters, 21 in semis.

Leads the Wahawks to their first title game since 2002.

And Dr. Pappas' win number 600 of his career.

And we're going to get to the analysis part of the game.

Jakeky kaolin will have the 3a title.

>> Waterloo West, how did they get here?

>> They got here because of team chemistry.

They have got experience and they have trust in one another.

And those are the things that really these championship teams build on.

And they've hard work, that's how they got here.

But also during the season you always seem to have a little milestone in the season that helps propel you.

It was a loss late in the season to Iowa city high that they were blown out.

And that was a wakeup call for them.

>> Inside they had to excise some demons.

There have been games they've fallen a little short getting to this title game so what makes them good for the championship here in a few minutes.

>> I think what makes them so good is their balance.

Great inside chemistry and great outside chemistry.

We saw several players on the highlights on the perimeter.

Halli Poock, everybody is going to see a lot of her tonight.

And Sahara Williams, saw a lot of great moves from her.

Inside Brooklynn Smith.

And the X factor.

Sierra Moore.

>> Poock is a player that a lot of coaches have said I'd love to start a team with her.

You will talk about that in the broadcast with B.J.

So let's talk about Johnston.

Third time in the title game.

We've seen Johnston here a lot.

Jada Gyamfi is a joy to talk to after a game.

She's flashing the bright shoes, the bright fingernails.

This year she got rid of the orange, went to spring break.

She also gets a lot of attention from opposing coaches.

Why?

>> Because she's good at what she does.

She plays in the middle and she's not just a blocked to block type of player.

She's a player that can step out.

She can shoot the mid range jumper.

She can extend a little further as well.

But she's also a difference maker in the middle on defense.

She can block some shots and people are going to game plan to try to go away from her and also try to shut her down.

>> And defenses might overcommit up top and you are saying there might be something down low or maybe on the outside.

Anna Gossling almost the same type of players as DINEVEER last year.

>> This will be he's 11th state tournament game tonight.

Shooting 52 here on the Wells Fargo floor.

And we talked about an X factor for Waterloo West.

I think Anna Gossling is going to be the X factor for the Johnston dragons.

>> We'll see how it shakes up.

You will have the call with B.J.

SHAGen in a matter of the moments.

That's game one.

Let's go to the night cap.

Class 3A.

And that is that order we're going this year.

And these are two teams in the finals.

Central beat luetin to advance.

And unity christian, number one.

They survived assumption in the quarters and also the defending champs.

SconeHogan to Jenna balmA.

Those two have scored a lot of points.

But Lincoln central says we got a couple players too.

Haley Stokes to tendal.

And tendal gets behind.

Finishes on the rim.

Stokes, five assists.

Tendal would finish, 22.

33-15 at the break.

Skiedman gets the kick out three and skiedman playing trail to Gracie scone Hoeven, off the block.

The put back is good by skiedman.

Tendal drives down for the layout.

And now it is going to be Haley Stokes.

ELC a 57-33 win over unity.

>> Ballard.

Sound familiar?

They knocked off -- 43-29.

And 2KE67BDing champs in 4A.

.

Puts in two of her 24 points.

And brook goes to work.

Ball ERT goes to work with brook leaving.

What a move there and she also does it again.

Watch Levy on the crossover.

Freezes it.

Gets the friendly roll.

She'd lead all scorers with 25.

Then Meg REETZ, from the corner.

Nice shot.

Ballard leads.

24-17 at break.

In the second half.

West lion trying to make a run.

Gianna Clairenby.

Nice shot.

Another three this time from almost NBA range.

She finished with 14.

But Ballard pulled on experience.

Kylie Rigby lives in the -- anyway, can't say that without getting in trouble.

Beal now with the pass.

And Rigby the big three.

Back in the title game.

Now in 3A as Ballard holds on with a five-point advantage.

Jackie, you have seen all the highlights.

There is a play they are stands out for you that you want to talk about.

But as a former player yourself, you know how the relationship is with coach.

Always have to have that open communication.

>> Brook Levy is an extremely impressive player and coach Anderson say she's the best basketball mind I've coached.

Extremely high basketball IQ.

Spot on in the huddle with her teammates.

Knows exactly what O say.

She played off the ball her freshman year and this year into the point guard position and has carried her team all season long.

>> The bombers last year got to take part in all sort of fun stuff.

Parades and pep rallies and they got to experience everything.

About a state championship.

You do it once.

You want to do it again.

There is that high that you athletes are always chasing.

>> Absolutely right, Paul.

And this environment is high pressure, high stakes.

And any time you have that experience coming in, knows what it feels like and what it takes to win a championship.

This team has been talking about doing it again from day one.

They are not afraid to talk about it.

Its been a goal from the start to play on Saturday, except for moving to 3A means they are on Friday.

They will take.

>> It it is still a day that ends in Y and they are in the championship game.

>> Absolutely right.

>> The approach for Ballard is to embrace but there is also something to be said about living in the moment.

Andestalville Lincoln central, they are pretty focused right now.

They live in the now.

>> They are a team that enters each day play by play, day by day.

They don't necessarily talk about winning the state championship.

But just outworking their opponent for 32 minutes.

That is what they have done all season long.

Is just show up prepared and ready to work hard.

>> Coach Martin dale.

Retired from teaching, now he gets to focus just on teaching.

They watched earlier this week and said nothing's changed with him.

His teams are still smart, tough and energetic.

Do you agree with their assessment?

>> I 100% agree with this.

And this is not necessarily a flashy team.

It is just a team that plays hard, plays together.

They've played with each other since day one back in elementary school.

They have each other's back and just talk about showing up and beat teams by playing hard and aggressive for 32 minutes.

>> And sometimes they have to have meetings with the coach.

>> They do.

In fact at the beginning of the season the seniors met with coach and said we don't want do run any conditioning drills this year.

We don't need to.

We're going to work so hard in practice that that in and of itself will keep us conditioned all season long and they did it.

Not a single conditioning drill, and they are one of the most conditioned teams we've seen all year.

>> Sometimes you see deep teams, sometimes not so deep.

It is a matter how they do in the moment.

You have watched a lot of the games here at the tournament this week.

We're back with a full contingent of fans.

Loud and rock us.

Another girls tournament.

What has stood out to you this week about having it back like we've had it in the past.

>> You know, I think the joy of just being back here and having the full atmosphere that everybody embraces.

And I have to say, and Jackie doesn't know this.

There was a game the other day.

And we both looked over and we saw the celebration happening for the winning team.

And Jackie had a big smile on her face.

I had a big smile on her face.

And it is just part of the experience to be here to be able to enyou it with the girls.

Yes there is disappointment on one side but just the see the elation on the other side.

All part of us what and WLAE grew up with.

>> You can get a little emotional.

I can as well.

Thank you very much for all your work in the pregame show.

Part of the tournament is the emotion but another is the pageantry.

Let's go down to the floor.

And let's now hear and see the all Iowa honor dance team.

all-Iowa honored dance team, under the direction of Kathie INIARD as they perform for your entertainment.

50 dancers will perform a hoop route on the a medley of USA songs.

The pregame was choreographed by Rachel WERR and Ella johner from Pella.

This performance is dedicated to lowest turnage.

Ladies and Gentlemen T all-Iowa honor dance team.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> Announcer: Please stand as we honor America, our military and their families.

The all-Iowa dancers will now perform a Patriotic finale featuring all of the state flags of our great nation.

Elle booth is our United States flag bearer.

And the national anthem will be sung by Jackie smellen.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ O SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT ♪ ♪ WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING?

♪ ♪ WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT ♪ ♪ O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED ♪ ♪ WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING ♪ ♪ AND THE ROCKETS' RED GLARE ♪ ♪ THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR ♪ ♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT ♪ ♪ THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE ♪ ♪ OH, SAY, DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE ♪ ♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE ♪ ♪ AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE ♪♪ >> Announcer: Jackie smellen and the all-Iowa honor dance team.

♪♪ >>> All right.

Thank you very much.

We will be right back.

With a full night of basketball.

We have class 3A and 5A championships coming up next on statewide Iowa PBS.