>>> YOU ARE WATCHING STATEWIDE IOWA PBS.

>>> FUNDING PROVIDED BY MOSCOW LIGHTING.

THE SPORTS LIGHTING SPECIALIST.

PROVIDING LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR YOU, YOUR PROJECT, AND YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> THIS FOUNDATION IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF IOWA PBS.

THEY STRIVE TO BETTER THE COMMUNITIES AND BUILD A BETTER TOMORROW.

>> FAIRWAY WHEATON GROCERY.

FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS, FAIRWAY HAS BEEN PROUD TO BE AN ACTIVE PART OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.

LEARN MORE AT FAIRWAY.COM.

>> ACROSS IOWA, HUNDREDS OF NEIGHBORHOOD BANKS TO STRIVE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES, PROVIDE JOBS, AND HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES.

IOWA BANKS ARE PROUD TO BACK THE LIFE YOU BUILD.

LEARN MORE AT THEIR WEBSITE.

>>> GREETINGS FROM IOWA'S CAPITOL CITY.

WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER HIGHLY ANTICIPATED YEAR OF IOWA PBS COVERAGE OF THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS ESTATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS HERE AT WELLS FARGO ARENA IN DOWNTOWN DES MOINES.

THERE WE ARE.

WE ARE BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR INSIDE THE ARENA.

I AM PAUL YEAGER AT OUR ON SITE SPORTS DESK AS WE TAKE OFF TWO DAYS -- INCLUDING FIVE CLASSES OF GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.

TONIGHT, A DOUBLEHEADER.

CLASS CAPITAL FIVE A --THE OTHER ONES WILL GO HEAD-TO-HEAD TOMORROW ON YOUR STATEWIDE NETWORK, IOWA PBS.

WE ARE JUMPING IN A LITTLE EARLY FOR OUR PREGAME SHOW, SO LET'S BOUNCE RIGHT INTO TONIGHT'S MATCHUPS AND SEE HOW THE CONTENDERS MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH THIS WEEK'S SEMI- FINALS.

LET'S BEGIN WITH JOHNSTON.

THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS WERE 92- 5 CENTENNIAL FROM --LOOKING TO GET BACK TO THE FINALS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THEY WON IT ALL IN 16.

KENNEDY WHITE HAD THE DRIVE.

THEN IT IS EILEEN.

THE FUTURE CYCLONE WOULD THEN LAY IT UP FROM THE RIGHT SIDE AND WE WERE TIED AT HALF AT 22-22.

A GREAT GAME.

AND THEN AWESOME AND VOLLEYBALL.

PRETTY DARN GOOD IN BASKETBALL.

SHE PLAYED THROUGH A BLOODY NOSE LATE IN THE GAME.

JOHNSTON WOULD GO ON A NEARLY 9 MINUTE FIELD GOAL DROUGHT UNTIL LAID BACK-TO-BACK ROCKETS IN WITH UNDER 30 SECONDS TO PLAY AND THE DRAGONS WIN 42-35 TO PUNCH THEIR TICKET INTO THE FINALS.

THEY WOULD PLAY THE WINNER OF -- THEY BEAT ONE SCHOOL IN DAVENPORT WHILE THE SPARTANS ARE THE LAST UNBEATEN TEAM IN FIVE A.

AND THEN WE HAVE ELLIE MUELLER.

SHE HAD 12 IN THE OPENER.

THEN IT IS HALLE VICE.

AGAIN, SHE IS ONE OF THOSE NAMES YOU CANNOT QUIT.

PLEASANT VALLEY LEADS 25-17.

A BUZZ THAT OCCUR, NORMALLY 20 POINT PER GAME PLAYER, ONLY HELD TO 10.

THAT WAS KEY.

SO WAS THIS PLAYER, HOW REVISED SHE WOULD GET THE ASSIST FROM REAGAN PAGNIANO.

THEY WIN 50-33 AS SHE HAS HAD 18 POINTS IN BOTH GAMES OF THE TOURNAMENT AND THESE TWO HAVE BEEN AT A LOT OF THESE GAMES ALL TONIGHT TO WINNING IS NEW THIS YEAR, ELLIE RUFFRIDGE.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER HER AS MS. IOWA BASKETBALL AND POCAHONTAS AND ALL-AROUND GREAT EGG.

NOW, LAURA LEONARD.

I WOULD LOSE ABSOLUTELY TO THESE TWO IN A THREE-POINT SHOOTING CONTEST.

WELCOME TO THE CREW, ELLIE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOU WILL GO EASY ON US?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> AT A GIRL.

NOW, LET'S TALK 5A FOR A MOMENT.

PLEASANT VALLEY IS A TEAM WITH DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE.

THAT ZONE IS BRUTAL.

HOW IS IT SO TOUGH?

>> YOU KNOW, DO NOT THINK A LOT OF TEAMS SEE IT THE WAY THIS IS PLAYED.

IT --YOU HAVE A LOT OF MAN PRINCIPLES AND THEY GAMBLE A LOT OUT OF AND THEY CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BACKSTOP IN QUINN VICE.

THAT IS WHY THEY ARE SO GOOD DEFENSIVELY.

GAMES AT DEFENSE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SCORE.

HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

>> HER SISTER, HALLE VOICE, HAS 20 POINTS FIRST GAME IN THE TOURNAMENT, BUT WHEN SHE GETS BOTTLED UP, THEY HAVE TWO REALLY GOOD GUARDS IN JESSIE CLEMONS AND REAGAN PAGNIANO.

THEY CAN ALSO SET UP OTHERS ON THE TEAM.

>> WE CAN LOOK A LITTLE SKEPTICAL THAT THE TEAM THEY SAY --THEY ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY THINKS WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS.

WE ARE FROM EASTERN IOWA.

THEY HAVE A CHIP FOR THE 'SHIP.

>> YOU DO.

NOBODY IS RESPECTING WHAT THEY CAN DO.

THEIR UNDEFEATED.

THEY CAME IN A YEAR AGO AND THEY WERE KIND OF LIKE A KID IN THE CANDY STORE AND THEIR EYES WERE WIDE OPEN, JUST TAKING IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

THEY GOT BEAT IN THE SEMI'S, SO THEY DO HAVE A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER.

ALSO, THERE MIGHT BE SEEING A LITTLE DISRESPECT.

>> THAT IS PV.

LET'S TALK ABOUT JOHNSTON.

THEY ARE THE DEFENDING CHAMPS IN FIVE A.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT -- HOWEVER, THIS IS --JUST LIKE THAT SCENE LAST YEAR THAT WON THE TITLE, THEY ARE A THREE-HEADED MONSTER.

ALL FIVE STARTERS ARE GREAT BUT FIVE OF THEM STAND OUT.

WHO ARE THEY?

>> THEY HAVE A COUPLE GOOD GUARDS, JENICA LEWIS AND AALIYAH RILEY.

THEY REALLY MAKE THIS TEAM GO.

SHE CAN SCORE AT ALL LEVELS.

SO CAM LEWIS, BUT AALIYAH RILEY IS THE ONE THAT CAN PUT THE BALL ON THE FLOOR AND GET TO THE DEFENSE.

SHE CAN TAKE IT TO THE RIM BUT YOU CAN ALSO SET UP HER TEAMMATES.

>> I SPOKE TO A COUPLE COACHES THAT PLAYED JOHNSTON ON A REGULAR BASIS AND I SAID, SERIOUSLY, HOW DO YOU STOP THIS JOHNSTON TEAM?

THEY ALL TELL ME IT IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING THEM OUT OF TRANSITION.

WHY IS PACE OF PLAY SO KEY FOR THE DRAGONS?

>> WELL, I THINK IT IS KEY BECAUSE THEY CAN DICTATE HOW THEY SET UP OFFENSIVELY.

IF THEY CAN CONTROL THE BOARDS, THEY WILL GET OUT AND RUN AND GET THE EASY RUN OUT AND IF WIN THE BATTLE OF THE BOARDS, THEY CAN GET IT INTO THE FRONTCOURT AND TAKE TIME OFF THE SHOT CLOCK AND WORK THE BALL AROUND AND FIND THOSE OFTEN SHOOTERS AND GET AILI TANKE OPEN OR PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF RILEY AND LET HER USE HER GOOD HANDLES.

>> WE ARE AT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

THEY ARE ABOUT READY TO RUN OUT.

YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THEM GOING THROUGH THEIR PRACTICE, THE FINAL ROUTINE.

BOTH OF THESE SQUADS, ONE -- HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE IT AT THE TOURNAMENT, A TEAM THAT DOES NOT TRAIL AND THEN IT IS THE FOURTH QUARTER AND THEY ARE TRAILING.

THEY LOOK AROUND.

WHO IS UNDER THE MOST PRESSURE TONIGHT?

JOHNSTON WITH ONE BOSS AND THE DEFENDING CHAMP, OR PLEASANT VALLEY, UNDEFEATED AND NUMBER ONE?

>> I THINK THEY'RE BOTH UNDER PRESSURE.

YOU KNOW, JOHNSTON IS TRYING TO REPEAT AND --HOW HARD IT CAN BE TO DO.

PLEASANT VALLEY IS UNDEFEATED AND THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS WE HAVE HAD UNDEFEATED STATE CHAMPIONS IN THE FIVE A.

>> IT IS A RIDICULOUSLY HARD CLASS.

LAURA LEONARD WILL HAVE THAT CALL OF THE 5A GAME WITH BJ SCHABEN.

NOW, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT -- HERE IS HOW IT ALL SORTED OUT.

EARLY ON, IT WAS SIOUX CENTER THAT IS SENIOR DOMINATED AND NOT A STRANGER TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT.

THEN THEY HAD HALEY MILLER WITH THE SPARTANS ON THE RUN AND THEN THE FUTURE DOOR DEFENDER, WILLOW BLEEKER GETS THE FOOT BACK AND THEN SHE WOULD HAVE --SHE WOULD COLLECT AND SCORE.

SHE WOULD HAVE 12 ON THE NIGHT AS THOUGH SIOUX CENTER LED 25-13.

AND THEN HERE COME THE SPARTANS.

A NICE SHOT.

THE SPARTANS WOULD ACTUALLY WIN THE HALF, 21- 34.

AND THEN MAKENNA WHILE HALF.

SHE HAS 14.

THEY ARE BACK IN THE FINALS.

SHE HAS HAD BACK- TO-BACK APPEARANCES SINCE '17 AND '18.

THEY WOULD PLAY THE WINNER OF ANSON COUNTY.

AND THEN WE HAVE JENNA.

NOW ASHLEY MEYER GOES TO WORK, PLAYING CONFERENCE OPPONENT.

SHE WOULD GET A COUPLE OF BUCKETS TO MAKE IT 24 UP AT HALF.

IN THE SECOND, JENNA GOES TO WORK.

LET'S WATCH HER PLAY.

THERE IS HER MIDDLE.

AND THERE IS HER OTHER MIDDLE GAME THAT SHE CAN DO.

THESE WERE THE FIRST TWO WINS AND FIRST EVER GAME APPEARANCE FOR BENTON BOBCATS.

YOU HAVE BEEN IN THIS TITLE GAME, ELLIE RUFFRIDGE.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS HISTORY BUT AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS HISTORIC FOR BENTON COMMUNITY.

IT STARTED FROM DAY ONE.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE?

>> IT IS HISTORIC BECAUSE THE COACH BROUGHT HIS TEAM TOGETHER AND SAID, GIRLS, WE EXPERIENCED A QUARTER FINAL GAME LAST YEAR AND WE CAME UP SHORT AND GOT A TASTE OF IT, BUT WE WANT MORE.

THEY'RE WORKING TO WIN THIS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND THAT IS WHAT HE MENTIONED IN THAT TEAM MEETING.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT DEFENSE WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

OFFENSE AGAIN HAS TO SCORE.

WHAT IS IT FOR BENTON YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT NOW?

>> THEY ARE ONLY ALLOWING TEAMS 39 POINTS PER GAME IN THE STATE ARE MEANT.

LIKE YOU SAID, ALONG WITH DEFENSE, YOU NEED SOME OFFENSE AND THE OFFENSIVE SIDE COMES FROM A SENIOR JENNA TWEED AND SHE WANTS TO GET 70 POINTS.

SHE DOES NOT DO IT ALONE.

SHE HAS EMMA TOWNSLEY AND McKENNA KRAMER.

THEY CONTRIBUTE JUST AS MUCH AS SHE DOES.

>> AND JENNA TWEDT WILL BE ON TOP FOR SURE.

THIS TEAM NOT ONLY IS HISTORIC BUT IT IS ALSO EMOTIONALLY.

A WEEK AGO TONIGHT, THE TEAM FOUND OUT THAT ONE OF THEIR PLAYERS, TATUM SHOULDER, WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA.

THAT IS WHY THERE IS ORANGE ON THAT BOBCAT BLUE AND GOLD.

OTHER TEAMS HAVE WARNED THAT ORANGE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.

THERE IS A PICTURE OF TATUM SHOULDER AND HER FAMILY AFTER TREATMENTS HAVE ALREADY STARTED.

IT GETS EMOTIONAL WHEN YOU ARE REMINDING YOURSELF BASKETBALL IS MORE THAN JUST A SPORT.

IT IS ABOUT LIFE.

>> THIS TEAM HAS BEEN PLAYING INSPIRED ALL WEEK AND YOU WILL SEE THEY POUR THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS GAME IN HONOR OF TATUM SCHROEDER AND WHAT SHE IS BATTLING.

>> ALLIE, BEEN WAITING TO ASK THIS QUESTION FOR A LONG TIME.

WE WILL GET TO THAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SIOUX CENTER.

THEY ARE A SCORING MACHINE.

THEY ARE A TEAM THAT, IN THE YEARS PAST, THEY WOULD MAYBE RUN TEAMS OUT OF THE GYM.

ARE THEY DOING THAT THIS YEAR?

>> THEY ARE LOOKING TO PUT PACE, TO PUT THE WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS THEY ARE AVERAGING 62 POINTS IN THE PAINT --PER GAME, 38 POINTS IN THE PAINT IN THE FIRST GAME AND 22 POINTS IN THE PAINT IN THE SECOND GAME AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET THE BALL INSIDE FOR SURE DURING THIS GAME.

>> IT MAKES A FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE LOOK BETTER WHEN YOU HAVE LAYUPS.

>> FOR SURE, A 5% PERCENTAGE DOWNLOAD?

THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

>> THEY WILL ALSO PULL ON SENIORS.

THAT IS A COACHING CLICHE AS WELL.

BUT FOR THIS TEAM, THEY TRULY MATTER.

YES, THEY MIGHT SPEND SOME TIME AT THE MALL AND THEY DID THIS WEEK AND THE COACH WATCHED A LOT OF FILM, BUT WHAT DO THE SENIORS MEAN TO THE TEAM?

>> THEY HAVE 16 YEARS ON THIS TEAM WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE FLOOR AND THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE FLOOR.

YOU HAVE WILLOW BLEEKER, WHO HAD 14 POINTS AND 14 REBOUNDS IN THE SEMI FINAL GAME LAST NIGHT AND THEN YOU HAVE HAVE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION BEFORE.

THEY PLAYED IN THAT STATE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP THIS PAST FALL AND THEY HAVE BEEN IN HIGH-PRESSURE SITUATIONS AND I TALKED TO THEM YESTERDAY.

THEY HAVE SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS, SO THEY ARE LOOKING TO BRING HOME THE STATE TITLE.

>> THEIR COACH, DOUG WINTERFELD, SAID THEY HAD A GAMEPLAYING OVER ONE PLAYER THAT SHOT WELL FROM THE INSIDE.

HE TRY TO CHANGE WHO HE WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE THE GAME.

IT DID NOT WORK.

DO YOU THINK THEY WILL TRY IT AGAIN TONIGHT?

>> WE ARE NOW ABLE TO COMMENTATE AND WORK ALONGSIDE THEM.

>> YOU HAVE WATCHED PLAY.

IT IS FUN TO SEE THESE GENERATIONAL TYPE OF PLAYERS.

WE WILL SEE THEM TOMORROW IN THE FINAL.

WE ALMOST SAW A COUPLE OF RECORDS BROKEN THIS WEEK IN THE TOURNAMENT.

THAT IS COMMON.

WE JUST HAVE GREAT BASKETBALL.

WHAT IS IT YOU HAVE LIKED ABOUT THIS TOURNAMENT OVER THE YEARS?

>> IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF YEARS, NUMBER ONE, THAT I HAVE WATCHED THIS TOURNAMENT.

THE THING THAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS TERM AND IS WALKING --JUST THE EMOTION THAT IS HERE AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND JUST THE WAY EVERYONE IS SO INVOLVED AND THE PLAYERS ARE SO EXCITED TO BE AND I THINK IT IS JUST THE TRADITION AND IT IS ALL ABOUT -- WE ARE IOWA GIRLS.

IS ALL ABOUT THE IOWA GIRL.

SEE WHAT THEY ARE PRODUCING?

THEY ARE MAKING IOWANS PROUD.

>> HAVE FUN TONIGHT WITH BJ SCHABEN.

ELLIE RUFFRIDGE WILL HAVE THE 5A.

WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE AND THE CELEBRATION >> PLEASE WELCOME THE ALL IOWA HONOR TEAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF --AS THEY PERFORM FOR YOUR PREGAME ENTERTAINMENT.

52 DANCERS WILL PERFORM A HOOP ROUTINE TO "DON'T STOP BELIEVING."

IT WAS CHOREOGRAPHED BY RACHEL AND ELLA FROM PELLA.

WE HAVE THE ALL HONOR DANCE TEAM.

DON'T STOP BELIEVE IN, HOLD ON TO THAT FEELING.

STREETLIGHTS, PEOPLE DON'T STOP BELIEVING.

STREETLIGHT PEOPLE.

DON'T STOP BELIEVING.

HOLD ON TO THAT FEELING.

THE ALL IOWA DANCERS WILL NOW PERFORM A PATRIOTIC FINALE FEATURING ALL THE STATE FLAGS OF OUR GREAT NATION.

THE COLORS ARE PRESENTED BY 40 FEMALE SOLDIERS REPRESENTING THE ARMY AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD'S.

PLEASE STAND AS WE HONOR AMERICA, OUR MILITARY, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES.

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, SUNG BY JACKIE.

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 O, SAY, DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE?

>> WELL DONE, AGAIN, ANOTHER GREAT PREGAME SHOW.

THAT WILL DO IT FOR OUR PREGAME SHOW BUT GUESS WHAT?

WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK WITH A DOUBLEHEADER OF CHAMPIONSHIP GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL.

CLASS 5A, FOLLOWED BY 3A COMING UP ON STATEWIDE IOWA PBS.

>>> FUNDING PROVIDED BY MUSCO LIGHTING.

THE SPORTS LIGHTING SPECIALIST.

PROVIDING LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR YOU, YOUR PROJECT, AND YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> THE PELLA ROLSCREEN FOUNDATION IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF IOWA PBS.

THEY STRIVE TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITIES AND BUILD A BETTER TOMORROW.

>>> FAREWAY WHEATON GROCERY FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS, FAREWAY HAS BEEN PROUD TO BE AN ACTIVE PART OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.

LEARN MORE AT FAREWAY.COM.

>>> ACROSS IOWA, HUNDREDS OF NEW GOOD BANKS STRIVE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES, ACQUIRE JOBS, AND HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES.

IOWA BANKS ARE PROUD TO BACK THE LEARN MORE AT THIS WEBSITE.

>>> ACTION.

COMING UP NEXT IS EVERY ACTION- PACKED MINUTE OF THE STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS OF IOWA.

SEE LIVE ON AIR AND ONLINE TODAY BEGINNING IN JUST A MOMENT.

STAY TUNED.