Depth carries Sioux Center to win over West Marshall in 3A quarterfinals

The Warriors stormed out to a 22-7 advantage

By Ryan Timmerman | Photos by Matthew Putney 

DES MOINES - Ten different players scored for the Sioux Center girls’ basketball team as the Warriors sailed into the Class 3A semifinals. 

Sioux Center, seeded sixth in 3A, got Day 2 of the IGHSAU state basketball tournament started with a flurry buckets, and used a 22-7 advantage after one  quarter to crush third-seeded West Marshall, 79-53, at Wells Fargo Arena Tuesday morning.

The Warriors (19-5) made 9 of 17 field goals in the first quarter, and only extended the lead further late when they sank their first four shots from the floor and went 2 for 2 from the free throw line to start the fourth quarter and build a 74-45 lead.

“That’s the way we like to come out,” said senior Regan Jansen, who had 10 points, five rebounds and two assists. “We know the other team is going to score some buckets, but we like playing with momentum on our side.

“We just come ready to play.”

When Sioux Center finally did miss in the final frame, senior Taya Gesink promptly stole the ball back after her miss and scored on an easy layup.

Junior Cori Herald led the winning side with 14 points, including a 4 of 6 effort from 3-point range. Senior Willow Bleeker added 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Herald got things started with a three early in the first. Seniors Willow Bleeker (11 points) and Reagan Jansen (10) also reached double digits for the versatile Warriors.

West Marshall (23-2) was led by senior Katy Reyerson, who ended with a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds to go with seven assists and four blocks.

Reyerson, a 6-foot-2 lefty, sank a half-courter to end the first half, but that did little to put a dent in the Sioux Center halftime lead, which stood at 43-21 even after Reyerson’s heave as the Warriors’ depth paved the way to the win.

“(Having 10 players score) is pretty common for us,” said Bleeker. “We have a lot of depth and everyone is confident in one another out there. We all know what our roles are.”