Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

No. 1 City High (24-0) vs. No. 4 Johnston (21-3)  

When: Thursday, 10 a.m.

Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines

Key Players: City High – Ashley Joens, 6-0, Sr., 31.2 points, 11.7 rebounds; Rose Nkumu, 5-8, Soph., 13.4 points, 3.2 assists. Johnston – Maya McDermott, 5-6, Soph. 19.4 points, 4.3 assists. Regan Nesheim, 6-1, Jr. 12.1 points, 7.2 rebounds.

About the Dragons: Johnston advanced to the semifinals for the second time in three seasons with a 73-48 quarterfinal win over Waukee. Three players scored in double figures in the quarterfinal win led by sophomore point guard Maya McDermott with a game-high 25.

The three losses for Johnston this season have come by a combined five points and the Dragons have won eight straight since their second one-point loss of the season on January 23.

Senior Jennah Johnson and junior Regan Nesheim join McDermott in averaging double figures. Johnson is scoring 12.5 points per game while the 6-foot-1 Nesheim adds 12.1 per game.

About the Little Hawks: For the second time in five seasons City High returns to the 5A semifinals top-ranked and unbeaten after pulling away from No. 12 West Des Moines Valley for a 78-62 quarterfinal win.

City High has been dominant all season with a 59-54 win at Cedar Falls the only game decided by less than nine points.

Senior Ashley Joens leads the City High attack averaging a state-high 31.2 points per game.

Joens posted her fifth straight double-double and fourth consecutive 30-point game with 36 points and 10 rebounds in the quarterfinals.

Player to watch: Speedy sophomore point guard Maya McDermott is the engine that drives the Johnston attack. McDermott averages a team-best 19.4 points per game while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range.

McDermott ranks eighth in 5A with 94 assists on the season and averages better than two steals per game.

What to Watch: It’s no secret where the defensive attention is going to be focused on City High, the state’s leading scorer is always going to draw a crowd. A big key for City High reaching the title game for the first time since 2008 is what the Little Hawks get from everyone not named Ashley Joens.

Against West Des Moines Valley the sophomore trio of Rose Nkumu, Paige Rocca and Aubrey Joens combined for 38 points on 14-of-23 shooting.

A similar performance from that group makes City High a tough team to beat.

No. 9 West High (17-7) vs. No. 10 Indianola (21-3)

When: Thursday, 11:45 a.m.

Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines

Key Players: West High – Logan Cook, 6-1, Sr. 14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds; Rachael Saunders, 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds. Indianola – Grace Berg, 6-0, Sr. 20.5 points, 9.2 rebounds; Maggie McGraw, 5-11, Jr. 18.9 points, 2.6 assists.

About the Indians: Indianola rallied from a 14-point first half deficit to return to the semifinals for the second straight season with a 64-63 upset of second-ranked Cedar Falls.

The Indians bring a 13-game winning streak to the semifinals after back-to-back upsets of top-seven teams.

In its consecutive wins over No. 7 Southeast Polk and No. 2 Cedar Falls in the state quarterfinals

senior Grace Berg and junior Maggie McGraw have combined for 111 of the Indians’ 124 points.

About the Women of Troy: West High is back in the 5A semifinals for the third time in four seasons after rallying from 12 points in the fourth quarter to stun third-ranked West Des Moines Dowling 63-53 in overtime.

West High lost four straight games to ranked teams in January but has responded with sixth consecutive wins.

The Women of Troy are seeking their first title game appearance since winning the 2012 title.

Player to watch: After facing the challenge of slowing West Des Moines Dowling point guard Caitlin Clark in the quarterfinals West High now switches gears to defending Indianola senior post Grace Berg.

The 6-foot Berg is a nightmare for opposing defenses with her combination of height, athletic ability and shooting touch.

A Missouri signee ranked as a top-40 national recruit by ESPN Hoopgurlz, Berg is averaging 20.5 points per game on nearly 60 percent shooting and grabs 9.2 rebounds per contest. 

What to Watch: The second of the 5A semifinals is a matchup of one of the top scoring duos in the state against a West High team that prides itself on its balance.

Berg and McGraw have combined to account for 60 percent of the scoring for Indianola this season and had 55 of the Indian’s 64 points in a quarterfinal win on Monday.

An Iowa State commit, the 5-foot-11 McGraw had 28 points in the quarterfinal upset of Cedar Falls while Berg had 27.

West High has five players averaging more than 9.2 points per game on the season and had five plyers score seven or more in a win over Dowling on Monday.