Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Eight teams have already earned a trip to the state tournament with the Class 3A field set last Saturday.

There are 16 more state tournament berths up for grabs on Tuesday with regional finals being held across the state in class 4A and 5A.

West High kept its season alive with a strong 38-37 road win over No. 13 Southeast Polk on Saturday and will be appearing in a regional final for the 10^th consecutive season on Tuesday.

Before regional finals tip off in two more classes on Tuesday evening we take a quick look at the Class 5A, Region 4 championship game between West High and fourth-ranked Waukee.

Class 5A, Region 4 

West High (13-9) at No. 4 Waukee (17-4)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Waukee High School

Statistical leaders: West High – Grace Fincham, 5-11, Soph., 15.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.8 steals; Sasha Baldwin, 5-7, Fr., 11 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.3 steals. Waukee – Emilie Sorensen, 5-9, Jr., 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals; Sophia Hope, 5-11, Sr., 10.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists.

About the Trojans: West High is seeking to snap a two-year state tournament drought after losing to CIML teams in the regional final each of the past two season.

The Trojans fell to West Des Moines Dowling 59-37 in the regional title game last season and will be playing a road game against a CIML foe in the regional final for the third year in a row.

West High is playing in a regional final for the 10^th consecutive season and is 4-5 in its previous nine regional finals but is just 1-5 against CIML teams during that span.

The Trojans enter Tuesday’s regional final riding a four-game winning streak and playing its best basketball of the season.

West High closed the regular season with consecutive wins over Cedar Rapids Washington, Keokuk and Cedar Rapids Kennedy before downing No. 13 Southeast Polk 38-37 on Saturday in the regional semifinals.

Warriors: It has been a resurgent season for Waukee which has gone two seasons without a trip to state after making eight consecutive appearances from 2014 to 2021.

Waukee went 11-12 each of the past two seasons falling in the regional semifinals in 2022 and the regional title game last season.

The Warriors are back to their usual success this season with all four of their losses coming to top-ranked Johnston and third-ranked West Des Moines Dowling.

Waukee is 10-0 this season over ranked 5A opponents Ankeny, Ankeny Centennial, West Des Moines Valley, Waukee Northwest and Southeast Polk.

The Warriors reached the Region 4 title game with a 59-27 win over Urbandale and have won six of their last seven games with the only setback a 13-point loss to top-ranked Johnston.

Who to watch: West High – Sophomore Grace Fincham has been the go-to player for the Trojans all season but has stepped her game up down the stretch.

The 5-foot-10 Fincham leads West High in scoring (15.1), rebounding (6.5) and steals (1.8) on the season and has been at her best down the stretch.

During the Trojans’ current four-game winning streak Fincham is averaging 14.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game including an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double in the regional semifinal win at Southeast Polk on Saturday.

Waukee – Junior guard Emilie Sorensen leads the Warriors in scoring at 14.5 points per game while shooting 37 percent from the 3-point line with 45 made 3-pointers.

A Northern Illinois recruit, Sorensen is averaging 4.9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals per game to go with her 14.5 points per game and leads four Waukee players that average at least 9.5 points per game.

What to watch: Waukee is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the state ranking seventh in the state and second in 5A shooting 36.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Defending the perimeter will be a top priority for West High on Tuesday against a Waukee team that ranks third in 5A with 8.7 made 3-pointers per game and fourth in 3-point attempts per game at 24.1.

What makes the Warriors especially difficult to defend is that almost every player on the team is a threat to shoot and more importantly make shots from beyond the arc.

Five Waukee players have made double digit triples this season and four players have at least 22 3-pointers led by senior Sophia Hope with 48 made 3-pointers.

Waukee has made at least eight 3-pointers in each of its last eight games and had seven players make a 3 in a semifinal win over Urbandale.

The breakdown: The tempo will be key in this contest as West High attempts to slow down a Waukee squad that ranks fifth in 5A in scoring at 61.3 points per game.

Behind Fincham and freshman Sasha Baldwin West High has the ability to keep pace offensively with most teams but the Trojans would just as soon win with defense.

West High has been locked in on the defensive end of late allowing just 41.5 points per game during its current four-game winning streak.

Throughout the season the defensive end has been key for West High as the Trojans have allowed 59 points per game in nine losses this season and held opponents to 39.5 points per game in 13 wins.

The key number for West High has been 50. West High is 1-8 in games when giving up more than 50 points and is 12-1 when it holds teams under 50 points.

Waukee has scored 50 points in all but one game this season, a 56-49 loss to West Des Moines Dowling on January 16.

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