Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Nerves on the state’s biggest stage?

A state tournament slow start?

Regina had neither in its state tournament opener on Wednesday shooting 61 percent from the field while rolling to a 76-54 win over sixth-ranked Aplington-Parkersburg (22-4) in a Class 2A quarterfinal at Casey’s Center in Des Moines.

“We didn’t have any nerves today and we came out hot like we were planning,” Regina sophomore Ben Wade said. “We played through it. We played through the crowd, the arena and all of that.”

Third-ranked Regina scored the first nine points of the game and led 27-12 after one quarter while advancing to the state semifinals for the first time since 2015.

Regina, which lost in the 2A quarterfinals in 2024, will face second-ranked Unity Christian (23-2) in the 2A semifinals on Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

Unity Christian rallied for a 70-64 win over two-time defending state champion Western Christian in the quarterfinals.

“We used that as motivation all offseason to get back here,” Regina junior Tate Wallace said. “It’s one thing to get here but it’s another thing to win a game here so I’m glad that we did that but we have two more left.”

Will Litton had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead three Regals in double figures.

Wallace had 18 points and Wade added 14 points as Regina (23-1) extended its winning streak to 20.

“Two years ago we held up a state participation trophy and it was not a good feeling at all so it feels good to keep our season going,” Litton said. “We just want to keep it going two more.”

Regina bolted to a 9-0 lead in the opening 2:15 of the game behind a combined six points from Wallace and Litton and a Miles Nuzback 3-pointer and never cooled off.

The Regals shot 73 percent from the field (11-of-15) and were 3-of-4 from 3-point range in a 27-point first quarter.

“We definitely wanted to jump on them early,” Wallace said. “When you come to Casey’s Center everyone is getting used to the conditions and the hoops but we were here freshmen year so we were used to it and I feel like we shot well from the field early.”

Regina extended its lead to 40-15 on an Emmett Burke layup with 2:54 remaining in the opening half and led 42-21 at halftime.

“A big part of it was starting out quick and pushing in transition,” Wade said. “They wanted to push us in transition or at least try but I feel like we beat them to it.”

Litton had 11 points in the first quarter and had 14 of his team-high 21 in the first half as Regina shot 61 percent from the field in the opening half.

Wallace and Litton combined to make 10-of-15 first half shots and had 25 points and seven rebounds in the first half.

“My teammates got me great looks inside,” Wallace said. “I thought as a team we executed really well.”

With Wallace and Litton working in the paint the strong start for Regina spread to the perimeter.

Regina entered the state tournament averaging less than five made 3-pointers per game on the season but hit four in the first half while building a 42-21 halftime lead.

Nuzback had two first half 3-pointers and Litton and Burke each added a 3-pointer in the opening half.

Regina finished with six 3-pointers.

“We want to make the defense move and get the ball side to side and inside out,” Litton said. “We were able to score inside and get to some kick outs.”

Meanwhile, Regina limited Aplington-Parkersburg to 37 percent shooting for the game including  30 percent in the first half.

“We were getting stops and we weren’t fouling,” Regina coach Paul Rundquist said. “I thought defensively we had a good game plan coming in and I thought we got and got some transition baskets which was important and took care of the basketball.”

Nuzback had eight points, four assists and three rebounds and Burke had seven points and three steals for Regina.

Drew Greve had six rebounds, four assists and three steals as Regina had 16 assists as a team.

Regina finished with a 44-16 edge in points in the paint and outrebounded Aplington-Parkersburg 28-22.

“That’s a focus of ours to get the ball inside,” Rundquist said. “We have some size and not just height we play physical, they like to play that way, and I think that’s been our advantage our season is trying to get the ball inside.”

Benny Waller had a game-high 27 points and nine rebounds to lead Aplington-Parkersburg.

Aplington-Parkersburg        12   9   21  12  –  54

Regina                                         27  15  17  17  –  76

Aplington-Parkersburg (54) – Sully Janssen 0-2 0-0 0, Trevan Thomas 0-3 1-2 1, Benny Waller 7-18 11-13 27, Tyler Wedeking 3-7 5-6 13, Charlie Wessels 4-6 1-2 9, Wes Shirk 1-2 2-2 4, Jaxson Kleespies 0-1 0-0 0, Jonah Carey 0-0 0-2 0, Cole Brouwer 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 15-41 20-27 54.

Regina (76) – Drew Greve 1-4 0-0 2, Tate Wallace 7-10 4-8 18, Miles Nuzback 3-5 0-0 8, Will Litton 9-15 1-2 21, Ben Wade 6-8 2-2 14, Emmett Burke 3-4 0-0 7, Jack O’Leary 1-4 0-0 3, Trey Streb 1-1 0-0 3, Totals 31-51 7-12 76.

3-point field goal – A-P 4-11 (Waller 2-6, Wedeking 2-4, Kleespies 0-1), ICR 7-17 (Greve 0-1, Nuzback 2-4, Litton 2-4, Wade 0-1, Burke 1-2, O’Leary 1-4, Streb 1-1). Rebounds – A-P 22 (Waller 9), ICR 28 (Litton 9). Assists – A-P 3 (Waller 2), ICR 16 (Greve 4, Nuzback 4, Litton 4). Turnovers – A-P 11, ICR 11. Total fouls – A-P 11, ICR 21. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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