Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – The girls basketball season will come to a close on Saturday with the final three championship games.

Championship Saturday opens with the only title game between unbeaten teams this week as top-ranked Clear Creek Amana (25-0) and second-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock (25-0) squared off in the 4A title game at 2:30 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Clear Creek Amana and Waverly-Shell Rock are both appearing in the title game for the first time.

Waverly-Shell Rock advanced to the finals with a win over third-ranked Sioux City Heelan while Clear Creek Amana downed fifth-ranked North Polk 50-48 in the semifinals on Thursday.

Before Saturday’s title game gets rolling we take a quick look at what to expect in the 4A championship.

Class 4A State Championship

No. 1 Clear Creek Amana (25-0) vs. No. 2 Waverly-Shell Rock (25-0)

When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

Where: Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines

Statistical leaders: Clear Creek Amana – Ava Locklear, 5-11, Sr. – 12.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2 blocks; Averie Lower, 5-11, Soph. – 17.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 steals. Waverly-Shell Rock – Katelyn Eggena, 6-1, Sr., 14 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 blocks; Lizzy Frazell, 5-10, Fr. – 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.3 steals.

About the Clippers: Four days after earning the first state tournament win in program history Clear Creek Amana will play for the first title in school history.

The Clippers defeated Gilbert 68-30 in the 4A quarterfinals for the first state-tournament win in program history and reached the finals for the first time with a 50-48 semifinal win over fifth-ranked North Polk.

Clear Creek Amana has a resume as impressive as any team in Class 4A this season.

The Clippers have wins over 3A champion Solon, 1A finalist North Linn and 3A semifinalist Mount Veron as well as two victories over 3A state qualifier Benton Community.

Clear Creek Amana ranks second in 4A in points per game (63.4) and leads 4A in both points allowed (31.8) and point differential (31.5).

Sophomore Averie Lower leads Clear Creek Amana with 17.7 points per game while senior forward Ava Locklear is averaging a double-double with 12.2 points and 10.4 rebounds to go with 4.2 assists and 2 blocked shots per game.

Senior Bliss Beck is averaging 7.8 points and 7.1 rebounds and sophomore Lena Evans is averaging 8.7 points per game.

About the Go-Hawks: It has already been a historic week at the state tournament for Waverly-Shell Rock.

The Go-Hawks snapped a four-game state tournament losing streak with a 55-51 win over last year’s 3A champion Sioux Center in the opening round and advanced to the state title game for the first time in program history with a 41-37 semifinal win over Sioux City Heelan.

Prior to its opening round win Waverly-Shell Rock was 1-6 all-time in state tournament games with its only win coming in 2013.

This season has been different for the Go-Hawks who are led by senior Katelyn Eggena.

A two-time all-state pick Eggena leads Waverly-Shell Rock with 14 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

The Western Illinois recruit is averaging 18.5 points and five rebounds per game at the state tournament.

Freshman Lizzy Frazell is averaging 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals and senior Brenna Bodensteiner is averaging 10.5 points per game.

Who to watch: Clear Creek Amana – Senior Ava Locklear has had a stellar career and will go down as one of the most productive and decorated players in Clear Creek Amana history.

Locklear would like nothing more than to add a state title to her career resume on Saturday.

A Saginaw Valley State recruit, Locklear is a uniquely skilled post that averages 12.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and leads the Clippers with 4.2 assists and 2 blocked shots per game.

Locklear has been exceptional in two games at state.

She was an assist shy of a triple-double in a quarterfinal win over Gilbert finishing with 14 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists, three blocks and five steals.

Locklear followed that up with a 17-point, seven-rebound effort in a semifinal win over North Polk.

Look for Locklear to come up big one more time in her final prep game on Saturday.

Waverly-Shell Rock – Senior Katelyn Eggena has gotten plenty of help this season as Waverly-Shell Rock has three players averaging double figures and four players scoring at least 8.5 points per game.

However, in the final game of the season with a state title on the line look for the Go-Hawks to lean on their senior stalwart.

Eggena was a third-team all-stater as a sophomore, a second-team all-state pick last season and will likely be a first-team all-state pick later this month.

The 6-foot-1 senior averages team-highs of 14 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks and can impact the game in a variety of ways.

Eggena has 11 3-pointers and is shooting 46 percent from the field but does her best work on the block which is where the Go-Hawks will attempt to get her the ball.

What to watch: The play in the paint in this one should be worth the price of admission.

The Clear Creek Amana front court duo of Locklear and Beck is as good as there is in Class 4A and Waverly-Shell Rock counters with Eggena and 5-foot-9 junior Sydney Bienemann (5.4 points, 7.2 rebounds) who had seven points and 15 boards in a semifinal win over Sioux City Heelan.

While points in the paint keep an eye on two of the best young guards in the state in Clear Creek Amana Averie Lower and Waverly-Shell Rock Lizzy Frazell.

Frazell averages 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and leads the Go-Hawks with 2.3 steals and is shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.

Lower has emerged as one of the best guards in the state averaging 17.7 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from 3-point range.

With the attention on the post players that could open up open looks for Lower and Frazell who are both capable of huge games.

The breakdown: What more could you ask for in a state final?

A number one versus number two matchup between a pair of unbeaten teams with the winner earning the first title in program history.

Both teams have been impressive at the state tournament this week and are coming off semifinal wins over top-five teams.

The similarities between the two teams are numerous.

Both sides have balanced scoring, strong post play and excellent shooters.

In a game that is relatively even on paper an area to watch is bench production.

Both teams have employed a mostly seven-player rotation at the state tournament and in the third game of the week minutes off the bench could be important on Saturday.

Clear Creek Amana has the edge in that category led by sophomore Lena Evans who has the ability to alter a game with her scoring off the bench.

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