Defense Carries Keokuk Into Class-4A Semifinals

Defense has been Keokuk's calling card all season and it carried the Chiefs again in the Class-4A quarterfinals of the 2016 Iowa High School Girls State Basketball Tournament Tuesday evening (March 1).

Fifth-ranked Keokuk shut down a Ballard team steeped in state tournament experience and pulled away late for a 42-31 victory.

Makenzie Pezley, a junior who came in averaging 8.6 points, made one big shot after another and led the Chiefs with 19 points. She finished 8-for-12 from the field, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range, and grabbed seven rebounds.

Michaela Davis and Alyssa Wessel each scored six points for Keokuk, which held Ballard to 35 percent shooting and outrebounded the fourth-ranked Bombers 31-21.

Ballard made the tournament for the 10th time in 11 years but struggled all night to find a good shot against the harassing Keokuk defenders. That's what the Chiefs have done to opponents all season. They're giving up just 36.7 points a game.

Ballard star Gabie Doud injured her left leg midway through the third quarter and limped through the rest of the game but still led Ballard with 11 points. Madison

Smith added nine points for the Bombers, who despite their struggles trailed just 34-31 after Doud's 3-pointer with 5:19 left.

But they missed a couple of good shots near the basket and Keokuk was able to wrap it up with free throws.

Keokuk, the Class 3A runner-up in 2005, advances to a semifinal game at 10 a.m. Friday against No. 9 Mason City. Ballard finishes 22-2.

Story Courtesy of IGHSAU

Keokuk vs Ballard
3/1/16 8:30 PM at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Keokuk 22-2
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
00 Davis, Michaela..... *  2-7    0-1    2-4    1  4  5   2   6  1  2  0  2  26
12 Walters, Kelsey..... *  0-0    0-0    0-0    1  2  3   0   0  1  0  0  0  19
14 Pezley, Makenzie.... *  8-12   3-6    0-1    3  4  7   1  19  2  3  0  0  30
24 Kayvan, Paige....... *  1-5    1-4    2-2    0  2  2   2   5  2  1  0  1  26
32 Wessel, Alyssa...... *  2-4    0-0    2-4    2  1  3   3   6  0  1  0  0  22
02 Wade, Brooke........    1-2    1-2    0-0    0  2  2   0   3  1  2  0  0  14
10 Hughes, Macey.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0  0+
20 Johnston, Skyler....    0-3    0-1    3-4    1  1  2   1   3  0  2  0  0   8
22 Ames, Kaci..........    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  3  3   1   0  1  0  0  0  10
30 Kindig, Aryn........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
34 Hall, Jakala........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  1  0  1   1
40 Murphy, Haleigh.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
42 Hasselbusch.........    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   3
44 Finch, Hailey.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
52 Arrowood, Abby......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
   TEAM................                         1     1             1
   Totals..............   14-35   5-14   9-15   9 22 31  10  42  8 14  0  4 159

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  5-14 35.7%   2nd Half:  9-21 42.9%   Game: 40.0%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  4-8  50.0%   2nd Half:  1-6  16.7%   Game: 35.7%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  4-6  66.7%   2nd Half:  5-9  55.6%   Game: 60.0%   1,1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Ballard 22-2
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
12 Moody, Jenna........ *  1-4    0-2    0-0    0  0  0   3   2  0  3  0  0  28
14 Doud, Gabie......... *  5-13   1-5    0-0    0  3  3   4  11  0  1  1  3  21
20 Larson, Taylor...... *  2-5    1-3    0-1    2  3  5   3   5  2  1  0  0  23
30 Smith, Madison...... *  3-7    1-1    2-5    1  2  3   1   9  3  3  0  4  29
32 Ossian, Meredith.... *  1-4    0-3    0-0    0  3  3   1   2  2  1  2  0  25
24 Jensen, Hannah......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
34 Meldrum, Ashley.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
40 Bartleson, Aubrey...    1-2    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   2  0  0  0  1   9
44 Ray, Emma...........    0-2    0-0    0-0    1  3  4   2   0  0  1  0  0  15
52 Carlin, Abby........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   1   0  0  1  1  0  10
   TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   13-37   3-14   2-6    4 17 21  15  31  7 11  4  8 160

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  8-15 53.3%   2nd Half:  5-22 22.7%   Game: 35.1%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-6  16.7%   2nd Half:  2-8  25.0%   Game: 21.4%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  0-3   0.0%   2nd Half:  2-3  66.7%   Game: 33.3%    1


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Jared Rahe, Rich Collison, Chad Slagle
Technical fouls: Keokuk-None. Ballard-None.
Attendance:
Score by Periods                1st  2nd  3rd  4th   Total
Keokuk........................    3   15   13   11  -   42
Ballard.......................   11    6    9    5  -   31