DES MOINES, Iowa – Des Moines Christian steadied itself just in time to turn back a determined opponent.
Behind after giving up the first 10 points of the fourth quarter, the third-seeded Lions scored the next eight points to regain the lead and held on to beat Forest City 52-46 to complete the Class 3A semifinal bracket.
Reese DeVooght scored all but two of the team’s 11 fourth-quarter points to lead Des Moines Christian (23-3) into a game at 3:15 p.m. Thursday against second-seeded Maquoketa, which advanced with a dominating 57-23 victory over Mediapolis on Monday night. Top-seeded Mount Vernon plays No. 4 seed Dubuque Wahlert Catholic in the other semifinal at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
DeVooght finished with 23 points to lead the Lions and offset an outstanding game from Forest City’s Jenna Dontje, a 6-foot senior who scored 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting, hauled in 13 rebounds and made four steals. It just wasn’t enough to give the Indians (22-4) their first state tournament victory.
But they certainly gave Des Moines Christian all it could handle.
The Lions, appearing at state for the fourth straight year, built a 13-point lead in the first half and were still ahead, 41-34, as the final quarter got under way. But Forest City opened the period with 10 consecutive points – six on layups by Dontje – to edge into a 44-41 lead.
DeVooght stopped the run with two free throws, then buried a 3-pointer and sank two more foul shots for a 48-44 lead with 1:28 left. Dontje’s free throw and another by Elizabeth Owen drew the Indians to 48-46 and they got the ball back on an offensive foul with 55.3 seconds remaining.
They couldn’t capitalize, however, missing twice from 3-point range and watching the Lions finish it off with two free throws from Addy Oetker and a final pair by DeVooght.
Oetker added 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks for Des Moines Christian, while Lauren Schmaltz and Caitlin Hall each scored six. Dru Seglem added six points for Forest City, which shot only 31 percent and committed 19 turnovers but stayed in it with its rebounding.
The Indians owned a 43-30 advantage on the boards, got off 10 more shots than the Lions and outscored them 19-7 on second-chance points.
