Bondurant-Farrar puts clamps on conference foe in 4th
By Kevin White | Photos by Matthew Putney
DES MOINES – Jaxon Rutledge’s North Polk team was applying maximum pressure to top-rated Bondurant-Farrar, and he was loving it.
“They were frustrated,’’ he said. “We kept boxing them out, and they just kept complaining. We were in their heads for three quarters.’’
Fifth-seeded North Polk, which lost by seven and 14 during the regular season, couldn’t complete a significant upset on its third try. Bondurant-Farrar held its Raccoon River Conference rival to six fourth-quarter points in a 54-45 Class 3A state semifinal basketball victory Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.
“They definitely got in our heads a little bit,’’ Bondurant-Farrar senior Jaxon Fried said. “We came into the locker room, and we knew that we were the better team. We just had to keep fighting and fighting. We did that, and we just started pulling away.’’
Rated 14th in the SBLive final all-class Top 25 of the regular season, Bondurant-Farrar improved to 25-0 and attempts to add to its 1997 state championship in Friday’s 5 p.m. final against second-seeded Cedar Rapids Xavier (20-6). North Polk, seeking to add to its 1996 championship, closed at 20-6.
The Comets led for more than 23 minutes of the game, but never by more than eight. Colby Collison’s 3-pointer at the third-quarter horn pulled the Bluejays within 39-38.
“That 3 at the end of the third was a huge shot to kind of ease our guys’ minds to go get that lead,’’ B-F coach Travis Evans said. “We talked about, do you want to play zone or man, and they all wanted to play man. I said, ‘Ok, then go guard them.’ Six points in the fourth quarter. That was their call, not mine.’’
North Polk shot 2 of 12 in the fourth quarter as the Bluejays, taller at virtually every position, upped their physicality and intensity.
Austin Parkins’ 3-pointer pulled North Polk even at 42 with 6:10 remaining, but the Comets didn’t score again until 41 seconds remained. That allowed Bondurant-Farrar to score 11 straight points and expand its lead to 53-42. Collison and Reed Pfaltzgraff scored four each during that stretch.
Junior Reggie Postel led North Polk with a game-high 16 points, hitting 4 of 8 from 3-point range.
“Ever since that second time they beat us, we’ve wanted to play them one more time,’’ Postel said. “That’s what we got. We did everything we could tonight, just shots didn’t fall late. We played our hearts out. They’re a really good team. We can’t be mad. But it’s tough walking off the court for the last time in that jersey.’’
The 6-foot-6 Fried led the winners with 15 points and eight rebounds. Cole Miller, a 5-9 sophomore point guard, had 12 points and seven rebounds, while Collison and Pfaltzgraff pitched in 11 points apiece. The Bluejays outrebounded their opponent 30-16 and shot 58.3 percent (21 of 36) from the field to offset 14 turnovers against North Polk’s five.
Evans said North Polk made almost nothing easy for his club. The familiarity of the opponent and the weight of beating it for a third time added plenty of stress.
“It was a struggle,’’ he said. “The last four minutes, three minutes, we got some run-outs. That was about the easiest it got all day. It’s good we’re playing somebody in the finals we haven’t seen.’’
Fried said his team can’t wait to try to clear the final hurdle.
“Amazing. It’s been a dream and we just made it a reality,’’ he said.
Cedar Rapids Xavier 72, Sioux City Bishop Heelan 59
Cedar Rapids Xavier advanced to the state championship with a 72-59 victory over Sioux City Bishop Heelan in a battle of two Catholic schools in the final Class 3A semifinal game Thursday afternoon.
The Saints, seeded second and ranked 20th in the latest SB Live all-class top 25, scored 15 straight points early and held off the Crusaders the rest of the way.
Xavier got big games from its top three scorers as seniors Joe Bean, Aidan Yamilkoski and, Josef Lemker combined for 59 points – all scoring above their season averages. Yamilowski (17.7 points per game) hit for 21 points and grabbed six rebounds. Bean (14.4) pumped in 19 and had a team-high seven boards, and Lemker (11.6) also had 19 points.
“Those three had a great night, but it takes a team effort,” said Xavier head coach Mike Freeman. “We’ve never been a one-man show all year. They’re unselfish. So proud of our group.”
“But it’s just not those guys. Our scout team we’ve been after them the last two weeks about giving us looks, and they’re watching film, they’re prepared and that’s what’s helping us get to the state championship.”
Xavier’s fast start was their key to victory.
“We were moving the ball,” said Freeman, who’s in his fourth year at Xavier. “We told the guys, the ball can’t stick. We wanna get downhill, move the ball, share the ball. When guys try to do it on their own, we’re not very good. When guys move the ball -- share the ball we’re pretty good.”
Bishop Heelan’s Carter Kuehl had a big night with a career-high 26 points. He knocked down 10-of-16 shots and buried four 3-pointers, trying to keep his team in the game.
Freeman didn’t want Kuehl to single-handily bring Heelan back for another comeback win, so he asked Aidan McDermott to keep him in check in the fourth quarter.
After Xavier’s 15 early straight points, Heelan closed to within 15-8 at the quarter break.
The Saints held their biggest lead of the game 29-16 when Bean capped a 7-0 flurry with a 3-pointer at the 4:08 mark.
However, the Crusaders answered with an 11-1 burst to end the half and trailed just 30-27 at intermission.
“Heelan came back with a huge run,” Freeman said. “They’re in this state tournament for a reason. Everyone’s good here. You’ve got to be able to weather the run, and we did.”
Xavier stretched the lead back up to double digits, leading 53-41 after three quarters. That’s when Freeman challenged one of his top defenders.
“Kuehl really had it going,” said Freeman, who was an assistant coach under Steve Alford at Iowa. “Aidan didn’t have a big night offensively (five points), and I challenged him going into the fourth quarter to guard Kuehl. He did a good job on him. That’s why he’s going to play Division One football somewhere.”
The Crusaders hung around, cutting it to 57-50 when Matt Noll went between his legs from behind and drove down the lane through traffic for a layup with five minutes left.
“That’s what I expect out of Heelan,” Freeman said. “They’re tough kids. We watched them yesterday make a run and come back and beat Marion. I’m proud of our group.”
But like so many times throughout the game, Xavier had answer with a bucket inside on the other end from 6-foot-8 Tyler Netolicky, and the Saints coasted into the championship game.
With Xavier two hours away and Heelan three hours, many fans opted not the make the trip to the game with the snow that made its way through Iowa. It made for an odd environment. Instead of raucous fans, Heelan had a small student section with perhaps dozens, and Xavier didn’t have a student section.
“We’re at the state tournament, and I know we’re gonna see the Xavier faithful show up tomorrow,” Freeman said. “The weather really didn’t help Heelan or us. I told the boys it’s like a juco game. We’re gonna cheer it up, be loud and make it happen. I’ve been to plenty of juco games, and those guys know how to bring energy.”
The Crusaders finish the season with a 19-7 record, while Xavier moves on to finish the top ranked and top seed team in 3A – Bondurant-Farrar.
“It was a combined effort, and I’m excited to be playing tomorrow,” Freeman said.
- Chris Short
