New experience, Iowa off to state tourney

Published 8:00 am Saturday, March 4, 2023

IOWA — Iowa is headed to the state basketball tournament for the first time in school history after beating Brusly 75-57 Friday night in a non-select Division II quarterfinal.

The No. 2 Yellow Jackets (29-5) will play No. 3 Carroll in the semifinals at Burton Coliseum next week. The tournament schedule will be announced today.

Carroll advanced with a 71-52 win over No. 6 Breaux Bridge.

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“The kids did it, they worked for it and they earned it,” Iowa head coach Robert Melanson said. “We’re not finished though. We want to win it.”

Iowa blistered the nets in the first quarter, opening the game with a 13-2 outburst. Dashawn Ceaser scored 11 points in the run and 14 in the quarter as the Yellow Jackets built a 27-14 lead.

“Dashawn was hot, that helped,” Melanson said. “We kept battling. It was an overall team effort.”

Brusly (23-9) got within 10 midway through the second quarter but a layup by Logan Langley and put-back basket by Luke Guillory extended the Iowa lead to 45-30 at halftime.

The Panthers scored the first seven points of the second quarter to get within eight.

Iowa responded with a 13-0 run to regain control. Desamonte Gradney started the outburst with a 3-pointer. Ceaser added another long-range shot and Cameron Washington had back-to-back baskets. A put-back by Cohen Charles gave Iowa a 58-37 lead.

“We got it going in the third quarter,” Melanson said. “We got stagnant in the fourth quarter, but the good thing was they weren’t scoring either. We did a good job defending their 3-point shooters.

“We have great kids. It started in football (Iowa reached the semifinals) and carried over. Winning breeds winning.”

Gradney led Iowa with 21 points. Ceaser scored 20, Langley had 12 and Guillory added 12.

Edrick Snearl led Brusly with 20 points. Tyran Young added 15.