Iowa's Di'Amon Levings and Jo'Nylah Walker stop South Beauregard's Faith Johnson during a game on Jan. 17, 2025 at Iowa High School. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press)

The Iowa High School girls basketball team has battled its way back to the doorstep of history. This time they want to open the door.

The No. 4 Yellow Jackets hosts No. 5 Abbeville (20-4) at 6 p.m. today in the Non-select Division II quarterfinals looking for their first berth in the state tournament next week in Hammond.

Iowa (21-7) was in a similar situation last season but lost to eventual state runner-up South Beauregard 34-32 in the quarterfinals. And while it has many of the same young players from that team, head coach Courtnee Hollins said it feels different.

The starting lineup comprised of all underclassmen has gained valuable experience that has paid off in close games. They are 5-2 in games decided by seven or fewer points, and all of those games were against top-10 teams, including wins over Non-select Division IV No. 1 Oakdale and Select Division III No. 1 Lafayette Christian.

“I think it is mostly maturity and experience,” Hollins said. “That is what has pulled us through some tough games this year and even the other night.

“Those ninth-graders last year were starters for me as eighth-graders, then Toni Brown was a seventh-grader playing a lot. I think the experience that they got to have last year and this year has pulled us through some of those tough games.”

Even when things aren’t going completely to plan, Hollins said her team finds a way and cited the example of their 40-29 regional win over Brusly. In that game, they trailed 11-6 after the first quarter and started the fourth quarter with a two-point lead.

“What we have been most consistent with is playing hard,” Hollins said. “Maybe shots are not falling, or we are doing some things we shouldn’t be doing with turnovers here and there, but I will say we are consistently playing hard.

“We played terribly the other night. It was a rough game for us. I don’t know if it was good for us being so young to have that bye and be off for over a week. It would have been better to stay in a routine.”

The Yellow Jackets like to play fast on offense. They average 60 points a game, led by freshman Aubrey Young (22 ppg) and junior Kimora Celestine (12 ppg). Hollins said she hopes the quick pace and aggressive play in the lane will help them counter Abbeville senior forwards Alyria Greene and Jar’Lacy Holmes.

“They have two bigs and we are not that big,” Hollins said. “We definitely have to handle the boards and play hard.

“I think we will do that. I think the number one thing is we are going to have to box out. If we push the pace and make it a fast-paced game, I think we will be OK.”

Elsewhere Twelve miles south of Iowa, Class B No. 2 Bell City (23-3) needs a win over No. 6 Negreet (21-13) to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2021. The Bruins have won their last 11 games by an average of 29.7 points.

On the other side of the Class B bracket, No. 1 Fairview (34-5) looks to extend its streak of six consecutive state tournament appearances with a win over No. 9 Florien (21-16). Fairview leads the state with 15 state championships.

Like Iowa, Oakdale (23-5) and Rosepine (22-9) are riding long win streaks at 12 and 11 games, respectively. Each reached the state tournament last season but are playing in new divisions this season.

Non-select Division III No. 1 Oakdale won the Division IV title in 2023 and was the runner-up last season.

Rosepine won back-to-back state titles in Non-select Division III but moved to Select Division III this season. The No. 3 Eagles play No. 6 Northlake Christian (17-10) tonight, while Oakdale hosts No. 9 Mansfield (18-12).

After bowing out in the regional round the last two seasons, Non-select Division IV No. 4 Merryville (22-6) looks to return to the state tournament with a win over No. 5 Midland (22-11) tonight at home. Merryville played in the state tournament six times from 2016 to 2022.

Quarterfinals
Non-select
Division I
No. 5 Barbe at No. 4 Haughton, 6 p.m. Thursday
No. 10 Sulphur at No. 2 Walker, 6 p.m. Thursday
Division II
No. 5 Abbeville at No. 4 Iowa, 6 p.m. Thursday
No. 6 South Beauregard at No. 3 Sterlington, 6 p.m. Thursday
Division III
No. 9 Mansfield at No. 1 Oakdale, 6 p.m. Thursday
No. 6 Westlake at No. 3 French Settlement, 5:30 p.m. Thursday
Division IV
No. 5 Midland at No. 4 Merryville, 6 p.m. Thursday
No. 7 Oberlin at No. 2 Arcadia, 6 p.m. Thursday
Select
Division II
No. 10 Leesville at No. 2 Vandebilt Catholic, 5:30 p.m. Thursday
Division III
No. 6 Northlake Christian at No. 3 Rosepine, 5:30 p.m. Thursday
Division IV
No. 8 Pickering at No. 1 Southern Lab, 6 p.m. Thursday
No. 7 Hamilton Christian at No. 2 Cedar Creek, 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Class B
No. 9 Florien at No. 1 Fairview, 6 p.m. Thursday
No. 7 Negreet at No. 2 Bell City, 6 p.m. Thursday
Class C
No. 12 Hornbeck at No. 4 Reeves, 6 p.m. Thursday