(Red Oak) Red Oak advances to the Regional Finals with a 62-50 victory over Atlantic at Red Oak on Wednesday.
Ellie Ringstorf scored 16-points, and Chloe Johnson finished with 14 to lead the Tigers. Haley Rasmussen scored 20-points, and Mckenzie Waters knocked down 16 for Atlantic.
“Atlantic is a scrappy team with good players, especially Haley Rasmussen, “said Red Oak Head Coach Maddie Gelber. “No one scores 17-points per game in the Hawkeye Ten Conference on accident. I felt we were sharp all night; obviously, we gave up a couple of runs in the second quarter and lost a little focus late in the game, but all-in-all I was happy with the way we performed.”
Red Oak opened the game on a 7-0 run and built an 18-5 lead late in the first quarter. Atlantic fired right back outscoring the Tigers 15-2 to tie the game at 20-20 midway through the second quarter. Red Oak’s offense kicked backed into high gear with 16-1 run a 36-21 cushion at the half. Ellie Ringstorf hit two three-point shots, and Chloe DeVries buried another one to lead the Tiger offense. Ringstorf and Chloe Johnson scored 22 of the home team’s 36 first-half points. Johnson knocked down 12, Ringstorf tossed in 10.
“We’ve relied on spurts all season, and thankfully we caught a good one tonight,” said Gelber.
The Tigers extended the lead to 61-37 in the fourth quarter. However, Atlantic continued to battle and finished the game strong on a 13-1 run and a 62-50 final. Haley Rasmussen scored 16 of her 20-points in the second half fueled by two-three point baskets. Maycie Waters buried two shots from behind the arc.
Red Oak now (20-3) advances to the Regional final against Creston. Atlantic bows out at (9-14).
