(Harlan) 9th ranked Harlan opposes #2 Ballard in a Class 4A First Round game on Tuesday at the Girls State Basketball Tournament.
The contest starts at 3:00 p.m. and we’ll have it on 96.5 FM KSOM. The Cyclones are 17-5 and the Bombers are 21-1. Harlan coach Zach Klaasen says a lot of his team’s improvement throughout the year has come on offense. “I think our offense in the half court has been much better the second half of the season. The ball is moving a little bit more and getting swung from side to side. We’ve had more dribble penetration which has led to more points for us.”
Harlan has made great upswing from five wins two years ago to 13 last season and now a state tourney qualification with a lot of the same players that have been on the court the last three seasons. “I don’t think anybody ever sees five wins coming down the path and that season was very humbling. For these girls to continue stick it out and believe in the coaches and themselves and their teammates it’s pretty remarkable to make it to the state tournament a couple of years later.”
Head coach Zach Klaassen is 8-2 in his career at the state tournament with four straight appearances from 2013-16 including two state titles. “We practice like it is any other game. Obviously when you step out on that court is probably going to be a different feeling, but we try to talk and treat it like any other ordinary game.”
Ballard’s only loss all season long was to the defending Class 3A state champs. It was a loss they avenged in the regional finals. Coach Klaassen describes Tuesday’s opponent as relentless with their half court defense. “They fly to the ball and cut you off pretty quick. Once you think you have a lane it shuts down in a hurry. We are definitely going to have to move the ball well because they fly around. Just watching film it’s one of the better half court man-to-man defenses that you’re going to see. They don’t give up a lot of points. Everything that we get we are going to have to earn.”
Four of Harlan’s five losses are to #1 ranked Glenwood and 8th rated Denison-Schleswig. They feel well prepared for the state stage.
