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Here are 5 things we learned from Week 9 of the Iowa high school girls basketball season

alyssa hertel, des moines register
·3 min read

Isn’t it crazy to think that the Iowa high school girls basketball season is almost over?

The state tournament begins on Feb. 26, so it's a little less than a month away, and it seems like the season started only yesterday.

But it's been over two months, and the last nine weeks have taught us a lot about the best players and teams in Iowa. Like how Johnston seems practically unbeatable at this point, or how Ankeny Centennial and Dowling are programs to watch as the season wraps up.

Dowling's Ava Zediker shoots a three during a game against Valley. She was a huge help in the Maroons having an impressive 3-0 week.
Dowling's Ava Zediker shoots a three during a game against Valley. She was a huge help in the Maroons having an impressive 3-0 week.

Here is what we learned from the jam-packed Week 9 of Iowa high school girls basketball games.

Stats and records are based on what was input to GoBound as of 8 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27.

1. Davenport North might be without one of the top players in the country

The Wildcats beat Muscatine, 84-62, on Friday but it may have come at a cost. Iowa women’s basketball commit Journey Houston – ranked the No. 36 player in the 2025 class by ESPN – was helped off the court in the middle of the second quarter, according to tweets by those in attendance.

It's unclear how serious the injury is, but Houston missing an extended period could be a major setback for a 15-2 program on the rise.

2. Dowling’s defense shines in latest wins

The Maroons haven’t had the easiest week: playing No. 9 Ankeny on Tuesday, No. 13 Valley on Thursday and No. 11 Southeast Polk on Friday. But Dowling stepped up to the challenge, on both sides of the ball.

The Maroons scored 56, 62 and 75 points in each of those matchups. They held Ankeny to 27 points, Valley to 30 and Southeast Polk to 37. Dowling earned wins in all three of those tough matchups.

3. Marion proves it can hang with – and beat – one of the best

Then No. 1 (Class 3A) Solon beat Marion in mid-December with a walk-away 60-32 victory. But the Wolves wanted a different result in their second meeting and that's just what they got.

The two teams were tied after the first quarter before Solon jumped ahead by halftime. Marion outscored the Spartans 12-5 in the third quarter to take back the lead, which proved to be enough to win the game.

4. Centennial gave undefeated Johnston a scare

The No. 1 team in the state didn’t have an easy win on Friday. Sure, the Dragons’ 16-0 record makes them the top team in Class 5A – and possibly the state – but Centennial didn’t give up without a fight.

The Jaguars led 18-15 after the first quarter and 31-26 at halftime. They even outscored Johnston 16-11 in the final frame. But the Dragons – led by 19 points from Aili Tanke and 16 points from Amani Jenkins – put together a 27-point third quarter that was too much for Centennial to overcome.

5. Libby Fandel steps up big time in Xavier’s win over Iowa City Liberty

At 6-10 on the season, this hasn’t been the best year for Xavier. But junior Libby Fandel hasn’t missed a beat, and that showed in Friday’s game. She scored 34 points, going 15-of-29 from the field.

Fandel added 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists in the 53-45 win. It was a major moment for Fandel and the Saints, who lost to Liberty by 20 points (61-41) in late December.

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa high school girls basketball: 5 things we learned from Week 9