ON TO STATE! Kee basketball girls win OT thriller to advance to State Tournament

The ninth-rated Kee girls basketball team outlasted sixth-rated West Hancock, 46-39, to win its Class 1A Region 2 championship game played Wednesday, February 21 at New Hampton. Playing the Eagles to a 39-39 scoreboard knot at the end of four quarters, the Hawks didn't let the Eagles score at all in the extra frame to secure the victory and their second-ever State Tournament qualification. The Lady Hawks (22-1) will now play fourth-rated Newell-Fonda (24-0) Wednesday, February 28 in the opening round of the Class 1A State Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, beginning at 5 p.m. The winner will advance on to the Class 1A semifinals Friday, March 2 at 3:15 p.m. to play the winner of the first-round match-up between second-rated Central Decatur (24-0) and 10th-rated Montezuma (20-3), with that semifinals winner then advancing on to the Class 1A State Championship game Saturday evening, March 3 at 7 p.m. That championship game opponent will emerge from first-round match-ups featuring top-rated and two-time defending Class 1A State Tournament Champion Springville (21-3) vs. 15th-rated Algona-Bishop Garrigan (17-7) or seventh-rated Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton (23-1) vs. eighth-rated AGWSR (21-2).

Full coverage of the Kee girls basketball team's regional semifinals victory over West Hancock will be printed in the February 28 edition of The Standard. You can subscribe to The Standard's print edition or e-edition by clicking here.
A Spirit Banner commemorating the Kee basketball girls' achievements, celebrating their State Tournament qualification and cheering them on to victory will be made available for team members and fans Monday, February 26. To be a part of that State Tournament Spirit Banner, call 563-568-3431 or email account@waukonstandard.com.