BALLARD 56, DAVENPORT ASSUMPTION 52

Ballard is still alive in its bid for a repeat in Class 3A.

Taylor Greenfield scored 26 points and the defending champion Bombers led most of the way in beating fourth-ranked Davenport Assumption 56-52 in a first-round game Tuesday.

The victory sends fifth-ranked Ballard into a semifinal showdown at 6 p.m. Thursday against Bishop Heelan of Sioux City, the team the Bombers beat in last year's championship game. Heelan won the title in 2008 -- after beating Ballard in the semifinals.

Sammy Jensen added 14 points for Ballard and Jessie Wheeler scored eight, including five free throws in the final minute to keep the Bombers on top.

Alyson Spinas-Valainis was strong inside for Assumption, finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds in her final high school game. She'll play at Bradley next season. Sam Johannsen added 15 points for the Knights, while Sam Thrapp had nine points, six assists and five rebounds.

Ballard erased an early 5-2 deficit by running off nine straight points to open an 11-5 lead. The Bombers never trailed again, but had to fight off Assumption the rest of the way.

Greenfield hit two key shots down the stretch, a runner in the lane for a 47-42 lead and then a double-pump floater that made it 49-46. Assumption got to within two points on three occasions after that, the last time at 54-52 on Thrapp's free throw with 6.8 seconds left.

Jensen then sank two free throws to secure the victory.

Ballard, in the tournament for the fifth straight year, moves on with a 23-1 record. Assumption, the 2A state champion in 2008, finishes 22-3.