2011 Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament

Class 1A Semifinals

Ar-We-Va 52, Marquette Catholic 46

On the verge of getting blown out, Ar-We-Va found a way to scramble back and put itself in the Class 1A state championship game.

The second-ranked Rockets rallied from a 12-point deficit in the third quarter to beat Bellevue Marquette Catholic 52-46 to conclude Day 3 of the tournament.

Ar-We-Va's victory sets up a showdown with No. 1 Martensdale-St. Marys in the title game at 6 p.m. Friday. Each will be looking for its first state championship. Ar-We-Va finished third in the six-player tournament in 1991, which was the last time the Rockets had made it to state.

Melissa Greve led the winners with 22 points, including 12 in her team's decisive run. Dani Kock added 15 points and 13 rebounds, Paige Danner scored eight and Katlyn Ertz grabbed 10 rebounds while scoring four points.

Andrea Frank led Marquette Catholic with 16 points. Paige Daugherty had 14 points, eight rebounds and four steals and Kelsey Tebbe scored 10 for the Mohawks, who finish 16-7.

Tebbe hit two 3-pointers and Frank knocked down three shots from long range to lead a rally that brought Marquette back from an early 10-point deficit. The Mohawks eventually built their lead to 40-28 in the final minute of the third quarter and seemed to be in control.

But Ar-We-Va clamped down with its defense and reeled off 14 straight points to take a 44-40 lead on Danner's steal and layup with 3:26 left. The Rockets then hit just enough shots and free throws down the stretch to stay ahead.

When Marquette drew to 47-46 on Frank's layup off an inbounds play, Greve answered with a layup of her own and the Rockets hit three of six free throws to finish it off.

Ar-We-Va, which starts two sophomores and a junior, will take a 24-2 record into the title game. The two losses came to Class 2A tournament qualifiers OA-BCIG and IKM-Manning.