Pella has guaranteed there will be at least one first time champion at the 2016 Iowa High School Girls State Basketball Tournament.

The Lady Dutch lost the first time it played in a state title game. Eight years later, Pella has a chance to play in another.

Two buzzer-beating 3-pointers and steady free throw shooting in the fourth quarter helped eighth-ranked Pella earn a berth in the Class 4A championship game with a 54-48 victory over seventh-ranked Marion.

In a game matching two teams that did not start a senior, junior Katie Vander Molen of Pella led all scorers with 15 points. Teammate Kiara Bradley added 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Chloe Van Vliet scored seven for the Lady Dutch.

Marion, which started three sophomores and two freshmen, got 12 points from Mia Laube and 11 from Chloe Rice.

Van Vliet's rainbow 3 from the right wing just before the halftime buzzer gave Pella a 24-20 lead. Vander Molen did the same thing at the end of the third quarter, nailing a long-range shot from the right wing for a 34-29 lead and giving her team a lift heading into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Dutch then got two quick layups to stretch their lead to nine and that was just enough to hold on.

Marion drew to 45-44 on Maddie Knapp's baseline drive but never got the lead. Pella stayed ahead by making nine of 10 free throws in the final 1:10.

Pella lost to Sioux City Bishop Heelan 54-51 in the 3A championship game in 2008. The Lady Dutch will take a 22-2 record against No. 9 Mason City in this year's 4A finale, at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Mason City is in the title game for the first game.

Marion finished 20-5 and has a bright future with its young players.

Story Courtesy of IGHSAU


Marion vs Pella
3/4/16 11:45 AM at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Marion 20-5
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
04 Rice, Chloe......... *  3-8    1-4    4-4    0  3  3   5  11  4  1  0  2  32
05 Smith, Caitlyn...... *  1-5    1-4    0-0    0  2  2   3   3  1  2  0  0  22
10 Wright, Randi....... *  2-4    0-1    0-0    0  3  3   2   4  1  1  0  1  13
21 Laube, Mia.......... *  4-8    0-1    4-4    0  3  3   3  12  1  2  0  1  32
22 Willette, Sophie.... *  2-6    2-4    0-0    2  1  3   0   6  0  2  0  1  20
03 Knapp, Maddie.......    3-5    1-3    0-0    0  0  0   3   7  0  3  0  1  20
23 Herold, Elle........    1-2    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   3   2  1  0  0  0   9
32 Sade, Isabella......    1-5    0-0    1-2    2  3  5   0   3  0  0  2  0  12
   TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   17-43   5-17   9-10   4 16 20  19  48  8 11  2  6 160

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  8-26 30.8%   2nd Half:  9-17 52.9%   Game: 39.5%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-10 20.0%   2nd Half:  3-7  42.9%   Game: 29.4%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  2-3  66.7%   2nd Half:  7-7  100 %   Game: 90.0%    0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Pella 22-2
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
10 Pingel, Annika...... *  0-2    0-0    4-4    2  0  2   1   4  1  0  0  1  27
12 Bradley, Kiara...... *  4-9    1-2    4-4    1 11 12   2  13  1  2  0  2  28
14 Buchheit, Ciara..... *  1-5    0-3    4-6    2  2  4   1   6  2  2  0  1  25
24 Vander Molen, Katie. *  5-14   2-6    3-4    2  2  4   1  15  1  2  0  0  30
32 Van Vliet, Chloe.... *  3-8    1-4    0-1    2  1  3   2   7  1  3  0  0  20
20 Lambert, Kloe.......    1-1    1-1    0-0    0  1  1   0   3  0  0  0  0  10
22 Wichhart, Kara......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   2
52 Holterhaus, Emily...    3-4    0-0    0-0    1  2  3   1   6  0  3  2  1  18
   TEAM................                         3  4  7
   Totals..............   17-43   5-16  15-19  13 23 36   8  54  6 12  2  5 160

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  8-21 38.1%   2nd Half:  9-22 40.9%   Game: 39.5%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  3-9  33.3%   2nd Half:  2-7  28.6%   Game: 31.3%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  5-7  71.4%   2nd Half: 10-12 83.3%   Game: 78.9%    1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Mike Lawler, Jason Alons, Duane Duncan
Technical fouls: Marion-None. Pella-None.
Attendance:
Score by Periods                1st  2nd  3rd  4th   Total
Marion........................    9   11    9   19  -   48
Pella.........................   10   14   10   20  -   54
FOULED OUT: MARION #4 Rice at :10.5 in the 4th

More From K92.3