The Ankeny boys’ basketball team could play the role of a spoiler in the race for the CIML Conference championship.
After playing at Urbandale on Tuesday, the Hawks will close out the regular season on Thursday with a game at fourth-ranked Waukee Northwest. The Wolves are still mathematically alive to earn a share of the league crown.
No. 2 Valley, the two-time defending Class 4A state champion, leads the conference with a 13-2 record. The Tigers had a chance to wrap up the outright championship on Tuesday, but they suffered a 78-51 loss at home to Johnston.
The Dragons’ upset opened the door for No. 8 Waukee, which is in second place at 12-3 and can earn a share of the crown with a victory at Valley on Thursday. The Tigers won the first meeting at Waukee, 73-61, on Feb. 7.
A Waukee win would also give Waukee Northwest (11-3) a chance to tie for the title. The Wolves would need to beat Ankeny and then Dowling Catholic on Friday to forge a three-way tie for the crown.
On the girls’ side, No. 1 Johnston completed an undefeated regular season with an 85-56 win over No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie on Thursday. The defending Class 5A state champion Dragons will take a 46-game winning streak into postseason play, which begins this week.
Here are the current CIML Conference standings:
GIRLS
Johnston 16-0 20-0
Dowling Catholic 14-2 18-3
Waukee Northwest 12-4 16-4
Ankeny Centennial 9-7 14-7
Waukee 7-9 12-10
Southeast Polk 6-10 9-12
Ankeny 5-11 9-12
Valley 3-13 6-15
Urbandale 0-16 4-17
Thursday’s score
Johnston 85, Cedar Rapids Prairie 56
Friday’s scores
Ankeny Centennial 60, Southeast Polk 52
Waukee 68, Des Moines Roosevelt 35
Saturday’s score
Valley 49, Des Moines Roosevelt 37
REGIONAL PAIRINGS
Wednesday’s game
Urbandale at Valley
Saturday’s games
Council Bluffs Jefferson or Sioux City West at Waukee Northwest
Council Bluffs Lincoln or Sioux City North at Johnston
Des Moines East or Marshalltown at Ankeny Centennial
Des Moines Lincoln or Des Moines North at Dowling Catholic
Indianola at Waukee
Ottumwa at Southeast Polk
Sioux City East at Ankeny
Urbandale or Valley at Iowa City Liberty
BOYS
Valley 13-2 15-3
Waukee 12-3 15-5
Waukee Northwest 11-3 16-3
Dowling Catholic 9-6 13-6
Johnston 9-7 12-8
Ankeny 6-8 10-9
Urbandale 5-10 7-11
Southeast Polk 1-14 7-14
Ankeny Centennial 1-14 4-14
Thursday’s score
Southeast Polk 53, Des Moines East 45
Friday’s scores
Johnston 78, Council Bluffs Jefferson 40
Southeast Polk 62, Des Moines Lincoln 48
Waukee 64, Des Moines Roosevelt 58
Saturday’s scores
Dowling Catholic 68, Norwalk 40
Monday’s games
Des Moines Hoover at Urbandale
Des Moines North at Waukee Northwest
Valley at Des Moines Roosevelt
Tuesday’s games
Ankeny at Urbandale
Ankeny Centennial at Ames
Dowling Catholic at Des Moines Lincoln
Waterloo East at Johnston
Waukee at Des Moines North
Thursday’s games
Ankeny at Waukee Northwest
Des Moines East at Urbandale
Southeast Polk at Ankeny Centennial
Waukee at Valley
Friday’s game
Dowling Catholic at Waukee Northwest
Saturday’s game
Dubuque Senior at Valley
