State GBB: Balanced Simley attack downs Holy Angels in AAA Quarters

All five starters scored in double figures as No. 4 seed Simley (28-2) outlasted No. 5 seed Academy of Holy Angels (22-7) 70-62 in their Class AAA Girls’ Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal.

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The closely played quarterfinal featured seven lead changes and one tie.

With Holy Angels leading 44-42 with 11:32 to play, Simley went on a 10-0 scoring run in the next two and a half minutes and didn’t look back, leading by as many as 10 (58-48) with just over seven minutes to go.

The Stars trimmed the margin back to five twice, but never gained possession for a chance to cut it closer.

Tiwaah Danso led the Spartans with 16 points and 17 rebounds, hitting 7-of-10 from the field and adding six assists, a pair of steals and a pair of blocks. Zareia Chevre had a team-high 18 points for Simley.

Holy Angels was led by Rachel Kawiecki’s 22 points and seven rebounds as she hit 9-of-11 from the field.

Simley shot 55.1 percent (27-49) from the field while holding Holy Angels to 37.7 percent (23-61) shooting, but the Stars kept the game close by committing just seven turnovers while forcing 16.

The Spartans, seeking the school’s first state title in their fourth trip to the state tournament, will meet top seed DeLaSalle in the semifinals on Thursday, March 12 at noon at Williams Arena while Holy Angels will take on Hermantown in the consolation semifinals played at Gangelhoff Center on the campus of Concordia-St. Paul on Thursday at 2 p.m.

Content from the Minnesota State High School League was used in this report