Girls' Basketball in Iowa

[rurallib]

I was planning on posting a short nostalgic bit on gorl's basketball in Iowa today. Then IPTV beat me to the punch with a documentary about the unique 6-on6 game that was played in Iowa for darn near a century. It was a very good show. For those who missed it there will be a rebroadcast this Friday.
Last night found me in front of the TV for something like the 53rd year in a row watching the telecast of the IGHSAU tournament. Until the middle '80s that meant the game was the hybrid 6-on6 game that Iowa played.
I have never understood why I loved watching that game. I think maybe because of the way whole towns, heck counties, would literally lock up and go to Des Moines for a week to follow their girls. Or maybe it was the stars who would score 40 to 70 points a game. Maybe for something that harkened back to a simpler time.
So in the IPTV show, not only did they have clips of the games but they also had interviews with some of the girls now grown into women. Let me just throw out a few names that have stuck in my mind for a long, long time:
The one and only Lynn Lorenzan the all time scoring leader from 'tiny' Ventura.
Funny thing I find out tonight her mother was also a great player Francine Billerbeck of Reinbeck (I may have the name not quite right.)
Jeannette Olsen for the Everly Cattlefeeders who matched up against one of the greatest of all time in a title game that was unmatched, Denise Long of Union-Whitten. IIRC that gave was fed to something like 20 states around the country. UW won 113 - 107 in OT.
Jan Jenson of Elk Horn Kimballton, now an assistant to Lisa Bluder.
Lisa Brinkmeyer, Sandy Van Cleve, Deb Coates (a scoring machine). The old memory is growing a bit dim.
The girls tournament always outdrew the boys. They would cram 15,500 in the old barn for each session. I mention this because sexual equality never seemed to be much of a question here. The girls and the boys went to school, chored and played sports doing what needed to be done.
Well if anyone wants to add. I could go on and on.
And that 4A game last night was one for the ages. Some great talent on that floor that I will be remembering as years go on. Glad that Kelly Krei is staying in Iowa City.

[Bluzmann57]

1. Two of the greatest girls teams ever

Arguably were the Preston team of about four or five years ago, they went through two entire seasons without a loss I believe, and this years Assumption Knights who destroyed their opponents on Friday night and went undefeated. Both were, and are, 5 on 5 teams.
I do remember 6 on 6 girls games, three backcourt people who were not allowed to cross the center line and, as you pointed out, almost always one girl who would score 40-50 points a game. It was a simpler time, but I still prefer the 5 on 5 game. That's the way Naismith invented it, and that's the way it should be. And a lot of these young ladies are extremely athletic as well. Fun to watch.

[rurallib]

2. I definitely prefer the 5-on-5 game

But I think what the 6-on-6 game evokes a memory of an Iowa where small towns existed and flourished, family farms, everybody in school being part of some extra-curricular activity, baskets in the hayloft of the barn, the whole town being involved in 'the team'.
Often every girl in school was on the team. Boys the same way.
It is a Iowa that is long gone. Sadly the sense of community that went with is to a great extent also. The 6-on-6 game is tied to small town Iowa because it was a game that bigger schools never played.
We were at a fundraiser Friday night so I missed the Assumption game. My heart really wanted to stay home.
But I was thinking last night about some of girls who have recently starred since 6-on-6 has departed. How about having Stacy Friese, Katie Abrahamson, Molly Tideback on a team for instance.
Girls basketball in Iowa is a great tradition.