In the 50 years since Turkey Valley has started, no basketball team has ever qualified for the state tournament, until Saturday. The TV boys won a thriller at Manchester, 48-46 over Dyersville Beckman to become the first team to do so.
    The team faces a tough opponent in Des Moines, second-ranked IKM Manning, who enters the tourney at 24-0. The date for the match-up is Tuesday, March 9, 12:05 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
    “We all feel awesome, this has really been our goal,” said coach Mike Kuennen. “The first thing we had to overcome is the ability to win big games. That’s why we play the larger schools, to prepare for this.”
    Leading Beckman this year in scoring was Joe Ament, and at 6’11” he made his presence known. However, the Trojan defense, for the most part, kept him in check. “We’re one of the few schools that front the low post.” Ament finished with 10 points.
    At the end of the first quarter, the Trojans found themselves down 15-12. Early in the second, a Mitch Balik putback brought them to within one, then Balik scored on a conventional three-point play to put his team up 19-17 with 5:38 left in the half. Neil Hackman increased the lead to 24-19 with a three-point shot, and Turkey Valley was still in the lead at the half, 26-25.
    In the third quarter, the Blazers outscored the Trojans 12-6, with a shot at the buzzer putting them up 37-32.
    The Trojans were down 44-39 in the fourth when Spencer Bruess rebounded a missed Beckman free throw, drove the length of the floor, made a basket and was fouled, also making the free throw to come within two with 1:11 remaining.
    A Beckman travel call gave the Trojans the ball back and Mason Adams made another conventional three-play, Turkey Valley was ahead 45-44 with :50 left.
    Two free throws by Ament put Beckman back on top 46-45 with 23.5 seconds left, coach Kuennen took a time out with :19 left to call the final play, and with 8.5 on the clock, Balik scored and the Trojans had a 47-46 lead.
    The Blazers had time for one more play, but lost the ball out of bounds. Balik ended the scoring on one free throw.
 

For more on the Trojan win, please see the March 2 Tribune.