While talent and teamwork are certainly key elements of a state championship-caliber team, leadership and experience also factor in heavily as to which remaining squad gets to hoist the championship trophy at the end of tournament week. The Pella Christian girls basketball team has both leadership AND experience, as their seven seniors lead the Lady Eagles back to Wells Fargo Arena for the second consecutive season for the Girls Class 2A State Basketball Tournament.

One of those seniors, forward Sami Veenstra, says the team was a bit in awe of being on the grand stage a season ago, and hopes they can be more focused on the task at hand this time around. The Pella Christian girls enter the Class 2A State Tournament Quarterfinals with a 21-3 record and face 25-0 West Hancock on Tuesday morning. Tip-off from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.