The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Kastanek, Logic seal playoff bid

A ticket to the Game Time League playoffs was on the line for Kali Peschel’s squad in Wednesday night’s regular-season finale. But Sam Logic and Alexa Kastanek were just too much to handle, and their team bested Peschel’s, 90-71.

Peschel’s team failed to win a game during the summer league, finishing at 0-4. Ex-Hawkeye Morgan Johnson was unable to play in the final game, which certainly had an effect.

“We really wanted to go out there and get a win for each other,” Peschel teammate Emily Parker said. “Our main goal was to not get frustrated tonight and just see what we can do.”

Parker, a junior at Holy Cross, scored 21 points and had 13 rebounds in the game. The Johnston, Iowa, native came into the league unknown to most, but her teammates said she made quite an impact by the end.

“I did not know who she was at all when she came,” Peschel said. “Instantly, she was a huge contributor inside for us. She’s an awesome player.”

Peschel recorded a double-double with 24 points and 20 rebounds, and she was 12-of-12 at the free-throw line. But it wasn’t enough to stop either Logic or Kastanek, who had 28 and 25 points, respectively.

Kastanek, one of two incoming heralded Hawkeye freshmen, scored the first 11 points for her team. She led her team in scoring at halftime with 17.

“The most important thing to me was to mesh well with Alexa,” Logic said. “She’s 50 percent of the freshmen on this team, and it’s really important to just get the groove with someone new.”

It looks as if they have found a groove that works. The two sparked a 9-2 run right before halftime that allowed them to enter the break with a 10-point advantage.

Kastanek, who was an ESPN top-100 recruit, was hoping to make a name for herself when she began to play this summer.

“I was pretty nervous actually, because I had never played a summer-league game like this,” Kastanek said. “I really wanted to mesh well with my teammates, and overall just improve so I can help my team this season.”

The Lincoln, Neb., native averaged more than 15 points a game during her senior season at Lincoln Southeast and shot 48 percent from the field. Kastanek’s prep résumé helped to establish her as the 14th-best player at her position in the country, according to ESPN.

“I think she could definitely help right away,” Logic said. “It just depends on who meshes well with who. There’s a long way to the season, and we have a lot of improvement to do individually, and as a team.”

Kastanek and Logic finished the season with a 2-2 record. The team has qualified for the playoffs, and it will face Theairra Taylor’s and Kayla Timmerman’s team at 7:30 p.m. July 22.

Despite a lower seed, Kastanek is confident that her squad will compete in the playoffs.

“I think we all have it in us to win,” she said. “We all have the heart, we all want to be here, and we always work hard. I know we’ll be able to pull it out.”

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