TRIGGERING THE TEMPO — North Union guard/forward Naomi Jones (23) breaks into the open court and looks for a teammate during Iowa Class 2A, Region 5 quarterfinal basketball action Tuesday night in Armstrong. Belmond-Klemme’s Adasyn Lamb (31) and Caylee Kuhlers (30), along with North Union’s Olivia Merrill (back right) follow the play. Jones went on to post a double-double to power the Warriors to a playoff win. (Photo by Greg Abel)

ARMSTRONG — North Union’s No. 23 played like a high school version of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ No. 22 during Tuesday night’s Iowa Class 2A, Region 5 girls basketball quarterfinal in Armstrong.

Senior guard/forward Naomi Jones produced Caitlin Clarkesque game-leading numbers of 21 points, 11 rebounds, seven steals and six assists to power the No. 14-ranked Warriors to a 60-38 triumph over the Belmond-Klemme Broncos.

North Union (17-5) advances to face Pocahontas Area (13-8) at 7 p.m. Friday night in the Region 5 semifinals back in Armstrong. Pocahontas Area defeated Emmetsburg (13-10) by a 64-52 margin to gain the next round.

Belmond-Klemme closed out the season with a 12-11 overall record.

The fleet-footed Jones utilized every inch of her 5-foot-7 frame to more than double her seasonal averages — 10.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.5 assists per game — during the opening game of her final prep basketball postseason.

“My teammates told me to shoot when I got open and I did because I wanted to be an asset to the team’s overall effort and help us advance to the next round of the regional,” said Jones, who scorched the nets on 7-for-10 shooting from the floor and 6-for-8 at the free throw line. “I know I can count on them and they can count on me (in the playoffs).”

After Adasyn Lamb nailed a 3-pointer and a solo free throw to inch the Broncos within one at the 2-minute juncture of the opening quarter, Jones and freshman teammate Ainsley Ulrich packed a 1-2 defensive and offensive punch to answer to re-establish a 10-5 lead. Jones swooshed two charity tosses before Ulrich swiped a Bronco pass and hit the layup for two of her 18 points on the regional bout.

Caylee Kuhlers later sank two free throws to help Belmond-Klemme net its first tie of the game at 13-all before Quinn Gabrielson cashed in one of Lamb’s team-best five assists for the Broncos’ first — as well as next-to-last — lead of the night at 15-13.

Jones displayed her mettle and leadership skills by converting Shallie Walders’ pass into a left-corner 2-pointer before Libby Stevens spotted Walders on a cutter through traffic for a runner and 17-15 edge.

Ahead 17-16, Jones drove the paint for a floater in traffic with 37 seconds remaining before intermission to create a three-point lead by the break.

Chloe Hobscheidt snapped the nets on two 3-pointers before Gabrielson nailed another trey during the middle stages of the third quarter to swing a 27-25 lead to the Broncos, but it would not last.

Who else but Jones stemmed the Broncos’ momentum by slicing through defenders to toss in a runner to knot the game at 27-all.

Ulrich, who finished the first half with just five points, warmed up the nets by drilling back-to-back 3-pointers to build a 33-27 lead with 3:33 left in the third segment.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, Gabrielson’s leaner in the low post would be the visitors’ last points until the initial stages of the fourth quarter.

Jones’ pair of free throws served as the catalyst behind North Union’s ensuing 17-0 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters and put the final outcome out of Belmond-Klemme’s reach.

Jones cashed in a midcourt steal for two more points before finding Walders for a breakaway basket to widen the Warriors’ margin to 10.

Ulrich buried a trifecta at the 55-second juncture, Walders duplicated the feat 25 seconds later off a Jones assist, while Stevens rolled in a layup off a Walders assist for a 47-29 lead after three completed quarters.

Jones capped the double-figure surge by nailing a left-corner 3-pointer to open the fourth frame and the Warriors never looked back.

Ulrich pocketed three steals to complement her 18-point performance for North Union, Walders tossed in seven points to go with three assists, while Olivia Merrill and Stevens chipped in five points apiece. Merrill also posted a game-best four blocked shots.

Lamb led the Broncos in scoring with 16 points, rebounding with seven, passing with five assists and defense with three steals, while teammates and Hobscheidt chipped in 11 and eight points, respectively.

BK        5-11-13-9–38

NU    10-9-28-13–60

NO. UNION (60)

Jones 7-10 6-8 21, Steinberger 1-2 0-0 2, Merrill 2-4 1-2 5, Stevens 2-5 0-1 5, Ulrich 7-16 0-0 18, Walders 3-7 0-0 7, Nielsen 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 23-46 7-11 60.

BEL.-KLEMME (38)

Hobscheidt 3-6 0-0 8, Lamb 5-14 3-6 16, Kuhlers 0-3 2-2 2, Steenblock 0-2 0-0 0, Gabrielson 5-13 0-0 11, Morris 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 13-40 6-10 38.

3-pointers: North Union 7-16 (Ulrich 4; Jones, Stevens and Walders 1 each); BK 6-18 (Lamb 3, Hobscheidt 2, Gabrielson 1). Rebounds: North Union 30 (Jones 11); BK 22 (Lamb 7). Assists: North Union 13 (Jones 6, Walders 3); BK 7 (Lamb 5). Steals: North Union 11 (Jones 7); BK 4 (Lamb 3). Blocks: NU 7 (Merrill 4); BK 4 (Lamb 3).