The Mid-Prairie boys basketball team starts the playoffs tonight, when they play West Liberty at Wilton.

The Golden Hawks come into the game off a loss to Monticello, but finish second in the River Valley Conference south division. Mid-Prairie is scoring 56 points per game, and is shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from three-point range. The Golden Hawks are led by Nick Stimson with 10.8 points per game, and Dayton Hall with 10.3, while Christian Jonson puts in 9.2. The big players that Mid-Prairie will need to step up tonight are Nathan Faselt and Spencer Shalla, who sit fourth and fifth in scoring.

West Liberty is 10-10 overall, scoring 57.8 points per game, and shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 32 percent from downtown. The Comets have three shooters: Kyle Miller who averages 20.3 points per game, with a 47.9 percent shot from the floor, and 32.3 percent shot from three-point range; Carl Guardado who averages 12.7 points per game and has a 61 percent shot from the floor; and Brett Becker who has a 39 percent shot from the floor, hits 33.5 percent of his three-pointers, and scores 57.8 points per game.

Both teams have Identical records, and a split during the regular season. The rubber match is for a chance to move on in the playoffs, and we’ll have it for you right here, live from Wilton, on AM and FM KCII and KCIIradio.com under radio plus, with pregame at 6 and tip-off at 6:30. The one to count on for today’s local sports coverage is AM and FM KCII and KCIIradio.com.