The Hillcrest Academy Raven boys and girls basketball teams will be in Packwood tonight to face off with the Pekin Panthers in a Southeast Iowa Superconference doubleheader. The Raven boys and girls have been off since a Saturday home sweep of Rivermont Collegiate. The win was the first of the season for the Raven girls who have a 1-6 overall record. It was the first of head coach Mitchell Drey’s career. Esther Hughes led the way with a career high 39 points. On the season, the Ravens score 32 points per game, they give up 48, shoot 32% from the floor, 23% from three point range and 61% from the free throw line. They average 19 rebounds, three assists, seven steals and 14 turnovers per night. Individually, Hillcrest is paced by Hughes at 17 points, three steals and two assists per night. Vlada Conea leads Hillcrest on the glass with five boards per game.
The Pekin girls are 1-6 so far this year with their lone victory over Columbus on Tuesday 41-27. They score 30 points per game, give up 44, shoot 28% from the floor, 24% from downtown and 34% at the line. They average 22 rebounds, eight assists, 10 steals and 24 turnovers per contest. Individually, Pekin is led by a pair in double figures with Kerrigan Pope scoring 16 points per game and Emma Phillips 10. Pope leads the team with nine rebounds and four steals per night. Taylor Gambell has a team best two assists per contest. The Panthers lead the all-time series between the two schools, winning 23 of the last 24. Hillcrest’s last win was a 51-49 victory over the Panthers in December of 2010.
The Hillcrest boys are riding a hot streak, winners of five in a row with a 5-1 overall mark after taking out Rivermont Collegiate Saturday 63-26 to earn head coach Dwight Gingerich his 700th career victory. The Ravens are stacking up 57 points per game while giving up 38. They shoot 45% from the floor, 33% from three point land and 68% at the line. They average 24 rebounds, 15 assists, 10 steals and 12 turnovers per night. Individually, the Ravens are paced by Grant Bender scoring 18 points per game and pulling down six rebounds each night. Noah Miller leads the Raven guards with five assists and three steals per night.
Pekin is 2-4 so far this year. They were winners over the Columbus Wildcats earlier this week 57-22. The Panthers score 48 points per game and give up that same total while shooting 41% from the floor, 27% from long range and 43% at the line. They average 23 rebounds 10 assists, six steals and 11 turnovers each night. Luke Long leads the Panther offense at 15 points per game. Colton Comstock has a team best six rebounds, six assists and three steals per night. The Panthers have had the upper hand against the Ravens lately, winning five of the last six in the series including a 48-30 victory a season ago in Packwood.
You can hear all of the action live tonight between Hillcrest Academy and Pekin on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 5:30, tip of the girls game at six with the boys to follow in doubleheader action from Packwood.