It’s matinee basketball Saturday in Wellman when the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks welcome the Anamosa Blue Raiders to Tim Grady Gymnasium. The Mid-Prairie girls come into the game at 5-4 overall and in conference after a 54-47 setback West Branch at home 24 hours ago. Maddie Nonnenmann led the way with 20 points against the Bears. Mid-Prairie shoots 30% from three point land No. 6 in 3A, averages 12 assists and 12 steals each 10th most in 3A and commits 21 turnovers, ninth most. Nonnenmann leads Mid-Prairie at 15 points and six boards per game. Amara Jones averages four assists and three steals per night. “We felt in that game we could get Maddie Nonnenmann into some mismatches inside. She was aggressive and finished well for us. We hit some shots when we needed to and stepped our defense when we needed to in getting back in the game. The way we played the second half against West Branch, we are going to win a lot of ballgames if we play that way the rest of the year. I like having the opportunity right away to get back on the court tonight. Trying to build that consistency is a good thing for us.”
Anamosa is winless at 0-12 on the year following a 52-45 loss to North Cedar on Tuesday. They score 25 per game and give up 60. Shooting 24% from the floor, 21% from three and 43% at the line to go along with 24 rebounds, six steals and 25 turnovers. Individually, they are paced by Savanna Venenga at five points, four rebounds, and a steal per night. Mid-Prairie has never lost to Anamosa, taking the three previous meetings including a 55-37 win last year. This week, Golden Hawk head coach Danny Hershberger talked about the contest with West Branch and getting back on the floor in a quick turnaround. ”
In the boys contest, the Golden Hawks rolled to 9-0 with a 75-54 win over their rivals from West Branch Friday, led by a quartet in double figures with Carter Harmsen going double double 23 points and 12 rebounds, Will Cavanagh and Ethan Kos each had 14 and Jack Pennington 10. Mid-Prairie is scoring 60 points a night and giving up 39 while shooting 46% from the floor, pulling down 31 rebounds, dishing out 12 assists, grabbing 10 steals and only turning the ball over 10 times per night, ninth fewest in 2A. Harmsen, the all-stater, leads Mid-Prairie at 19 points and eight rebounds per night. Pennington puts up four assists and three steals per night.
Anamosa is 6-4 after a 91-55 loss to the Camanche Storm last night. They are scoring 60 per game and giving up 57, shooting 43% from the floor, 26% from the three point and 61% at the line to go along with 27 rebounds, 12 assists, nine steals and 12 turnovers per game. Individually, Sam Wilt leads the team with a double double average of 23 points and 11 rebounds. Grahm Humpal has a team best four assists and three steals. Anamosa has won two of the previous three meetings in the series including 50-48 last season.
You can hear all of the action live on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 3:15p.m. tip of the girls game at 3:45 with the boys to follow.