It’s Saturday hoops for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk and Hillcrest Academy boys basketball teams. The Hawks travel to Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids for the inaugural River Valley Conference Tournament to take on Camanche. Mid-Prairie is 5-3 on the year, 2-2 in the RVC. They were beaten by Solon December 19th in their last action 75-66, despite 18 points from Cameron Pickard and 12 from Alex Bean. The Golden Hawks are receiving votes in the latest Class 2A poll from the Iowa Associated Press. On the year, the Hawks score 63 points per game and give up 56, shooting 38% from the floor, 29% from three and 72% at the line, fourth best in 2A with 36 boards, sixth in 2A, 13 assists, nine steals and 13 turnovers. Mid-Prairie tops 2A in made free throws, is sixth in free throw attempts, sixth in offensive rebounds and seventh in made threes. Individually, Bean leads the way with 16 points, seven boards and two steals per night. Pickard averages four assists per game, eighth in 2A.
Camanche is 6-2 overall, 5-2 in the River Valley, coming off of a 54-49 win earlier this week over West Branch behind 18 points from Zane Witt, 14 from Damarion Honaker and 12 from Garrett Schultz. The Storm are also receiving votes in this week’s 2A poll. This season, they score 55 points per game and give up 47, shooting a state leading 56% from the floor, a state best 39% from long range and 59% at the line with 32 boards, 12 assists, four steals and 13 turnovers per night. Individual leaders include Honaker at 16 points and eight boards per game. Witt has a team best four assists per night. The Hawks beat the Storm last year 51-46 in Wellman. You can hear all of the action live Saturday afternoon from Johnson Hall in Cedar Rapids, beginning with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 3:30p.m. And tip at 4.
The Hillcrest Academy boys also take the floor tonight when they host Danville. Hillcrest is 6-3 overall and 6-2 in the Southeast Iowa Superconference after a 65-20 win over Columbus in Kalona Friday where they were led by 19 points from Seth Ours and 16 from Grant Bender. On the year, the Ravens are scoring 59 points per game and giving up 45, shooting 48% from the floor, 36% from long range and 51% at the line to go with 20 boards, 13 assists, 11 steals and 10 turnovers. Individual leaders include Bender with 18 points and six boards per night and Luke Schrock with four assists and three steals per game.
Danville is 7-3 on the year after a 49-38 setback against West Burlington Friday. The Bears are scoring 55 points per game and giving up 48, shooting 49% from the floor, 34% from three and 55% at the line with 28 boards, 15 assists, 12 steals and 13 turnovers per game. Individual leaders include Caiden Gourly at 18 points per game, Spencer Nelson pulls down nine boards per night and Titus Svoboda has four assists per game. These two teams met a season ago in Danville with the Ravens taking a 68-30 loss. The schools have split their last six meetings. Action starts tonight at 5p.m. On Dwight Gingerich Court.