The KCII Area Game of the Week gets its final regular-season look at a pair of Superconference teams tonight when the Lone Tree Lions welcome the WACO Warriors for a basketball doubleheader.
The girls of Lone Tree have won 15 in a row to place themselves atop the Superconference North. The Lions defeated Wapello 56-39 last night to spoil the Arrows’ Senior Night. Averaging more than 55 points per game and allowing 31, the Lions are top 10 in 1A basketball in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goal makes and attempts, and three point makes and attempts. Vivian Zaruba is tied for sixth in the class with 85 steals while Alyson Ford’s 40 blocks are ninth-best. Finley Jacque continues to lead Lone Tree on the scoreboard, with more than 16 points per game.
They host a 10-8 WACO team fresh off a senior-night win over Louisa-Muscatine. The Warriors are averaging and allowing around 44 points per game off 33% shooting from the field, 24% from three, and 47% from the line. Each night, WACO is collecting 31 rebounds, nearly nine assists, 10 steals, two blocks and 17 turnovers. Individually, Emma Wagler is averaging a double-double with more than 13 points and nine rebounds per contest. A back-and-forth matchup has seen each team win nine times in the last 18 meetings, with Lone Tree taking the last game in December 49-39.
Lone Tree enters the boys’ game 6-13 after falling 75-64 to Wapello last night. A win on Saturday against Highland snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Lions, who average 56 points per game while giving up 61. Lone Tree’s boys shoot better than 48% from the floor, 35% from deep, and 62.% from the stripe to go with 24 rebounds, 10 assists, 8 steals, 1 block and 16 turnovers per night. Pietro Setti has a shooting percentage of more than 72 which is second-best in 1A while Reece Holbrook and Dom Garcia are both top-10 shooters from three-point range.
WACO is riding a three-game winning streak into Lone Tree after taking down L-M 78-36 last night. An offense that scores more than 60 points per game is complemented by a defense that allows 42, and has the third-most steals in 1A basketball. The Warriors are hitting 44% of their shots from the floor, 26% from three, and 61% from the free throw line. Per night, WACO is averaging 35 rebounds, 17 assists, 16 steals, three blocks, and 14 turnovers. While the Lions have the overall advantage in the series, WACO enters tonight having won five in a row, including a 74-49 win earlier this season.
Tune into the KCII Area Game of the Week featuring Lone Tree and WACO basketball tonight on the KCII3 Stream. Pregame coverage kicks things off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the girls game at 6, then the boys live from Lone Tree.