Conference implications are on the line tonight in the Area Game of the Week between the Columbus Wildcats and the Lone Tree Lions.
The Columbus girls will be looking to stay atop the Superconference North with a win tonight. The Wildcats are currently 10-2 overall and 8-1 in conference after a win Tuesday night against Louisa-Muscatine 47-19. Ariana Vergara led the way with 18 points. This season, the ‘Cats score 52 points-per-game, and give up a mere 35, shooting 30 percent from the floor, 26 percent from three and 48 percent at the line. Their 19 steals a game are third-most in Class 2A. Lily Coil is the leading individual with her 15 points a contest, while Vergara and Isabel Rendon also score over 10 a night.
The Lone Tree girls sit right behind the Wildcats at 7-2 in conference play, and look to take a share of first place in the SEISC North tonight with a season split of Columbus. The Lady Lions got their revenge over rival Highland Tuesday at home with a win running away by 43. Finley Jacque had 21 in the win to power Lone Tree to 9-2 overall. Per game, the Lady Lions score 57 points, give up 36, shoot 35 percent from the field, 23 percent from three and 52 percent at the line. Lone Tree passes out more than 11 assists a night, and also notches nearly 17 steals. Jacque leads the Lady Lions with more than 16 points-per-game.
Columbus Head Coach Kasey Keltner spoke with KCII Sports after his team’s win at Pekin last week about one of the keys to his team’s success this season. “We move the ball really well and have a lot of unselfish kids. They just look for the best shot. It doesn’t matter whose it is,” Keltner said.
Lone Tree Head Coach Ryan Shelman also spoke with KCII Sports live on the Area Game of the Week postgame show after Tuesday’s win against Highland to preview their pivotal second matchup of the season with the Wildcats tonight on the road. “We just have to take care of us and let things fall as they do. If we can get this effort out of our girls every night, we’re a tough team to beat,” Shelman said.
The Lady Lions own the girls’ series 21-10 dating back to 2008, and have taken three of the last five.
The Columbus boys will hope to nab a season split with Lone Tree tonight on their home court. CJ is 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the Superconference after Tuesday’s loss to Louisa-Muscatine 70-62. The Wildcats score 46 points-per-game, and give up 62, shooting 33 percent from the floor, 24 percent from three and 53 percent at the line. Their 29 boards and 2 blocks a night are top-five in the conference. Ellis Hills-Carrier leads the ‘Cats individually with 16 points an outing.
The Lone Tree boys play for the season sweep of the Wildcats tonight after a commanding victory over Highland Tuesday. Washington County Hospital and Clinics Player of the Game, Reece Holbrook, scored 26 in the win and passed out five assists. Lone Tree is 3-6 overall and 3-5 in the Superconference North, scoring 57 points an outing, and giving up 60. The Lions shoot 44 percent from the field, 30 percent from three and 56 percent at the charity stripe. Lone Tree’s 13 assists per game are top-five in the Superconference. Emmett Burke leads the Lion offensive attack with nearly 17 points a night.
Columbus sophomore Fritz Figaro has recently put together meaningful minutes for Head Coach Marcus Hall coming off the bench. Hall spoke with KCII Sports about the effort Figaro puts into each game. “Fritz has been the X factor for us in the games we have won, or competed well [in]. He’s really come in and made an impact in the game,” Hall said.
Lone Tree Head Coach Jonathan Chaney also sat down with KCII Sports live on the Area Game of the Week postgame show following his team’s rivalry win against Highland on Tuesday to share his excitement level on getting back to his previous school in Columbus tonight. “This is my return to Columbus since coaching there last year, so I’m excited. In the first game [against Columbus], we worked on taking Ellis [Hills-Carrier] out of the picture, and that’s what we’re probably going to have to do [tonight],” Chaney said.
Lone Tree also leads the boys’ series 24-6 dating back to 2008. Columbus has won three of the last five.
You can hear tonight’s doubleheader between Lone Tree and Columbus streaming exclusively online at KCIIRadio.com on the KCII3 Stream, beginning with pregame coverage of the girls game at 5:30, tipoff at 6, and coverage of the boys game to follow from Columbus High School.