The Hillcrest Academy girls basketball team gets the 2019-20 year underway Friday when they welcome the English Valleys Bears to Kalona. Hillcrest finished 10-11 a season ago. They graduated three seniors from last year’s team including Suzanna Yoder who led the state in scoring at 27.5 points per game. She was also the team lead with 97 assists and 70 steals. The team’s leading rebounder Yani Gutierrez returns for her junior year after pulling down 142 boards a season ago. She is also the team’s leading returning scorer averaging eight points per game last season.

English Valleys comes into tonight off of a 4-15 season last year. The Bears lost four seniors to graduation including leading scorer Madison Trimpe who averaged 11 points per game last year. She was also the team’s leading rebounder with 185 boards. The Bears also lost their assist leader from last year’s team with Elle Ayers compiling 56 assists in her senior season. These two teams met a year ago with Hillcrest Academy taking a 54-48 win.

You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Washington HyVee pregame show at 6p.m. and tip-off at 6:30 from Hillcrest Union in Kalona.