The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys and girls basketball teams take the floor for their second road doubleheader of the week tonight when they face the West Branch Bears. The Golden Hawk boys are 2-1 on the season after a 69-51 Tuesday win at West Liberty. The Hawks burned the nets from downtown against the Comets, knocking down 13 threes as a team, six from Ace Peck and three each from Dylan and Bryce Henry. Peck led the way with 21 points. On the year, the Golden Hawks score 57 per game and give up 49 and are shooting 44% as a team, 37% from three and 76% from the line to go with 37 boards, 13 assists, eight steals and 24 turnovers. Individually, Peck and Bryce Henry are each averaging 11 points per game, Dylan Henry and Beau Flynn both have seven boards per game and Brady Weber averages six assists and two steals per night. The Hawks rank in the top 10 of 2A in four different team and individual categories. Mid-Prairie junior Ace Peck joined KCII live on the postgame show Tuesday to talk about what the team is doing well at this point in the season. Peck said, “(On offense) we just have to attack gaps and kick out, we know we’re good shooters. (On defense) the key was getting in gaps. We did a good job tonight of doing that and talking. When we come out strong like we did in the second half (against West Liberty) that’s when we’re playing our best.”
West Branch is also 2-1 on the young year. They beat up on Keokuk 70-52 Tuesday. The Bears blistered the nets at 64% from the floor as a team and 75% from downtown, hitting 12 3s. Holden Arnaman had seven threes and 28 points. On the season, the Bears score 65 per game and give up 57, shooting 56% from the field, 52% from three, and 51% at the line with 15 assists, eight steals and eight turnovers. Individually, Arnaman averages 28 points and seven boards per game. Brennen Dale has five assists and two steals per night. The Bears rank in the top 10 of 2A in six different team and individual categories. West Branch swept the Hawks in two meetings last year by 64-44 and 64-56 scores.
The Golden Hawk girls are 3-2 on the year after whipping West Liberty on the road Tuesday 61-33. They shot 46% from the field in the win, won the battle on the boards by 21, including pulling in 19 offense rebounds, had 13 assists and forced 28 turnovers. Callie Huber’s 12 points powered the offense. On the season, the Golden Hawks score 60 points per game and give up 46, shooting 41% from the floor, 35% from three, and 48% at the line with 38 boards, 15 assists, 14 steals, four blocks and 19 turnovers per game. Individual leaders include Huber with 11 points and nine boards per night, Nora Pennington with four steals and Evans with three assists per game. The Hawks rank in the top 10 of 3A in nine different team and individual categories. Following Tuesday’s win at West Liberty, Golden Hawk head coach Danny Hershberger joined the KCII postgame show live to talk about the keys to his team’s success. Hershberger said, “To see our team come out (against West Liberty), and execute what we wanted to do on offense was important. Be in the right spots, good spacing, patience with the basketball, all were really good to see. Defensively, rotating and guarding the right people. (Against West Liberty) we did a much better job of helping each other out and making sure we were covering everyone on that end.”
West Branch is winless at 0-4. They were beaten Tuesday at Keokuk 77-41. The Bears score 32 per game and give up 60, shooting 28% from the floor, 29% from three, and 52% at the line with 20 boards, six assists, four steals and 16 turnovers per game. Kylie Pickett leads the Bears with 15 points per game. Addi Schultes has eight boards and two steals, and Alyse Klinkkammer five assists. The Hawks swept the Bears last season 46-37 and 37-29. You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Mid-Prairie Basketball Pregame Show at 5:30, tip of the girls game at six with the boys to follow from West Branch High School.