On Monday we have a South Iowa Cedar double header as Keota Hosts BGM in the KCII Area Game Of The Week. The girls game will tip off first at 6 PM and then the boys will take the court at 7:30 PM right after the girls.
For the boy series, it dates back to 2006 with Keota being undefeated vs BGM 27-0.
The Eagle boys are 7-2 overall and 7-1 in the South Iowa Cedar conference. Keota is coming of a loss at Hillcrest on Saturday night 68-52. In that game, Billy Kindred had a double double and led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds. He also had 2 blocks and was 11 of 21 from the field. Chase Haifley struggled shooting, but found a way to contribute in other ways by dishing out 6 assists. Hailfey did score 18 points in the loss to the Ravens. Jace Chalupa grabbed 8 boards in the loss. This season, Billie Kindred is averaging 15.9 boards per game, which is the best in class 1A. Chase Haifley also leads class 1A in assists with 7 dimes per game. For the team, the Eagles are shooting 43.8% from the field. They also averaged a conference best at 68 points a game and only allowed 52 points a night. Along with points, the Eagles are also averaging 16 assists per night, 39.1 boards, 9.8 steals per game, 2.5 blocks per game, 43.8% field Goal percentage, and 33.1 from beyond the arc, which are all top 5 in the South Iowa Cedar East conference.
After their loss to Hillcrest, Head boys basketball coach Dan Stout talked with KCII Sports regarding how the game went. “I think it was basically Hillcrest defensive pressure made us do things that we were not ready to do. We have had that same thing with two games so far with Montezuma and them, while they came out and put a lot of pressure on our guys and we just did not act like we were supposed to do. We got behind early, but I thought we battled back. We scored a few baskets right of the bat. Thought we were going get things rolling. Thought we will going to able run and go and get up and down. Unfortunately we could not hit enough shots to keep up with their pace. I liked the pace of the game. We just could not get enough shots to keep up with them. Made few to many mental turnovers and things like that. I think that was because of the pressure that they put on us. We were not completely ready for that.”
For the Bears of BGM, they are in the South Iowa Cedar West conference and 3-9 on the season. The Bears are 1-7 in the conference and are coming off a 75-55 loss to Sigourney. In the loss, Tucker Wright scored 13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Ben Cadden also had 13 points. Cadden came away with a double double as he had 12 rebounds. They are averaging 55 points a night and allowing 47.8 points a contest. In the conference they are in 5th for points per game, 5th for the most allowed, 4th for assists with 11, third in rebounds at 35.7, 10.8 steals per game, which is good for third, 2 blocks and they are tied for second in that stat. They normally shoot 20% from the 3 point line, which is good for 3rd in the conference. BGM is 3rd in the conference for the best field goal percentage at 32.9%. For the season, the Bears are led by Beau Burns, which is averaging 11 points per game. He is also averaging 6 rebounds a night, which is second for the team. BGM best rebounder and disher is Tucker Wright, who is hauling in 8 boards a night and 6 assists. Ben Cadden is second on the team with points and averages 9 points a contest.
For the girl series, it dates back to 2008, with Keota leading the series 12-11.
On the girls’ side, Keota is 4-8 overall and 2-6 in the conference. They are coming off a huge win over Hillcrest coming back from 10 points in the fourth quarter to win 55-51. In that game , Grace Conger scored 10 points in the fourth to rally despite fouling out later in the quarter. The Eagles are led by Emily Conger, who is scoring 10 points a night. She is joined by Cameron Haifley who is averaging 9 points a contest. The rebounding leader is Kennedy Jackson who is hauling in 4 boards per game. For the season, Keota has 43 points, which is top 5 in the conference. They are allowing 50 points per game, which is also top 5 in the conference. The Eagle girls are averaging 9.8 assists, 27.6 boards, 13 steals, close to 1 block a game and shooting 50%. For the 3 ball, they are shooting 26% a night and also having the most made from beyond the arc in the conference with 5 a night.
Keota head girls coach Jeff Sprouse sat down with KCII sports after their comeback win over the Ravens of Hillcrest on Saturday. “I think we handled physicality pretty well. It’s been a while since we have been able to do that. It starts with our seniors. I have been on them pretty hard for a couple of three weeks. Ava Greiner is just a warrior at 5 foot 1. She just battles and battles and battles. It rubs of on the others. Grace Conger was in foul trouble most of the game and she just came out there and just knocked three big shoots and went to the rim. They drove the ball hard. Kimmy had the big three point play to put us ahead and then bury a jumper with nobody around here. It was one of those things that I am not sure, probably I was yelling pull it out and there she is shooting it. She did a great job and gave us a nice comfortable lead.”
BGM looks to get a win over the Keota girls. The BGM Lady Bears are 4-7 overall and 1-7 in the conference. The Bears last game was a loss to Signoury 71-55 on Friday. In the loss, they were led by Ellie English, who had 17 points and 8 boards, almost having a double double. The freshman Emersyn Minnaert scored 9 points and was 3 of 8 at the 3 point line. Ana Coleman worked down low on the boards and hauled in 7 rebounds. Karagyn Minnaert the senior had 4 assists in the losing effort. Minnaert leads the team in scoring as she averages close to 9 points a game along with 5 rebounds and 2 assists. She is joined by Ellie English, the freshman who averaged 6 points a contest and 4 boards. For the entire year so far, they average 41 points a contest, which is good for 4th in the conference. They also allow 45 points a night. They are top 5 in rebounds a contest with 26 and third in steals at 12 a night. Speaking of rebounds, they haul in 9 on the offensive end with 9 a night. They also shoot well in the conference as they are in the top 5 at 32.7%.
Action begins at 6 PM with the pregame beginning at 5:30 PM. The girls will tip off first followed by the boys. The game will be covered on the KCII3 stream. The game will take place live inside BGM gym, located in Brooklyn, Iowa.