The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys and girls basketball teams are back inside Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman tonight when they entertain the West Liberty Comets in a River Valley Conference doubleheader. The Golden Hawk boys are 11-2 on the year, 6-1, second in the RVC after a 72-56 win over West Branch Tuesday where Brady Weber led the way with 19 points. On the season, the Hawks score 68 points per game and give up 51, shooting 45% from the floor, 36% from three and 72% at the line, pulling in 32 rebounds per night, 13 assists, eight steals and committing 13 turnovers per game. Individually, Bryce Henry is the leader at 23 points per game, Conner Wiles averages six boards, and Weber four assists and two steals.
West Liberty is 7-7 this year and 3-4 in conference after a 56-47 win at Tipton Tuesday, headlined by 22 points for Ryker Dengler. On the year, the Comets put up 54 points per game and give up 51, on 39% shooting, 23% from three and 62% at the line, with 28 boards, 13 assists, 11 steals and 12 turnovers per game. Individually, Dengler leads at 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals per night. Golden Hawk head boys coach Daren Lambert joined the KCII postgame show live Tuesday to talk about his team’s play and the matchup with West Liberty.
Lambert said, “We’ve defended well and rebounded well. Which for us leads to good offense. We’ve been very efficient, we shoot a lot of threes, but we’ve been getting to the rim, getting easy looks. Every single time out we need to get more physical. We’re looking to continue that consistency for four quarters. We know West Liberty has a lot of confidence coming in against us. They were inches away from knocking us off at their place. We’ve gotten better but so have they. We’re going to expect a 1-3-1 zone, something we don’t see a lot of, but we’re going to be ready to go!”
Mid-Prairie has won eight straight in the series. The Hawks escaped on the road in December 63-61 when a last second Comet shot came up short.
The Golden Hawk girls are 10-3 on the year and 6-1 in the RVC after blasting the West Branch Bears 65-20 Tuesday, led by Callie Huber’s 15 point night. On the year, the Hawks score 61 per night and give up 45 on 40% shooting, 29% from three and 67% at the stripe with 37 rebounds, 17 steals, 16 assists and 18 turnovers per game. Huber is the individual leader with 12 points and eight boards per night with Katelyn Harland at four assists and Jeorgia Evans four steals.
West Liberty is 6-8 this year and 2-5 in the RVC after dropping a game at Tipton Tuesday 54-34. The Comets 45 per night and give up 48, shooting 33% from the floor, 22% from three and 54% at the line with 27 rebounds, 11 steals, nine assists and 16 turnovers per game. Individually, Kylee Daufeldt scores 15 points and pulls in six boards per night. Pearson Hall averages four assists and four steals per game. Golden Hawk head girls coach Danny Hershberger joined the KCII postgame show Tuesday to talk about their recent success and preview West Liberty.
Hershberger said, “It’s been huge recently getting out to good starts. We want to come out, be ready to go, and bring the intensity right away. The girls have responded to that message and done a great job with it. It’s huge for us to try to force some turnovers and get offense out of that. At the same time, we have been doing a good job taking care of the ball. We’re getting better each day, making gains each time out. We have to maintain that and make sure that we get ready for Friday against West Liberty, come out and be ready to go again.”
The Hawks have won four in a row in the series, surviving on the road in overtime 66-58 in December. Action starts with the girls game tonight at 6p.m. At Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman.