It’s a double dip with local flavor live on the KCII family of networks Saturday when the Sigourney Savage boys and girls basketball teams host the Hillcrest Academy Ravens in a pair of Achieve Challenge Scrimmages. The Raven boys start the new year fresh off of a 21-4 campaign a year ago that saw them claim a share of the Southeast Iowa Superconference North Division title for the first time since 2011, splitting it with WACO with matching 14-2 records. A season ago, Hillcrest scored 64 points per game. They shot 50% from the floor, third best in Class 1A, 34% from deep and 61% at the line with 27 rebounds, 18 assists, ninth most in 1A and 10 steals per night. They did lose their top three scorers to graduation, Seth Ours, Bryce Bailey and Mason Bender, who averaged a combined 37 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and five steals per night while earning All-Superconference honors. They do return three other All-league selections in Rowan Miller, Lincoln Miller and Kale Bailey. Together they averaged 19 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four steals per game. Miller was fourth in 1A with seven assists per night and Bailey 10th at 61% from the floor. Hillcrest is under the direction of first-year head coach, alum and former assistant Stephen Bender who replaces Hall of Famer Dwight Gingerich.
The Sigourney Savages were 16-7 last year, finishing 10-4, runners-up in the South Iowa Cedar League, their most overall wins since 2014. Last year the Savages put up 65 points, 33 rebounds, 15 assists, eight steals and three blocks per night as a team, shooting 43% from the floor, 29% from three and 61% at the line as a group. Sigourney is without leading scorer and All-SICL performer Isaac Bruns who averaged 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and steals per game. They do return their other four All-Conference selections John Berg, Solon Yates, Brayden Wood and Ike Molyneux. Berg averaged a double double at 15 points and 12 boards per game last year, shooting 64% from the floor. His rebound and field goal numbers were top seven in 1A. These two teams have played three times since 2008 with the Ravens 3-0 in the series.
The Hillcrest Academy girls were 11-12 last year, 8-8 in the Southeast Iowa Superconference North, their best season in a decade. The Ravens shot 32% from the floor, 25% from three and 50% at the line last winter with 34 rebounds, 15 steals, and 10 assists per game. Individually, they return two of their four All-Superconference selections from last year including leading scorer Claire Withrow at 15 points per game last year. Also back is Niva Helmuth with her team best eight boards per night. They will have to replace seniors Malia Yoder, Delaney Shaw, Lydia Beachy and Hailey Chalupa. Yoder led the team with four steals and three assists per game to go with 14 points per night. The Ravens opened the season Friday with a thrilling 62-60 win over Moravia at Hillcrest Union.
The Sigourney Savages were 19-6 a season ago, 11-3, back-to-back champions of the South Iowa Cedar League, before ending their year one game shy of the State Tournament. Sigourney scored 58 points per game with 34 rebounds, 14 steals, and 12 assists per outing. The Savages shot 35% from the floor, 26% from long range and 63% at the line. Their points per game and free throw numbers were both top 10 in 1A basketball. They have to replace three senior All-SICL performers including Josephine Moore, McKinley Chittick and Ava Fisch. That trio combined to average 32 points, 18 rebounds, five steals and five assists per game with Moore the leader at an 18 point 11 rebound double double per night, both top 10 in 1A. The Savages do return All-Conference player Brynn Clarahan who burst on the scene as a freshman with 17 points, six steals, six rebounds and four assists per night, making the top 10 of 1A in scoring, steals and assists. Sigourney won this matchup last year 64-28 in Kalona behind 22 points from Moore and 14 for Clarahan. Yoder led Hillcrest with 11.
You can hear all of the action live today on all KCII signals, streams and apps, beginning with the Area Game of the Week Pregame Show at 1:30p.m. Tip of the girls game at two with the boys to follow from Sigourney High School.