The 2025 portion of the basketball season draws to a close Friday night at Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman as the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys and girls host the Durant Wildcats in a River Valley Conference set. The Golden Hawk girls come into the night with a 4-1 overall record and 2-0 mark in the River Valley Conference after a 72-24 win at Wilton Tuesday night. The Golden Hawks are ranked No. 12 in this week’s Class 3A poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. On the year, Mid-Prairie scores 60 points per game and gives up 35 on 41% shooting, 29% from three and 57% at the line with 37 rebounds, 20 steals, 16 assists and 18 turnovers per game. Individually, Brooklyn Schneider and Morgyn Bender each go for 13 points per game. Jovi Evans averages six rebounds per night, Jeorgia Evans four steals and Katelyn Harland four assists per game.

Durant is 1-4 this year, 0-3 in the RVC. They were edged out by Louisa-Muscatine Thursday 53-52. This year the Wildcats score 42 per game and give up 52 on 31% shooting, 28% from deep and 60% at the line with 19 rebounds, 10 steals, six assists and 17 turnovers per game. Individually, Paige Happ paces the ‘Cats at 10 points, three steals and three assists per game. Mazie Timmerman has seven rebounds per night. Mid-Prairie has won 10 of the last 11 in the series including a sweep last year by 70-39 and 52-49 scores. Golden Hawk head coach Jenny Hobbs joined the KCII Postgame Show at Wilton Tuesday to talk about what she wants to see from her team against Durant. “I have seen an increase in our intensity, especially in rebounding and on defense. (Against Wilton) we did a much better job of passing, hitting the high post to go to the low post, or hitting the low post to go to the high post. Once we get the post game going then we can kick it out and Brooklyn (Schneider) and Morgyn (Bender) can start hitting threes. Pick your poison then. Pretty proud of their effort.”

The Mid-Prairie boys enter tonight unbeaten at 4-0 overall and 2-0 in conference, after a comeback 60-56 win at Wilton Tuesday. The Golden Hawks score 64 per game and give up 50 on 46% shooting, 33% from three and 65% at the line with 32 rebounds, 11 assists, 10 steals and 16 turnovers per game. Individually, Bryce Henry averages a double double with 18 points and 11 rebounds per night. Brooks Weber is at four assists and four steals per game. Durant is 2-2 on the year and 1-2 in conference after beating Tipton 56-35 Tuesday. The Wildcats score 45 per game and give up 57 on 37% shooting, 25% from three and 58% at the line with 26 rebounds, 11 assists, eight steals and 19 turnovers per game. Individually, Owen DeLong scores 13 per night with five rebounds, three assists and two steals to lead all categories. Golden Hawk head coach Daren Lambert joined the KCII Postgame Show Tuesday at Wilton to talk about his team’s keys tonight. “We’re coming off of back-to-back tough wins when you factor in the physicality and the opponents. We knew this stretch was going to be like this. We knew it was going to be extremely physical with ups and downs. Clawing, fighting, whatever you have to do to win and credit to our guys, responding to the adversity. When we have gotten on runs, usually it’s because we’re getting stops and that normally flows into the offensive end too. When it gets to crunch time, if you get stops you normally come out on the winning ends. I’m proud of the guys.”

The Golden Hawks have won 11 straight in the series dating back to 2020, including a sweep of 94-57 and 66-39 last year. You can hear all of the action live tonight between the Hawks and Wildcats on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Golden Hawk Basketball Pregame Show at 5:30p.m. Unc N Nephs Food & Brew tip of the girls game at 6p.m. With the boys to follow live from Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman.