The Columbus Wildcat girls and boys basketball teams hit the road to Hillcrest Union tonight to take on the Hillcrest Academy Ravens in the next installment of the KCII Area Game of the Week on the KCII3 Stream.

The Raven girls are 3-9 overall, 1-8 in the North division of the Southeast Iowa Superconference after a Saturday non-conference loss to the Keota Eagles 58-24. Niva Helmuth paced Hillcrest with 10 points. This year, the Ravens score 37 points per game and give up 49, shooting 31% from the field, 25% from three and 36% at the line. Helmuth has brought forth strength on the glass with over eight of Hillcrest’s 33 rebounds per night. Claire Withrow is the individual scoring leader at 11 points per outing.

The Wildcat girls are 4-7 on the year, 4-6 in the North and have lost back-to-back games. The latest was a 61-33 final at Lone Tree last week. Kennedy Woepking paced the ‘Cats with 12 points. On the year, Columbus scores 43 points per game and gives up 48. They shoot 27% from the floor, 22% from deep and 50% at the foul line. Columbus is at their best when they are able to force steals, averaging 15 a night. Individually, a pair of Wildcats average over three steals a night in junior Ellie Sanders and senior Isabel Rendon. Woepking is the scoring leader at over 10 points per game.

In the Varsity Bound era, the Wildcats own a 22-9 series advantage dating back to 2008, including a 54-22 win in December.

The Hillcrest boys are 10-1, still unbeaten in league play after their first loss on the season Saturday at Keota 59-44. Rowan Miller and Kale Bailey scored in double figures at 18 and 11 points, respectively. This season, the Ravens score 63 points per game and give up 47, shooting 47% from the field, 35% from downtown and 58% from the line. Assists are involved heavily in the strong shooting Hillcrest possesses, as they average 16 per game. The individual leader is Bailey at over 18 points and seven boards a game.

The Columbus boys are 6-4 overall, 5-4 in the SEISC after back-to-back wins. The latest was a 69-59 triumph at Lone Tree Friday. Ellis Hills-Carrier and Drake Marin combined for 50 points and 11 rebounds in the win. Through 10 games, the ‘Cats score and give up 58 points per game, shooting 36% from the field, 30% from three and 60% at the stripe, with 32 rebounds, 11 assists, eight steals, three blocks, and 14 turnovers per game. Individually, Hills-Carrier is one of the most effective scorers this season in the Superconference at 22 points per contest.

The Ravens are an unblemished 34-0 against the Wildcats in the Varsity Bound era dating back to 2007.

You can hear all of the action live tonight on the KCII3 App and streaming online at KCIIRadio.com, beginning with the Area Game of the Week girls pregame show at 5:30, tip at 6 with the boys to follow from Kalona.