Photo Courtesy of Mid-Prairie CSD Social Media

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys basketball team begins the Class 2A District 5 Tournament trail tonight when they battle Mediapolis in Wellman. The Golden Hawks come into the night at 15-6 on the year, finishing 10-4 and runners-up in the River Valley Conference. Their six-game-win-streak was snapped Friday by Iowa City Regina 71-58. This year, the Hawks score 62 points per game and give up 54, shooting 43% from the floor, 34% from three and 62% at the line with 30 rebounds, 13 assists, nine steals and 12 turnovers per game. Individually, Bryce Henry is the leader at 18 points and six boards per game. Brooks Weber has a team best four assists and three steals per night.

Mediapolis is also 15-6 this year, they finished 11-3, runners-up in the Southeast Iowa Superconference South Division. The Bulldogs had to win a Monday first round game 85-57 over Louisa-Muscatine to make Thursday’s second round contest. MEPO scores 61 points per night and gives up 52 on 47% shooting, 29% from three and 66% at the line with 26 rebounds, 18 assists, 10 steals and 12 turnovers per game. Individually, Max Griffin’s 18 points and six rebounds per night are best. Will Luttenegger leads with six assists and three steals per game. This week, Mid-Prairie head coach Daren Lambert talked about his team’s keys to a deep playoff run. “We just have to keep building on what we have been doing. It’s tough, physical defense and relentless effort that we have been playing with consistently over the last few weeks. Those things stacked up a lot of wins during that streak. Guys are confident. We’re playing well offensively, we’re sharing the basketball, we’re getting to the rim and we’re hitting shots. There are definitely things that need to work on and that have that mindset of leading themselves. We have turned that page over the last few weeks and that’s where you want your team to be so, I’m proud of the guys effort and we’re ready to go attack the postseason.”

The Golden Hawks are 7-3 all-time against Mediapolis, including a 58-40 win a season ago. You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Golden Hawk Basketball Pregame Show at 6:30p.m. And tip at seven from Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman.