First place in the NICL-Central will be up for grabs in both games when the Aplington-Parkersburg basketball teams visit Denver for a doubleheader Tuesday, which will air on 99 The Wave.
The Falcon girls (9-2, 2-1 NICL-C) will put a five-game win streak on the line against the undefeated #7 (2A) Cyclones (10-0, 3-0 NICL-C). Head Coach Brady Driscol says rebounding will be a critical factor, considering the physicality of the Cyclones.
“They’re tall, they’re physical, they’re probably top three in class 2A in rebounds, so obviously boxing out and keeping them off the glass is going to be important for us,” Driscol says. “It’s a lot of the same players from last year, I mean they’re all juniors I think, so yeah they’re a very good team and well-rounded, it’ll be a battle for us for sure.”
Denver’s 36.8 rebounds per game rank among the best in Class 2A. Mylee Thurm scores 11.1 points per game, the only Cyclone to score double digits.
One-loss teams will meet in the boys game. The Falcons (8-1, 3-0 NICL-C) are coming off Friday’s 75-71 win over East Marshall, where they held on despite being outscored in the second half. Head Coach Aaron Thomas says it’ll be the start of a big week.
“We need to start playing to get in that flow,” Thomas says. “Three games this next week with a Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, huge one going to Denver with us two tight in the conference, both undefeated in the Central. So that’s going to be a big one to go there. And then a Columbus team who gave us a good fight, and they’re playing well. They’re on a little bit of a streak. Then Kee High is a very good 1A team. So we’ve got a big week with three tough ones and we’re going to have to be locked in and keep guarding, making shots and playing the right way. And I think if we can just keep playing the right way, where our threes come from inside out or through penetrate and pitch, and not just around the perimeter. We’ve still got to establish Mason Ridder inside, and can’t just be all jump shooting. And then so far the team has really prided themselves in how they’ve guarded. So it’s a big week, and I know the guys are ready to kind of get in the flow and start playing some more.”
Denver (9-1, 3-0 NICL-C) has won eight straight, including Friday’s 84-79 win over Union, which featured a 29-point performance by Braxton Sauerbrei. He scores 19.4 points per game to lead the team.
Coverage will start at 6:00 p.m., followed by the tipoff at 6:15.
