The West Fork girls basketball team will look to avenge only conference loss in battle for first place and the boys will look for the season series sweep as they host Saint Ansgar for a Top of Iowa Conference East doubleheader on Friday. The Warhawk girls lost 46-45 and the boys won 70-58 in the first meeting on December 20.
The West Fork girls (13-3, 8-1 TIC-East) have won eight of their last nine games in new year, including a 61-42 win over Central Springs on Tuesday. The Warhawks defense keeps opponent offenses on their toes with 17 steals per game. The Warhawks are led by two double figure scorers with Leah Weaver averaging 17 points and Nehir Kanat at 10 points per game.
Head Coach Rodney Huber on the ongoing impact of depth for this year’s team.
“You get different skill sets. For example, if we’re going against a zone defense and we need somebody that can knock down some threes, you can lean on some of those girls on your bench that can do a little bit more of that. Then if you need to go bigger, you play the two post players together or a bigger lineup. We have a lot of flexibility,” says Huber. “The great thing is, we can keep our girls fresh. We play so physical and fast, that we have to have that depth.”
The Saint Ansgar girls (12-4, 10-1 TIC East) won 50-41 over Nashua-Plainfield on Tuesday. The Saints battle on the offensive boards with 16 offensive rebounds per game. Amelia Porisch leads with 15 points per game.
The West Fork boys (6-9, 3-6 TIC East) have won two games in a row including a 70-47 win over Central Springs on Tuesday. The Warhawks shouldn’t be underestimated from beyond the arc, shooting 30.1 percent from three. Ashyr Wiseman and Xavier Haller paces the team with 16 points and 12.9 points per game respectively.
Head Coach Abe Maske on the challenge the Saints provide and playing with flow.
“Coach Squier has a team that he’s always has got prepared. They all play their role very well, they come in and they’ll challenge you,” says Maske. “We know they’re big and strong, so the key is going to be playing good defense. How do we do on offense? Are we going to be able to flow or are we going to get that ball in the hoop? If we do that then, I like our chances there as well.”
The Saint Ansgar boys (7-9, 3-8 TIC East) have lost three straight including a 75-51 loss to Nashua Plainfield on Tuesday. Jayce Schwiesow leads with 12.9 points per game.
Action begins at 6:15 p.m. in Sheffield.
