By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Game of the Week

5A No. 3 West High (13-2) at 5A No. 2 City High (14-0)

What other game would it be?

The two cross-town rivals played an instant classic in the first meeting this season as City High held on for a 74-73 overtime win at West High.

City High is coming off its closest game since its December 13 win over West High, a 55-50 come-from-behind victory at Cedar Rapids Jefferson on Friday.

Junior Ashley Joens is averaging 21.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game and had 18 points and 17 rebounds to lead City High in first meeting with West High.

Joens has eight double-doubles this season,  including six in her last eight games after a 24-point, 15-rebound effort against Jefferson.

West High won eight straight following its loss to City High before falling to sixth-ranked West Des Moines Valley on Saturday.

The Women of Troy use a balanced off led by juniors Logan Cook (15.8 ppg) and Rachael Saunders (12.3 ppg) but rely heavily on their defensive play.

West High has allowed more than 50 points just three times this season, in losses to City High and Valley and a 57-53 win over Class 4A top-ranked Pella.

What to Watch

At 8-6 the record for Clear Creek Amana doesn’t jump off the page but the Clippers have come off the holiday break playing their best basketball of the season.

Clear Creek Amana has won four of six in January, with both losses coming to top five teams and is coming off perhaps its best of the season when it pushed 3A fifth-ranked Center Point-Urbana to the limit in a 69-58 road loss.

For reference, the Stormin Pointers won the first meeting between the two teams 71-31 back in December in Tiffin.

With seven games remaining in the regular season Clear Creek Amana has a chance to build some serious momentum before Regional play begins. 

Clear Creek Amana hosts one-win Vinton-Shellsburg on Tuesday before opening a critical four-game road swing with a rematch against South Tama on Friday.

South Tama won the first meeting 71-62 in Tiffin.

After Friday’s game at South Tame the Clippers face three teams in Williamsburg, Independence and Washington that have combined for 10 wins.

Keep an Eye On

West Branch coach Jarod Tylee said often before the season he would rely heavily on his veteran back court at times this season.

Even Tylee didn’t imagine leaning on the trio of Haley Mullinnix, Paige Miller Tatum Koenig as much as the Bears did last week.

The trio scored 116 of West Branch’s 138 points last week in a pair of wins over Tipton and Bellevue.

All three players had a 20-point performance last week with Koenig and Mullinnix combining for 60 points in an 81-57 win over Tipton.

Against Bellevue, Miller and Koenig combined to score 46 points in a 57-39 win.

In addition to the scoring the trio combined to average 16 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the two wins as West Branch improved to 10-6 on the season and 9-6 in River Valley Conference play.

The Schedule

Tuesday Jan. 24

5A No. 3 West High (13-2) at 5A No. 2 City High (14-0)

Solon (5-10) at Anamosa (6-10)

Vinton-Shellsburg (1-15) at Clear Creek Amana (8-6)

West Branch (10-6) at 4A No. 14 Fairfield (10-4)  

Thursday, Jan. 26

Dyersville Beckman (6-9) at Solon (5-10)

Friday, Jan. 27

5A No. 3 West High (13-2) at 5A No. 5 Cedar Falls (12-1)

Dubuque Hempstead (8-5) at 5A No. 2 City High (14-0)

Northeast (6-11) at 2A No. 1 Regina (15-0)

Clear Creek Amana (8-6) at South Tama (8-6)

West Branch (10-6) at North Cedar (6-8) 

Saturday Jan. 28

Davenport West (1-11) at 5A No. 2 City High (14-0)

Wilton (10-6) at 2A No. 1 Regina (15-0)