The Iowa Hawkeye men take a six game winning streak on the road to Maryland Wednesday night. Maryland is 2-10 in the Big Ten and has been without injured center Pharrel Payne for the last two months. He had 17 points and 14 rebounds in Iowa’s 83-64 win over the Terps back in early December.

That’s Iowa coach Ben McCollum, who wants to see more balance on offense. Senior guard Bennett Stirtz had a career-high 36 points in Sunday’s win over Northwestern.

After losing their first four road games the Hawkeyes have responded by winning their last three.

The Hawkeyes are 8-4 in the Big Ten and 18-5 overall.

The Griswold Tigers are ready for another year of playoff basketball. Led by forward Brayden Lockwood and guard Dain Laverty, the Tigers’ two leading scorers make it difficult on opposing defenses. They are a young team that usually only plays six players in any given game, but every guy on the team is taught how to play hard no matter how many of them they have. As a team they average almost 8 steals and 2 blocks a game. Coach Ryan Lockwood sees the Tigers’ defense as a strong point as the team heads into the playoffs.

Leadership is important for teams at this part of the season, and Coach Lockwood has noticed one of his upperclassmen stand out as a leader:

Some coaches keep their tactics the same in playoff games, but Coach Lockwood knows that some things will change with his approach:

Coach Lockwood wants the group to value the time they have together as the season winds down:

The Griswold Tigers will open up postseason play by hosting the Sidney Cowboys on Friday, February 13th in the first round of the Boys 1A District Tournament.

Valparaiso outscored Drake 7-0 to close the game and beat the Bulldogs 81-76 Monday night, in the Knapp Center. It was the fourth straight loss for the Bulldogs.

That’s Drake coach Eric Henderson. Valparaiso shot 50 percent for the game and made nine three pointers as the Bulldogs lost their eighth home game of the season and are looking for answers on defense.

The Bulldogs fall to 6-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Non-Conference

Southwest Valley – 62 vs Red Oak – 29

Fremont-Mills – 62 vs Stanton  – 32

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Kuemper Catholic – 50 vs Creston – 46

Corner Conference 

Sidney – 39 vs East Mills  – 32

Western Iowa

Missouri Valley – 59 vs West Montana – 46

Rolling Valley Conference 

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 42 vs CAM – 31

Pride of Iowa Conference

Central Decatur – 65 vs Lamoni – 9

Non-Conference

Red Oak – 54 vs Southwest Valley – 52

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Le Mars – 52 vs Lewis Central – 50

Glenwood – 73 vs Council Bluffs Jefferson – 49

Corner Conference 

Fremont-Mills – 59 vs Stanton – 23

Bedford – 83 vs Griswold – 12

Essex – 44 vs Hamburg – 39

Rolling Valley Conference 

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 74 vs CAM – 43

Woodbine – 69 vs Exira-EHK – 34

Pride of Iowa

Central Decatur – 65 vs Lamoni – 53

The CAM Cougars Girls Basketball Team will finish with a winning record this season, led by a tenacious defense and a great transition offense. Ada Hanson has been far and away the Cougars best player this season. Averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and over two steals a game, Hanson isn’t just the best guard at CAM, she is one of the best guards in the playoffs. The offense completely runs through her, but the pride of the Cougars’ team is in their defense. It is that end of the court, Coach Joe Wollum says, is what allows them to be such a great team in transition. They play an aggressive style of defense with different presses that creates turnovers. As a team, CAM averages an impressive 10.5 steals a game. This defense first mindset is a strength from the regular season that Coach Wollum hopes carries over into the playoffs.

Even while having such a great player in Ada Hanson, there are still four other girls on the floor with her. Coach Wollum wants his girls to have the attitude that it will take everyone to make a run in the postseason:

Leadership in games like the playoffs is important, which is why Coach Wollum praises multiple girls for stepping up throughout the season, not just in their play on the court but also in how they carry themselves off the court and with their teammates:

Playoff success is one thing, but for High School athletes playing in their final games, it is important to enjoy the ride. In the stress of a win or go home game, Coach Wollum wants his team to appreciate how far they have come:

The CAM Cougars have just one last regular season game, playing Coon Rapids-Bayard at 6pm on 2/9 before the playoffs start. They will begin their journey through the postseason when they host Stanton in the first round of the playoffs on Thursday, February 12th at 7 pm.

The high school boys’ basketball playoffs are right around the corner, and the Riverside Bulldogs are ready to make some noise. Powered by star point guard Cole Jeppeson and a scrappy defense, the Bulldogs will be a tough draw for anyone that has to face them in the playoffs. Jeppesen, a junior, is the team’s second leading scorer and leading assist maker, averaging 10 points and 5 assists. The Bulldogs pride themselves on being a defensive team that implements full court pressure and makes opposing offenses uncomfortable. They average 9 steals a game and consistently implement Coach Kroon’s defensive tactic of picking up point guards behind half court. Riverside features four players who average over a steal a game, with junior’s Cole Jeppesen and Peyton Amdor collecting over two a game. Amdor is also the team’s leading scorer, pouring in 17 points a game. The attitude of being a defensive team is something that Coach Kroon wants the team to build on heading into the playoffs.

Although it is an entire team effort, it all starts with point guard Cole Jeppesen. Coach Kroon knows how important he is on both ends of the floor and how key that is when facing off against the conference’s best guards:

Playoffs can be daunting when faced with a win or go home scenario, but Coach Kroon doesn’t think changing scheme up is a good idea at this point in the season. Keeping his players’ legs fresh as the season closes is the most important thing:

This Riverside team is a group of boys that continue to impress their coach in not only their work ethic but their attitude as well. Coach Kroon believes that whatever success comes out of the playoffs will be the result of hours of work behind the scenes:

The Riverside Bulldogs first round playoff matchup has yet to be set, but it will be played on Tuesday, February 17th. They still have two regular season games left, with their second to last matchup taking place on Tuesday, February 10th against the Treynor Cardinals.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger says the Cyclones are focused on Tuesday night’s game and not the upcoming schedule. Winners of five straight and up to number five in the AP Poll, The Cyclones visit TCU on Tuesday night. After that, they will face five ranked foes in their next six games.

The Cyclones are 8-2 in the Big 12 and 21-2 overall. Otzelberger is confident they won’t be looking ahead.

TCU is 4-6 in the Big 12 and 14-9 overall.

Otzelberger says the Horned Frogs do a good job of generating turnovers.

Iowa State senior point guard Tamin Lipsey will match up against former Iowa guard Brock Harding.

Lipsey says the Cyclones are focused on the TCU game.

Junior forward Milan Momcilovic…

Momcilovic on staying focused on TCU….

BOYS

Non-Conference 

Carroll – 72 vs Denison-Schleswig – 54

Chariton – 59 vs Creston – 53

Treynor – 79 vs St. Albert – 47

Nebraska City – 77 vs Glenwood – 69

GIRLS

Non-Conference 

Denison-Schleswig – 51 vs Carroll – 35

Treynor – 66 vs St. Albert – 52

1A

1. Don Bosco

2. Jesup

3. Hinton

4. Lake Mills

5. Woodbury Central

6. Riverside

7. Logan-Magnolia

8. Nashua-Plainfield

Riverside – Rd 1: L to Lake Mills (32-28), Consolation: W over Nashua-Planfield (45-36), 5th Place: Loss to Woodbury Central (44-29)

2A 

1. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

2. Decorah

3. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows

4. Independence

5. Alburnett

6. West Delaware, Manchester

7. Algona

8. Glenwood

Glenwood – Rd 1: Loss to Decorah (51-21), Consolation: Loss to West Delaware (41-32)

3A

1. Southeast Polk

2. Indianola

3. Waukee Northwest

4. Dowling Catholic

5. Linn-Mar

6. Dallas Center-Grimes

7. Iowa City West

8. Pleasent Valley