January 16, 2018 By Chris Varney
The Game: First place is on the line in the Little Hawkeye Conference tonight in girls basketball as Grinnell (13-0, 6-0) visits Indianola (9-3, 6-0). The Indians have lost to three ranked teams this season — 5A #8 SE Polk, 5A #6 Johnston, and 4A #1 Marion.
The Background: Indianola joined the Little Hawkeye last year and the Indians beat Grinnell in both meetings a season ago. The first game was in Grinnell and the Tigers played without Sienna Durr and lost 52-47. Grace Berg led the Indians with 22 points. Maggie McGraw was not 100% healthy but came off the bench to score 9. Senior Maddie Wilkins had 27 points for the Tigers; GHS was only 8-19 from the free throw line which proved costly. In the rematch at Indianola, the Indians won 78-73. Berg once again led the way with 25 points, McGraw added 18, and Senior Haley Vesey put in 15. Macy Harris had 30 points for the Tigers, Wilkins added 17 and an ill Sienna Durr had 11. Indianola would win the conference title and go on to lose to Cedar Falls in the 5A state semifinals, their only loss last season. Grinnell would fall to Xavier in the first round of the 4A state tournament.
The Players: Grinnell is led by 6′ Senior Sienna Durr (19.3 ppg, 7.0 rbg) who has committed to play at Columbia University in the Ivy League and leads the Little Hawkeye in points per game. 5’9″ Senior Kameron Moore averages 13.8 ppg and is tied for the conference lead in assists (50). 5’7″ Junior Macy Harris (13.6 ppg) is third in the LHC in assists (48) and third in steals (39). 5’7″ Junior Naomi Jackson (12.9 ppg) leads the conference in three pointers made (39) and three pointers attempted (97), plus is second in steals (41). 5’2″ Junior Megan Doty (3.3 ppg) rounds out the starting five. Grinnell is third in the entire state in points per game (76.0) and leads the state in three pointers made (128). Last Tuesday at Gilbert, the Tigers tied a state record with 20 three pointers in one game in a 84-43 victory.
Indianola is led by two NCAA Division I recruits — 5’11” Junior Maggie McGraw (Iowa State) averages 18.5 ppg (2nd in Little Hawkeye) and 6′ Senior Grace Berg (Missouri) averages 18.3 ppg (third in the LHC). McGraw leads the Indians with 24 made three pointers while Berg is third in the conference in rebounding (8.6 rbg) and is tied for 7th in the conference in steals (29). 5’9″ Senior Madie Sorenson (7.2 ppg) is tied for the conference lead in assists with 50. 5’8″ Senior Liza Lanthrum (7.3 ppg) and 5’8″ Senior Carrington Kuehl (3.4 ppg) rounds out the potential starting five for the Indians. Indianola averages 57.3 ppg.
The Keys: The biggest key in any Grinnell girls basketball game is how opponents will deal with the Tigers press. Center Point Urbana actually played pretty well against it but the Tigers still won by 24. Indianola had to deal with the press against Marion and lost that game 52-36. Grinnell will have to stay out of foul trouble — in most big games Grinnell Head Coach Trent Edsen has had to shuffle his line-up because of key fouls in the first half. Durr and Harris will be the defenders against Berg and McGraw and probably vice versa. Those match-ups will be fascinating as the game develops — its hard to tell who has the advantage. Most teams play zone against Grinnell, trying to clog up the paint and try to slow the pace of the game down. Both teams are exceptional at the free throw line, shooting over 70 percent as a team. Grinnell is a little deeper than the Indians, typically going with a 9-10 woman rotation while Indianola has stayed with 7 players.
The Broadcast: Tip off at 6:15 pm with coverage on 1410 KGRN and myiowainfo.com.