West-City girls get the late game Tuesday

IOWA CITY — Ladies first? Not this time.

Not this game.

The girls' showdown will get prime-time billing when Iowa City West meets Iowa City High in Tuesday's high school basketball doubleheader.

'We were looking for a little bit of balance, since the girls' game was first at West,' said City High Athletics Director Terry Coleman. 'Coach (Bill McTaggart) wanted the girls' game to be last, and with his team being undefeated, I certainly honored that request.'

It begins at 6 p.m. at City with the boys' game. Class 4A top-ranked West is 10-1 overall, 7-1 in the Mississippi Valley Conference, and won decisively, 78-27, against the Little Hawks (3-10, 2-6) in the first meeting, Dec. 13 at West.

Both girls' teams have earned the prime slot. In the first meeting, Class 5A second-rated City High prevailed in overtime, 74-73, in a game that did not count toward MVC standings. This one does.

City High (14-0, 8-0) is led by junior Ashley Joens, an Iowa State commit, who averages 21.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

The Little Hawks rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 55-50, on Friday.

No. 3 West (13-2, 8-0) saw its eight-game winning streak come to an end, 77-71, at the hands of No. 6 West Des Moines Valley on Saturday.

Junior Logan Cook paces the Women of Troy at 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com