Thursday’s best: 5 area girls’ basketball regional games to watch (1A first round, Feb. 8, 2024)

The best area girls’ basketball team in Class 1A? That’s easy.

It’s top-ranked North Linn (19-1), which is one victory away from nailing down its 14th consecutive 20-win season.

North Linn has a first-round bye as 1A regionals start Thursday, so we’ll catch up with the Lynx later.

The most improved area 1A team? That’s Lansing Kee, which went from 5-15 last season to 16-5 this winter, led by a bevy of freshmen and sophomores.

The hottest area 1A team (other than North Linn)? Consider Sigourney (17-4), which has gone 11-0 since the holiday break, despite a 17-day January layoff due to snow, cold and everything else. The Savages are South Iowa Cedar League East Division champions.

The best game as the small-school postseason kicks off? Here are five candidates, all of which tip off at 7 p.m.:

Central City (6-14) at Midland (14-8)

Class 1A Region 1

Midland has an advantage on win-loss records and home court, but Central City — as a member of the Tri-Rivers Conference West Division while the Eagles are in the East — is superior in strength of schedule, and has history on its side, too. The Wildcats won, 67-45, at home on Dec. 7. Both teams have a player averaging more than 19 points per game in Midland’s Anna Bartels and Central City’s Bailee Weber. Both are seniors. With Midland 40th and Central City 43rd in the BC Moore computer ratings, this is the area game of the night.

North Tama (9-10) at Meskwaki (10-8)

Class 1A Region 2

The rubber match in this season series is an elimination game. North Tama claimed a 44-34 verdict in both teams’ season-opener Nov. 28, then Meskwaki rolled in the rematch, 64-34, Jan. 22. Freshman Dorothy Bear leads the Warriors in scoring at 11.9 points per game, while senior Sia Bear adds 9.9 points per game and leads the team in assists (4.0) and steals (4.5). Junior Ava Breakenridge paces the Redhawks at 12.9 ppg.

Clayton Ridge (9-12) at Bellevue Marquette (10-12)

Class 1A Region 1

Clayton Ridge won two of its last three regular-season games; the lone loss in that span was a 32-31 defeat to North Fayette Valley. The Eagles have allowed 26.3 points per game in that span. Three of their top four scorers are juniors, providing hope for a big jump in 2024-25. Six-foot senior Megan Kramer leads Marquette at 14.3 points and 15.8 rebounds per game. The winner travels to Troy Mills to face No. 1 North Linn in the second round next Tuesday.

BGM (5-15) at HLV (9-9)

Class 1A Region 2

HLV owns wins of 59-24 and 50-33 this season over its alphabet rival. The Warriors were beneficiaries of Tri-County’s inability to field a team this winter; leading scorer Ayla Hall, a junior, is a Tri-County student and averages 12.2 points per game. Six of the Warriors’ losses came to ranked South Iowa Cedar League West Division foes Lynnville-Sully, Montezuma and North Mahaska.

Turkey Valley (7-14) at East Buchanan (14-7)

Class 1A Region 1

East Buchanan enters the postseason on a high, scoring late to beat Maquoketa Valley, 57-55, in its regular-season finale. The Bucs have won four of their last five games. Junior Laynee Hogan recently surpassed the 1,000-point mark and is averaging 16.2 points, 5.0 assists and 5.5 steals per game. Turkey Valley has only one senior on its roster. The victor advances to play at Edgewood-Colesburg (17-4) on Tuesday.

Thursday’s Class 1A regional first round

(All games 7 p.m.)

Region 1

Clayton Ridge (9-12) at Bellevue Marquette (10-12)

West Central (2-19) at Dunkerton (16-5)

Central City (6-14) at Midland (14-8)

Turkey Valley (7-14) at East Buchanan (14-7)

Starmont (0-22) at Lansing Kee (16-5)

Tripoli (3-17) at Elkader Central (14-6)

Region 2

Fort Dodge St. Edmond (4-16) at Glidden-Ralston (4-16)

Colo-Nesco (4-17) at Conrad BCLUW (13-8)

Baxter (3-15) at Ackley AGWSR (10-9)

Paton-Churdan (0-19) at Coon Rapids-Bayard (17-3)

Belle Plaine (3-17) at Garwin GMG (10-10)

North Tama (9-10) at Meskwaki (10-8)

BGM (5-15) at HLV (9-9)

Region 3

Moravia (4-15) at Seymour (6-11)

Moulton-Udell (1-17) at Melcher-Dallas (17-3), at Liberty Center

Pekin (6-14) at Sigourney (17-4)

Essex (6-14) at Bedford (9-11)

Hamburg (1-15) at Lamoni (14-5)

Sidney (6-13) at Mount Ayr (14-6)

Region 7

Wapello (7-15) at Easton Valley (9-12)

North Cedar (4-16) at Highland (14-6)

Clinton Prince of Peace (2-19) at Springville (16-6)

Cedar Valley Christian (0-15) at Iowa Valley (9-11)

Winfield-Mount Union (4-14) at Lone Tree (18-3)

Burlington Notre Dame (10-10) at Danville (16-4)

Region 8

Hillcrest Academy (6-14) at WACO (12-9)

New London (1-19) at Fort Madison Holy Trinity (18-2)

Keota (6-12) at English Valleys (13-8)

Murray (5-13) at Orient-Macksburg (10-10)

East Union (2-17) at Mormon Trail (11-6)

Southeast Warren (8-13) at Wayne (11-10)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com