Expect a slugfest tonight when Pella and Grinnell tip off the Little Hawkeye Conference basketball season with a girl-boy doubleheader.

Starting things are off are the defending runner-ups in class 4-A, Pella, who’s ranked number one early this season, taking on the fifth-ranked Tigers.

The nightcap features the Little Dutch, who were third in the state a year ago, against one of their fiercest hardwood rivals.

Pella Coach Mark Core says that tonight is going to be just like every night in the Little Hawkeye Conference this year – very challenging.

“Somebody’s going to have to finish eighth, and I think that the eighth place team in our conference this year is going to be a really, really good team. We’ve had situations in the past where the team that finished, let’s say, fifth in our conference, made it to the state tournament. And I think that even with that, we’re going to have more balance top to bottom than we’ve had in any of those years.”

Tonight’s doubleheader between Pella and Grinnell starts at 6:15 at Pella High School. Join Trevor Castle and Mike Buchheit for the play-by-play, beginning with pregame coverage at 6:00 on 92.1 KRLS, www.kniakrls.com, and the free KRLS mobile app.