The Pella High girls basketball team is hoping for a repeat of 2016 as they open the 2017 state tournament this morning against Council Bluffs Lewis Central.

The Lady Dutch and Titans squared off in the opening round 364 days ago, with Pella building an 11 point halftime lead and holding on to win 47-41.

Eight of the ten starters from that game will be on the floor today, including all five Pella starters. While the Titans lost two seniors off of last year’s club, they have added reinforcements, with a move-in transfer and freshman that are their second and third leading scorers.

Pella Coach Jerod Garland says it’s their leading scorer that really has his attention.

“They’ll have the best individual player on the floor. They’ll have a 20 point scorer who I think is averaging 29 the last four or five games. She’s just been filling up the basket and she actually scored I think last year on us in Maegan Holt. And they have a great shooter. And then defensively, they’re a little bit like us in the half court. They’re pretty sound, and we’re not going to get a lot of easy stuff. We’re going to have to be patient and knock down shots. I think it’s going to be a really close game throughout.”

Lewis Central is 22-1 on the season and they were champions of the Hawkeye 10 Conference at 9-1. Pella is 19-4 and finished second in the Little Hawkeye Conference at 11-3.

Opening tip is scheduled for 11:45 this morning at Wells Fargo Arena. Trevor Castle and Brian Vande Lune will have the live play-by-play, beginning with pregame coverage at 11:15 on 92.1 KRLS.