The Indianola girls and boys basketball teams return to Little Hawkeye Conference play tonight on the road against rival Pella, the #5 girls looking to complete the season sweep and the 10th-ranked boys trying to salvage a split after a last second loss to the Dutch in their previous meeting. The Indians girls got off to a quick start against the Dutch in the first matchup, leading 21-9 after the first and 41-16 at halftime, but head coach Jeff Janssen tells KNIA Sports that was over a month and a half ago, and he knows Pella has improved and expects the Indians to be tested tonight.

“Watching them on film they are a team that is playing well right now, and we know and the girls know that they are not the same team we saw in the third game of the season to begin conference play. We will have to put in the work to execute the game plan, and hopefully come away with another win against a quality team.”

The Indians boys could not hold on to a slim lead going into the fourth quarter in the first matchup, with the first-place Dutch out rebounding the Indians 33-22 and making clutch shots down the stretch. A win for either team has big conference implications, with Pella taking the driver’s seat and setting up a potential conference championship game against DCG later in the season with a win, while an Indianola victory throws their hat into the conference championship race.

Action can be heard live on 94.3 KNIA, the KRLS2 stream, and Pella Dutch Live YouTube, with pregame beginning at 5:45pm and tip-off at 6:15. Pella will be celebrating its 2002 state championship win. Andrew Swadner along with John Holterhaus and Phil Hemming will have the call.