SCC (19-3 overall, 2-0 Region XI), ranked seventh in NJCAA Division I, hosts 12th-ranked Indian Hills (20-5 (2-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Loren Walker Arena in West Burlington.
At stake is the top seed in the Region XI Tournament, which begins Feb. 23 with a game between the second and third seeds. The top seed receives a bye and will host the championship game on Feb. 26.
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SCC and Indian Hills face off for top spot in Region XI in men's basketball showdown
SCC’s Railer Vargas-Hernandez (32) makes a pass over Triton’s Tent McKeithen (23) Saturday January 15, 2022 in West Burlington.
JOHN GAINES PHOTOGRAPHY
MATT LEVINS | THE HAWK EYE | 5:00 pm CST February 4, 2022
   
No matter when or where they play, the men's basketball games between Southeastern Community College and Indian Hills always take on an extra-special meaning.
This year is certainly no exception.
SCC (19-3 overall, 2-0 Region XI), ranked seventh in NJCAA Division I, hosts 12th-ranked Indian Hills (20-5 (2-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Loren Walker Arena in West Burlington.
At stake is the top seed in the Region XI Tournament, which begins Feb. 23 with a game between the second and third seeds. The top seed receives a bye and will host the championship game on Feb. 26.
SCC still has a Region XI home game Feb. 19 against Marshalltown, but this game likely will decide the top seed, as well as bragging rights.
Both teams know the stakes are high once again.
"I think we have to do what we do," said SCC head coach Lorenzo Watkins, whose team hasn't played in a week. "We have to control the game at both ends of the floor, offensively and defensively. We have to take care of the ball and we have to play defense and rebound."
"It's an important game," Indian Hills head coach Hank Plona said. "We're playing a little bit better than the last time we played them. We've figured some things out since the last time we played them and I think we're playing our best basketball of the season right now."
SCC won the first matchup, 88-86, on Jan. 5 at the Hellyer Student Life Center in Ottumwa. SCC built a big lead in the second half, but had to hold off a furious Indian Hills comeback for the win.
In the previous meeting, SCC's Ralier Vargas-Hernandez scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the way. Davion Bailey scored 13 points, Koby Isaac scored 10 points and Jimmy Beane had 14 points. Jesiah West, the heart and soul of the Blackhawks, had nine points and eight rebounds.
Plona knows they will have to find a way to contain Railer, but stopping West is the ket to beating the Blackhawks.
"SCC is big, strong and athletic and they are very confident," Plona said. "The big kid (Vargas-Hernendez) caused a lot of problems for us last time. We have to make sure we try to neutralize him and West. If their front-court guys get going, we're going to have some problems."
