Photo by Paul DeCoursey Justice Crooks is back for Iowa Central this year. Crooks is a Fort Dodge Senior High graduate.

The Iowa Central basketball program will welcome in three other teams this Friday and Saturday for the Great Western Shootout.

Eight games will take place over two days inside Hodges Fieldhouse, as North Iowa Area, Northeast and Central-Columbus play doubleheaders.

Action starts on Friday with Central-Columbus meeting the 3rd-ranked NIACC women at 1 p.m. The two teams play in the men’s game at 3 p.m.

The NIACC men are also ranked third this season.

Iowa Central hits the court at 5 p.m. Friday as they face Northeast in a rematch. The two met in Nebraska earlier this month, with the Hawks posting a 61-51 victory.

The Triton men take the court at 7 p.m. to square off with Northeast for a second time. Iowa Central fell in overtime, 99-98, as St. Edmond graduate Andrew Gibb scored a career-high 42 points.

On Saturday, NIACC faces Northeast at noon and 2 p.m., with the Tritons squaring off against Central-Columbus at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

That is also a rematch in the men’s game, as ICCC fell 90-85 to Central-Columbus.

Kelly Kruger and the Iowa Central women are 4-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 at home. Chad Helle, in his first season leading the Triton men, is 2-5.