There is plenty on the line Tuesday night for the Bloomington Jefferson and Eastview girls' basketball squads.

Not only are both teams ranked in the top-10 in the state, but they also are tied atop the South Suburban standings -- unbeaten at 6-0. Having played just one conference game apiece, the No. 4, 4A Jaguars and No. 5, 4A Lightning square off for sole possession of the conference lead as the calendar nears 2011. Jefferson and Eastview both possess great talent, but it has taken a few years for the Jaguars to pull together and reach their status as one of the metro’s best.

“Eastview has had a ton of success over an extended period of time, and it’s exciting for our whole program to be mentioned in the conversation with Eastview,” Jefferson head coach Andy Meinhardt said. “They’re very athletic and they put kids on the floor that can shoot the three and take you off the dribble. They’ve got three real talented players, so we’ll try to wear on them with our depth.”

The three players Meinhardt refers to are a trio of senior guards that have been playing together since they started traveling basketball. The Lightning’s twin sisters Alex and Amanda Beckman, along with Jenna Dockter, have combined to score more than 40 points per game and lead the charge for Eastview.

“They’re great friends off the court and they really feed off each other on the court,” Lightning coach Paul Goetz said. “They’re great leaders on our team. We’re going to go as far as those three can take us.”

Jefferson boasts a load of talent as well. Junior Britney Scherber leads the Jaguars in scoring at 18.7 points per game, and senior forward Anna Smith is also a big reason for the Jaguars undefeated start, both as a leader on the court and a factor in every box score.

Smith, who Meinhardt has coached since she was a freshman, broke the Jefferson school record for rebounding last season as a junior. The record had stood since 1993 but is now being taken to new heights. Smith pulled down 20 rebounds in a win over Apple Valley on Friday and is averaging 14.5 per game to start the season. Her work on the glass has Meinhardt jokingly calling her “Kevin Love’s little sister.”

“She has turned into an absolute leader and a coach on the floor. From a basketball standpoint, I can’t believe there’s a better rebounder in the metro area,” he says. “She’s already smashed the all-time rebounding record. If she keeps her stats going, she should pass 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. She is an all-around dynamic player.”

Only three players in Jefferson’s history have scored 1,000 points in their career, but having been a double-double machine this season, Smith could be the first to break 1,000 in both categories.

“It’s an early game, so mainly we’re just looking to take care of ourselves and play to our strengths. I know both teams are undefeated and the kids know that,” Goetz said. “We’re just trying to keep an even keel and take away from the game what we can improve on coming into the new year.”

Goetz added that having to go on the road for the first meeting between these two may play a role in the outcome.

“Their gym is always tough for us to play in for some reason. We’ve got to go in there and stick together. It’s a great challenge.”

On the other side, Meinhardt is glad to be hosting the matchup.

“Their place is so difficult to play at, I’m glad this one is at home,” he said. “We’ve been playing really well this year at home and to have our home fans behind us and to play at a place we feel comfortable is great.”