Forecast For Wawasee, Plymouth - Raining Threes
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Some teams play above the rim and some play below. For Wawasee and Plymouth, they both play 19-feet-9-inches away from the rim.
For those who like three-pointers and guard-oriented play, then Huntington North High School is the place to be today as the Warriors and Pilgrims square off in the northern semistate of the Class 3A state boys basketball tournament.
This will be the second time these Northern Lakes Conference foes have squared off.
The first time was a hair-raising 76-75 triple-overtime affair in favor of Plymouth. That game didn't see the services of the Warriors' leading scorer, Austin Kaiser.
Kaiser, who averages more than 19 points per game, broke his hand in a practice and missed the Plymouth game along with four others. Wawasee went 1-4 during that stretch.
With Kaiser back, that will change the complexion of how the Warriors play.
"We played a little different (the first game). It's going to be a tough game. Plymouth is a good team and we'll have to adjust, but we're going to be ready," said senior Kory Lantz of playing with Kaiser this time.
Since Kaiser's return, the Warriors have been nearly unstoppable. The only blemish came in the regular season finale at No. 5 (3A) Tippecanoe Valley. Wawasee avenged that loss in the opening game of the regional at NorthWood High School, then went on to defeat No. 2 (3A) Bellmont.
The task facing the Warriors now is No. 7 (3A) Plymouth.
To beat the Pilgrims, Wawasee must be effective from beyond the three-point arc. Both teams lack much size and shoot a copious number of three-pointers.
The teams combined to shoot 42 three-pointers in their first matchup, with the Pilgrims attempting 30. That number would appear to be higher this time around as Kaiser is the Warriors' leading three-point shooter.
Kyle Benge, the state's second leading scoring at 27.5 points per game, and point guard Geoff Scheetz are the main long-range culprits for Plymouth.
The Pilgrims round out their starting lineup with Kyle Plumlee, Matt Houin and Ryan Pickell.
Joining Kaiser in the backcourt for Wawasee will be Lantz and Austin Gerber.
Lantz's injuries have been well-chronicled as of late.
The 6-foot guard carried several maladies into the season after finishing a state runner-up season as the quarterback of the football team. Then in the waning seconds of the Warriors' sectional championship win over Lakeland, Lantz suffered a dislocated kneecap. It was the same knee that he has been receiving cortisone shots in all year.
"I was kind of devastated at first," said Lantz of his most recent injury and those to his teammates. "It was like, 'man, this season isn't going as planned.' Our team has struggled through so many things this year, but I think it made us better."
Michael Conrad and Ryan Kauchak round out the starting five for Wawasee. Conrad's contributions can't be overlooked. The junior hit four free throws in the final period to help Wawasee drag Plymouth into extra sessions and is averaging a shade over six points per game.
Kauchak's stature and stats can't be overlooked, either. The 6-3 post player scored 26 points in the first game against Plymouth and has been on a tear as of late. He racked up 16 points in the regional win over Valley and used an array of swift post moves to do so.
Coming off the bench for Wawasee are Joe Leach and Lance Zimmerman. Leach and Zimmerman are both sophomores and represent the next generation of Wawasee athletics.
Leach is Lantz's heir apparent on both the gridiron and the hardwood. Leach has reached double digits in scoring several times this postseason and gives Wawasee another scoring threat. Zimmerman, Kauchak's protg, at 6-4 will allow the Warriors to use their slight size advantage.
Plymouth, led by legendary head coach Jack Edison, is known for not having much size. When Edison led the Pilgrims to a state championship in 1982 with current Chicago Bulls head coach and former NBA player Scott Skiles, he did so without a player taller than 6-2.
Edison and Co. again don't have much size this year, but that hasn't seemed to matter.
The Pilgrims advanced to the semistate with wins over Hammond and a tough Twin Lakes squad. They are 21-3 on the season and have played all four of their postseason games on their home court.
Plymouth's losses came at the hands of Northridge and Concord. The Raiders and 6-10 Ronnie Thomas defeated Plymouth twice this year, while the Minutemen used the superb effort of Western Michigan-bound Shawntes Gary and sophomore brother Dairese.
Northridge and Concord helped give the NLC even more depth and talent than it's used to.
While the conference was won by the Minutemen, Plymouth and Wawasee are the real winners for having survived and learned from playing the tough conference schedule.
"The NLC is such a physical battle," said Wawasee head coach Phil Mishler.
Today's winner will be determined by who shoots the best from beyond the arc and establishes themselves in the post.
Benge led the Pilgrims in scoring the first time these two teams met with 26, while Scheetz had 19 - 15 came on three-pointers - and Plumlee with 16.
"We just love playing against Plymouth," said Mishler. "We have so much respect for what Coach Edison and that team does. We're going to have to play a great game."
Tipoff is set for approximately 3 p.m. The game will be played after the 2A semistate game that features Glenn and Fort Wayne Harding and begins at 1 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - Some teams play above the rim and some play below. For Wawasee and Plymouth, they both play 19-feet-9-inches away from the rim.
For those who like three-pointers and guard-oriented play, then Huntington North High School is the place to be today as the Warriors and Pilgrims square off in the northern semistate of the Class 3A state boys basketball tournament.
This will be the second time these Northern Lakes Conference foes have squared off.
The first time was a hair-raising 76-75 triple-overtime affair in favor of Plymouth. That game didn't see the services of the Warriors' leading scorer, Austin Kaiser.
Kaiser, who averages more than 19 points per game, broke his hand in a practice and missed the Plymouth game along with four others. Wawasee went 1-4 during that stretch.
With Kaiser back, that will change the complexion of how the Warriors play.
"We played a little different (the first game). It's going to be a tough game. Plymouth is a good team and we'll have to adjust, but we're going to be ready," said senior Kory Lantz of playing with Kaiser this time.
Since Kaiser's return, the Warriors have been nearly unstoppable. The only blemish came in the regular season finale at No. 5 (3A) Tippecanoe Valley. Wawasee avenged that loss in the opening game of the regional at NorthWood High School, then went on to defeat No. 2 (3A) Bellmont.
The task facing the Warriors now is No. 7 (3A) Plymouth.
To beat the Pilgrims, Wawasee must be effective from beyond the three-point arc. Both teams lack much size and shoot a copious number of three-pointers.
The teams combined to shoot 42 three-pointers in their first matchup, with the Pilgrims attempting 30. That number would appear to be higher this time around as Kaiser is the Warriors' leading three-point shooter.
Kyle Benge, the state's second leading scoring at 27.5 points per game, and point guard Geoff Scheetz are the main long-range culprits for Plymouth.
The Pilgrims round out their starting lineup with Kyle Plumlee, Matt Houin and Ryan Pickell.
Joining Kaiser in the backcourt for Wawasee will be Lantz and Austin Gerber.
Lantz's injuries have been well-chronicled as of late.
The 6-foot guard carried several maladies into the season after finishing a state runner-up season as the quarterback of the football team. Then in the waning seconds of the Warriors' sectional championship win over Lakeland, Lantz suffered a dislocated kneecap. It was the same knee that he has been receiving cortisone shots in all year.
"I was kind of devastated at first," said Lantz of his most recent injury and those to his teammates. "It was like, 'man, this season isn't going as planned.' Our team has struggled through so many things this year, but I think it made us better."
Michael Conrad and Ryan Kauchak round out the starting five for Wawasee. Conrad's contributions can't be overlooked. The junior hit four free throws in the final period to help Wawasee drag Plymouth into extra sessions and is averaging a shade over six points per game.
Kauchak's stature and stats can't be overlooked, either. The 6-3 post player scored 26 points in the first game against Plymouth and has been on a tear as of late. He racked up 16 points in the regional win over Valley and used an array of swift post moves to do so.
Coming off the bench for Wawasee are Joe Leach and Lance Zimmerman. Leach and Zimmerman are both sophomores and represent the next generation of Wawasee athletics.
Leach is Lantz's heir apparent on both the gridiron and the hardwood. Leach has reached double digits in scoring several times this postseason and gives Wawasee another scoring threat. Zimmerman, Kauchak's protg, at 6-4 will allow the Warriors to use their slight size advantage.
Plymouth, led by legendary head coach Jack Edison, is known for not having much size. When Edison led the Pilgrims to a state championship in 1982 with current Chicago Bulls head coach and former NBA player Scott Skiles, he did so without a player taller than 6-2.
Edison and Co. again don't have much size this year, but that hasn't seemed to matter.
The Pilgrims advanced to the semistate with wins over Hammond and a tough Twin Lakes squad. They are 21-3 on the season and have played all four of their postseason games on their home court.
Plymouth's losses came at the hands of Northridge and Concord. The Raiders and 6-10 Ronnie Thomas defeated Plymouth twice this year, while the Minutemen used the superb effort of Western Michigan-bound Shawntes Gary and sophomore brother Dairese.
Northridge and Concord helped give the NLC even more depth and talent than it's used to.
While the conference was won by the Minutemen, Plymouth and Wawasee are the real winners for having survived and learned from playing the tough conference schedule.
"The NLC is such a physical battle," said Wawasee head coach Phil Mishler.
Today's winner will be determined by who shoots the best from beyond the arc and establishes themselves in the post.
Benge led the Pilgrims in scoring the first time these two teams met with 26, while Scheetz had 19 - 15 came on three-pointers - and Plumlee with 16.
"We just love playing against Plymouth," said Mishler. "We have so much respect for what Coach Edison and that team does. We're going to have to play a great game."
Tipoff is set for approximately 3 p.m. The game will be played after the 2A semistate game that features Glenn and Fort Wayne Harding and begins at 1 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]