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WARSAW AT ELKHART MEMORIAL
Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Elkhart
Coaches: Al Rhodes (Warsaw), Steve Johnson (Memorial)
Records: Warsaw 10-3; Elkhart Memorial 5-6
Last Game: Warsaw 42, Concord 39; NorthWood 65, Elkhart Memorial 55
Last Year: Warsaw 77, Elkhart Memorial 51
Matchup: With leading scorer Steve Siebenmorgen out this weekend, Warsaw will look to Chris Wiggins and Zach Nelson's 13.1 and 11.4 points per game to lead the Tiger offense. Nelson pulls down 5.4 rebounds per game for the Tigers as well. Junior Josh Buck will start in place of Siebenmorgen. Buck, a blue-collar player and solid defender who has brought a spark off the bench all season, averages 2.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Elkhart Memorial will look to Nick Slabaugh to the Charger offensive attack. He averages 14 points per game. Clint Adell is another Memorial leader, averaging around 13 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Larry Fieldstra (asst. coach): "The first thing we know about Warsaw is that they are very deep and big and strong physically. Physically they are so much bigger and stronger that we will need to make sure we have a lot of good help-side defense. The first thing we will focus on is how to stop the inside game with Nelson."
Rhodes: "Elkhart Memorial is an improving team. This is a tough situation. Whatever happens in the Marion game, we have to come back and do a solid job the next day. (Memorial's) guards are very quick. We must do a good job defensively staying in front of their guards."
EAST NOBLE AT WAWASEE
Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Syracuse
Coaches: Marty Johnson (East Noble), Robb Berger (Wawasee)
Records: East Noble 6-4; Wawasee 2-10
Last Game: East Noble 56, West Noble 38; Goshen 71, Wawasee 62
Last Year: East Noble 53, Wawasee 38
Matchup: The Wawasee Warriors are looking to bounce back from a tough loss to Goshen last Friday. The Warriors will look to Jeremy High to lead the scoring attack with his 14.3 points per game. High also pulls down 5.9 rebounds per game to lead the Warriors in that category as well. R.J. Wilson, Travis Klenke and Brent Doty pose a threat from behind the arc, as each averages above 35 percent from three-point range. East Noble will look to two three-year players to lead the team. Kevin Longfellow and Zach Lear lead the Cougars with experience.
Johnson: "Wawasee is starting to play much better basketball. They play very hard, and they have been very organized, especially in the past few games. They play unselfish basketball and they like to press. Berger is doing a good job with the kids. Not turning the ball over will be a key for us in this game. We will also need to shoot well."
Berger: "East Noble has two big kids, and they are very disciplined. We will need to play defense more than we normally do because they will hold the ball and pass it off eight to 10 times before they take a shot. We will have to be just as disciplined as they are defensively. We are going to play the kids who work the hardest. We need to keep our intensity up the entire game and play focused."
FORT WAYNE WAYNE AT WHITKO
Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. Saturday in South Whitley
Coaches: Murray Mendenhall III (Wayne), Steve Pickett (Whitko)
Records: Wayne 8-3; Whitko 2-11
Last Game: Wayne 68, Concordia 64; North Side 87, Whitko 68
Last Year: Did not play.
Matchup: Wayne is coming off a big win against Concordia last weekend. The Generals will look to Mike Corley, Vesty Pirtle and Montrell Hogue to lead the offensive attack. Corley leads the Wayne squad in scoring and rebounding with 15.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Pirtle adds 12.7 points, and Hogue chips in 12.2 point per contest. Vern Martin and Jacob Wyss average 4.0 rebounds per game and round out the starting five for the Generals. Whitko will look to get back on the winning track after defeating Canterbury then falling to North Side last weekend. The Wildcats will look to Shane Henderson and his 12.3 points per game to lead the scoring drive. Ben Ryan adds 11 points for the Whitko squad. J.R. Manuel leads the Wildcats' rebounding effort by pulling down 5.25 boards per contest.
Mendenhall: "We have scouted Whitko and seen them a couple of times. I know they struggled early in the season, but they are improving. They have played well in games against some good teams like Bishop Dwenger and North Side. We will have to play good defense. We also need to make sure we get rebounds as well."
Pickett: "Wayne has exceptional guard play. They have guards that have been starting for three years now. They are very quick, and they are well coached by coach Mendenhall. We have been giving up too many points. Right now our defense and ability to handle the ball are what we are working on. We need to treat each possession like it's our last."
