Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
TRITON AT ARGOS
Tip-off: 6 p.m. tonight in Argos
Coaches: Joe Bennett (Triton), Doug Snyder (Argos)
Records: Triton 8-4, Argos 7-7
Last game: Triton 65, Jimtown 47; Argos 76, Westville 40
Last year: Triton 61, Argos 52
Matchup: Triton enters this game having won five of its last six games. Argos, on the other hand, is at .500 and has won three of its last six games. This Marshall County battle may be decided by rebounding. Argos averages just 21 rebounds per game and has been outrebounded the majority of the season, while the Trojans have outrebounded nearly everyone they've played. Against a smaller, quicker Argos team, Triton could dominate the post with seniors Jim Read and Joey Potter. Read averages 11 points and six rebounds per game, and Potter chips in with close to nine points and five rebounds per contest. Six-foot junior guard Bill Robertson leads the Dragons in scoring with 16.1 ppg, while 6-0 sophomore forward Dustin O'Dell chips in with 15.6 ppg and 6-0 junior guard Tony Patterson 11.7. Five-foot-11 junior forward Chad Bailey leads Argos with four rpg, while senior forward Bryan Thomas adds 3.3. #
Bennett: "We're completely different teams. Argos is small, quick, and a great shooting team. We're bigger, have some quickness, and want to get it into the post. We have to box out and make sure we know they're capable of shooting anywhere. How we defend their perimeter shooting is going to be a big key. We can't defend the three and then let them step in and shoot it."
Snyder: "I think we match up with Triton, it's a good rivalry. We're basically in the same back yard. They have more size, but that's something we've had to face all year. Triton compliments its game with good inside and outside shooting. We tend to rely on three-point shooting. We'd like to create some full court pressure and get some points off turnovers."
BISHOP DWENGER AT WHITKO
Tip-off: 6:15 p.m. tonight in South Whitley
Coaches: Matt Kostoff (Dwenger); Steve Pickett (Whitko)
Records: Bishop Dwenger 9-4; Whitko 7-6
Last game: Bishop Dwenger 69, Fort Wayne Snider 59; Oak Hill 87, Whitko 57
Last year: Bishop Dwenger 73, Whitko 62
Matchup: Whitko is coming off a Three Rivers Conference loss to Oak Hill. In that game, Alex Frantz (17.8 ppg) led the Wildcats with 20 points. Josh Hoffman (13.0 ppg) added 11 for Whitko. Adam Wendel has also come on strong of late and adds 10.8 ppg for Whitko. Hoffman leads the Wildcats in rebounding with 7.0 per game, while Frantz chips in 5.9 rpg. John Gensic and Brandon O'Leary lead Dwenger's offense. Against Snider, O'Leary poured in 35 points, while Gensic added 19. However, Dwenger's team suffered a blow earlier in the week when the Saints lost point guard Phil Ruckman with a broken bone in his foot.
Pickett: Dwenger is very well coached and they have two seniors that are excellent scorers, John Gensic and Brandon O'Leary. O'Leary had 35 points against Snider. They are well disciplined and play very good defense. They don't make a lot of errors, and with two scorers like that, they will spread us out. They also have a 6-fot-6 post kid, [Pat] Oxley, who eats up a lot of space. We will need to play a lot better than we did at Oak Hill. The big thing we continue to work on is dribble penetration. Oak Hill was able to dribble into the paint and move the ball. We outrebounded them, but we had 22 turnovers and allowed them to dribble the ball where they wanted. We need to eliminate turnovers, make better shot selection and stop the dribble penetration."
Kostoff: Could not be reached for comment.
NORTHWOOD AT WEST NOBLE
Tip-off: 6:15 p.m. tonight in Ligonier
Coaches: Dan Gunn (NorthWood); Tom Schermerhorn (West Noble)
Records: NorthWood 7-4; West Noble 7-4
Last game: NorthWood 54, Warsaw 47; West Noble 58, Fairfield 47
Last year: NorthWood 77, West Noble 70
Matchup: NorthWood is coming off a big win over Northern Lakes Conference rival Warsaw, while West Noble is coming off a conference win over Fairfield. Willy Will, Ryan Bradley and Rory Clouse lead NorthWood's offense. Against Warsaw, Will had 19 points, while Clouse added 17. Early foul trouble plagued Bradley and the Tigers held him to four points, well below his average of 15 ppg. West Noble is on a roll. Since Christmas break, the Chargers have won three of four games. The Chargers will look to three players to lead the scoring attack. Beau Addair leads the West Noble attack with 13.7 ppg, while Jeff Burns adds 12.6 ppg and John Brickey chips in 10.4 ppg. Addair also leads the Chargers in rebounding with 7.7 per contest.
Gunn: "I am expecting a very tough, physical basketball game (against West Noble). Anytime you face a team with a kid who is 6-6 and 280, (Beau Addair) it will be a challenge. Burns has played for them since he was a freshman. They are tough inside and outside, and they are very aggressive team. They are well coached. We need to block out and keep their big players off the court, and we need to take care of the basketball."
Schermerhorn: "With a game so early in the week, it is hard to spend a lot of time preparing for one team. NorthWood brings a very athletic team to our place, and that raises concern for us. They are coming off a big win over Warsaw that will give them more confidence as well. We will work to take care of the basketball and cut down on turnovers. We are also looking to improve at the free throw line. We will try to do the things we do well and try to get better. This is a good preview for the sectional."
