Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
CONCORD AT WARSAW
Tip-off: 6:15 p.m. Friday in Warsaw
Coaches: Ryan Culp (Concord), Al Rhodes (Warsaw)
Records: Concord 7-5, 1-2 NLC; Warsaw 7-4, 2-1 NLC
Last game: Elkhart Central 86, Concord 46; Goshen 61, Warsaw 49
Last year: Warsaw 42, Concord 39
Matchup: Concord 6-foot-10 center John Morningstar, the leader of the team, separated his shoulder on Jan. 12 against Plymouth. Morningstar, who leads the team with 15 points and 11 rebounds per game, missed Concord's Tuesday game against Elkhart Central, and the Minutemen lost 86-46. It was not a dislocation and is termed a Grade 2 shoulder separation. Culp called Morningstar's status questionable for the Warsaw game. After him, Concord's scoring drops down to Tom Martin (9.0 ppg) and Matt Rider (9.0). The bigger drop-off is seen in rebounding, as no other Minuteman averages even 4.0 rpg. Josh Buck averages 16.6 ppg for Warsaw, and Greg Clay adds 9.7 ppg. Paul Finnegan had nine points and six rebounds in his first game for Warsaw. If Morningstar doesn't play, Warsaw would figure to control Concord on the boards as Warsaw's outrebounding opponents 28.6-22.5 this season, but Goshen outrebounded Warsaw 29-21 last game.
Culp: "Without John we obviously lose height, our intimidation inside and rebounding. It will be interesting to see if the other guys step up. Our keys will be handling Warsaw's pressure, because they do a lot of full-court pressing and trapping. Offensively, we will have to take care of the ball against that. With Finnegan back, it has allowed Warsaw's perimeter play to become stronger. Teams had been playing zone, but now I don't think teams will do that as much with him back."
Rhodes: "The defense and offense were keyed by Morningstar, and if he's in the game guarding the middle, it makes a big difference. They will probably play us zone, so our execution in the half-court is critical. ... Last week, we never were able to truly contain Goshen's guards, whether it was in the fullcourt or halfcourt. The start of the fourth quarter (Jeremiah) Gamauf hit a couple of big shots, we were extremely impatient, and it created some transition baskets for them. Rebounding was the single-biggest factor in that game. We didn't keep Goshen off the offensive board. We have been a good rebounding team all year, and rebounding will be a big factor Friday against Concord. We must do a better job."
No. 5 (3A) PLYMOUTH AT WAWASEE (NLC)
Tip-off: 6:15 p.m. Friday in Syracuse
Coaches: Jack Edison (Plymouth), Phil Mishler (Wawasee)
Records: Plymouth 7-2, 2-1; Wawasee 3-8, 0-3 NLC
Last game: Concord 63, Plymouth 58; Manchester 58, Wawasee 46
Last year: Wawasee 63, Plymouth 52
Matchup: As he has so many times in the past 28 years, Jack Edison has his Plymouth Pilgrims in the thick of the Northern Lakes Conference race. Plymouth has one loss in the NLC, a five-point setback last weekend to Concord. The Warriors are looking to pick up their first conference win this season and put a six-game losing streak to an end. A year ago, Wawasee went to Plymouth with a 1-7 record and beat the Pilgrims by 11. This year the Pilgrims go to the Hardwood Teepee, and they take with them a No. 5 ranking in Class 3A, along with a 7-2 record overall and a 2-1 mark in the NLC. Goshen is the only undefeated NLC team, while Warsaw and Elkhart Memorial are at 2-1. Six-foot-4 senior frontliner Brent Houin leads the team in points with 13 per game and rebounds with eight per game. Tim Stuckmeyer and Ben Snyder chip in with 12 points each per game. Senior post player Andrew Packer leads the Warriors in points with 12.1 per outing and rebounds with 8.4 per game. Scott Beasley and Brian Adkins chip in with 7.5 ppg each.
Edison: "(Wawasee) is almost the same as they were last year. They're about as hard working of a defensive team as we've seen. We saw them at the Goshen Holiday Tournament last year, and we were so impressed with them, and they play a lot the same this year. With a new coach it probably takes the first couple games, maybe through Christmas, to get the feel for each other. Wawasee just keeps getting better every game. They've got such a well balanced team. Any number of people could lead them in scoring, and they've got some kids off the bench that can score. Packer is strong inside and (Brian) Adkins can shoot the three. They all handle the ball well. Last year they beat us and people thought it was an upset. We as coaches didn't see it that way. We were so impressed with them. We think they're a good team this year. The keys for us will be handling the ball and reducing turnovers. They create so much offense with their defense."
Mishler: "Plymouth is a typical Jack Edison team that is fundamentally strong and takes advantage of mistakes. We need to limit our mistakes. Plymouth has two nice post players inside and their perimeter shooters are all dangerous, especially Ben Snyder. We need to make sure he is not open on the perimeter. Offensively the key for us will be to get ready for their switch-up-and-match defense. We have to be patient and take care of the ball. The defensive key will be to take away the post and block out."
ELKHART BAPTIST AT TRITON
Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. Friday in Bourbon
Coaches: Mike Ryall (Elkhart Baptist), Joe Bennett (Triton)
Records: Elkhart Baptist 7-5, Triton 5-3
Last game: Elkhart Baptist 50, Clinton Christian 37; Triton 80, Culver 45
Last Year: Triton 60, Elkhart Baptist 49
Matchup: Triton enters after a 35-point win over Northern State Conference rival Culver last Friday. Ben Moore and Steven Boyer combined to score 35 points in that win. For the season, Jim Read leads the team in scoring with 12.1 ppg and rebounds with 6.6 per game. Senior post player Joey Potter adds 9.4 ppg, while Boyer chips in with 9.3. Senior Tyson Blackford dishes out 4.0assists per game. Elkhart Baptist comes in at 7-5, fresh off a 13-point win over Clinton Christian. Six-foot guard Matt Schrock leads Elkhart Baptist with 15 ppg, while senior forward Nick Minder adds 14.1. Six-foot-3 junior center Adam Reinking leads the team in rebounds with four per game. Schrock is the only senior on the team.
Ryall: "I don't know that much about them, I haven't seen them play personally. I do know that they play solid ball as a team, and that they play pretty good defense. Offensively, they play pretty good team ball as well. The key for us is not to turn the ball over. That's been a problem for us all year. We have to limit our turnovers and rebound.
Bennett: "Elkhart Baptist is a guard-oriented team. They are very quick, and they like to press and shoot the ball from the perimeter. They also have a couple post guys that fill their roles. They are a very balanced team. We have to utilize our advantage in the post, I think we have an advantage there."
NORTHFIELD AT WHITKO (TRC)
Tip-off: 6:15 p.m. Friday in South Whitley
Coaches: Brian Tonsoni (Northfield); Steve Pickett (Whitko)
Records: Northfield 2-9, 0-3 TRC; Whitko 6-5, 1-2 TRC
Last game: North Miami 64, Northfield 56; Whitko 81, Churubusco 61
Last year: Northfield 67, Whitko 58
Matchup: Northfield is coming off a loss to Three Rivers Conference opponent North Miami. The Norsemen will look to brothers Kyle and Josh Merrick for leadership. Kyle averages 16.9 ppg and 8.78 rpg, putting him fourth in the overall TRC standings in both categories. Josh averages 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for the Norsemen. Richie Sherman leads Northfield in three-point shooting. He has hit 33.3 percent of his shots from behind the arc (16 of 48). Whitko is coming off a big win over Churubusco and a disappointing loss to Southwood. The Wildcats will look to Josh Hoffman and Alex Frantz to lead the offense. Hoffman averages 14.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, and Frantz pitches in 14.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 2.0 steals per game. Ben Garber is nearing a double-figure average with 9.6 ppg.
Pickett: "Northfield is extremely well-coached and extremely dangerous because they are a hungry, competitive team. They have been in many games because they don't quit. I know they will play very good defense and they block out very well. It's going to be a street fight, that's all there is to it. Records don't mean anything in this game. Kyle and Josh Merrick are two of the best players in the con
ference. Richie Sherman and Nathan Culver are good players as well."
Tonsoni: "Whitko plays very well together. They are pretty unselfish to an extent. They play really hard and they are on an upswing right now. They have lost only one of their last four games, and that was only by five points. They are also pretty deep. Alex Frantz is a good scorer, and their guards handle the ball well. We need to be able to defend them and keep them off the offensive boards. We also need to use our scoring opportunities and not turn the ball over."
GOSHEN AT NORTHWOOD (NLC)
Tip-off: 6:15 p.m. Friday in Nappanee
Coaches: Brian Bechtel (Goshen); Dan Gunn (NorthWood)
Records: Goshen 7-5, 3-0 NLC; NorthWood 5-3, 1-2 NLC
Last Game: Goshen 63, Fairfield 45; Northridge 53, NorthWood 51
Last Year: NorthWood 59, Goshen 49
Matchup: Coming into this game, Goshen is the lone wolf atop the Northern Lakes Conference standings. At 3-0, the Redskins are the only undefeated team in the conference. Jeremiah Gamauf and his 16 points per game lead Goshen. Andrew Hershberger adds 15 ppg and 10 rpg, while Brandon Hughes adds 14 points per game. Rory Clouse, Ryan Bradley and Willy Will try to help get the Panthers back on the winning track. Clouse leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 16 ppg and 6 rpg, while Ryan Bradley adds 15 ppg for the Panthers. Willy Will also scores in double figures with 11 ppg while pulling down 5.0 rpg.
Gunn: "We have played Goshen once before, and I think they have a very talented team. Gamauf, Herschberger and Hughes play well offensively. Their team defense is improving also. Up until the last game, we shot the ball pretty well and that helped us overcome our lack of rebounding. We are good at finding the good shot, and our defense is adequate. We are working harder on our post defense."
Bechtel: "Rory Clouse is an extremely dangerous three-point shooter. Ryan Bradley is an excellent penetrator-creator, and he can shoot the three as well. We will focus on containing those two guys. The keys for us will be a great defensive effort. We do not want to allow them to get the second shot. I think the transition defense will be improtant as well. NorthWood is good at getting the ball and getting down the floor quickly and then scoring quickly. We need to get into the transition as quickly as possible."
