On The Court Basketball Previews

COLUMBIA CITY AT WARSAW

Tip-off: 6:15 p.m. Saturday in Warsaw

Coaches: Chris Benedict (Columbia City); Al Rhodes (Warsaw)

Records: Columbia City 1-0; Warsaw 0-1

Last Game: Columbia City 66, Whitko 41; Tippecanoe Valley 59, Warsaw 56

Last Year: Warsaw 38, Columbia City 37

Matchup: Warsaw hit just 20 of 57 field goals and 14 of 26 free throws in a home loss against Tippecanoe Valley. The Tigers dominated inside as far as rebounding and shot opportunities, but they couldn't get their shots to fall. Josh Buck led the Tigers with 21 points, but he scored his points on 8-of-26 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 shooting from the line. Warsaw showed no signs of having a perimeter threat against Valley. Columbia City hit 27 of 34 free throws in its opener against Whitko. Trevor Shively led the Eagles with 16 points, while Bob Dye added 14 and Jon Pettigrew added 11.

Benedict: "They're a solid team year in and year out. They are very sound in what they want to get done. We have to step up our inside defense. We have to fight and scrap, and do whatever we can do. We'd like to carry over some confidence from this win (66-41 over Whitko). We'll play for 32 minutes and see what happens."

Rhodes: "Columbia City has a very deliberate offensive style. It's very difficult to take the basketball away from them, at least we haven't been able to for the last three years. They play excellent half-court team defense."

MANCHESTER AT WABASH

Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Wabash

Coaches: Gary Goshert (Manchester); Mike Noszka (Wabash)

Records: Manchester 0-1; Wabash 0-1

Last Game: Mississinewa 65, Manchester 35; North Miami 75, Wabash 67

Last Year: Manchester 91, Wabash 33

Matchup: Four of Wabash's five starters return from last year's 0-21 team. The returners are 6-3 senior forward Greg Ripple (20 ppg, 7 rpg), 6-1 senior guard Pete Lundy (11.5 ppg, 5 rpg) and 5-9 junior guard Jeremy Landis (11 ppg, 4 apg). Also back is 6-4 center Braden Nordman, who was injured last year.

Goshert:Ê"I expect Wabash to be one of the most improved teams in the state. I don't think they graduated anybody and they have a lot of youth back with quality experience. They should have a pretty good season, and I think they are ready to have some success. Wabash should be a good team in their conference and a good team in their sectional play. I think our depth will be a big plus for us."

Noszka: "Our half-court defense will be a strength this year. Offensively, we have the ability to inisde and outside. Manchester has a strong tradition. We don't. Those are the teams we have to start beating. We know Manchester will try to press us defensively in half-court situations.

HOMESTEAD AT WHITKO

Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. Saturday in South Whitley

Coaches: Chris Johnson (Homestead); Steve Pickett (Whitko)

Records: Homstead 0-1, Whitko 0-1

Last Game: Columbia City 66, Whitko 41; Harding 73, Homestead 72

Last Year: Homestead 68, Whitko 59

Matchup: With eight of 10 players back from last season, Homestead is an experienced team. Look for Eric Morton, Nick Ankenbruck, Justin Furniss, Kyle Cleaver and Mike Rhinehart to start for the Spartans.

Johnson:Ê"The only base I have is last year. Coach Pickett does a good job, and he always has his team prepared. Mostly we are working on team chemistry, especially defensively. Most games are going to be one with defense."

Pickett: "(After 66-41 loss to Columbia City) it doesn't get any easier. Homestead is big with Rhinehart and Cleaver. Sophomore Eric Morton is good, he can handle the ball and score. They are more than just a team with height. We're more concerned with us right now than we are Homestead."

WAWASEE AT ANGOLA

Tip-off: 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Angola

Coaches: Phil Mishler (Wawasee); Jim Speicher (Angola)

Records: Wawasee 1-0; Angola 0-1

Last Game: Wawasee 62, Fairfield 58; Hamilton 80, Angola 74

Last Year: Angola 73, Wawasee 67

Matchup: Wawasee got a boost Tuesday night with a 62-58 win over Fairfield. The Warriors stress a balanced attack, and all 11 Warrior players saw significant court time in the game. Ten of Wawasee's 11 players saw the court in the first quarter, and nine of 11 playes scored in the game. Against Fairfield, senior center Andrew Packer led Wawasee with a double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds), while Scott Beasley and Brian Adkins added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Angola returns everybody from an 11-10 team, and fifth-year coach Jim Speicher believes this has the potential to be his best team yet. Speicher previously coached an Angola team with Division I player Charlie Wills (Wisconsin). The returners include starters in 5-9 point guard Dan Grill (8 ppg), 5-11 shooting guard Stacy Martin (8 ppg), 6-4 forward Chase Verba (11.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg), 6-1 forward Kyle Dygert (8 ppg) and 6-2 center David Pentico (9 ppg).

Mishler: "We are going to go watch Angola Wednesday. I know they have a lot of people back, and they are one of the stronger teams in our sectional. I think this will be a good game to help us get ready for the sectional. Our philosophy is to do what we can do and do it as well as we can. We wan to be a class act all the time."

Speicher:Ê"We'd like to play, run the floor and press because we feel like we have a lot of depth. We try to get teams into a style of play that allows our depth to be a factor. We feel this does have the potential to be on of our better teams. We're not as big as we'd like to be, but we're by far more athletic than any team I've had here before. We have a lot of interchangeable parts, players who can play guard and forward and players who can play forward and center. ... When (former Wawasee) coach (Robb) Berger was there, he had a specific style he liked to play with a 2-2-1 full-court press and a very aggressive 2-3 zone. Now it seems like they are playing more man-to-man defense."