You want to decide the Northeast 8? Well wait. But get a jump start on Saturday night because the Leo Lions are visiting The Castle in Ossian with major conference implications.
THREE STORYLINES
1. CONFERENCE TITLE LEAD
While New Haven is still very much in the race, this is the first truly big game at the front of the Northeast 8 this season. The winner of this game doesn’t have the lead record wise, but takes a big step ahead as being the team to beat for a conference title. We knew the top end of the Northeast 8 would be loaded and after Leo’s quality wins and Norwell’s long unbeaten start, this has to be the game of priority in the conference as of today.
2. GEIGER’S AVAILABILITY
In Norwell’s first loss of the season at the Mishawaka Marian tournament against the host team, senior Will Geiger left the game late with a hand injury. He did not play in the subsequent win over South Side. There remains hush on Geiger’s status for Saturday’s game with Leo. Nine days of lay off was probably helpful, but that’s not to say the hand injury was even slightly serious since the game he missed was just later that day. Geiger could just as easily be 100 percent as not. Thats the fun of it, isn’t it? The not knowing?
3. TURNS OUT, BLAKE DAVISON CAN DUNK
This has been a season where Leo junior Blake Davison has really elevated his game. He is playing like one could argue he is the best player in the Northeast 8. He is shooting well as usual, but also creating his own shot. On Tuesday in a win over Canterbury, he also rose up on the fast break to put down a dunk. #ApparentlyBlakeDavisonCanDunk
FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH
DJ ALLEN, LEO
As the Lions have tried to figure out their offensive hierarchy, it is Allen that has unsurprisingly stepped up as the number two guy. He put in a game high 19 points with eight rebounds on Tuesday in a win over Canterbury. He is heavy at the basket and is expanding his range as well.
LUKE MCBRIDE, NORWELL
McBride stepped up in Geiger’s one game absence, but that is nothing new. A great shooter, sure. But his confidence is rising every game and he was a pretty confident player to begin with. This is the biggest game in the young career of the coach’s son and all signs point to him being able to deliver.
ERIC STEGER, LEO
Especially as Davison is expanding his game, Steger has needed to jump into a variety of roles. His court vision is getting better and that makes him a willing and quality facilitator.
DREW FEDERSPIEL, NORWELL
As a senior, Federspiel has really joined in with Connor Torson as stepping up to lead this program. His leadership is going to be critical with or without Geiger in the lineup. Federspiel has been in big games, relied on heavily and that doesn’t change Saturday.
KEYS TO VICTORY – LEO
1. DEFEND BELOW THE BLOCK
Whether it is the supreme length of Zack Troyer, the physicality of DJ Allen or even throwing Landen Livingston’s football body down low for a couple of possessions, Leo has to stop Norwell at the rim. So far, that is far easier said than done. With Will Geiger below the block, he has been a monster minus the zone that Mishawka Marian was able to throw out. So what will Leo do to defend down low.
2. FIND OPEN SHOTS
The Lions shot the ball 71 times in their blowout over Canterbury. Every single player, yes all 13 of them, got to put up a shot. If that isn’t depth, what is? Don’t expect that to happen against Norwell, but the Lions have plenty of quality shooters if they can get their ball rotation down against the long and efficient Norwell defense. Watch for Davison, Steger, Chase Bates, Carson Hart and Andrew Tkacz to all attack from the perimeter.
KEYS TO VICTORY – NORWELL
1. GIVE IT TO GEIGER, IF APPLICABLE
See the top key for Leo. If Will Geiger plays in this game, let him go to work. Geiger in a phenomenal force down low and knows how to work every angle to create at the rim. It is known that Geiger is the force behind Norwell’s offense. But knowing you have to slow him and being able to, they are vastly different things.
2. FEED OFF THE CASTLE
Saturday night in Ossian is often fun. Heck, Tuesday night in Ossian is often fun. With the following that Leo can bring with them, expect The Castle to be rocking. Norwell needs to feed off of that because they are going to have a huge following behind them on the night. Home court advantage is real, if you don’t believe it then visit Norwell this weekend.
BOUNCE’S PREDICTION
This is about as tough as any to pick. There are plenty of intangibles in play and there are plenty of guys on both teams that could make game changing plays and shots. That is a lot of real estate to work with and doesn’t much narrow down the potential for big moments. I could be very wrong, or I could be very right. Bounce picks Norwell
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