Outside the Huddle and your favorite cartoon frog Bounce is breaking down each regional involving area teams coming up on Saturday.
We continue today with Class 3A as Leo seeks a regional title at New Castle.
NORTHWOOD (15-8) vs. NEW CASTLE (9-15), 10 A.M.
New Castle enters the weekend as the lone sub-.500 team left in Class 3A, and it gets to play in its home confines this weekend. Will that be enough to potentially upset NorthWood? Prior to its three-game winning streak that included a sectional title with upsets over Delta and Hamilton Heights, the Trojans had lost seven straight games. Leading the way has been senior Cole McDaniel, who is a sniper from three and hits on 83 percent of his free throws.
Meanwhile, NorthWood is a largely young group with sophomores and juniors carrying the majority of the scoring load. Defense is the name of the game for the Panthers, who have held their last six opponents to 51 or less points.
BOUNCE PICKS NEW CASTLE
MISSISSINEWA (17-8) vs. LEO (21-4), NOON
Mississinewa’s first sectional title in 67 years has Gas City prepping for regional hoops this Saturday. The support for Mississinewa will be huge at New Castle Fieldhouse due to the proximity and the hype around advancing this deep into the playoffs for the first time since Dwight D. Eisenhower was president.
The Indians can play innumerable styles – from stall ball to up-tempo. They aren’t the greatest three-point shooting team but senior Landen Swanner is a threat to get hot. Mississinewa has some bodies inside, but Leo should have the advantage in the post.
The Lions have never won a regional title, but are back for the second straight time attempting to capture one. While Coach Cary Cogdell’s team at times looked shaky in the sectional, this is a squad that this is it, it is built to win NOW, not next year.
Look for Leo to try to establish the post and grind down Mississinewa over the course of 32 minutes.
BOUNCE PICKS LEO
FINALS, 7:30 P.M.
Leo will have to overcome a big, hostile crowd in the semis, can it do it again in the finals as New Castle plays on its home floor?
The Lions have been that team that many in the area have ignored, thanks to Homestead and Blackhawk Christian. Yet this Leo team is so good at so many things. While the offense has had its moments, Bounce feels the defense shines on Saturday. It gets stops in the morning game to win, and does the same late to beat New Castle and capture the program’s first-ever regional crown.
BOUNCE PICKS LEO
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Blake Davison, Leo: Regionals favors the team that has hot shooters right off the tip. Davison is capable of being that player for the Lions. His three-point shooting is deadly, but he can also pull up in the mid-range while also getting to the line and knocking down free throws. Leo needs to win two games against teams that are fine making things ugly. Davison thrives in such situations.
Tai McClung, Mississinewa: The senior was held to just five points in the sectional final against Norwell, but one game before, he dropped 26 on 8-of-9 shooting. McClung does his work in transition and in the paint. He is not a three-point threat, but he could cause match-up problems with his quickness inside.
Cole McDaniel, New Castle: McDaniel is everything for the Trojans. He is their leading three-point shooter, has the best free throw percentage on the team and has exceptional court vision. Physically, he is not intimidating at barely 150 pounds, but he is a blue-collar player who can hurt you if you do not respect his skill set.
These opinions represent those of Bounce and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Bounce on Twitter at Bounce_OTH
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