Each week, Bounce will pick the results of a handful of the best girls games and handful of the best boys games in the area.
As we start to wind down the girls season and go full gear into the second half of the boys season, who can claim critical momentum wins this week?
LAST WEEK: 8-2
OVERALL THIS SEASON: 51-35
GIRLS
EASTSIDE VS. FAIRFIELD, MONDAY
A bonus pick this week with the NECC Tournament title game. These two teams just met and the question is: are the two teams close like the final score indicated or is Fairfield as far ahead as the early part of the game made it seem like it would be. The Falcons and Blazers are both very balanced with neither team having just one “go to” player. Lily Kreischer (12.8) and Eva Herbert (12.6) are two of the top scorers in the NECC and this could be a really great game. In the end, I don’t think it ends differently than the first one. BOUNCE PICKS FAIRFIELD
WHITKO AT WAYNE, TUESDAY
Whitko has had a tremendous season and a win against a SAC team, even a fifth place SAC team would be great for them. That said, Wayne is far from a slouch and they have the inside and outside work to make waves any given night. Sydney Gorman is a lights out shooter and she can really turn the tide any night. As Kloe Krieg approaches 1,000 career points for Whitko, the battle of these two will set the tone. BOUNCE PICKS WHITKO
HOMESTEAD AT WARSAW, TUESDAY
Warsaw had the hottest shooting game in recent Tiger memory last week and they run up against a team that equally has multiple high scoring options. This is really a game of who can get going first but the way that Gabby Helsom and Myah Epps have both been scoring for the Spartans has been special and they were minutes away from a SAC title just last Friday. This is likely the game of the week because both teams could really shine. BOUNCE PICKS HOMESTEAD
FREMONT AT WOODLAN, WEDNESDAY
Woodlan reached another ACAC Tournament title game last weekend and sadly, their inability this season to string together long winning streaks has made people underestimate them. Fremont is on the rise, Woodlan is holding solid. That is where we look heading into the final weeks of the season. This is another one of those games where Bounce thinks home court matters. BOUNCE PICKS WOODLAN
CENTRAL NOBLE AT EASTSIDE, FRIDAY
A big battle in the NECC, though at this point it would be hard to catch Fairfield for the title. So this is a big game where second place in the conference could be on the line and more importantly both teams want a win on a possible postseason opponent. BOUNCE PICKS EASTSIDE
NORTHRIDGE AT SNIDER, SATURDAY
The 18-2 Northridge team comes to Fort Wayne for a fun weekend battle. Northridge has been practically unbeatable, Snider has been practically unbeatable. The drive languishes one team here and Snider is in a great place mentally after last week’s win over Homestead. BOUNCE PICKS SNIDER
BOYS
ANGOLA VS. FAIRFIELD, MONDAY
The NECC title game that maybe we didn’t expect? Angola had a great week to get to this final game while Fairfield was just dominant in so many ways. If you are the Hornets, you want this to be one of those games where you slow it down significantly and try to keep the score low. Easier said than done against a high volume Fairfield team. Let’s see if Mitchell Miller can keep up his NECC Tournament rabid pace after a few days off. BOUNCE PICKS FAIRIFIELD
COLUMBIA CITY AT HOMESTEAD, TUESDAY
If it stays close, it belongs to Columbia City. There, I said it. Who beats the Eagles in late game situations? Seems like nobody. Homestead is really getting going now in many ways and coming off a Wyatt Weaver 32 point game and coach Chris Johnson’s 500th win, the momentum for the Spartans is huge. On the other side, Matt Mulligan has been one of the top players in Northeast Indiana the last few weeks and it has been loud. BOUNCE PICKS HOMESTEAD
CONCORDIA AT NEW HAVEN, TUESDAY
The rise lately of the Cadets combined with what I am told will be the return game of Ajani Washington makes this one a must see early in the week. And well, we all know where Washington played last year so this is an important game mentally for both side. Concordia showed in a win over Leo that they can really shoot the ball well and New Haven has to hope that doesn’t happen. The Bulldogs need to prevent going completely away from the guys who stepped up in Washington’s absence, while balancing making sure one of the area’s most prolific scorers still gets his shots. BOUNCE PICKS NEW HAVEN
BELLMONT AT HUNTINGTON NORTH, FRIDAY
Another big one in the NE8 after the Braves’ massive win over then first place Norwell last week. They now sit in a four way tie at the top of the conference while Huntington North is down in seventh, but the Vikings hot shooting in that one conference win against East Noble says they are never out of the game. Bellmont’s Barstool on X may be soft and don’t like Bounce right now, but this basketball team is the real deal and Jack Scheumann could go crazy here. BOUNCE PICKS BELLMONT
WESTVIEW AT FAIRFIELD, FRIDAY
Fairfield has the chance to win a NECC Tournament title this week and also take a major step towards a NECC regular season title. Westview has every intention to play spoiler if they can start faster than they did in their tournament meeting with Fairfield. The question is will they be able to control that or will the fundamental Fairfield defense determine how this game starts and finishes. BOUNCE PICKS FAIRFIELD
EAST NOBLE AT LEO, SATURDAY
With just one loss each in the NE8, both of these teams are very much in the conversation for the title, but a second loss would significantly derail those hopes. East Noble has lost three in a row and delayed game due to weather means there is another big gap (14 days off) in between their games; that hurts. Leo got back on track after a three game skid of their own and if their ball movement can keep East Noble discombobulated and Landon Ruoff and/or Brock Schott can clamp down the inside, this is their’s to win. BOUNCE PICKS LEO
ADAMS CENTRAL AT MANCHESTER, SATURDAY
Nobody in the area is hotter than Adams Central right now, but this is a unique test for them as they make the trip to face Gavin Betten and Manchester. While Betten versus Schultz will be worth the price of admission, you have to look at the guard play to see how this game is paced. Micah McClure is so very good right now. BOUNCE PICKS ADAMS CENTRAL
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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