Highlands vs Newport Central Catholic

Who wins and why?

NCC will squeak out a win. Their experience on the floor and I give the coaching advantage to the Thoroughbreds.

Breds by 10

This on could get interesting. Nobody expects the Birds to win so the pressure is all on NCC.

Advantages

Crowd = Birds

Bigs = Birds

Guards = Breds by a huge margin

Bench = Coin flip IMO

Keys To The Game:

Birds: The bigs have to have a huge game. The guards have to play really good (unfortunately no leadership) in this department. IMO, the bench will have come up huge in this one. Meaning frosh Vinson to have a big game and need JR Leigh to knock down some shots. Turnovers are key for the Birds. They have to stop having so many of them. Someone on that team will have to step up and have a breakout game if they want to get this win. Birds need to find someone that can play both offense and defense consistently.

NCC: They need to get the Birds bigs in foul trouble. If they do, GAME OVER and NCC wins by 20+. The guards need to do what they've done all year and continue to cause havoc. They have a huge advantage over the Birds in this department but they will have to find a way to deal with the Birds overall size advantage. Is Posey still out or is he playing now?

No doubt NCC is a 10 pt favorite in this one BUT I wouldn't be shocked if the Birds catch lightening in a bottle with having a home game.

NCC by 15.

Highlands is horrible.

NCC by 15.

Highlands is horrible.

:laugh:

If Highlands beats NewCath and Bellevue upsets Newport, that would mean Bellevue and Highlands both go to regionals. Bellevue is playing good basketball and should give Newport a game tonight.

Predictions: NewCath 52, Highlands 50. Newport 49, Bellevue 45.

This on could get interesting. Nobody expects the Birds to win so the pressure is all on NCC.

 

Advantages

 

Crowd = Birds

Bigs = Birds

Guards = Breds by a huge margin

Bench = Coin flip IMO

 

Keys To The Game:

Birds: The bigs have to have a huge game. The guards have to play really good (unfortunately no leadership) in this department. IMO, the bench will have come up huge in this one. Meaning frosh Vinson to have a big game and need JR Leigh to knock down some shots. Turnovers are key for the Birds. They have to stop having so many of them. Someone on that team will have to step up and have a breakout game if they want to get this win. Birds need to find someone that can play both offense and defense consistently.

 

NCC: They need to get the Birds bigs in foul trouble. If they do, GAME OVER and NCC wins by 20+. The guards need to do what they've done all year and continue to cause havoc. They have a huge advantage over the Birds in this department but they will have to find a way to deal with the Birds overall size advantage. Is Posey still out or is he playing now?

 

No doubt NCC is a 10 pt favorite in this one BUT I wouldn't be shocked if the Birds catch lightening in a bottle with having a home game.

1. No leadership at the guard position?

2. Have Birds "bigs" done much this year?

1. Zero leadership is putting it nicely

2. Our main big was out most of the year recovering from a broke leg (Sisson)