North Oldham vs. St. Xavier Predictions/Updates

[ColonelMike]

WHO:   North Oldham Mustangs vs. St. X Tigers

WHEN:  Monday, 3/8/21

WHERE:  North Oldham HS; Goshen, KY

BROADCAST:   Free live video coverage begins at 7 pm ET on www.pegasussportsky.com

Should be an interesting matchup.     St. X is having a spectacular year, with victories over quality teams like Lincoln County, Trinity (twice), Conner, Bullitt East, and Seneca.   The Tigers have played a brutal schedule that has included two games with Trinity, two with DeSales, and contests against CovCath, Boyle County, and Highlands.

North has been beseiged by youth, COVID, and bad weather, and is just now getting their legs under them as they've managed to get in four games in the last week and a half.   But the Mustangs - who were pre-season picked #2 in the 8th Region - are beginning to show some of that promise that had people predicting big things for them.   A 61-36 win over North Hardin in their last game, and an 82-70 upset win on the road over Simon Kenton have started to show that brighter things are on the horizon for North.

Who to watch:
For St. X - It will be interesting to see how North handles Ayden Mudd on the interior, but the Mustangs most certainly cannot allow guard Ben Varga (18.6 ppg) to get loose.   The senior guard has already made 89 threes on the season, while hitting over 44% beyond the arc    He's capable of lighting the scoreboard up at any time.

For North - Sophomore Dallas Roberts is starting varsity for the third straight year, and for the second time in his career is leading North in scoring at just under 21 ppg.   One of the elite free throw shooters in the state, Roberts was hitting 92% of his freebies (46 of 50) until having an uncharacteristic 1 of 5 night against North Hardin    Roberts is an excellent perimeter shooter, but uses his frame well on drives to the basket, showing incredible body control and balance.

I'll try to post updates as I can during the broadcast.

CM

[Tigerpride94]

I’ll take St. X in this one. St. X playing well right now.

[ConverseAllStar]

29 minutes ago, Tigerpride94 said:

I’ll take St. X in this one. St. X playing well right now.

Agreed. North Oldham hasn’t beaten a team of St. X’s caliber this year. 

[ColonelMike]

St X seems to be trending upward after a strong run in the LIT, before ultimately being bounced by eventual champ DeSales....

North looking for the trampoline effect a win over a top-tier program would give them heading into the post-season.

[ColonelMike]

I'll try to send some updates as I can during the game.

Seems harder to do this this season.    The officials are not calling as many fouls as in prior years, and I seem to be having difficulty finding opportunities to blast out updates during the game.

I'm seeing a LOT of games with teams shooting less than 10 FTs - something that would have been a rarity in the past.

[ColonelMike]

20 minutes to pregame......

[ColonelMike]

end of one

St. X 16

North Oldham 10

[ColonelMike]

HALF

St. X 24

North Oldham 19

[Tigerpride94]

NO has done good job limiting Ben Varga. I’ll be surprised if doesn’t hit a couple threes in 2nd half. I thought Micah Carter has given them good minutes. Looks to be a entertaining 2nd half.

[ColonelMike]

Defenses ruling this one so far.

North shooting just 28.6%

The Tigers unable to get Varga going so far - 2 points at the half.

 

[ColonelMike]

end of three

St. X 40

North Oldham 29

 

[ColonelMike]

A three by Rico Carr-Cole brings North to within 7 at 44-37. 

St. X timeout with 4:53 to play

 

[ColonelMike]

FINAL

St. X 57

North Oldham 39

Mustangs held to 39 points for the second straight game (Bowling Green, St. X)

Ben Varga with only 4 points for X, but Calvin Schubert leads Tigers with 13

[ColonelMike]

Dallas Roberts and Ian Higdon with 10 for North.