Birds will travel to Covington thurs night for a match up with the Dogs.

 

Highlands comes in 9-11 after a win over Seven Hills, OH.

 

Holmes comes in 15-7 after a win over Dixie.

 

Could be a trap game for the Dogs coming off the big win over Dixie.

 

Thoughts?

If Highlands can slow the game down and use their size with Stewart and Towles on the block they may have a chance. I would expect them to come out in a zone and make the Dogs shoot from the outside.

 

I also dont expect Stewart to log all 32 minutes. I would think he may play 20-23 in this game. If the Birds can win the rebounding advantage and hope the Dogs are not hitting from the outside they have a very good chance.

Holmes by 15

I'm with Q in thinking this will be a good game....IF Highlands can slow it down.

 

In an uptempo game, Holmes runs away with this one easily. Regardless of the tempo, I do think the Highlands guards will struggle with Gray, Hayes, and Palmer. Birds will have nobody that can check Gray and keep up with his quickness off the dribble.

 

Knox v Towles and Peterson v Towles should be a lot of fun to watch.

 

If Stewart doesn't keep Rice off the boards, it could be a long night for the Birds.

 

I'm going with the following:

 

Holmes: 63

Highlands 52

Holmes by 10.

Potential trap game or not, it will take a little time for Highlands to gel with Stewart coming back into the fold. I am going with Holmes by 12.

Holmes by 13

Holmes by 15

As unimportant as this game is in the grand scheme of things, it's still wildly interesting to ponder how it will play out, and still feels important on various levels. Will the Bulldogs continue where they left off with Dixie in playing at a high level? This game could demonstrate to us Holmes' level of consistency. Can Highlands be effective in slowing them down? Will Stewart be a factor on the boards where he'll be severely needed or will the Birds look beyond this game to post season where Stewart's services are more critical? For this game to be his 2nd game back, what a back breaker (no pun intended) it is to have to go up against a team like the Bulldogs. Saving him a little for later is way more important than risking all in this game. I'm imagining that Highlands will be very careful with regard to that. I'm kinda envisioning a game that cannot yet show us everything we'd like to know, such as if Highlands has a chance at a late season run considering Stewart is back. Still obviously that knowledge will take a little more time to surface as he gets stronger and the team chemistry with him in the lineup is redeveloped. I'm thinking that with all things considered the Bulldogs should have at least a 10-12 points edge in game that starts out a little closer than the final margin. Still think that the Bulldogs quickness and better shooting finesse trumps the Birds inconsistent ability to score the ball. O.K.... I take my first point spread back, I'm starting to see a lopsided affair with the Bulldogs running away with in and the Birds running out of gas after playing their hearts out the best they can. Bulldogs by 17 but since I really don't know :idunno: it still feels like a game not to be missed.