Dogs and Colonels meet Thursday night at Evans Fieldhouse for the 35th district championship.

 

Holmes comes in with a 20-10 record after beating Beechwood 83-78.

 

Covcath comes in 18-10 after beating Holy Cross 70-56.

 

Holmes won the regular season meeting 64-60 at Covcath.

 

This will be the 10th time these two have met in the district championship since 2000.

 

Thoughts?

If CovCath shoots the way they did last night they could win easily. If Holmes shoots from 3 the way they did last night they could win easily. I am not banking on either one happening. As it is I am going with the home team in a close one. Holmes 63 CovCath 57

I think Holmes size and athleticism at the guard position will give CovCath problems. CCH struggled against the Holy Cross press, when Holy Cross was able to set it up. HC didn't score enough in the first two quarters to press, so CCH was able to mount a nice lead. I think Holmes will be able to score on CCH, especially if they make outside shots like last night. This will allow them to press and create enough turnovers to win the game. Holmes 68-CCH 61.

This comes down to CCH's ability to get the ball in the half court offense and dump it down low to Baker and Thelen. They do that they will win, if they turn it over as they did last night. Holmes will win by 6-8 points. I believe Gray and Hayes will dictate the outcome. Holmes by 6. I wouldn't bet a dollar on it either way, though.

Cov Cath in an upset 66-64...I'm banking that Baker and Connelly can put together another good game to go along with Thelen. I was very impressed with Baker last night.

I'm with you guys in that Holmes has to apply pressure to win this game. It won't be their press that gives Covcath trouble though...it will be their tough trapping half court defense.

 

Holmes must come out and set the tone early. Attack the rim and force the CCH bigs to play defense.

 

Both teams are going to make their runs...whoever has the last one though, wins.

 

I'm going with the Dogs at home. They really get up for these big games.

 

Holmes- 62

Covcath- 60

 

Hayes or Gray step up and hit a big shot to seal it down the stretch.

Cov Cath in an upset 66-64...I'm banking that Baker and Connelly can put together another good game to go along with Thelen. I was very impressed with Baker last night.

 

Covcath winning wouldn't be an upset IMO...especially considering Holmes is without Mayfield and Peterson...two guys that really stepped up in the first meeting.

Cov Cath beating the Dogs at Holmes after they already lost to the dogs at home earlier wouldn't be called an upset? - I agree that it wouldn't be a HUGE upset but come on Walter Holmes doesn't lose at home very often.

Cov. Cath. needs to figure out a way to drastically reduce the turnovers. Soft passes are going to be picked off or swatted away. On paper, it looks like the Colonels should prevail. But, it has been awhile since the Colonels beat the Bulldogs. A cautious and slight nod to Cov. Cath. to break the streak. Given Holmes' recent success against Cov. Cath., if the Dogs were to win, I would be hard pressed to refer to it as an upset.

I'm with you guys in that Holmes has to apply pressure to win this game. It won't be their press that gives Covcath trouble though...it will be their tough trapping half court defense.

 

H.

 

BINGO!

As I said in another thread this is a toss up.

 

If CCH plays zone it is IMPERATIVE that they find a body to block out instead of turning and going to the rim.

 

CCH is going to have turnovers. That's just how they roll. The question then is what "type" of turnovers will they have. Will it be the turnovers that lead to breakouts for the Dogs or turnovers that allow CCH to get back and play D. If they get a lot of the latter AND if they find a body to block out they'll win.

CCH cannot allow Holmes to hit 13 - 3 pointers as they did against BW - if that happens they have no chance of winning. Mixing up their defenses and not sitting back in a 2-3 zone could be a solution to slow the Dogs.

Cov Cath beating the Dogs at Holmes after they already lost to the dogs at home earlier wouldn't be called an upset? - I agree that it wouldn't be a HUGE upset but come on Walter Holmes doesn't lose at home very often.

 

Again, considering Holmes will be without two big contributors from the first meeting, I wouldn't consider it an upset.

Again, considering Holmes will be without two big contributors from the first meeting, I wouldn't consider it an upset.

 

Campbell Co and NCC got them at Holmes this year, but they are tough there.

Again, considering Holmes will be without two big contributors from the first meeting, I wouldn't consider it an upset.

 

Hayes and who?