By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
For the second time in as many seasons, Hopkins County Central and Madisonville-North Hopkins will enter the 7th District Boys' Basketball Tournament Championship with county pride and regional impact on the line.
The Storm (21-8) will take on the Maroons (11-11) at 7:45 p.m. today at Caldwell County High School. The schools split two regular season contests.
Central won the first game 66-62 at Maroon Gym on Jan. 20 and North claimed the rematch 79-78 in double overtime on the road on Feb. 14.
Both teams enter the district championship after large victories in the first round.
On Monday, the Storm defeated Dawson Springs 84-59 behind the solid performances of its two big men, Dan Croft and Chuck Jones. Croft, a 6-9 junior, recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds while Jones, a 6-9 senior, tallied a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Central coach Matt Bell said the duo's success allows their teammates to feed from the energy.
"I think it's always good because not only do you feel good about yourself, you feel good about your teammates," he said. "That helps you play a lot better."
The Storm (21-8) will take on the Maroons (11-11) at 7:45 p.m. today at Caldwell County High School. The schools split two regular season contests.
Central won the first game 66-62 at Maroon Gym on Jan. 20 and North claimed the rematch 79-78 in double overtime on the road on Feb. 14.
Both teams enter the district championship after large victories in the first round.
On Monday, the Storm defeated Dawson Springs 84-59 behind the solid performances of its two big men, Dan Croft and Chuck Jones. Croft, a 6-9 junior, recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds while Jones, a 6-9 senior, tallied a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Central coach Matt Bell said the duo's success allows their teammates to feed from the energy.
"I think it's always good because not only do you feel good about yourself, you feel good about your teammates," he said. "That helps you play a lot better."
The Maroons do not have quite the same size as Central, but the team does have a handful of players who will be called upon to minimize Croft and Jones' impact.
"We have to do the things that are fundamentally sound," Cline said. "We have to defend with intensity and block out with physicality. Those guys are going to run the floor hard, they're going to post hard and they're going to go to the glass hard. Those are things that we obviously have to do to combat that as far as size goes."
Bell and the Central staff were on hand during North's first-round matchup with host Caldwell County on Tuesday evening. The Tigers trailed just six points at the end of the first quarter, but the Maroons then opened up the game and eventually won 98-47.
"We were just looking for some player tendencies," Bell said of his observations of the game. "We know what they do and they know what we do, it's just going to be a matter of who's going to execute and takes care of business."
Bell said North did a good job of taking away the ball on defense and minimizing easy buckets as the game advanced, allowing for the Maroons to build a large lead.
Like Bell experienced on Monday, North's sizable advantage provided Cline with a perfect opportunity to give his reserves some quality minutes on the floor.
"It gives them tremendous confidence to get that district tournament experience," Cline said of the bench. "I think coach Bell would say the same thing. He had an opportunity to get his bench some time and get experience, take the pressure of them."
In fact, bench play could prove to be the difference maker between the two teams on Thursday.
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"They're deeper than us on the bench, but it's going to be a matter of whose bench actually comes in and gets better minutes," Bell said.
Central's bench experienced a blow last week when sharpshooter Josh Riley broke his arm at home.
Even without Riley, Cline said if his team can stop first options Croft or Jones, the Storm have other offensive weapons.
"If they were a one or two-person team, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion," he said. "They're a good team and they play well together and that's what makes them so good. They share the basketball. We can't just focus on trying to take one thing away. We have to play team defense and team rebound."
Neither coach felt comfortable predicting the outcome of Thursday's contest, but like the fans, they certainly felt the excitement and buzz that is building.
"I know there's an anxiety to get out there and play your best and to leave it all out there on the floor and the chips will fall where they may as long as you leave your best effort out there," Cline said. "Everybody is a little bit anxious to get to that point and that's a good feeling."
"We have to do the things that are fundamentally sound," Cline said. "We have to defend with intensity and block out with physicality. Those guys are going to run the floor hard, they're going to post hard and they're going to go to the glass hard. Those are things that we obviously have to do to combat that as far as size goes."
Bell and the Central staff were on hand during North's first-round matchup with host Caldwell County on Tuesday evening. The Tigers trailed just six points at the end of the first quarter, but the Maroons then opened up the game and eventually won 98-47.
"We were just looking for some player tendencies," Bell said of his observations of the game. "We know what they do and they know what we do, it's just going to be a matter of who's going to execute and takes care of business."
Bell said North did a good job of taking away the ball on defense and minimizing easy buckets as the game advanced, allowing for the Maroons to build a large lead.
Like Bell experienced on Monday, North's sizable advantage provided Cline with a perfect opportunity to give his reserves some quality minutes on the floor.
"It gives them tremendous confidence to get that district tournament experience," Cline said of the bench. "I think coach Bell would say the same thing. He had an opportunity to get his bench some time and get experience, take the pressure of them."
In fact, bench play could prove to be the difference maker between the two teams on Thursday.
See Title/Page B2
"They're deeper than us on the bench, but it's going to be a matter of whose bench actually comes in and gets better minutes," Bell said.
Central's bench experienced a blow last week when sharpshooter Josh Riley broke his arm at home.
Even without Riley, Cline said if his team can stop first options Croft or Jones, the Storm have other offensive weapons.
"If they were a one or two-person team, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion," he said. "They're a good team and they play well together and that's what makes them so good. They share the basketball. We can't just focus on trying to take one thing away. We have to play team defense and team rebound."
Neither coach felt comfortable predicting the outcome of Thursday's contest, but like the fans, they certainly felt the excitement and buzz that is building.
"I know there's an anxiety to get out there and play your best and to leave it all out there on the floor and the chips will fall where they may as long as you leave your best effort out there," Cline said. "Everybody is a little bit anxious to get to that point and that's a good feeling."
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