Friday's Finest Faceoffs - 2/20

Once again, Friday night hoops in Indiana is upon us. This second-to-last Friday of the regular season is chock-full of great games, top teams, and outstanding individual performers of note. P-Hoops has picked a Top Ten to focus on, but there are about 25 other match-ups that were worthy of consideration on this great day of basketball across the Hoosier state. Let's take a look at the Top Ten!

1. Bishop Luers (16-3) vs. Warsaw (16-1) - This is one of the toughest tests of the year for Luers, led by junior Deshaun Thomas, the best player in the Hoosier state and an Ohio State recruit. Since losing to Snider, the Knights have rattled off seven consecutive wins, while Thomas went over the 2,000 point mark for his career. Before that, their only losses came to Lawrence North and a top Chicago area team, Curie. Warsaw, led by 5'10 sophomore point guard Nic Moore, will give Luers all they can handle. The Tigers only loss came to the 17-0 Northridge Raiders a month and a half ago, and they have since won eight straight, including an impressive win at Marion. In this game that features the number one team in 2A on the road against the number nine team in 4A, P-Hoops picks the Tigers in overtime. The home crowd, the excitement surrounding the game, and the recent outstanding play of Moore will be enough to put Warsaw over the top.

2. Barr-Reeve (15-3) vs. Vincennes Rivet (15-3) - The Barr-Reeve Vikings are a 1A stalwart who always seem to be in the mix for postseason glory in Indiana's smallest class. They are currently number six in 1A, and have won three games in a row since losing at North Daviess. Coach Brian Hughes, in his seventeenth year at the helm of the Viking ship, always has his boys primed for success. Rivet, the number four ranked team in 1A, have had two consecutive winning seasons, but both ended with losses to the Vikings in Sectional play. They would love nothing more than to get revenge against the team that game them early exits from the Tournament. They are coming off a loss to 2A standout South Knox, but had won four in a row prior to that. P-Hoops will stick with tradition, taking Barr-Reeve on the road, in honor of my friend and Viking alum Keith Wagler.

3. Frankfort (13-5) vs. Tipton (17-2) - Another great match-up of two ranked teams, with the visiting Hot Dogs as the fourteenth ranked team in 3A and the Blue Devils ranked number two in 2A. Frankfort features high-scoring senior forward Stevie Loveless, who is averaging well over twenty points a game. Tipton has a legitimate contender for Mr. Basketball in 6'9 Derek Elston, an IU signee who will likely play immediately upon his arrival in Bloomington. Tipton is almost unbeatable at home, losing only once there this season to Kokomo, so P-Hoops likes the Blue Devils on top.

4. Jac-Cen-Del (16-2) vs. Switzerland County (16-3) - Yet another match-up of smaller class highly ranked teams. The Eagles from Jac-Cen-Del have won nine straight games, rising to number two in the 1A class. They are coming off a forty point win against Rising Sun, a team that beat their opponent much earlier in the season, 53-51. Since then, the class 2A eleventh ranked Pacers from Switzerland County have turned things around, winning seven of their last eight, with their only loss coming to a tough Lawrenceburg squad. The Pacers are hot, and I like them to get a home win tonight.

5. Merrillville (12-5) vs. Valparaiso (15-2) - The Pirates are the only team to beat Munster this season, and are on a run, winning four of five. They are coming of a win in which they totally shut down Chesterton and their stud, sophomore Mitch McGary, holding the Trojans to only 38 points. Merillville has a good big man in 6'8 Jonathon Nwannunu. Valparaiso isn't getting much respect despite their record, finding themselves outside looking in on the 4A rankings. They have won three in a row since losing to Munster. The Vikings should get a big Duneland Conference win at home tonight.

6. Covenant Christian (8-7) vs. Ritter (13-4) - The record belies the reality concerning the Warriors from Covenant. They played most of their games without 6'10 big man, Butler-bound Andrew Smith, who is an absolute beast. He has had multiple games of 20+ points and 20+ rebounds, including a recent 30 point and 28 rebound outing against University. They have won three in a row, including a win over 2A number seven ranked Heritage Christian on the road. Ritter is having their best season in some time, coming off a win at Chatard on Wednesday. They have won four in a row since an embarrassing 35-point loss to Guerin Catholic two weeks ago. The Raiders are hot, but so is Smith, and Ritter does not have the size to counter what the big guy can do. I like Covenant in a tight one.

7. Franklin Central (16-4) vs. Pike (10-6) - The Flashes are having another outstanding season with Mark James at the helm, and they find themselves just outside of the 4A rankings, due to their recent up-and-down play. In their last five, they have three wins sandwiched between losses to Bloomington South and Decatur Central. They rely on the play of Purdue-bound forward Patrick Bade, who goes for around 16 points and seven rebounds a night. Pike has all the talent in the world, but lack of team chemistry and some attitude issues have really sidelined their potential so far. Having sophomore sensation Marquis Teague is always a cause for hope, as he is a top-25 national recruit in the 2011 class. Pike is at home, but they lost to the Flashes once there already in the Marion County Tournament. I like FC to win this one with ball control and patience to offset the Red Devils' athleticism.

8. Ft. Wayne Snider (18-1) vs. Homestead (12-6) - The Panther have only one loss, are ranked number six in 4A, and yet they receive very little talk as a true contender for a 4A State Championship. This lack of respect for Ft. Wayne area schools could prompt them to play with the chip on their shoulder they need to realize their postseason dreams. Snider is led by a trio of great players in Jon Sims, Brad Sneary, and Reggie Hearn, who is playing great of late. Their only loss came to Luers, but they avenged that with a win against the Knights later on. The Spartans have some impressive wins and home court advantage, but if the Panthers play their game, they should come away with a win in their final road game of the year.

9. Howe (13-5) vs. Munice South (11-6) - The Hornets have rebounded nicely since losing two games in two weeks, winning four in a row and clinching the IPSAC title. They may be playing once again without star junior Jordan Manuel, out recently with a hand injury, but they have plenty of firepower outside of the 6'9 standout including sharp-shooting Andre Hampton and point man PJ Boutte. The Rebels have won four in a row as well, with impressive wins over Noblesville and Jay County in that stretch. Overall, they have won eight of ten. Despite a long road trip to this game, I like the visiting team, the Hornets, to get another win as they head towards the Tournament.

10. Carmel (12-5) vs. Terre Haute North (8-11) - The Greyhounds are hot, winning three in a row and five out of six, with impressive wins over Terre Haute South and Zionsville. Carmel is led by 6'5 senior Morgan Newton, a do-it-all forward who is headed to Kentucky to play quarterback for the Wildcats. They also feature one of Indiana's top young prospects in 6'10 freshman AJ Hammons, a recent courtside visitor at IU. The Patriots finally got back in the win column after losing six in a row, prompting first-year head coach Todd Woelfle to bench a few starters, including 6'9 sophomore stud Justin Gant, a Purdue and IU target. North responded with a big win over West Vigo to snap the slide. But the Greyhounds have too much and are playing too well right now. Greyhounds by six on the road.

But the fun doesn't end there! Check out some of the other teams in action tonight that are worth keeping tabs on:

Batesville, Bloomington South, North Central, Danville, Dwenger, Lew Wallace, Mooresville, Heritage Christian, Broad Ripple, Cathedral, LCC, Jeff, Brownsburg, Gary West, Lapel, Leo, Marion, Muncie Central, Munster, New Albany, Anderson, Princeton, Southport, Terre Haute South, Washington, Winchester, and North Montgomery! Check back tomorrow for the finals and recaps of the Top Ten, as well as highlights from some of the notable teams listed here!