Marion County Tournament Tips Tomorrow

The annual Marion County Tournament, tipping off tomorrow evening, is full of great games. Many top teams and star players will be in action. Here's a look at a few of the best games, as well as some other games for Tuesday, January 10th.

Roncalli (9-0) vs. Warren Central (8-2)

Perhaps the top game of the first round pits some great big men against each other. The Rebels are undefeated and the only team to have beaten Park Tudor thus far. Led by a pair of 6'7 big men in Ryan Weber and David Heckman, Roncalli has size and strength to go along with their disciplined playing style. The Warriors counter with 6'6 junior forward Devin Davis, an IU recruit who has been playing his best ball as of late, including a 27 point, nine rebound game against Lawrence North. They also have 6'8 center Brent Calhoun, who will hope to slow down the Rebel inside attack. Should be a great game. Look for the Warriors' pressure to play a factor in the outcome of this one, depending on effectiveness.

Lawrence North (3-4) vs. Park Tudor (10-1)

The Wildcats are the poster-children for underachievement so far this season. Can they get back on track against one of the state's best? Senior guards Eron Harris and Petey Balls, along with 6'7 junior wing Basil Smotherman, are all D1 players for LN. The expectation for the Wildcats are high with reason. A string of tough losses could be overcome with this one win, but it won't be easy. The Panthers have a stable of talent and a laundry list of impressive wins, most notably a recent win on the road versus North Central. Senior IU-bound point guard Yogi Ferrell is the engine that makes the Park car go, and there are quality pieces galore. D1 level players include senior Paul Bayt and sophomores Trevon Bluiett and Troy Spears, and seniors J.B. Rapp and Brandon Tannenbaum aren't slouches, either. The Park Tudor suffocating 2-3 zone defense will likely be highly effective as well, since the Wildcats have struggled with the deep ball. Could be yet another statement win for the tops in 2A.

Other first round Marion County Tournament games include:

Ben Davis vs. Speedway - The Wills brothers should be able to withstand a Sparkplug attack led by 6'4 sophomore Justin Brent.

Pike vs. Beech Grove - All prayers go out to Beech Grove coach Matt English in his battle with cancer. His Hornets will have to play the game of the season to hang with R.J. Hunter, Zavier Turner, Johntae Alexander, and the rest of the Red Devils.

Brebeuf Jesuit vs. Franklin Central - An intriguing match up featuring the Braves high scoring sophomore point guard P.J. Thompson.

North Central vs. Indianapolis Lutheran - I simply feel bad for the Saints as North Central will be in AVENGE mode after a disappointing loss to Ben Davis. Will Ronnie Johnson still be in Doug Mitchell's dog house?

Southport vs. Perry Meridian - Seniors Michael Ramey and Kellon Thomas have scored a lot for the Cardinals this year, but help has been lacking. Perry has struggled to two wins so far, so this could be a momentum builder for both teams.

Lawrence Central vs. Decatur Central - The Bears have exceeded the expectations of many on their way to a 6-2 record, including wins over HSE and Bloomington South. Jeremy Hollowell and crew should be to much for Diamond Seltzer and the Hawks.

* Tuesday is also the start of the Southern Indiana Conference Tournament, and features great games like Bosse-Memorial and Harrison-Reitz.

* Also in action on Tuesday is Lake Station (6-2) vs. Bowman Acadeny (5-5), and LaPorte LaLumiere is in action as well.