Here’s a look ahead at some notable games featuring our teams this week.
Southridge (2-3) at Jasper (3-3), Boys, 7:30 p.m., ThursdayLast Meeting: Jasper won, 66-41, Nov. 23, 2021
1. The wait is almost over, as Jasper and Southridge are set to collide this week. The Wildcats and Raiders were supposed to open the season against each other Nov. 22, but the Raiders still being in football when basketball season was drawing nearer forced the postponement of this game. It’ll be Wildcats coach John Goebel against his predecessor, Tim LaGrange, now the coach of the Raiders.
2. The Wildcats have gotten the better of their county rival so far in the 2020s decade, having taken a 42-33 win on Jan. 18, 2020, rallied for a 49-44 overtime win Jan. 12, 2021 and opened with a 66-41 victory Nov. 23, 2021. The last time the Raiders topped the Wildcats came in a 40-38 game Jan. 12, 2019 at Jasper, and that was their first victory against the Wildcats since the 2012-13 season.
3. Jasper has averaged 54.8 points per game this season, but has seen opponents average 49.5 points against it so far, but though the Wildcats have close losses, all three have come by five points or less. Southridge, meanwhile, has also had some close calls, dropping a 41-40 overtime loss Dec. 9 at South Knox, and showed the very next night what it can do by erasing a 19-point halftime deficit before falling to Pike Central, 56-50.
Pike Central (2-11) at Jasper (2-8), Girls, 7 p.m., TodayLast Meeting: Jasper beat Pike Central, 44-33, Dec. 21, 2021
1. Jasper topped Pike Central by 11 points last year, and that turned out to be the final game the Wildcat girls won in the 2021-22 season, not getting another victory until Nov. 15 this season at Evansville Bosse, and added another two weeks later against North Harrison. The Wildcats are on a five-game skid since then, though they’ve managed to stay in these games and limit opponents defensively.
2. The Wildcats came close to pulling off the upset Saturday against Southridge, only to fall just shy against their county rival. Jasper has held opponents below 50 points in each of its last six games, including opponents under 40 points in each of the last two, but Jasper is still searching for its first in December. The 41.7 points the Wildcats have held opponents to, however, has helped keep them in games.
3. The Wildcats also have their makeup game with rival Vincennes Lincoln scheduled for Wednesday, as the Jasper girls will try to knock off the Alices for the first time since Dec. 6, 2018. They’ll then be off until being scheduled to take part in the Toby Yoho Classic Dec. 29-30 at Easten Greene. Jasper has two games scheduled for Dec. 29, first against host Eastern Greene, then later against Southwestern (Hanover).
Forest Park (12-1) vs. Henderson County (Ky.), Owensboro Sportscenter, Girls, 6:15 p.m. Wednesday1. It’s the second year in a row the Forest Park girls will be making their way to Kentucky, having topped McLean County, 60-21, Dec. 21, 2021 during last year’s state championship season. The Rangers entered that game after a loss to Washington that snapped their eight-game win streak. Meanwhile, this year’s squad has currently won five in a row and hopes to make it six straight Wednesday.
2. Forest Park has had some stifling defense this season, allowing more than 40 points just once and not allowing 50 points in any game this season. During the current five-game win streak, Forest Park has not allowed more than 31 points in a game, and the one loss the Rangers had Nov. 29 at Southridge was a 38-25 game against the Raiders. Forest Park is holding opponents to an average 29.9 points per game this season.
3. Senior Amber Tretter has been a big factor for the Rangers during their current five-game win streak, averaging 16.4 points and 7.2 rebounds during these past five games. The Miami of Ohio signee scored 21 and pulled down nine boards in her team’s 47-31 win Dec. 15 at Washington, as last year’s Rangers dropped a 15-point loss to the Hatchets, compared to the 16-point victory against them this season.
Northeast Dubois (4-2) at Bloomfield (6-1), Boys, 7:30 p.m., Today1. Northeast Dubois is 4-2, going for its first winning season since 2019-20, but those two losses have also come against some tough opponents. The Jeeps dropped the season opener 62-52, against Class 1A-No. 3 Evansville Christian. Their other loss came in a 45-42 game Dec. 9 against No. 2 Orleans, but the Jeeps will test themselves again today in their scheduled game at top-ranked Bloomfield.
2. They’re in a stretch right now of combining good offense and defense through their first six games as a whole, averaging 55.7 points per game. Meanwhile, the defense has held opponents to under 50 points in each of the last three games, going 2-1 in that process, including a 55-47 win Saturday at county rival Forest Park in what was the first game between the two teams since December 2019.
3. Northeast Dubois is scheduled to finish the calendar year Dec. 30 with the tournament that it hosts in a single-day tournament. The Jeeps are set to take on Lanesville in the first game that also includes Tecumseh and West Washington on the other side of the bracket. The Jeeps have the early game scheduled at 10:30 a.m. and would play 6 p.m. if they lose or 7:45 p.m. if they’re able to top Lanesville.
Heritage Hills (4-2, 1-0) at Mt. Vernon (2-3, 0-2), Boys, 8 p.m., TodayLast Meeting: Heritage Hills won, 69-43, Dec. 21, 2021
1. The last time before Friday Heritage Hills lost a game was a 73-50 score Dec. 3 at Brownsburg. The Patriots responded by winning two games in a row on back-to-back nights, with the latter win happening in a 75-73 game on Dec. 10 in double overtime against Owensboro. The Pats fell, 73-51, to Evansville Memorial on Friday, and have a chance to bounce back today against a Pocket Athletic Conference rival.
2. This is just the second PAC game the Pats are playing this year, having topped North Posey, 51-46, in a Dec. 9 road game. Heritage Hills has one more conference game scheduled before the calendar year ends, with that being Friday at home against Washington. The Pats have 12 games scheduled after the new year, with nine of them being conference games, including each of their first four in January.
3. Sophomore Trent Sisley continues to impress for the Pats, having scored 166 points in six games for an average of 27.7 points on the still-young season. He does, however, have a supporting cast to complement him in fellow sophomore averaging 8.8 points, senior Charlie Brentlinger at 8.2 and senior Marcus Becher at 6.3. The Pats are bringing it on offense, but have also allowed an average of 63.3 points per game.