#15 New Trier (Winnekta) at Evanston Township Round 1 Boys Basketball Preview!!!!!

This is the states oldest rivalry and I say the best. So many dynamics go into it. Throw the records out in this one, either team could win. Beardsley Gym will be jumping as the girls varsity game is beforehand. One team is ranked and the other is not. I will concentrate on some matchups that will decide the game.

Point guard:

Chris Kirkpatrick, 6'2" sophomore, Colby Smith, 6'3" junior, New Trier vs Brandon Watson, 5'9" senior, Ian Peters, 5'10" junior, Evanston Township:

Youthful talented guard, verses experience talented guard. Kirkpatrick will have to be on his P's and Q's with his ball handling and running the offense. Smith helps run the offense and is another knockdown three point shooter for the Trevians. He's good at protecting the basketball and can run the offense if Kirkpatrick gets in foul trouble or turnover happy. Watson is a monster on defense, with quick hands and quick feet that cause opposing problems issues. Kirkpatrick can score at all three levels, and is the key to getting the offense in their sets. Watson is for his team too, quickness gets into the paint and causes problems for a defense. He's an improved three point shooter. Both will have to stay out of foul trouble and as always the point guard position is the key matchup in this game. Peters comes off the bench. Can run the offense and is a knockdown three point shooter. Will have to protect the basketball and make crisp passes in the offense.

Wings:

Danny Houlihan, 6'3" sophomore, Ian Brown, 6'5" senior, Logan Feller, 6'4" senior, New Trier vs Antoine Thomas, 6'1" senior, Theo Rocca, 6'3" junior, Vito Rocca, 6'4" freshman, Evanston Township.

Lots of shooters with this group. Houlihan is a young one, he comes off the bench to light it up. Will he wilt under the scrutiny of this rivalry? Brown is a Carnegie Melon commit who hits threes in bunches and can catch fire anytime. Feller is more of an inside/outside force that can fill it up and kill you on the glass. Thomas is a slasher who can get to the basket off the dribble and finish at the rim. Rocca brothers are good three point shooters and mid range two dribble pull-ups. Will need to shoot well in their home gym to keep game close. Younger Rocca is a freshman so will he wilt under the scrutiny of the rivalry? He does have help dealing with it from his older brother.

In the paint:

Will LeMaster, 6'4" senior, New Trier vs Morgan Brown, 6'5" senior Evanston Township. LeMaster does more of the dirty work hitting the glass in the paint. Will post up but doesn't really take a lot of shots, he'll more kick it out to shooters. Brown is an inside/outside force who will post up and score on the block and step out for threes. He's counted on also to hit the boards to start the break.

Other contributors:

Jacob Hollack, 5'11" junior guard, Grant Lyons, 5'8" junior guard, New Trier vs Adrian Martinez-Jones, guard, Time Ogunsanya, sophomore guard.

Hollack and Lyons spell the guards and more run the offense than knockdown shooters. Martinez-Jones likes to slash to the basket and finish at the rim, while Ogunsanya is a knockdown three point shooter.

Coaching:

Scott Fricke, New Trier vs Mike Ellis, Evanston Township

Coach Ellis just was elected to the Illinois High School Coaches Hall of Fame and plays man to man defense and a 4 out 1 in or 5 out 0 in offense. Team takes three pointers and layups, not many mid range shots taken. Fricke plays man to man but uses a 1-3-1 zone that can give teams fits. He runs a 4 out 1 in offense too with his three point shooters spread all over the court. Shooting will be key for both teams in this game. Free throws and rebounding are always keys to winning and losing. Whomever's team does it the best cones out with a big rivalry victory.