Hoops preview: Knights, Lancers, Cougars

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

It’s another busy weekend of high school basketball for Crestview, Lincolnview and Van Wert, as all three teams will be in action twice. Below are brief previews of the games.

Crestview at Ada, at Celina

After splitting last weekend’s games against Delphos Jefferson and Pandora-Gilboa, the Knights (5-9, 1-3 NWC) will hit the road twice this weekend with a Northwest Conference matchup at Ada on Friday, then a non-conference game at Celina the following night.

Entering Game No. 15, the Knights are averaging 47.4 points per game and allowing 50.7 points per contest. After a 22 point outing against Pandora-Gilboa, Kalen Etzler is averaging 16.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, followed by Carson Kreischer (10.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Kaden Short and Gavin Etzler (5.1 ppg) and JJ Ward (4.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg).

Ada (6-9, 1-2 NWC) beat Hardin-Northern 65-46 last Saturday, then lost to Arlington 62–44 on Tuesday. Individual statistics were not available.

Crestview won last season’s game 53-35.

Celina enters the weekend 2-11 and will play at No. 2 Ottawa-Glandorf on Friday night. The Bulldogs currently average 40.6 points per game while giving up 55.9 points per outing. Ethan Wilson Celina’s leading scorer, averaging 11.8 points per game, followed by Max Thobe (7.0 ppg) and Josh Rasawehr (6.8 ppg).

The Knights won last year’s game 62-30.

Lincolnview at Allen East, vs. Parkway

Like Crestview, Lincolnview (6-7, 2-1 NWC) split last weekend’s games, winning against Bluffton on Friday, then losing to Antwerp on Saturday. The Lancers will return to Northwest Conference competition at Allen East on Friday, then will host Parkway on Saturday.

Lincolnview averages 51.8 points per game while allowing 53.5 points per game. Creed Jessee continues to lead the Lancers in scoring and rebounding, with 12.3 points and 4.7 boards per game. Collin Overholt is the team’s second leading scorer (9.8 ppg) and assist leader at 3.2 per game. Jake Bowersock averages 7.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, followed by Aaron Cavinder (6.4 ppg), Landon Price (6.2 ppg) and Clayton Leeth (5.5 ppg).

Allen East is averaging 48.5 points per game and allowing 54.9 points per contest. After a 3-1 start, the Mustangs are 4-10 (0-4 NWC). Individual statistics were not available.

Lincolnview won last year’s game 67-57.

Parkway enters the weekend 10-4 and will play at No. 1 Versailles on Friday, and the Panthers currently average 59.9 points and allow 49.1 points per game.

Three Panthers average double figures per game – Caleb Kinney (19.4 ppg), Dylan Hughes (14.1 ppg) and Caden Slusher (10.4 ppg). Hughes also leads the team in rebounding with 13.6 per game, and a fourth player, Nick Hawk, averages 7.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest.

Lincolnview and Parkway played twice last season and the Panthers won both – 80-63 during the regular season and 48-38 in the Division IV sectional semifinals.

Saturday’s game will feature a 5 p.m. junior varsity tipoff.

Van Wert vs. Shawnee, vs. Coldwater

The Cougars kept pace with Ottawa-Glandorf for a half last Friday, then had Saturday night off after the game at Bryan was postponed until 2 p.m. February 1. Now, the Cougars will try to rebound from Tuesday’s 60-29 loss at Kalida, but it won’t be easy against Shawnee and Coldwater.

Van Wert (3-9, 1-3 WBL) is lead by Owen Treece, who averages 23.3 points per game, while Jake Hilleary averages 5.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Clayton Profitt contributes 4.8 points per contest and Keaton Brown adds 4.1 points per game.

Going back to last season, Shawnee (13-0, 4-0 WBL) has won 20 straight regular season games and 33 of 34 games in the regular season. The Indians are led by 6-3 junior wing George Mangas, who averages 28.4 points per game, followed by John Barker (14.8 ppg) and Tyson Elwer (8.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg). On average, Shawnee is outscoring opponents by a 71.6 to 51.3 margin, and the Indians have scored 70 or more in seven games.

The two teams played twice last season. Shawnee won 70-49 in the regular season, then defeated Van Wert 58-54 in overtime in the Division II district championship game at Ohio Northern.

Coldwater enters the weekend 6-7 and will host Fort Recovery on Friday.

The Cavaliers average 52 points and allow 62 points per game, with Ethan Post’s 9.5 average leading the way, followed by Noah Miller’s 8.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. Myles Blasingame averages 7.7 points per game.

Van Wert edged Coldwater 60-58 last season.

Both of this weekend’s games will air live on WERT 1220AM/104.3FM.