Tale of the Tape: Friday’s big games

VW independent sports

Not one, but two big boys basketball games will be played in Van Wert County Friday night. Van Wert will host Shawnee, with the winner claiming no worse than a piece of the WBL championship. Meanwhile, Lincolnview will host Crestview. A win by the Lancers given them an outright NWC title but a win by the Knights would keep them in conference title contention going into next week’s finale against Lima Central Catholic. Here’s how the teams stack up.

Van Wert vs. Shawnee

Van Wert (Jeremy Best)

Record: (15-4, 7-0 WBL)

Wins: Crestview, Wayne Trace, Elida, Bath, Springfield, Columbus Grove, Ottoville, Lincolnview, Celina, Defiance, Bryan, Wapakoneta, Coldwater, St. Marys Memorial, Ottawa-Glandorf

Losses: Kalida, Delphos St. John’s, Marion Local, St. Henry

Longest winning streak this season: 6 (two times)

Points per game: 55.4

Opponents points per game: 46.1

Leading scorers: Xavier Kelly 11.7 ppg; Zach Crummey 11.3 ppg; Keaten Welch 10.3 ppg; Cohen Bragg 8.9 ppg; Griffin McCracken 8.5 ppg

Leading rebounders: Zach Crummey 8.1 rpg; Cohen Bragg 5.3

Shawnee (Mark Triplett)

Record: 15-5 (7-0 WBL)

Wins: Elida (twice), Crestview, Kenton, Anthony Wayne, Lima Central Catholic, Coldwater, Bath, Kalida, Celina, Defiance, Wapakoneta, St. Marys Memorial, Indian Lake, Columbus Grove

Losses: Lima Central Catholic, Hilliard Bradley, Delphos St. John’s, St. Henry, Lima Sr.

Longest winning streak this season: 4

Points per game: 66.3

Opponents points per game: 53.1

Leading scorers: Beckett Bertke 21.0 ppg; Trevor Bertke 18.5 ppg; Luke Marshall 8.1 ppg; Sullivan Hasting 6.0 ppg; Ashton Wright 3.0 ppg

Leading rebounders: Beckett Bertke 10.1 rpg; Trevick Bertke 8.1 rpg

Lincolnview vs. Crestview

Lincolnview (Brett Hammons)

Record: 16-4 (5-1 NWC)

Wins: Wayne Trace, Upper Scioto Valley, Continental, Lima Central Catholic, Ottoville, Fort Jennings, Kalida, Fort Recovery, Spencerville, Miller City, Columbus Grove, Antwerp, Bluffton, Parkway, Delphos Jefferson, Paulding

Losses: Ada, Van Wert, Allen East, Delphos St. John’s

Longest winning streak this season: 6

Points per game: 64.1

Opponents points per game: 54.5

Leading scorers: Max Hammons 18.9 ppg; Marshall Hammons 11.7 ppg; Gavin Evans 11.3 ppg; Chayse Overholt 9.8 ppg; Zander Coil 6.5 ppg

Leading rebounders: Gavin Evans 5.2; Marshall Hammons 4.7

Crestview (Doug Etzler)

Record: 13-6 (3-2 NWC)

Wins: Parkway, Fort Jennings, Kalida, Ottoville, Paulding, Antwerp, Bluffton, Allen East, Fort Recovery, Delphos Jefferson, Celina, Hicksville, Coldwater

Losses: Van Wert, Shawnee, Spencerville, Wayne Trace, Columbus Grove, Arlington

Longest winning streak this season: 6 (current)

Points per game: 56.4

Opponents points per game: 50.7

Leading scorers: Hayden Perrott 16.0 ppg; Will Sheets 12.6 ppg; Owen Heckler 8.6 ppg; Cash Hammons 7.3 ppg; Liam Putman 5.5 ppg

Leading rebounders: Will Sheets 7.1 rpg; Owen Heckler 6.0