Random Thoughts: boys basketball

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

This week’s installment of Random Thoughts is truly random – it’ll about area high school basketball by the numbers.

Lincolnview has raced out to a 6-1 start, with the only loss coming to Ada, 64-63 in overtime. The Lancers also pulled what many consider to be the stunner so far in the NWC with a 61-45 win over Lima Central Catholic.

Lima Central Catholic then turned around and defeated previously undefeated Spencerville the following Friday, 66-57. Had the Thunderbirds lost, they would have started the NWC season 0-2, which would be a huge surprise for a team that was expected to contend for the conference title.

Allen East went 10-12 during the regular season last year. Now, the Mustangs are off to a 6-0 start in the topsy-tervy NWC. Along with that, Allen east is the only undefeated team left in the conference. However, there are some tough games ahead, including a three-game stretch January 2-3 and 10 against Wapakoneta, Ottawa-Glandorf and Liberty-Benton.

Allen East, Lincolnview and Columbus Grove are currently tied for first in the NWC. With all due respect to all conference teams, I think it’s safe to say no one is getting out of conference play undefeated this season.

Delphos St. John’s guard Cameron Elwer put on an unbelievable shooting clinic last Tuesday against Van Wert. He went 10-for-10 from the floor, including seven treys, and 5-of-5 from the foul line, all in the first half. He literally didn’t miss anything and had 32 points at halftime.

The WBL has two 6-0 teams – Ottawa-Glandorf, a team that traditionally finishes at or near the top of the standings but struggled to an 8-12 mark last season minus Colin White and crew, and Wapakoneta, who finished 11-10 last season but won six of the seven final regular season games.

Shawnee is 5-1, with the only loss coming to Lima Central Catholic in the season opening game of the Elida Tipoff Classic, 67-58. Guess what? The Indians will have a chance to avenge that loss when the two teams meet again next Tuesday.

Van Wert was 9-12 during the regular season last year but the Cougars are off to a 5-2 start. The losses came to Kalida and Delphos St. John’s. The team bounced back with a Friday night overtime road win over Bath, then scored a season high 72 points the following night in a 72-43 win over Holland Springfield.

Ottawa-Glandorf, Wapakoneta, Shawnee and Van Wert are all tied for first the WBL.

I know it’s how the schedule works, but all WBL teams played league games last Friday. None of them will play another league game until Friday, January 9, a span of exactly three weeks. I get it – when you play nine league games and 13 non-league games, that’s how it works, but it just seems odd to me.

Speaking of scheduling oddities, Lima Sr. last played on December 16. Between then and January 6, which is a span of 21 days, the Spartans will play two games – one this Saturday and one on January 6.

Edgerton has already played nine games and the Bulldogs will reach the halfway point of their regular season, 11 games, by December 30.

As always, if you have thoughts or comments on any of the above topics, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.