The rivalry between these schools has to be among the best in the state. Aside from the talent that has streamed through both schools, especially the trio of NBA players (Greg Oden and Mike Conley for LN and Eric Gordon for NC), this match-up has the potential each year to happen three times a year.
Six times in the past decade these teams have faced each other in the Marion County Tournament, as it did this past week, and the following weekend for their regular season game. Twice LN has won both meetings. NC has not done that yet. In fact, LN has won eight of the last ten regularly schedule games. The last two years they have been grouped in the same sectional, splitting those two contests.
While LN seems to have the upper hand in this match-up, NC gets their shots in, and when it’s all mixed together, it’s a typically a great game filled with an array of talent. Even the JV game.
In the County semi-finals, LN took control of the game early, but NC salted it away slowly. NC pressured LN the whole game, and it finally wore on the LN guards. North Central continued to make and make shots. Terone Johnson and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera both produced offensively, and just like last year, Ronnie Johnson, found open shots and nailed them.
LN still have trouble matching up in the backcourt with this team, which has been a consistent theme since the graduation of Conley. There is no shame in that, per se, given the talent of the North Central guards, but LN typically has a tremendous size advantage, just as it does this year.
Michael Chandler and Ryan Taylor, both juniors, are Louisville bound, and for all intents and purposes should control the game on both ends. Last weekend, they did for a half. After that it was a struggle, especially for Taylor who never really got any touches where he could do something consistent with it.
Faruq Davis has been solid most of the year running the point for LN, but he had a hard time against NC’s pressure last week. Most teams do, but winning this game matters in a lot of ways.
