E-town/Hempfield preview

(photo: E-town point guard Andrew Placeres could be an x-factor in tonight's game).

It's rare to find a regular season crossover game as highly anticipated as tonight's matchup between E-town and Hempfield. Both teams are 12-1 overall and a perfect 8-0 in league play. They have the best records in the league, sit atop their respective sections and likely the top two teams in the league (but don't count out Penn Manor just yet to make a lot of noise in the league playoffs). And they'll square off tonight. After tonight, one team will still be unbeaten in league play, one won't, and whoever wins will likely be the favorite to win the L-L League come early February, for now at least.

So let's take a quick look at each team before tonight's game (which is at 8 p.m. in Daubert Gymnasium in case you weren't sure. Get there early.)

HEMPFIELD:
The Black Knights have reeled off 12 wins in a row since dropping their season opener to York (correction: that's Eastern York. Oops). They've had a tough week, though, with three tight games. On Monday, Hempfield squeaked by Penn Manor by two. On Wednesday, they beat Manheim Township by five and ended the week on Friday with a 10 point win over McCaskey.

They play a very similar team-style game as the Bears. You won't see anyone from Hempfield leading the league in scoring, but they have a few guys who will get you for double digits on any given night. They're a methodical bunch of chameleons that can adjust to just about any style of play they need to. But at the heart of their offense is patience, where they will wait for just the right shot before they take it if they need to. I guess I should include a disclaimer that I haven't seen Hempfield, but I'm going off some good scouting reports and other things I've read and heard.

As a team, they average just under 60 points per game. They've hit 50 3-pointers and are shooting around 68 percent from the free throw line as a team.

Individually, they have three players averaging 10 points or more. That group is led by Christian Walck, the 6-1 guard who is scoring 14.8 points per game. He's arguably Hempfield's best all around player and there isn't much he can't do.

Chris Yoder, who is 6-3, is averaging 12.6 per game and Matt Donato, a 6-2 forward, is scoring 10.2 per night. This is a group that won't get flustered easily and has passed every league test it has faced so far. If any team can handle playing on a road in a fierce atmosphere, it's Hempfield.

E-TOWN:
If you blink, you might miss three E-town possessions. The Bears like to get up and down the court quickly on offense and use fantastic ball movement to get open shots quickly. They also have stepped up their defense and can apply some great pressure. Like Hempfield, they're very athletic all over and won't have one guy lead the league in scoring – but plenty that can hurt you on any given night.

As a team, E-town averages 68.4 points per game. They've hit 54 3-pointers and shoot 71 percent from the line as a team.

Let's go over the first six players in the Bears' rotation:
Quinn Cozzens – E-town's leading scorer at 12.5 points per game. Cozzens is like Walck in that he can do anything for E-town – handle the ball, shoot from the perimeter or take the ball inside.

Kyle McNeil – averaging 12.3 per game, 2nd on the team. He's been the Bears' best inside scoring presence and is very strong and athletic. If there's any sort of sliver in the paint, McNeil will go off and score in the 20s. He can jump and is strong enough to get rebounds with just about anyone. Hempfield's not overly big, so McNeil could be a focal point tonight.

Chad Styer – After a preseason knee injury, Styer's outside stroke has come on and he is averaging 12.2 points per game. He went off in E-town's last game for 31 points – the most by an E-town player in a game this season. If he is hot from behind the arc, he can make up a deficit or pad a lead in a hurry.

Andrew Placeres – Placeres is the wild card in my opinion for tonight. E-town's point guard averages 9 per game and makes the offense go. If he can handle Hempfield's press and make smart decisions with the basketball, the Bears will be fine.

Jeremi Jones – Jones comes off the bench most of the time for the Bears and is averaging just under 10 per game. He's another do-it-all guy, someone that can shoot, play good defense and take the ball to the basket with regularity. He is pure hustle out there and will create a lot of chances for the Bears with his tenacity.

Brad Garber – Garber teams with McNeil to make up E-town's inside presence. I'm not sure if there is a scrappier player on the team than Garber. He is everywhere and he's always drawing contact or diving on the floor for a loose ball. He'll bring a ton of energy and, while he's averaging just over 6 per game, can certainly put up 10 or more points.

All in all, expect a very back and forth game that comes down to the fourth quarter. These are the best teams in the league right now, and that's exactly how the game will play out.

Should be interesting....