E-town/Catholic preview

(Chad Styer scored a team-high 24 points in E-town's last meeting with Lancaster Catholic).

Tomorrow night, E-town will take on Section Four champion Lancaster Catholic in the Lancaster Lebanon League semifinals. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. at Hempfield, so don't be late. Let's take a look at tomorrow's matchup, shall we?

We'll start with the Crusaders.

Record: 16-7 overall, 14-2 league.

Points per game average: 56.6.

Points allowed per game: 51.8.

3-Pointers per game: 2.78.

Free Throws: 73 percent.

Top Five scorers:

1. Tyler Purvis, 12.6 ppg, 20 3-Pointers.

2. Chris Markel, 11.1 ppg, 17 3-Pointers.

3. Ross Hall, 9.8 ppg.

4. Paul Senkowski, 8.1 ppg, 29 3-Pointers.

5. Phil Wenger, 6.2 ppg.

Regular Season at a glance:

Catholic started the season 3-7 but then caught absolute fire. The Crusaders have won 13 straight games now including wins over Lancaster Mennonite and Penn Manor in Monday's semifinals. During this winning streak, Catholic hasn't scored a ton more points (they're averaging 56.9, just .3 above their season average), but they are defending very well. LC is allowed four fewer points per game during this streak. Explaining why they started 3-7 is tough. They didn't have any major injuries, but just went through a rough patch, which was five straight losses. 

But Catholic regrouped and stormed back to take yet another Section Four title. They then upset Penn Manor on Monday behind a career high 25 points from Purvis. Penn Manor has three starters who are 6-5 and, while Catholic lacks that kind of size, they showed on Monday that they can make up for it. 

We all know what E-town did in the regular season and on Monday. If you don't, kindly scroll down to my last two posts please.

And now, let's look at tonight's game, with help from quotes from Will Ferrell movies, because they're hilarious.

"We've been coming to the same party for 15 years and in no way is that pathetic." Ron Burgundy.

To Lancaster Catholic, who is 15-7 all-time in the league playoffs. The Crusaders know how to win in the postseason and have made the finals five times, winning in 2003.

On the other side of the coin is E-town, who was 0-6 in leagues all-time until Monday's win.

"Panda Watch: the mood here is tense. I have been on some serious, serious reports but nothing quite like this. I tried to get an interview with him, but they said no, you can't do that he's a live bear and he will literally rip your face off." Brian Fantana

To the E-town Bears, who are out for blood. E-town is on a mission to make program history and they've done so by going 21-2 overall and have won nine straight. 

"We meet again Monsieur Bobby." Jean Girard

E-town and Catholic met earlier this season, with E-town beating Catholic by 20. But that was during the Crusaders' 5 game skid. Since then, they are 13-2. E-town head coach Kevin Dolan has been steadily preaching to his players that this isn't the same Catholic team E-town blew out of the gym early in the season. It will be interesting to see how focused both teams are and who gets out to a quick start tonight. Chad Styer led E-town with 24 points in their last meeting.

"Well let me just quote the late, great Colonel Sanders who said, 'I'm too drunk to taste this chicken." Ricky Bobby

This quote really doesn't have anything to do with the preview, I just think it's funny. Anyway, Catholic doesn't have a ton of size, so look for the Bears to go to Kyle McNeil, who has at least 22 points in three straight games, early and often. Also, E-town must tighten up its 3-point defense. L-S was able to get a lot of good looks from outside on Monday night. With Purvis as hot as he is, E-town doesn't want to leave him open too much outside. 

"If you're not first, you're last." Ricky Bobby

Prediction time: E-town knows this isn't the same Catholic team they beat earlier, and Catholic is as hot and confident as any of the teams left. That said, E-town didn't play its best offensive game on Monday, and Catholic did. Both teams won, but I think there's a better chance of E-town bouncing back offensively than Catholic continuing the torrid shooting it had against Penn Manor. It's the law of averages.

Bears by 11. 

And I think they'll face Hempfield on Friday night at Township in the final. Enjoy the game everyone.