After losing to Rack Falls, the Illinois Valley Central boys basketball team has a chance to regain the inside track to the North Central Illinois Conference crown when they visit the Princeton Tigers Friday.
The Ghosts have lost two NCIC games this season to Kewanee and Rock Falls, but beat Princeton, 56-52, at home Jan. 22 for the Tigers’ only conference loss.
If the Ghosts beat Princeton on Friday, and hang on to beat Spring Valley Hall Feb. 19, then they will end the conference season tied with Princeton if the Tigers continue winning as well.
Although the teams will be tied in conference losses, the Ghosts will hold the tiebreaker by having beat Princeton twice.
In order to regain that inside track, the Ghosts will have to take down a team that is ranked ninth in the state in 2-A.
Princeton, who holds a 20-1 record, has only faltered in one game, and that was to the Ghosts.
When the teams meet on Friday night, IVC should know all too well what to expect from the Tigers.
Princeton features an offense that uses a variety of methods to beat teams.
The Tigers bring a blend of shooters who can knock down long-range threes and create separation or cut into leads in a short amount of time.
The team also has several strong inside players who can barrel through a low-post defense to power the ball to the hoop.
On defense, the Tigers like to pressure the ball carrier and force turnovers with their speed.
To overcome the diverse skills of the Tigers, the Ghosts will need to employ Princeton’s methods and use multiple methods to put up points.
The Ghosts will need the low-post scoring and rebound of senior Chris Martin and sophomore Jordan Seele to overpower the strong Princeton defenders, as well as plug the lane on defense.
The ball handling and passing of seniors Keegan Horack and junior Trever Black will be needed to distribute the ball to open shooters so that they can take high-percentage shots.
Juniors Dan Semtner’s and Alex Koch’s abilities to sink long-range shots as well as bowl over defenders in the lane can help the Ghosts by keeping Tiger defenders guessing.
If the Ghosts can play as a team and utilize everyone’s skill sets, they can right the ship and take a step towards claiming the NCIC crown.
“We have to play a whole game, we can’t just play well in spurts,” coach Jim Thornton. “Going into Princeton, we just can’t do that.”
The Ghosts play at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Princeton.
