NV, Kaplan square off in district match-ups

The North Vermilion Patriots are squaring off against the Kaplan Pirates at the NV gym tonight.

The Lady Patriots are currently ranked 34th in the power rankings.

“We are just going to try and sneak in through the back door,” Lady Pats Head Coach Phillip Freeman said. “We aren’t even finished with the first round of district play. We are just hoping to make it through the first round of district play at 3-2. We have to play
against Kaplan, and you can’t take them for granted. We have our work cut out for us.”

If North Vermilion is wanting to make the playoffs through the “back door” they are going to need to start with a win over the Lady Pirates.

In order to get that victory they are going to have to improve on their free throw shooting, according to coach Freeman.

For the Lady Pirates to pull off the victory they are going to have to put an entire game together.

“We play a lot of goo quarters,” Lady Pirates Head Coach Courtney Hargrave said. “When we can put four (quarters) in a row, we will be just fine.”

When the Patriots and Pirates take the court it will be the first district game for both of the teams.

It will be a match-up of two big, physical and athletic teams.

The Pirates are led by their starting point guard and leading scorer Devantae Davis.

Kaplan also have the inside presences of their big six foot four center Jalen Bates.

Usually this has been enough for the Pirates, but they will have their work cut out for them as they go up against the athletic Patriots team.

The Patriots have Mike Bessard who the teams leading scorer and matches up well against Davis of Kaplan.

As far as inside game, Nick Cooper of NV may not be as tall, but he is just as athletic as Bates is. Making the battle inside one to keep your eye on.

Tip off is scheduled to take place right after the Lady Patriots and Lady Pirates game is finished.

Andy Bullard
Sports Editor