Published: March 06, 2008 11:13 pm            

BOYS BB: Peru to get a taste of regional action

Bengal Tigers take on Delta Eagles Saturday at Blackford

Peru’s boys basketball team heads to Hartford City Saturday for its first regional action since 1998. Waiting for the Bengal Tigers in the first round of the Class 3A Blackford Regional is a Delta squad that boasts an impressive résumé.

Delta (18-5) faces Peru (12-11) at 10 a.m. Lakeland (17-7) plays No. 6 Harding (19-3) in the noon game. The championship is at 8 p.m.

Delta’s victory total is dotted with five Class A schools and two Class 2A schools (as well as a loss to Class A Wes-Del), but the Eagles also own victories against Muncie South, Muncie Central, Richmond and New Castle.

“They’re about eight deep, anybody can score at any time and there’s really no superstar,” Peru coach Eric Thompson said of the Eagles. “[They are] very quick and aggressive, [use a] zone and man press back to a man-to-man and very well coached. Coach [Paul] Keller won a [Class 3A] state title in 01-02.”

Skyler Case, a 5-10 point guard, leads Delta with 10.2 ppg, followed by 6-3 forward Logan Young (7.8), 6-0 forward Brady Young (7.3), 6-0 guard Greg Heban (7.1), 6-5 forward Dane Humphrey (6.2) and 6-6 center Nate Jennings (5.9). Logan Young usually comes off the bench with the rest of that crew starting.

“The like to force the tempo defensively and they play pretty quick offensively,” Thompson said. “Coach Keller runs a quick hitter offensively almost every time down.”

Thompson said Peru needs to prevent Delta from using its defense to force the Bengal Tigers’ offense into a bad shot.

“We need to be patient with our shots and be patient until we get the shot we want to take; don’t allow them to dictate how we run our offense,” he said.

Guard Jairus Burt leads the Bengals at 14.4 ppg with forward Wes Zimmerman second at 12.1. Guard Terry Smith (7.1 ppg) and forward Keaton Worland (6.9) are further options. Matt Richardson leads the team in rebounding at 5.4 rpg.

The Bengals are coming together at the right time.

“We’re keeping our turnovers down on offense and taking the shots that we need to take offensively and recognizing the key things to exploit [against] the defense at different times in the game,” Thompson said. “We’re taking smart shots and we’re shooting well which helps, but that’s all because of our execution on offense, our passing and screening and cutting.”

Thompson is impressed with the strength of the teams in the field.

“Lakeland and Harding are both very capable of winning the thing,” Thompson said. “On paper, Harding is the favorite by the schedule they play [heavy with Fort Wayne schools] and athleticism and talent they have, and experience from the last 5-10 years of being in the tournament.

“We’re all there because we’re all playing well at the right time and I believe that we’re as good as anybody and we can win it if we play our game.”

Class 3A Blackford Regional:

At Hartford City, Saturday

10 a.m. — Delta (18-5) vs. Peru (12-11)

Noon — Lakeland (17-7) vs. Harding (19-3)

8 p.m. — Championship

        

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