Basketball Game Preview: Norwayne Bobcats vs. Lutheran East Falcons

The Norwayne Bobcats will take on the Lutheran East Falcons at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a 11-game winning streak alive.

Norwayne is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. Everything went their way against South Range as Norwayne made off with a 63-43 win. The Bobcats have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 19 matchups by 20 points or more this season.

Braden West

Points

03/01/25 vs South Range	22
02/26/25 vs Pymatuning Valley	19
02/22/25 vs Beachwood	18
02/14/25 vs Chippewa	22
02/11/25 @ Smithville	15
+ 2 more games

Norwayne's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Braden West, who shot 54% from the field on his way to 22 points and three steals. The contest was West's seventh in a row with at least 15 points. Tyson Hess was another key player, going 6-for-10 en route to 15 points and seven boards.

Meanwhile, Lutheran East humbled Poland Seminary with a 68-35 victory. The Falcons are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout on Saturday was the 11th game they've won by 20+ points this season.

Lutheran East's win came from a few key players Norwayne will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was TJ Crumble, who dropped a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds. He has been hot, having posted 17 or more points the last eight times he's played. Another player making a difference was Jayden Nellemsbey, who posted 16 points.

Norwayne's record is now 23-2. As for Lutheran East, their record is now 21-4.

Norwayne came up short against Lutheran East when the teams last played back in March of 2022, falling 58-45. Can Norwayne avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.