The Southmont Mounties will challenge the South Vermillion Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Southmont has given up an average of 57.1 points per game this season, so hopefully the team got some defensive drills in this week.
Southmont is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Cascade just ended the team's five-game winning streak last Tuesday. They lost to the Cadets at home by a 64-49 margin. The matchup marked the Mounties' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Southmont might have lost, but man, Aaron Mcmasters was a machine: he went 8-for-17 en route to 19 points in addition to five rebounds and three steals. That's the most points Mcmasters has posted since back in January of 2024. Another player making a difference was Caden Miller, who earned ten points and eight boards.
Meanwhile, it's playoff time, and South Vermillion had no trouble coming through when it counted. They came out on top against South Putnam by a score of 69-56 on Tuesday. Winning may never get old, but the Wildcats sure are getting used to it with their sixth in a row.
Southmont better keep an eye on Dominic Garzolini. He was instrumental in South Vermillion's win, shooting 64% from beyond the arc on his way to 25 points along with eight rebounds and six assists. Garzolini is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 50% in the last three games he's played. Aden Wallace was another key player, dropping a double-double with 18 points and ten assists.
Southmont's defeat dropped their record down to 15-7. As for South Vermillion, their win bumped their record up to 13-10.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as the two teams are some of the highest-scoring teams around. Southmont hasn't had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 65 points per game. However, it's not like South Vermillion struggles in that department as they've been averaging 60 points. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can put up more.
Southmont beat South Vermillion 73-60 in their previous matchup back in February. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Wallace, who went 9-for-21 to rack up 31 points in addition to six assists and three steals. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Southmont still be able to contain Wallace? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
