Semistate matchup offer differing styles

FORTVILLE — The differences are obvious.

Mt. Vernon is the best defensive basketball team left in the state tourney. And no one is quite putting the ball in the bucket like Greensburg, which is netting 72 points per game, or 30 more points than MV gives up.

So, the Marauders-Pirates Class 3A semistate matchup Saturday in Richmond is simply a matter of which team can impose its will on the other. Right?

“I do think it’s a little more complicated than that,” Greensburg coach Stacy Meyer said. “Because you do have to look at matchups —what they do well and what we do well at both ends of the floor, not just our offense or their defense.

“Defensively, they’re outstanding, but at the other end, they’re patient and they’re going to get good shots. You look at their shooting percentages, they have a very high shooting percentage, and that’s because they’re getting what they want. So, for us to be successful, we have to take away things from their offense, or they’re more than capable of putting up points.”

As both programs look to clinch their first-ever State Finals appearance, they enter their matchup Saturday at 3 p.m. playing some of their best basketball of the season.

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