Undefeated showdown: Middies set to face Vikings

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Middletown point guard Josh Johnson drives past Lakota East defenders R.J. Leppert and Robbie Harpring during a game at East

Contributed photo by Ryan Podracky Middletown point guard Josh Johnson drives past Lakota East defenders R.J. Leppert and Robbie Harpring during a game at East

By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer Updated 8:54 AM Tuesday, January 5, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — Just like last year, tonight’s matchup between Princeton and Middletown is between the only two undefeated teams in the Greater Miami Conference.

But unlike last year’s overtime thriller that Princeton won, this one isn’t for the league title although it will give the winner a distinct advantage.

The Vikings (4-1, 3-0 GMC) visit the Wade E. Miller Gym for the first time in two years tonight, Jan. 5, and they come in with a few new faces.

Gone are Orlando Williams, Marquis Horne and Stefon Johnson, who averaged 18.3, 11.1 and 9.4 points per game respectively a year ago.

But Ohio State commit Jordan Sibert returns along with Marcus Davis and Darrien Wilkins to lead this year’s team.

“We do a lot of similar things,” said Princeton coach Josh Andrews, now in his third year with the Vikes. “We only have two starters back, but four of our guys back were in our top seven rotation last year, so they’ve got plenty of experience.”

And they are showing it so far. Wilkins, a 6-foot-5 senior, leads the league with 18.4 points per game. He has scored in double figures in each of the Vikings’ five games with a season-high of 25 against Sycamore.

“Him leading the league in scoring might be a surprise to some, but not us,” Andrews said. “And we expect him to continue this success.”

Sibert is third in the league in scoring at 16.8 points per game.

A lot has changed for Middletown. The Middies (5-2, 3-0 GMC) lost their top three players — Bill Edwards Jr., Allen Roberts and Tony Peters — to graduation as well.

But unlike Princeton, Middletown is dealing with a little more inexperience at the varsity level.

“We’re a completely different team,” MHS coach Bob Ronai said. “Personnel wise, we have two kids back (Kirby Wright and Anthony Strothers) that played a few minutes the last time we faced Princeton.

“But last year’s game was unlike any other,” he continued. “Both teams were state-ranked and we were No. 1 and 2 in Cincinnati at the time. We are not going to put that kind of pressure on this game. This game is just as important as any other game and that’s how we will prepare for it.”

Junior guard Mikey Brown currently leads the Middies in scoring with 11.6 points per game. Junior center Kirby Wright is averaging 9.0 per game.

“They cause a lot of mismatches for us,” Ronai said. “They cause a lot of mismatches for anybody. They want to go up and down the floor quickly, so we have to make them play defense and we’ll do that by being patient on offense.”

Middletown ranks fifth in the GMC in points allowed at 52.2 per game, while the Vikings are scoring 67.0 points per game.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.

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