Howard County: Feb. 21 Basketball Predictions
As the regular season winds down, opportunities to watch your favorite high school basketball players are dwindling. Every team is working hard to finish strong, and they’d love your support as they leave it all on the court.
Now, let’s dive into this week’s matchups and predict the winners.
Kokomo 15-5 vs 4A #6 Anderson 18-2
Kokomo is peaking at the right time, winning five of its last six games and playing the kind of basketball that could lead to postseason success. Before tournament play begins, the Wildkats face a tough road test against Anderson.
Anderson has been a top Class 4A team all season and is on the verge of clinching the North Central Conference title. The Indians are led by Indiana All-Star candidate Damian King, who recently dropped 42 points. While Kokomo can light it up from beyond the arc, Anderson’s defense is expected to hold strong and secure a key home win.
Winner: Anderson
West Lafayette 16-4 vs Western 11-9
Western looks to replicate its performance against Peru and build momentum as the regular season winds down. The Panthers must put their recent struggles behind them ahead of the Hoosier Conference championship game against West Lafayette.
Consistency has defined West Lafayette this season. The Red Devils have won regularly, bounced back from minor setbacks, and stayed in the conference title race. That reliability makes them favorites to beat Western on Friday night. While the Panthers have a strong home-court advantage, their recent struggles could be too much to overcome against a disciplined Red Devils team.
Winner: West Lafayette
Eastern 8-10 vs Lakeland Christian 9-10
Like other teams in the county, Eastern is peaking at the right time. The Comets have won three straight, averaging 66.7 points per game during that stretch. They’ll need to maintain that momentum during a tough road trip to Lakeland Christian.
After a slow start, Lakeland Christian has won nine straight behind a strong defense. However, Eastern has leaned on Colton Lindsay’s scoring while getting key contributions from role players. That formula could carry the Comets to another big road win.
Winner: Eastern
Taylor 15-6 vs 1A #12 Carroll (Flora) 14-4
Taylor hopes its midseason slump is over after a win over Rossville earlier this week. The Titans' recent struggles to overcome adversity can’t resurface against Carroll.
Unlike Taylor, Carroll hasn’t had trouble winning consistently. The Cougars have won seven of their last nine games, scoring at least 60 points in five of those victories. While Carroll has been in strong form, Taylor’s leaders may have turned a corner. The Titans have enough firepower to take down their Hoosier Heartland Conference foe.
Winner: Taylor
Jay’s stats
Last week: 4-0
All-time: 32-9 (78%)
