Clark coach Scott Humphrey said it won’t take much to motivate his squad.
“You really don’t have to say a whole lot (about the game),” he said. “They’re loaded again, and their program speaks for itself. It should be a great environment and a fun night for us.”
Scott County carries an 11-game winning streak into the contest. The Cards’ lone loss was a 77-73 setback to Louisville Ballard in the season-opener.
Humphrey said overcoming the Cards’ pressure will be a factor. Humphrey’s squad committed three turnovers in the final minute of last year’s loss to the Cardinals.
“Their pressure is as good as you will see at any level,” he said. “You can’t let the one bad play turn into two or three (bad plays) and domino into a huge run. You have to stay poised and composed, limit their run and when you get loose in transition, you have to finish.”
Like Zollo, Clark senior Robbie Stenzel is looking forward to the challenge.
“I haven’t beaten Scott County since my sixth-grade year,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll come out and end the streak. We’ll just have to do what we do every game.
Clark senior Corey Rogers said the team developed an identity during the Beach Ball Classic last week in Myrtle Beach, where the Cardinals went 2-2 and gained valuable experience for the remainder of the season.
“Coach thrives on defense and that’s where we’re trying to (establish) our identity,” he said. “Teams that don’t have an identity usually lose and we’re trying to make (defense) our identity. We showed what we could do in the Beach Ball Classic. When you dig deep and find your identity, good things will happen.”
Clark senior Jaylen Daniel added that defense will be the deciding factor tonight.
“Defense will be the key,” he said.
