Oracles prepare for challenge
Next opponent has impressive credentials
By John J. Dunn Contributing sportswriter

Coming off its first consecutive wins in almost two full seasons, Delphi's boys' basketball head coach Brian Tonsoni has had a lot to feel good about over the holiday break.

But that feeling has been tempered a bit from knowing what lurks ahead - the Oracles will travel to Northwestern Friday to face the Class 2A defending State Champions, currently 6-0 and ranked #2 in the latest Class 3A poll.

The Tigers were 25-2 last season after defeating Winchester 78-74 in double-overtime in the State championship game and have won 21 straight games since last tasting defeat 62-57 at Lewis Cass on Jan. 19.

Northwestern defeated Delphi 67-44 last season at Delphi and 102-48 the last time the Oracles made the trip to Kokomo's northwest side on Jan. 6, 2006.

The Tigers are coached by Carroll High School graduate Jim Gish, who has compiled a 66-13 record in his fourth season at Northwestern after inheriting a team that went 4- 17 during 2003-04 campaign and had not enjoyed a winning season since going 13-9 in 2000-01.

Gish has guided the Tigers, who moved up to Class 3A in basketball this season, to three consecutive winning seasons culminating in last year's state championship.

But Tonsoni believes that the Oracles (2-5) have improved significantly since last season and is hopeful that his team will continue to compete, no matter what the record is of the team on the opposing side of the court.

"We know that Northwestern will present a tremendous challenge for us," Tonsoni said. "They are a very good, experienced & well-coached team that has a couple of four-year varsity players at point guard and in the post."

"And then we've also got Rossville to think about on Saturday night, and we certainly are not overlooking them," he said.

The Delphi-Northwestern contest will tip-off on Friday with the JV starting at 6:30 pm. The Oracles will then travel to Rossville on Saturday with the JV tip-off at 6 pm.