Five things to remember about the Parkland-Freedom boys matchup

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Big day of basketball coming up at Easton today. Don't expect many in-game tweets because it's very difficult to get internet service at the Easton Middle School Gym. You have to go out to the cafeteria to get reception. Otherwise it's a great facility.

Here are five things to think about with the 4A title game coming up tonight:

1. SUMMER DOES MATTER. Going back to last July, Freedom and Parkland were the big winners. Freedom won the Stellar tournament title and Parkland came back the following week and won the SportsFest crown. Some say summer doesn't matter, but sometimes what happens in July happens again eight months later.

2. EXPECT A CLOSE ONE. Parkland and Freedom have met three previous times this season and the total points scored from those three previous meetings is: Freedom 155, Parkland 156.

3. CHAMPIONSHIP GAME EXPERIENCE. Even though they lost to Pocono Mountain West in last year's district final and fell to Liberty two weeks ago in the Lehigh Valley Conference championship, the Trojans have a lot more championship-game experience than the Patriots. That could play a factor. Even in defeat last year against Pocono West, Austin Beidelman had a huge game with 26 points, including six 3-pointers.

4. NYREEF JACKSON. The Freedom senior has scored in double figures in every Patriots game this season and has been the team's leading scorer against Parkland with an average of 15 points per game. His high game was 18 in the middle game against Parkland, the LVC regular-season loss in January at Parkand. Nigel Long led the team in the last meeting with 15 points.

5. SOLID SELVAGGI. Nick Selvaggi, a 6-4 junior, has emerged as a major force inside for the Trojans. He has found a place in the starting lineup and gives Andy Stephens the size and bulk his team sorely needs. Selvaggi was huge in the win over Liberty, delivering 11 points, including nine in the second half. Him staying out of foul trouble is an obvious key if the Trojans are going to claim their first district gold since 2009 and extend Freedom's district drought to 37 years.