Why Park Center will win: The Pirates' pressure defense spells trouble for opponents. They have forced 45 turnovers in the past two games. Four different players have finished with at least 10 points in this tournament, a testament to Park Center's depth of scoring.
Why Marshall will win: The Tigers hurt you on the boards. Their ability to rebound extends possessions and leads to an advantage in second-chance points. Balanced scoring also helps. The starting five each scored from eight to 13 points in the semifinals.
Keys to watch: A desire to repeat against a quest for redemption. "I think it's just, this year's title is up for grabs. Last year's is over. I know Marshall is driven because of what happened last year. But we're driven, too. We want to win just as bad as anyone else," Park Center coach Chris VanderHyde said.
Did you know? This is the first Class 3A title-game rematch since the tournament expanded to four classes in 1997.
DAVID LA VAQUE
