NW Indiana Girls Basketball: 2006-2007 Week-8 Poll

2006-2007 Girls Basketball

Week-8 Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

(01-10-2007)

MICHIGAN CITY, IN - (01-10-2007) - Nobody goes undefeated and nobody needs to. That's the motto that Michigan City (14-1) will adopt after losing big to defending Northern 4A semistate champion South Bend Washington 71-35. Some were deluded by the fact that they had swept through the DAC, not understanding that it's a down year in the big school league. But a loss to a sectional opponent during the regular season is a motivator and it takes the unbeaten albatross off the backs of your players. 'Wolf Pack East' has the talent to rebound and win at sectional time. This might be the best thing that could have happen to them because it lets them know how much better they have to get.

The focus for this weekend shifts to Washington, which will join South Bend friend St. Joseph's in taking on Illinois' best in the interstate Chicagoland Classic. The biggest match up appears to be 3A No. 1 South Bend St. Joseph's (12-1) against Illinois Class AA No. 1 (Oak Park, Ill.) Fenwick (17-0) Monday afternoon (1-15-2007) at 2:30 p.m., Chicago time. Indiana 4A No. 2 (South Bend) Washington (15-1) takes on Illinois AA No. 6 (Chicago) Whitney Young (12-2) Friday in an 8:30 p.m. game. Washington also plays AA No. 7 (Winnetka, Ill.) New Trier (15-2) Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. These games and many others are on the card at Willowbrook high school in Villa Park, Illinois for three days (they don't play Sunday) this weekend. Might be time to look at the Illinois state rankings.

Marshall (14-2), the Chicago team that dominated Gary Roosevelt and Gary West Side at the Gary Holiday Tournament is ranked 14th in the big school Class AA in Illinois (they only have two classes for now).

The Momence, Ill. Redskins (15-1) that won the Momence Holiday tournament, which included North Newton, South Newton and Hanover Central, are rated 16th in Class A in Illinois. Marian Catholic (14-2) of Chicago Heights, a good candidate for the 2008 'Region Rumble' is 9th in Class AA.

Coming up Monday night, Porter County Conference (PCC) rivals 1A No. 2 Kouts (12-1) and 2A No. 18 Boone Grove (12-2) go head-to-head in the PCC tournament quarterfinals at 5:30 p.m. The 'blind draw', one of those wonderful Indiana traditions, matched the first two teams in the regular season standings in the first round. I don't know which is worse. The Lake Athletic Conference seeding based on last year's records or the PCC's blind draw. All you have to do, to help your tournament, is seed the top two teams and have a blind draw with everyone else.

An example jumps up in the Bi-County Tournament in Marshall and Starke County this month. 1A No. 4 Argos (12-1) and 1A No. 5 Oregon-Davis (11-3) meet at Oregon-Davis Friday night (1-12-7) in a regular season game. In next week's eight-team Bi-County Tournament, they had the 'blind draw' with home sites for the first round and guess what? You got it. One of four opening quarterfinal games. Jan. 16 has 1A No. 4 Argos at 1A No. 5 Oregon-Davis.

NUMBERS GAME: Neither team may get there, but unbeaten Hamilton Southeastern (15-0) is probably well aware that they host undefeated Avon (13-0) to end the season. Elkhart Memorial (11-4) is 53-20 in the last three full seasons. Fort Wayne's 1A Canterbury (10-2) is averaging 66 points a game and has lost only to 4A (FW) South and 3A Bishop Chatard. 3A No. 7 West Lafayette (10-2) is 54-17 in the last three years, but they've lost 5-10 guard Michelle Oswalt (16.8 ppg., 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists) for the season with an ACL injury. Oswalt was a junior all-star last year and her loss effectively ends West Lafayette's chances of winning the 3A regional at Twin Lakes.

Who is Lindsay Whitcomb? I don't know, but the 6-foot-2 sophomore is averaging 17 points a game for Washington Township. North Judson junior Chelsea Howard is 42 of 51 (82.4%) from the foul line, but she's still behind Argos' star Amber O'Dell, who is 58 of 63 (92.1%).

Some of it is that LAC competition. Some of it is patient offense. But you've got to give 3A Griffith (11-3) credit for tough defense. Playing three 4A schools (including Munster), the Panthers allow 30.8 points per game. That is the lowest total in the state. Wheeler (31.9 ppg.) has the third lowest total.

1. (4A) Michigan City (14-1)
2006 (14-11), 2005 (6-15), 2004 (6-16)

MICHIGAN CITY: Michigan City needed a loss. There was way too much public talk insinuating that they were so great and the local basketball world was intentionally disrespecting them. MC can chalk off the 71-35 home court butt kicking by a PROVEN power, South Bend Washington, to growing up as a team. The Wolves bounced back with a 20-point win over Valparaiso, but they probably didn't brag about it and that's good. Washington isn't 36 points better than Michigan City, but the Washington girls were quoted in the South Bend Tribune as saying they read MC's big talk in the paper and took it out of their hide. The lesson is, shut until you've done something. And then? Still shut up. All you're doing is firing up the other team.

The key in the St. Joe game was 5-foot-8 MC guard TaKenya Nixon (15.5 ppg.), who was shut out from the field against St. Joseph's. 6-foot-3 center Emma Tucker (13.3 ppg.) was held to one field goal. MC has to develop a patient game that they can use against Washington. The idea that they're going to run up and down the floor and school a first team All-American (SBW's Skyler Diggins) is probably a failed concept. MC may have choked in front of a big crowd (reportedly about 5,000) but that's unlikely to happen twice. If they win a rematch with Merrillville, Michigan City still should go 14-0 in the DAC.

2. (3A) ANDREAN (12-3)
2006 (15-8), 2005 (9-13), 2004 (7-14)

MERRILLVILLE: The Niners lost 61-50 at Highland in a game where the 59ers were just outplayed. Highland won, even though they shot just five free throws all night. They hit eight three-point goals. The Niners can't say much here. They just got whipped. A road loss to a good team. Get over it. Quick. Andrean is 3A and they won't see 4A Highland again. But they will see Griffith (10-4), Gary Roosevelt (8-6) and Hammond (10-7). All good 3A teams that could be playoff foes. All a little bit different. (In Griffith's case, much different).

The Niners have to see the goal line (that's a football reference for you Ohio State fans who might not recognize it after last Monday). There's only six weeks left. The Niners are not so gifted that they can dominate people. How hard can you possibly play at top form for six weeks? That's the question they have to be asking. Andrean has to avoid being Ohio State, the team that beat the world at mid-season, but lost its bark and puppied out in the playoffs.

3. (4A) Munster (12-4)
2006 (19-5), 2005 (17-6), 2004 (6-15)

MUNSTER: Munster's split their last six games, but I think it's more a result of the competition. The Lady Ponies only beat Calumet 48-42, but Calumet is a trouble-making team. Munster has played a difficult schedule up to this point, but the last five games are all against teams at .500 or below. If Munster could win at Andrean Friday (1-12-2007), they could roll into the state tournament. If they don't play well, doubts will arise that five wins over sub-.500 squads in late January can't erase. Munster gets a chance next year to do something about the soft end of their schedule which might have something to do with past playoff problems.

4. (4A) Gary West Side (6-4)
2006 (16-7), 2005 (23-5), 2004 (22-3)

GARY: Gary's West Side season has not been what they'd hoped so far, but there are plenty of high-profile games left and they have a chance to get straight. The Cougars host South Bend Clay (12-4) Friday night in the Side's first test since getting horsewhipped 61-36 by (Chicago) Marshall (15-2) at the Gary Holiday Tournament. West Side has something to prove. They host powerful (Fort Wayne) Harding (7-4) on Jan. 20 and 3A No. 1 South Bend St. Joseph's comes to Gary on Jan. 31. It's nice to beat Gary Roosevelt (Jan. 16), but Roosevelt is 3A. If West Side is going anywhere, they have to take down one of the big, scary monsters on their schedule.

5. (4A) MERRILLVILLE (10-4)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (12-10), 2004 (12-8)

MERRILLVILLE: Merrillville has won five in a row and they are starting to worry people. Their speed was too much for Lowell Tuesday night and the Pirates ran past Portage 72-61 last week with 15 from guard Brittney Cruse. This team has won eight games by 10 points or more. Again, this is not a strong year in NW Indiana girls basketball. But the Pirates, with no one taller than 5-9, are looking dominant. The Pirates have a chance to be 14-4 going to Michigan City on Jan. 26.

6. (4A) LaPorte (9-6)
2006 (8-14), 2005 (8-13), 2004 (4-17)

LaPORTE: Let's go back to the start of the year when this was supposed to be the LaPorte team that's been building the last three seasons. The ninth win for the Slicers is more than they have had since 2001. Three of the losses are to South Bend Washington (15-1), Clay (12-4), Plymouth (10-4) and Michigan City (15-1) and LaPorte is undefeated at home. They need a little scoring help for 5-10 forward Sarah Dermody (16.1 ppg.). Senior Erin Justice (8.6 ppg.) has 24 three-point baskets, but they have to slow the game down to have any chance to win a rematch with Washington or Michigan City.

7. (4A) LAKE CENTRAL (5-9)
2006 (11-10), 2005 (7-14), 2004 (11-10)

St. JOHN: Well, what are we going to do with Lake Central? The Lady Indians lost to Michigan City (14-1) and LaPorte (9-6) for a second time. The record looks bad, but LC probably is not as good as those two teams, as the positions in this poll have reflected all season. They lost to Carmel (12-2). They lost to Hamilton Southeastern (15-0). Munster (12-4) also has beaten LC. That's seven of the nine losses. I'm surprised their guard play is not better, but a lot of that is the competition. I still see a surge. Crown Point (9-6) and Merrillville (10-4) remain on the schedule, but so do four teams with records of .500 or less. The game Saturday with CP is symbolic. If LC can go 5-1 the rest of the way, they will start the playoffs at .500 and there are no Michigan Citys or Hamilton Southeasterns in the 4A Sectional. East Chicago and Lowell are having losing seasons. LC has defeated Highland and played Munster competitively. If they are healthily, I still think LC is a sectional title contender.

8. (3A) Hammond (10-7)
2006 (15-8), 2005 (15-7), 2004 (8-12)

HAMMOND: Hammond rolled over Lake Station 72-27, but that doesn't change much. The Wildcats probably haven't won what they consider a big game all year. But they are capable. With five games left, only the third match with Andrean (12-4) is a game with a winning team. Sectional rival Griffith (10-3) is exactly the type of team Hammond doesn't want to play, but it looks like the Wildcats will enter the playoffs with a streak of wins. Hammond gets to play 22 games and they need them. This is a team with a new coach and they need to play all they can.

9. (2A) Wheeler (12-2)
2006 (14-7), 2005 (18-8), 2004 (19-4)

UNION TOWNSHIP: Wheeler edged Bishop Noll 39-27 last weekend behind 20 from Becca Bruszewski. Not a great game as the Bearcats were 6 of 12 from the foul line. Wheeler has been slowed in many games this year and held to less than 40 points six times, although they are 4-2 in those games. In the home match with Boone Grove (13-2) Thursday, I would guess that the Bearcats will be trying to slow the contest. Wheeler has four soft opponents left plus Boone and Highland. But there's no getting around it. It's all about Wheeler vs. Boone in 2A in NW Indiana. It's Donald Trump vs. Rosie O'Donnell.

10. (2A) BOONE GROVE (13-2)
2006 (14-11), 2005 (21-2), 2004 (17-5)

PORTER TOWNSHIP: Boone needs to be ready because there's no waiting. Early wins over Highland (12-5) and Crown Point (8-6) are over a month old. 'Wolf Pack West' needs a new rabbit. The Wolves play 2A No. 14 Wheeler (12-2) Thursday night and 1A No. 2 Kouts (12-1) Monday night. Two wins and the regular season is a complete success. Two losses and the entire season is in doubt, playoffs included. If Boone loses the PCC tournament, they will have only two games to recover and one of them is North Judson (10-3). If they win the PCC, the Wolves should roll into the playoffs. Boone has to speed the game up against Wheeler and win the rebound battle against Kouts. The girls need to spend a quiet weekend at home. Whatever happens Thursday night can be erased on Monday. Either way.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN.....

(2A) North Judson (10-3)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (22-4), 2004 (12-9)

NORTH JUDSON: Judson continues to roll on down the highway. They have won seven in a row since a loss at Plymouth (9-4) in early December. The only home loss is to Twin Lakes (11-4) and the only other loss is to Kouts (13-1). This is a well-structured team with Kristen Bolen (16.6 ppg.) at the point, Whitney Trusty (13.8 ppg.) on the wing and Chelsea Howard (10.6 ppg. and 42 of 51 from the line) in the post. They are somewhat small and they have a short rotation of maybe just seven players, but this team has won 75% of its games in the last four years. They're used to winning.

(4A) Highland (12-5)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (22-4), 2004 (12-9)

HIGHLAND: The Trojans have won six in a row since a 55-40 loss to Munster in December and they hit eight three-point goals in a 61-50 upset of LAC champ Andrean. Lizzie Stapke and Jordan Bedella both scored 16. But it's hard to put the Trojans ahead of LC or Boone, teams that defeated them. The Trojans have split with Munster and are clearly on the rise. If this is a hot streak, it better continue for four more weeks. But the shooting (8 three-pointers against Andrean) is very un-Highland like. And that's a good thing.

(1A) Kouts (13-1)
2006 (12-9), 2005 (12-9), 2004 (13-9)

KOUTS: I haven't bought into the Fillies' greatness yet. The win over Judson came before the Jays got started and the two wins over Boone were very even games. Maybe if they win next week's PCC tournament. The problem is that Kouts plays no 4A and only three teams in 3A. 3A Knox beat them by 12 and the Fillie girls probably aren't going to beat Calumet (8-5). Jacklyn Jessen (15 ppg.) and Marlie Kniefel (12.6 ppg.) have to control the pace of the game Monday night against Boone. The Fillies are 4-0 against Boone in the last 2 seasons and four times isn't a fluke.

(3A) Griffith (11-3)
2006 (14-8), 2005 (15-8), 2004 (13-9)

GRIFFITH: I also haven't bought into Griffith's greatness yet. You've got to admire what they do in controlling the pace of the game, led by 5-foot-4 guards Molly Orzechowicz and Annie Hernandez. They have defeated Hammond (10-7), which is the team they must beat to win the sectional. But that's their best win. I just don't know if a team with this little offense (42.1 per game against a weak schedule) can survive any type of extended playoff. They'll face a little more resistance this weekend against Calumet (8-5) and Rensselaer (8-6).