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2006-2007 Boys BasketballWeek-10, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(02-07-2007) |
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2006-2007 Boys BasketballWeek-10, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(02-07-2007) |
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VALPARAISO (02-07-2007) - Some teams did get beat last week and I'm sure they feel bad, but hey, big deal. Be glad you aren't Loyola Academy of Wilmette, Illinois. Undefeated at 19-0 and ranked in the top-10 in the nation, Loyola features the two sons (Jeff and Marcus) of pro basketball icon Michael Jordan. The Ramblers went down to Indianapolis to play 4A No. 7 North Central (12-3) and took one of the biggest high-profile hardwood whippings of all time, 88-47.
Not only did they go back home more thoroughly whipped than Brad Pitt, the Rambler barbecue was nationally televised on ESPN and, believe me, lots of people in both states saw the game. North Central scoring champion Eric Gordon scored 47 points, while the Jordan brothers were held to a combined total of eight. Now, Gordon came into the game averaging 32 points a game so it's okay to lose. In fact, sometimes, it's good for you. But when you are No. 2 in big school basketball in your state, you shouldn't lose by 41 points to an NBA team. Instead of playing like that guy Michael Jordan, the Ramblers were about as physical as that lady on 'Crossing Jordan'.
In Northwest Indiana, Lake Central's Zac Fuhrman, who averages about 12 points a game, scored an insane 49 to help LC bury East Chicago 95-63 and embarrass both local newspapers. EC is a good team and fun to watch, but the folks who do the polls at both the Post-Tribune and Times must've smoked some serious weed last week when they moved EC ahead of Valparaiso in the weekly poll.
Both teams had the same number of losses before East Chicago got horse-whipped by the fourth place team in the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC), so there was no statistical basis to jump EC over Valparaiso (14-2), which had been No. 1 all season. Did anyone look at Valpo's losses? To Cathedral (18-1) and rival Crown Point (9-7) both on the road. Did anyone consider styles of play? EC has faced up-tempo squads almost exclusively, while Valpo has played a variety of teams.
This highlights a basic misconception of almost all who follow sports. Valpo has two senior Division I players who have played together all their lives. The Vikes have won 20 games for three years in a row. Suddenly, because Valpo lost a game and EC ran off a winning streak (and let's be honest, possibly because EC is a Lake County team and Valpo is in Porter County) both NW Indiana newspapers put an inferior team ahead of the Vikings. Suddenly EC was better. How? Why?
There was an inference that since Valpo had lost to Crown Point and EC had not lost to a 'Region team', that somehow made East Chicago better. As if region teams are somehow on a mission from God and a victory over them carries more heavenly weight. Nonsense. Anyone who has seen both teams knows or should know that Valparaiso has superior personnel and experience to East Chicago. It's no shame.
Teams like Cathedral and North Central in Indianapolis are probably superior to both of them. You have to judge strength of schedule in rankings. You have to take track record seriously. Or your new 'No. 1' team gives up 95 points.
NUMBERS GAME: East Chicago's 32-point loss at Lake Central was the worst loss in 15 years and probably the worse since the schools Washington and Roosevelt consolidated into EC Central in 1985. Highland lost what is believed to be a school record 10th game in a row, 68-28 at Valparaiso Saturday.
Valparaiso (17-2) has won seven games by 30 points or more. I don't know what it was about scoring last week, but Michigan City's Stephen Ward scored a career-high 31 in MC's 86-83 overtime loss to LaPorte last Friday (2-2-2007). Rob Hummel of Valpo scoped a career-high 37 in Valpo's 76-38 blowout of Chesterton Friday. Hobart's Michael Brown scored 31 in last Friday's 72-70 overtime loss to Kankakee Valley. The game after Griffith gave up 100 points to Munster, the Panthers (3-12) struck back with a 74-71 overtime win over Kankakee Valley.
And in the Morgan Township-Boone Grove game, some good old fashioned Porter County Conference (PCC) fun was clearly had by all. Morgan Township outscored Boone 23-9 in the final quarter to win 59-43. Now I wasn't there, but these next two events could be connected. Morgan drew 11 fouls giving Boone five free throws. Boone was called for 26 personal fouls and Morgan shot 33 free throws. Three Boone players fouled out. Needless to say, Boone coach Matt McKay drew two technical fouls and was ejected.
Since the start of the 1999 season, the Indianapolis Colts have a record of 89-39, the best record in the entire National Football League. (Just thought I'd throw that in.)
1.
(4A) Valparaiso (17-2)
2006 (21-3), 2005 (22-3), 2004 (22-3)
VALPARAISO - Valparaiso remains the number one team, crushing Chesterton by 38 and blasting Highland by 40. Anyone who actually saw Valpo lose to CP knows that the upset was more a great home court performance by Crown Point than it was a flawed show by Valpo. Rob Hummel scored 37 against Chesterton, 31 in the first half. Highland and Chesterton were hugely overmatched as the Vikings appear set to post another 20-win season if they can get past surging Lake Central (10-6) Thursday. If Rex Grossman was here, he'd say anyone who does not rank Valpo number one is an idiot.
2. (4A) East Chicago
(14-3)
2006 (19-5), 2005 (13-8), 2004 (13-10)
EAST CHICAGO - The Cardinals blew up against Lake Central, giving up an embarrassing 95 points against Lake Central and 49 to LC's Zac Fuhrman. I think EC is still a good team, but they're going to have to prove it now that they've been shellacked like they were last Saturday. The Cardinals are not a really good defensive team and they haven't been all year. This is the seventh time they've allowed 60 points this season. E'Twaun Moore had 31 of the 63 in the 95-63 loss at LC. The Cardinals don't have a big time opponent the rest of the year, so they must go 17-3 to regain some credibility. But you have to ask if a team that allowed 95 points in a 32-minute game is truly a contender for anything but an early start to pre-season baseball workouts.
3. (4A) Munster (16-3)
2006 (20-4), 2005 (16-8), 2004 (20-2)
MUNSTER - The Ponies dropped 100 points on Griffith and then beat Hobart 68-43. What's Steve Luptak doing scoring 35 points? I cannot find a time when Munster scored 100 points in the last 10-15 years. It may be the first time they have ever scored 100. I don't think they ran up the score. Remember, Griffith starts three freshmen. Munster will find out how good they are Thursday night when they play Gary West Side. But they need to use the game as an instructional class to get ready for the rematch in March. Munster has to keep the faith. Sectional rival EC no longer looks so strong.
4. (4A) Gary West Side
(12-4)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (12-7)
GARY - Gary West Side continued to impress against everybody but East Chicago. The Cougars defeated arch-rival Gary Roosevelt for the second time this season 79-67. 6-4 guard Wesley Danzy and DeShawn Clay combined for 38 points and 6-8 Horace Bond scored 18 with 12 rebounds. How many times does West Side have to beat Roosevelt? There's a gap between the top four teams in this poll and everybody else. West Side has players on the bench who would start for teams in this poll. But the Cougars need a crackdown at the defensive end of the floor. Their defense is about as easy to crack as the NASA astronaut training program.
5. (4A) CROWN POINT (9-7)
2006 (9-13), 2005 (13-9), 2004 (6-16)
CROWN POINT - Crown Point's 60-42 romp over Merrillville indicates that they have lifted their game. Matt Ernest scored 18 and his addition at mid season obviously makes CP a better team. I don't know if CP can rise any higher in this poll because the top four teams are pretty strong. If you look at a team and see more than one player with point guard ability, you have great potential as a team. CP has three potential lead guards in Kyle Hanaway, Matt Ernest and Stephen Albrecht. CP's record is not that great, but they were 0-4 to start the year and 4-5 on Jan. 1. You have to judge them before and after they added Ernest. The Bulldogs have a lineup full of experienced returning starters, but you can't ignore that they are just 9-7. They still have a lot to prove.
6. (3A) Gary Roosevelt (10-5)
2006 (11-12), 2005 (10-11), 2004 (11-13)
GARY - Roosevelt has slipped a little in recent weeks and they have to reboot the defense for the playoffs. It's hard to play at the intensity level the Velt needs to maintain in meaningless late season games. Derrick Mamon had 24 with eight rebounds, four assists and three steals against West Side, but the Panthers also missed 10 of 20 free throws in that game. They're still a threat in 3A, but they'll need to shoot better in the post-season. But that's like saying Rex Grossman needs to fall down a lot less.
7. (4A) Chesterton (11-5)
2006 (14-9), 2005 (9-12), 2004 (13-8)
CHESTERTON - I don't know what's happened here all of a sudden. The Trojans' horse got put in the barn by Valparaiso 76-38. That was after losing to LC by 18. The schedule shows Merrillville (2-8-2007), Boone Grove, LaPorte and CP. Four teams they could beat and four teams they could lose to. This is a very odd season. The Trojans have winning streaks of six and four. But they are getting horsewhipped lately and they need to know why right now. I'm not forgetting the loss of guard Mark Babcock to a broken foot two months ago. But one of Babcock's feet can't explain the margin of defeat in the last 10 days.
8. (4A) Lake Central (10-6)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (11-10), 2004 (17-6)
ST. JOHN - I can't explain this. Zac Fuhrman scored 24 against Portage and then 49 against East Chicago. Zac Fuhrman. Okay, he's a nice player, but 49?? Gilbert Arenas only scores 49 once a month. Remember, teams are never as good as their best win and never as bad as their worst loss. This team also lost to Crown Point by 17 and is 0-2 against Merrillville (8-7). Beating EC by 32 has to be a fluke. Isn't it? LC has won three in a row by 16 points or more. The real question is: Can they beat East Chicago, Gary West Side and Munster all in five days next month? A sobering thought.
9. (4A) Merrillville
(8-7)
2006 (17-4), 2005 (18-4), 2004 (9-12)
MERRILLVILLE - The Pirates lost by 18 to Crown Point at home, but then traveled to Lebanon and won 52-44. I still like their quickness defensively. They are without guard Mario Stapleton, who is academically ineligible, but Bo Patton is a good lead guard. There's still time for the Pirates to find a high level of play before the sectional. This team has more talent than the record would indicate. I do not see a bad Merrillville team out there on the floor. Just one that isn't working together well just yet.
10. (3A) Hammond (11-8)
2006 (9-11), 2005 (16-10), 2004 (13-10)
HAMMOND -
Hammond lost to Calumet 56-45, a game they led going to the fourth quarter. The
45 points is a very low total for Hammond, which might have been trying to slow
Calumet, only to lose late. I still like the front line of this team, but
they will drive you crazy. The Cats have not won or lost more than three
games in a row all season. But I think they are a hair better than Clark
and Calumet. But they're all in the same sectional so you won't have to take my
word for it.
On the outside looking in...
(3A) Calumet (11-6)
2006 (4-19), 2005 (4-16), 2004 (2-20)
GARY - The Warriors play an exhausting style. I thought they were getting a little tired, but a fourth quarter rally beat Hammond. The Warriors sank 12-of-14 from the line and sank six three pointers. I notice they are only playing 10 players now. Earlier, they were using 12-13 per game. Calumet, which has won more games this year than they did in the last three years combined, has to stick with the multiple substitution style of play that wears the other team down. They have to hope they are in better condition than everybody else and they may be.
(2A) Wheeler (12-4)
2006 (19-6), 2005 (16-5), 2004 (20-5)
UNION TOWNSHIP - Morton rejected Wheeler despite 22 from Nate Kasper. The Bearcats had a 37-25 lead and it got away. I don't know how they give up 73 points to Morton. But the goal is to beat Boone and Bishop Noll at sectional time. They are getting experience to do that. Morton is better than Boone and Noll. Only losers care about your regular season record. What was the Bears regular season record?
(1A) Morgan Township (11-6)
2006 (5-16), 2005 (10-14), 2004 (19-4)
MORGAN TOWNSHIP - The PCC tournament is supposed to lift you, but Morgan is 1-3 since they won the league title. (For those who may be confused, I consider the champion of the tournament to be the league champ, not the regular season winner). The 66-57 loss to Wheeler last week was disturbing, because 66 points is the most Morgan has given up all year. I don't think they have the offensive ability to win high scoring games. But overall, losing to Wheeler (12-4) and Oregon-Davis (16-1) is no shock and the Cherokees' confidence should not be down.
(1A) Oregon-Davis (16-1)
2006 (23-4), 2005 (11-10), 2004 (4-17)
HAMLET - O-D had a weather postponement, so they've had a 12-day layoff. They have some solid senior players and I don't think the layoff will hurt them as much as it might hurt a younger team. 6-foot-3 Brandon Johnston (14.3 ppg.), 6-1 Justin Egger (11.1 ppg.) and 6-2 Nate Ferch (10.4 ppg.) is 30-of-37 (81.1%) from the foul line, are all seniors. The Bobcats will replay a postponed game with Westville (13-2) on Feb. 20. Saturday, they are in the classic old Knox gym for an afternoon game. If they can. O-D should enjoy these final few regular season games as a highly-rated team. It gets tense in the playoffs.
(2A) John Glenn (13-3)
2006 (15-7), 2005 (20-7), 2004 (16-7)
WALKERTON - I just have to put these guys in because this is 'old school' basketball. You will love the way these guys play in Walkerton, Indiana. This place doesn't even show up on most maps. (I'm kidding. That's a line from a movie you might have seen). Veteran coach Gordon Mosson has his team on an 11-game winning streak. The Falcons are the only team to beat Oregon-Davis (16-1) and they dominated Class 4A South Bend Clay (5-12), 66-22. This team has seven seniors and they spread the floor and hold you down. They'll have to. Glenn has Argos (9-5), Northwood (9-4), Jimtown (15-1) and Plymouth (15-1) in the final three weeks. No one has a tougher schedule still left to play.