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2006-2007 Boys BasketballWeek-7, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(01-19-2007) |
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2006-2007 Boys BasketballWeek-7, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(01-19-2007) |
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VALPARAISO (01-19-2007) - While the girls playoffs approach quickly, the boys tournament is still a long way off so the goal of improvement, small or large, is the weekly goal. When you start projecting down the road:
In 1A, the northern part of the state seems left to Oregon Davis and perennial power Lafayette Catholic. If O-D gets past Argos and surging John Glenn in this week's snow-delayed Bi-County tournament, they have a serious chance of being undefeated when they get to Westville (10-1) on Feb. 3. O-D is the only team to beat Westville this year.
In 2A: The survivor of the Bishop Noll, Wheeler, Boone Grove battle seems destined to get 2A No. 2 Jimtown (10-1), at the regional level and 2A No. 3 (Fort Wayne) Harding (8-2) at the semistate level. The top team downstate is 1A two-time defending state champ Forest Park (11-1). Both Jimtown, Harding and Forest Park have lost only to Class 4A schools. 2A schools that do not schedule any 4A teams aren't going far in the state tournament.
In 3A, we seem destined for a rematch of one of the great state tournament championship games. The Gary Roosevelt-Plymouth match in 1978 went three overtimes and featured Plymouth star and now Chicago Bulls' coach Scott Skiles against Roosevelt star and now Lew Wallace coach Renaldo Thomas. Now it's Larry McKissack coaching Roosevelt, but this might be their best team since the 'glory' days. The Panthers (10-2) have lost only to 4A West Side and Chesterton and while Clark (9-3) can be formidable, Clark isn't playing Roosevelt's schedule. Roosevelt plays eight 4A schools and two out-of-state squads: (Memphis, Tenn) Ridgeway and Lake Forest, Ill, which are 4A-sized schools. Calumet (9-4) is playing a tough slate (6 Class 4A teams) including Munster (11-2) and Valparaiso (12-1), but neither Calumet or Clark plays Roosevelt. So they will have a tough time adjusting to Roosevelt's vaunted speed. But look at the regional, hosted by Plymouth (11-1). Are they formidable? Plymouth is 5-0 against 4A schools and their only loss is in overtime to 3A Northwood (8-2).
Class 4A has now top-ranked Valparaiso looking at tough sectional battles against Chesterton (9-3) and Merrillville (6-5). The regional is especially intriguing with Penn (9-2) or Concord (9-1) coming from one direction, sleeper Adams (9-2) coming out of South Bend and perennial superpowers Gary West Side (9-3) and East Chicago (9-2) or long-suffering Munster (11-2. Unlike recent years when the playoff match ups seemed lame, there are some major confrontations that are unavoidable here. If we can snore through the next six weeks of nothing, the post-season should be worth the price of admission.
NUMBERS GAME: Jimtown (10-1), which allows 33 points a game, has won nine in a row, but that's not a record. Two years ago, the Jimmies won 16 straight. Three years ago, Jimtown won 21 in a row on the way to the 2A state title. Going into the Jan. 16 game against Andrean, Chesterton (9-3) was 7-0 on the road and 2-3 at home. LaPorte was 6-2 but they've lost five in a row to five wining teams. What's up next for LaPorte? Top-ranked Valparaiso. Portage (2-10) was 2-0, but now they've lost 10 straight. What's up next? Chesterton (9-3). Clark is 6-0 this year and they were 9-1 last season. Some were surprised that 1A Westville beat 3A Calumet 76-68 last week, but Westville is 43-14 in the last three years.
And the showdown is still on. Whiting (0-10) and North Newton (0-10) on the night of Jan. 20 at Whiting. Both should lose Friday night to go 0-11. But Saturday, somebody's going home happy.
1.
(4A) Valparaiso (12-1)
2006 (21-3), 2005 (22-3), 2004 (22-3)
VALPARAISO - It's quiet time for Valpo after the holiday tournaments. They had just one game last week and beat Portage by 20. Scott Martin (23.5 ppg.), Rob Hummell (16.7 ppg.) and the other Vikes got some time off after five games in 12 days over the holidays. The schedule heats up with double-headers in each of the next three weekends. The Calumet game at Valparaiso, ignored by radio and local media, will be interesting Saturday night matching the size and experience of Valpo against Calumet's unusual depth and speed. Valpo is the New England Patriots. They've done so well the last three or four years that everybody thinks they'll win just because of the name.
2. (4A) East Chicago
(9-2)
2006 (19-5), 2005 (13-8), 2004 (13-10)
EAST CHICAGO - The Cardinals edged out Munster 59-58 last week and then lined up an impressive 74-61 smoke out of Indianapolis Arlington (9-3). Nobody wants East Chicago in their conference for a lot of reasons, but the nonconformance status sure helps the basketball teams. While others talk about all the teams they can't play, EC goes out and plays them. The Redbirds lost only to Indy powers Pike (9-3) and North Central (9-1) but they say: Bring 'em on. Friday, EC goes to Roosevelt (9-2). Saturday they head down to Crown Point (6-5). Next Thursday (Jan. 25) EC goes to powerhouse Gary West Side (10-3). It's a good season when the teams that are supposed to be good, the teams with tradition, are good. In NW Indiana, teams like Valparaiso, Gary Roosevelt, East Chicago and West Side have made this a good year. EC is the Chicago Bears. They have some obvious flaws (and a player on the roster who shouldn't be there), but the immediate future looks good unless somebody blows up.
3. (4A) Munster (12-2)
2006 (20-4), 2005 (16-8), 2004 (20-2)
MUNSTER - The Ponies punished Clark 66-36 Tuesday night and they then slide over to Bishop Noll Friday. But you get the feeling they should be playing Warren Central, North Central or Lawrence North like Gary West Side and East Chicago are. What I don't know is how many teams Munster is calling (now that the LAC is breaking up) trying to upgrade the slate. But the final two months, other than the non conference games with sectional rivals East Chicago and Gary West Side, plus the annual match with Valparaiso, Munster's second half of the season is not what they need to get ready for an elite 4A sectional. Munster is the Indianapolis Colts. The team that always plays well during the regular season but isn't in a position to draw weak playoff foes for a 'yellow brick road' to the finals.
4. (4A) Gary West Side
(9-3)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (12-7)
GARY - Gary West Side is 9-3 against what, I guess, you'd call an eclectic schedule. The black and gold have taken on the world. They have defeated Boys-to-Men high of Chicago, Cooley high of Detroit, Michigan and Patrick Henry high school of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Even if it doesn't make them good, it makes them well-traveled. The Cougars haven't lost since Dec. 9, but it will be hard to 'run the table' the rest of the year. The Jan. 25 game with East Chicago is a big roadblock as is the February trip to still-strong Lawrence North (7-4). West Side and Roosevelt are pretty even. West Side is the New Orleans Saints: The team with the most talent that always seems to be on the road for one reason or another.
5. (3A) Gary Roosevelt (10-2)
2006 (11-12), 2005 (10-11), 2004 (11-13)
GARY - Roosevelt lost to Chesterton six weeks ago, but the Panthers are the better team now, riding a five-game win streak since a loss to cross town rival Gary West Side in late December. The 80-70 win over Indianapolis Howe (8-4) was an eye-opener, but Roosevelt is going to have to start anticipating the fact that everyone isn't going to run with them. This schedule, while strong, isn't helping them as much as it could. The Panthers could win their last seven games, but they don't face any slowdown half-court squads like the Plymouth team they'll see in regional play. Shouldn't they be worrying about the sectional? Yes and no. Gary Roosevelt plays in what is now a five team sectional against four teams that are .500 or below. Who is the host school? Gary Roosevelt. Roosevelt is the Indianapolis Colts. They used to play in another place (Class 4A) but now they're back, and while they always seem to trip up in the playoffs, their speed and offense bothers everybody.
6. (4A) Chesterton (9-3)
2006 (14-9), 2005 (9-12), 2004 (13-8)
CHESTERTON - The Trojans are coasting with leading scorers Zack Novak (22.4 ppg.), 6-7 Jack Haupt (9.9 ppg.) and Adam Hutnick (8.1 ppg.) leading the way. Wins over Michigan City and Hobart should be followed by wins over Andrean, Portage and (maybe) Lake Central. Chesterton could be 12-3 heading to Valparaiso on Feb. 2. I still wonder about their short bench without injured Mark Babcock (8.7 ppg.), but they have size and offense. Chesterton has also paid the cost to (almost) be the boss. The DAC is a meat grinder. Chesterton plays 17 4A schools plus Gary Roosevelt, Boone Grove and Andrean. Chesterton is the New Orleans Saints. Nice guys who have survived some adversity, but they'll need an act of God to get to the Super Bowl.
7. (4A) Merrillville
(6-5)
2006 (17-4), 2005 (18-4), 2004 (9-12)
MERRILLVILLE - The Pirates have won three in a row since a loss at Crown Point and I'm still not sure the Pirates aren't the better team. This team has the biggest capacity for improvement on this list because they have so many new regular players this season. None of their wins are impressive, to be honest. But they have so much speed and quickness and good height. You keep looking for a breakout week or two and there's plenty of time left. This team is definitely the New England Patriots. Truthfully, living off the name of past years' fame. They clearly aren't great, but theire name still carries a lot of weight.
8. (4A) CROWN POINT (6-5)
2006 (9-13), 2005 (13-9), 2004 (6-16)
CROWN POINT: Crown Point's 57-40 win over a Lake Central team that defeated them in December is a step up. Football star Matt Ernest joined the team and contributed nine points in 22 minutes. Leading scorer Stephen Albrecht (18 ppg.) dropped in 21. The Bulldogs are on the rise, but let's be cool about it until the end of this double-header weekend. CP travels to Michigan City Friday night and hosts East Chicago Saturday night. This is an especially telling weekend, because it's a test of how well CP plays the style they want to play. The Bulldogs push the ball up the floor and play an offensive style game. So do Michigan City and East Chicago. We are about to find out how good the Bulldogs are. This is the new Orleans Saints. America's team. Everybody likes them. But we know they aren't going to win anything significant until next year.
9. (3A) Calumet (9-4)
2006 (4-19), 2005 (4-17), 2004 (2-20)
GARY - Oh, no. They're not consistent. What makes you say that??? They lost to 1A Westville by eight points and beat 3A Andrean by 10. Calumet understandably does not know how to be a winning team, yet. You have to come to play every day, especially on the road. Calumet is better than Clark. Unlike Clark, the Warriors can't be accused of ducking anyone with 4A powers Merrillville and Valparaiso (this Saturday) on the schedule. That makes the Warriors a favorite over Clark come sectional time. But Clark knows how to win and Calumet doesn't. Stay tuned. This team is clearly the New Orleans Saints. A feel-good story, but too young and inexperience to grab some real glory.
10. (4A) Lake Central (7-4)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (11-10), 2004 (17-6)
ST. JOHN - This team has played a tough schedule. LC plays 19 Class 4A schools and 3A power Gary Roosevelt (10-2). The Indians also take on Gary West Side and Munster. The loss to CP by 17 last week was unsettling. Even on the road, LC should be better than that. Lake Central needs some wins, but they never get an easy game. LC is the Philadelphia Eagles. They should have won. They deserved to win.
On the outside looking in...
(1A) Morgan Township (8-3)
2006 (5-16), 2005 (10-14), 2004 (19-4)
MORGAN TOWNSHIP - Morgan won by 12 at LaCrosse to head into the PCC tournament with the best record and they rolled over Hanover in the quarterfinals behind 27 from Troy Turner. 6-foot-2 'power forward' Eric Spaulding makes up for the lack of size inside. Morgan, a young team with only three seniors, should be in the final against Boone on Jan. 20, but there is some drama. They have not won the PCC in 19 years.
(2A) Boone Grove (7-4)
2006 (18-6), 2005 (19-7), 2004 (13-9)
PORTER TOWNSHIP - Boone got jolted by South Central (5-5) last week after leading 26-20 after one quarter, but they were able to redeem themselves in the PCC quarterfinals against South Central Thursday. Boone has lost the PCC title game in each of the last two seasons, so this is a very big week for seniors like Bryce Palleson (19.4 ppg.) and Joe Johnson (11.7 ppg.) who would like to hold the league title trophy. Some teams lose and then claim the PCC title doesn't mean much. Boone will never be one of those teams.
(1A) Oregon-Davis (11-0)
2006 (23-4), 2005 (11-10), 2004 (4-17)
HAMLET - It's now or never for the tiny Starke County school. They have six seniors including 6-foot-3 Brandon Johnston (13.3 ppg.), 6-foot-2 Nate Ferch (12.6 ppg.) and 6-foot-1 Justin Egger (12.1 ppg.) on a defending regional champion. This senior class reportedly has played together since the fifth grade, which means they may lose, but it won't be because they can't work together. Look for the Bobcats to attract some publicity as the season goes on. O-D is one of the state's smallest schools and they are a down home Indiana stereotype. The boys simply have all grown up together and there is no next year. Oregon-Davis wants to start this week with the Bi-County tournament, an eight-team playoff they have not won since 1995.