MERRILLVILLE, IN (3-5-2005) - I don't know how many games Valparaiso has to win before we all realize they're not too young.

In a game that was just about as close as the final score indicates, the Vikings won their 14^th game in a row and a Northwest Indiana record 47th sectional title with a 64-36 rout of Crown Point.

The Bulldogs had won five games in a row and appeared to be peaking themselves. But the Vikings, co-champions of the powerful Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) shut them down and kicked them out just as they had smoked Hobart 80-56 in the quarterfinals and spanked Merrillville 69-52 in the semifinals.

“They put a serious butt whipping on three teams here,” said CP coach Tom Johnson, “and there was no doubt in anyone's mind as to who the best team in this sectional was.”

In the post-game, it was forgotten that Crown Point played well early on. Senior Chachi Albrecht sank two three-point baskets early to produce a 9-8 lead. But the Bulldog defense, which had watched 6-5 Scott Martin (17 ppg.) score 23 in the semifinals against Merrillville, double-teamed Martin when he headed to the basket.

That strategy blew up when Ryan Osburn, who averages less than eight points a game, sank four three-point baskets in the first half. Jon Moon, a true forward, who distributes the ball for Valpo, then opened up, hitting six first half jump shots as Martin picked up four assists, passing out a double-team. The Vikings never went to the foul line in the first half and totaled 33 points.

In the second half, Crown Point never once mounted a rally. Valparaiso's 6-8 center Jon Hanselman went to the bench with two early second quarter fouls and he just wasn't needed. Coach Bob Punter went to a smaller lineup which actually, was more effective.

Hummel and Martin, who started on Valpo's 21-0 freshman team last year, were agile enough to keep the ball away from Crown point's 6-4 center Ryan Brown and 6-5 forward Brian Maloney.

For the first time all season, neither Brown (9.9 ppg.) or Maloney (8.0) scored a point.

“We pride ourselves, especially this year, in being inside out,” said Johnson referring to having a post and perimeter attack.

“They shut us down inside.”

CP's 65-62 mid-season loss to Valpo left the impression that the two teams were almost equal. But that was an illusion. This was the second time this season that Valparaiso held Crown Point to under 40 points and though the Bulldogs panicked late and threw up some 'imaginative' shots, the game was largely decided by that time.

Jon Moon said, “We scouted them and we looked at what their strengths were and tried to take them out of it. It worked against both of them. It was a little because Merrillville is trying to get into the paint and CP is trying to pass out of the paint. But we all did a good job of staying on the three-point shooters tonight.”

Valparaiso is going to be able to score on anyone. If they can handle full court pressure and use their very tall front line to shut off post players, the defending sectional and regional champions will be favored to repeat this weekend at Michigan City. The Vikings advanced to the semistate last season but there is talk of whether this team is better.

“I've been asked that already a couple of times,” said Moon. “Both teams are great. This team, we're really close with the sophomores. It's looking pretty promising.”

“We played together with an AAU team so we could get used to each other. That was the first time we'd ever played together. They (Martin and Hummel) are real big and they're very athletic for their size and being as young as they are.”

For Crown Point, a fine senior class moves on. Of CP's top nine players in 2005, seven were seniors. Two fine wing players, Danny Bouchee and Matt Ernest return, but they return to a league which has two 6-6 guard-forwards at Valparaiso, a 6-3 double figure scorer and a 7-footer at Chesterton and a platoon full of small and speedy guards at Merrillville. CP's freshmen were 20-0 in 2005 so the Bulldogs will be back in the sectional title hunt by 2007 at the latest, albeit with with a bench full of new faces.

“I don't like to lose,” said Tom Johnson. “But this group went through a lot. We had some turmoil and we overcame it. I'm just disappointed that I won't see them at practice anymore.”

NOTES: Crown Point coach Tom Johnson said he knew about Martin and Hummel from last year's 21-0 DAC championship Valparaiso freshman group.

“Oh yeah,” said Johnson. “We knew they were good. We didn't know how good they would be on the varsity. But it happened awfully quick. We knew after two or three games, that they'd be very good.”

Moon, Valpo's football quarterback, says that being the center of all good and bad in football helps him in basketball.

“You get used to being hounded on if something goes wrong,” he says. “You've got to roll with the punches and wait for things to go your way.”

The Crown Point 61-48 semifinal win over Chesterton was a grinding, difficult game. The Trojans were able to limit CP's distance shooters and match 6-4 Ryan Brown inside in the first half, taking a 26-24 lead.

But an 8-0 run by CP late in the third period, caped by a three-point goal from Sam Henderson, made it 40-33 late in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs established Brown (19 points) and Brian Maloney (12) inside and that opened up the corners of the floor for Sam Henderson and Chachi Albrecht, who totaled eight three-point baskets. Point guard Mark Patrick directed the attack, recording seven assists.

CP again successfully defended Chesterton star freshman Zach Novak (16 ppg.), holding him to 12 points.

The semifinal double-header drew 3,500 fans to Merrillville and the title game drew between 2,700 and 3,000.

Valparaiso was 22-3 in 2004, losing to Columbia City in the Warsaw Semistate championship game.

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CROWN POINT (13-9) Individual Season Statistics

Chachi Albrecht (9.0 ppg.) 44-107 (3s) 41.1%; 27-39 (Fts) 69.2%, 33 rebounds (1.5) 37 assists (1.5)

Ryan Brown (9.9 ppg.) 76-121 (2s) 62.8%; 65-110 (Fts) 65%, 92 rebounds (4.2)

Sam Henderson (10.2 ppg.) 59-126 (3s) 21-25 (Fts) 84%, 45 rebounds (2.0) 34 assists (1.5)

Seth Henderson (3.8 ppg.) 12-30 (3s) 21-29 (Fts) 72.4%, 55 rebounds (2.5)

Mark Patrick (5.0 ppg.) 15-50 (3s) 30%; 33-41 (Fts) 80.5%, 49 rebounds (2.2) 85 assists (3.9)

Brian Maloney (8.0 ppg.) 65-93 (2s) 69.9%; 28-39 (Fts) 71.8%, 93 rebounds (4.2)

Matt Ernest (3.3 ppg.) 19-45 (2s) 42.2%; 22-38 (Fts) 57.9%

Danny Bouchee (3.6 ppg.) 9-34 (3s) 26.5%; 8-15 (Fts) 53.3%, 24 rebounds (1.5)

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CROWN POINT (13-9)

Coach: Tom Johnson, 114-83 in 9th year at school, 147-114 in 12th year overall

DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT/ TIME	USA-365.com Broadcast Time
Nov. 27	at Griffith {3A}	W, 66-36
Dec. 3	LaPorte {4A}‡	W, 69-57	7:15 PM
Dec. 10	at Lake Central {4A}‡	L, 61-64
Dec. 14	at Valparaiso {4A}‡	L, 35-55
Dec. 17	Michigan City {4A}‡	L, 51-55	7:15 PM
Dec. 28	Merrillville {4A}‡	L, 53-67	7:15 PM
Dec. 30	at Hammond Gavit {3A}	W, 47-35
Jan. 4	Portage {4A}‡	W, 56-47	7:15 PM
Jan. 7	at Chesterton {4A}‡	L, 36-45
Jan. 14	Lake Central {4A}‡	W, 59-38	7:15 PM
Jan. 15	at South Bend Adams {4A}	W, 36-35
Jan. 21	at Michigan City {4A}‡	W, 67-60
Jan. 24	East Chicago Central {4A}	W, 68-63
Jan. 28	Valparaiso {4A}‡	L, 62-65	7:15 PM
Jan. 29	at Munster {4A}	L, 45-53	7:15 PM
Feb. 4	at Merrillville {4A}‡	L, 45-47
Feb. 10	at LaPorte {4A}‡	W, 41-38
Feb. 18	at Portage {4A}‡	W, 72-48
Feb. 19	Lowell {4A}	W, 75-33	7:15 PM
Feb. 25	Chesterton {4A}‡	W, 49-44	7:15 PM
Mar. 4	Chesterton at Merrillville Sectional semifinals	W, 61-48	6:00 PM
Mar. 5	Valparaiso at Merrillville Sectional Championship	L, 36-64	7:15 PM
‡DUNELAND CONFERENCE GAME

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Revised: March 09, 2005 .