Saturday, 11-29-2003  at Crown Point

CROWN POINT (62)  Kyle Ernest 2-1-5, Mark Patrick 2-0-6, Chachi Albrecht 6-0-17, Aaron Miller 2-0-4, Ryan Brown 8-4-20, Sam Henderson 2-0-4, Seth Henderson 1-0-3, Jordan Ham 1-0-3, Donovan Garletts 0-0-0, Mike Smith 0-0-0, Brian Maloney 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  24-5-62.

FTS: 5-6, 87.5% percent - Ryan Brown 4-5, Kyle Ernest 1-1.
TURNOVERS: 10
REBOUNDS: Mark Patrick - 4
ASSISTS: Chachi Albrecht - 6.
FOULED OUT: none
3-POINT GOALS (9) Albrecht 5, Patrick 2, Seth Henderson, Jordan Ham.

GRIFFITH (50)  Steve DeJesus 3-1-7, Shaun Mathis 6-0-12, John Schultz 3-2-9, Leslie Artison 3-0-6, Colin Stage 0-2-2, Todd Polgar 6-2-14, Eric Stadnik 0-0-0, Rich Lehman 0-0-0, Steve Fry 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  21-7-50.

FTS: 7-11, 63.6% - DeJesus 1-2, Schultz 2-2, Stage 2-2, Polgar 2-6.
TURNOVERS: 13
ASSISTS: Shaun Mathis - 4
REBOUNDS: Todd Polgar - 5
FOULED OUT: None
3-POINT GOALS (1) John Schultz

Wednesday, 11-25-2003  at Crown Point

CROWN POINT (56)  Kyle Ernest 4-3-11, Mark Patrick 1-0-2, Chachi Albrecht 1-3-5, Aaron Miller 2-0-5, Ryan Brown 3-2-9, Sam Henderson 3-0-8, Seth Henderson 1-0-3, Jordan Ham 1-0-3, Donovan Garletts 0-0-0, Mike Smith 2-0-5, Brian Maloney 2-1-5.  TOTALS:  20-9-56.

FTS: 9-16, 56.2% percent - Chachi Albrecht 3-6, Kyle Ernest 3-4, Brian Maloney 1-1, Ryan Brown 2-4, Aaron Miller 0-1.
REBOUNDS: Matt Ernest - 6
ASSISTS: Aaron Miller - 4
FOULED OUT: none
3-POINT GOALS (7) Sam Henderson 2, Seth Henderson, Jordan Ham, Ryan Brown, Aaron Miller, Mike Smith.

GAVIT (50)  Von Emigh 3-2-8, Charles Cruz 9-11-29, Zhadaq Davis 3-0-6, Andrimar Brooks 2-0-4, Aaron Reyna 0-0-0,  Antonio McNeal 1-0-3, Brandon Clopton 0-0-0. TOTALS:  21-7-50.

FTS: 13-21, 61.8 % Cruz 11-17, Emigh 2-2, Davis 0-2.
ASSISTS: Von Emigh - 4
REBOUNDS: Charles Cruz - 18.
FOULED OUT: Antonio Reyna (G) 4th Q
3-POINT GOALS (2) Antonio McNeal.

CROWN POINT (11-29-2003) - After a while, everyone comes to understand that the only high school games that matter in November are the ones played outside involving that funny shaped ball with the laces.

As far as basketball is concerned, November games are just for seeing who the new kids are and how the old players look.  For CP, the latter doesn't take very long. The Bulldogs, who graduated four three-year starters, brought a lot to the table in season opening wins over Gavit 56-50 and Griffith 62-50 last week.  But days before the real Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) championship dinner dates begin next Friday for CP at LaPorte (6 p.m. JV) we're still not sure if the Bulldogs will be on the featured guest list or on the menu.

"There's going to be about 3,000 people in the stands," said Bulldog senior veteran Aaron Miller," and there aren't going to be very many people cheering for us. I hope some of our (first time varsity) guys are ready for that."

But Crown Point will head to LaPorte County with a 2-0 record. Senior Kyle Ernest scored 11 with six rebounds to lead a 10-man effort in a somewhat shaky season debut against Gavit the day before Thanksgiving. On Saturday night, the inside-outside combination of junior Chachi Albrecht (16 points, six assists) and 6-5 junior Ryan Brown (20 points) paced a more encouraging victory over a more significant (if only because Jack Gabor coaches Griffith) foe.

"I'm happy because different guys stepped up each night," said CP's eighth year coach Tom Johnson after the Griffith win. "We found out a little about ourselves Wednesday night and we found out a little more about ourselves tonight. We'll find out a lot more about ourselves next Friday. They (LaPorte) have got some very good players. I'm excited. I like this group a lot. I've had more fun with this group in practice than I have in four or five years."

"Chachi Albrecht played very well. We got him isolated on a bigger man in and he did very well. Ryan Brown had a very good third and fourth quarter. And that was big for us because our other big man, Brian Maloney was sick.  We told Ryan that he'd have to shoulder more minutes. They both have to do a lot for us this year. LaPorte has two very quick guards and a big strong kid inside. It's going to be crazy."

CP trailed 9-5 to the Panthers before an 8-0 run put the Bulldogs ahead. The Griffith defense lost Chachi Albrecht, who used some nice movement and screens to get free for three first quarter three-point baskets. When juniors Seth Henderson and Jordan Ham added second quarter three balls, the Bulldogs led 25-15 with 4:10 left in the half.

Trailing 40-29 with 5:40 left in the third period, Griffith, a 61-50 winner over Hebron in last week's season opener, scored 11 consecutive points led by superquick guard Shaun Mathis and 6-6 center Todd Polgar.

Mathis is one of the fastest players on the open court in this region and when he drew his fourth foul and went to the bench with the score tied 46-46, Griffith felt his loss. By the time Mathis returned to the floor with three minutes left, the Bulldogs led by 10.

The fourth quarter rush was sparked by Albrecht, who must be a major part of the Bulldog offense this season. The 5-11 junior hit two three-point baskets and passed out four assists in the final quarter.

"We got better in the second half finding what the defense was going to give us," Johnson explained. "We were impatient at the start and we got better."

You could watch Albrecht in limited playing time last year and tell he had the potential to put up good offensive numbers. But only Tom Johnson and his staff have a real concept of what 11 virtual newcomers can do on the floor.

"This is my eighth year here," he said. "I've known these boys since they were little dinky guys. I know them but playing varsity basketball is a big learning curve. We're going find out a lot more about them now."

Brown, who is a 6-5 slim post player potentially in the mold of former CP stars Chris Westforth and Chris Thomas, noted the large (nine boys) CP junior class. "We have all played together since we were in seventh grade. We've all come up together."

Traditionally, CP has always started fast. They open with weaker foes and the schedule gets progressively tougher. Frankly, the Bulldogs should beat Gavit and Griffith, schools half CP's size.

"I've been pleased with our seniors' play," said Johnson. "They accepted their roles and have been good leaders for the younger players. The most important thing for us this year is for all 12 guys to stay together. If one guy doesn't get much playing time one night, he's okay with that because he knows that on some other night, he will be counted on."

These two wins were a necessity the way I was looking at it. We've got a great thing going here because we're the only ones who expect us to do well. We expect to do well and nobody else expects us to do well. And I like it like that."

BULLDOGS NOTES:  CP survived 20 of 47 shooting against Gavit, who got 29 points and 18 rebounds from 6-4 Charles Cruz. The Bulldogs have four DAC games before a 13-day Christmas break, a span which may be of great help to a young Bulldog team. LaPorte opened last week with a 99-82 victory over South Bend Riley.

Jerome Vann, the 6-4 all-state wide receiver, made nine turnovers at point guard. But up-tempo coach Tom Wells didn't mind that much because Vann scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. LaPorte center Todd Dermody, a 6-7 junior, added 20 points and 14 rebounds. Freshman Airrence Shark opened some eyes with 17 points in his varsity debut.

"He's about 5-9," said Wells, who came to Crown Point Saturday to scout the Bulldogs. "He's played on a some good AAU teams. A lead guard. He's pretty good. Actually, he's a really good football player. There's some colleges already looking at him."

LaPorte was only 29 of 45 from the foul line against Riley.

Even though a lot of the top-caliber distance shooters have graduated, Crown Point still hit 16 three-point baskets in the first two games. The defensive problem is that bombs come from different directions. Albrecht, who sank five of the nine three balls against Griffith, did not hit any of the seven against Gavit.

Crown Point's next home game is Dec. 12 against Lake Central, a 66-55 winner over a tired Gary West Side team in the season opener Friday night. West Side, for reasons known only to them, played Friday afternoon as well, losing 68-45 to Gary rival Roosevelt. LC's 6-10 senior center Scott VandeMeer, a transfer from Tinley Park, Ill, took only eight shots but had 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots in his Indian debut.

Crown Point had 800 to 1,000 fans for the Saturday night game against a nonconferene foe on a holiday weekend.

CROWN POINT (2-0)
Coach Tom Johnson (8th year)

Nov. 26 W, 56-50  Gavit  (0-2)
Nov. 29 W, 62-40 Griffith  (1-1)
Dec. 5 (F) at LaPORTE     7:30 pm
Dec. 12 (F) LAKE CENTRAL 7:30 pm
Dec. 16   (Tu) VALPARAISO     7:30 pm
Dec. 19   (F) at MICHIGAN CITY 7:30 pm
Jan. 2 (S) at MERRILLVILLE 7:30 pm
Jan. 6 (Tu) at PRTAGE 7:30 pm
Jan. 9   (F) CHESTERTON 7:30 pm
Jan. 16 (F) at LAKE CENTRAL 7:30 pm
Jan. 17 (S) South Bend Adams 7:00 pm
Jan. 23 (F) MICHIGAN CITY 7:30 pm
Jan. 24 (S) at East Chicago 7:30 pm
Jan. 30 (F) at VALPARAISO 7:30 pm
Jan. 31 (S) Munster 8:00 pm
Feb. 6 (F) MERRILLVILLE 7:30 pm
Feb. 12 (TH) LaPORTE 7:30 pm
Feb. 20 (F) PORTAGE 7:30 pm
Feb. 21 (S) at Lowell 7:30 pm
Feb. 27 (F) at CHESTERTON 7:30 pm

PORTAGE (4A) SECTIONAL
March 3 (Tu)  quarterfinals - 6 p.m.
March 6 (F) semifinals - 6 p.m.
March 7 (S) champinship

MICHIGAN CITY (4A) REGIONAL
March 14 (S) semifinals - 11 a.m.
March 14 (S) championship - 8 p.m.

Lafayette (4A) Semistate
March 21 (S) one game champisnhip (TBA)

State (4A) Champisnhip
March 28 (S) 7:15 p.m.
at the Conseco Fieldhouse - Indianapolis

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Revised: July 10, 2004 .