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Class 2A Culver RegionalGirls Basketball PreviewA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(02-13-2008) |
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Class 2A Culver Regional
2-16-2008 (Sat) No. 8 Garrett (21-3) vs. HANOVER CENTRAL (12-10) 9:30 (CST)
2-16-2008 (Sat) BOONE GROVE (16-6) vs. No. 4 Jimtown (21-1)
2-16-2008 (Sat) Culver Regional title game - 7:00 p.m. (CST)*
*Winner plays the Lewis Cass Regional champion, probably No. 2 Oak Hill on Feb. 23 at a site and time to be decided.
RADIO: Sorry. Local over-the-air radio has announced plans to follow the larger schools as they almost always do. WJOB (1230) AM will cover the Valparaiso 4A Regional and the Twin Lakes 3A Regional. No plans have been announced, but HC and Boone may be on the Internet at RegionSports.com.
WHERE: Culver, Indiana surrounds Lake Maxincuckee in far southern Marshall County about 30 miles east of North Judson on Route 10. Go south to US 10 and head east through North Judson. You should be able to see the school as you head east on Route 10 about three miles into Marshall County.
If you want to watch Boone and Hanover
Saturday, you might want to think about
going Friday night. Plymouth's defending 3A
state champion boys team hosts Knox Friday
night at 7:30 p.m., and you can make it a
basketball weekend. Plymouth high is
probably where the 2A semistate will be held
on Feb. 23, although that is not certain.
Those of you who are high rollers (maybe
someone here has a big bucks pal who owns a
condo on Lake Maxincuckee???) can rent a
cottage or guest house in Culver on the
lake.
But they aren't free and the school board
will authorize candy and cookies for all
students before they will pay for a
lakefront guest house for the girls
basketball team.
Poor folks probably will end up at the Motel
6 or the Days Inn, 20 miles northwest of
Culver in downtown Plymouth.
The big pond, Indiana's second largest
natural lake (Lake Wawasee is the largest,
Cedar Lake is one of the largest), Lake
Maxincuckee is not visible from Route 10 or
the school. You have to go south into town. If it's sunny and if you're staying for the
night game (hopefully) you should drive by
the lake. There used to be a lakeside cafe
there with a huge view of the water and it
is impressive. Hanover moms and dads who
like to drive by Cedar Lake on sunny days
will feel the same about Lake Maxincuckee.
Culver is a very popular vacation spot much
like Cedar Lake was at one time. This is
quiet time. The population of Culver is
listed as 1,500 during the winter and 4,000
during the summer. Many cross country
runners have been to the annual Culver
Invitational, but understand that takes place
at Culver Military Academy, not Culver
Community, the public high school. Culver is
a true Indiana high school. The gym seats
3,300 even though the school only has an
enrollment of 300 and the town only has a
non-vacation season population of 1,600.
No.
8 Garrett (21-3) vs. HANOVER CENTRAL
(12-10)
9:30 a.m. CST, 10:30
a.m. EST - $7 for both semifinal games; $10 all
day
CULVER - Garrett's resume is formidable, but like Hanover, they defeated three teams with losing records last week as Churubusco (6-15), Central Noble (4-18) and Prairie Heights (9-13) last weekend. All got blown out by the Railroaders at the Fairfield Sectional. Senior Stephanie Crawford, a first year starter is 5-foot-10 and, while that's bigger than anybody Hanover has, Crawford is not a scoring threat.
The Railroaders are a full court pressure team led by five part-time players who moved into feature roles this year: junior 5-foot-3 guard Courtney Wisel, 5-foot-7 wing Lindsey Tarde, 5-foot-5 junior Madison Diederich, 5-foot-5 senior Lauren Marshall and 5-foot-7 senior Kelsi Smura. Garrett beat Bluffton 65-57 to win the Allen County Tournament and the Railroaders had four starters score in double figures. Garrett beat Central Noble 50-36 for the Fremont Sectional title as Wisel scored 12 and was 8-of-8 from the foul line. The strength of Garrett reportedly is their dribbling and passing skills.
Garrett, located in southern DeKalb County, is named for John Garrett, a late 1800s president of the American landmark Baltimore and Ohio (B & O), Railroad that linked the east coast to the midwest in this country's early days. Garrett, 20 miles north of Fort Wayne, was a stop on the railroad. The rail yards, which were still there when Boone Grove played baseball at the Garrett Regional in 2000 and 2001 have reportedly been demolished, but that's where the nickname comes from.
Garrett has played basketball since the
Roaring 20s, and even though 10:30 (9:30
CST) a.m. is a horribly early hour to play
basketball, the Railroaders may bring a
large crowd to Culver.
The Sagarin computer ratings say that
Garrett is a 19-point favorite over the Lady
Cats, but from a distance, this is not a bad matchup for Hanover, even though Garrett is
undefeated (14-0) against 2A teams.
How does Hanover win? Slow the pace. It's
not HC’s nature, but Garrett reportedly isn’t
a strong, physical team up front. This is a
good defensive team and they want you to
hurry. The only games they have lost have
been 46-43 (Leo), 40-33 (Columbia City) and
47-43 (Carroll). But Hanover controlled the
ball much of the time and shot 85 free
throws in three sectional games.
That's how you win playoff games.
Oregon-Davis was 17-of-24 from the line in
their sectional final win over South
Central. Michigan City was 16 of 21 in their
win over Merrillville. Canterbury was 19 of
27 in their victory over Bethany Christian.
Wawasee was 16 of 21 in their sectional
final win over Whitko.
Neutral site referees tend to call a lot of fouls and guards have to understand when the other team is in the penalty. Guards like Jordan Kramer have to hit something from outside early, draw the defense to them and then penetrate and get fouled. Chrissy Homolka and Danielle Graham can do the same. This can't turn into a quick shot contest because HC loses that by a large margin.
Garrett was in the regional semifinals last year (losing to Manchester 53-47), and while four of those players graduated, they still have more experience than these Hanover girls, who have never been beyond the sectional level. Hanover's biggest problem early in this game will be themselves. They have to understand that nothing stops them from starting a game well against a foe that doesn't know them. HC is facing a superior foe here skill-wise, but a team that hasn't played a lot of close games. Do the Lady Cats believe they can beat this team? HC only has 19 wins in the last two years. Garrett has 42. The Lady Cats have to visualize themselves winning Saturday. HC is a painfully small team physically, but none of the four squads here are very big.
No Hanover girls basketball team has ever won five post-season games in the same year. No Hanover girls basketball team has ever even played two playoff games in the same day. You have to enter these playoff games feeling that this is the day you've been waiting for ever since you started playing ball. If they do not fumble and stumble around in the first half like they did (11 turnovers) last week against Noll, Hanover can be in range to pull an upset here and reach the finals. Handle the ball on the perimeter, trust shooters to shoot and forwards like Anna Plassman, Shannon Kiraly and Megan Perks to get rebounds. It’s hard to judge never having actually seen Garrett play, but statistically, Garrett is similar to Kouts (21-2), the PCC champion, which beat Hanover 57-51 last month.
I think Hanover is 100% healthy and they even added 5-foot-9 guard sophomore Abby Schweitzer to the mix last week, counting on her to play real minutes in a playoff game where they were trailing. HC needs to be able to change defenses and full court press on occasion. If the Lady Cats are to win twice in one day, everyone has to be ready to play, because odds are, if you play twice, everyone will. HC also has to be more willing to dive on the floor and get tie ups and jump balls. Garret is more skilled, Hanover may be more physically tougher, having been through more close games.
Garret is 5-3 in games decided by 10 points or less, which means they've won 16 games by 10 points or more. HC is 4-8 in games decided by 10 or less, but they did win 46-43 over Wheeler at Wheeler to start the playoffs.
Hanover also needs a crowd Saturday. Eight years ago, when the Lady Cats played a regional game at North Judson, Cedar Lake folks who hadn't been seen in years came out of hiding and showed up in Starke County to back them. I vividly remember seeing makeshift signs along Route 10 saying 'Go Hanover' put there by parents just so the girls would see them from the bus. It will be much more difficult this time. The game is 9:30 a.m. Cedar Lake time and it is in Culver, maybe 60-70 miles to the east. Garrett, which is on Eastern standard time and has had back-to-back 20 win seasons will be loud and proud in the stands. I know it's a long way, but the Lady Cats need some loud friends at a painfully early hour.
Don't let me kid you. Of the 16 Class 2A teams left in the state, Hanover has the worst record and they are the biggest underdog. But Hanover Central has been an underdog for 40 years. They have three (2 softball, one basketball) team sports regional championships in the entire history of the school. HC has a four-game winning streak. They have not won five consecutive games in seven years. I think Hanover Central has the depth to play two games in one day Saturday and they have the lead guard and foul shooters that gives them an outside chance to win them.
No. 4 Jimtown (21-1) vs. BOONE GROVE (16-6)
11:30 a.m. CST, 12:30
p.m. EST - $7
CULVER - Jimtown is the team you didn’t want to draw, to be honest. T hey lost the state championship game last year to two-time defending champ and present No. 1 Heritage Christian and while 5-9 leading scorer Stephanie Wagner graduated, 5-6 point guard Sarah DeShone did not. DeShone (16.2 ppg.), the daughter of Jimtown boys basketball coach Randy DeShone, scored 20 points in the state championship game last year and she controls the game.
Two freshman have been impact players for the Jimmies (A jimmie is a kind of fish. Don’t ask.) as 5-foot-9 forward Katie Goward averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds during the regular season, while 5-foot-5 guard Emma Stahl averages 10.3 points. You play at Jimtown’s pace. They are very much like Griffith in that you beat them at their speed, which is why they statistically have the state’s No. 1 defense, allowing just 28 points a game. And the games naturally slow down in the post-season, so everybody has to play the Jimtown way. But they only average 45 points a game themselves, so they aren't going to blow you out.
I thought Boone and Hanover got a great break when 6-foot-2 center and Purdue University recruit Tiffany Fisher and Westview were eliminated at the sectional level. Boone had no answer for her. Jimtown, the Elkhart, Indiana football powerhouse (4 state titles), will bring a very large crowd to watch the girls. Jimtown and Boone are not as far from Culver as Garret and Hanover Central are. The girl Jimmies play at what has become an extremely successful school (the Jimtown boys are 14-3 and 11th in the state) and they expect to win.
The Sagarin Computer ratings say Jimtown by 12, but the Jimmies scored only nine baskets from the field in last week's 39-26 win over Bremen. They were just 15 of 26 from the line. Boone figures to have to go (I don't know this for sure) without starting forward Emily Strilich, a 6-foot sophomore, who dislocated her shoulder last week. That’s a big loss. Strilich is a big time shot blocker with a good jump shot.
But Jimtown's games feature long possessions and few points. You don't get to substitute much. Boone may go with only seven players here and Jimtown may stay with just six.
But I like the idea of Boone seniors Jessica Dowdy, Jessica Fauser and Kristyn Kessler playing against freshmen and sophomores. I also like the idea of Boone 18-year-old guards defending DeShone, who is a gifted player. Boone has won five in a row, three of them by four points or less. The Wolves were 11 of 14 last week from the line in the upset on No. 7 Winamac (20-3), their biggest win of the year.
Boone should bring a significant crowd and the girls will need them, because the Jimtown fans will outnumber everyone here. If Strilich was playing, I'd pick Boone to win. I think it will be close without her. Boone's Jessica Dowdy hit six three-point shots last week, so she'll be ganged up on by the Jimmies.
A major key will be 5-foot-10 sophomore
Kelly Dobson, who can give the Wolves an
early lead if she can hit some outside
shots. If Boone leads late, they'll win
because Dowdy and Fauser are very steady.
I like this matchup from a Boone Grove
standpoint. I like Boone playing at a
decent hour against a team that doesn't
score a lot of points. I like two senior
guards going against much younger players.
If there is a major upset Saturday, here it
is. A Hanover-Boone regional championship
game is not likely
(Boone won the earlier meeting 67-66 on Jan.
24), but I guess I've been watching too
many Barrack Obama speeches. I keep saying,
'Yes, Boone can do this.'