Morgan girls spoil Lady Cats' new gym debut with 64-55 win at Hanover

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith
2-6-2006

Saturday, 2-4-2006 - Porter County Conference (PCC) game at Cedar Lake

MORGAN (64)  Nicole Jessen 4-6-15, Julie Wittmer 2-3-7, Liz Clark 4-1-9, Angie Bush 9-8-29, Jessica Aderhold 1-0-2, Alyssa Sheets 1-0-2, Beth Garber 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  21 (18-22) 64.

HANOVER (55)  Anna Turturilllo 5-7-17, Andria Trock 2-6-10, Krysta Rickey 5-0-13, Jordan Kramer 3-3-11, Christy Bader 1-0-2, Danielle Graham 1-0-2, Brittany Flores 0-0-0, Brandy Flores 0-0-0, Megan Parks 0-0-0, Brittany Griner 0-0-0, Chrissy Holmoka 0-0-0, Lindsey Martinez 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  17 (16-18) 55.

FREE THROWS:  MORGAN (18-21, 80.7%)  Jessen 6-7, Bush 8-8, Wittmer 3-4, Clark 1-2.   HANOVER (16-18, 94.2%) Trock 6-6, Turturillo 7-8, Jordan 3-3, Rickey 0-1.

ASSISTS:  MORGAN (15) Parks 5, Sheets 5, Jessen 4, Bush;  HANOVER (12) Kramer 3, Graham 2, Rickey 2, Trock, Bader, Beth Flores.

STEALS:  MORGAN (8) Bush 3, Clark 3, Jessen, Parks;  HANOVER (5) Trock 2, Rickey 2, Kramer.

REBOUNDS: MORGAN (27) Bush 6, Wittmer 6, Jessen 5, Clark 4, Parks 4, Sheets, Aderhold;  HANOVER (22) Trock 10, Bader 4, Turturillo 3, Rickey 2, Graham, Griner, Beth Flores.

3-GOALS:   MORGAN (4) Angie Bush 3, Nicole Jessen;  HANOVER (6)   Rickey 3, Kramer 2.

CEDAR LAKE (2-4-2006)  It was the final home game for Hanover Central's three seniors and it was a matchup with a good foe, 11th-ranked 1A Morgan Township.  But as soon as you walked in the door, that wasn't the issue.  This was the first game to be played in Hanover Central's brand new 2,500-seat 'performance gym' down the hall from the old 1,500-seat gym that was built with the school in 1969.

It looks a little like Morgan Township's gym and a little like Chesterton.  The new home of the Wildcats has the high ceiling that Crown Point has,along with the modern bright lighting of Hebron's new gym.  But one comment was almost universal.

"It doesn't feel like we're in Hanover," said junior Samantha Plant.  "I like the 'PCC' on the floor.  The floor is cool.  It's a really nice facility.  It's big.  Locker room and the whole thing.  It's a really nice facility."

"It's not as homey because it's so big," said forward Andria Trock.  "It's nice.  It's not like Hanover."

"It really doesn't look like Hanover Central," said HC boys assistant coach Mike Holobowski, a HC graduate.  "It's going to be a while before we fill it.  The hallway is very nice.  It seems like a stadium."

The first game, in front of about 400 friends of the programs, was an offensive showcase.  Despite missing the second quarter while her knee was rewrapped, Morgan senior Angie Bush scored a game-high 29 points, including 11 in the final quarter.

Hanover, for the first time all season, had four players score in double figures, including 17 by junior forward Anna Turturillo and a 10 point, 10 rebound game from 5-8 senior forward Andria Trock.  Hanover led 33-30 in the third quarter and 42-41 with 7:38 to play.  Other than that, they chased Morgan all afternoon.

"Hanover's an athletic team," said Morgan coach Mike George.  "A quick team.  This is a good tune up.  Angela's had nagging (knee) problems all year.  She plays pretty hard, but I don't think she's been 100% since the start of the season.  They (HC) hit some 3s that kept the game (close).  I've seen them play a few times and they didn't shoot like this.  I don't know if it's the new gym or what."

Hanover Central tried a box-and-one on Bush but they could not contain forward Liz Clark, who scored nine first half points and Nicole Jessen, who scored 10 of her 15 in the second half.

"After the first quarter she had 14," said HC coach Chris York.  "So we changed up a little.  But they passed the ball very well and we didn't really do a good job defensively.  We told them that '32' (Clark) was someone who could hurt us, but she had nine in the first half."

"Clark is a hustle player," George said.  "She adds a lot.  She'll grab a rebound when you need it.  I don't like to play the Saturday before Sectionals.  If you have an injury on the Saturday before sectionals, you're done.  Plus, you don't get a Saturday practice and you can't practice Sunday.  So, if we'd have played on Tuesday, we'd have had one practice."

York thought the game reflected the season.

"Offensively we've made some strides," he agreed.  "We had just one offense to start with.  We used to have three girls running one offense and two not knowing what's going on.  You look back at people who could have gotten more time.  Hopefully over the summer, they'll pick up a lot of time.  I already know the people I've got can shoot.  For the first time since I've been here, we've got shooters. But we need defenders if we're going to change things here."

The winds of change at Hanover are already blowing.  With HC's enrollment rising, a new gym and a lot of returning players, next week seems bright.  But next weekend against Wheeler is the question.  Wheeler players were in the stands for the Hanover-Morgan game, looking for tips on Hanover.  Or just looking at Hanover's new gym.

"This place is bigger than Morgan," said Morgan coach Chris George. "It's just as bright, which is good.  The one thing I like is that our gym is bright and when you go to places like Kouts and even Boone, it's not nearly as bright.  I'm sure the field house is going to come in very handy.  Softball's been the bread and butter here.  They can practice ground balls in a realistic setting.  They've got the cages up.  All of this is going to help them."

Todd Sheehy said, "I like it a lot. It doesn't seem like Hanover.  It's too nice."

LADY CAT NOTES:  Hanover finished the regular season with six losses by 10 points or less.  The Lady cats scored at least 50 points in each of their final five games.  The Lady Cats will play the 6 p.m. game Friday at Bishop Noll, which is about 1/8 of a mile west of Indianapolis Boulevard at Chicago Ave. at the north end of Hammond. Tickets are $5 each.

HC coach Chris York hopes that with much of his varsity returning next season, he can get them into a lot of summer games.

"We played 10 games in the past in the summer," he said.  "But I'm hoping we can play as many as maybe 25 games.  I think I've got girls now who will choose basketball over other things."

Hanover senior Andria Trock is planning on following HC graduates Beth and Amanda Wendlinger and Kelly Lapota to the University of Indianapolis where she hopes to join the Division II school's softball team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

"I'm going for a singing scholarship," said Trock, who sang the national anthem before the game.  "I've got the Dean's scholarship to go there.  I think it costs about $23,000.  I've got a Junior Miss scholarship and I've applied for about eight others.  I want to play so bad."

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Revised: February 08, 2006 .