H.S. Boys Basketball: Hanover Central 63, River Forest 42

Team	1st Qtr	2nd Qtr	3rd Qtr	4th Qtr	Final
River Forest (7-13)	9	12	5	16	42
HANOVER CENTRAL (11-9)	18	14	20	11	63

Nonconference - Friday, 2-27-2004 in Cedar Lake

HANOVER CENTRAL (63) Dave Ploetz 3-0-8, Adam Suarez 3-2-8, Owen Goff 3-2-8, Jeff Johnson 6-1-19, Brandon Hegg 4-0-8, Greg Shroka 3-1-8, Jeremy Peterson 0-0-0, Billy Nordyke 0-0-0, Matt Jackson 1-0-2, Dave Bilinski 1-0-2, Dave Pempek 0-0-0, Jacob Rush 0-0-0. TOTALS: 24-6-63.

FTS: 6-9, 66.7 percent: Suarez 2-3, Goff 2-2, Shroka 1-2, Johnson 1-2,
TURNOVERS: 15
REBOUNDS: Dave Ploetz - 6, Doug Bilinski - 5
ASSISTS: Jeff Johnson - 6
STEALS: Doug Bilinski - 3
FOULED OUT: none.
3-POINT GOALS (9) Jeff Johnson 6, Dave Ploetz 2, Greg Shroka.

RIVER FOREST (42) Mike Carver 2-0-4, Nick Roach 2-0-5, Marc Scott 0-2-2, Mat Bigott 2-0-4, Mitch Minarich 2-0-4, Oscar Venegas 0-2-2, Josh Elea 7-3-18, Aubin Menchacha 1-0-3, Terry Crafton 0-0-0, Jeff McNab 0-0-0. TOTALS: 16-7-42.

FTS: 7-8, 88.8 percent: Marc Scott 2-2, Oscar Venegas 2-2, Josh Elea 3-4.
TURNOVERS: 24
ASSISTS: Mike Carver - 2
REBOUNDS: Josh Elea - 3
STEALS: Nick Roach - 2
3-POINT GOALS (3) Aubin Menchacha, Josh Elea, Nick Roach.

CEDAR LAKE (2-27-2004) - Anyway you look at it it's different. Last year, Hanover Central rolled to a 12-5 record before losing the last four games. The Wildcats were then kicked out of the state tournament on opening night 73-51 by North Newton, a team with inferior talent.

In 2004, Hanover, stumbling around at 6-9 in early February after a 54-41 loss at Class 1A No. 9 Morgan Township, took the other way home. HC completed a sweep of their final five games Friday night with a 63-42 win over River Forest.

True, wins over LaCrosse, North Newton, Clark, Kouts and River Forest won't mean much when HC takes the floor at the 2A Bishop Noll Sectional Friday night against either Boone (13-8) or Wheeler (18-4) next Friday night. But when you've been losing, an upset win over a league champion is a fantasy. When you've been winning, it's just an upgrade on the path you're already on.

"Defensively we had some lapses we're not happy with," said HC coach Dave Uran, "but I played some combinations that wouldn't be out there normally and there were some things on their minds that won't be next week."

"Anything can happen," said Uran. "We truly believe that the winner of our sectional can go a long way in the state tournament."

"I don't think anybody has the depth that we do with quickness. Ability-wise and being smart on the floor... that's a different story and we've been getting better with that in the last few weeks."

Hanover Central counts on Jeff Johnson (16 ppg.), but they need a big weekend from 6-2 senior Brandon Hegg, who broke his leg last fall and has been limited physically all season. Hegg scored eight Friday against River Forest but he is a strong player that HC must have Friday, whether they play Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) champion Wheeler (18-4) or Porter County Conference (PCC) champion Boone Grove (13-8).

"His season starts next Friday," said Uran. "He's gotten through the 20 games and I hope that he can be the player he was last year. He just has to do it for a couple of weeks. Scoring 12 to 15 points consistently. If he can do it, that's big for us."

The other players who have inched forward in recent weeks are 6-3 senior center Adam Suarez and 6-1 wing player Greg Shroka, who both scored 19 points on Feb. 20 in a 77-61 win over Kouts.

"Suarez has got determination in the paint now," said Uran. "He doesn't want to be stopped and he's getting the entry passes. Greg has averaged in double figures (11.4 ppg.) in our winning streak. He's so quick and can jump so high. He's a state finalist high jumper. He doesn't realize what he can do." He jumped 6-6 in high jumping."

"Look, we all know that Bishop Noll got the draw of the century (a bye and winless Lake Station) but sometimes that works against you."

"Whoever we play Friday might be looking ahead. Boone tries to slow it down and play half court while Wheeler uses the defensive pressure up top and tries to score in transition. Our seniors are a little tired of losing to the Boones and the Wheelers. I tell them the story. In my senior year (HC's last sectional victory in 1986) we lost close games to Hebron in the PCC tournament and the regular season. Then in the sectional we blew them out by 20.

"When it's one game and done, if you get a lead on a team you're not supposed to have a lead on, they tighten up. That very well could happen. If you're down seven in the third quarter against a team you're not supposed to lose to, it affects you. Our kids read things. We're not given much of a thought. I really didn't want the Lake Station and a bye matchup because then, if we do win, people will say we lucked out. We'll see a quality team Friday and a quality team Saturday. That's what I wanted."

River Forest, which drew a bye in the 1A Morgan Township Sectional would appear to be looking at a first game match with Morgan (16-3), which finished first in the PCC regular season race Friday with a 57-45 win over Washington Township.

The Ingots (7-13) were not in the game Friday after a 19-4 run broke a 5-5 tie. Senior Dave Ploetz scored all eight of his points in the first period including two three-point shots. Johnson, who closed the regular season with 74 three-point baskets, sank three bonus balls in the second quarter as the lead expanded to 38-21 at half-time. RF never closed within 17 after Hanover's elaborate and entertaining 'Senior Night' half-time show. The Ingots' made 15 of their 24 turnovers after half-time.

"We've clinched our second winning season in a row," said Uran, who played on the last sectional champion in 1986. "There haven't been too many back-to-back winning seasons here. But the sectional is the big thing and we have a chance."

CAT NOTES: One concern going into Friday's Class 2A Bishop Noll semifinals was that Hanover Central, as well as Boone Grove and Wheeler, had never played there. Hanover has never played Bishop Noll at the varsity level.
"Our freshmen and sophomores have played there," said assistant coach Jerry Kienzle. "Those guys have been there before."

The 2A Bishop Noll Sectional championship game will be tape-delayed by Comcast Cable (Channel 3) and shown Monday night, March 8 at 7 p.m.. Obviously, Bishop Noll (13-9), led by Division I guard Gary Patterson (23 ppg.) is expected to be there. Hanover would have to win Friday night to reach the TV game. Hanover's boys basketball team has not been on local TV since a game against rival Hebron was aired in 1999.

Before Friday's game, Hanover asked all senior athletes, managers, cheerleaders and dancers to walk out on the floor as the near sellout crowd cheered for them. No one at Hanover recalls the Wildcats ever playing Bishop Noll in varsity boys basketball in the four decade history of the Cedar Lake school.

Wheeler Tournament
Dec. 26: 47-66 Wheeler (18-4)
Dec. 27: 45-54 Hobart (11-9)

Jan. 3: 38-53 at Lowell (8-12)
Jan. 6: 55-45 (OT) Whiting (6-14)
Jan. 9: 50-52 at BOONE GROVE (13-8)
Jan. 13: 76-53 Beecher (Ill.)
Jan. 15: 57-62 at Gavit (7-13)

Hanover Central finishes regular season 5-0 with 63-42 win over River Forest

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

Nonconference - Friday, 2-27-2004 in Cedar Lake