NW Indiana Girls Basketball: 2006-2007 Week-12 Poll

2006-2007 Girls Basketball

Week-12 Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

(02-14-2007)

MICHIGAN CITY, IN - (02-17-2007) - I think the last words I said two weeks ago was... this is a freak year. The freaks came out at the sectional last week. All the top teams in this poll plus the champions of all local conferences were eliminated at the sectional level. Each and every one of them. Smoked like weenies on the 4th of July. The teams that are remaining are going to need most of the state to be buried under several feet of snow to hold up that big trophy in the Conseco Fieldhouse next month.

Let's be honest. Permission to speak freely here? South Bend Washington is a 20-point favorite over everybody else at the 4A Valparaiso Regional and everybody who has seen them knows it. A stall offense is the only option. South Bend St. Joseph's is a 10-point favorite over everybody else at the 3A Twin Lakes Regional.

The chance for anyone in NW Indiana appears to be in 2A, where Wheeler is a solid team that can hang with almost anyone in 2A except for No. 1 Heritage Christian. In 1A, Oregon-Davis (21-2) gets the golden parachute at the Argos Regional as Kouts (20-2) and Canterbury (21-2) must face each other in the semifinals. But are any of them going to beat Lafayette Catholic at the semistate?

The big match this weekend is in 2A where No. 2 Southwestern takes on No. 1 Heritage Christian and gets a rude awakening. Heritage Christian has played 14 Class 4A teams. HC took 4A No. 2 South Bend Washington (24-1) to overtime while Southwestern lost to 1A Jac-Cen-Del. Maybe it won't be such a revelation for Southwestern, which lost 56-37 to Heritage Christian last season.

The biggest upset in the state was almost Lowell (5-16) over Highland (20-5), but the Trojans escaped in two overtimes. The biggest upset that actually went to the bank was Concordia (15-7) 41-38 over 3A No. 3 Bishop Luers (21-3). The biggest suspect upset was at the Winamac Sectional where the host school beat North Judson 55-47. Judson (19-4) crushed Winamac 53-39 in January, but in the sectional championship game, Judson, on Winamac's home court got 44 (Winamac was 31 of 44 from the line) free throws. Judson went to the line 15 times. There's no way to blow your way through 44 free throws on the road. Clearly, Winamac got the foul shot gold mine and Judson obviously got the shaft. Winamac will be quickly dismissed this Saturday by Jimtown (21-2) and that makes it all the better for Wheeler (19-3).

But this is the time local media pathetically sucks up to the home teams and predicts them to win against anyone. I'm looking for a NW Indiana state champ but I don't see one. With the teams that were eliminated at the sectional level, a NW Indiana team has about as much chance of reaching the state finals as Mitt Romney does of being president.

NUMBERS GAME: South Bend Washington's Skyler Diggins scored 39 in the 77-72 win over Michigan City and Ashley Varner had 22 points and 13 rebounds in the 84-41 win over LaPorte in the sectional championship game. Jimtown defeated John Glenn 22-14 in the sectional qaurterfinals. Don't ask me about it. South Newton lost to West Central 63-38 in the 1A Sectional to finish the season at 0-21. You've got to play tough teams. 2A power Fort Wayne Harding advanced to the regional for the fourth consecutive season. In none of those years, did they begin the playoffs with a record of better than 15-5.

South Bend Washingtion has played 11 teams that have won 19 games or more and they are 10-1. Washington is 100-11 in the last five seasons. 2A No. 1 Heritage Christian is undefeated against 1A, 2A and 3A schools and they are 12-2 against 4A schools.

Sorry about this one, Andrean folks. I believe that Gary Roosevelt (16-8) has defeated only one team with a winning record all year. Guess who? North Judson is 59-12 in the last three seasons. St. Joe is 68-6 in the last three seasons. Plymouth has been eliminated at the sectional level by South Bend St. Joseph's in each of the last four seasons.

Clinton Prairie coach Connie Garrett retired after her teams' 44-43 loss to Lafayette Catholic in the the Frontier Sectional last Saturday. Garrett retires after 37 seasons with a record of 387-298. She also retires as Clinton Prairie's volleyball coach with a 35-year record of 847-303.

1. (4A) Michigan City (22-2)
2006 (14-11), 2005 (6-15), 2004 (6-16)

MICHIGAN CITY: Michigan City didn't lose to anybody but South Bend Washington (24-1). However that badge of honor will get old in the next two years. Understand that All-state guard Skyler Diggins is only a sophomore and MC has got to figure a way to beat the team that has swept four games from the Wolves in the last two years. Some have said that MC stayed close, but that's like saying that those Indiana Pacers almost didn't get caught in that bar fight last week. MC lost 77-72 to Washington because they had no effective delay game when they were up eight in the fourth quarter. 6-foot-3 center Emma Tucker graduates but she was an inconsistent performer all of her career (despite 25 rebounds in her final game) and the Wolves might be just as good without her. This will still be a strong team in the 2008 playoffs. But then, so will Washington.

2. (3A) ANDREAN (18-5)
2006 (15-8), 2005 (9-13), 2004 (7-14)

MERRILLVILLE: I cannot explain why Andrean lost twice to an inferior Gary Roosevelt team. But this second Velt win, by 13 points, was a real shock. The only major weakness the 59ers had, a lack of quickness and foot speed, buried them after they fell behind in the KV 3A sectional semifinal. I still think that Andrean would have beaten Hammond and challenged St. Joseph's, but I also thought we were through with snow for the year last weekend too.

3. (4A) Gary West Side (16-6)
2006 (16-7), 2005 (23-5), 2004 (22-3)

GARY: I don't know if Gary West Side had a 'big' victory all year until the 51-47 victory over Munster. But they should have rolled over Highland once guard Mandy Moes got hurt. The West Side folks are talking about the 39 free throws Highland got in the East Chicago sectional semifinals. But West Side has better players than Highland and they should have won by 8-10 points. From some of the quotes from Coach Rod Fisher, this group may need a jolt so they'll play hungry. Getting bounced early in the sectional could be that spank they need. The Cougars return most everyone in 2008 and Munster, LC and Highland take competitive hits.

4. (4A) MERRILLVILLE (16-6)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (12-10), 2004 (12-8)

MERRILLVILLE: Here's another team that lost to a squad that was inferior to them. Merrillville had beaten Portage twice and I'm sure even the Indians would admit who was the better team. But the Pirates were upset at sectional time for the second year in a row and for the second time after they had a good lead. I don't have an explanation. Merrillville led 7-0 early and Portage was a couple of Pirates baskets away from being at the mall this Saturday. All Merrillville can do is try it again. 'Team Britney' returns for one more shot as they still have lead guard Britney Cruse and scorer Britney Curry. The Pirates should be over .500 and a sectional co-favorite in 2008. But with 14 DAC games, it's hard to change your schedule and better prepare for the post-season.

5. (4A) Munster (16-7)
2006 (19-5), 2005 (17-6), 2004 (6-15)

MUNSTER: These guys were the victims of a bad draw and they got left out in the cold worse than somebody who didn't get a weather report for last Tuesday. Losing by four to Gary West Side at sectional time is no shame, but Munster loses most of their best Fillies off this year's team. Munster defeated Penn, Griffith and Highland and 16-7 is very good. But like Andrean, it may take a few weeks before they're over this one. The Lady Ponies lose some very good athletes off this team and they'll need a slower pace in 2008.

6. (3A) Hammond (17-8)
2006 (15-8), 2005 (15-7), 2004 (8-12)

HAMMOND: Hammond got the job done in a rematch with a Griffith team that defeated them early in the season. The Panthers won by eight and should be on the floor late Saturday when the regional championship trophy is handed out. Now if we can just figure out how on earth they'll be awarded that trophy. They'll call on Denita Phelps to dominate inside against much larger foes. Can Roosevelt beat them in the semifinal? Only if Hammond overlooks them. The Wildcats can press Roosevelt and they should. West Side pressed Velt into the ground. 5-10 sophomore guard Sancheon White has as much raw talent as anyone in NW Indiana.

7. (4A) Highland (20-5)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (22-4), 2004 (12-9)

HIGHLAND: The Trojans came to play on the best day, coming from behind twice to beat Lake Central and Gary West Side at the East Chicago Sectional. With a 20-5 record, how come they aren't higher in the poll? Because without injured guard Mandy Moes, Highland needed divine intervention to beat Lowell (5-16) in the sectional title game. This isn't the same team they were two weeks ago and I don't know how they can repeat their November win over Portage at this week's Valparaiso Regional. Highland got 80 free throws in three sectional games and they can't expect that at the regional. The Indians settled for the '3' too much against Lowell. Take it to the hole, girls. But a delay game with guard Lizzie Stapke might work on South Bend Washington. For a while.

8. (2A) Wheeler (19-3)
2006 (14-7), 2005 (18-8), 2004 (19-4)

UNION TOWNSHIP: Wheeler came up strong when they needed to, with Becca Bruszewki (22.5 ppg.) scoring 30 in a 15-point sectional title win over Boone Grove. I don't know who coaches and players insist that a team with an all-stater is not a one man team. There's nothing wrong with being a one man team. Most girls teams are. The Bearcats will continue until Bruszewski has a bad game. Teams lose because they strive for balanced scoring. Wake up, folks. Nobody cares about balanced scoring except the parents. Stars win playoff games. That might be awhile. The Bearcats played North Montgomery two years ago and they were the better squad. IF there's a regional matchup between Wheeler's one man team and Jimtown (21-2) and all-stater (and one man team) Stephanie Wagner (21 ppg.), the Bearcats are, at least 50-50 to win if they keep the pace slow and get the ball to the leading scorer. Stay tuned.

9. (2A) BOONE GROVE (19-5)
2006 (14-11), 2005 (21-2), 2004 (17-5)

PORTER TOWNSHIP: Boone defeated Highland (20-5) and Kouts (20-2), but they didn't beat Wheeler in two tries and that's what it's all about at Boone. All-stater Cortney Flanigan (20.1 ppg.) scored 15 in her final game and Jessica Dowdy (10.6 ppg.) added 12, but they could not defense Wheeler's Becca Bruszewski, who scored 30 in a 55-40 Wheeler win. No matter how good Boone is, it will always come down to a game with Wheeler at the sectional. Boone returns a ton of talent with 6-foot forwards Emily Strilich and Kelly Dobson and guards Jessica Fauser and Jessica Dowdy. They have plenty of bench for the 2008 playoffs and they will probably still be the sectional favorite. But Boone will find that the game is much harder when you don't have that one ball-handler who can get the ball from 'Point A' to 'Point B' against any defense.

10. (1A) Oregon-Davis (21-3)
2006 (14-8), 2005 (11-11), 2004 (7-14)

HAMLET: Both the girls and boys teams at tiny Oregon-Davis won 20. That is an unbelievable feat for a school of what, 200 students? This team played North Judson and 3A superpower St. Joseph's. They have four players who average in double figures in sisters Amber (12.6 ppg.) and Angela Boyle (11.7 ppg.) and Aubrey (12.3 ppg.) and Gabrielle Minix (12.6 ppg.). All four of those girls are 5-foot-9. The Bobcats sank 19 three-point goals in the three-game sectional sweep and they were 3-1 on the season against arch-rival Argos (17-4). This is a real good 1A team and they got a real good draw at Saturday's Culver regional. Here's another team to watch even if you don't know where Culver is.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN.....

(2A) North Judson (18-5)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (22-4), 2004 (12-9)

NORTH JUDSON: Judson got hosed at Winamac when the host school got 44 free throws in a 55-47 upset. You're not going to be able to explain how the free throw disparity was 44-15 when Judson really isn't a running team. Sometimes the referees go overboard on 'calling it tight' in a playoff game. Judson had already beaten Winamac by 14 this year and they were the superior team. Judson returns Chelsea Howard (11.1 ppg.) and Whitney Trusty (13.0 ppg.) next year, but they lose all-state guard Debbie Bolen, their key player. Like Boone. Judson will be OK but they will lose the control of the game that an elite lead guard gives you. This might have been NW Indiana's best chance of reaching the state finals.

(1A) Kouts (20-2)
2006 (12-9), 2005 (12-9), 2004 (13-9)

KOUTS: Kouts was blessed with a relatively soft (look at the local 2A, 3A and 4A sites) sectional. They came through with a 10-point sectional title win over Morgan Township. But the yellow brick road ends with a regional semifinal game against Canterbury (21-2), the Fort Wayne school that is undefeated against 1A and 2A competition. I still have my doubts here. This team has won 10 games by 10 points or less and their schedule has not been as tough as the teams they will now see.