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2006-2007 Girls BasketballWeek-1 PollA USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith(11-13-2006) |
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2006-2007 Girls BasketballWeek-1 PollA USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith(11-13-2006) |
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ST.
JOHN, IN - (11-13-2006)
It's a very strange year in girls basketball. There are no top-10 teams in
NW Indiana except for Kouts, and that's highly debatable. Everyone seems to have
lost someone during the off-season, watched players get injured or changed
coaches. While the playoffs should be evenly matched, I don't know if you
can call the 2006-2007 regular season exciting, at least not from an early look
at it.
The Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) still insists on the double round-robin (14 league games, every team plays each other twice) which is painful to watch. With apologies to the Lady Bulldogs and Chesterton girls and good old boys Tom May and Jack Campbell, no one wants to see defensive-minded Crown Point play defensive minded Chesterton three times. It's 36-35 every time. The girls' parents don't even want to see those teams play three times.
The
final year of the Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) finally brings an end to that
pain. Quickly, which teams are in the LAC Black and which ones are in the
LAC Blue for boys and girls basketball? And the 16-team LAC tournament is in
early December before anyone really cares. You don't know? Off the
top of my head, neither do I. And I'm supposed to know. But we have what we
have. I tell people that the best regular season Northwest Indiana basketball
event continues to be the week-long Porter County Conference (PCC) championship
in January, but that's a long way off. LaPorte will postpone either their game
with Chesterton this Friday or their game with Riley this Saturday due to
football. Griffith has a game scheduled on Saturday night at Gavit that might
be bumped due to Griffith football at Norwell.
In the early going there's been some wildly varying top-10s in the local papers
because no one has any idea who's good and who's not.
1.) LAKE CENTRAL (0-2)
2006 (11-10), 2005 (7-14), 2004 (11-10)
St. JOHN - LC returned three starters of a team that won nine of their
last 11. Guard Jenny Britton (10.4 ppg.), 5-10 Janelle Kaeplinski (7
rpg.)and lead guard Allison Aguilera 4 apg.) compliment each other.
Injured forward Ashley Michalski returns as does 6-1 center Jamie Auer.
New coach Tim Powers has taught at LC the last couple of years, so he knows the
girls already. If they build depth, LC could win the DAC. Two
opening non-blowout losses 62-47 to 4A No. 5 Hamilton Southeastern and 61-46 to
4A No. 10 Carmel indicate strength, not weakness.
2.)
Michigan City (1-0)
2006
(14-11), 2005 (6-15), 2004 (6-16)
MICHIGAN CITY - They return all five starters including 6-3 Emma Tucker and point guard TaKenya Nixon (9.5 ppg, 3.3 apg.). This is the best team in the DAC player-for-player, but they were only 7-7 in the DAC last year. It's one thing to talk about it, but eventually, you have to do it. First chance to 'do it' comes up Friday (Nov. 17) against LC.
3.) Gary
West Side (0-0)
2006
(16-7), 2005 (23-5), 2004 (22-3)
GARY - The Roosevelt coach Melonie Martin, bless her heart, said in the Post-Tribune, that she has the best team in Gary. I'm having a hard time buying that. West Side is led by 6-3 center Ish-Shah-Terry and 5-9 junior Jasmine Brown. West Side returns eight players from last year. They breed depth by using 12-15 players all the time. I don't see any reason they won't be strong again.
4.)
ANDREAN
(1-1)
2006
(15-8), 2005 (9-13), 2004 (7-14)
MERRILLVILLE - I think the missing link for the 59th street girls comes in the form of 6-2 volleyball player Anna Hovanec, who returns to the team after not playing for two years. She averaged 10 rebounds in the first two games. She had 13 points and 10 rebounds in the season opening 56-47 win at Hebron. Plug her in with the 'Gang of Four', seniors Meagan Stickler, Courtney Pishkur, Michelle Hynes and Val Tyburski plus four underclassmen with varying degrees of potential and this is the year for the 59ers in the LAC. The Niners beat Hebron and lost in overtime to Merrillville due to 27 turnovers.
5.) Hammond (1-0)
2006 (15-8), 2005 (15-7), 2004 (8-12)
HAMMOND - Very impressive speed and much more organized under new coach
John Haas, who came over from Hebron. Hammond blasting EC 59-40 to start
the season indicates there's a new sheriff in town. The Cats have two
sophomores in 5-9 guards Sancheon White and Zena Nasiloski who glide up and down
the floor. Six seniors are led by 5-10 Denita Phelps and 5-10 Dalita Scott
adds power out of the junior class. Hammond and Andrean may meet three times
with a lot on the line. The Cats should be 3-0 playing Gary West Side on
Nov. 21.
6.)
Wheeler (2-0)
2006
(14-7), 2005 (18-8), 2004 (19-4)
UNION TOWNSHIP - I've always thought that 6-2 senior Becca Bruszewski (22 ppg.) should play the post because the Bearcats haven't had a real center since her freshman season. That clearly hurt them in key games. Now they do. Three freshmen, including athletic director Randy Stelter's daughter Brittany, will vie for the post position, allowing Wheeler the luxury of a 6-2 perimeter player. Throw in senior point guard Emilie Naccarato, who played at Valparaiso last year and this is the year for Wheeler to make a big run down state.
7.)
Valparaiso (1-2)
2006 (13-8), 2005 (21-2), 2004 (23-3)
VALPARAISO - Again, don't get caught watching the paint dry. Forget about who they lost. Look at who's coming up. The sophomore class, with four six foot players and guard Tara Villareal, has played together for a few years now. They'll struggle starting the year (although they did beat Munster 47-40 last week), but new coach Renee Turpa has enough girls to win with. I've heard about this soph class for a few years now. Valpo also lost to 4A No. 5 Hamilton Southeastern and 4A No. 10 Carmel over the weekend.
8.) CROWN
POINT (1-0)
2006 (11-11), 2005 (9-13), 2004 (7-14)
CROWN POINT - This was a team in need of a lead guard last season and
they never found one. Now, they may have the answer in Brittany Clements,
a 5-4 senior. CP will slow the game this year and work the ball inside to
a good-sized front court, which includes D-2 center (Southern Indiana) Courtney
Perry, 6-1 Anjellica Rospond and 5-9 shooter Amanda Moore.
Tom May says he won't press with this unit, but he has three athletic 5-10
sophomores and he doesn't promise he won't let them harass you. Slowing the
pace will improve the Bulldogs' defense and the big three have the ability to
carry the team.
9.) BOONE
GROVE (3-0)
2006 (14-11), 2005 (21-2), 2004 (17-5)
PORTER TOWNSHIP - It's also now-or-never for Boone Grove and they
began the season with urgency, topping River Forest, Calumet and Highland, all
blowout wins by 15 points or more. They have senior guard Courtney Flanigan (17
ppg.), the PCC's top player, and 10 other returning varsity players, including
the back court duo of Jessica Fauser and
Jessica Dowdy. They're a little small to battle Wheeler, but 5-9 Kristyn
Kessler, 5-10 Brittney Roach, 5-11 Dani Diaz and 5-9 Amanda Spears give the
Wolves a lot of depth. The Wheeler-Boone Grove games will be peak
competition this year. Boone-Hebron Friday (Nov. 18) won't be bad.
10.)
LaPorte (1-1)
2006 (8-14), 2005 (8-13), 2004 (4-17)
LaPORTE - The Slicers return eight players off a team on the rise. 5-10 Sarah Dermody (15 ppg.) and 5-8 senior Erin Justice (6 ppg.) is a good compliment. LaPorte lost to 4A No. 1 (SB) Washington by 31 points last weekend, but that's good for them. This will be the surprise team in the DAC.
ON THE OUTSIDE
LOOKING IN...
11.) Gary
Roosevelt (1-1)
2006 (10-10), 2005 (7-12), 2004 (4-13)
GARY - This team has two top players in 5-10 senior Latice Jones (20 ppg.) and 5-8 soph Tatiana Washington. That inside-outside combo should be enough to win 10 games. But you're going to have to show some outside shooting and depth to beat good teams. The Velt has bulked up the schedule (Andrean, Riley, Hammond and 2 tournaments) and that's impressive. Riley smoked them by 30, but they can learn from that. Some years they didn't even schedule 20 games. Clearly they want to compete now. But this just isn't a top-10 team yet.
12.) Munster (1-1)
2006 (19-5), 2005 (17-6), 2004 (6-15)
MUNSTER - I'm not totally buying how they can't do much without the big girls they lost. It's all about the guards and Laura Meneghetti will keep them in every game. I've always liked 5-10 Jennifer DiCostanzo while Chelsey Kimes (volleyball) and Hallie Gibbs (softball) are all-area players in other sports and can win with strength and speed. They opened with a loss to Valpo, but an 11-point win over Chesterton. A good start.
13.)
Rensselaer (0-1)
2006 (20-5), 2005 (15-7), 2004 (10-11)
RENSSELAER - North Judson's arch-rival and another 2A powerhouse with 5-9 center Courtney Meyer up front for track star Allison Malone at guard. The Bombers have six seniors, decent size and a lot of backcourt speed. They lost by 5 to Knox, so it may take some time here.
ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY...
North Judson (1-0)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (22-4), 2004 (12-9)
NORTH JUDSON - If 5-6 senior Kristen Bolen recovered from off-season knee surgery, Judson will soon be in the top-10. Junior center Leann Howard also had knee problems, but she is one of four Jays at 5-10 or taller. Class 2A again, is very strong so the Jays will compete only if they are totally healthy.
MERRILLVILLE (1-1)
2006 (19-3), 2005 (12-10), 2004 (12-8)
MERRILLVILLE - The Pirates' key player is 5-4 junior point guard Britney Cruse and she won't play until next month. They can win games by stealing the ball 20 times, but the Pirates don't have anyone listed as being taller than 5-8. The Pirates lost to Highland, but upset cross-town rival Andrean in OT. They have top-10 potential, but will be a hard road until the first of the year due to two significant injuries.
LOWELL (0-0)
2006 (15-7), 2005 (13-8), 2004 (15-9)
LOWELL - Lowell has to get Kelly Johnson healthy (out until mid-December with a stress fracture and bad shoulder) and keep Gabi Goetz healthy. The Devils have 5-10 Kim Bell and 5-9 junior Goetz up front to rebound, but 5-7 Kara Lamb and 5-6 Mallory Pratt are going to have to be safe with the ball if the Devils are to have a winning season. Football postponed their opener and that was a week they needed.