2006-2007 Girls Basketball  Week-2 Poll A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith (11-21-2006)

MICHIGAN CITY, IN - (11-21-2006)  -  There's no stability after week one of the basketball season.  All positions, No. 1 through No. 10 are shaky.  Out of South Bend, you know times have changed when former superpower St. Joseph's got wasted by 32 points by 4A No. 1 South Bend Washington.  Obviously St. Joseph's has trouble at lead guard, which opens the door in Class 3A.  At least until you get to Bishop Luers.

I like Hammond, but they lost.  I liked Andrean, but they lost.  I like LC.  They lost three times.  I thought LaPorte was good.  They've lost twice.  I thought CP would be 3-0.  They were Missing in Action against Portage.  Everybody is flawed.  East Chicago has less defense than Michigan and Ohio State combined.  Other than Andrean, Munster and Hammond it's hard to find good offensive players in the entire 16-team Lake Athletic Conference.  Truthfully, there are fewer good teams in NW Indiana than there are in the National Football League and that's saying something.

The strongest bracket early is clearly Class 2A, where Boone Grove (4-0) and Wheeler look good early.  Class 4A looks awful.  With South Bend Washington (2-0) looming to the east, it's hard to find a challenger from NW Indiana.  But it's early.  Who's the favorite in the Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) Tournament next month?  Kinda like trying to find good teams on the Chicago Bears' schedule.

1.   (4A) Michigan City (2-0)    
2006 (14-11),  2005 (6-15),  2004 (6-16)

MICHIGAN CITY:  I don't remember a time when Michigan City was No. 1 in any poll. A big win for the Wolves edging Lake Central 50-46.  Guard TaKenya Nixon scored 15, but 6-2 center Emma Tucker struggled against the big LC front line.  Nixon (19.0) is the leading score after two games, while Tucker hasn't gotten started to the extent that MC needs.  Michigan City is an up tempo team and they will struggle greatly when you can slow them down.

2.   (4A) LAKE CENTRAL (0-3)
2006 (11-10),  2005 (7-14),  2004 (11-10)

St. JOHN:  I appreciate they are 0-3, but all three teams they lost to are unbeaten.  LC beats Michigan City if they do better than 10 of 24 from the foul line.  LC was a very poor 27 of 53 from the line after three games.  Guard Jenny Britton (15 ppg.) has 10 3-point goals after three games.  Allison Aguilera (8.0 ppg.) is off to a good start.  These losses will serve LC very well later in the year.

3.   (3A) ANDREAN (2-1)
2006 (15-8),  2005 (9-13),  2004 (7-14)

MERRILLVILLE:  The 59ers have won twice and lost to Merrillville in overtime.  They should be 3-0.  The Niners have five senior starters and lots of depth.  They need to just build up the wins.  There's no talking about it.  They've just got to lineup and take out all these teams that have beaten them in the last couple of years.  Val Tyburski (16.8 ppg.) is producing points at a level they need.  They may want to play with tempo here.  Andrean has the depth to play an up tempo game, but I don't know if they can defense people at a quick pace.  They've got a real shot to win at St Joseph's Tuesday night (Nov. 28).  There is no one on the 59ers schedule that they cannot and should not beat.

4.   (4A) Gary West Side (0-1)
2006 (16-7),  2005 (23-5),  2004 (22-3)

GARY:   The Side got edged 60-56 in the season opener, but don't ever judge a team in the season opener.  I like the Cougars' depth and a loss to Andrean may end up being a badge of honor this year.  A lot depends on 6-foot-3 Ish Sha Terry who scored 10 in the opener.  Guard Mary Bell scored 14, but the Cougars lost by hitting 21 of 71 from the field.  West Side always starts slow.  Long time watchers know what's coming here.

5.    (3A) Hammond (2-1)
2006  (15-8),  2005 (15-7),  2004 (8-12)

HAMMOND:   Hammond got bushwhacked 38-30 at Griffith and they'll be vulnerable to patient teams.  But the cats have a lot of speed and it's gong to be tough for up tempo teams to hang with them.  This ranking seems a little high right now, but you'll see.  Word here is they've suffered a significant injury (DaLita Scott) but there's a lot of potential here.  With their schedule, they can run teams into the ground.

6.  (2A) Wheeler (30)
2006 (14-7),  2005 (18-8),  2004 (19-4)

UNION TOWNSHIP:  Wheeler has won a couple of 38-28 games, but it's early.  This team was overrated in past years, but I like the structure of the squad now.  They have a point guard and post players and neither are 6-2 Becca Bruszewski (20.0 ppg.).  That will eventually make her tougher to defend.  The Bearcats are at 50% from the foul line and they should be better than that.  Wheeler will build depth as the season goes on.  That's the edge Boone Grove has over them right now.  Wheeler-Boone is the match up that could decide the 2A rep downstate this year.

7.  (2A) BOONE GROVE (5-0)
2006  (14-11)   2005 (21-2)  2004 (17-5)

PORTER TOWNSHIP:  This team has roared out of the gate, playing 1/4 of the schedule in the first 14 days.  It helps to have the region's top back court player in Courtney Flanigan (21.2 ppg.).  Boone struggled with arch-rival Hebron, winning just 55-51, but that will always be the case.  The Wolves beat Highland easily 45-27 in a game that should have been played three years ago.  Jessica Dowdy had nine three-point baskets after four games.  Freshman Kelly Dobson is averaging 5.2 per game up front.  Boone should be 7-0 when they host 4A neighbor Crown Point on Dec 9.

8. (4A) MERRILLVILLE (1-1)
2006 (19-3),  2005 (12-10),  2004 (12-8)

MERRILLVILLE:  The Pirates already have posted close wins over Andrean and Valparaiso, but they are playing a couple of players short, so that's why they are down here in the poll. This can be a top team once they are 100% healthy, but they'd have trouble will full strength teams, even the 2As Boone and Wheeler.  To be honest, Merrillville could be 0-3 right now. All the games have been decided by four points or less.

9.  (4A) LaPorte (2-2)
2006  (8-14),  2005 (8-13),  2004 (4-17)

LaPORTE:  The Slicers got beat at Chesterton, but they bounced back to rout Riley 66-44 as Sarah Dermody scored 29.  The Slicers should be 3-1, but this is a good start.  It sounds like they are having some problems controlling the pace of the game.  They may not even know what pace they wish to play at yet.   But scheduling the speedy South Bend City teams is a good prep for Michigan City and Merrillville in the DAC.   The Slices have four games in the next 10 days.

10.  (4A) CROWN POINT (2-1)
2006  (11-11),  2005 (9-13),  2004 (7-14)

CROWN POINT:  CP committed 30 turnovers in a 40-31 loss at Portage, but they then made just 15 in a win over Warsaw.  The front court of 6-1 Anjellica Rospond, 6-0 Courtney Perry and 5-9 Amanda Moore is averaging about 30 points and 20 rebounds combined.  Good numbers so far, but they need 40 points and 30 boards every night.  Lead guard Brittany Clements was overmatched at Portage, but came back strong with four assists in the 53-44 win over Warsaw.  The schedule is tough, but there is depth here.  CP plays Lake Central, Boone and Valparaiso in a five day span next month.




ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN.....

(4A) Valparaiso (1-3)
2006 (13-8),  2005 (21-2),  2004 (23-3)

VALPARAISO:  Valpo stopped Munster early, but lost to Carmel, Southeastern and Merrillville.  The Vikings have been able to control the pace of the game and nobody has more depth of size.  It's hard to judge them because their players have little or no high school track record.  But I think they are better than Chesterton (1-0) and Hobart (3-0).  The 49-40 win over Munster and the close 31-27 loss to Merrillville tell you that new coach Renee Turpa is not moving much from old coach Greg Kirby's style.

(2A) North Judson (2-0)
2006  (19-3),  2005 (22-4),  2004 (12-9)

NORTH JUDSON:  It would appear that Kristen Bolen is healthy, going by the 28 points she scored in Judson's 53-42 win over Bremen.  Bolen is in the class of Boone's Courtney Flanigan and Munster's Lauren Meneghetti.  Judson can spread the floor and break anybody down.  This team is 41-7 the last two years.  They are accustomed to winning.  We'll need to watch the health here, but Judson plays a tougher schedule than Wheeler and Boone.  You have to watch them.

(4A) Munster  (1-1)
2006  (19-5),  2005 (17-6),  2004 (6-15)

MUNSTER:  Munster looked good except against Valparaiso.  It's hard to tell whether Munster is good.  They beat Chesterton, but Chesterton is supposed to be last in the DAC this year.  If you step back and take a look, anybody with a three-year point guard should be in the top-10.  But, after that loss to Valpo, I want to see a little more first.
 

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Revised: November 21, 2006 .