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2007-2008 Girls BasketballWeek-11 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(02-14-2008) |
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2007-2008 Girls BasketballWeek-11 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(02-14-2008) |
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MICHIGAN
CITY, IN - (02-14-2008) -
The sectional is when the truth comes out about a lot of teams... and it
certainly did last weekend. In 4A in the northwest corner, the four
favored teams... Elkhart Memorial (21-4), Gary West Side (18-4), Michigan City
(20-5) and defending state champion South Bend Washington (20-2) all came
through and advanced as the best four teams possible in the Valparaiso Regional.
The only team that can argue that point is Merrillville, which defeated Michigan City twice before losing at a neutral site sectional 77-75 in overtime. What do all five of those teams have in common? They are all up-tempo, high speed teams. It would appear again that at the 4A level, slow, patient conservative-style halfcourt play cannot hold up. I believe that's because there is unlimited talent in the top bracket, largely because there is unlimited enrollment. The power of the Duneland Conference showed up as second-division Lake Central whipped Munster, a first division team in the Northwest Crossroads Conference. The 4A Sectional 2 involving two DAC teams, was brutal, with two overtime semifinal games.
And in 3A Sectional 18, played in Rensselaer, the two teams that had to travel the furthest, Griffith and Calumet, met in the finals. The small school Porter County Conference was happy because five PCC teams (actually 4 because Morgan beat other PCC teams to get there) Kouts, Hanover Central, South Central, Morgan Township and Boone Grove) reached sectional finals and two: Hanover and Kouts won.
The new site for the 3A regional is in Rensselaer, an odd choice, but one that helps Calumet and Hammond. Rensselaer is not that big a school with a somewhat small facility. I must again mention the painful 9:30 a.m. starts for some of these basketball games in Northwest Indiana. For example, in 2A, Hanover Central must travel approximately 60 miles and play a regional semifinal at 9:30 a.m., their time. Why? Why not play the games at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 at night? The 9:30 a.m. start requires Hanover to leave at 6 a.m. or stay over Friday night. In mid-winter, they almost certainly must stay overnight Friday. If you are going to schedule regional semifinal games so early in the morning that teams must be there the night before, why not play the semifinals Friday night when basketball should be played anyway? The losing Friday teams could go home while the winners stay over and play at 2 or 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, with everyone heading for home before the sun sets.
The present format has moms and dads traveling at dawn, playing at breakfast
time and going home in the dark. What's good about that?
1. (4A)
Michigan
City
(20-5)
2007
(22-2),
2006 (14-11), 2005
(6-15), 2004
(6-16)
MICHIGAN CITY: Michigan City lost a late lead in regulation, but survived 77-75 over Merrillville at the Chesterton Sectional semifinals, reversing two earlier losses. Bianca McGee scored 25 points and MC was 20 of 29 from the line. The Wolves then got by Valpo 55-44 in the title game with 16 of 21 from the line, but they aren't celebrating that much. MC must now defeat defending 4A state champ South Bend Washington (20-2) in a Valparaiso Regional semifinal on Feb. 16. MC is 42-7 in the last two years with two losses to Merrillville and three to Washington. Did they prove the judgement here that the Wolves are the No. 1 team in NW Indiana? No one but Merrillville ever seriously questioned it, but let's wait until after the Washington game. Michigan City has the guards to defeat South Bend Washington (20-2) and you heard it here first.
2. (4A)
MERRILLVILLE
(17-5)
2007
(16-6),
2006
(19-3),
2005
(12-10),
2004
(12-8)
MERRILLVILLE: So what you're telling me here is that because Merrillville could not beat Michigan City (20-5) three times that they're out? The season is over. Britney Cruse scored 14, but she fouled out in overtime and MC was able to prevail 77-75 in the Chesterton Class 4A semifinals last Friday. The Pirates had four players score in double figures, but as had been said here many times, balanced scoring is great for team morale, but it doesn't necessarily win close games against top teams. I thought the difference between Merrillville and Michigan City was that MC had two better individual offensive players than Merrillville's four double-figure scorers. With a minute to go in the playoffs, you'd trade four balanced players for one 20-point per game scorer. Still, Merrillville proved they were clearly, at the very least, the second best team in NW Indiana. And they have a lot more than it might first appear coming back next season.
3.
(4A) Gary
West
Side
(18-4)
2007
(16-6),
2006 (16-7),
2005
(23-5),
2004
(22-3)
GARY: West Side stepped to the front in the playoffs, blowing down Highland and outlasting fast-rising Lake Central to win the 4A Sectional One title. They dominated Highland 65-51 and beat LC by three for their sixth consecutive win. I didn't think the schedule was tough enough, but we get to see now because Elkhart Memorial, while speedy, is beatable for the Cougars. 5-foot-10 Jasmine Brown scored 17 against Highland and 18 against LC. The 'Side' was 15 of 19 from the line against Highland but only 14 of 24 against LC. They figured to get this far. What now? I think West Side is very vulnerable at the regional because their style is wearing, grinding full court pressure. I can very easily see West Side beating Memorial, but I can't see them them beating South Bend Washington, another high speed express.
4.
(4A) Valparaiso
(13-10)
2007
(8-14),
2006 (13-8),
2005
(21-2),
2004
(23-3)
VALPARAISO: A good season for Valpo ended with an overtime 55-44 loss to a superior Michigan City squad. Foul shooting, 11 of 20, cost them in the upset bid. Valpo matched up well with MC, but the Wolves did them a favor. It would not have been good for Valparaiso, as slow as they are, to face the firing squad of No. 2 Washington. The Valpo girls can now sit in their home gym and watch the two top teams in their region battle it out. Obviously with 6-foot-4 Stefanie Lang returning for two more years, Valparaiso is in very good shape for the future.
5. (4A)
Chesterton
(10-11)
2007
(7-14),
2006 (16-8),
2005
(11-11),
2004
(14-8)
CHESTERTON: Chesterton lost back-to-back games to Valparaiso to end the year. It's funny. Chesterton hosted the sectional and they faced a team they'd beaten earlier. It just didn't work out. Here's another DAC team with quite a bit returning in 2009. 5-foot-10 bookends Abbe Skube and Morgan Palombizio should enable the Trojans to challenge for the DAC championship, although Valparaiso, Michigan City and Crown Point return tons of key players.
6.
(4A) Portage
(13-6)
2007
(16-9),
2006 (4-17),
2005
(4-17),
2004
(10-12)
PORTAGE: Portage was eliminated by Merrillville 57-46 in a 4A Sectional One quarterfinal that was no a surprise since the Indians were short three players to injury. This final ranking might seem low, but Portage was 16-9 last year and 13-8 this year. Injuries certainly hurt them, but this is where they have been for a couple of years. The graduation of Gloria Hernandez and Lisa Samplawski means that, like Highland, Portage will have to rebuild around Tara Ellis, a versatile wing. I don't know if Portage has the depth in their program to replace the caliber of talent they've lost. It could be a tough ride in the DAC the next couple of years because Michigan City returns most of a very good roster, Chesterton returns two all-area players, Merrillville returns two young but potential all-DAC players and Crown Point returns 16 girls who were on the playoff roster. Tough league.
7. (1A)
Oregon-Davis (24-0)
2007
(25-3),
2006 (14-8),
2005
(11-11),
2004
(7-14)
HAMLET: 1A No. 1 Oregon-Davis pulled away from South Central 59-45 to win the O-D sectional and run their win streak to 43 games. Here comes the first big test in the drive for a second consecutive state championship. Fort Wayne Canterbury (17-5), O-D's foe in the Caston 1A Regional semifinals Saturday, is 4-4 against 3A and 4A schools and they have played a much tougher schedule. O-D's slate is formidable for a 1A school, but four of Canterbury's losses are to Carmel (19-4), Elmhurst (22-2), Bishop Chatard (20-4), and Fort Wayne South (20-4). O-Ds Aubrey Minix, who may have set a state record this year with 112 three-point baskets, sank six bonus balls in beating SC. But they are dependent on the long ball and that becomes a problem when you leave home. This Saturday's semifinal at Caston is a major hurdle so let's put everything else on hold until they get through the regional.
8. (4A)
Highland
(17-4)
2007
(20-6),
2006 (12-11),
2005
(19-5),
2004
(17-6)
HIGHLAND: The Trojans lost to Gary West Side 65-51 in the 4A Sectional One semifinals. Highland was hurt by the schedule. The Trojans gave up a season high 65 points and lost by a season-high 14 points. Highland plays in what is largely a 3A league and then they play large 4A schools in the post-season. They must schedule the powerful 4A schools like Penn, Memorial, Washington, Michigan City. The Trojans, who lose four starters to graduation must retool now. But I am confident that by the time they do, they will also get some heavy hitters on the schedule and they will be better for it. Highland isn't going to be in the Top-10 for a while, but they should still compete for the title next year in the Northwest Crossroads Conference.
9. (3A)
Griffith
(17-5)
2007
(15-7),
2006 (14-8),
2005
(15-8),
2004
(13-9)
GRIFFITH: The Panthers lost to Calumet 35-28 in the 3A sectional championship game in Rensselaer. The offense went south, which is what happens with young teams in the post-season. I think Griffith was better than Calumet, but Calumet is more experienced. The Panthers return all five starters next season and much will be expected. But short of that, this is the sixth consecutive winning season for the Panthers. Griffith played five small 4A schools and that needs to change. They have a potential state finals team the next two years and they need to schedule as if that were the case. Part of the problem for Griffith, Munster and Highland was that the Northwest Crossroads Conference was so weak and that will change. But nobody gets to the state finals with a soft schedule.
10. (3A)
Hammond (19-2)
2007
(17-9),
2006 (15-8),
2005
(15-7),
2004
(8-12)
HAMMOND: The Wildcats walked through their sectional with no-contest wins 67-28 over Roosevelt and 81-31 over Gavit. Hammond is blessed and cursed by having soft sectional foes. Yes, they get the trophy and that makes it four consecutive sectional titles, but they've been rejected at the regional level all three previous times. It's been 27 years since Hammond won its only girls basketball regional. I'm not confident about their chances this week. There are no victories on their record that indicate they can beat Plymouth Saturday, much less undefeated Northwestern (22-0), the favorite at the new 3A Rensselaer Regional. They have to make a painful leap up in talent to face 3A No. 7 Plymouth (18-4) in the regional semifinals. Hammond has only played six games decided by 10 points or less. They have a lot of speed, but they are tailor made for Plymouth to slow them down. Hammond may not be ready for a Top-10 team.
HEY,
WHAT
ABOUT
US??????
(1A)
Kouts
(21-2)
2007
(20-3),
2006 (12-9),
2005
(12-9),
2004
(13-9)
KOUTS: 1 A No. 2 Kouts lost the final game of the year 42-40 to Hobart, but then easily beat Whiting and Morgan Township to take the Kouts Sectional. They have won everything they could possibly have won so far this year, winning the Porter County Conference, the South County Tournament, the PCC Tournament and the sectional. Kouts finishes 13-0 against other PCC teams and senior Juliette Keller (15.8 ppg.) plus sister Ann Marie Keller (10.4 ppg.) get a week off to rest up for a rematch with West Central (17-5), a team they beat 42-35 on Nov. 17. Now, the problem. Kouts can't say this, but they need Canterbury (17-5) to upset Oregon-Davis (24-0) in the Caston Regional semifinals because Kouts can't beat O-D. Kouts lost only 78-72 to Canterbury last year and the Fillies would have a chance against them.
3A)
Calumet
(20-3)
2007
(13-8),
2006 (5-16),
2005
(7-15),
2004
(16-10)
GARY: Calumet reversed a 36-25 regular season loss to Griffith and beat the Panthers 37-28 in the Rensselaer Sectional title game. The Warriors deserve all credit for three 60-mile road trip wins to Rensselaer, winning just the fourth sectional title in the 33 years of the girls basketball tournament. Calumet drew the short straw as they now take on the undefeated fourth-ranked Northwestern Tigers (22-0) from Kokomo. Northwestern is the only team to beat No. 2 Twin Lakes (22-2) this season and they have an inside-out attack. The Tigers were 15 of 33 from the floor last week and 8-of-16 from three-point range. The Warriors are a small, quick team that can cover the perimeter, but their offense has to be very effective and patient. Even to the point of playing some Griffith-style basketball and slowing the game. They were 11 of 16 from the line last week. It isn't impossible. Calumet played three games on the Rensselaer floor last week and Northwestern, which has played no 4A schools (Calumet has played 5), has never been there. Any way it goes, this is a mountain-top season for Calumet.