2007-2008 Girls Basketball  Week-8 Poll A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith (01-20-2008)

MICHIGAN CITY, IN - (01-20-2008) - Almost three months since the start of preseason practice, we're looking for teams that still have a lot of energy left.  There's only six undefeated teams left statewide as of Jan. 15 as South Bend Washington (17-1) got run over 73-60 by Kentucky power Lexington Catholic (15-2).  Lexington's Natalie Novosel, a Notre Dame recruit, scored 32 points, while Washington's Skyler Diggins, who Notre Dame hopes will attend there, scored a career-best 40 points with 13 rebounds.  Washington, which had won 43 games in a row, reportedly shot 17% from the field.  Washington didn't take the loss well.  In their next game the Panthers horsewhipped Chicago power Fenwick 105-64.

Defending 1A state champ Oregon-Davis (16-0) roared through the Bi-County Tournament and it looks like O-D and 2A defense champ Heritage Christian (17-0) will finish the regular season undefeated.  HC, the two-time defending 2A state champ, plays at 4A power Carmel (14-2) Tuesday, Jan. 22.  3A No. 1 Twin Lakes (16-1) lost to 3A No. 10 Northwestern (16-0) 64-62 Thursday and Twin Lakes plays its last five games on the road so they may take another loss.  It's hard to tell about undefeated 1A power Jac-Cen-Del (14-0), but I would guess they'll lose at Southwestern (13-4) on Jan. 24.

The first major win for a Northwest Indiana team against another Indiana big school power came Tuesday night (1-15-2008) when Michigan City won at South Bend Clay 65-55.  When you look at regular season results, it's still very hard to see anyone from the six-county (Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Starke) area we call Northwest Indiana other than Oregon-Davis even reaching the semistate level.

Washington (Sect. 3) and Memorial (14-4, Sect. 4) block NW Indiana's two 4A champs and unbeatens Twin Lakes or Northwestern (sectional 20 foes) and Sectional 19 favorite Plymouth (13-3) certainly stand in the way of this area's two 3A champs, whoever they end up being.  The two local 2A champions (at Wheeler and at North Judson) have to deal with sectional rivals No. 3 Jimtown or No. 12 Westview (12-3) and Garrett (14-1) at the regional level.  In 1A, Oregon-Davis reportedly is a significantly better team than they were last year when they won the state title.  Anybody who thinks they have even an outside chance against them at the sectional or regional better be practicing 24-7.

The time between the final league tourneys and the state tourney draw is 'dead time' in high school basketball.  The goal in late January is just to stay healthy.  Pairings are announced Sunday night (6:00 p.m. - EST), Jan, 27 and the tournament begins on Feb. 4 just nine days later.  Once that state draw is released, the end of the season starts to come at you in a hurry.  Lets look at what each team wants in the draw next on the 27th.

1.  (4A) Michigan City (15-4)
2007 (22-2) 2006 (14-11), 2005 (6-15), 2004 (6-16)

MICHIGAN CITY: Michigan City stopped Clay 65-55 in a game that gives them some post-season hope.  Clay (15-4) is in the northern part of the state's toughest 4A sectional with Penn (15-2) and Washington (15-1).  That backcourt of Takenya Nixon (19.6 ppg, 4.0 assists) and Bianca McGee (17.1 ppg, 46 3-point goals) keeps this team at the top.  At the start of the year, I thought this team was better than they were last season when they were 22-2 and I still think so.  Nobody controls the pace against them and they're young front line is gaining experience.  MC still has road games at Portage (12-3) and Merrillville (12-4) and they tend to have short attention spans against DAC squads.  They put a major whipping on Crown Point 83-41 Friday.  I wouldn't be shocked to see MC lose one of the last three because they really key up for those South Bend power schools and tend not to care about other foes.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  Hobart, LaPorte or Valpo.  A slower team.  Not only so they can maximize their speed, but so they don't have three track meet sectional games in five days.  Michigan City is so happy to get out of the same sectional with Washington.  The Wolves would like anybody but Merrillville.

2.  (4A) MERRILLVILLE (13-4)
2007 (16-6), 2006 (19-3), 2005 (12-10), 2004 (12-8)

MERRILLVILLE:  Merrillville survived slow-paced Hobart (8-4) by a 47-33 score.  The Pirates are a mix of very experienced players like Britney Cruse (14.1 ppg.), Tierra Turner (15.5 ppg., 6.2 rebounds) and Britney Curry with very young players like sophomore Bryonna Davis and freshman Melanie Stubbs.  Cruse (18), Turner (16) and Curry (16) banked 50 against LaPorte in a 74-32 mismatch on Jan. 11.  It's all about the Jan. 25 game against Michigan City.  The Pirates probably won't catch MC in the standings, but they played very well in beating MC 82-65 last month and if they can do it again by any score they'll be feeling good going into the post-season.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  Same as Michigan City.  The new eight-team sectional two means everybody must play three games.  You want a slow foe in the opener so you don't beat yourself up before the championship game.  The Pirates don't want to draw Crown Point because they finish the season with CP and the girls might overlook that game.  Truthfully, with Portage suffering injuries, Merrillville would like to draw anyone but Michigan City.

3.  (4A) Gary West Side (12-3)
2007 (16-6), 2006 (16-7), 2005 (23-5), 2004 (22-3)

GARY: The Side lost 68-63 to Clay (13-5) last week and it was similar to an earlier loss to Benton Central.  The Cougars trailed 40-26 at half-time, but a late rally led by Jasmine Brown (15 points) and Antoinette Taylor (16 points) almost pulled out the win.  The Cougars are a little better shooting team than they have been in the past.  West Side was 15 of 22 from the foul line.  The Cougars only play one style and they are much better in full court defense than they are in half court defense.  One ominous note. Marshall (13-6) beat West Side in Gary and the Commandoes are NOT one of the top-10 teams in the Chicago area this year.  West Side plays like an inexperienced team which is what  they are.
But West Side is competitive in every game and that's encouraging leading into a sectional where they only have to defeat Highland to advance.  The Side plays the last five on the road, including a Jan. 30 game at St. Joseph's (10-6), which has won 10 in a row.

WHO DO THEY WANT?  Anybody but Highland.  West Side is the favorite in 4A Sectional One, but they want Highland to play a quarterfinal and a semifinal game before they face the 'Side'.

4.  (4A) Portage (12-4)
2007 (16-9), 2006 (4-17), 2005 (4-17), 2004 (10-12)

PORTAGE:  Portage has won four in a row, but they drop in the poll because they've lost 5-10 senior three-year starter Gloria Hernandez (12.6 ppg, 8.9 rebounds) with a hand injury.
The reports are that she's out for the season, but I would guess that other Class 4A Sectional 2 coaches are not counting on that.  Basketball lore is loaded with stories of seniors who put a few rolls of tape on injuries and got out there in the post-season.  I do not know details of her injury (schools don't talk about things like that), but she's a tough payer, and she will return for the playoffs if it is at all possible.  Leading scorer Lisa Samplawski (19.1 ppg.) a Division I player, reportedly also has leg problems, but understand, teams and coaches are not going to tell you the whole truth about injuries.  They aren't allowed to.  I think Portage has all hands on deck in the playoffs.  Until then, however, Portage is a lesser team.  They lost by 10 to Chesterton Friday and that's not a surprise without Hernandez.  The Indians have Michigan City, Munster and streaking Lake Central still to play.  They need that because the schedule hasn't been strong to this point.

WHO DO THEY WANT?  Crown Point.  Portage is 5-0 against CP in the last 2 years.  All of the games have been decided by nine points or more and the last game was a 30-point blowout.  Portage has CP somewhat intimidated.  If the Indians get another wish, its for Merrillville to draw Michigan City.

5.  (4A) Chesterton (8-8)
2007 (7-14), 2006 (16-8), 2005 (11-11), 2004 (14-8)

CHESTERTON:  Anyone who doesn't have Chesterton in their Top-10 hasn't seen them.  Allowing 45 points a game against the schedule they play (Merrillville, Penn, St. Joseph's, Michigan City twice) is a remarkable achievement.  The Trojans have defeated pretty much the teams they were supposed to beat.  They didn't have a major victory until the 58-48 win over Portage Friday and that wasn't a real upset because Portage is crippled by injuries.  The only losing team Chesterton has lost to is LaPorte (7-9).  The Trojans still have Highland (14-2) to play, which just jacks their strength-of-schedule a little higher.  This team offensively can be as painful to watch as all-day election caucus coverage on cable TV, but they'd be leading any other conference in NW Indiana and they are just an annoying team to run your offense against.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  Anybody but Michigan City and Merrillville.  Chesterton hosts the 2A Sectional 2 eight-team marathon and nobody really wants to draw the DAC's top defensive team.

6.  (4A) Valparaiso (9-8)
2007 (8-14), 2006 (13-8), 2005 (21-2), 2004 (23-3)

VALPARAISO:  The Vikings are back over .500 after a 49-27 rout of LaPorte Friday, breaking a three-game losing streak.  Valparaiso's final three games are against teams with losing records.  At 6-foot-4, Stefanie Lang (11.0 points, 7.8 rebounds) creates problems other teams can't simulate, but the Viking girls have hit hard times from the foul line (just 16 of 28 against Portage) and a half court team must hit free throws because they don't get easy transition baskets.  Valparaiso's game almost depends on the other teams' failures.  They do not have enough offense to win on their own.  They have to frustrate the other side as LaPorte can bear witness.  I wouldn't swear Chesterton was better than Valparaiso, but they are more experienced.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  Anybody but Merrillville or Michigan City.  The Vikings don't want a fresh, fast team in the post-season opener.  Hobart, LaPorte or Chesterton would be a good draw.  This team probably can't win the sectional, but they definitely have an upset in them.

7.  (4A) Highland (15-2)
2007 (20-6) 2006 (12-11), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (17-6)

HIGHLAND:  The Trojans wore down arch-rival Munster 43-35 this week to clinch first place in the Northwest Crossroads Conference (NWCC).  It was not a game they'll brag about after Highland made just 18 of 32 from the foul line and beat a team that sank just 4-of-11.  Highland scored only 11 baskets in the game.  Highland turned back Griffith 45-34, but Griffith is 3A and a very young 3A.  Highland should beat Griffith this year.  Guard Lizzie Stapke (11.7 ppg., 3.6 assists) is one of only two lead guards (Lauren Hansen of Griffith is the other) in the entire NWCC.  The Trojans need next weeks game against Chesterton so they get work against a big, strong defensive-oriented team.  remember, Highland plays a 3A schedule and then enters the 4A playoffs

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  Gary West Side.  Truthfully, if Highland is going to beat West Side it will be immediately.  They probably won't go 3-0 at the sectional if the third game is against their friends from Gary.

8.  (3A) Griffith (15-3)
2007 (15-7), 2006 (14-8), 2005 (15-8), 2004 (13-9)

GRIFFITH:  The Panthers lost 45-34 to Highland (14-2), but they're too young to win that game.  Griffith has their final three games at home and they, I'll say it again, they have done everything that could have realistically been expected of them.  It's hard to rate their prospects in the post-season, because you have nothing to go on.  They are all underclassmen.  Oregon-Davis came in with a freshman class that was 78-0 from 6th to 8th grade and they won the state title.  Griffith has an elite freshman class, but this is 3A.  Having a lead guard like Lauren Hansen (8.5 points, 3.6 assists) has given them a chance.  You can't go far without a true lead guard.  It'll be interesting to watch them play a very fast, but very loose Hammond high (14-2) team on Jan. 22.  The Panthers struggled past Lowell 45-37 Friday night, but Griffith vs. Lowell is always a struggle.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  Remember, even though they're 3A schools about 5 miles apart, Hammond and Griffith are not in the same sectional.  The Panthers travel 50 miles to Rensselaer for sectional play.  (How did this happen????)  Most Griffith kids have never even been to Rensselaer unless grandma has a farm there.  I'm not certain Calumet (13-5) is that much better than Andrean (5-13), so what Griffith really needs is a first round bye so they don't have to play a Tuesday night quarterfinal game in Jasper County.

9.  (1A) Oregon-Davis (19-0)
2007 (25-3), 2006 (14-8), 2005 (11-11), 2004 (7-14)

HAMLET:  Oregon-Davis smoked out Bremen to win the Bi-County Tournament and they headed for Chicago to face sub-.500 Dekalb in the Chicagoland Classic.  The toughest thing about this season so far is that guard Gabi Minix (16 ppg.) is reportedly being recruited by Duke, Texas Tech and Purdue.  The push for 21-0 is still alive and the Bobcats aren't the New England Patriots too, so they didn't even have to cheat to win their games.  The Bobcats apparently received a call from Bowman Academy in Gary and they scheduled a game for Jan. 24.  What I like about O-D is that they truly seem willing to play anyone.  O-D has defeated 3A powers South Bend St. Joseph's (10-6) and Culver Academy (10-6) and 2A troublemaker North Judson (10-6).  Bowman Academy is the only Lake County team to give them a call.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  The only winning team other than South Central (9-7) in the Oregon-Davis sectional is Argos (10-6), a team O-D has already crushed twice 86-35 and 70-31.  I think the only thing O-D wants is not to get a bye so they can play three games in front of the home fans.  There does not appear to be anyone who can play with Oregon-Davis at the sectional level and they probably don't want a bye which would give them more than a week off.

10.  (3A) Hammond (14-2)
2007 (17-9), 2006 (15-8), 2005 (15-7), 2004 (8-12)

HAMMOND:  The Wildcats edged Morton 57-48 in a game they should have won by more and they are 6-0 against Hammond schools.  Junior guard Sancheon White (12.9) and 5-9 senior rebounder Dalita Scott (13.5 ppg, 6.6 rebounds) are an excellent inside-outside duo, but I'm still waiting for a quality win here other than Highland.  I still worry about the shooting ability of this sqaud.  They need to face zones and teams with strong baselines so they don't win games by simply following in their own missed shots.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  Gary Roosevelt.  The only other winning team in Sectional 17 is the wildly overrated Roosevelt (10-7), which truthfully has no option other than running with Hammond, exactly what the Lady Cats want.  Hammond is the sectional host and they want to play Roosevelt first, so they can then easily mop up any of the other four teams like spilled milk.  You don't want injuries or fatigue getting in the way of a third consecutive sectional championship.  They want Gary Roosevelt right away.

HEY, WHAT ABOUT US??????

(1A) Kouts (15-1)
2007 (20-3), 2006 (12-9), 2005 (12-9), 2004 (13-9)

KOUTS:  I'd like to put Kouts into the Top-10, but I'd like the Cubs to go to the World Series, too.  1A coaches and players are usually realists and I'm convinced they'd admit there isn't anyone in the DAC they could beat on their best day.  Kouts continues to coast through a fairly soft schedule beating struggling teams like North White (3-12), Hebron (4-13) and LaCrosse (1-15).  The Fillies are 10-0 against Class 1A teams and, considering their lack of size and physical strength, they have overachieved and that is to their credit.  Jeanette Keller (16.0 ppg., 2.8 assists, 26 3-point goals) and Ann Marie Keller (18 3-point goals) have led a productive offense, but what game prepares them for certain regional foe Oregon-Davis (19-0)?

WHAT DO THEY WANT?  They need Oregon-Davis to close before next month.  Kouts hosts a five-team sectional with no one else who has a wining record.  It will be hard to lose and they probably want to play three times so they can get three wins.  But they need to be working on a four-corner-type stall for Oregon-Davis because the Fillies cannot press O-D and they cannot zone them.

3A) Calumet (15-3)
2007 (13-8), 2006 (5-16), 2005 (7-15), 2004 (16-10)

GARY:  As I'm writing this, Calumet is not yet 15-3, but they will be by the time you read it.  Soph Juaniece Jackson (16.5 ppg,) and senior Aiesha Walker (13.1) were prohibitive favorites in the first Greater South Shore Conference (GSSC) tournament, which finished up at Calumet high school Saturday.  The Warrior women will almost certainly be 17-3 going to Griffith (14-3) on Jan. 31.  What this extra category is often for is the teams that are doing that have overachieved.  Back in November, I'd have said that Sean Hannity would be elected president before Calumet would win 20 games.  There must be 10 players here under 5-foot-6.  There is an outside chance that Calumet wins 20 games, an unprecedented feat.  This extra bracket often attracts teams that have done everything that could reasonably be asked of them.  To this point, Kouts and Calumet certainly fall into that category.

WHAT DO THEY WANT:  Like Griffith, the Warriors desperately need a first round bye so they don't have to drive an hour south to Rensselaer on a Tuesday night for sectional quarterfinal play.  Calumet should consider themselves lucky that the IHSAA didn't put the sectional in Knox, which is 75 miles away.  The Warriors better just be worried about how to get the whole gang to Jasper County after school.

Out of town....

2A No. 2 Oak Hill (15-0)
24-2 (2007), 14-7 (2006), 8-13 (2005) 4-17 (2004)

CONVERSE:  Converse is basically suburban Marion in Grant County, but Oak Hill apparently knew this team was coming because they signed up to play some teams above their level.  Oak Hill (18-0) has defeated 4A powers Kokomo (10-4) and Huntington North (10-7) and last week ran up the score 84-61 on Fort Wayne power Elmhurst (15-2), the latter being a first-time meeting.

You've got to get lucky if you're a coach.  The 14-7 season in 2006 was Oak Hill's first winning season in this decade.  But then two kids changed things and I'm sure fourth year coach Todd Law (61-22) took the job knowing what was coming.  Oak Hill is led by two sophomores, 5-6 guard Courtney Moses who scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds against Elmhurst, and 6-foot-4 center Ashley Pickering.  Moses averages six assists a game and Pickering shoots 65% from the floor and averages three blocked shots a game.

The Eagles will go undefeated if they get past one team: big neighbor 4A Marion (14-2).  That matchup at Oak Hill on Jan. 29 will be the big game of the regular season.  Oak Hill was 24-2 last season, including a 71-62 loss to Jimtown in the 2A Semistate championship game.  The only other loss all season was at Marion.  Should either of the Class 2A Northwest Indiana sectional champions (at Wheeler or North Judson) team get through regional play, they will almost certainly see Oak Hill in the semistate championship game.  They'll need more than good luck.

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