2008-2009 Renegade Girls Basketball  Week-2 Poll A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith (12-01-2008)

MICHIGAN CITY, IN (12-01-2008) A sobering game for NW Indiana state hopes was the Penn game against Chesterton, won by the Kingsmen 101-51 on Nov 22.  I would hope there isn't that much difference between one of the top teams in the state and one of the top NW Indiana squads.  But maybe that should not be the focus this season as three of the four state champs appear likely to repeat.

One focus I've noted favorably is the lack of three-point shooting (except for Oregon-Davis) in the early going.  I've always thought that a team that shoots 20 three-pointers a game is like Chrysler.  They're bankrupt in talent and they're looking for a bailout.  Coaches can't talk about 'playing the game the right way' and then sit back while Polly Perimeter fires up 10 three-pointers every night.

Don't get me wrong.  Every team needs two long range shooters to open up zone defenses.  But when you need that as part of your basic offense, you are vulnerable to a team that can actually dribble, pass and play man-to-man defense.  Nothing kills an offense worse than a possession where the lead guard comes down the floor and misses a three-pointer before anyone gets in position to rebound.

In defense of coaches, it's a lot easier to teach reversing the ball and shooting a '3' than it is running a play to get a high percentage shot.  Everybody in high school is limited by what they have on the roster.

When I hear coaches (and watchers) say that if you shoot '3s' you only need to make 3 or 4 out of 10, it gives me a headache.  It's not that simple.  Missing shots, especially with long rebounds, helps the other side run out for advantages.  It's better to shoot 50% on 2-pointers than it is 30 or 40% on 3-pointers because the rebounds and counter-attacks are something you can more easily control.

I'd like to see the 3-point line moved to the NBA distance and any shot from beyond mid court counts just two.  Lets make it a game of skills and not emphasize one particular skill and luck.

In the early going, it would seem the Porter County Conference (PCC) is going to be a little more wide open than it may have first appeared.  Boone Grove has started slowly while Kouts and Hanover seem on the rise.  The Northwest Crossroads Conference is off to a collective slow start, although Andrean's win over Gary West Side was a highlight.  But if Munster loses to Chesterton by 36 points and Chesterton loses to Penn by 50?  What does that say?  Let's not talk about that.

1.  (4A) Michigan City (2-0)
2008 (20-6), 2007 (22-2), 2006 (14-11), 2005 (6-15), 2004 (6-16)

MICHIGAN CITY:  The Wolves opened the DAC season (Nov. 21) with a limp-wristed 58-49 win over Lake Central.  Both teams were an unofficial 4-of-23 from three-point range.  That's not what you want to see.  MC has all-state guards, but they won't beat good teams throwing up 3s.  MC was 23 of 54 in three-pointers after two games.  That's too many.  The Wolves have size and ball-handling.  Why do they want games to turn into a 3-point shooting contest where less quick, less athletic teams can stay with them?  Let's see if they run an offense against Valparaiso (Nov. 28) and Chesterton (Dec. 5).  We've got to let this 3-shooting obsession go.  One thing I must report.  Michigan City is not in the Top-10 state wide and that speaks to the overall strength of the area.

2.  (4A) Chesterton (2-1)
2008 (10-11), 2007 (7-14), 2006 (16-8), 2005 (11-11), 2004 (14-8)

CHESTERTON:  I still like these girls in the number two spot.  The 50-point loss to Penn is hard core, but I don't know Penn isn't that good.  6-foot seniors Morgan Palombizio (15.0 ppg.) and Abbe Skubbe (14.3 ppg.) have scored in double figures in every game so far.  The Trojans shot 100 free throws (64 of 100) in their first three games?????  Is that real?  There may be some backcourt problems here but we'll address them later.  I still like this team, but I'll know more after they face Crown Point (4-0) on Nov. 28.

3.  (4A) Valparaiso (2-2)
2008 (13-10) 2007 (8-14), 2006 (13-8), 2005 (21-2), 2004 (23-3)

VALPARAISO:  I'm a little surprised that Valpo scored 71 points on Merrillville.  That means the Vikings had a lucky night or they're a lot better in the backcourt than it seemed.  Again, throw out those two losses to 4A No. 3 Carmel (5-0) and 4A No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern (4-0).  Nobody in the NW corner is going to beat those teams.  Kelsie Ostojic (13. 5 ppg.)  showed she had some scoring ability last year.  Her scoring 31 on Merrillville isn't a huge surprise.  Guard Tara Villareal (11.2 ppg.) and 6-foot-4 center Stephanie Lang (10.5 ppg.) both look good in green.  Valparaiso is a lot like Chesterton.  The key will still be who handles the ball.

4.  (4A) MERRILLVILLE (3-1)
2008 (17-5) 2007 (16-6), 2006 (19-3), 2005 (12-10), 2004 (12-8)

MERRILLVILLE:  The Pirates had a bad defensive night against Valparaiso and they have to figure that out because there's a lot of Valpo in their future.  Bryonna Davis scored 21 in a 56-47 win over East Chicago, but even that game was tied 37-37 in the third quarter.  The Pirates are going to have be a little more vicious defensively against teams with bigger people and that's almost everybody.  You don't have to wait long in the DAC for another test and Merrillville travels to Chesterton on Dec. 5.

5.  (3A) Griffith (2-2)
2008 (17-5), 2007 (15-7), 2006 (14-8), 2005 (15-8), 2004 (13-9)

GRIFFITH:  The Panthers have lost to Lake Central 43-41 and Hobart 49-40, but their problems appear to be on offense and that's okay at this point of the season.  I'm not ready to judge a 3A team on two narrow losses to 4A schools.  If the Panthers are looking at 3A foes around them, they have to be encouraged about their post-season chances.  The Panthers should still be the favorite in the NWCC and they begin a 4-game road trip Nov. 29 at Clark.  They should win all four.

6.  (1A) Oregon-Davis (5-0)
2008 (24-1), 2007 (25-3), 2006 (14-8), 2005 (11-11), 2004 (7-14)

HAMLET:  They are averaging 79 points a game and that's impressive considering the fact that they are playing all 1A schools.  5-foot-9 senior wing Aubrey Minix (22.4) and sister Gabi Minix (15.8 ppg.) have 1/4 of the season in the books.  How many Minix' are there?  With all these good numbers, it's hard to rate O-D.  They are a very small team with no one taller than 5-foot-9.  Minix is the key, a top point guard.  We'll know more after they face 4A Elkhart Memorial (3-0) on Dec. 4.

7.  (4A) Lake Central (2-3)
2008 (9-13), 2007 (20-6) 2006 (12-11), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (17-6)

ST. JOHN:  Forget the record, the losses are to Carmel (5-0) Southeastern (4-0) and Michigan City (2-0).  5-foot-9 Grace Meyers scored 19 against Michigan City and the Indians beat the MC press most of the time.  LC was 4-of-23 against MC from three point range and they are too tall a team for that.  I'm not sure the Indians shoot well enough to shoot 23 three-point shots and I think that was a one-time thing.  LC travels to Valparaiso (Dec. 5), Crown Point (Dec. 12) and Chesterton (Dec. 17) later this month and that will tell some stories.

8.  (4A) Crown Point (4-0)
2008 (6-15), 2007 (10-11), 2006 (11-11), 2005 (17-6), 2004 (14-8)

CROWN POINT:  The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 4-0 start with a dramatic overtime win over Warsaw.  CP trailed by 21 points at the half and won in OT, 71-62.  For a team that won six times last year, 4-0 is a great start.  5-foot-10 Daniela Tarailo (18.8 ppg.) has been very good and Meagan Maloney (10.0 ppg.) has been quietly productive.  Newcomer Kelly Gross (7.0 ppg.) has averaged 3 assists and 2.7 rebounds in the early going.  Madeline Moore and Sydnee Reeves, sharing the '4" spot have averaged a combined 10 rebounds a game.
With all that said, CP was 5-1 in non-conference games last season.  The Lady Bulldogs have a big test against big Chesterton Friday, Nov. 28.

9.  (4A) Gary West Side (2-1)
2008 (18-5), 2007 (16-6) 2006 (16-7), 2005 (23-5), 2004 (20-4)

GARY:  The Cougars led Andrean 12-0 and lost 45-41 in a game they probably can't explain.  Maybe 15-of-60 shooting explains it.  West Side beat Hammond 61-56 to bounce back as lead guard Aurielle Anderson scored 17.  The Side needs to play a lot and they will now do so, even though the opponents (Crete-Monee, Lalumiere, Wirt) are questionable.  Judgement Day is coming.  However.  After Lafayette Jefferson (3-1) on Dec. 12, West Side faces undisputed No. 1 South Bend Washington (5-0) on Jan. 2 at the Hammond Civic Center and we'll know for sure where they stand that night.

10.  (3A) Hammond (3-1)
2008 (19-3), 2007 (17-9), 2006 (15-8), 2005 (15-7), 2004 (8-12)

HAMMOND:  I don't know about Hammond high.  They lost to West Side and they did not beat two winless teams (Lowell, EC) by enough to justify a high ranking.  The Wildcats lost to the 'Side', but I'm not sure the 'Side' is that good.  Hammond will have a winning record due to their low-rent schedule.  Are they better than Crown Point (4-0)?  No.  Hobart (5-0)? Possibly.  Maybe.  Kouts (3-0)?  Certainly.
 

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