Boys Top-10 Poll

Northwest Indiana

(1-21-2003)

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

1. East Chicago (8-4)

East Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament
11-29-2002: 70-53 Lew Wallace (7-5)
11-30-2002: 58-60 (OT) Gary Roosevelt (10-1)

12-5-2002: 62-63 (OT) (South Bend) Clay (6-6)
12-6-2002: 72-81 at (South Bend) Riley (11-2)
12-13-2002: 64-35 Michigan City (2-8)
12-13-2002: 60-55 at Crown Point (8-5)
12-20-2002:  66-64 at Lake Central (7-5)
12-21-2002:  75-71 at (Indianapolis) Arlington (6-4)
1-4-2003:  56-53 Mount Carroll, IL (11-1)

1-10-2003: 58-46 (Indianapolis) Manual (1-8)
1-11-2003: 69-53 Mishawaka (6-6)

1-18-2003: 57-58 Elkhart Central (10-2)

Two losses in overtime. All four by 10 points or less. This team has not met anyone who has overwhelmed them and they've played a much tougher schedule than Munster or Roosevelt. Willie Frazier has 11 consecutive double figure games. They should beat Roosevelt Thursday (Jan. 24) because they should've beaten them the first time they played them.

2. Gary Roosevelt (10-1)

East Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament
11-29-2002: 63-40 Portage (3-8)
11-30-2002: 60-58 (OT) East Chicago (8-4) title

12-2-2002: 69-59 Valparaiso (10-2)
12-12-2002: 91-73 at Lew Wallace (7-5)
12-18-2002: 67-65 at Andrean (5-6)
12-21-2002: 67-57 Merrillville (5-5)

Gary Holiday Tournament
12-27-2002: 71-67 West Side (3-6)
12-28-2002: 83-72 Lew Wallace (7-5)

1-11-2003: 37-45 (Chicago) Morgan Park (4-9)

1-16-2003: 64-58 Gary West Side (2-7)
1-18-2003: 77-65 (Michigan) Buena Vista

A narrow win over West Side indicates that this team is shaky. They have the talent to pull it together and there's plenty of time. The Panthers hit 22 of 27 from the line against West Side, a good sign in a rivalry game.

3. Munster (12-0)

11-29-2002: 66-37 at Highland (5-6)
11-30-2002: 53-50 at Merrillville (7-5)
12-2-2002:  73-49 Andrean (6-6)
12-6-2002:  76-61 Frankfort (7-4) at the Hammond Civic Center
12-13-2002:  60-47 Hammond (3-6)
12-14-2002:  78-58 Lake Central (7-5)
12-21-2002: 57-55 at Chesterton (9-2)

Highland Holiday Tournament
12-27-2002: 68-55 Crown Point (8-5)
12-28-2002: 52-43 at Highland (5-6)

1-4-2003: 66-60 Portage (3-8)

1-11-2003: 70-56 Lowell (4-6)

1-18-2003: 86-49 at Calumet (2-10)

Munster is still coasting against a schedule that's not very tough. With apologies to Crown Point and Griffith, Munster does not play a truly difficult team the rest of the way.

4. MERRILLVILLE (7-5)

11-29-2002: 64-49 Highland (5-6)
11-30-2002: 50-53 Munster (12-0)
12-14-2002: 61-58 Andrean (6-6)
12-20-2002: 66-52 at Michigan City (2-9)
12-21-2002: 57-67 at Gary Roosevelt (10-1)

Hamilton Tournament
12-27-2002: 41-62 at Hamilton Southeastern (11-2)
12-28-2002: 58-50 Franklin (1-9)

1-3-2003: 66-78 at Frankfort (7-4)
1-4-2003: 44-47 at Griffith (10-1)

1-11-2003: 53-43 Crown Point (8-5)

1-17-2003: 76-70 at LaPorte (7-5)
1-18-2003: 65-64 at Lake Central (8-5)

The win over Crown Point got the Pirates going. Josh Mayo is averaging 16.3 ppg.) in his last three games. LaVell Cook is at 19.4 over his last six games. The Pirates are 53 of 74 (71.6 percent) from the foul line over the last three games.

5. CROWN POINT (8-5)

11-27-2002: 74-46 at Gavit (0-12)
11-30-2002: 85-86 Lake Central (7-5)
12-5-2002: 76-41 at Clark (4-6)
12-6-2002: 56-54 (West Lafayette) Harrison (5-5)
12-13-2002: 59-40 at Griffith (10-1)
12-14-2002: 55-60 East Chicago (8-4)
12-20-2002: 79-68 Portage (3-9)

Highland Holiday Tournament
12-27-2002: 55-68 Munster (12-0)
12-28-2002: 69-33 Kankakee Valley (2-9)

1-3-2003: 92-43 Calumet (2-10)

1-11-2003: 43-53 at Merrillville (7-5)

1-17-2003: 56-50 Valparaiso (10-2)
1-18-2003: 46-70 at (SB) Adams (10-3)

Don't bet on this team either way. They split a tough weekend but they played so poorly Saturday, I'm not sure what to make of it. Chris Thomas is still at 21 points per game after scoring 30 against Valparaiso. The Bulldogs must take Michigan City (2-8) seriously this Friday. The Wolves aren't that bad a team.

6. Valparaiso (10-2)

11-27-2002: 73-36 at Boone Grove (4-5)
12-3-2002: 59-69 at Gary Roosevelt (10-1)
12-14-2002: 84-56 Elkhart Memorial (0-12)
12-20-2002: 55-44 at Chesterton (9-2)
12-21-2002: 69-57 (SB) Clay (7-6)

Michigan City Holiday Tournament
12-27-2002: 71-60 LaPorte (7-5)
12-28-2002: 78-57 Michigan City (2-8)

1-4-2003: 46-44 at Penn (6-6)

1-10-2003: 74-46 at Kankakee Valley (2-9)
1-11-2003: 58-51 Michigan City (2-8)

1-17-2003: 50-56 at Crown Point (8-5)
1-18-2003: 52-38 Morgan Township (6-5)

Valparaiso had problems at Crown Point but they bounced back the next night. Jason Renn scored a career-high 19 against the Bulldogs. Brian McMillan (10.5 ppg.) scored 19 on Morgan. the VHS boys are undefeated at home. Mike Hills (12.2 ppg.) is in a shooting slump. That'll be tested this week when LaPorte comes to Valparaiso.

7. Lake Central (7-5)

11-27-2002:  75-41   Lowell (4-6)
11-30-2002:  86-85 at Crown Point (8-5)
12-6-2002:  87-70 Kankakee Valley (2-9)
12-13-2002:  74-47 at Portage (3-9)
12-14-2002:  58-78 at Munster (12-0)
12-20-2002:  64-66 East Chicago (8-4)

Benton Central Holiday Tournament
12-28-2002: 49-57 Carmel (6-6)
12-28-2002: 70-58 Logansport (3-10)

1-4-2003: 57-56 at LaPorte (7-5)

1-11-2003: 65-71 Chesterton (7-2)

1-16-2003: 73-28 Gavit (0-12)
1-18-2003: 64-65 Merrillville (7-5)

Here's another team that can't win close ones. Four losses by 10 points or less. Brett Summers is averaging 16.8 over his last five starts. The opportunity is there for an LC winning streak now leading up to the Gary Roosevelt game on Feb. 13.

8. LaPorte (7-5)

11-27-2002: 80-96 at (South Bend) Riley (9-1)
12-4-2002: 81-42 New Prairie (5-4)
12-14-2002: 61-50 Elkhart Central (8-2)
12-20-2002: 78-44 Hobart (3-4)
12-21-2002: 95-68 South Central (5-5)

Michigan City Holiday Tournament
12-27-2002: 60-71 Valparaiso (9-1)
12-28-2002: 78-67 Michigan City (2-8)

1-3-2003: 71-74 at Clay (6-6)
1-4-2003: 56-57 Lake Central (6-4)

1-11-2003: 83-77 (OT) at Portage (2-8)

1-17-3: 70-76 Merrillville (7-5)
1-18-3: 90-50 Elkhart Memorial (0-13_

LaPorte just wasn't good enough against Merrillville so it's back to the drawing board. The win over Elkhart Memorial is meaningless. Todd Dermody, the 6-6 transfer from New Prairie scored a season-high 17 against the Pirates and added 11 against Memorial.

9. Griffith (9-1)

12-5-2002:  64-28 at Gavit (0-11)
12-13-2002:  40-59 Crown Point (8-5)
12-16-2002:  69-45 Hebron (5-4)
12-21-2002:  50-45 Andrean (6-6)
12-21-2002: 72-48 at Peru (2-8)
1-4-2003: 47-44 Merrillville (7-5)
1-9-2003: 67-41 Lake Station (1-11)
1-11-2003: 52-25 Whiting (1-8)
1-15-2003: 74-54 at Wheeler (7-2)
1-18-2003: 63-43 Highland (5-5)

Griffith plays a very soft schedule and it's hard for them to prove anything. The win over Wheeler is nice but Griffith should beat Wheeler. Other than the Munster game, there's little left to get excited about. Oh yeah, there's this little court ruling coming up at the end of the week.

10. Chesterton (9-2)

11-26-2002: 78-24 at River Forest (3-9)
12-7-2002: 49-47 Wheeler (7-2)
12-14-2002: 73-66 at (SB) Clay (7-6)
12-20-2002: 44-55 Valparaiso (10-2)
12-21-2002: 55-57 Munster (12-0)

Huntington Tournament
12-28-2002: 80-34 Calumet (2-10)
12-28-2002: 52-45 at Huntington North (5-5)

1-4-2003: 62-57 at Mishawaka (6-7)
1-10-2003: 71-65 Lake Central (6-4)
1-11-2003: 73-42 at Hobart (5-6)

1-8-2003: 56-50 Highland (5-6)

Matt Campbell (17.4 ppg.), Tom Radtke (12.4 ppg.) and Mike Yagelski (10.9 ppg.) are double figure threats but Merrillville, Riley (10-3), Crown Point and LaPorte are ahead in the next three weeks.

SMALL SCHOOLS

1. Wheeler (7-2)

11-29-2002: 87-54 River Forest (3-7)
12-3-2002: 104-38 Lake Station (1-11)
12-5-2002: 47-49 at Chesterton (9-2)
12-13-2002: 59-54 at Morgan Township (6-5)
12-14-2002: 79-47 at Marquette (2-6)
12-20-2002: 70-50 LaCrosse (7-3)

Wheeler BearCat Invitational Holiday Tournament
12-27-2002: 75-24 Lake Station (1-11)
12-28-2002: 59-48 Hobart (5-6) title

1-14-2003: 54-74 Griffith (10-1)

The 20-point loss to Griffith was disappointing but irrelevant. Wheeler gets real in the PCC tournament this weekend and they get Andrean-transfer Matt McDonald, a 6-7 forward, who averaged 12 points per game last season for the 59ers. Todd Schafer, the 5-10 senior, still leads the state in scoring with 31.1 points per game. The Wheeler showdown with Kouts is tentatively set (both must win quarterfinal games) for 11 a.m. Saturday at Boone Grove.

2. Kouts (12-0)

11-27-2002: 87-39 at West Central (4-7)
11-29-2002: 63-50 at Hebron (5-4)
12-6-2002: 72-55 North Newton (6-5)
12-13-2002: 63-58 at South Central (5-6)
12-14-2002: 101-72 Kankakee Valley (2-9)
12-20-2002: 76-46 Westville (5-6)

South County Tournament (at Kouts)
12-27-2002: 65-58 Morgan Township (6-4)
12-28-2002: 70-57 Hebron (5-4)

1-10-2003: 60-45 North Judson (1-9)
1-11-2003: 88-53 Oregon-Davis (0-12)

1-17-2003: 80-65 at Washington Township (6-6)
1-18-2003: 67-64 Rensselaer (7-4)

Ricky Hise (24.9 ppg.) hit two foul shots to hold off a Rensselaer rally Saturday night as
the Mustangs won their first super-close game of the year. Adam Pendowski (18.6 ppg.)
is still on the move for the top-ranked 1A school. I don't understand why but Kouts has beaten Washington Township 72 times in 91 games. Can Wheeler slow the Mustangs, who average 74.3 points per game?

3. Morgan Township (6-5)

11-29-2002:   48-66 at Knox (9-4)
12-6-2002:    68-56 North Judson (1-9)
12-13-2002:    54-59 Wheeler (7-2)
12-14-2002: 63-50 Culver Military (2-7)
12-17-2002: 51-42 Whiting (1-8)
12-21-2002: 48-57 at Hebron (5-4)

South County Tournament (at Kouts)
12-27-2002: 58-65 at Kouts (12-0)
12-28-2002: 69-58 Boone Grove (4-5)

1-11-2003: 73-47 Marquette (3-8)

1-17-2003: 70-60 at LaCrosse (8-3)
1-18-2003: 38-52 at Valparaiso (10-2)

Matty Bush (22.9 ppg,), a 6-3 junior, was held to 11 by Valparaiso but Morgan was competitive. Cory Molchan, a 6-0 guard, who averages 12.6 per game, was held to 11. Give Morgan credit for scheduling Valparaiso, a school almost 10 times Morgan's size. Valpo replaced weak West Central on the Cherokee's schedule.

4. HANOVER CENTRAL (7-3)

11-27-2002:  60-34 at Lake Station (1-11)
11-29-2002:  49-38 Elmwood Park, Ill. (7-6)
12-6-2002:  46-40 Hebron (5-4)
12-14-2002:  56-62 at Washington Township (5-5)
12-21-2002:  59-45 at Kankakee Valley (2-9)
12-28-2002: 41-40 Gavit (0-11)
1-3-2003:  44-48 Lowell (4-6)

1-7-2003: 62-546 Whiting (1-9)
1-11-2003: 54-58 Boone Grove (4-5)

1-15-3: 48-42 at Beecher, Ill, (4-10)

Hanover has waited for this moment. They are 7-3 but it will be a large disappointment if they do not advance to the finals. A three-game sweep in the PCC tournament will virtually clinch a winning season for the first time since 1997.

5. BOONE GROVE (4-5)

11-27-2002: 36-73 at Valparaiso (9-1)
12-5-2002: 61-36 Washington Township (4-4)
12-13-2002: 63-36 River Forest (2-6)
12-20-2002: 58-62 (OT) at Kankakee Valley (2-7)
12-21-2002: 59-49 at Knox (4-3)

South County Tournament (at Kouts)
12-27-2002: 55-58 Hebron (5-4)
12-28-2002: 58-69 Morgan Township (5-4)

1-11-2003: 58-54 at Hanover Central (7-3)

1-17-2003: Wheeler (7-2) postponed - snow
1-18-2003: 46-65 at Portage (4-8)

Boone has a lot to prove in the PCC tournament this week because the first half of the season has not gone that well. They are 2-0 in league play, though. Portage has defeated Boone 34 times in 43 meetings between the two school. Freshman Will Mitchell scored a career-high 16 points against Portage.

BOYS NOTES: Hebron's 81-80 win over Hammond sent historians to the record book. That was the first meeting between the two schools since the Hawks beat Hammond in 1927. People who hate class basketball should note: Morgan Township has never beaten Valparaiso in 18 tries. They were in the same sectional in the one class tournament.

Pike won the Marion County tournament to go to 13-0. The top-ranked 4A team, Pike is rated 10 points better than ANYONE ELSE IN THE STATE according to the Sagarin computer rankings.

Tippecanoe Valley, a possible 3A regional foe for Lake County teams, moved to 12-0 last Friday after a 71-66 overtime win over Rochester. Senior guard Trey Eaton sank 19-of-19 from the foul line and hit six three-pointers to total 51 points, a school record.

Crown Point's 6-7 Chris Thomas is reportedly being recruited by mid-majors, Mid America Conference teams. Wheeler's Todd Schafer is being recruited by Valparaiso University.