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USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith1. Munster (2-0)
11-29-2002:
66-37 at Highland (0-2)
11-30-2002: 53-50 at Merrillville (1-1)
Point guard Josh Martin was 10-of-11 from the foul line the first weekend. 6-4 forward John Jamicich hit five three-pointers in the win over Merrillville. Center Jim Phelan scored 15 against Highland but only four against Merrillville. With virtually everyone returning from last season, this team has to excel from the start.
2.
MERRILLVILLE (1-1)
11-29-2002:
64-49 Highland (0-2)
11-30-2002: 50-53 Munster (2-0)
The
Pirates gave away a win over Munster after leading 42-37 with eight minutes
left. LaVell Cook scored 25 against Highland and Igor Ristevski (13.0 ppg.) has
started fast. The Pirates don't have a lot of size but some of the better
Merrillville teams don't depend on size.
12-2-2002: 83-55 Hammond (0-1)
This team will sneak up on people with 6-10 Drew Baron (14 against Hammond) inside and shooters Danny Moffet and Pete Trgovich outside. Wing shooter Frank Provenzano (12 against Hammond) and 6-5 freshman Luke Harangody (15 in his 59er debut) are highly regarded. Andrean will get even better when they get 6-4 Brett Goins and 6-3 Ty Harangody off the state finals' football team.
11-27-2002:
74-46 at Gavit (0-1)
11-30-2002: 85-86 Lake Central (2-0)
Crown
Point is set for a peak year with 6-7 inside-outside player Chris Thomas (26.0
in 2 games). If 6-4 Kyle Robbins doesn't get hurt, the Bulldogs beat LC. CP had
17 three-point goals in two games but the question may be perimeter defense
after LC scored 86 points.
East Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament
11-29-2002:
70-53 Lew Wallace (1-1)
11-30-2002: 58-60 (OT) Gary Roosevelt (2-0)
It's apparently time for 6-4 forward Rodney Wash (23 ppg.) because he' started fast in the holiday tournament. Junior Tremaine Cooley (15 ppg., 4.5 assists) alwasy could score and Willie Frazier hit 22 against Roosevelt. This team is very athletic. In the long run, they're better than Roosevelt.
East Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament
11-29-2002:
63-40 Portage (0-2)
11-30-2002: 60-58 East Chicago (1-1)
NaQuan Jackson (13 ppg.) is rated as one of the state's top players but he's never really played like it. Jamaal Nash (10 ppg.) might be as good or better. These two 6-6 forwards have to carry the Panthers until their inexperienced guards start controlling games. This team is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A and they could get there. But right now, they're overrated.
11-27-2002:
75-41 Lowell (1-1)
11-30-2002: 86-85 at Crown Point (1-1)
A very difficult team to defend with four perimeter players at 6-4 or 6-5. 6-4 Adam Summers had a career-high 21 against CP and 6-1 Adam Diekman had 20 against Lowell. 6-6 senior Adam Dobrzniecki and 6-7 junior Kevin Parkinson are more than big enough in the middle while 6-4 juniors Krste Krstevski and 6-5 soph Brett Summers are mismatches waiting to happen at guard.
11-27-2002:
73-36 at Boone Grove (0-1)
Where
did they get a 6-11 center?. Senior Bill Van Senus scored 18 in his varsity
debut and 6-7 Billy McMillan added 11 rebounds against Boone. It would appear
the Vikings avoided their annual slow start due to the length of the football
season. The guards are a question but they were last year, too and
Valpo went 18-6.
11-26-2002:
78-24 at River Forest (0-2)
Chesterton is another solid DAC team with 6-9 Tom Radtke in the middle, 6-5 Trevor Andershock in the lane and 6-2 Matt Campbell on the wing. 6-3 soph David Carson scored 10 against River Forest but 6-3 Eric Babcock (6 points, 5 assists, 3 steals at RF) is the starter. Somebody has to take over at the point, either 6-foot junior Josh Malone or 5-9 sophomore Matt Maple.
11-27-2002:
80-96 at (South Bend) Riley (1-0)
It'll take a while but this team is very strong up front with 6-6 Todd
Dermody, 6-4 junior Jerome Vann and 6-4 scoring leader Eric Gelding, who had a
career-high 34 in the season opener. Joel Tonagel will be the lead guard.
In the opener, LaPorte missed 16 of 17 three-point shots. That won't happen
very often.
SMALL SCHOOLS
1. Wheeler (1-0)
11-29-2002: 87-54 River Forest (0-2)
A quick team led by top scorer Todd Schafer (40 in the season opener). 6-foot Cordale Micou (21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals) is also a major factor. Remember, the PCC favorite gets 6-5 transfer Matt McDonald after the holidays.
2. HANOVER CENTRAL (2-0)
11-27-2002:
60-34 at Lake Station (0-2)
11-29-2002: 49-38 Elmwood Park, Ill. (2-2)
They will be the region's biggest surprise with the perimeter trio of Jon Radosevich (10.5 ppg.), Brandon Hegg (12.5 pg.) and Jeff Johnson (14 pg.). It's hard to stop them all. 6-5 Eddie Roberts has started slowly but he'll be needed in PCC play. 6-2 Jeremy Spencer had five steals against Lake Station and seven rebounds against Elmwood Park.
3. BOONE GROVE (0-1)
11-27-2002:
36-73 at Valparaiso (0-1)
Don't write off Boone after losing by 37 to Valparaiso team. The Wolves are supposed to lose to Valparaiso. 6-6 Phil Bien is a good, experienced inside player while Marcus Banning and Mike Christensen are good guards. 6-2 Danny Borys (17 against Valpo) could provide much-needed scoring.
4. Kouts (2-0)
11-27-2002:
87-39 at West Central (0-2)
11-29-2002: 63-50 at Hebron (0-1)
6-3 scoring champion Ricky Hise (25.5 ppg.) has started fast and point guard Adam Pendowski 12.5 is a perfect compliment. 6-2 center Nick Bielinski (13 ppg.) will have to battle bigger players all year. 6-0 Tim Davis got 10 rebounds against West Central but that doesn't really count.
5. Morgan Township (0-1)
11-16-2002:
48-66 at Knox (2-0)
I'm not sure what happened in the opener but guard Cory Molchan (9.5 ppg.) and forward Matty Bush (15.5 ppg.) add plenty of scoring punch. 6-5 sophomore center Nate McGinley has to be a factor inside soon because lots of other PCC teams have experienced big guys.
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