Boys Top-10 Poll

Northwest Indiana

(12-10-2002)

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

1. Munster (4-0)

11-29-2002: 66-37 at Highland (0-2)
11-30-2002: 53-50 at Merrillville (1-1)

12-2-2002: 73-49 Andrean (2-1)
12-6-2002: 76-61 Frankfort (2-1) at the Hammond Civic Center

Point guard Josh Martin (15.7 ppg.) and combo guards John Jamicich (11.0 ppg.) and Dustin Bothwell (17.7) make the Mustangs difficult to handle. But there's no competition in the Lake Athletic Conference. Let's withhold more judgment until they play Lake Central and Crown Point.

2. MERRILLVILLE (1-1)

11-29-2002: 64-49 Highland (0-2)
11-30-2002: 50-53 Munster (2-0)

Merrillville has a big hole in their schedule until the 14th against Andrean. Remember that Merrillville led Munster most of the game before losing by three. If the Mustangs are No.1, Merrillville is No. 2.

3. ANDREAN (2-1)

12-2-2002: 83-55 Hammond (0-1)

12-4-2002: 49-73 at Munster (4-0)
12-6-2002: 69-57 at Maconaquah (2-1)

Pete Trgovich hit four three-pointers to rally his team at Maconaquah. Freshman Luke Harangody (10.3 ppg.) is off to a good start and anther freshman Nick Ullman, scored 13 in garbage time against Munster. Football stars Bret Goins and Ty Harangody will can be eligible by Dec. 14 against Merrillville. There's a lot of good players here.

4. CROWN POINT (3-1)

11-27-2002: 74-46 at Gavit (0-1)
11-30-2002: 85-86 Lake Central (2-0)

12-5-2002: 76-41 at Clark (2-1)
12-6-2002: 56-54 (West Lafayette) Harrison (1-3)

Crown Point's Chris Thomas (21.6 ppg.) has emerged as a big-time scorer and Chad Pruzin is hitting key baskets late in games. Griffith (1-0) and East Chicago (1-3) pose two different challenges this week.

5. Gary Roosevelt (3-0)

East Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament

11-29-2002: 63-40 Portage (0-2)
11-30-2002: 60-58 East Chicago (1-1)
12-2-2002: 69-59 Valparaiso (1-1)

Larry Upshaw (16.0 ppg.) is playing strong at lead guard with 6-5 forwards NaQuan Jackson (12.6 ppg.) and Jamal Nash (11.0 ppg.) doing the job up front. But, to repeat a warning, Roosevelt always starts fast.

6. Lake Central (3-0)

11-27-2002:   75-41   Lowell (1-1)
11-30-2002:   86-85 at Crown Point (1-1)
12-6-2002:     87-70 Kankakee Valley (1-1)

Who are these people? Adam Diekman (18.3 pg.), Krste Krstevski (10.3 ppg.), Adam Dobrzeniecki (11.6 ppg.), Adam Summers (13.0 ppg. and 9-of-9 from the line). I don't know about the LC defense but it sure is hard to guard them all. What can they do against Munster (4-0)?

7. East Chicago (1-3)

East Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament

11-29-2002: 70-53 Lew Wallace (1-1)
11-30-2002: 58-60 (OT) Gary Roosevelt (2-0)
12-5-2002: 62-63 (OT) (South Bend) Clay (1-0)
12-6-2002: 72-81 at (South Bend) Riley (3-1)

Apparently there's no stopping 6-4 Rodney Wash (18.5 ppg.) and 6-4 Willie Frazier (13.7 ppg.) but EC has lost twice in overtime and they give up a lot of points late in the game.

8. Chesterton (2-0)

11-26-2002: 78-24 at River Forest (0-2)
12-5-2002: 49-47 Wheeler (3-1)

The Trojans put good defense on PCC scoring star Todd Schafer of Wheeler, holding him to 19 points. Matt Campbell (20.5 ppg. - 2 games) appears to have improved.

9. LaPorte (1-1)

11-27-2002: 80-96 at (South Bend) Riley (1-0)
12-4-2002: 81-42 New Prairie (0-2)

The loss to Riley is no embarrassment. How is Eric Gerding (26.2 ppg.,) scoring all these points?. Joel Tonagel had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists against New Prairie. Transfer center Todd Dermody (11.5 ppg.) is starting well.

10. Valparaiso (1-1)

11-27-2002: 73-36 at Boone Grove (0-1)
12-3-2002: 59-69 at Gary Roosevelt (3-0)

Hard to judge them when they haven't played a home game yet. Mike Hills (20.5 ppg.) has nine three-point goals in two games. 6-11 center Bill Van Senus (10.0 ppg.) did not score from the field against Gary Roosevelt. Valpo is 22 of 30 from the line.

SMALL SCHOOLS

1. Wheeler (2-1)

11-29-2002: 87-54 River Forest (0-2)

12-3-2002: 104-38 Lake Station (0-3)
12-5-2002: 47-49 at Chesterton (2-0)

Todd Schafer (31.6 ppg.) will be the focus all season of Wheeler foes but 6-foot Cordale Micou (15.3 ppg,) is very quick. If you notice, Wheeler's JV is beating everybody. Remember that 6-5 Andrean-transfer Matt McDonald is down there with 'limited eligibility" and he'll be on the varsity in January.

2. HANOVER CENTRAL (3-0)

11-27-2002: 60-34 at Lake Station (0-2)
11-29-2002: 49-38 Elmwood Park, Ill. (2-2)
12-6-2002: 46-40 Hebron (0-2)

Brandon Hegg (14.0 ppg.) boosted HC past Hebron with 13 rebounds. The Hanover full court defense has held three teams to 37.3 points per game. This team has much promise but they need to get going from the opening tip. The Wildcats have trailed in every game this year at the half before rallying to win.

3. BOONE GROVE (1-1)

11-27-2002: 36-73 at Valparaiso (0-1)
12-5-2002: 61-36 Washington Township (0-2)

6-3 Danny Borys (13.5 ppg.) and 6-6 Phil Bien (9.5 ppg.) are good up front but the Wolves will need more offense from the backcourt. Only 24 of 41 from the foul line so far. Let's give them 10 games and see how they play then.

4. Kouts (3-0)

11-27-2002: 87-39 at West Central (0-2)
11-29-2002: 63-50 at Hebron (0-1)
12-6-2002: 72-55 North Newton (3-1)

6-3 scoring champion Ricky Hise (26.3 ppg.) rolls on. 6-2 center Nick Bielinski (10.6 ppg.) gives he Mustangs a little balance. Kouts averages 74 points per game and plays the traditional Porter County Conference (PCC) run-and-gun style.

5. Morgan Township (0-1)

11-16-2002: 48-66 at Knox (2-0)
12-6-2002: 68-56 North Judson (0-2)

Matty Bush (26 ppg.) is off to a flying start and 6-5 soph Nate McGinley (10 ppg.) has promise but let's wait until this week's game with PCC favorite Wheeler.