A
USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith1. Munster (7-0)
11-29-2002:
66-37 at Highland (3-4)
11-30-2002: 53-50 at Merrillville (3-2)
12-2-2002: 73-49 Andrean (4-3)
12-6-2002: 76-61 Frankfort (4-2) at the Hammond Civic Center
12-13-2002: 60-47 Hammond (2-5)
12-14-2002: 78-58 Lake Central (4-2)
12-21-2002: 57-55 at Chesterton (3-2)
Munster
trailed at the half last week and needed a tip-in at the buzzer to win at
Chesterton. Josh Martin, who came in averaging 16.6 per game, was held to four.
Dustin Bothwell, who came in averaging 16.5 per game, was held to seven,
although Bothwell did have nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
Considering the strength of the sectional down the line, this team needs an
attitude-adjustment defeat. Historically, going undefeated is not a blueprint
for stat tournament success.
2.
MERRILLVILLE (3-2)
11-29-2002:
64-49 Highland (2-4)
11-30-2002: 50-53 Munster (7-0)
12-14-2002: 61-58 Andrean (3-2)
12-20-2002:
66-52 at Michigan City (2-3)
12-21-2002: 57-67 at Gary Roosevelt (5-0)
Merrillville's
only losses are to undefeated, top-10 teams and they should have won both games.
Here we display the difference between a phony poll and a real poll.
Roosevelt benefited from unusually favorable officiating in their home win over
Merrillville. The Panthers, a physical team, were called for only seven
fouls and Merrillville shot just two free throws. The Panthers, with some
help, made up a five-point lead at the half.
3. Gary Roosevelt (6-0)
East
Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament
11-29-2002:
63-40 Portage (1-5)
11-30-2002: 60-58 East Chicago (7-3) title
12-2-2002:
69-59 Valparaiso (4-1)
12-12-2002:
91-73 at Lew Wallace (5-4)
12-18-2002: 67-65 at Andrean (3-4)
12-21-2002: 67-57 Merrillville (3-2)
Roosevelt
has been lucky in the last week, surviving 14 of 26 foul shooting against
Andrean and getting only seven fouls called on them against Merrillville.
As they are annually, the Panthers are overrated because of their tradition. No
matter how good they are, they're never as good as some of their people think.
4. East
Chicago (5-3)
East
Chicago Thanksgiving Tournament
11-29-2002:
70-53 Lew Wallace (5-4)
11-30-2002: 58-60 (OT) Gary Roosevelt (6-0)
12-5-2002:
62-63 (OT) (South Bend) Clay (4-2)
12-6-2002:
72-81 at (South Bend) Riley (5-1)
12-13-2002: 64-35 Michigan City (2-4)
12-13-2002: 60-55 at Crown Point (5-2)
12-20-2002: 66-64 at Lake Central (4-2)
12-21-2002: 75-71 at (Indianapolis) Arlington (4-3)
EC
has more than one quality win on the road and they got junior guard
Tremaine Cooley back on the floor after missing three games. Cooley scored 16
Saturday night at Arlington. EC made 16-of-21 free throws against Gary Roosevelt
and 25-of-28 from the foul line in Indianapolis, another signal that this is not
a typical East Chicago team.
5.
ANDREAN (3-4)
12-2-2002:
83-55 Hammond (2-4)
12-4-2002:
49-73 at Munster (6-0)
12-6-2002: 69-57 at Maconaquah (3-3)
12-13-2002: 71-43 Highland (2-4)
12-14-2002: 59-62 at Merrillville (3-2)
12-18-2002: 65-67 Gary Roosevelt (6-0)
12-2-2002: 45-50 at Griffith (3-1)
Andrean
was tied in the final 20 seconds with Gary Roosevelt and Merrillville before
losing, and they led Griffith 30-20 at the half. The 59ers are vastly
improved. Freshman guard Nick Ullman and forward Luke Harangody are getting some
varsity playing time, a rarity at Andrean. Pete Trgovich III had 16 three-point
goals through seven games.
6.
CROWN POINT (5-2)
11-27-2002:
74-46 at Gavit (0-7)
11-30-2002: 85-86 Lake Central (4-2)
12-5-2002: 76-41 at Clark (4-2)
12-6-2002: 56-54 (West Lafayette) Harrison (2-4)
12-13-2002: 59-40 at Griffith (3-1)
12-14-2002: 55-60 East Chicago (5-3)
12-20-2002: 79-68 Portage (1-5)
This
team is allowing far too many points. Chris Thomas has his average up over 21
points per game and 6-4 senior Kyle Robbins will be back at the Highland Holiday
Tournament. He missed the Portage game. But I don't understand why the Bulldogs,
with basically the same people playing major roles that they had last year,
can't stop anybody any more.
7. Lake
Central (4-2)
11-27-2002:
75-41 Lowell (2-4)
11-30-2002: 86-85 at Crown Point (5-2)
12-6-2002: 87-70 Kankakee Valley (2-4)
12-13-2002: 74-47 at Portage (1-5)
12-14-2002: 58-78 at Munster (6-0)
12-20-2002: 64-66 East Chicago (5-3)
Lake
Central's rally from 10 points down fell short against East Chicago but that
wasn't a bad game for them. LC made 23 turnovers against East
Chicago's quickness but that experience will help in a rematch. Kryste
Krestevski, who scored 11 points combined in LC's first two games, has averaged
14.0 over the last four.
Adam Diekman (17.6) has scored in double figures in all six games. LC needs
stronger post play from 6-6 Adam Dobrzeniecki and 6-7 Kevin Parkinson.
EC and Munster shouldn't out-rebound LC. There's some defensive problems
here, too.
8.
LaPorte (4-1)
11-27-2002:
80-96 at (South Bend) Riley (5-1)
12-4-2002: 81-42 New Prairie (3-3)
12-14-2002: 61-50 Elkhart Central (4-1)
12-20-2002: 78-44 Hobart (3-2)
12-21-2002: 95-68 South Central (3-3)
The
phrase is, 'under the radar'. That's where LaPorte is, now. No one ion Lake
County pays any attention to them at all but Elkhart Central has beaten Warsaw
and Goshen but they got smoked by LaPorte. The junior class is loaded with
future college athletes.
9.
Valparaiso (4-1)
11-27-2002:
73-36 at Boone Grove (3-2)
12-3-2002: 59-69 at Gary Roosevelt (6-0)
12-14-2002: 84-56 Elkhart Memorial (0-7)
12-20-2002: 55-44 at Chesterton (3-2)
12-21-2002: 69-57 (SB) Clay (3-4)
Mike
Hills (16.5 ppg.,),a 6-2 forward, leads the DAC with 20 three-point
baskets after just five games. Quantrell Blake (10.2 ppg.) has been quietly
effective but the schedule gets much tougher.
10.
Chesterton (3-2)
11-26-2002:
78-24 at River Forest (1-6)
12-5-2002: 49-47 Wheeler (4-2)
12-14-2002: 73-66 at (SB) Clay (3-4)
12-20-2002: 44-55 Valparaiso (4-1)
12-21-2002: 55-57 Munster (7-0)
6-2
junior Matt Campbell (20.4 ppg.) continues to score on everyone and 6-9 senior
Tom Radtke (13.6 ppg.) is obviously improved. Senior forward Mike Yagelski
scored only two against Chesterton and just eight against Munster.
Chesterton is 32-of-43 from the line in their last three games.
11-29-2002:
87-54 River Forest (1-6)
12-3-2002: 104-38 Lake Station (1-5)
12-5-2002:
47-49 at Chesterton (3-2)
12-13-2002: 59-54 at Morgan Township (3-2)
12-14-2002: 79-47 at Marquette (0-6)
12-20-2002: 70-50 LaCrosse (3-2)
Todd
Schafer (31.1 ppg.) is the region's leading scorer and Wheeler is progressing
quite nicely. They need more competition and teams like Hebron, Boone
Grove and Hanover will supply that.
The BearCats could be 8-1 hosting Griffith on Jan. 14.
2.
Kouts (6-0)
11-27-2002:
87-39 at West Central (0-6)
11-29-2002:
63-50 at Hebron (2-3)
12-6-2002: 72-55 North Newton (4-3)
12-13-2002: 63-58 at South Central (3-3)
12-14-2002: 101-72 Kankakee Valley (2-4)
12-20-2002: 76-46 Westville (0-6)
There's
a senior on Kouts who averages 20 points per game with nine three-point baskets
for the undefeated Mustangs and it's not all-stater Ricky Hise (24.5).
It's 6-foot guard Ed Pendowski. On top of that, 6-2 center Nick Bielinski
averages 10.6 and nobody's heard of him. That's the kind of balance that wins
tournaments, but the South County tournament (with rivals Boone, Morgan Township
and Hebron) this week will be the judge of that.
3. HANOVER
CENTRAL (4-1)
11-27-2002:
60-34 at Lake Station (1-5)
11-29-2002: 49-38 Elmwood Park, Ill. (4-2)
12-6-2002: 46-40 Hebron (2-4)
12-14-2002:
56-62 at Washington Township (3-2)
12-2-2002: 59-45 at Kankakee Valley (2-4)
Hanover's
59-45 victory at Kankakee Valley is one of those signs. HC never wins at
Kankakee Valley. It's clearly going to be a good year. Here's where it
hurts Hanover not to play in a holiday tournament. I still say that a
tri-county holiday tournament with Hanover, Rensselaer, KV and North Newton
(none of the four are in the same league, HC and Rensselaer do not play in a
holiday tournament and KV is going to have to drop out of the Highland Holiday
Tournament) would be entertaining and valuable for all concerned.
4. BOONE
GROVE (3-2)
11-27-2002:
36-73 at Valparaiso (4-1)
12-5-2002: 61-36 Washington Township (3-2)
12-13-2002: 63-36 River Forest (1-6)
12-20-2002: 58-62 (OT) at Kankakee Valley (2-4)
12-21-2002: 59-49 at Knox (4-3)
Phil
Bien (11.2 ppg.) has been consistent and Mike Christensen's weekend was a
good sign. Christensen, who scored 19 points in Boone's first three games,
scored 19 at Kankakee Valley and added 19 more against Knox. Boone
is a very young team and their record so far is not a problem.
5. Hebron
(2-3)
11-30-2002:
50-63 Kouts (6-0)
12-6-2002:
40-46 at Hanover Central (4-1)
12-13-2002: 63-61 LaCrosse (3-2)
12-20-2002: 45-69 at Griffith (3-1)
12-21-2002: 57-48 Morgan Township (2-3)
Ryan
Ragland (19.0 ppg.) is probably one of the region's top 10 players. Drew Gericke
(11.0 ppg.) , a 5-10 sophomore guard, missed the Griffith loss with the flu.
Ryan Brindley (11.4 ppg.) has scored in double figures in four of five games so
far. There's looking at Boone Grove at the South County Tournament.
BOYS
NOTES: Calumet travels to the Huntington North Tournament while Merrillville
plays in the Franklin Tournament on Dec. 27-28. Lake Central
plays in the Benton Central Holiday Tournament Dec 27-28. Hammond. Lowell,
Hanover Central, Griffith and Andrean do not play in a holiday tournament.
Andrean hosts powerful Lafayette Central Catholic on Dec. 28. while
Griffith travels to Peru on Dec. 27. Kenny Harris' IHSAA hearing has been
postponed until the first week in January, meaning Harris will play for Griffith
at Peru and at Merrillville on Jan. 4.
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