NW Indiana 2004-05 Girls Basketball Poll: Week-10

2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:

Week Ten

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

(1-20-2005)

CROWN POINT, IN - (1-20-2005) East Chicago faltered with a third loss, but hopefully their followers understand that you are supposed to lose when you play good teams. Losing against a quality team is much better than defeating an inferior squad. Plus it keeps everybody humble. One of the biggest killers of good teams in a single-elimination tournament is ego, the thought that 'We're so good. They can't beat us.' Nobody is that good.

Valparaiso is coasting, beating teams they are very familiar with. Eventually Valpo and EC must meet in a clash of styles. It looks like Gary West Side and Crown Point are having offensive problems. Good teams play good defense. Great teams combine that good defense with a powerful offense. Basketball, always, is an offensive game. Outside the region, St. Joseph's (14-1) blasted 4A No. 9 South Bend Washington 81-59 in front of 2,000 fans, a victory that clarifies where the power is. The fact that that was St. Joe's 3^rd game in 5 days was even more impressive. Quietly, Plymouth, which has defeated Valparaiso, is up to 14-2 in 3A. Locally, Griffith and Bishop Noll clinched winning seasons. Noll could surprise Boone Grove at the 2A Wheeler Sectional because Boone has not seen them. Meanwhile Winamac (16-0) and North Judson (12-2) meet Thursday (Jan. 20) night in 2A. They are sectional rivals and could see undefeated Boone Grove (17-0) at the regional.

In 1A Canterbury has only played 13 games in Fort Wayne and its hard to know much about them. At last report, they'd lost two in a row, albeit one to Harding, a 2A No. 2 rated squad. All the talk about 2A undefeateds Boone and Winamac may be irrelevant in the long run. Harding (13-3) is 4-2 against 4A schools and undefeated against 2A foes, playing in the big school Summit Athletic Conference.

In the final 20% of the season, you want to ignore wins and losses, rest injured players and find out how much depth you have. Nobody ever has received any credit for entering the state tournament with a winning streak. (Remember, it's a blind draw.)

EAST CHICAGO - EC lost to south suburban Chicago power Sandburg, but the schedule they are playing is suiting them well. The Cardinals have now played four teams (Evansville Memorial, St. Joseph's, Hamilton Southeastern and Chicago's Whitney Young) who have been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 at some time this year. Again, it doesn't matter whether they've beaten them or not. These games don't count. EC beat Bogan 72-50 and (South Bend) Adams (7-9) before losing 61-59 to Sandburg (18-2). Illinois teams are allowed to play 26 games. The Cardinals were 17 of 25 from the line against Adams and 15 of 25 against Bogan. This was a weakness last year and now it is a strength. Senior guard Sharea Patrick joins all-stater Dee Dee Jernigan and 5-10 forward Kelly Watts in double figures in both games.

EC will beat Chicago Public League teams Bowen and Simeon this week to go to 18-3 before they see Highland (15-3) on Feb. 4. If no one is injured (we would not know that) the Cardinals are where they want to be. But they still have to beat West Side again.

VALPARAISO – Valpo slapped the 'D' on LAC first place Hobart in a 53-16 shutdown which certainly clarified for the Brickies why they left the Duneland Conference. 6-3 senior Cassie Kerns scored only eight because points weren't needed. Hobart sank just five field goals.

Valpo has two games they should win easily before a Jan. 28 home game with Crown Point (12-4). Here's another team that's fine if everybody is healthy. State tournament basketball is designed for the Vikings and their half court game. The only loss was to Plymouth (12-4) another halfcourt team. The Vikings do have to play Chesterton again and nobody likes to play Chesterton.

GARY – The Cougars beat Heritage Christian, (Chicago) Westinghouse and Gary Roosevelt. They need to play to build up their full court defense which was ineffective in consecutive losses to Chesterton 52-39, East Chicago 63-46 on Jan. 6 and 2A No. 2 Harding 58-52 on Jan. 8.

The Cougars still use 10 or more players consistently which should help them at the sectional is they must play three times in five days. The 'Side' is shaky from the foul line, 10 of 21 against EC and 3 of 9 against Wirt. In a rematch with EC, free throws will decide the game.

PORTER TOWNSHIP – The heat is about to be turned up on Boone Grove as they head into a PCC semifinal game Friday night against Morgan Township. That is probably their last game against a losing team. Boone will see either Washington Township (12-4) or undermanned Hanover Central (10-6). Boone needs to see WT, which has the firepower they need to face in a game that cannot yet end their season. Boone's problem is they are so gifted talent-wise, they are facing a lot of teams that simply cannot beat them. That ends this weekend and not a moment too soon.

In the PC playoffs, Boone will see combination and gimmick defense (triangle and 2) to slow point guard Karissa Walter. Boone needs to get a little more physical and 'nasty' defensively, which is not their nature. I wonder how many people from Boone made the trip to North Judson to see Winamac (15-0) and Judson (13-2) meet Thursday night in Starke County?

CROWN POINT – Crown Point has split their last eight games and there is no question they are struggling. CP has lost to Valparaiso (15-2), Boone (17-0), Chesterton (8-7) and Merrillville (7-7). Again, the record is fine, but the scores don't make sense. Neither Merrillville or Chesterton is anywhere near 25 points better than CP but both have won big over the Bulldogs.

Cassie Pruzin scored 17 in a 46-42 win over Lake Central on Jan. 15 and Pruzin, 5-7 Kaitlyn Sertich and 5-10 Jill Weiand all scored in double figures. I don't know why they shoot so poorly but most girls teams can't shoot. CP has to watch out for up-and-coming Michigan City (5-10) and needs to play better in upcoming games against Merrillville (8-7) and Valparaiso (15-1), teams that defeated CP before. If CP wins three of their last four games, they are still a contender for the sectional title.

MERRILLVILLE – Okay, ride with me here. This team beat Crown Point (12-4) by 27 points and then lost to LaPorte (6-10) by five? Then they beat Hobart (10-8) by four on Jan. 18. The same team that beat Highland (16-3) by 11 on Jan. 14? I don't know why I bother with high school basketball. It hurts my head.

I'm not even going to bother to try to analyze this squad. I don't know if the publicized rumors that LW star Sharon Houston were going to join the team bothered them or what. (That is not going to happen this season) But these girls are crazy. None of their results make sense. Tough games with Chesterton (Feb. 25) and Crown Point (Feb. 4) remain, but the Pirates have a very good chance to go 5-0 down the stretch. Of course, they could also go 0-5.

HIGHLAND – The Trojans got smoked out 46-35 by Hobart but the reality is, Highland should have won that game. The Trojans missed 21 of 31 free throws. At this point of the season, you cannot correct bad shooting. All you can do is build up confidence and hope the players have good days. The shooting is very bad. 33% from the field 49% (192 of 389, 49.3%) from the line. Highland needed a loss and it won't hurt them. The Trojans have decent but beatable foes in Lowell (10-6), Wheeler (12-6) and Griffith (11-6) coming up before the season finale with East Chicago (16-3).

Highland plays too many teams that are not 4A but there's nothing they can do about it. Beating Lowell, Wheeler and Griffith won't help them beat EC at the EC Sectional.

CHESTERTON - I cannot explain Chesterton's 43-41 loss to Michigan City (5-10) after beating Gary West Side (15-3) and Crown Point (12-4). Chesterton led most of the way but Chesterton came up flat in the late going after a series of good performances. The Trojans have scored less than 50 points 14 times this year, including the last four games in a row. That makes you doubtful about their long term chances in the big school Class 4A bracket. But this is the team neither Merrillville, Valpo or CP wants to draw in the 4A sectional at Chesterton.

MUNSTER – Munster had a nice come-from-behind win over Andrean with Lauren Menghetti scoring 18. The Mustangs were just 11 of 20 from the foul line but they rallied nicely after an inexplicable 21-point loss to Merrillville. Munster should go 4-0 the rest of the way although the game against Lowell on Jan. 29 is not a given, especially after Lowell's win over LC last Tuesday.

If Munster is 17-5 and gets a first round bye at the EC Sectional, they could win it. The Lady ponies will have played all five possible sectional foes, an absolute prerequisite for a team that wishes to reach the regional. Don't think that the players do not notice that.

NORTH JUDSON – Could they beat Lowell? Possibly. Could they beat Hobart? Possibly. They have won 10 in a row and lost only to 3A powers Plymouth (14-2) and Twin Lakes (14-2). North Judson becomes big time in the next two weeks when they face undefeateds Winamac (Thurs, Jan. 20) and Boone Grove (Thurs, Feb. 3).

Judson beat North Newton by 32 and stopped 3A Benton Central 68-64, sinking 31 of 41 free throws. BC did hit 10 three-point baskets against Judson. The Jays host undefeated southern neighbor and rival Winamac (17-0) Thursday (Jan. 19) in a game that will preview the 2A sectional.

WINAMAC – Winamac did beat 4A Mishawaka 66-51 with a 28-14 first quarter. Clearly, this was a big road game for them even though the Cavemen (or Cavewomen?) were just 4-12. The Warriors average 66 points a game with a full court press that wears teams down. 5-10 Whitney Fritz had 18 points and nine rebounds. 5-10 Kara Crawford scored 17 as the Warriors were 25 of 46 from the field and 13 of 17 from the line.

Winamac does have a Saturday afternoon game with South Newton (11-4) Saturday (Jan. 21) but a win over Judson probably makes it a 20-0 season. For what that's worth.

VALPARAISO - The Senators bounced back from a 9-point loss to 4A Portage to beat Calumet 52-44. But WT was very shaky in a 48-43 double overtime win over Hebron. Hebron's sagging zone defense clearly bothered the Senators and WT will obviously see that defense from Hanover Central in the PCC semifinals, even though WT sank seven 3-point goals in a 58-47 win over Hanover on Jan. 8. I don't think that lead guard Aimee Mishler can possibly shoot 0-for-15 (as she did against Hebron) from the field again. Nobody likes to play the 5:30 p.m. Monday night game in the PCC tournament. One stat stands out, though. Since the first of the year, 6-foot Alisha Polite is averaging 20.5 per game. WT has got to do better than 7-of-14 from the line so they can hang even if the long shots don't drop. Somebody here's got to get (and probably already has) some videotape on guard Megan King (24.1 ppg.) of 1A No. 3 Fort Wayne Canterbury and forward Jeanette Burgin (20.6 ppg) of 1A No. 2 Clinton Prairie. For purposes of scouting. Just in case.

HAMMOND – Noll only had a game against Clark last week and they won big, 63-23. It is important to repeat that Noll plays a low 4A schedule which includes Lowell, Hobart, Mishawaka, Highland and Munster, plus 2A power Taylor. Candace Bishop, a 5-7 forward scored 18 as the Warriors led 25-4 at the quarter.

In all the talk about Boone Grove, Noll may be getting overlooked here. They might not be able to win three playoff games in a week but what if they get a bye and winless Lake Station (0-16) in the semifinals? I'll bet Noll will be scouting North Judson vs. Winamac Thursday night. They have no reason to believe they can't beat Boone.

LOWELL – An up-and-down week for Lowell, which let a 15-point halftime lead get away in a 52-51 loss to Kankakee Valley. But three nights later, Lowell scored a 46-38 win over 4A Lake Central. That may be Lowell's first-ever girls varsity basketball win over their big neighbor. They have played 11 games decided by 10 points or less and are 7-4 in those games. The Devils attack the basket and get to the foul line. They are an unofficial 240 of 383 (62.6%) from the foul line and 25 foul shots a game is quite a few.

Julie Swisher scored 20 against KV and she has 27 three-point baskets. Kelly Johnson was 10-of-12 from the line against LC.

LC is the first sectional rival Lowell has defeated this season. Next up is Highland (15-3) at Lowell Saturday (Jan. 22) night. Munster (13-5) is on the horizon. Lowell has added 5-9 forward Jen Sharkey to the mix and that gives them seven players. But players like Johnson and Rachel Theil are usually 32-minute girls.

The six team 4A sectional including Gary West Side (14-3), East Chicago (16-3), Lake Central (6-10), Munster (13-5), Lowell (10-6) and Highland (15-3) is a mine field for good teams.

Anybody who has to play a quarterfinal game (the draw is Jan. 30) has a problem.

2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

Copyright © 2005 USA-365.com and Meyer Multimedia Services, a division of Meyer Broadcasting Corp. All rights reserved. Revised: January 20, 2005 .

Copyright © 2005 USA-365.com and Meyer Multimedia Services, a division of Meyer Broadcasting Corp. All rights reserved.
Revised: January 20, 2005 .