NW Indiana 2004-05 Girls Basketball Poll: Week-15

2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:

Week Fifteen

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

(2-16-2005)

CROWN POINT, IN - (2-16-2005) Last week we spoke as sectional week being a moment of truth? Several local teams could not handle the truth and what goes unsaid is that NW Indiana's chance for a state finalist was reduced almost to nothing.

The two top-5 teams state wide from Porter and Lake County, 2A Boone Grove and 4A East Chicago, were eliminated on their home floor by rivals that are not equipped to reach Indianapolis. The lone state finalist hopeful remaining is probably Valparaiso, which won a sectional title on a lucky shot in a game where they were outplayed. State-wide, 2A No. 1 Harding and 3A No. 1 St. Joseph rolled to victory over winning teams. Early decisions were made in Class 3A where No. 1 St. Joe beat No. 3 Plymouth in Plymouth while No. 8 Brebeuf beat No. 2 Lebanon 46-38. Barring a major upset, that puts St. Joseph's (21-1) and defending state champ Brebeuf Jesuit (18-5) on a collision course for the state championship.

The top regional groups the four Indianapolis powers, No. 3 Franklin Central (22-2), No. 2 Cathedral (23-1), defending state champ North Central (16-7), which eliminated No.1 Hamilton Southeastern, and perennial power Ben Davis (15-6) at Southport high school.

The weakest regional is in Rensselaer where 2A No. 4 Winamac and No. 5 Boone Grove could not qualify, leaving No. 8 North Judson and No. 16 Westview matched up in the first round.

There could easily be a back-door champion there and two-time sectional champ Wheeler (17-7) has an opportunity, that with huge returning casts at Bishop Noll and Hanover and that they may not get again for several years.

The truth may be a little hard to hear. But if you are unbiased (and that's always the key), only Valparaiso still has a half-way decent chance of reaching the state finals.

In November, I said there were no great teams and no state finalists in northwest Indiana. It's late. Do you see any?

EAST CHICAGO - East Chicago was not ready to play three games in five days against winning teams. Looking back, tough physical games against Lowell and Highland may have contributed to an eight-point fourth quarter with the season on the line.

Shareya Patrick averaged almost 13 points per game in the playoffs and EC will have problems replacing her and senior guard Kandi Rogers.

But the Cardinals return 5-10 core players Dee Dee Jernigan (18 ppg.) and Kelly Watts (13 ppg.) for their senior seasons. EC was just 14 of 24 from the line on the final two nights and they couldn't score more than 45 points all three nights.

They remain No. 1 because Valpo needed a box of lucky charms to escape in the Portage regional and West Side was hardly dominant.

Of the top five in this poll, EC is the only team that returns their best player next season. The Cardinals defeated 3A No. 1 St. Joe and 3A No. 4 Evansville Memorial, both of whom are still playing.

Their three other losses (all close) were to 4A No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern, Illinois Class AA No. 2 Whitney Young (21-1) and Class AA No. 8 Sandburg (27-3).

But this isn't a great team. They continually fail at the sectional level. Next year (2006) there are no excuses. In 2007, EC goes back to being an average team.

VALPARAISO – Valpo almost was a victim of the double Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) round robin which required them to play arch-rival Crown Point twice during the season in meaningless games and then required them to beat CP again in the sectional.

Valparaiso was lucky to survive 45-42 on a controversial last second three-point shot by senior Ashley Glaser that hit the basket support strap and fell down into the hop as time ran out.

With that said, Valparaiso, which is 5-1 against CP in the last 14 months. The Vikings are the better team. 6-3 senior Cassie Kerns (15.9 ppg.) and 6-foot guard Erica Humes (12.2 ppg.) both scored 13 in the win over CP. Kerns is 15 points shy of 1,000. Valpo was 16-0 against DAC teams this year, a record.

The Vikings basically go with their starting five of Kerns, Glaser, Lauren Prow, Erica and Lindsey Humes and that is a problem this week against South Bend Washington (20-3), a team that is very similar to Crown Point. This is not a good matchup for Valpo and they will be hard-pressed to contain all-South Bend guard Jere Taylor (17 ppg.).

Valpo is lucky to be at home this weekend and that could be enough to get them by a field of one big and tall team plus three quick and speedy squads.

GARY – The Cougars smoked out Munster 52-35 and stopped East Chicago 45-41 to win the EC sectional title, West Side's third title in a row.

EC had beaten West Side 63-46 on Jan. 6 and they turned it around in six weeks time. West Side played a very bland defense the first time, but double and triple-teamed Cardinals' star Dee Dee Jernigan in the rematch. Isabell Rhenwick scored in double figures in both playoff games and the Cougars' 10-deep bench and full court pressure forced key mistakes from both Munster and EC.

Before everybody runs out and buys a T-shirt with a Cougar on the front, West Side sank just 25 of 48 from the foul line. In their last six games, the Cougars are only 45 of 95 (47.3%) in free shots, a percentage so bad you would think large cats with paws were doing the shooting. That's just bad and they will end the season at Valparaiso on Feb. 19 if they cannot improve.

But this team is well-suited to play two games in one day and they match up well with Elkhart Memorial (17-6) in the Valpo Regional semifinals.

CROWN POINT – Crown Point went about as far as they should have but not as far as they could have.

The Lady Bulldogs got 23 points from star guard Cassie Pruzin but they were beaten on Ashley Glaser's three-point final second basket 45-42 in the final of the Chesterton 4A Sectional.

Here's another team that had a good, but not great year. They did not win anything. For the fourth year in a row, Valparaiso eliminated CP at the sectional level. The Bulldogs lose three senior starters including Pruzin, who has at least a 50-50 shot of being an Indiana all-star.

What is not immediately obvious about the Lady Bulldogs is that, in 2006, they will return eight players who played significant minutes on the varsity this season, not counting 5-10 sophomore Katie Kvachkoff, who missed 75% of the season with an injury.

PORTER TOWNSHIP – Boone may have felt pressure on their home floor, losing 55-49 to Wheeler after beating Bishop Noll 63-43.

It's hard to say what happened to a team of six seniors which led 15-6 in the early going on their home floor in the sectional championship game.

Star guard Karissa Walter (17.3 ppg.) suffered a significant left hand injury in the Noll game and it had to affect her against Wheeler. But Boone also had soph guard Cortney Flanigan (10.6 ppg.) and they should have survived. Boone lost in the sectional title game to Wheeler for the second year in a row.

The Wolves will be strong again in 2005 as Flanigan takes a lead role and 5-9 Kara Kessler mans the post. But this team simply has to toughen their schedule. The program has advanced to a point where nonconference games with schools like River Forest, Lake Station and North Newton need to be replaced by 3A or 4A schools like Andrean, Lowell or East Chicago. Boone will continue to win in the PCC but, at sectional time, outsiders Noll and Wheeler will be troublesome.

MERRILLVILLE – Merrillville lucked out against Chesterton with Melissa Borom's last second three-point shot forcing overtime in a 50-45 win over short-handed Chesterton. The Pirates were then eliminated 49-44 by rival Crown Point in the Chesterton Sectional semifinals. The Pirates were amazingly inconsistent, as was evidenced in a 34-point loss to CP six weeks after a 27-point win. Forget about this year.

Merrillville returns as the DAC favorite in 2006 because 6-3 Brittney Moore has a senior year at center coming, 5-3 point guard Brittney Cruse, who has three more seasons, made a solid debut late in the year; and 6-2 forward Sharon Houston transfers in from Lew Wallace.

Merrillville graduates six seniors but the Pirates return seven players who played significant varsity minutes in 2005. How much do they want to win the sectional title in 2006? Start the clock.

HIGHLAND – The Trojans went as far as they were supposed to go. Like Crown Point, they were supposed to win 75% of their games and play the top team at the sectional.

Highland does not have the talent and does not play the schedule that East Chicago does and that will continue to be a problem. Freshman Lizzie Stapke scored 14 in a 55-43 sectional quarterfinal win over Lake Central. Tina Traczyk scored 13 against East Chicago in the season-ending 43-35 loss.

Highland was 34 of 52 (65.3%) from the foul line in the playoffs which isn't great, but it's a lot better than the 50% foul shooting rate they sunk to during the regular season. That's the biggest test for the Trojans in the off-season. They are a bad shooting team and, even with 6-1 center Katie Kane, Traczyk and Stapke coming back, they can't win outside the LAC shooting as poorly as they do.

Here's another team, like Boone, that needs a schedule upgrade. The LAC champion has never won anything in the post-season because the LAC is not a strong league. For years, Highland has been fooled into thinking they're a top team because they dominate the LAC.

Highland can't play 2As and 3As during the season and expect to beat top 4As in the playoffs. That dog won't hunt.

Call St. Joseph's. Call Brebeuf. Call Marian Catholic. You've got to pay the cost to be the boss.

MUNSTER – Munster wasn't ready for Gary West Side, who smoked them 52-35. Munster was 18 of 24 from the foul line but scored just eight field goals against Gary West Side's full court press. Theressa's Lady Ponies should not forget about that game. Blowout defeats are the best motivator.

Munster improved from six wins in 2004 to 16 in 2005. It was a good, but not great year. They didn't win anything. Like Merrillville, Munster should return as their league favorite in 2006. They have more depth, better guards and better shooting than Highland.

But they must not make beating Highland a goal. The state finals is the goal. Munster will have to improve every week between now and next year to beat East Chicago and Gary West Side. The Mustangs must understand that or they'll be starting softball practice early again next year.

NORTH JUDSON – Judson went into Rensselaer (15-7) and won the sectional title 47-40 Saturday (2-12-5) night with a full court defense that held the Bombers to just 15 second half points. Senior Whitney Cole, who scored 21 in the 65-27 semifinal win over North Newton, posted 24 points in the championship win.

Judson needs to be a little steadier. The Jays were just 25 of 46 (54.3%) from the line in the playoffs and they aren't going much further like that. Judson got a great draw (a bye and weak North Newton (2-20)) at the Rensselaer Sectional but they did not get a good draw at the Rensselaer Regional, lining up against all-state Jamie Gallmeyer (19 ppg.) and Westview (20-3) in one semifinal while Wheeler gets weak North Montgomery (13-9) in the other semifinal.

The schedule is paying off here for the Jays, though. Eight games against 3A schools plus matches with Winamac (20-2) and Boone Grove (21-2) prepared Judson to win the regional title.

But two games in one day for a small team that has to press and run is a lot to ask.

UNION TOWNSHIP - Wheeler took advantage of a good draw and won the Boone Grove sectional with a 55-49 upset of the home team. The Bearcats played the early Friday game, beat an injury-depleted Hanover Central team (10-11) and rallied past Boone (21-2) in the finals.

6-2 sophomore forward Becca Bruszewski (17.3 ppg.) scored 20 in both games and none of them were 3-pointers, indicating that she set up close to the basket.

5-10 forward Ali Roper (11.2 ppg.), who missed the 2004 playoffs with a leg injury, scored 25 in her 2005 playoff debut against Hanover. The Bearcats' schedule, which included 4As Munster, Highland and Chesterton, is superior to Boone Grove's schedule, and that could be why they won. It's certainly why they thought they could win.

Wheeler has to get better at the foul line, however. 20 of 36 (55.5%) in the sectional is poor. 5-5 soph guard Amy Ketchum scored in double figures in both games and she must continue that.

The Bearcats must win twice in one day and the final game will be against an up-tempo team. The BearCats need top play from their guards to stay alive, but it is possible. If there is an upset regional title winner in Lake or Porter County, here it is.

INDIANAPOLIS – The defending 3A champion rejected a young Lebanon (20-2) team 46-38 in the sectional semifinals and spanked Western Boone 62-32 in the sectional title game.

Brebeuf is the reason that St Joseph's is not an overwhelming favorite for the state title. Northwest Indiana watchers tend to blow off downstate teams as being overrated. Blow this off.

Brebeuf center Ta'Shia Phillips, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound sophomore (those details are correct) who scored 18 points, grabbed 27 rebounds and blocked nine shots (those numbers are confirmed in two different newspapers) against Lebanon, which won their first 20 games of the regular season.

Brebeuf has lost only to Hamilton Southeastern (20-2), Cathedral (23-1), Franklin Central (22-2) twice and Roncalli, all top teams.

Phillips (20.4 ppg, 181-248, 73% FG, 12.3 rebounds), who may still be growing, changes the way the game is played and will for two more years. The Braves defeated Indianapolis Washington 67-2 (1-12-2005) in a game where Washington did not score one basket.

The Braves are a very young team with only two seniors and that is why they lost games early in the year. 5-7 long-range shooter Aimee Neff tied her own school record with five three-point field goals against Western Boone. 5-7 senior Megan Ridley, who scored 11 and was 3-of-3 from the line against Lebanon, adds stability.

Phillips is backed up by 6-2 freshman Claire McElheny and the youth sometimes hurts. Freshman guard Callie Curry was 0-for-8 against Lebanon and 5-10 freshman Caroline Schutzman was 0-for-4.

But Phillips started as the Braves won seven consecutive playoff games and beat Bishop Luers 53-38 in the 2004 state title game.

That's a nine-game playoff win streak going into Saturday's Mt. Vernon Regional semifinal against rival Bishop Chatard (16-6). There is a feeling that Chatard, which lost 69-60 to Brebeuf on Jan. 28, can pull the upset. But there is also a feeling that no one else in the southern half of the bracket is capable of beating the Braves, not even powerful Evansville Memorial (19-3).

If they can handle being the favorite, Brebeuf will be playing South Bend superpower St. Joseph's (21-1) on March 5 in the state finals.

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: February 20, 2005 .

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