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2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:Week Six A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith(12-24-2004) |
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2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:Week Six A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith(12-24-2004) |
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CROWN
POINT, IN - (12-24-2004)
East
Chicago took a good loss, losing in overtime to undefeated Whitney Young of
Chicago. Highland (10-2) showed they're still better than Munster (9-4) and
Boone Grove (11-0) kept stepping towards an inevitable confrontation with No. 1
Winamac (12-0). Gary West Side (5-0) continued to play infrequently and
Valparaiso (11-1) appeared to be coasting. Holiday tournaments will go on
without the DAC, which had to drop out of them due to the 14-game league season
which was instituted in 2003. There still seems to be a wide-open field in Class
1A and Class 3A.
The biggest Holiday tournament sends East Chicago to the Hall-of-Fame tourney in New Castle to face 3A No. 1 Evansville Memorial.
Some teams like Lake Central (4-5, with loses to Carmel, CP and Valparaiso), Merrillville (4-5, with losses to EC, Valpo, Benton Central and Highland), and Andrean (3-6, with losses to Bishop Luers and St. Joseph's) have very deceptive records while LAC teams benefit greatly record wise from being required to play each other.
The fact that West Side, after an 11-day layoff was able to beat Munster by 11 at Munster indicates that there's a gap between the top 6 teams and the second tier.
1.) East Chicago (10-1)
EAST CHICAGO - The Cardinals took a good loss, falling in overtime 59-57 to undefeated Whitney Young (10-0) of Chicago. The Cardinals clearly play the toughest schedule of any NW Indiana team as will be evidenced when the Cardinals ride the bus to New Castle to face undefeated, top-ranked Evansville Memorial (8-0).
EC smoked out Merrillville 69-54 on Dec. 21 with 5-10 junior all-stater Dee Dee Jernigan scoring 25.
It will be interesting to see what EC does when someone stops Jernigan (19 ppg.). In big school basketball, you eventually get stopped. EC's foul shooting (73-117, 62.3% last 5 games) is OK but it has to get better for where they want to go in February.
2.) Valparaiso (11-1)
VALPARAISO – EC would probably beat Valpo right now, but this is December. The Vikings are coasting, beating LaPorte 45-29 and Chesterton 41-39. Cassie Kerns (16.5 ppg.) scored 17 against LaPorte and added 22 against Chesterton. Valpo led Chesterton 10-0 and 30-19 after three quarters so that game wasn't as close as the final score indicates. Valpo does not play in a holiday tournament anymore so it's seven more DAC games (and a non-conference game with Hobart) to the wire and the Vikings will be favored to win them all. CP (10-2, 6-1 DAC) at Valpo (11-1, 7-0) is Jan. 28. Some of it is the careful offense they practice, but Valpo still has not allowed anyone to score more than 40 points all year.
3.) Gary West Side (5-0)
GARY – It's hard to tell how well Gary West Side is playing. The victory over Munster (9-3) was dimmed by a somewhat lucky win over South Bend Adams on Dec. 17. West Side shot 0-for-14 (16 of 50, 32% for the game) in the first quarter against Adams, sank just 14 of 24 from the line for the game, and still won 49-48. The big test should come next week when West Side should meet undefeated South Bend Washington (11-0) in the Dec. 28 finals of the Gary Holiday tournament.
CROWN POINT – Crown Point slowed down Michigan City and Hanover Central over the weekend. Jill Weiand (8.8 ppg.) scored 20 against Michigan City and Cassie Pruzin (13.3 ppg.) and Kaitlyn Sertich (10.7 ppg.) split 30 points in the 67-34 win at Hanover.
Pruzin, after 12 games, averaged 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 6.3 and 2.3 turnovers shooting 46 of 53, 88.6% from the line.
CP got a week off after playing five times in 10 days. The Bulldogs' perimeter shooting (33-127, 26%) has not been good, but they will improve against the competition they will face the rest of the way.
Teams like Highland, Munster and Boone Grove will play lesser competition the rest of the way.
But it doesn't matter how good CP is or how good they think they are. They have to beat Valparaiso at least once or they will end the season in early February.
PORTER TOWNSHIP – Boone should have defeated Wheeler more than 53-43. That is not a good sign. If the Bearcats can come within 10 in December, they can beat Boone in February. Boone trailed 25-22 at the half until a 20-4 Boone run in the third quarter put the better team ahead. Becky Keller had a top offensive game with three three-point shots, 6-of-6 from the line and 17 points.
Here's where the lack of a 'state finals' schedule (East Chicago, St. Joseph's, Gary West Side) will hurt Boone.
Short of that, they need to beat average teams like Wheeler decisively because there will be no coming from behind in the state tournament. North Judson (9-2) is a major game on Feb. 3 and a loss that night would not hurt. Next week's South County Tournament on Dec. 29-30 might not provide the competition Boone needs to prepare for a long state tournament run and it gives three teams a 'practice' game against Boone prior to the PCC finals in January. The Wolves should be eyeing an improving Hanover Central (6-3) team, that they could see three times in the next six weeks. Winamac (13-0) is still out there and there appears to be a major showdown looming at the regional level.
6.) Highland (11-2)
HIGHLAND – The biggest news for Highland was 17-of-24 from the foul line against weak South Bend Adams (3-6) in a 48-35 victory.
The Trojans' foul shooting is a life-threatening concern. The dismal total of 134-261 (51.3%) is unacceptable and they certainly know that. Highland rejected the challenge of Munster 45-37, holding the Lady Ponies to 14 of 52 shooting (27%) from the field. 6-1 Katie Kane scored 11 against Munster and 13 in the win at Adams.
Ashley Sampson has scored in double figures for five games in a row. Highland does play EC (11-1) in late January. Only Gary West Side and Valparaiso have scored more than 40 points on Highland. This team has the defense to win the sectional. But basketball is an offensive game and they can only work on the shooting.
You can't hit 5-of-10 foul shots as a habit and beat a pressing team like EC or Gary West Side that fouls you a lot. That dog won't hunt.
7.) Merrillville (4-5)
MERRILLVILLE – The Pirates lost to Lake Central 40-38 and East Chicago 69-54 last week, but they lead the pack that is some distance behind the top six.
Merrillville led EC 29-26 at the half, but they didn't have the defense to contain EC. Melissa Borom averages 10.8 ppg. in her last five games and Angela East has four three-point goals in the last three games.
Teams are often rated on what their record is but Merrillville is better than anybody in the 16-team LAC and it seems like everybody knows it but them. The Pirates are certainly the team best constructed to defeat Valparaiso (12-1) at the sectional level. Anyone who has Griffith and Bishop Noll ranked ahead of Merrillville does not understand the sport.
But there's a gap between Merrillville and the top 6 who are all playing fairly well.
8.)
Munster (9-4)
MUNSTER – Munster is taking some losses (3 of their last 4) but they're getting experience. You definitely have to lose before you can win. The Mustangs' full court defense caused Highland problems in a 45-37 Highland win. To play the same team more than once helps the inferior team and compared to Highland, Munster is the inferior team. The Mustangs have to have someplace to go when opposing defenses key on 5-9 Jackie Yerga. Outside shooting is inconsistent but that's inexperience.
They seem to believe in that full court press, though, and that will carry them to the top. In prep basketball you don't need much to beat bad teams. You must excel at full court defense and half court offense to beat good teams. Munster is getting there.
9.) Hobart (7-4)
HOBART – Here's a team that's been solid all year. They don't have any speed so they can't beat Highland or Munster but they can deal with the big and strong teams. The Brickies held Griffith to 28 points after holding Clark to 20, Noll to 29 and West Side to 31. You can call them lucky in the 39-38 win over Morton and the 45-43 overtime win over Lowell but they may have been unfortunate in the 31-29 loss to Gary West Side. This is a small DAC team playing in the LAC so they should continue to win more than they lose.
Unless they shoot 10 of 24 from the foul line like they did against Munster. I ask again. Why can't girls shoot the basketball? There's no excuses.
10.) Lake Central (4-5)
ST. JOHN – Lowell (6-4) is getting close here and Washington Township (8-3) isn't that far off but LC has defeated Chesterton 47-42 and Merrillville 40-38 in succession, erasing first quarter deficits both times. LC has succeeded in slowing games but they don't have the offense to win consistently yet. Truthfully, LC's schedule makes them a top-10 team. Losses include CP (10-2), Valparaiso (11-1), Munster (9-4) and Carmel (8-3).
Outsider
No. 1
Winimac
(12-0)
WINAMAC – 2A Winamac barely got by 3A Tippecanoe Valley for veteran coach Jim Swaney's 300th win in 18 years at the Pulaski County school.
Julie Chumley hit a three-pointer for the Warriors who have won 31 of their last 34. Winamac's last hurdle in an undefeated season is North Judson (9-2) on Jan. 19. Julie (20) and Jennifer Chumley (11) combined for 31 points in a 68-50 win over West Central on Dec. 16.
The Warriors may be ripe for an upset. They were shaky against Tippy Valley nobody wants to carry the No. 1 label.
Outsider No. 2
Washington
Township (8-3)
VALPARAISO - If they played in Lake County they'd be in somebody's top-10 after sweeping the Mid-Winter Classic 55-52 over South Central (7-3) and 67-34 over Westville (3-7).
Alisha Polite was named tourney MVP after scoring 15 against SC in the key game. Shooting 25 of 43 from the line was a little disturbing. While it's true that nobody is going to the NBA out of Westville, South Central is a team WT must beat repeatedly to have a good season. There may be three more meetings. WT has lost to Boone Grove (11-0), Wheeler (9-4) and Hebron. But the Senators have won 6-of-7 after a 2-2 start and they have enough size and shooting to win consistently.
They'll be in the state Top-10 before they're in a region Top-10 unless they change their name to Whiting.
Outsider
No. 3
North
Judson (9-2)
NORTH JUDSON – North Judson has taken out 3A schools like New Prairie 43-39 and Tippecanoe Valley 55-46 on Dec. 20.
They've won four in an row since a 61-35 loss to Plymouth.
This team still has Rensselaer (6-4), North Miami (7-2), Boone Grove (11-0) and Winamac (12-0) left to play after losses to 3A powers Twin Lakes (6-1) and Plymouth (8-1) and wins over 1As Triton (7-5) and Kouts (6-4). North Judson has to get past Winamac to get out of sectional play but this school has been used to winning for years and, unlike 20 teams in Lake and Porter County, they can shoot the ball.