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2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:Week Eight A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith(1-15-2005) |
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2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:Week Eight A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith(1-15-2005) |
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Editor's Note: Technical problems delayed the posting of the boys and girls Top-10 polls until this weekend (Jan. 15). -DW
CROWN
POINT, IN - (1-11-2005)
East Chicago stepped to the front with
wins over Gary West Side and 3A No. 1 South Bend St. Joe. The St. Joe win is a
little deceptive because the Indians played in South
Bend on Friday night while EC was idle and then traveled
to East Chicago for a Saturday afternoon game. But, truth be told, Class 2A No.
2 Harding came from Fort Wayne to Gary and beat Gary West Side 66-62 last
Saturday (Jan. 8). Highland barely got by Andrean (5-8) and Chesterton (8-6),
and Crown Point lost to Chesterton by 25 so the
top five teams began to look like the top two and three other schools getting
ready for softball.
Meanwhile Boone Grove (15-0) and Winamac (14-0) edged towards undefeated seasons with basically North Judson (11-2) standing in the way of both of them.
In Class 3A, there's no end to the troubles at Lew Wallace where 6-2 star Sharon Houston has apparently followed coach Johanna Smith out the door. No one in charge seems to want a compromise solution there and any new coach has a short time to pull things together.
1.) East Chicago (14-2)
EAST CHICAGO - EC rolled over Gary West Side 63-46 and nipped 3A No. 1 St. Joseph's 66-62. 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. It doesn't matter whether they've beaten them or not. They're playing them.
EC junior Kelly Watts scored 24 against St. Joseph's (13-1), which made nine three-point baskets. EC sank a ridiculous 32 of 40 foul shots against Gary west Side which is a red flag. They will not get 40 foul shots in the state tournament rematch.
The Cardinals still have Highland (14-2) and a date at the McDonald's Classic in Chicago. No one has come anywhere near playing this type of schedule since Lake Central and Andrean gave up their independent status. EC has paid the cost to be the boss. But they still have to beat West Side again.
2.) Valparaiso (13-1)
VALPARAISO – Valpo turned back Merrillville 39-34 and then turned a dark hand on Michigan City 71-29 to go 9-0 in the DAC. Lindsay Humes, a 6-2 senior, scored a season-best 15 against the Pirates while Cassie Kerns, the 6-3 senior forward, scored 24 against Michigan City. The Vikings are an unofficial 134-of-191 (70.1%) from the line.
They now have a three-game lead in the 14-game DAC season so there's not a lot left to concern them except working on sectional opponents. Valpo could have a letdown but truthfully, Jeb Bush will save Indonesia from the tsunami before Valpo overlooks CP and Chesterton.
3.) Gary West Side (11-4)
GARY – The Cougars lost to Chesterton (8-5), East Chicago (14-2) and Fort Wayne Harding (13-1) in a 10-day span. Oddly the Harding loss was the worst as the Side led 46-39 after three quarters. I would not cast final judgment on the 52-39 loss to Chesterton on Dec. 30, West Side's 6th game in four days OR the 63-46 loss to East Chicago, a game where EC shot 40 free throws.
The bizarre schedule which saw the Cougars playing 5 games in 2 months and then 10 games in 2 ½ weeks may have caused some losses here. But bottom line, when you play tough teams, you are supposed to lose sometimes. West Side's already beaten Highland and Munster easily. Who would you move ahead of them?
PORTER TOWNSHIP – By the time you read this, Boone will have coasted past winless Lake Station to go to 15-0. The Wolves take on South Central (7-5) in the feature opening night game of the Porter County Conference (PCC) tournament on Jan. 17.
The Wolves' schedule may begin to challenge them. Boone is looking at a potential PCC tournament title game with Washington Township (9-3) on Jan. 22, an atmosphere that will help them. The season-ending bus ride to Starke County to play North Judson (11-2) might not be the time to find out bad things about a largely untested team, but the Wolves will benefit from playing a big game on the road.
It should be noted that Boone lost at North Judson on the final day of the 2003 season and went on to win sectional and regional titles and this team, led by all-stater Karissa Walter (17.1 ppg,.) is better than that one was.
But let's tell it like it is. On a good day, the Wolves could beat everyone below them in this poll and possibly Gary West. But, except for CP, they didn't schedule any of them, so there's no way to really know if Boone could truly beat ANY of the top-10.
CROWN POINT – Crown Point lost 48-23 to Chesterton, their second 20-point plus loss in 10 days. The offense has run aground here but the ship isn't quite sinking. Chesterton defeated CP twice last year and the Lady Bulldogs defeated them at sectional time.
CP has lost to Valparaiso (13-2), Boone (15-0), Chesterton (8-6) and Merrillville (7-6). None of those wins are shocking, but the scores don't make sense. Neither Merrillville or Chesterton is anywhere near 25 points better than CP but both have won big.
And, to be honest, CP has been an emotionless team all season. Usually teams that get beat by 20 or 30 points ONCE during the regular season can forget about winning a quality sectional. It's a sign (no kidding?) that you aren't very good. But that's not the case here.
I keep remembering how Andrean's football team got beat by 34 points in the final month of the season and came back to win the state title last November. I would hesitate to write CP off just yet. There's still five games to go including rematches with Merrillville and Valparaiso.
6.) Merrillville (7-6)
MERRILLVILLE – Clearly Merrillville is on the rise. The Pirates followed up a 66-39 rout of Crown Point (11-4) with a 48-27 blowout of Munster (12-5). The Pirates' guards Melissa Borom, Brittany Usery and Tamara Gaddy are becoming back court trouble-makers. Close losses to EC and Valparaiso only strengthen Merrillville's case.
Rematches with Chesterton and Crown Point remain before the playoffs and improving Lowell (9-4) is also left to play. But nobody wants to play Merrillville right now. And Brittney Moore, the 6-2 center still has yet to break loose with a string of dominating games.
Local newspapers and radio stations rank the teams with the best record the highest because it's too much trouble to think about strength of competition. But local media is still doing full page stories and discussions of Chicago Bears news, even though the Bears were deader than Jimmy Hoffa 12 weeks ago. So their lack of thinking is consistent.
7.) Highland (15-2)
HIGHLAND – The Trojans did get by Chesterton 47-46 in overtime and Andrean 52-49, but they aren't playing that well. 6-1 Katie Kane had seven points and six blocks in the OT victory over Chesterton (8-6). These are good wins but nothing that would indicate that they could beat Gary West Side or East Chicago next month.
The shooting is still bad. 35.1% from the field (258-of-736. 35.1%) and especially foul shooting (182 of 358, 50.8%). I can't see how a team that averages 10 assists and 14 turnovers a game can keep winning, but it really has not cost them yet. 10 consecutive wins speak for themselves. Ashley Sampson (11.2 ppg.) is the only player in double figures, but Kane (8.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) is becoming the biggest factor. Tina Traczyk (9.7 ppg.) has 22 three-point goals.
The season finale with East Chicago is a game that has to help Highland more than it helps East Chicago. There should be hope here come sectional time.
8.)
Chesterton (8-6)
CHESTERTON - Junior Keller Peller (15.1 ppg.) is averaging 20 ppg. over her last five starts, but the Trojans' four-game win streak came to an end in a narrow 47-46 loss to Highland Tuesday night. Peller sank five three-point goals and totaled 21 points. Peller scored 31 in the Trojans win over Gary West Side at the McCutcheon Holiday tournament. Teams will gear up to shut her down but at 5-10, that's easier said than done. No coincidence her rise has come with the return of 6-foot center Stephanie Boyle, who has averaged 10 points per game since her return. Maddie Wilk had five steals against Highland. Chesterton does not have a lot of depth, but in a half court game, they can beat anyone in their sectional.
9.) Munster (11-5)
MUNSTER – Munster is has played a tough schedule and it caught up to them in a 48-27 blowout loss to Merrillville Tuesday (Jan. 11) night. The Mustangs sank just 9 of 37 shots from the field against a tall and fast Merrillville squad. Fortunately, they won't see Merrillville again.
The Lady Ponies may not accept this but it's better to lose to Merrillville by 20 than to beat Gavit by 20. There's more in it for the future. The regular season is vastly over-rated. It doesn't matter who you beat. It matters who you play. With a bye and a draw of Lowell, Lake Central or Highland, Munster could STILL win the East Chicago sectional.
10.) North Judson (11-2)
NORTH JUDSON – Could they beat Lake Central? Possibly. Could they beat Hobart? Maybe. They have won seven in a row and lost only to 3A powers Plymouth (12-2) and Twin Lakes (9-3).
Wins over 3As Tippecanoe Valley, New Prairie, Kankakee Valley and John Glenn. The Jays area a small, three-point shooting team with 50 three-point goals in 13 games. Judson usually plays seven or eight players so they have some depth.
They would compete very well in 3A and that's bad news to 2A No. 1 Winamac (13-0) and 2A No. 5 Boone Grove (15-0), who are still left on the Jays schedule. Winamac is also a sectional rival of North Judson and I'm not sure Winamac can beat North Judson twice.
Outsider
No. 1
Winamac
(14-0)
WINAMAC – A lull in the schedule broke with an 83-42 win over Carroll last Saturday (Jan. 8) as 5-6 senior guards Julie (19) and Jennifer (11) Chumley combined for 30 points. Five players scored in double figures. The Warriors are only 33 of 53 (62.2%) from the foul line in their last three games and they need a little more than that in the playoffs.
Winamac went to 14-0 with an easy win over North White but they must not overlook 4A Mishawaka (4-10) on Jan. 15 before the game at North Judson on Jan. 19. A win over the Jays probably means a 20-0 season as the final four foes are Glenn, South Newton, Frontier and Caston. Winamac needs a loss. Soon.
Outsider No. 2
Washington
Township (9-4)
VALPARAISO - Alisha Polite scored 26 with 14 rebounds against Hanover Central in a 58-47 win that ended a nearly two week layoff last Saturday. The 6-foot forward is operating more as a back-to-the basket center now. WT had seven three-point goals against Hanover.
WT lost to Portage 50-41 Tuesday (Jan. 11) but, so what? Washington Township should never, ever beat Portage, a school 10 times WT's size. WT plays Portage so Kouts will seem easy by comparison.
The Senators are an experienced team but they'll have to be better against Boone Grove's press to win the PCC tournament next week.
Truthfully, the hidden value of the PCC tournament for WT will be a chance for the coaches to see five other 1A teams two weeks before the 1A state tournament.
Outsider
No. 3
Bishop Noll (8-7)
HAMMOND – The win over Wheeler 45-43 Saturday opened some eyes and the Bearcats (11-7) had been assumed to be the better team. Noll plays a low 4A schedule which includes Lowell, Hobart, Mishawaka, Highland and Munster, plus 2A power Taylor. The Warriors are locked into scheduling some of the LAC's worst (Lake Station, Whiting) but they also slate some 3As in KV and Gavit. To be 8-7 against this schedule is the equivalent of being 15-0 against a 1A and 2A schedule. No 2A team in this area (maybe Harding or Shenandoah) plays this level of competition. Candace Bishop scored 18 against the Bearcats and 22 against Mishawaka. The 5-7 forward has been in double figures 12 times in 15 games.
In a 5-team sectional, they are a factor.
Outsider No. 4
Lowell (9-4)
LOWELL – They may stAy outside because they have Munster, Highland and Merrillville still to play. But here is the surprise team of the region. With two returning starters and only one starter taller than 5-6, the Devils have won seven of their last eight. How? I'm not sure. Guards Kelly Johnson and Ashley Cosentino are quick and difficult to defend and 5-10 Rachel Thiel can rebound without fouling out.
They have played nine games decided by 10 points or less and are 6-3 in those games. The Devils attack the basket and get to the foul line. They have shot over 320 foul shots in 13 games.
Lucky? I don't know. They are only 2-2 in overtime games. They largely stay with the starting five of Bailey Wagner, shooter Kelly Swisher (22 3s), Cosentino, Johnson and Theil. A lot of fun to watch.
The Devils are working on a little depth for next month. We'll know more when they face LC on Tuesday, Jan. 18. I cannot find a Lowell girls varsity basketball win over LC. Anywhere. Ever.