NW Indiana Boys Basketball Renegade Class 4A Sectional/Regional Preview

2003-2004 Boys Basketball

'The Renegade' Sectional / Regional

Preview: Class 4A

A USA-365.com Special Report

(3-3-2004)

1. (3-2-2004) Munster 59, West Side 54
1. (3-2-2004) Lake Central 70, Highland 53
3. 6:00 (F) Munster (20-1) vs. Lake Central (16-5)
4. 7:30 (F) East Chicago Central [11-9] vs. Lowell [8-12]
5. 7:30 (S) Championship - 7:30 p.m.

EAST CHICAGO (3-5-2004) - The first two games on Tuesday night had the expected result and created a large matchup of neighboring schools, Munster (20-1) and Lake Central (16-5). Those two meet in a rematch of a Sec. 23 game won by Munster 59-54. This is one of the ultimate tests for Munster, which has won 11 games by 12 points or less against a schedule that is not as good as the one LC has played. The combined record of the teams Munster has played is a mediocre 204-198. That shows up here.

I like LC, with 6-10 Scott VanDer Meer and 6-8 Kevin Parkinson to overwhelm Munster inside and win this game by 10 points. Lowell isn't going to win two games in two nights without leading scorer Jim Jeffries (16 ppg.) who is out for the season so LC plays EC, which lost 76-63 to LC in December.

EC has no player taller than 6-3 and that will be too tall an obstacle against Lake Central, which has played 20 Class 4A teams in 21 games. LC has paid the cost to be the boss and they win three times in five days.

1. (3-2-4) Portage 68, MERRILLVILLE 62
1. (3-2-4) CROWN POINT 55, Chesterton 50
3. 6:00 (F) CP (6-15) at Portage (11-10)
4. 7:30 (F) Valparaiso [18-2] vs. Hobart [10-10]
5. 7:30 (S) Championship - 7:30 p.m.

PORTAGE (3-2-2004) - The Tuesday semifinals didn't really produce any surprises. Merrillville was a sub.-500 team all year and it was a lot to ask for them to beat Portage on the Indians' home floor. And in both of CP's losses to Chesterton, CP led by 10 points before falling by five or less. Chesterton didn't match up against CP and it finally cost them.

CP is an intriguing team because they have almost 130 three point baskets and they can come from anywhere, making five player man-to-man defense a requirement. Portage may slip up here. With that said, the Indians busted loose for 20-point leads in both victories over CP this year. On their home floor, Portage survives by less than 5.

Valparaiso and Hobart is a sectional game that shouldn't be in the Class era. Valpo, twice the size of Hobart, beat the Brickies 69-27 on Nov. 29. Hobart can cut 40 points off that margin but not much more. Hobart is really a 3A school.

In the final, Portage, at home can take Valpo to the wire. Quickness bothers the VHS squad. Michigan City (2-19) led Valpo by 14 before losing in the season finale.

But I keep going back to shooting. Hobart can't tire out Valpo Friday and the VHS boys are 76 of 92 (82.7%) from the foul line in the last 5 regular season games. Valpo's wins over Portage are 71-49 and 51-47. If Portage doesn't gamble too much defensively and give up open 3s, they can make this close.

1. (3-2-4) South Bend Washington 71, South Bend Clay 68
1. (3-2-4) South Bend Riley 72, Michigan City 55
3. 6:00 (F) Riley (15-8) vs. Washington (14-9)
4. 7:30 (F) South Bend Adams [13-8] vs. LaPorte [18-3]
5. 7:30 (S) Championship - 7:30 p.m.

MICHIGAN CITY (3-5-2004) - Riley vs. Washington will be fun with Riley averaging 72 points a game and Washington averaging 71 but it may not matter. None of the South Bend schools can slow the game down which is the ONLY way to beat LaPorte.

The Slicers have lost only to DAC foes Portage, Chesterton and Valparaiso. Jerome Vann (17 ppg.) is such a mobile lead guard and Kevin Dermody at 6-7 is strong inside. LaPorte has to beat themselves here with 25 turnovers and 15 missed foul shots.

LaPorte beat Riley 99-82 in November and they are a physical mismatch for anyone here. Fans at Michigan City will get their money's worth and no one will ask for a shot clock.

1. (3-2-4) Mishawaka 65, Elkhart Memorial 39
1.(3-2-4) Penn [19-3] 44, Elkhart Central 39
3. 6:00 (F) Mishawaka (16-6) vs. Penn (20-3)
4. 7:30 Fri: Goshen [5-15] vs. Concord [13-7]
5. 7:30 (S) Championship - 6:30 (CST)

ELKHART (3-5-2004) - Elkhart's giant North Side gym may be nearly full Friday for the matchup of arch-rivals Mishawaka and Penn. This will be the speed of Mishawaka, led by guard Antonio Dye against Penn's disciplined style and good shooting. Speed bothers Penn. They lost 54-51 to sub.-500 Clay.

Mishawaka is not a basketball power, so the prospect of moving on to the regional is new to them. Go with tradition, which says Penn. The slower style team wins in the playoffs. Concord is very athletic, but they also fall to the more disciplined Penn squad in a game decided by less than 10 points.

MICHIGAN CITY winner (LaPorte) vs. East Chicago winner (LAKE CENTRAL)
Elkhart Central winner (Penn) vs. Portage winner (Valparaiso)

MICHIGAN CITY (3-13-2004) - We really don't want any sectional upsets so we can have four power teams at Michigan City. The speed and full court attack of LaPorte has eclipsed the size and shooting of Lake Central twice 59-56 and 76-70. But you don't think that can happen a third time, do you? LC has such a strong baseline and they've come so close twice. I think the baseline decides a third meeting. Note the score of the second game, 76-70. I think LC coach Jim Black just let his boys run up and down the floor last week. I would expect a combination defense to take away shooter Dusty Kling, who has scored 47 points on LC in two games. LC wins by 5-10.

Penn is Valpo, but they don't have 6-8 Brian McMillan up front. Penn's tallest player is 6-4. These are two great shooting teams. They have both been over 50% from the floor 10 times or more this season. Meeting in the semifinals, they will be rested and ready to shoot. This will be an excellent game that Valpo wins by three or four.

There's no bad matchup in this foursome and LC vs. Valpo is no exception. LC won the original matchup 75-58 when Brent Kimmel, the VHS point guard, was ill. In the rematch, Valpo won 70-64 in OT and Kimmel had 31 to offset 32 from LC's Krste Krstevski.

LC has to contain 6-1 Jon Moon, who averaged 21.6 in his last three regular season games. Valpo has some extra size on the bench to throw at LC with the 6-4 Lieske brothers. In the second game in one day, both teams will need the bench, and Valpo has more. I like Valparaiso to pull away with their 70 percent foul shooting and win their first regional title since 1994 by 5-10 points.