2004-2005 Boys Basketball  IHSAA - Class 3A, 2A Sectional, Regional Preview A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith (2-28-2005)

95^th Indiana State Tournament

(2-28-2005) Things can change quickly in the state basketball tournament, but it would appear that Andrean and Boone Grove are the NW Indiana teams to watch as play begins in earnest Friday night.

2A however is a lot more in question than 3A is.

Despite what coaches tell you, it is significantly easier to reach the state finals in the lower classes than it used to be. To be honest, it was virtually impossible for a 2A school to reach the state finals before class sports came in back in 1997.

Class 3A schools not only had to battle the talent-laden (and private school-laden) Class 3A, but the giant 4A schools.  That playing field has leveled as well.

The defending 2A champion is Jimtown, which finished the 20-game regular season with a 59-50 win over LaVille. The Jimmies don't often win impressively but they keep winning. Still, it's hard to always be the favorite and the smart money says they'll go down short of the state finals in 2005.

In 3A, Andrean is the top team in NW Indiana, but No. 5 Tippecanoe Valley (19-1), which closed with a 56-53 win over Wawasee, is intriguing. Tippecanoe Valley, oddly (they sit less than 30 miles from Plymouth), is not in the Plymouth regional bracket. Northridge (15-5) is tall and potent with 6-10 center Ronnie Thomas but Northridge is not in the Plymouth Regional bracket either.

Someone has to beat Plymouth at Plymouth because the Pilgrims ride the home train through the first two weeks of the playoffs. I know there could be a lot of upsets trying to make the case for Andrean and Plymouth losing before the night of March 12 is like trying to make the case for Robert Blake.

3A Sectional 17 (at Hammond Civic Center)

Tuesday  March 1 - quarterfinals  - 6 p.m (CST)

Calumet [4-16]  vs. Hammond [13-7] 

Morton [8-11]  vs.  Clark [8-12]

Fri. March 4  - semifinals -  6 p.m. (CST)

Tuesday winners meet - 6 p.m.

Gavit [10-9] vs. Griffith [9-10]  8 p.m.

3A Sectional 18 (at Gary West Side)

Tuesday, March 1 -  quarterfinals  - 7 p.m. (CST)

Lew Wallace (4-16) vs. Kankakee Valley (6-14)

Fri.  March 4 - semifinals  - 7 p.m (CST)

Wirt [8-11] vs. Gary Roosevelt [9-10]

ANDREAN [19-2] vs. LW (4-16) or KV (5-14)

3A Sectional 19 (at Plymouth)

Tuesday, March 1 – 6 p.m. (EST)

Knox (14-6) vs. Culver (6-13)

Marian (4-16) vs. New Prairie (8-11)

Fri.  March 4 - semifinals  - 6 p.m. (EST)

Knox (13-6) or Culver (6-12) vs.

Marian [4-16] or New Prairie [8-11]

Plymouth [17-3] vs. St. Joseph's [10-10]

(3A) Sectional 20 (at Frankfort)

Tuesday, March 1 – 6 p.m. (EST)

Benton Central (7-13) vs. Frankfort (9-11)

Maconaquah (14-6) vs. Twin Lakes (15-5)

Fri.  March 4 - semifinals  - 6 p.m (EST)

Benton Central [7-13] or Frankfort [9-11]

vs. Maconaquah [14-6] vs. Twin Lakes [15-5]

West Lafayette [11-9] vs. Western [13-7]

(3A) Plymouth Regional

Sat, March 12 - semifinals - 11 a.m. (EST)

Gary winner (ANDREAN)  vs. Frankfort winner

(West Lafayette or Twin Lakes)

Hammond winner (Griffith)  vs. Plymouth winner (Plymouth)

PLYMOUTH - Everything here appears to point towards a Plymouth home game against Andrean for the 3A regional championship.  What could get in the way?

It is highly unlikely that Kankakee Valley, which has little size or Lew Wallace, which has little defense, can beat the 59ers (18-2) in the sectional semifinals.

Roosevelt is 2-0 against Wirt this season (and 1-0 against Andrean) but the 80-79 loss to Wallace two weeks ago is very troublesome.  The Panthers, led by 5-9 guard Robert Jenkins, have to be able to press Andrean effectively to have a chance.

But the first 59er-Roosevelt game was a rescheduled match during finals' week and Andrean just wasn't right. Unless they can get the 59ers into a helter-skelter running game, Roosevelt cannot defend Andrean's Luke Harangody. Despite the Velt win earlier, I see very little chance of the Panthers defeating Andrean again.

Twin Lakes was looking very good at Frankfort but a three-game losing streak in the final two weeks puts some clouds on their horizon. The Indians have no one taller than 6-3 while Andrean has two 6-7 players. West Lafayette, with eight seniors, won eight of their last nine and, with a quarterfinal bye, they might eventually win here.

Despite the 10-game wining streak of Gavit, I like Griffith to survive at the Hammond Sectional with 6-5 center Todd Polgar and guard Steve DeJesus leading another senior-dominated team.

Nobody else in that sectional has better players than the Panthers.

At the regional level, Griffith coach Jack Gabor can devise a defense that will partially contain Plymouth's all-time leading scorer Kyle Benge (30.1 ppg.). But I'm not sure the Panthers have enough offense to pull an upset. Understand that teams where one player supplies 20 or 30 points can ALWAYS be defended.

And if that player leaves the game through foul problems or injury, the entire focus of the game changes. That's why coaches want balanced scoring.  Plymouth is a disciplined team and they can shoot, as 164 three-point goals and 70% from the foul line in 20 games hints.

Benge has 67 three-point baskets and at home, you just can't hope he has a bad day. You must design special defenses for him.  

If it's West Lafayette facing Andrean, 6-7 Luke Harangody (19.1 ppg.) will be confronted by 6-9 WL senior Gordon Waliky, a non scorer but a good defender.  WL has plated 14 games decided by eight points or less and have balanced scoring in 6-4 junior JJ Dorsch (12.5 ppg.), 6-3 junior Brad Folta (11.2 ppg.) and 6-0 soph Andy Day (10.1 ppg.). West Lafayette ended the regular season winning eight of their last nine.  The 59ers have as much or more speed and should be able to get a 50-50 break inside.  This game may be close as the Red Devils could spread the floor to slow the 59ers.

In the title game that has been projected much of the season, I can't see how Plymouth can press Andrean and, with no starter taller than 6-3, the Pilgrims will have trouble out rebounding them.

The home floor is big here. Plymouth has won eight regional titles and 28 sectionals. This team is 4-1 against 4A schools and they were 12-1 at home during the regular season.

I don't know who steps up for the 59ers and takes the challenge of defending Benge and ball-handling is crucial.  Plymouth is smaller than everyone they play but they still win and Benge still scores 30. This could be one of the premier games of the season and it should be played in front of a standing room only crowd.

I like Andrean to win by 3-5 points and advance to the semistate.

(2A) Sectional 33 (at Wheeler)

Tues.  March 1 - quarterfinals  - 7 p.m. (CST)

BOONE GROVE (15-6) vs. Lake Station (2-17)

Fri. March 4 - semifinals  - 7 p.m.

Bishop Noll (7-13) vs. Wheeler (16-4)

HANOVER CENTRAL (6-13) vs. Tuesday winner

(2A)  Sectional 34 (at LaVille)

Tues.  March 1 - quarterfinals - 6 p.m (EST)

John Glenn (15-6) vs. Bremen (9-11)

Fairfield (9-10)  vs. Westview (6-12)

Fri. March 4 - semifinals – 6 p.m. (EST)

Tuesday's winners  - 6 p.m.

Jimtown (18-2) vs. LaVille (8-11)

(2A) Sectional 35 (at Winamac)

Tues.  March 1 - quarterfinals - 7 p.m (CST)

Rochester (12-7) vs. Rensselaer (15-5)

Fri. March 4 - semifinals  - 6 p.m.

Winamac (1-19) vs. North Judson (13-7)

North Newton (6-13) vs. Tuesday winner

(2A) Sectional 34 (at North Montgomery)

 Tues.  March 1 - quarterfinals - 6 p.m. (EST)

Delphi (7-11) vs. Clinton Central (4-14)

Sheridan (4-15) vs. Fountain Central (2-17)

Fri. March 4 - semifinals  

Tuesday's winners meet - 6 pm. (EST)

Seeger (7-11) vs. North Montgomery (10-8)

(2A) North Judson Regional 

Sat. March 12 - semifinals - 11 a.m.

Winamac winner (North Judson) vs. LaVille winner (Jimtown)

Wheeler winner (BOONE GROVE) vs. North Montgomery winner (North Montgomery)

NORTH JUDSON - You've got to love those Jimtown Jimmies, the defending state champion, who graduated their 6-8 center and have come back 18-2 and No.1 state wide.

Jimtown's only two losses are to 4A powers Concord (18-2) and Penn (14-6) and 6-3 lead guard Derrick DeShone (13.6 ppg.) teams with 6-0 senior Tyler Leighton (18.4 ppg.) to control the ball and put it in the basket.

The Jimmies are very patient and allow less than 40 points per game. With a quarterfinal bye, and LaVille (7-11) as a semi-final foe, there is little chance they will lose the LaVille Sectional.

But who will confront them in Starke County at regional time?  The North Montgomery Sectional is a little weak.

That winner will face the champ coming out of Wheeler, where the Bearcats must face speedy Bishop Noll in the semifinals.

Noll has played only one 2A team all season so the 7-13 record is deceptive, although Noll did lose on the final day of the year at North Judson. I like Noll's guards to keep prolific Wheeler shooter Zach Green off the three-point line and win on the road, but that is a rematch of a hotly-contested sectional title game in 2004.

Boone Grove welcomed Will Mitchell back into the lineup and finished their 21-game season with a 58-50 win over Calumet last (2-25-5) Friday.

Jon Shurr, a 6-4 junior forward who has had a strong second half of the season, scored a career-high 24 points, something that bodes very well for the playoffs.  Nobody has stopped 6-4 Danny Borys (22 ppg.) all year.

Boone must play three games in five days and, under normal circumstances, they do not have the depth for that.

But the first game is Lake Station and the Eagles have lost 13 games in a row and appear helpless. Boone will sit in the stands and watch Noll and Wheeler beat each other up before they take the semifinal floor against Hanover Central.

Hanover has not beaten Boone in 11 years, but they need to appreciate that the Wildcats have won 4 of their last 6. HC lost 60-53 to Boone in January. The Wolves need a big effort Friday night to put down any Hanover hopes early. If they don't do that, an upset is possible here because of the situation.

(Imagine Wheeler beating Noll at Wheeler and then the entire gym rooting for Hanover against Boone. It could happen.)

But it may not roll like that.  Noll should beat Wheeler and Boone will survive against Hanover.

In the title game, I think Boone, having played Merrillville, Chesterton, Portage and Valparaiso, can get the ball up the floor against Noll and exploit the Warriors small front court. Noll won't be as quick for the second game in two nights.

I then like Boone Grove to slow the Warriors the next night and survive a third game in five nights.

The North Montgomery Sectional is weaker than TV ratings for Arena Football. North Montgomery (12-8), the only team with a winning record in that sectional is 4-1 against 2A schools but they lost by 14 to Speedway (10-9) two weeks ago. No way the Wheeler winner loses the Rensselaer regional semifinals.

In the regional championship, there will be a surprise. All season, I've like Boone vs. Jimtown with Will Mitchell guarding Derrick DeShone and Joe Faron chasing Tyler Leighton. The Jimmies would appear to have no answer but a zone for Boone's 6-4 Danny Borys and that would open the door for 5-9 shooter Jake Pivarnik, plus emerging inside player Jon Shurr. Boone Grove has prepared for this night by facing half the Duneland Athletic Conference.

Jimtown is 7-0 against 3A schools and 6-0 against 2As so they won't fold.  Here's another premier championship game and only a North Judson upset of Jimtown could stop it.

Jimtown cannot exploit Boone's thin backcourt and the Jimmies may have scoring problems against Boone's size and wingspan. Here is the first major upset of the state tournament.

In Rensselaer, I'll take Boone by 6-8 points over Jimtown.

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Revised: February 28, 2005 .