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2003-2004
Boys Basketball
Renegade Season Final PollA USA-365.com Special Report(3-24-2004) |
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There was not a Northwest Indiana team in
the state finals for the second consecutive year. For the record, that is not
unusual. The Lake and Porter County area can only get one 1A and one 2A team to
the regional level where they have a 25% chance of winning. There is little
depth in the 3A bracket in this area. That leaves Class 4A where this area is
strong but this year, just not lucky enough.
1. Valparaiso (22-3)
Valpo
had a long run end with the 39-34 overtime loss to Columbia City in the
Lafayette Semistate. Teams go about as far as they, by talent and experience,
should go. That's what happened here. Valpo was not better than Columbia City
(Had one of the 3 game referees seen Jon Moon's foot on the three-point line in
the final second of regulation time, Columbia City wins in 4 quarters) but they
were certainly a top-10 team. The Vikings graduate all five starters and 10
seniors but let's remember history. In 2002, Valpo graduated all five
starter starters and the next season, they came back and went 17-4. The Vikings
have Jon Moon and Ryan Osburn back and 6-7 center Jon Hanselman will help.
Valpo's such a good basketball school that you don't play sometimes until you're
a senior.
2. Lake Central (16-6)
LC
still deserves this ranking after two power wins over Highland (16-6) and
Munster (20-2). In retrospect, it isn't that surprising that LC was a step slow
playing their third game in five nights against a host school (East Chicago)
that had a bye and a crippled semifinal foe. It's next year now and LC
won't be helpless with the return of guards Dave Hoffmaster and Brett Summers
plus forward John Maida. LC should have reached the regional but here's an
example of how the 'blind draw' can blow you up. Look for newcomers to make an
impact. People transfer into LC all the time and there are a lot of players
already in the LC program.
3. LaPorte (21-4)
LaPorte
gave it all they had but the 68-66 loss to East Chicago, a long, grinding game
in the afternoon, led to the Slicers' 61-55 loss to Valparaiso in the Michigan
City regional final. Lets get away from wins and losses for a second. Tom Wells
is the perfect coach for LaPorte because he plays a fire-breathing, up-tempo
style that the giant LaPorte fan base has to love. Season long quotes indicate
he knows he's found a home and he'll never leave. (Never is a long, long time).
Airrence Shark returns next year in the backcourt and the Slicers JV was good.
Troy Tonagel brings back some offense and the Slicers also return with 6-2
forward Jon Burger and 6-8 JV center Josh Corey. If Shark (a big football
prospect) stays healthy and develops, the Slicers will be tough by the end of
2005.
Andrean
wasn't good enough to beat Western, which went on to beat Knox by 25 for the
regional title. In the 73-67 loss to Western, Andrean shot 23 of 50 from the
floor (46%) and 12 of 15 (80%) from the line. Can't do much better than that.
Western made 29 of 38 from the line. The key for next year is the health of 6-7
forward Luke Harangody (21 ppg.) and backcourt leader Tommy Finn. Harangody has
a bad back and his youth may help heal him. But back injuries tend to be
chronic. Shane Power (Andrean - 98) eventually needed surgery. Let's just cross
our fingers because nobody knows how Luke will recover. Also, the 59ers need
Tommy Finn to come through the football season in one piece. Tommy is not that
big and Andrean figures to make a long state tourney run in football this fall.
Outside the LAC, coach Mark Horvath needs Harangody and Finn to win.
5. Munster (20-2)
A
defensive breakdown and a turnover cost Munster a 4-point lead in the final 20
seconds against Lake Central in the East Chicago Sectional semifinals.
Munster lost the biggest game of the year 55-53 but the truth is, they'd barely
escaped in close games all year. This was a 12-win team, and everyone at Munster
should get great credit for winning 20 without much of the talent they had last
year. Again though, a senior year transfer does not spark a team to post-season
success. We saw that at LC, Munster and Merrillville girls. The future will be
built around 6-7 center Scott Rutkowski, who has two more years.
6. Chesterton (13-8)
Chesterton
had the miss fortune to draw a sectional quarterfinal foe they had just beaten
in overtime 96 hours earlier. It's not surprising they could not beat CP three
times. There's not that much difference between the two teams. Top scorer Matt
Campbell (18.4 ppg.) graduates but Casey Martin (11.9 ppg.) and Matt Maple come
back and the key to the future will be the development of 6-10 freshman Evan
Schmidt. Schmidt is still growing and could be one of the few 7-foot players
ever in the DAC. He still has skills to learn but you can't teach 7-feet.
7. Bishop Noll (15-10)
Bishop
Noll only got the offense going in the fourth quarter against Jimtown in the
North Judson Regional. The loss, however, is mitigated by the fact that Jimtown
(21-2) went on to the state finals. Maybe we all underestimated Jimtown. Gary
Patterson (23 ppg.) is the Northwest Indiana player of the year and he'll have a
fine mid-major college career. Noll needs a lot of help next season, but in all
honesty, they never knew East Chicago native Gary Patterson was coming to Noll
until he walked in the door. Guards Sam Watts and Greg Jones will make Noll
competitive in the LAC but that's not the goal. JV center Dan Callahan, already
6-5 but just 160 pounds, must develop this summer. Hopefully, another player of
Patterson's caliber (I know it's highly unlikely) is on the way.
8. Highland (16-6)
Highland
had no answer for Lake Central size and they were quickly smoked in the state
tournament. The Trojans never won a big game all year. The future is bright with
6-6 forwards Andrean Helmer and Derek Moser. The Trojans have beefed up their
schedule. They'll face Richmond and all-state guard Dominic James in the 2004
Region Rumble. The LAC will also not be as tough next year with graduation
hitting Munster and Bishop Noll hard. But Highland needs to develop a new lead
guard and when East Chicago and West Side again loom in the state tournament,
they better have one.
9. Portage (12-11)
Here's
a coming team for 2005. Portage lost by 10 to Valpo in the Portage Sectional
final but they beat Merrillville and Crown Point. The Indians return Buster
Battreal (14.6 ppg.), Milt Rivera (8.6 ppg.) and speedy guard Justin Ortiz.
Portage also has two 6-7 low post players on the JV who could develop to replace
6-4 Kyle Autrey (10.7 ppg.). The DAC slims down next year as LC and LaPorte lose
tons of good players. Portage is 26-84 all time against Valparaiso but Valpo
loses 4/5 of their entire starting lineup to graduation. Portage has the
speed to deal with Merrillville and Crown Point, the two teams that return the
most players in 2005. How much they play together over the summer will determine
how much they'll win together next fall.
10. Wheeler (20-5)
Here's
another team that got smoked by the draw, forced to face Boone Grove and Hanover
while Bishop Noll waited at home with nothing but Lake Station (0-20) in their
way. There's no way to replace Steve Wilson (13.4), Cordale Micou (17.0), Joe
Dobson (12.2) and Andrew Patten, the heart of the squad. Wheeler finished with
the third best record in school history. The BearCats are 41-8 in the last 2
years. The Bearcats' starting five scored 2,700 points. But with a good coach,
Wheeler will compete for the title again in the weak LAC Blue. The Bearcats will
face much less competition in the 2005 2A Sectional as Noll and Hanover suffer
major graduation losses. Look for the BearCats to have a winning season and a
sectional title contender in 2005.
Surprise
team for 2005......
The
Bulldogs took regional champion Valparaiso to overtime and they played seven
games against sectional champions. The Bulldogs return nine varsity players
including 6-5 Ryan Brown and 6-4 Brian Maloney along with guards Chachi Albrecht
and Mike Smith plus 6-2 twins Sam and Seth Henderson. Throw in sophomore-to-be
Matt Ernest and Crown Point will field a deep, good shooting team that will be
pushed by coach Tom Johnson, who feels they can be champions.
Obviously, Merrillville is the arch rival. The Bulldogs haven't beaten them in six years and Portage topped CP three times in 2004. None of the afore mentioned boys are football players, which is a factor. Give them good health and a good draw and this team is playing in the Michigan City Regional with a 50-50 chance to win.