2005-2006 Boys Basketball  Week-10, Top-10 Poll A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith (2-17-2006)

VALPARAISO (2-17-2006)  The boys season stays in hibernation until Sunday when the pairings for the upcoming state tournament are announced.  As it has been all year, it's a struggle to find 10 good teams.  Folks confuse effort with quality.  When somebody's complimented as "giving everything he has to give," it usually means he doesn't have much.

In 2006, the entire Northwest Indiana region "doesn't have much."  It's the subject no one wants to discuss.

The eight team Duneland Conference has two truly good teams in Valparaiso and Merrillville.  The other five may try hard and have their moments, but look at the record.  They aren't good.

The Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) has one good team.  Munster.  Again, don't confuse effort and talent with being a good team.  That's not the same thing.  Gary West Side, for example, has above average talent and, from all reports, the effort is there.  But until recently, they have not been effective on the floor.  So they aren't a good team either.

Highland and Andrean load up wins on a limited schedule.  East Chicago is in the same class as Munster, Merrillville and Valparaiso... while Boone Grove is a good team without above average talent.  But the cupboard is bare.  The "region" is in the dumper as far as boys basketball is concerned this season.

But can we be honest even though it hurts?  Kouts is 0-17.  This school was 18-5 last year.

Lake Station is 1-15.  River Forest is 2-15.  Lew Wallace is 2-14.  These teams have had success in the past.  LaCrosse is 4-12.  Morgan Township is 3-14.  Bishop Noll is 6-12.  Gary Roosevelt is 8-11.  Come on.  We're talking Roosevelt here.  Hammond high is 7-9.  It's Hammond.  They may be shamed into closing.

Calumet is 2-17.  Portage is 2-16 even if you don't count the game they forfeited.  New Prairie is 3-14.  Marquette is 4-12.  Where are the wins to balance these top-heavy losers?  Hanover is 5-13.  Whiting is 3-13.  Who's winning up here?  Crown Point is 7-10.  Lake Central is 5-12.  LaPorte is 7-12.  These are big schools.

Do I think this is a "Season on the Brink" and next year everybody jumps up a notch or two?  I can see a half dozen schools where that could happen.  But there is a shifting enrollment that has killed athletic excellence at some schools and some teams in the north Lake County area that are winning by beating other schools that are in decline overall.

Teams that win will balance the teams that lose.  That's not a theory.  That's the way it has to be mathematically.  But where are the wins this year?  I appreciate that it's a subject the newspapers and radio stations cannot ask, but "Is NW Indiana suddenly Loserville, Indiana" in boys basketball?

In the matchup of state No. 1s, Greg Oden scored 31 Saturday as Lawrence North (19-0) grilled Illinois AA No. 1 Glenbrook North (22-3) by 18 points.  Jon Schuyer, the 6-foot-6 guard headed for Duke University,  scored 33 points, but the 79-61 contest was not close.

1.) 4A Valparaiso (17-1)

22-3 (2005), 22-3 (2004), 17-4 (2003)

VALPARAISO -   Valparaiso dropped a safe on Lake Central 52-30, the 17th time they've held a team under 50 points, something that is almost unheard of for a big school team without a stifling full court press or dominant shot-blocking center.  The Vikings' 6-8 juniors Scott Martin and Rob Hummel and the rest of the Vikings regulars probably need this time off after three consecutive Friday-Saturday double-header weekends.  The Vikings, like many schools, had boys play together all summer and that's what feeds into fatigue in February.  Valpo plays only three games in the final three weeks and that should get them ready for the Chesterton Sectional.  Valparaiso travels to Merrillville (14-3) in a game that will decide the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) championship.

2.)  4A  Munster (17-3)

16-8 (2005), 20-2 (2004), 21-2 (2003)

MUNSTER -   Munster eased by Portage 70-40 and they've got Wirt (11-6) coming up Friday.  West Side and EC have laid down the challenge and, even though the Mustangs will finish at 19-3, Munster has to wonder whether they can handle both of them in the same week.  The Mustangs need a  draw where they don't have to face both East Chicago (13-4) and Gary West Side (10-8).  If they can get it, the Mustangs will advance to the regional.  Munster has beaten Fort Wayne North (14-4), Merrillville (14-3), Andrean (14-6) and Valparaiso (17-1) but none of those teams are in 4A sectional one.  I don't think the Mustangs can handle the 'Side' right now, but they would win a rematch with EC.  Munster's record is excellent, but keep in mind, this is an awful year in NW Indiana.

3.)  4A  East Chicago (13-4)

13-8 (2005), 13-10 (2004), 18-6 (2003)

EAST CHICAGO -   EC takes on Bishop Noll and Michigan City this weekend and those teams are not good preparation for Munster.  I like the independent schedule the Cardinals have played, but it's a little soggy down the stretch.  The Cards could finish with a nine game winning streak and they host the sectional.  Still, I don't like their pace for the state tournament.  They give up 57 points a game and that's too many.  To be fair, EC is the only team to have defeated both West Side and Munster.  If they get a first round bye on their home court, it's going to be hard to stoop them in the first round of the post-season.

4.)  4A Merrillville (14-3)

18-4 (2005), 9-12 (2004), 15-11 (2003)

MERRILLVILLE -   The Pirates get their chance to stop the Duneland Athletic Conference winning streak of Valparaiso (17-1, 12-0 DAC) Friday night in the last 'big' game of the regular season.  Merrillville plays four games in the last 10 days of the season and that's a bad idea.  If they do not get a first round bye, that means a potential of seven games in 15 days and that's not what you want in March.  I don't know how much value there is in beating Valparaiso Friday if they draw a rematch on Sunday.  People say Valparaiso has not been tested other than in the Munster game, but that's not true.  Merrillville led Valpo at the half in December and they have the speed to trouble the Vikings again.  But old coach Jim East isn't going to attack Valpo Friday in a way he feels might be effective in the playoffs.

5.)  4A Chesterton (10-6)

9-12 (2005), 13-8 (2004), 16-6 (2003)

CHESTERTON -   The Trojans have been smoked on successive weeks by Valpo and Merrillville.  But if they take out LaPorte, Boone Grove and Crown Point down the stretch, they'll feel good about the playoffs.  Chesterton, like everybody else in sectional two, wants to see a Valpo-Merrillville first round match up in the sectional draw on Sunday (2-19-2006).  Look at the girls tournament.  A Valpo-Merrillville matchup allowed Chesterton's girls to steal the title.  The Trojans can see that happening again.

6.)  4A Gary West Side (11-8)

19-5 (2005), 12-7 (2004), 7-12 (2003)  23-4 (2002)

GARY -   West Side picked up another quality win with a 70-64 victory over Andrean Tuesday (2-14-2006) night.  The Side got to the line and converted 25 of 35.  True. Andrean plays the up-tempo style that West Side likes, but so does East Chicago.  And Munster can be lured into an up-tempo game.  Why is West Side so low?  They give up too many points.  In 18 games, the Cougars have given up 60 or more points 13 times.  That's far too many times.  If they give up 60 in every playoff game, the Cougars will be out of work faster than Sammy Sosa.  Here's a team that doesn't care who they draw.  They'd just as soon get Munster (17-3) in the opener.

7.)  3A Andrean (14-6)

21-3 (2005), 15-7 (2004), 11-12 (2003)

MERRILLVILLE -   Andrean is not doing well right now on the scoreboard, but it doesn't really matter.  The 59ers lost 70-64 at Gary West Side when they gave up 28 fourth quarter points.  The Niners have split their last 12 games after an 8-0 start and the defense is sometimes as shaky as Dick Cheney's version of last weekend's quail hunt.  Luke Harangody (23.5 ppg.)  scored 25 at West Side and 6-foot-8 Chris Kaba (12.3 ppg.) added 14.  Plymouth update: The Pilgrims are 14-4 and they'll be 15-4 heading to a season-ending showdown at John Glenn (14-4).  You can talk about the sectional and it will feature some tests.  But sectional pairings for Andrean are irrelevant.  Eventually, Andrean and Plymouth have to decide things.

8.)  4A Highland (15-5)

16-8 (2005), 16-7 (2004), 16-10 (2003)

HIGHLAND -   Highland coasted by Roosevelt 57-46 as Andrew Helmer scored 19 points. This game wasn't as close as the score, as the Velt is the Chicago Bulls of NW Indiana.  Translated: they were good a long time ago.  Highland needs a bye in the state tournament.  They can't win three games in five days against the sectional one field.  Highland's only losses are to Munster (twice), East Chicago, Valparaiso and Merrillville... but really, who have they beaten?

9.)  3A Wirt (11-6)

9-12  (2005),  6-15  (2004), 12-9  (2003)

GARY -   Wirt has won four in a row heading into a game at Munster (17-3) Friday night.  The Troopers dominated a weak New Buffalo, Michigan 80-41 Tuesday night (2-14-2006).  Guard Michael McLauren scored 19 as the Troopers continued to rise.  Wirt has whipped Clark, Morton and Gary Roosevelt but they are still rated 10 points worse than Andrean on the computer and the Troopers are small physically, while Andrean is very tall.  But Wirt gets almost no home games and they have faced very tough teams like Huntington North (15-2) and Terre Haute North (13-6) as well as West Side and East Chicago.  If Wirt has to play three sectional games, they'll be kicked out faster than Mike Davis at an IU Pep rally.  If Wirt gets a bye and does not have to open against Andrean at the sectional, here is a potential major upset winner.

10.)  2A  Boone Grove  (15-4)

19-7 (2005), 13-9 (2004), 11-12 (2003)

PORTER TOWNSHIP -   A 66-52 victory Tuesday night gave Boone Grove a three-game sweep over arch-rival Hebron in the oldest rivalry in NW Indiana.  Jon Shurr scored 20 for the Wolves who have a deep rotation of players built in an unusual way.  Boone suspended two seniors Matt Pierce and Will Mitchell for 10 games at the start of the year.  Coach Matt McKay had to use other players.  Now, they have Pierce and Mitchell back and they are nine deep.  It has inadvertently led to one of the Wolves' best seasons.  They have an interesting season final with 4A Chesterton (10-7).  But in the 5-game Class 2A Boone sectional, the Wolves simply need a first round bye and they'll be facing a one-game playoff with rival Wheeler (15-5) for the sectional 33 title.

On the outside looking in...

11.)  2A Wheeler (15-5)

16-5 (2005),  20-5 (2004),  21-3 (2003)

VALPARAISO -   Wheeler lost to North Judson 45-42 on the road in Starke County. This might be good for the Bearcats who sometimes are overconfident about the little 'country' teams they see in the tournament.   Judson is a tough place to win so I wouldn't' put too much stock in one game. But, except for maybe Hebron (12-4) and Boone (15-4) early on, Wheeler does not have  a quality win.   In the 5-team 2A sectional 33, Boone and Wheeler must decide it so it doesn't matter who faces who when. Wheeler has never won a sectional.

12.)  1A  Hebron (12-4)

11-11  (2005),10-11  (2004), 9-11 (2003)

HEBRON -   Hebron will hang their heads in shame all summer after losing three games to arch-rival and neighbor Boone Grove, including a 66-52 defeat Tuesday night (2-14-2006).  But Hebron shouldn't worry until the off-season.  The Hawks are undefeated against 1A schools and they have a senior-dominated team that's ready for the playoffs.  Hebron hosts a sectional where they are the only winning team other than Washington Township (10-8).  The Hawks were 21 of 30 from the line against Boone.  Except for the awful shame of losing to Boone, Hebron is OK.

13.)  1A  Oregon-Davis (17-3)

8-13  (2005),   12-9  (2004), 6-14 (2003)

HAMLET -   Oregon-Davis has one game left to go to 18-3, an all-time record win total for the Bobcats.  But the Bobbys are in the middle of a 14-day layoff before the season-ender.  Who scheduled this?  I don't know if a team can survive two weeks off at the end of the year.  O-D is in Sectional 50 where they should see Westville (13-4) for a third time.  Again, this is the school that lost 56 games in a row from 2000 to 2003.  They should celebrate a regular season of achievement and they should look for tapes of Hebron, because I think they're going to need them.

14.)  2A  North Judson (11-6)

13-9  (2005),   8-14 (2004), 4-18 (2003)

NORTH JUDSON -   Judson has beaten Wheeler and Boone Grove -- both in overtime.  The Jays had injuries earlier this year and are now back near full strength.  Senior Adam Ritchie, a 6-foot-5 forward, scored 19 and equaled Wheeler's Nate Kasper, who scored 21.  If North Judson can get a bye in 2A sectional 35 (they are not deep), they could squeak through for a rematch with either Boone or Wheeler.  Judson has a big fan following and a storied tradition.  North Judson was 25-2 in 1995 and they had a good run in the mid-90s.  This is a revival as opposed to the birth of a nation here.  But if they have to play three games in five days, their post-season will be shorter than Tom and Katie's marriage.

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Revised: February 17, 2006 .