2006-2007 Boys Basketball  Final Top-10 Poll A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith (03-28-2007)

Controversy surrounded East Chicago and I have to admit I'd have felt better about them winning if they'd done it with East Chicago players and not a 6-foot-11 transfer who truthfully never was eligible.  NW Indiana fans and coaches have whined for years about private schools 'acquiring' star players.  But, I guess when a public school does it, it's okay?  No one seriously believes that Angel Garcia didn't come to EC to play basketball and he got plenty of help.

But with that said, had the lawyers stayed out of it, Garcia would have been eligible by the IHSAA's own rules on Feb. 24.  To me, that made him eligible for the state tourney even though the legal mess (that region lawyers caused) has his case still in court.

EC won six games to win the title and you can't take that away from them.  But let's not talk about the great tradition of East Chicago because the tradition of East Chicago is to win with East Chicago players, not  D-1 transfers who mysteriously show up.  To me the state title is tainted due to a player who was never declared eligible.  But state titles aren't about anybody but the school involved.  They didn't win if for the region.  They won it for themselves.  If they are okay with winning this way, more power to them.

Oregon-Davis is a wonderful story, but again, a somewhat controversial one.  4A coaches will privately tell you that class sports, which came to be in 1997, put roadblocks up in 4A and created 'yellow brick roads' in 1A and 2A.  O-D showed that may be the case as they won the boys and girls state titles.  But, unlike EC, O-D did it with boys and girls who had always lived there in about as rural a place (Starke County) as you can find in the northern part of the state.  And while the girls team has a lot of young players, the boys had six seniors.  It was 2007 or never.  In 2008, they'll need a minor miracle to be over .500.  They had one chance and they did it.  And they did it while being ranked at No. 1 most of the season.  The portrait goes up on the wall forever.

When you talk about the future... in 4A it's Crown Point, Merrillville and Chesterton, which all return the vast majority of their players.  East Chicago will be good, but a return run to Indianapolis is highly unlikely.  Without Moore, they aren't the equal of the top Indianapolis schools like Lawrence North, which returns almost everyone.  If the 4A Michigan City regional champ isn't Gary West Side, it will come out of the Duneland Conference.  But Lawrence North had seven players this season who were either freshman or sophomores and 6-foot-6 or taller.

In 3A, I wouldn't be stunned if Lew Wallace and coach Renaldo Thomas made a run to the regional next year, especially in the new sectional format.  But state champ Plymouth returns all-stater Randy Davis.  They'll be favored over everyone.  Plymouth would have been favored to beat East Chicago if they'd have met this year.  EC could not have played their zone defense against the Pilgrims and they'd have been broken down off the dribble.

In 2A, look out for Boone Grove, which had a top freshman class this year and it might be time for Hanover Central to rise again.  They have size, depth and two lead guards.  Take Boone out of their sectional and it might be the Year of the Cat.

In 1A, it's going to be a PCC year in 2008 because Morgan Township (16-9) returns five of eight regulars to the PCC champs.  But watch out for Argos (11-9), which loses only one player off a winning team.

Late word has no northern Indiana boys or girls teams in the Hall-of-Fame Tournament on December 28, 2007.  The group of four boys teams will have Batesville playing Edgewood and Marion playing New Albany.  The girls Hall-of-Fame tournament on Dec. 27 pits Lapel against Huntington North plus Terre Haute South against Greenfield.

The season also ends with head varsity coaching openings at Portage, Michigan City and Valparaiso.

1.  (4A) East Chicago (22-3)
2006 (19-5), 2005 (13-8), 2004 (13-10)

EAST CHICAGO:  The Cardinals win the first EC state title since 1971 with a 87-83 win over North Central.  E'Twaun Moore, Angel Garcia and Kawann Short all scored 20 points as the Cards built a 20-point lead, lost it and then held on.  The Cardinals won four games by 10 points or less and Moore, who could not score in the sectional and regional final games, scored 20 or more in the semistate and state finals.  Did they get breaks?  Sure.  North Central star Eric Gordon suffered a minor hamstring injury in the first half, which might have explained him seeming to stay away from the ball in the first half.  But coach Pete Trgovich's zone defense, which the Cards didn't use much during the season, bothered most playoff foes.  It was a the key coaching  decision.  And Moore, who started from day one as a freshman, came through in the big game.  For 2008, they'll be strong with David Conner, Garcia and Short.  Here's your 'Region Rumble' opponent for Chesterton on New Year's Day at Valpo U.

2.  (4A) Valparaiso (23-3)
2006 (21-3), 2005 (22-3), 2004 (22-3)

VALPARAISO:  Valparaiso did not start quickly in the regional championship game and could never catch up, losing 54-42 to East Chicago.  But considering that EC won it all, they can't feel too bad.  All-staters Rob Hummel and Scott Martin scored 33 of the 42 Valpo points and that's the story there.  They shouldn't have won.  Valpo was 2-of-16 from three-point range, which indicates some of their shooters choked up in the big game.  It happens.  Up until the final two games, I'd have still told you that Valparaiso was the best team in NW Indiana this year.  But EC came through repeatedly in front of the big playoff crowds.  The Vikings graduate all five starters, but their 8th graders and freshman were dominant teams. Valpo brings in a new coach to replace retiring long time coach Bob Punter, but they will not have a losing record next season.  The Vikings never have bad seasons and the next one won't be either.  But in the new super sized eight-team 4A Sectional 2, anybody can win.

3.  (4A) Munster (21-4)
2006 (20-4), 2005 (16-8), 2004 (20-2)

MUNSTER:  Munster REALLY now has to wonder what would have happened if they'd have beaten East Chicago.  Munster may have had a better chance against Marion than EC did.  But the OT sectional loss ended another bitter sweet season.  Munster has won 20 games four times in the last five years and has not gotten out of the sectional in any of those years.  Can NW Indiana have four Indiana all-stars?  Valpo's Scott Martin and Rob Hummel are locks, unless they are injured.  So is EC's E'Twaun Moore.  But none are lead guards and neither is North Central's Eric Gordon or Franklin Central's JuJuan Johnson, both of whom are also certain to be selected.  Munster's Michael Bizoukas could play his way onto the Indiana all-star team.  Odds are with him.  As for 2008, Munster reportedly has some good young players, but they do not have the underclassmen that Valpo has.

4.  (4A) Gary West Side (14-7)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (12-7)

GARY:  Gary West Side lost by one on the road at Munster in the regular season and they lost in 2 OTs at Munster in the sectional opener.  Tough luck, but this was a team with a future.  6-foot-7 Darius Stevens, 6-foot-4 DeShawn Clay and 6-foot-3 Xavier Jones give this team an excellent future.  Lead guard Gerald Campbell also has one more year.  Gary West Side?  Call Crown Point.  You have a spot in the Gary Holiday Tournament and CP needs a one-time schedule upgrade.  West Side-CP could be the EC-vs.-Valparaiso of the year 2008.  Come on.  A lot of these games don't happen because nobody makes the call.  I think that West Side has to get up off of that argument that playing top Chicago teams prepares you for the Indiana state tournament.  What EC showed is that you need to play Indianapolis schools.  West Side played Lawrence North and they need to keep that series going.

5.  (4A) CROWN POINT (12-9)
2006 (9-13), 2005 (13-9), 2004 (6-16)

CROWN POINT:  Crown Point's 70-65 loss to Chesterton in the CP Sectional quarterfinals showed depth and the need for the Bulldogs to play a wide ranging schedule.  The Bulldogs definitely choked up down the stretch after building an 11-point lead with 6:50 to play.  This wasn't going to be their year anyway.  CP was not going to beat Valparaiso and Penn and East Chicago.  Crown Point returns 10 varsity players including all five starters in 2008.  With the graduations at Valpo, EC and Munster, CP will be ranked No. 1 in NW Indiana and in the Top 10 state wide.  Stephen Albrecht (19 ppg.) was selected as a junior all-star along with Michigan City's Jarrod Jones and Chesterton's Zack Novak.  The sectional realignment, which almost guarantees that DAC teams will meet half the league three times might finally put an end to the mind-numbing double DAC 14-game round robin schedule.  DAC teams don't help themselves or their athletic departments by playing each other all the time.

6.  (4A) Chesterton (16-7)
2006 (14-9), 2005 (9-12), 2004 (13-8)

CHESTERTON:  The Trojans again, were not going to beat Valparaiso, East Chicago and Penn this year so their 57-55 sectional semifinal loss to Merrillville was not the end of the world.  This team is in the same boat with Crown Point.  They return eight regulars including all-stater Zack Novak (22 ppg.) the DAC's best offensive player.  6-foot-7 Jack Houpt (8.8 ppg.) can be a major force next year and coaches' son Tommy Peller will step in at guard along side quick Jordan Lewis.  Austin Bower (6.5 ppg.) is an excellent all-purpose player.  They need 6-foot-5 Alex Mannen as a back-up post.  Novak was picked as a junior all-star.  Here's another team that should be in the 'Region Rumble' and should pursue a non conference game against a major foe like Marion or Muncie Central.  Here's a school that has only won three sectionals in history and has never won a regional.  But even with the 'super sized' sectional 2, March of 2008 could be the best month in the history of Chesterton basketball.

7.  (4A) Lake Central (13-9)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (11-10), 2004 (17-6)

ST.  JOHN:  LC could not make big shots in a winnable game against arch-rival Munster in the EC sectional semifinals.  I thought they might go further, but there's a couple of teams in sectionals one and two that you can say that about.  This team loses a lot, including six seniors and four starters.  But they do have 6-foot-8 Eric Summers and 6-3 Zack Felton to rebuild around.  But almost everyone else in the DAC returns the lead guard.  LC's sectional gets a lot easier next season when E'Twaun Moore (EC) and all five Munster starters graduate.  One small consolation.  LC has a 32-point victory over a regional championship East Chicago team that won the state title.  If you can't win the state title, at least LC can say they beat the champ and blew them off the floor.

8.  (3A) Gary Roosevelt (15-6)
2006 (11-12), 2005 (10-11), 2004 (11-13)

GARY:  Roosevelt didn't come to play in the post season.  They were tied with Andrean (5-17) in the semifinals and they were blown out 88-66 by a mediocre Wirt (13-8) team.  I can't explain it.  This team was physically tough and had blinding speed.  But they did not play well in March.  The Panthers lose seven seniors and al five starters.  Watch closely the IHSAA's sectional realignment announced last week.  John Glenn, Rensselaer, North Montgomery, Harding and Rochester all become 3A next season.  Gary Roosevelt played in a five team sectional and will join Lew Wallace , Wirt, Hammond, Gavit and Clark in a six-team sectional in 2008.  The Panthers also need a schedule upgrade.  The IHSAA did them a favor with the six team Gary-Hammond Sectional.  That gets them away from Andrean.  The Velt should be able to handle Clark and Hammond in most years.

9.  (4A) Merrillville (13-9)
2006 (17-4), 2005 (18-4), 2004 (9-12)

MERRILLVILLE:  Hopes are very high here for the future with 6-foot-6 Jonathan Nwunannu and 6-foot-6 Ryan Smith along with half court hero Anthony 'Bo' Patton, who hit a three-point half court shot to beat Chesterton 57-55 in overtime.  When you have the point and the post you are in good shape.  They welcome back guard Mario Stapleton next season.  Outside of Chesterton, I'm not sure who has the experience in the front line coming back that Merrillville has.  The Pirates are a player in the 2008 playoffs.  Here's another team that should play Gary West Side but they won't.  It's a long story.  The eight-team 4A Sectional 2 makes life much tougher for the Pirates, but they will always be a factor.

10.  (3A) Clark (21-4)
2006 (16-7), 2005 (8-13), 2004 (12-9)

HAMMOND:  Clark turned the ball over 18 times in a 69-55 loss to Plymouth at Plymouth.  Until Clark plays some regular season games outside NW Indiana, they will continue to have regional problems, no matter who they face.  The opportunity is there for a wider ranging schedule in 2008 because of the breakup of the Lake Athletic Conference.  The Pioneers need to take advantage of the extra non-league game.  Ridgewood Baptist and Blue River Valley are not quality foes for a 3A school that wants to (and has a chance to) win a regional title. Clark graduates seven seniors, but they should still be a sectional favorite with Nick Curosh and Mario Ramirez.  If Calumet can play teams like Merrillville and Valparaiso, Clark can, too.   The new Gary-Hammond sectional makes Gary Roosevelt a sectional foe of Clark and the Pioneers don't really want that.  Again, though, Clark lost to the state champion.  That's not bad.

On the outside looking in...

(1A) Oregon-Davis (27-1)
2006 (23-4), 2005 (11-10), 2004 (4-17)

HAMLET:  Got to give them credit.  In 35 years of the girls basketball state tournament, no school had won both the boys and girls titles until Oregon-Davis did it this year.  The boys team, with six seniors... had to win now or never.  They won't be back next year and this team may not be .500.  With that pressure on them, O-D won seven in a row to take the title and complete a two-year run of 50-5.  Kiss winning goodbye, though.  It will be very dark for them in 2008 because they have almost nothing coming back.  Haters of Class basketball need to go to Hamlet and tell them about their hang ups.  O-D was never going to win anything in the old one class tournament.  I need someone to tell me how it would have been better for this school and this town if they'd been blown out by Plymouth in a one-class format.  Why is it so bad that the smallest schools have a chance?  Why should the size of your school determine your athletic experience?  Some say that in real life... there's only one prize.  There are no handicaps allowed because you're from a small town.  But this isn't' real life.  It's Indiana basketball.  It's bigger than real life.  East Chicago's title will be forgotten in 10 years.  The Oregon-Davis double title will be the subject of books and movies.

(1A) Morgan Township (16-9)
2006 (5-16), 2005 (10-14), 2004 (19-4)

MORGAN TOWNSHIP:  Morgan went down in a blaze of glory, losing 62-57 in triple overtime against Blackhawk Christian.  The Cherokees had chances to win, but once the game went into extra time, it would have been especially difficult for Morgan to come back and win the nighttime championship game against 1A Oregon-Davis in the Triton Regional.  Morgan ended up winning the Porter County Conference Championship, the South County championship and the Hebron Sectional.  With the possible exception of East Chicago, they did all they could do.  Senior Steve Littrell (11.0 ppg.) and juniors Troy Turner (11.0 ppg.) and Eric Spaulding (10.2 ppg.) created balanced scoring.  Jon Grubl (8.9 ppg.) has two more years.  This team will continue to be very small and they need more from 6-foot-2 Jarrett Washington.  Most of this team returns in 2008, including promising 5-foot-11 guard Joel Reinhertz.  The landscape changes greatly for Morgan in 2008.  The Cherokees have been stuck into a 7-team sectional with three PCC schools, Whiting and charter school Campagna Academy of Schererville.  That's scary.  Campagna could have nobody or they could have an Angel Garcia.  With O-D and Westville graduating everyone, Morgan could reach the semistate in 2008.  But they'd better check that Campagna Academy roster.

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Revised: March 31, 2007 .