 |
2009-2010 Boys BasketballWeek-19, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(03-25-2010) |
|
|
2009-2010 Boys BasketballWeek-19, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(03-25-2010) |
|
MUNSTER (03-25-2010) Northwest Indiana has finally taken advantage of the tournament format, which was instituted 13 years ago, sending three teams to the four class state finals. Lew Wallace (19-4), Bowman Academy (25-1) and Wheeler (26-1) all invade Conseco Fieldhouse Saturday for the 100th state tournament.
Some may not know that Fort Wayne had three girls state finalists just this season, wining two of the three titles. Other than the construction of Bowman Academy, I don't know of anything in particular which caused their three-way day. To be accurate, Oregon-Davis did win the 1A title five years ago. The northern part of the state is not strong with 1A because most 1A teams are in the south.
But that isn't why Bowman won. Putting
aside the fact that they are a 2A school in enrollment, the Bowman model is
something to look at for inner city areas in areas far more important than
athletics. I'm uneasy about the selection and authorization of leadership
at such schools but the concept works for them.
Wheeler played a weak regular season schedule, but it didn't affect them once
the state tourney began. The Bearcats got a major break when Southwood's
all-state player was declared ineligible the day before Wheeler beat them 68-61
in the 2A semistate last week. But the Bearcats, unlike Bowman or Wallace,
has actually waited 100 years to be here so you can't begrudge them some luck.
Wallace defeated both the patterned play of Plymouth and the athleticism of
Elmhurst to reach the title game and a match with 5-time state champ Washington
(22-3). The Hornets played just three Northwest Indiana teams (West Side,
Roosevelt and Andrean) before the post-season and, while they claim that's a
strength, it's certainly an odd way of advancing in the Indiana state
tournament.
But Wallace has come from nowhere. They were 14-7 last season. Coach Renaldo Thomas has played the "us against the world" paranoia into a winning run. And without a 6-foot-7 Serbian transfer like Wheeler. Or without being a 2A school in a 1A bracket like Bowman.
I want to remind all who read this that, even if you head for Indianapolis, try to record the games so you can watch them. As a basketball fan, I still enjoy the state tourney games I have on tape. You will not get a second chance to tape these games and you cannot buy a tape for less than $40.
All state finals games will be aired live on Comcast Cable Channel 114 beginning at 9:30 a.m., NW Indiana (Central Daylight) time. Tickets at the state finals are $15 for two games or $25 for all four games. Tickets will be available in the morning in the 22,000-seat Conseco Fieldhouse due to the size of the schools.
At night, however, monster crowds are expected from both Gary and Warsaw and they will meet a huge following from Washington (which has a 7,000-seat gym) and North Central, which has 4,300 students.
1. (4A) Munster (23-2)
2009 (24-2), 2008 (16-6), 2007 (21-4), 2006 (20-4), 2005 (16-8)
MUNSTER: Munster lost to state finalist Warsaw 40-31 or, I suspect, they'd be in the state finals this weekend. The Ponies shut out Warsaw all-stater Nic Moore for three quarters, but the format may have blown them up as they seemed to run out of gas in the regional championship game. It's hard to rate Bowman ahead of Munster since the schedules are not comparable. Warsaw is still playing and I think Munster would defeat Bowman. Let's also keep in play the fact that Munster defeated three (South Bend Washington, Andrean and Merrillville) sectional champions and lost to three Top-10 teams in Mt. Vernon, Valparaiso and Warsaw. Right now, Munster is still No. 1.
2. (1A) Bowman Academy (25-1)
2009 (19-4), 2008 (7-7)
GARY: Bowman topped No. 9 Blackhawk and No. 6 Monroe Central to reach the state finals and a match with No. 2 Barr-Reeve. The run away wins and 100-point games are gone and the Eagles are showing some stress from the long season. But Tyrae Robinson answered a lot of questions when he sank 8-of-10 from the foul line to hold off Monroe 89-79. Does it worry you that Bowman shoots 60% from the foul line and seems to enjoy theatrical Globetrotter plays that could cost them? Sure. But the Eagles have pointed towards this game all year. They have nine seniors and it's now or never. Does it bother you that state finals' foe Barr-Reeve (24-3) shoots 57% from the floor and 75% from the line? A little. This is great Theatre. A 1-2 match-up. Get there early.
3.
(4A) Valparaiso (19-4)
2009 (20-4), 2008 (11-14), 2007
(23-3), 2006 (21-3), 22-3 (2005)
VALPARAISO: Valparaiso lost three of their last five games including a 50-47 loss to Merrillville in the 4A Sectional two final. Something occurred here as the Vikings were just an average team the last three weeks. 'Average' may be an understatement. Valpo couldn't score 50 points in any of the last four games. I have no reasons or explanations but they weren't the best team. Adam Butterfield (8.3 ppg.) and Jerrick Suiter (10.8 ppg) plus 6-foot-5 late bloomer Dan Hummel come back next season and another top year is in the making. Valpo defeated three sectional champs in Merrillville, Boone Grove and Munster. They played none of the three state finalists (even Wheeler, which is 3 miles away) and it's hard to see them losing to Bowman or Wallace.
4. (4A) Lew Wallace (19-4)
2009 (14-7), 2008 (13-11), 2007 (5-17), 2006 (4-17)
GARY: Wallace turned back Plymouth, West Lafayette and Elmhurst to reach the state finals and they did it even though Plymouth and Elmhurst clogged up their offense. Branden Dawson scored 24 in the 57-47 win over an Elmhurst team that hit just 9-of-24 from the foul line. Now they match up with one of Southern Indiana's greatest franchises in Washington, a 5-time state champ. Somewhere along the line, Dawson (24 ppg., 15 rebounds per game), a 6-foot-6 junior All-American must meet Cody Zeller (20.5 ppg, 10.5 rebounds per game) a 6-foot-10 all-stater. I don't know that either one can guard the other and BOTH coaches boast that they'll play man-to-man. This might be the best of the four state title games and I'll withhold judgement about LW's unusually anti-Indiana schedule until they beat one of the Hoosier state's finest.
5. (4A) Merrillville (20-4)
2009 (16-6), 2008 (16-5), 2007 (13-9), 2006 (17-4), 2005 (18-4), 2004 (9-12)
MERRILLVILLE: Warsaw shut down Merrillville in the regional semifinals 64-56, but the Pirates weren't good enough to go any further and they should not be that disappointed. 20 wins is a big achievement here. They needed a very rare shooting day by guard Jeremiah Jones to beat Valparaiso. Merrillville returns four starters from a team that won two-out-of-three from Valpo (19-4). With 6-foot-8 Ed Seay back for two more years, the future is bright. But Warsaw all-stater Nic Moore (21.0 ppg.) is just a junior, too, and Merrillville will see Warsaw again.
6. (2A) Wheeler (26-1)
2009 (21-4) 2008 (16-6), 2007 (17-6),
2006 (19-6)
UNION TOWNSHIP: I know they got a break when Southwood's top player was declared ineligible prior to the Bearcats 68-61 win over Southwood last week. I always point out when a team is lucky because luck is a huge part of sports. But Wheeler has won 22 games in a row and they have done enough in the post-season (a 6-0 record) to earn the big stage Saturday against upstart Park Tudor. In the 100 years of the state tourney, this is the first time for Wheeler and I believe they are the second boys basketball team ever from Porter County (Valparaiso in 1994) to reach the state final game. Andrew Rudakas (16.4 ppg.), Petar Todorovic (12.6 ppg.) and junior Najee Bailey (13 ppg.) have been consistent and you get the feeling that Park Tudor cannot stop them. While local media is all over LW and Bowman this week there is a quiet from Wheeler and this could be their moment.
7. (4A) East Chicago (17-4)
2009 (14-8), 2008 (20-4), 2007 (23-3), 2006 (19-5)
EAST CHICAGO: A disappointing 46-42 loss to Munster ended the season was made more disappointing when Munster lost. The Cardinals always have a lot of talent and they'll be back in 2011, but the days of them walking through their sectional are over for awhile. When you see how Gary West Side and Roosevelt have slipped from Lake County's elite teams you wonder if EC is next. The overall problem here is the migration of people from the north end of Lake County as a whole. The state title EC won a couple of years back doesn't work out if they don't stick in a ringer (Angel Garcia) who was ineligible every second he was there. The future in EC basketball isn't all that clear.
8. (2A) BOONE GROVE (20-5)
2009 (13-7), 2008 (12-10), 2007 (11-12), 2006 (18-6), 2005 (19-7)
PORTER TOWNSHIP: Boone Grove just didn't get started in time in a 73-59 loss to state finalist Wheeler. Boone played a strong second half, but they were down 20 points in the second quarter and you just can't do that in the post-season. This is the end of an era for Boone because all five starting players graduate including PCC MVP Michael Eleftheri. Boone is a top-10 team because they did win the South County Tournament, go 7-0 in PCC play and sweep three sectional games. And the two losses to Wheeler (26-1) are hardly a black mark. But the season ended at least one week short of where they hoped it would. It'll be a couple of years before you see them in any Top-10 again.
9. (4A) Lake Central
(13-8)
2009 (15-6), 2008 (9-12), 2007 (13-9), 2006 (7-14)
ST. JOHN: LC just needs to come back next year. The Indians just weren't good enough, even though they did defeat sectional champ Merrillville. They drew East Chicago on EC's home court. They couldn't hold a 10-point first half lead and lost 51-47 to end the year. LC was 0-2 against EC during the season, but their day will come in that respect. Glenn Robinson returns next season and there is word of more help on the way. Watch the off-season closely here. Munster and EC lose key players to 2010 graduation. Lake Central returns good players, but a lot of DAC teams do next season.
10. (2A) Hanover Central (17-4)
2009 (9-11) 2008 (11-11), 2007 (9-11), 2006 (7-14)
CEDAR LAKE: Hanover lost 65-51 to Wheeler in the sectional semifinals. It was a hard loss because there was no doubt who the better team was, but the Bearcats have gone on to the state finals so maybe there isn't so much unhappiness about that now. The Wildcats don't have to start all over because they return four starters in 2011 and they will see different Wheeler and Noll squads. But they need to get physically stronger. Class 2A Sectional 33 is going to be strong for the next few years. Hanover will be the PC favorite in 2011, but they lost their last two games this year to sectional opponents. The Cats need to pump up their non-conference schedule and get ready for a do-or-die year. I've been saying all season that Hanover Central needs to play Bowman Academy or Lew Wallace, if those two Gary teams will agree to face them. Gary teams complain that no one will play them, but Hanover played Roosevelt this year. No one calls Hanover.