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2006-2007 Boys BasketballWeek-2, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(12-6-2006) |
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2006-2007 Boys BasketballWeek-2, Top-10 PollA USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith(12-6-2006) |
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VALPARAISO (12-6-2006) - The top two teams have not changed as Valparaiso and East Chicago roll on. There is confusion now about whether they will meet. No one said it publicly, but there was a rumor that the Valparaiso game at Valpo University on New Year's Day had been changed from Valparaiso vs. (Chicago) Washington, a game no one wants to see, to Valpo-EC, the game everyone wants to see.
The listed schedules indicate that is not the case. It apparently will not occur. Valpo has only six non-conference dates, not counting the prestigious Hall-of-Fame tournament in New Castle, which does not count against the arbitrary IHSAA-allowed total of 20 games. Valpo has already faced non-league foes Boone Grove and Hobart. Remaining on the schedule are Highland, Munster and Calumet, plus the game with Washington as part of NW Indiana's "Region Rumble." If Valpo plays Washington, there is no room for them to play East Chicago.
Coaches are hesitant to speak up, but there has always been a need for the IHSAA to allow teams to play more basketball games, basketball being Indiana's quintessential sport. To allow only 20 games in a season that lasts 3 1/2 months is unexplainable. There is also a limit for high school teams of two tournaments, which is a totally arbitrary rule that no one has ever offered an explanation for, good or bad. What possible difference does it make if you play 10 non-conference games, or if you play six games and four tournaments? High school basketball might see a rise in gate receipts if all teams could enter four tournaments and lots more schools could host one on Saturdays. Kids might benefit because they would not have to play on Tuesday night, which is when the most lifeless and boring games are consistently played. If you have even a weak reason for the two tournament limit, I'd like to hear it.
Downstate, the demise of three-time defending 4A state champ Lawrence North (3-0) has not materialized. The Wildcats, who graduated all-American Greg Oden and Mike Conley off the three-peat team, have started fast. The Wildcats have four players 6-foot-8 or taller, but all are freshmen and sophomores. Still, LN has the same elite schedule they dominated the past three years. Before the month is out North will play 4A No. 5 Anderson and 4A No. 1 North Central.
If there is a surprise in the early going in NW Indiana, it is probably Calumet (2-0), which was only 4-19 last year and LaPorte (3-0), which had supposedly graduated most of their good players. In the South County tournament, Boone Grove will face Morgan Township (2-1) after the 6 p.m. opening semifinal matching host Kouts (1-3) against Hebron (2-1) on Dec. 21. At the Mid-Winter Classic semifinals on Dec. 20, host South Central takes on Washington Township while Westville faces LaCrosse. And while the 16-team Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) tournament begins next Tuesday (Dec. 12) , they don't announce the match ups until all preceding league games are played, something that only succeeds in confusing everyone. Note to all tournament directors: This is absolute. No exceptions. The sooner you announce the pairings for your tournament, the more people will show up.
1.
(4A) Valparaiso (3-0)
2006 (21-3), 2005 (22-3), 2004 (22-3)
VALPARAISO - Certainly there's no question at the top where Valparaiso has held teams to 43 points per game, the exact same number they held them to last season. Lake Central trailed 37-10 before losing to Valpo 52-33. 6-foot-8 Scott Martin scored 22 with 14 rebounds. 6-foot-8 Rob Hummel had six steals and four assists. Valpo travels to Portage and then hosts Crown Point and LaPorte (3-0). To be honest, those three teams will need to shoot a ridiculous percentage from distance to stay with the Vikes.
2. (4A) East Chicago
(4-0)
2006 (19-5), 2005 (13-8), 2004 (13-10)
EAST CHICAGO - EC is off to a big start including a 77-72 win over speedy Fort Wayne Snider. The Cardinals got 20 from All-America guard E-Twan Moore as the EC boys beat South Bend Clay 80-56. Like Valpo, this team needs as many challenges as they can get. Here comes a big one. EC takes the big yellow bus down to Hinkle Field house at Butler University to take on Pike (1-1), one of Indy's finest. You might want to go with them. North Central, and All-America guard Eric Gordon, faces Dayton, Ohio's Dunbar high on the same card while unbeaten Lawrence North (3-0) battles undefeated Anderson. For East Chicago to be in this company is a compliment.
3. (4A) Lake Central (1-1)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (11-10), 2004 (17-6)
ST. JOHN - LC got blasted by Valparaiso 52-33 but that's the way it goes. They do not have the speed to bother the Vikings and size does not bother the Vikings. LC dominated Gary West Side but they scored only 10 points in the first half and were intimidated by Valparaiso. I think the Indians will do much better against normal teams like Crown Point, who they face this Friday (12-8-2006). Let's be honest. Valpo beat LC 52-30 and 65-45 last year. LC is very glad that Valparaiso is not in their sectional.
4. (4A) Merrillville
(0-2)
2006 (17-4), 2005 (18-4), 2004 (9-12)
MERRILLVILLE - The Pirates led Munster and lost 50-48. They led Chesterton 42-30 with 12 minutes to play and lost 67-61 in overtime. Clearly, the Pirates are a little inexperienced with some new starters from last season. Guard Josh White grabbed up 22 points including five three-point goals for the Pirates. He could be the outside shooter they need to spread the floor. Nobody should pass judgement on games played before the first of the year. This is still a very talented team. The Pirates are a couple of defensive stops away from being 2-0 and they've got more new players than the Chicago Cubs.
5. (4A) Gary West Side
(1-2)
2006 (7-14), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (12-7)
GARY - Gary West Side is also traveling to Hinkle Field house Saturday to face Warren Central. The Cougars got smoked out 62-40 by Lake Central but it's hard to judge them because they played two games in one day to start the year, which is their tradition. The Cougars lost them both, falling 90-65 to East Chicago. I'm not dropping the Cougars until I see more games. West Side should lose to EC and the two-games-in-one-day (in two different locations) scenario is meant to get you beat. I still think this is a powerful team. West Side has a 17-day break in the schedule after Saturday's game with Warren Central. But to be honest, Gary schedules change like the weather.
6. (4A) Chesterton (3-1)
2006 (14-9), 2005 (9-12), 2004 (13-8)
CHESTERTON - Jack picked up the slack. Jack Houpt scored 20 in the 67-61 overtime win over Merrillville when Zack Novak was in foul trouble. Novak, the 6-5 junior, grabbed up 36 points as the Trojans beat Mishawaka by 20. The Trojans lost 60-57 in overtime to Munster or they'd be 4-0. Chesterton might be a step slow, but they were good enough to win 73-65 over previously unbeaten Roosevelt. If they can't keep up, they'll be exposed as much as Brittney Spears when they face Michigan City (1-1).
7. (4A) Munster (3-0)
2006 (20-4), 2005 (16-8), 2004 (20-2)
MUNSTER - Munster was off to a big start, even beating Hammond by 16 without star guard Michael Bizoukas. The Mustangs have to avoid the Warrior ambush Friday night at Calumet and they also have to avoid the annual Munster hype which has them all blown up bigger than they are. The Mustangs need a good showing next week in the LAC tournament, but they also need to realize, as I'm sure they do (after going 56-14 with no sectional titles in the last 3 years) that anything you win during the regular season is cheap and easily forgotten.
8. (4A) CROWN POINT (0-2)
2006 (9-13), 2005 (13-9), 2004 (6-16)
CROWN POINT - Crown Point couldn't get consistent offense together in a season-opening 64-58 loss to LaPorte. Zach Cecich scored 18 against the Slicers and 19 in a disappointing 64-58 loss to Morton Tuesday (12-5-2006) night. But the Bulldogs showed only flashes of the offense they hope to have. They seemed to choke up a little on opening night against a team that was no better than they were. With nine returning varsity players, you hoped to see a little more improvement than was evident on day one. Failure to box out the Governors in the rebounding game was key to their second loss. Still, the Bulldogs figure to have the depth and perimeter people to do some damage in the DAC. That fact might want to start exhibiting itself this Friday on the road at Lake Central.
9. (3A) Gary Roosevelt
(3-1)
2006 (11-12), 2005 (10-11), 2004 (11-13)
GARY - Quietly, Roosevelt is off to a very good start with a win over Andrean and two wins (who makes this schedule?) over Hammond high. If Hammond has a good team, then Roosevelt which has defeated them 63-54 and 79-77 also has a good team. Hammond led Roosevelt 64-56 with 5:25 left in the second game. There's no one great player here, but there's no one great team in 3A. They dropped a close one 73-65 to Chesterton Tuesday night (12-5-6), but it could still be a big winning season. Just keep it quiet.
10. (2A) Bishop Noll
(2-1)
2006 (6-15), 2005 (8-14), 2004 (15-10)
HAMMOND - This team is one defensive stop away from being 3-0. They only play at one speed which makes them vulnerable against truly good teams. The 70-69 OT loss to Lew Wallace is a bad omen because it displays an inability to slow the game down. Everyone in 2A is going to play a half court game against Noll and they've got to get ready for it. The NW Indiana battle ground is in 2A where Noll, Boone Grove and Wheeler will have to have it out in March.
On the outside looking in...
11. (2A) BOONE GROVE (1-1)
2006 (18-6), 2005 (19-7), 2004 (13-9)
PORTER
TOWNSHIP -
Boone's season opening loss to neighbor Valparaiso meant nothing. The Wolves
turned a cold hand on Washington Township 72-59 last Friday. The Wolves have an
odd first month schedule. After facing 'big brother' in 4A Valpo, they
take on 1As Washington, River Forest and LaCrosse. Even if they're 3-1 in two
weeks, you won't know much about them. But that South County Tournament
semifinal on Dec. 21 against Morgan Township will tell some tales.
12. (2A) Wheeler (3-0)
2006 (19-6), 2005 (16-5), 2004 (20-5)
UNION TOWNSHIP - Wheeler smoked out three foes by 15 or more to start the season strong. Wheeler is Munster, though.....they always start great and always fade late. The guard play has been better than expected. Here's another team that needs a good showing in the LAC tournament, and for the team to put that LAC tournament in perspective.
13. (3A) Calumet (2-0)
2006 (4-19), 2005 (4-17), 2004 (2-20)
GARY - Hello. This team has won only 10 games in three years. Something clearly has changed here. This team has put real defensive heat on the floor and has harvested lots of turnovers from Hanover Central and Griffith. The 30-point win over the Panthers opened some eyes. The Warriors have real depth and they will wear several teams out. I'm not sure that Munster (3-0), who plays at Calumet this week, wont be one of them.
Game of the Week:
12-8-2006 (Fri.) Bishop Noll (2-1) at LOWELL (3-0)
LOWELL - Things have changed here. Lowell hasn't had a winning season in 14 years, but they're 3-0 with senior forward Mike Weiand (17 ppg.) leading the scoring and a defense that has slowed games and allowed just 45 points a game. Bishop Noll is a perennial winner, but let's not talk about the last two years when they were 6-15 and 8-14. The Warriors have split two overtime games, so they're battle tested. But they average 72 points a game so far and Lowell isn't going to let them score 72. The Devils, who have not defeated Bishop Noll in seven years have to be stubborn about slowing the pace of the game whether they jump to the lead or fall behind. Noll has a 6-foot-8 center, but he'll probably go to the bench quickly as Noll tries to outrun the slower Devils. The game comes down to Lowell guards Josh Kuiper and Robert Cusic and can they control the basketball and the pace of the game against full court pressure. If Lowell is not overrun early, they have a good chance for an upset here, because Bishop Noll has trouble being patient.