2007-2008 Boys Basketball 

Week-4, Top-10 Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

(12-27-2007)

CHESTERTON (12-27-2007)  The three-team tournament that matched three Gary schools against three Indianapolis Public schools went to Indianapolis, 3-0 last Saturday.  Throw in Benton Harbor, Michigan's 84-70 victory over Gary's 1A Bowman Academy and it was not a good weekend for the Steel City.

Next year, let's see all four Gary public schools taking on Indy and let's see the games played at the Genesis Center or at Gary West Side.  This is the kind of concept that prep basketball needs.  I'll bring it up again.  There are four Gary public schools (Wirt, West Side, Lew Wallace and Roosevelt) and there are four Hammond public schools (Hammond, Gavit, Clark and Morton).  Let's bring them all to the Hammond Civic Center or the Genesis Center in Gary and have a four game 'showcase'.  The city that wins more games gets to host the showcase the next year.  I guarantee you there'd be a good crowd.  Maybe not capacity.  But local people can get into rivalries.  I don't know if there's anybody in Gary or Hammond who has the organizational skills to put it together, but it's a natural.

There was a game in Michigan City, where apparently, the referees got carried away with themselves.  Marquette was hosting Calumet and at half-time, Marquette had not come out of the locker room for the third quarter by the time the half-time clock had ticked down to 'zero.'

Game referees, instead of going to the locker room and telling Marquette coach Jason Hawkins that half-time had run out, told the scorer's table to start the clock.  In five seconds, they called a violation on the absent Marquette team that gave the ball to Calumet.  Calumet passed the ball inbounds, and with no other team on the floor, Cal's Larry Alexander dribbled to the basket and dunked the ball for two points.

Again, the referee laid the ball on the floor and counted to five, calling another five-second violation.  Calumet again was handed the ball and this time, realizing that three was more than two, the Warriors shot a three-point basket.  Finally Marquette ran out of the locker room and back onto the floor and the game continued.

I do not care what the rules say.  You owe either team the courtesy of walking into the locker room and telling the head coach that halftime is over.  Under no circumstances should you put the ball in play unless there are two teams on the floor.  It makes a joke of the game that people have paid to see.

What should the referees have done?  Easy.  Call a bench technical foul and give Calumet two shots.  Then, go to the locker room and get Marquette and play the game the way it was intended.  Anything else shows a lack of respect for the players, the fans and the game.  Referees must respect the game at all times.  You aren't getting paid for a circus.  Be an adult and do the right thing.

Right now, Marion (7-0) is the clear cut state favorite in Class 4A.  On Dec. 1, the Giants (7-0) have handed 4A No. 6 Lawrence North (7-1) their only loss 71-63.  Marion handed 4A No. 10 (Fort Wayne) South (5-1) their only loss on Dec. 22.  On Dec. 19, Marion handed 2A No. 6 Oak Hill (8-1) their only loss 81-66.

Marion, a 36-time regional champion and a seven-time state champion of Indiana basketball, is the team that lost to East Chicago 56-48 in the semistate championship game last year.

But we'll know more Friday because 4A No. 1 Marion (7-0) takes on 4A No. 2 New Albany (6-0) in the semifinals of the Hall-of-Fame tournament at New Castle Friday afternoon.

1.  (4A) Chesterton (7-0)
 2007  (16-7) 2006 (14-9), 2005 (9-12), 2004 (13-8)

CHESTERTON:  The Trojans won back-to-back games over LaPorte and Munster to remain NW Indiana's only undefeated team.  The back-to-back test with the 61-55 win coming on the road reflected the Trojans' position as the No. 1 squad.  Zack Novak (25 ppg.) scored 30 against LaPorte as the Trojans bumped up to 5-0 in the DAC.  The Trojans, who have scored 60 in every game so far, can finish the calendar year at 8-0 if they can get past an inexperienced Valparaiso team Friday (Dec. 29).

I saw some newspaper quotes where Chesterton players were baited into answering 'critics' that they were a one-man team.  First of all, I think the players were suckered into debating an issue that doesn't exist.  It's Novak's role to score 20 a game.  Other players do other things.  This Chesterton team has been playing together much of their lives.  Play the opposition, not nonexistent critics.  Play Evansville Reitz (6-0) New Year's Day at Valparaiso.  They have a kid, 6-6 senior Damion Garrett.  He can drop 40 on you and the Reitz boys will laugh all the way home about how they're a one-man team, too.  Just win.



2.  (4A) CROWN POINT (6-1)
2007 (12-9), 2006 (9-13), 2005 (13-9), 2004 (6-16)

CROWN POINT:  The Bulldogs roasted Portage 82-34 in an embarrassing game for the home team.  Hey, I like Crown Point, but they're not quite that good.  Portage (5-3) didn't show up and the Bulldogs seemed almost hesitant to jack up a team they'll probably face twice more.  CP could have scored 100 points had they wanted to.  Senior guard Kyle Hanaway posted 10 assists in 20 minutes of playing time and I keep hearing the argument that a guy who scores 20 a game is more valuable than a guy who averages 10 assists a night.  Boy, the mind is a terrible thing to waste.  20 points is 20 points.  Ten assists is anywhere from 20-30 points.  Even you folks who go to public school know that.  CP is getting solid center play from 6-3 Zach Cecich and 6-8 back-up center Jacob Burkholder, who will be called on to face Merrillville's 6-8 duo of Ryan Smith and Jonathan Nwannuna when arch-rivals CP and Merrillville meet Friday night in Merrillville.



3.  (4A) East Chicago (4-1)
2007 (22-3) 2006 (19-5), 2005 (13-8), 2004 (13-10)

EAST CHICAGO:  The Cardinals are still looking for a big win over big time competition and they'll ride the big yellow bus to Indianapolis for the four-team North Central Classic Thursday night (Dec. 27) where they will face Bowling Green (4-3) in the first round.  North Central (4-2) has lost only to Marion (7-0) and Carmel (6-0) so this is a good test for the Cardinals, who have to win big games to justify the hype.  I still think the schedule, which has been mediocre so far, will help them down the line.  The Cards have five more games against Gary schools plus Crown Point (6-1) and Lawrence North (7-1).  I know the Cardinals welcome the challenge in Indy this week, but the truth is, EC has played just one game (a 79-27 blowout of winless Highland) in 15 days and they may not be ready to play twice in two days Thursday and Friday.  The season really hasn't started for EC yet so any judgment is premature.

 


4.  (4A) Merrillville (5-2)
 2007 (13-9), 2006 (17-4), 2005 (18-4), 2004 (9-12)

MERRILLVILLE:  The Pirates blew out Valpo (3-5) by 20 and started to look like the team they were expected to be this year.  Merrillville was 20-of-37 from the floor and 9-of-11 from the line in a game they dominated after half-time.  But they don't have a big-time win yet.  We'll know about Merrillville this Friday.  The Pirates were swept like a dust rug last year by Crown Point and those same Bulldogs come back to Merrillville Friday night for a game the Pirates need for a confidence-builder.  The Pirates play Crown Point on Dec. 28 and again on Feb. 1.  The six teams they meet between Bulldog battles (Lowell, Michigan City, Portage, Lebanon, Lowell and LaPorte) are all teams Merrillville should beat with the talent they have.
There's a chance for a big run here if the Pirates can get it started Friday night.



5.  (4A) Gary West Side (2-2)
 2007 (14-7), 2006 (7-14), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (12-7)

GARY:   It can't be a surprise that West Side lost to Howe 83-77 in overtime in the Public School showdown in Indianapolis because the Cougars were playing for the first time in 17 days.  They were fortunate to get the game to overtime.  You can't sit out two weeks and expect to beat good teams on the road.  Basketball just is not like that.  There's no way to analyze a team after four games.  DeShawn Clay, Xavier Jones and Gerald Campbell are all big, fast players.  Campbell, at 6-5 in the middle, is the key.  But it's been a month and they've played four games, so even coach John Boyd won't know what they have until they play three or four times in this week's Gary Holiday Tournament.



6.  (2A) Bishop Noll (6-1)
 2007 (9-13), 2006 (6-15), 2005 (8-14), 2004 (15-10)

HAMMOND:  Bishop Noll crushed undefeated Wheeler 65-43 to justify everyone's faith that they are a good team.  Jason Chorba scored 29 and Noll sank 21 of 30 from the line.  Wheeler does not appear to be in the same class as Bishop Noll and that gap will widen as the season goes on because Wheeler plays the Rosie O'Donnell schedule.  Too many twinkies.  Noll has East Chicago, Hammond and Gary Roosevelt left on the schedule, not to mention Marquette (4-3) and Griffith (4-2).  The Warriors have a New Year's Day game (1:15 p.m.) at Valparaiso University against North Montgomery (7-1), a good squad, but a team Noll should beat.  I'll say it again.  Any NW Indiana 2A team that dreams they're better than Bishop Noll should wake up and slap themselves.

 


7.  (3A) Wirt (3-2)
 2007 (14-9), 2006 (12-9), 2005 (9-12), 2004 (6-15)

GARY:  Wirt couldn't ground the Northwest Space Pioneers (6-0) in the Indianapolis Public School Shootout last week, losing 63-58.  A respectable showing considering the light schedule they've been playing.  They don't drop in the poll here.  Again, who makes this schedule?  Only five games played in the first month of the season.  Wirt is in the same position as Gary West Side. We know they have good guards and a lot of experience, but it doesn't matter if you don't play regularly.  Except for a game I can't explain against Washington Township, Wirt has a great schedule from here on out.  Terre Haute North, South Bend Adams (3-3), undefeated St. Joseph's (7-0), Hammond, East Chicago, Howe Military and that's not counting Roosevelt and West Side.  But Wirt needs to play three times in the Gary holiday tournament this week.  It doesn't matter if they win or lose.  They just need to play some games.



8.  (4A) Michigan City (4-4)
 2007 (8-13), 2006 (9-12), 2005 (6-16), 2004 (2-19)

MICHIGAN CITY:  The Wolves crushed Lake Central 69-54 as 6-foot-9 Jarrod Jones scored 15 against LC's 6-8 Eric Summers and lead guard Stephen Ward added 14.  MC was only 17 of 30 from the foul line, so there's room for improvement.  I still can't explain the 21-point loss to LaPorte (2-6), but even George Bush wouldn't torture the Wolves too much for losses to Crown Point (6-1), Chesterton (7-0) and South Bend Washington (7-0).  Michigan City is playing in the Goshen Holiday Tournament (I guess it was the only one they could find) and they drew host Goshen (6-1).  Now, you and I weren't born yesterday.  When you draw the host on the opening night of the holiday tournament, you are NOT SUPPOSED TO WIN, if you know what I'm saying.  Elkhart Memorial (3-1) and Lakeland (5-2) are all good so this will be a good two-day (Dec. 28-29) holiday trip.



9.  (3A) Calumet (5-1)
 2007 (14-8), 2006 (4-19), 2005 (4-17), 2004 (2-20)

GARY:  The Warriors roll along averaging 76 points per game.  They stopped Marquette 71-58 last week and they now have 14 days off before they face sub-.500 Morton, Lake Station and River Forest.  Mike Akins had 23 as the Warriors won in LaPorte County while CJ Montgomery got to the basket and made 10 of 14 shots.  Calumet will be 8-1 when they play in the first Greater South Shore Tournament in mid-January.  That's why they're down here in the Top-10.  Even good players are lame if they take two weeks off after each game.  I'll get back to Calumet when they get back from the Bahamas and start playing some steady Indiana basketball.



 10.  (3A) Clark (4-2)
 2007 (21-5), 2006 (16-7), 2005 (8-13), 2004 (12-9)

HAMMOND:  Clark lost to Hammond (4-2) 73-67, but I don't think Hammond is better.  The Pioneers gave up 17 points in a row after a 38-38 tie and, despite a dramatic rally, couldn't get back even even though Nick Curosh scored 11 of his 29 in the fourth quarter.  The Pioneers, who eliminated Hammond from the playoffs last season, have lost to Hammond (4-2) and St. Joseph's (7-0) this season.  But they can enjoy the holidays at the Wheeler Holiday Tournament where they play a semifinal game against Hobart on Thursday, Dec. 27.  Clark and Hammond play again Feb. 1 at Hammond and they need to roll up a lot of wins between now and then.  The schedule won't stop them.  There's a lot of wins there.

On the outside looking in...



(1A) Morgan Township (4-2)
 2007  (16-9), 2006 (5-16), 2005 (10-14), 2004 (19-4)

MORGAN TOWNSHIP:  What happened to Morgan Township?  Nobody's heard of them for two weeks.  The defending Porter County Conference (PCC) champ has been on a hiatus and when you're Morgan Township and half of NW Indiana can't find your school anyway, folks wonder if you've disbanded the program.  It's all about the tournaments in the PCC and the Cherokees are going to be asked to play twice in two days in the four-team South County Tournament.  Here's another team that can't get better when they aren't playing, so we'll get back to them after they return from whatever planet they've been on.


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Revised: December 30, 2007 .