2007-2008 Boys Basketball  Week-6, Top-10 Poll A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith (01-15-2008)

CHESTERTON (1-18-2008) We head into the tough part of the season where the boys are dragging through the dead of winter and the playoffs are nowhere in sight.  Here's where the leagues without tournaments are tough on its members because the girls teams are about to begin the post-season and the boys are just playing out the string.  But we do have one large point of interest as Chesterton improved to 12-0 last week.  It appears they should carry a 16-0 record to Merrillville on Feb. 1.

Some may be surprised to find out that while West Side and East Chicago have won state titles, no team in Northwest Indiana has gone undefeated in 14 years.  The Trojans are trying to become the first Northwest Indiana team since the 1994 Valparaiso Vikings to win every regular season game.  Valpo won 20 regular season games and eight playoff games before losing in double-overtime to Clay in the old one class state title game in 1994.  The 1991 Hebron Hawks went 21-0 because they got an extra game in the PCC tournament.  The '91 Hawks won 24 games in a row before they lost to Fountain Central in the old one class Lafayette Regional.

And back when folks drove the rotary engine Mazda, Michigan City Rogers went 22-0 in the 1984 regular season counting two wins in the Hall-of-Fame tournament in New Castle.  The Raiders were 28-0 when they lost 75-73 to Warsaw in the championship game of the Fort Wayne Semistate.

The best Chesterton team goes back to 1955 when the Trojans, led by senior Bob Westergen (28.6 ppg.) won 24 games in a row.  The Trojans won the Porter County Conference (PCC) tournament (yes, they were in the PCC tourney back then) and won four games in the Valparaiso Sectional.  Chesterton lost to Michigan City 55-51 in what was then the Hammond Regional.  When you look back into undefeated teams, you see why class basketball came in.

In 1965, there was a tiny school in LaPorte County called Union Township.  Understand, this is not the Union Township where Wheeler high is not.  This is also not Union Mills, which became South Central.  Union Township of LaPorte was 24-0 in 1965.  They never played LaPorte high school.  Didn't have to.  Union Township defeated Hamlet, the forerunner of Oregon-Davis and Liberty Township, which later consolidated into Chesterton.  They beat Walkerton, which is now John Glenn and both Rolling Prairie and New Carlisle, which consolidated into New Prairie.  When Union Township carried their 24-0 record to the 1965 regional, they saw their season promptly burned to the ground 78-42 by Michigan City.  The point is, a lot of teams did very well, very consistently in the middle of the last century because they played nothing but very small schools.  They deluded themselves into believing they could compete with big schools and were dumped into the ashcan of history when those meetings occurred.

Though some old timers still won't admit it, it's is far better for a team the size of Oregon-Davis to win the state title in boys and girls basketball in 2007.  In a one class tournament, 2007 Oregon-Davis would have been cremated by 2007 Michigan City, which would have been toasted at the regional level by Valparaiso or East Chicago.  I cannot imagine why that is better than O-D winning the state crown and no one at O-D thinks that last year would have been better had they lost the Michigan City Sectional 90-65, which is the nonsense that the one class tournament hard-line dinosaurs keep telling you.

Its time for midseason grades, and again, don't be too sensitive.  The cheerleaders are the ones in the skirts.  We just want to judge what you have and haven't done.  You're not entitled to your opinion.  You are entitled to mine.

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

CHESTERTON:  I think the Trojans are a strong No. 1 team.  They crushed a very athletic Michigan City team 67-47 to hold a two-game lead in the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC).  Chesterton was 11-of-24 from 3-point range and Zack Novak scored 24 with 10 rebounds.  The Trojans amazingly held Jarrod Jones, Michigan City's 6-foot-9 center, to just eight points.  Zack Novak had 34 3-pointers and Jack Haupt had 21 3-pointers.  The Trojans shoot about 75% from the line.  It might benefit Chesterton to lose a game.  It is not a good psychological position to be in to enter an eight-team single-elimination sectional as an undefeated Top-5 team state wide.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  A+  That's obvious.  No one has had anywhere near the season Chesterton has had so far.  They have won eight games by 10 points or more.  They are the undefeated DAC leaders and they average 70 points a game.  Start the playoffs now!

2.  (4A) East Chicago (7-2)
2007 (22-3) 2006 (19-5), 2005 (13-8), 2004 (13-10)

EAST CHICAGO:  The Cardinals just took 10 days off, but you can't blame them the way other crazy schedules get mentioned here.  As an independent school, the Cardinals have to take basketball dates when they get them and they don't get to play much on Friday nights, which is when most leagues play.  Obviously, they can't be rated above an undefeated 4A team, but the Cardinals have one great win in the OT victory over Lawrence North.  Some of the other wins, a sub-500 Bowling Green, a .500 Munster and a winless Highland are not so good.  EC gives up far too many points.  They have allowed 60 or more six times.  They play pure athletic street basketball at times and it's very entertaining.  No one in this part of the state really matches up with them.  The truth is, they did last year, too, until they got serious defensively.  At midseason, I'm waiting for them to do that again.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  B+  They try to out-talent everybody and that works until you run into better teams.  The Cards are 7-2 and that's what they've earned.  Derrell Conner has been better than expected at lead guard, but he shouldn't be leading this team in scoring in big games.  I really think Kawaan Short has been playing himself into shape after the football season and Angel Garcia may be waiting for the big games.  The second half's going to be better, but it has to be.  EC still gets a lot of love because of last season.  That didnt work for the Colts.

3.  (4A) Merrillville (9-2)
2007 (13-9), 2006 (17-4), 2005 (18-4), 2004 (9-12)

MERRILLVILLE:  The Pirates edged LaPorte 57-52 and whipped up on winless Lebanon last week to start rolling through the soft middle of the schedule.  Senior Aireus Stephenson scored 17 and he's starting to post consistent double-figure point totals.  Merrillville had a six game winning streak heading into games against Michigan City, Lowell and Lake Central to end the month of January.  The Pirates should be 12-2 going to Crown Point on Feb. 1 and it looks like they will be.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  A-  The Pirates could have been 10-1 after 11 games, but they have done everything expected of them.  This is the most athletically gifted team in NW Indiana bar none.  They just lack experience, which is always slow in coming.  The front line is all juniors.  They are a year away.

4.  (4A) CROWN POINT (7-4)
2007 (12-9), 2006 (9-13), 2005 (13-9), 2004 (6-16)

CROWN POINT:  CP lost a second time to Lake Central, and again, they had major problems with 6-foot-8 LC center Eric Summers, who had 22 points and six assists.  The Bulldogs have beaten better teams than LC, but they're very lucky the Indians are not in their sectional.  CP really struggles in a half-court game finding anyone other than guard Stephen Albrecht (17 ppg.) and center Zach Cecich (14.5 ppg,) to score and they're a small team (compared to the rest of the DAC) that doesn't rebound very well.  Still, this is a 7-4 team that has losses to Chesterton (12-0) and Merrillville (9-2).  There is not yet an obvious sense of urgency here and with an all-senior starting lineup there needs to be.  CP does not match up with either Michigan City (Jan. 18) or East Chicago (Jan. 19) this weekend.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  C  CP has badly underachieved.  Forget nonconference games.  The CP class of 2008 was an undefeated freshman team in the same league where they now have four losses as seniors.  The Bulldogs have lost four games by 10 points or less, which says two things:  1.) They could be 11-0 , and 2.) They can't score in the half court offense when they need to.  Of the four strong, deep teams in NW Indiana, CP is 4th best right now.

5.  (4A) Gary West Side (8-2)
2007 (14-7), 2006 (7-14), 2005 (19-5), 2004 (12-7)

GARY:  The Cougars beat a supposedly talented Lake Forest Academy 58-53 in overtime to continue a run of wins in close games.  The 'Side' beat Wirt 55-53 Thursday (1-13-2008) as Gerald Campbell scored 19 and Xavier Jones added 17, including 11 in the fourth quarter.  The Cougars have won six games by five points or less and that is worrisome since they haven't played a great schedule other than Farragut.  The Cougars will play Lew Wallace and Wirt twice, which is a lot like Chesterton playing Crown Point and Merrillville twice.  The Side has Lew Wallace (10-4), East Chicago (7-2) and Bowman Academy (4-2) coming up.  The truth will come out.  No one goes deep in the state tournament winning by five points or less every time out.  That dog won't hunt.

MID-SEASON GRADE :  A+  They have done all they can.  This is a small team with little experience.  West Side lost to Howe (6-4) in overtime and Farragut is simply a better team.  Six wins by five points or less.  This team has performed better than they should have so far.

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

MICHIGAN CITY:  The Wolves lost to Michigan City and I don't know how 6-foot-9 Jarrod Jones was held to eight points by a Chesterton team that had only one player taller than 6-foot-5.  Michigan City gave up 11 3-point goals against a team they had to know lives on the 3-point line.  The 67-47 loss has to sting MC because they have a lot of senior talent and they have beaten Goshen (8-3) and Merrillville (9-2).  The Wolves play like a team that hasn't seen many wins in the last four or five years.  With guard Stephen Ward and Jarrod Jones, MC has to be better than this.  Crown Point (7-4), Chesterton (12-0) and South Bend Washington (13-1) are three teams that have topped MC and that's a good excuse for losing.  But MC plays 19 Class 4A teams, including all the South Bend City schools.  The slate won't get easier.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  C  The Wolves have beaten Goshen (8-3) and Merrillville (9-2), but you are what your record says you are and they are 6-6.  This is another of the senior-dominated DAC teams and it's now or never for this group.  Few in Lake County actually see them play so they don't know the talent that's here.  That's the reason for the grade.  With a new coach, this is a work in progress and there's still time.

7.  (2A) Bishop Noll (10-2)
2007 (9-13), 2006 (6-15), 2005 (8-14), 2004 (15-10)

HAMMOND:  Bishop Noll smoked River Forest 67-39 and turned back rival Hammond high 69-58 last weekend and they have to be very happy with how this season is going.  While they have to be overwhelming to be ranked ahead of schools that play strong 4A schedules (Noll plays only a couple of big schools), the Warriors make their running style work against good 3A foes with senior Jason Chorba (20.1 ppg.).  For the Warriors to light up 3A Hammond means they have serious state tournament hopes.  They are vulnerable to the slow down, but few in 2A can slow them.  One who will not try is Calumet, whom Noll will meet in the finals of the inaugural Greater South Shore Conference (GSSC) tournament.

MID-SEASON GRADE :  A-  Noll has lost only to 3A Calumet (8-1) and 3A North Montgomery (8-4).  I think they've overachieved, even with an experienced team.  For a 2A team playing, in many respects, a 3A schedule, this has been a very good year so far.  I'm not sure they could beat Michigan City 7 out of 10 but they could beat them.

8.  (3A) Wirt (5-4)
2007 (14-9), 2006 (12-9), 2005 (9-12), 2004 (6-15)

GARY:  Wirt lost 55-53 to West Side, but they won on the road at Terre Haute North Saturday night.  Against the Side, DeAndre Allen (19.9) and Erick Hester (18.8) combined for 27 points, but it was not enough to hold off a late Side rally.  Wirt plays 14 road games and it's hard to judge them because then do not face any Porter or LaPorte County teams at all, and other than Munster, they don't play any Lake County teams south of Gary.  They may have the top guard line in NW Indiana and all their games are close.  The Troopers have played seven games decided by five points or less and they are 3-4.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  B  Wirt is highly regarded, but they are 0-3 against Gary schools.  To win at Huntington North and Terre Haute North, you have to have quality, but all four losses are by five points or less.  With a half dozen plays, this team could have started 9-0.  I admit it's hard to judge them because they are on the road outside of NW Indiana so much.

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

GARY:  The Warriors are coasting into the GSSC tournament where they'll face Bishop Noll in the final.  There really aren't any other tough teams in the GSSC right now.  Calumet has had a very soft first half of the season and they certainly know it.  The only winning teams they've beaten are 1A Marquette (6-5) and Noll (10-2).  The Warriors have a lot of speed and plenty depth, but until they face tough teams, they can and will coast.  This is a 'swing' team.  They could be very good or very bad.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  B-  The schedule is holding Calumet back.  I think they're very good, but they have not been able to prove it.  Calumet can't be down-graded for teams they haven't played, but you also can't get credit for blowouts over out-manned teams.  Calumet should be undefeated.

10.  (3A) Lew Wallace (10-4)
2007 (5-17), 2006 (4-17), 2005 (5-17), 2004 (9-12)

GARY:  The Hornets lost big, 80-39 at home to St. Vincent of Milwaukee last Saturday, but that's good competition.  The Hornets have upgraded their schedule so they will take some hits.  I'm still looking for a significant win on the LW slate but they'd played a lot of these same teams last year and stumbled to 5-17.  Still, the Hornets got blown out 101-69 by East Chicago and you can't get launched by 30-40 points more than once and call yourselves a really good team.  Lew Wallace needs to stop scheduling Chicago teams and go downstate like Wirt does.  Plus this is just an awful foul shooting team.  3 of 10 against St. Vincent.  15 of 28 against LaLumiere.  I know they're working on it, but the season ends at the sectional if they can't shoot better than 50% from the line.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  B  The record is better but the losses are ugly.  This is a big comeback season after four years of 23-63, but 10-4 is deceptive when you're down by 40.  There is a big difference between losing by 10-15 and losing by 40.  You have to separate the story from the status.  Wallace's rise under Renaldo Thomas is a great story, but you have to look at the size of the losses and the shakiness of some of the wins.

On the outside looking in...

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

MORGAN TOWNSHIP:  Morgan shut down LaCrosse 53-32 to head into the Porter County Conference (PCC) tourney with a nine-game win streak.  Troy Turner scored 18 and Morgan sank 14 of 16 from the line.  This is the quintessential small school team.  Not much talent, but they play hard and together.  For a 1A rural public school, 25-11 the last two years is very good, especially when virtually everyone they play has bigger kids from bigger schools.  The Cherokees are looking at a third meeting with rival Boone Grove (5-5) in the semifinals of the PCC tournament on Dec. 19 at Valparaiso high school.  The Cherokee Nation is on the warpath.

MID-SEASON GRADE:  A-  The two teams that beat Morgan:  South Central (5-5) and Knox (8-3) are having good seasons. I thought the coaching change here might bother them after a PCC title last year, but that didn't happen in the first half of the season.  Hopes were high here and they still are.


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