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2003-2004
Boys Basketball
Renegade Poll - Week 3A USA-365.com Special Report(12-17-2003) |
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1. Valparaiso (5-1)
I'm
still not sure Valpo isn't better than LC. Blowout wins over Portage 71-49 and
Clay 80-66 came the way they should have come with a nearly unstoppable offense.
Jon Moon (10.4 ppg.) has emerged as a third option to 6-8 Brian McMillan (13./2
ppg.) and point guard Brent Kimmel (13.8 ppg.). Valpo is 58-of-84 (69.1%) from
the line after a 23-of-29 game against Clay. The Vikings were 26 of 41 (63.4%)
from the field against Portage and 25 of 46 (54.3) against Clay.
2. Lake Central (5-0)
Lake
Central survived the weekend thanks to Brett Summers (14.2 ppg.), Scott VanDer
Meer (14.5 pg,) and Krste Krstevski (12.6 ppg.) who all have scored in double
figures in every game. They were shaky in a 60-59 win at Crown Point. But road
wins at Valparaiso, Crown Point and East Chicago put this team on top. LC can
get better and they will be. Van De Meer is still getting accustomed to his new
team.
The
59ers rise quickly in the polls as 6-7 Luke Harangody (22.0 ppg.) and 6-6 David
Carson (18.0 ppg.) are getting perimeter help from Frank Provenzano (10.7 ppg.)
and Tommy Finn (3.0 ppg.), who is averaging 5 assists per game. Blow off the
82-78 loss to Gary Roosvelt which came early; the 59ers have dominated the last
three games and are the favorite in this week's LAC tournament.
4. LaPorte (4-1)
The
scoring leader is still 6-4 guard Jerome Vann (24.5 ppg.) for a team that
averages 79.8 points per game. The 68-61 win at Merrillville was LaPorte's
second in their last 11 meetings. 6-7 Todd Dermody (14.7 ppg.) has scored
in double figures in all 4 games so far. LaPorte has 27 three-pointers in four
games and after bad foul shooting for 3 games (46 of 80), the Slicers hit 16 of
21 from the line at Merrillville.
5. East Chicago (4-2)
EC
didn't have enough to beat LC (a 76-63 loss) as guard Tremaine Cooley (23.5 ppg.)
was 6 of 22 from the field. The EC guard has 26 three-point goals after 6 games.
E'Twan Moore (14.6 ppg.) is still 27 of 31 (87.0 percent) from the line. Guard
David Connor (8.6 ppg.) missed the first three games but he scored a season-high
16 last week against LC.
6. Gary Roosevelt (2-2)
Roosevelt's
57-53 loss to Morgan Park would be an upset if this wasn't the second year in a
row. The Panthers gave the game away with 17 of 37 from the line. Tyrone
Appleton (19.5 ppg.) and Robert Jenkins (20.5 ppg.) keep providing the points,
but 17 of 37 (5 of 16 in the 4th quarter) cannot happen again.
7. Chesterton (4-1)
Here's
a team that hasn't made much noise yet. They've scored in the 60s three times.
No real big blowouts. They trailed Michigan City after 3 quarters. Then they
lost their first big test 65-47 to Lake Central. But 4-1 is 4-1. Matt
Campbell (17.0 ppg.) scored just 12 against MC but Casey Martin (11.6) was
10-of-10 from the field for 23 points. Without much size... 4-1 is a big
achievement. They have big games coming up at Valparaiso (5-1) Dec. 30 and
LaPorte (4-1) on Jan. 6. Those are going to be tall orders.
8. MERRILLVILLE (1-5)
Lets
hold off on judging Merrillville until after this week's game at Chesterton
(2-0). The Pirates were unlucky, losing to Highland 44-42 and Munster 54-52.
They do lack offense without 6-2 senior LaVell Cook (14.5 ppg.), who is injured.
Merrillville shot only 5-of-12 from the foul line in the loss at Munster. I
would suggest that the Pirates are better than both Munster and Highland and I
would be surprised if they lost at Chesterton Friday.
9. Highland (5-0)
Highland
has beaten Gavit (1-5), Hammond (1-3), KV (0-4) and Merrillville (1-5) and those
records don't talk to you. Still Highland and guard Kris Boyd (15.0 ppg.) have
won the last three games by 10 or more. 6-8 Kevin Thomas (12.2) had a
season-high 15 against Hammond last week (Dec. 12), but this team needs more
offense to be a quality team.
10. Munster (5-1)
They
were 5-0 but wins over Clark, Calumet and even Merrillville (1-5) are
questionable, and the 70-64 loss to Class 2A Wheeler revealed some weaknesses.
Even Elmhurst isn't the team they were last year. Still rated in the top-10
state wide, I'm not sure they can beat Highland. Josh Martin (18.2 ppg.).
Can he get the ball where it needs to go against good defenses?
Others
to watch......
Lowell (5-0)
Jim
Jeffries (22.5 ppg.) gives the Devils the scoring they need and 6-3 Jason Corns
is a solid rebounder. Guard Mike Miller stole the ball 6 times last week against
Lake Station. But that's the problem. North Newton, Calumet, Clark, Lake
Station. STOP. They've got to play somebody soon.
Wheeler (5-0)
Solid
team with speed including 6-2 Cordale Micou (16.5 ppg.,) and 6-3 Steve Wilson
(15.5 ppg.,). They need to score more than 50 points a game but for
Wheeler to beat Hobart , even just 51-49, is a big deal.
BOYS
DECEMBER NOTES: Wheeler hosts former PCC rival Hanover Central
(2-2) Dec. 26 in the Wheeler Holiday tournament. Hammond plays Hobart in the
other semifinal. Kouts guard John Lauer has scored 105 points (26.3 ppg.) in
four games. He scored a career-high 37 in Saturday's 89-49 win over South
Central. The LaCrosse boys are 4-0 and their girls are 0-8. That happens at
small schools. It's the moment of truth for the LaCrosse boys Friday night at
Boone Grove (2-2).
Andrean
has Lafayette Central Catholic scheduled Saturday night but they can't play that
game if they get to the LAC championship.