2004-2005 Girls Basketball Poll:

Week Seventeen

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

(3-1-2005)

 

CROWN POINT, IN - (3-1-2005) With two Northwest Indiana teams in the state finals, two longstanding teams have a hope of winning titles. The state finals will feature one No. 1 team (3A St. Joseph's) and two defending champions in 1A Tri-Central and 4A North Central. It will be tough for 4A Gary West Side or North Judson or 2A North Judson to win but who cares? If you reach the state finals, you've had a great season.


1.) 4A East Chicago (22-4)

EAST CHICAGO - East Chicago was not ready to play three games in five days against winning teams. Looking back, tough physical games against Lowell and Highland may have contributed to an eight-point fourth quarter with the season on the line.

Shareya Patrick averaged almost 13 points per game in the playoffs and EC will have problems replacing her and senior guard Kandi Rogers.

But the Cardinals return 5-10 core players Dee Dee Jernigan (18 ppg.) and Kelly Watts (13 ppg.) for their senior seasons. EC was just 14 of 24 from the line on the final two nights and they couldn't score more than 45 points all three nights.

There was nothing wrong with East Chicago's schedule, but they might seek out teams like South Bend Washington and Elkhart Memorial, who seem to be perennial contenders out of the Michiana area to play during the regular season. But EC's problem has not been far-away teams. It's always been West Side. Truthfully, West Side's advancement to the state finals has been the only salvation for this season.

Of the top five in this poll, EC is the only team that returns their best player next season. The Cardinals defeated No. 1 St. Joe, who is still playing and 3A No. 4 Evansville Memorial is still playing.

Their three other losses (all close) were to 4A No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern, Illinois Class AA No. 2 Whitney Young (21-1) and Class AA No. 8 Sandburg (27-3). Young and Sandburg advanced to the state finals in Illinois.

But this isn't a great team yet. Next year (2006) there are no excuses. Remember, in 2007, EC goes back to being an average team.

 

2.) 4A Valparaiso (21-2)

VALPARAISO – Valpo lost a big lead against South Bend Washington in the Valpo Regional semifinals and fell 57-53 to end the season. Valparaiso was lucky to survive 45-42 against Crown Point on a controversial last second three-point shot by senior Ashley Glaser that hit the basket support strap and fell down into the hoop as time ran out.

The Vikings basically had to go with their starting five of Kerns, Glaser, Lauren Prow, Erica and Lindsey Humes and that ended up being their undoing. Even the home court could not save them. Don't look for a major fall from grace here with Lauren Prow and Erica Humes returning.

Valpo's patient style does not require them to have great players to win and the returning players are guards, which is exactly where you want to start a team.

 

3.) 4A Gary West Side (23-4)

GARY – The Cougars rejected Kokomo 49-47 on a three-point shot by Horace Mann-transfer Shanee Butler in the 4A Elkhart Semistate to reach the state finals for the first time ever.  To beat Kokomo is almost as big an achievement as reaching the finals is for coach Rod Fisher and his girls.

The Cougars overcame a seven-point deficit with depth and 10 athletic players that turned the game around with a full court press. West Side's full court press IS their offense. They beat Kokomo on steals and scores.

They will also have to beat North Central that way. Central's 6-5 junior center Amber Harris does not allow layups and she'll shut down 6-1 junior Erica Simpson. The Cougars, on the other hand, have something for 5-3 NC freshman point guard Brianna Bass.


4.) 4A Crown Point (17-6)

CROWN POINT – Crown Point went about as far as they should have but not as far as they could have.

The Lady Bulldogs got 23 points from star guard Cassie Pruzin, but they were beaten on Ashley Glaser's three-point final second basket 45-42 in the final of the Chesterton 4A Sectional.

Here's another team that had a good, but not great year. They did not win anything. For the fourth year in a row, Valparaiso eliminated CP at the sectional level. The Bulldogs lose three senior starters including Pruzin, who has made the Top-40 workout and has at least a 50-50 shot of being an Indiana all-star.

What is not immediately obvious about the Lady Bulldogs is that, in 2006, they will return eight players who played significant minutes on the varsity this season, not counting 5-10 sophomore Katie Kvachkoff, who missed 75% of the season with an injury. If they find some extra players will ball-handling skills, CP could duplicate their 2005 record next season and the door opens for them with Valparaiso losing the big front line.

 

5.) 2A Boone Grove (21-2)

PORTER TOWNSHIP – Boone may have felt pressure on their home floor, losing 55-49 to Wheeler after beating Bishop Noll 63-43.

It's hard to say what happened to a team of six seniors which led 15-6 in the early going on their home floor in the sectional championship game.

Star guard Karissa Walter (17.3 ppg.) suffered a significant left hand injury in the Noll game and it had to affect her against Wheeler. But Boone also had soph guard Cortney Flanigan (10.6 ppg.) and they should have survived. Boone lost in the sectional title game to Wheeler for the second year in a row. Flanigan made the all-PCC list for the second year in a row while Walter made the Top-40 workout and will attempt to become Boone's first-ever Indiana all-star.

The Wolves will be strong again in 2005 as Flanigan takes a lead role and 5-9 Kara Kessler mans the post. But this team must toughen their schedule. It can be done. The program has advanced to a point where nonconference games with schools like River Forest, Lake Station and North Newton must be replaced by 3A or 4A schools like Andrean, Lowell or East Chicago. Boone also must play Winamac and Rochester every year because that's where the playoffs take them.

 

6.) 4A Merrillville (12-10)

MERRILLVILLE – Merrillville lucked out against Chesterton with Melissa Borom's last second three-point shot forcing overtime in a 50-45 win over short-handed Chesterton. The Pirates were then eliminated 49-44 by rival Crown Point in the Chesterton Sectional semifinals. The Pirates were amazingly inconsistent, as was evidenced in a 34-point loss to CP six weeks after a 27-point win. Forget about this year.

Merrillville returns as the DAC favorite in 2006 because 6-3 Brittney Moore has a senior year at center coming, 5-3 point guard Brittney Cruse, who has three more seasons, made a solid debut late in the year; and 6-2 forward Sharon Houston transfers in from Lew Wallace, although she may not be able to play until mid-season.

Merrillville graduates six seniors, but the Pirates return seven players who played significant varsity minutes in 2005. How much do they want to win the sectional title in 2006? They should already be working toward that goal.  CP and Valpo are.

 

7.) 4A Highland (19-5)

HIGHLAND – The Trojans went as far as they were supposed to go. Like Crown Point, they were supposed to win 75% of their games and play the top team at the sectional.

Highland does not have the talent and does not play the schedule that East Chicago does and that will continue to be a problem. Freshman Lizzie Stapke scored 14 in a 55-43 sectional quarterfinal win over Lake Central. Tina Traczyk scored 13 against East Chicago in the season-ending 43-35 loss.

Highland was 34 of 52 (65.3%) from the foul line in the playoffs which isn't great but it's a lot better than the 50% foul shooting rate they sunk to during the regular season. That's the biggest test for the Trojans in the off-season. They are a bad shooting team and, even with 6-1 center Katie Kane, Traczyk and Stapke coming back, they can't win outside the LAC shooting as poorly as they do.

Here's another team, like Boone, that needs a schedule upgrade. The LAC champion has never won anything in the post-season because the LAC is not a strong league. For years, Highland has been fooled into thinking they're a top team because they dominate the LAC. Highland can't play 2As and 3As during the season and expect to beat top 4As in the playoffs. That dog won't hunt.

Andrean plays St. Josephs and Highland doesn't? Call Brebeuf. Call Marian Catholic. With the DAC's double round robin sure to be altered before next year, call Crown Point.

Highland has to fight being satisfied with going 17-5 or 18-4 every year and losing at the sectional or that's all they'll do.

 

8.) 4A Munster (16-7)

MUNSTER – Munster wasn't ready for Gary West Side, which smoked them 52-35. Munster was 18 of 24 from the foul line but scored just eight field goals against Gary West Side's full court presses. The Lady Ponies should not forget about that game. Blowout defeats are the best motivator. It doesn't hurt that West Side continued to the state finals. Two of Munster's losses are to a state finalist.

Munster improved from six wins in 2004 to 16 in 2005. It was a good, but not great year. They didn't win anything. Like Merrillville, Munster should return as their league favorite in 2006. They have more depth, better guards and better shooting than Highland.

But they must not make beating Highland a goal. The state finals is the goal. Munster will have to improve every week between now and next year to beat East Chicago and Gary West Side. The Mustangs must understand that (and I think they do) or they'll be starting softball practice early again next year.

 

9.) 2A North Judson (22-3)

NORTH JUDSON – Judson dominated Taylor 49-36 in the Plymouth semistate to earn their first state finals berth in the long history of the program. Judson 's weaving, open offense style broke down bigger, stronger teams. They are deserving and the schedule they played helped considerably, with victories over Winamac (20-2) and Boone Grove (21-2) in the late going to prepare Judson to win the regional title.

Judson's title path is blocked by Shenandoah, the team that was predicted to reach the 2A state finals out of the southern bracket.

It will be hard for Judson to match guards Whitney Cole and Kristen Bolen against the Raiders' four-year starting guards 5-9 Chelsea Miller and 5-7 Kara Kessling. Judson was constructed well to exploit taller squads but this team matches up perfectly with them.

 

10.) 2A Wheeler ( 17-7)

UNION TOWNSHIP - Wheeler went as far as they could have and should have, losing to state finalist North Judson in the Rensselaer 2A Regional title game.

Forwards Becca Bruszewski and Ali Roper were among the Bearcats who wore down in the 2-games-in-one-day scenario.

The Bearcats' schedule, which included 4As Munster, Highland and Chesterton, is good but it probably needs to be altered a little. Wheeler might want to schedule North Judson and Winamac during the regular season because that's the team they'll always see down the line.

They also have to realize that Becca Bruszewski is a 6-2 player in a league of 5-9 centers and to have her on the perimeter is a lot like hiring Chris Rock to do the Oscars.

Don't allow a talent to be in a position where they can't do what they are best suited for.

 

EYE ON... 

South Central (18-7)

UNION MILLS - I don't' know how they did it, but the Satellites won the regional title before losing by two to state finalist Tri-Central.

It will be very hard for them to return to that point, especially considering they won three games in the last few seconds and another when they rallied from 16 down in the second half.

The 40-foot bank shot that beat Argos 37-36 in the sectional was the shining symbol of great good fortune for the up-tempo SC girls.

Guard Mallory Gorski (18.6 ppg. – 22 games) and 6-0 center Anna Kammrath (16.7 ppg. – 22 games) had great playoff runs and SC returns all five starters.

The problem is, they now become the target, not only of all 1A teams in a six county area but in the Porter County Conference (PCC) where their name is being circled on 2006 schedules.

Boone and Washington Township made runs to the semistate in 2003 and have never been able to get back there.

Crown Point carries the reputation of four state finals trips and now can't get out of the sectional with a court order. South Central must ramp up their schedule with 3As and 4As to gear up for the 2006 playoffs. They should also seek out top-ranked Canterbury for a nonconference game.

SC was lucky not to have to face Canterbury and state scoring powerhouse Megan King (26 ppg.) this season, but that luck may not hold next year.

 

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Revised: March 07, 2005 .