R E G I O N   R O U N D B A L L   R E V I E W

21 Questions
for the
2000-2001
Season

1.  Can last year's 4A state champ, Ben Davis, create the team chemistry needed to live up to the in-state and national hype? 

2.  Does Valparaiso have a chance for success if they can't reload at the point guard position after the graduation of All-Stater Erin Sampsel?  (Wasn't Valpo counted out as a contender early last season with the loss of Indiana All Star Jeanette Gray?  hmmm...)

3. Will state scoring leader Shanna Zolman of Wawasee continue on track to break the state career scoring record, or will she have to sacrifice the record attempt if her team is to make a legitimate state championship run with a more balanced scoring attack?

4.  Can Terre Haute South or Center Grove topple Goliath in the Metropolitan?

5.  Can the Duneland get any more equally competitive than it is this season with five legitimate conference title threats in Valpo, Portage, Crown Point, Hobart, LaPorte?

6.  Will Highland's Jenny DeMuth strap a young Trojans team on her back and carry them to a successful season and a deep IHSAA tournament run?

7.  Can Jan Conner breathe new life into the Martinsville program during her last year as head coach? (And is this really her last year?)

8.  Can Plymouth, the best kept secret of a team in the north, finally make it out of their sectional to get the statewide respect they deserve?

9.  Which transfers will have the biggest impact on their teams -- Decatur Central, Snider, Crown Point, Ben Davis, South Bend Riley, Carmel?

10. Which freshman will burst onto the high school basketball scene this season?

11. Will the Associated Press wake up this year, give our game some respect, and do a high school girls' poll?  (Or do we REALLY want them to if they don't even follow the girls' game?)

12. Will perennial south favorite New Albany be able to repeat in competitive Sectional 15 -- Bedford North Lawrence, Floyd Central, Jennings County, Jeffersonville -- with the loss of Indiana All Star Abby Scharlow?

13. Can anyone actually challenge Ben Davis senior Shyra Ely for Miss Basketball when she is in contention for National Player of the Year honors?

14. Which teams will make a repeat appearance at the state finals in March?  (With minimal losses to graduation, can 2000 surprise 1A champ Triton do it again in 2001?)

15. Who will win the battle of the dueling junior point guards in the Region --  Lauren Bechtold of 2A Hebron, Jamie Gutowski of 3A Andrean, Alex Webster of 4A Crown Point?

16. Will hard-working Terre Haute South senior Kristen Weddle get the dream season she deserves after missing her junior year with a torn ACL?

17. Which juniors and seniors will finally get their chance to shine after being in the shadows of upperclassmen for two years?

18. Can refreshed Andrean and hungry Hammond Gavit seriously challenge Highland in the severely unbalanced 13-member LAC?

19. Could Ft. Wayne produce two state champions this season?

20. Will Gary West Side be able to survive the shock of the post-season with its usual less than competitive regular schedule?  (Hey, they've done it before.  But is the competition catching up?)

21. Does it get any better than Indiana high school girls basketball?  (We already know the answer to THIS one!)

All right.  We've tossed out our questions, now toss out a few QUESTIONS (not answers) of your own on this topic at the RRR Message Board!