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As the season winds to a close and the April late signing period gets closer, we can expect more verbal commitments over the next few weeks, especially from those unsigned seniors who have great potential, such as these two:

Hammond Gavit senior Leslie Tyburski gave her verbal commitment to Georgetown University on Monday.  The 5'10 guard took her chances by passing up a solid offer from St. Peter's (New Jersey) in the fall, and the gamble paid off.  Averaging 19.4 points and 6.1 rebounds this season, the high-energy senior proved herself to the Georgetown staff on the way to a Gavit career scoring record of 1,367 points.  Tyburski will join Bloomington North grad Nok Duany, who is currently averaging 12.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a starting junior forward for the Hoyas.
   

According to the Lafayette Journal & Courier, Twin Lakes senior Erin Guy verbally committed to IUPUI on Wednesday.  The 5'10 wing averaged 18.7 points per game this past season and double figures throughout her high school career.  Having the ability to hit from behind the arc or post up in the paint, Guy was recruited by IUPUI for the positions of shooting guard, small forward and power forward.  Guy was just named as a Top 40 Workout participant and was an Indiana Junior All-Star last summer.

The big dance at Conseco is the weekend for eight teams still remaining of the 382 teams that hit the floor three weeks ago in this season's IHSAA Tournament.  Of the eight, only two (Luers and Shenandoah) will be making repeat appearances at Conseco.  Last year, many of you will remember that all four state champions were also champions the year  before -- 1A Triton, 2A Luers, 3A Cathedral and 4A Ben Davis.  At least this year, we are guaranteed a minimum of three new state champions.  And even if Luers should pick up their fourth in a row, it will be in a different class.
  
There is a ton of information on all the teams participating this weekend on the IHSAA girls basketball page, including rosters, stats, etc., as well as even more information on team and player history of the IHSAA tournament.  Bob Potosky, of High School Sports Publications, has put together an extensive state finals preview in his Bobwire column which is a great opener to this weekend's events.  Also, lots has popped up on line throughout the week.  So pull up a chair and get yourself pumped for a great weekend of basketball.
  
Central Indiana teams shut out of State Finals - Indianapolis Star
   
4A
'Red's hot, but blue's cool' (SB Riley) - SB Tribune
Riley ready to entertain - SB Tribune
South Side pride - SB Tribune
Reynolds shows great maturity - SB Tribune
Sophomores fill big roles - TH Tribune Star
South ready for something new, not blue: a state championship - TH Tribune Star
Vying for attention (Reicina Russell) - TH Tribune Star
 
3A
Titans will try opponents' patience - Courier Press
Southwestern about to cap its two-hour, five-year trek - Courier-Journal
Dossen, Luers aim for history - FW Journal Gazette
Luers' Hamlin has blossomed in leadership role - FW Journal Gazette
Dossen and Hamlin lead Luers charge to state title - FW News Sentinel
Luers coach is on a mission - FW News Sentinel
Knights unite for success - FW News Sentinel
2 can't-miss events are all net for 1 can-do senior - Indianapolis Star
OCU freshmen know Luers no cinch - Daily Clarion
Titans use toughness to earn shot at 3A title - Courier Press
   
2A
Raiders learn from older siblings - Star Press
Shenandoah swirls experience, youth for another state trip - Star Press
Shenandoah has a bit of an edge in finals experience - Star Press
Shenandoah bench trio a key to team's success - Herald Bulletin
Pressel throws her heart in basketball for Shenandoah - Herald Bulletin
Southwestern preview - Herald Bulletin
From throwing elbows to giving high fives: saga of two freshmen - Courier-Times
One more game for unranked Raiders - Courier-Times
   
1A
Sticks & Stones - The Times

Grounding the Falcons - The Times
No task too tall for Hallberg - The Times
Hoping for clear skies - The Times
Hebron takes on No. 1 for Class A title - The Times
What's Gaelic for 'Conseco' - The Times
Hebron ready to pack up, head south - Post-Tribune (1-day)
Hebron throws speed, Bechtold at North Vermillion - Post-Tribune (1-day)
Hebron bench gaining valuable experience - Post-Tribune (1-day)
Sibling rivalry blossoms into sisterly pursuit of a state title - TH Tribune Star
North Vermillion, Hebron both expected to be there - TH Tribune Star

Hoosier Basketball Magazine has announced its Top 40 Workout invitation list, which also includes 10 alternates, for a total of 50 of the top seniors from around the state coming together for drills and scrimmages on Sunday, March 10 at Ben Davis High School.  There will be two sessions, the first from 1:00-3:00 p.m. (EST) and the second from 3:30-5:30 p.m. (EST).  The early session is expected to be primarily players from the northern and southern sections of the state, with the second primarily featuring players from the central part of the state.  Both sessions are open to the public for a $4.00 admission charge.  The alternates will participate in both drills and scrimmages.  Congratulations to all players who were invited!  (Additional coverage:  Dark, Branson earn Top 40 workout invitations - Journal Review)
  

Wawasee senior Shanna Zolman has been recognized nationally again with an invitation to the first-ever McDonald's All-American Game to be played at New York's Madison Square Garden on April 4.  Zolman will play for the East Team against future Tennessee teammate Tye'sha Fluker, who will play for the West Team. You can find the complete rosters on the McDonald's All-American website.  Zolman will be a busy girl in April, as she was also invited to play in the WBCA High School All-American game on April 6 in Connecticut.  At least both games are on the East Coast!

The Kokomo Tribune is reporting that Northwestern coach Jeff Hoover is stepping down after 11 years with the Tigers program.  Hoover led the Tigers to a 22-3 season and a Regional final, where Northwestern lost to Highland.  Hoover's Tigers were ranked at #7 in the 3A ICGSA poll at the end of the season.  We'd like to give you more details, but the KT is a subscription-only website.

With the graduation of a stellar, hard-working senior class at Bloomington South, the Hoosier Times is looking ahead to the next Bloomington school expected to make a splash on the girls basketball scene next season - Bloomington North.  With the great freshman duo of center Whitney Thomas and guard Kyle Jarrett, the return of several injured players, coach Steve Goddard is hopeful for things to come.

Mishawaka will not be joining the Duneland Athletic Conference after a vote by the Mishawaka School Board this week.  It looks like Penn will be following suit, after the following announcement appeared on the Penn High School website today:  
    
The Penn-Harris-Madison administration recommends that the school board turn down an invitation to Penn High School to join the Duneland Athletic Conference. "We appreciate the invitation but find that the single division concept proposed by the conference would burden our students and community in terms of travel distance and late night returns to Penn." said Superintendent Vickie L. Markavitch. The board of school trustees is scheduled to vote on the issue tonight at a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Educational Services Center.
   

Mishawaka says no to DAC; Penn next? - The Times
Mishawaka rejects DAC membership offer; Penn likely to follow - Herald-Argus
Mishawaka turns down DAC Penn to decide Thursday - Chesterton Tribune
Penn going to wire with DAC decision - Elkhart Truth

The great success of Terre Haute area teams this season inspired a great editorial in the Terre Haute Tribune Star about the girls game in general.

A few news items and notes from college basketball:
   
Lake Central product and Purdue senior Kelly Komara was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, as well as to the All Big Ten Team.  Komara is the first Purdue player ever named defensive POY and earned that title by averaging 3.88 steals per game to lead the Big Ten this season.  Jeffersonville grad Mary Jo Noon was named Big Ten Honorable Mention.
   
Ball State and first-year head coach Tracy Roller (Crown Point) have taken team accomplishments to a new height this season after capturing the MAC West Division Conference title.  The Cardinals are 21-6 overall, which sets a new win total for the Ball State women's basketball program.  BSU lines up as the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament which begins on March 6.
   

According to the Ft. Wayne News Sentinel, Michigan State junior Vnemina Reese (Ft. Wayne South Side) has elected to forego her senior year of eligibility next season.  Reese, who redshirted as a freshman, will graduate in May and decided that she would not put off some life plans for a year because of basketball.

The semi-state weekend brought some great teams together for some great games, and except for North Vermillion's 68-48 win over Loogootee, no team was assured a win going into the fourth quarter in Saturday's semi-state games.  In fact the average margin of victory in those seven other games was just about 5.5 points.  A great day of basketball for fans of the game.
  
The RRR made it to two different semi-states on Saturday, picking up the Highland v. Ft. Wayne Luers game first at Plymouth, and then the North Judson v. Shenandoah  game at Warsaw.
   
Setting the tone early.  Anyone who had seen the post play of Highland and Luers during the regular season knew this game would be a battle down low.  Our guess is that the officials knew that, too, as they let both teams play their game in a very physical contest.  Both Highland sophomore Julie DeMuth and Luers senior Megan Dossen tangled early and often throughout, battling for position in a game where each possession could swing the momentum one way or another for minutes at a time.  DeMuth went to the bench early in the game after drawing blood from a hit to the forehead right above the nose, and was keyed by the entire Luers defense throughout the game, as evidenced by the DeMuth shot captured at right.  But don't be mistaken.  Highland gave back as good as they got in this war.  
   
Four-peat?  With their 12-point win over Highland on Saturday, Luers advances to a state championship game for the fourth time in four years.  Luers moved up from class 2A this season, where they had set a new state record for consecutive state championships with three in 2A.  Not too many were giving the Knights a chance to get that far early in the season.  With a new head coach in Teri Rosinski, a move up in class and the loss of a great senior class, those predictions seemed prolific with some unexpected losses during the season -- except to the Lady Knights themselves, who had other ideas.  If the Knights should be able to repeat as state champs this Saturday, senior Megan Dossen, who played on the three previous Luers state championship teams, could become the first player in Indiana history to play on four state championship teams in girls basketball.
   
Fan turnout.  The Highland contingent was in full force at Plymouth, although in somewhat smaller numbers than last year's tournament run that ended at Warsaw.  They surely outnumbered the Luers fans about four to one on this day though.  Luers, being a private school, does not have the same type of community-based fan support that public schools enjoy.  That certainly wasn't true for both the Shenandoah and North Judson fan following.  The Warsaw gym was packed at both ends for the 2A game, with a number of Hebron fans still in attendance to savor their 1-point win over Clinton Prairie.  Both crowds were loud and rowdy, and there was a lot of testosterone and body language being thrown across the gym between the male classmates of both teams.  (All in fun, of course.)  It was a great atmosphere for the girls on both teams, and a great show of support by both communities.
   
Superfans.  One thing can be said for the Luers superfans, despite their small numbers.  They have a lot of moxie.  Just before the game began, about 25 of them wandered over to the bleachers directly behind the Highland bench to give the Trojans a "special delivery" dose of discouragement during the pregame introductions.  They didn't do too much damage, however, as they were chased away by game personnel before things could get out of hand.
   

Who was that girl?  She came out of nowhere and didn't even need a mask and a cape, because who would have expected a freshman to be the leading semi-state scorer for a three-time state champion team?  Luers frosh Stefanie Gerardot (5'9 G), who had a decent rookie season averaging nearly 10 points and 3 assists per game during the season, delivered a 21-point, four-steal performance on Saturday, leading her team in both categories.  Gerardot (pronounced "Jurardough") was eight for nine from the field and two for three from 3-point range.  There is a telling article in the Ft. Wayne News Sentinel about this frosh beyond her  years, who coach Teri Rosinski is convinced can be the best player in the state by the time she is a senior.
   

A game of percentages.  Gerardot was not the only player to deliver an outstanding shooting performance for Luers on Saturday.  The entire team shot 66.7% from the field for the game (18 for 27), while Highland connected on only 14 of 44 for 31.8%.  And while Luers was definitely not stellar from the charity stripe (15 of 26 for 57.7%), Highland was even less stellar, hitting just 8 of 20 for 40%.
   
Going out in style.  Highland may have struggled from the field and the line for the most part on Saturday, but senior Traci Jerkins, known around the Region for her bombs from way downtown, gave a career-ending performance to remember.  She did not stray far from her long-range M.O. on Saturday, knocking down five of 11 from 3-point land (45.5%) for a team high 17 points.
   
Take notice.  Besides Gerardot, several other players from the Class of 2005 made their presence known in the north.  South Bend Riley frosh Kendra Reynolds (6'0 F/C), who impresses with an athletic and aggressive approach to the game, scored 20 points and pulled down a team-high 9 rebounds in her team's victory over Northrop.  The Bruins had a frosh of their own who showed up to play.  Jamika Banks (5'10 F), who came into Saturday's game averaging a respectable seven points a game, delivered 13 points and five rebounds for a spark off the bench.  For Shenandoah, frosh guard Chelsea Miller (5'9 G) produced 18 points as the Raiders' leading scorer in a state-bid 57-50 win over North Judson, accounting for nearly one-third of her team's total offense in the game.
  
Triple threat.  How important are South Bend Riley's "Big Three" to the Wildcats game plan?  On Saturday, juniors Suntana Granderson (24 points) and Crystal Norman (19 points), together with frosh Kendra Reynolds (20 points), accounted for all but two of Riley's 65-point total for the day.  Even more interesting is that Riley only logged five assists as a team for the day.  These three can play one-on-one ball.
 
Senior plans.  North Judson seniors Kelly Boyd and Melinda Bunkowfst are considering diverse plans after high school.  The two seniors, who have been deadly in the paint all season for the Bluejays, led the scoring charge on Saturday with a combined 37 of North Judson's 50 points.  According to today's Post-Tribune (not online) the 6'5 Boyd is getting some serious looks from both Butler and IPFW.  Valparaiso has also expressed an interest, but has not been heard from by NJ head coach Kevin Brown lately.  Boyd, who averaged 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season, would like to play D1 and is a legitimate talent with seemingly great potential at the college level for a program that is smart enough to pick her up.  Bunkowfst, Boyd's partner in beneath-the-basket crime, plans to get married in June after graduation.
   
Mr. Speedy.  Mark Smith, who was on hand to do the color commentary for the AT&T broadcast of the Highland game at Plymouth, was spotted semi-state hopping on U.S. 30 Saturday.  After finishing up post-game interviews and jumping into his car to head to Warsaw, the mild-mannered reporter passed up the RRR-mobile going much faster than our 70 mph.  Too deep in thought to notice the "CP DOGS" license tag on our vehicle, Mark breezed by us before we could even get his attention to wave hello. ( We tried to take his picture going by, too, but he was traveling faster than our camera's shutter speed.  ;-)
   

We've got you covered.  Besides the AT&T telecast of the Highland game, no less than five radio stations were on hand to broadcast the day's events from Plymouth.  From the Region, WHLP 89.9 FM and WJOB 1240 AM did the play-by-play for fans who couldn't attend the game.  This is a great time for girls to be a part of the game.  Coverage hasn't always been as thorough as it has been over the past few years.  Hats off to all the radio and television stations that broadcast the semi-state finals around the state.
   
We hooked up what we could yesterday in terms of online coverage, but there was more today.  Be sure to check our Scores & Recaps page for complete reading on Saturday's games.  We also have some pictures from both the Highland and North Judson games.  Not our best work, but better than nothin'!  Hope you like the new slideshow format.
   
3A Plymouth Semi-State Slideshow - Highland v. FW Luers
2A Semi-State Slideshow - North Judson v. Shenandoah

The online newspapers are already on the ball, with some news and notes of what happened over the semi-state weekend, as well as some previews heading into this weekend's state finals.
   
No time for rest as Riley faces one more test - South Bend Tribune
Hebron hits new heights - Post Tribune (one-day)
Team turnaround for Hebron - The Times
Back to state (Luers) - FW News-Sentinel
Northrop run out of tournament - FW News Sentinel
Raiders seek repeat of tourney success (Shenandoah) - Star Press
They're back (Shenandoah) - Anderson Herald Bulletin

Not online, but the Post-Tribune is reporting today that Hammond Gavit senior Leslie Tyburski is closing in on an offer from Division 1 Georgetown University.  The 5'10 guard averaged 19.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season.  

If you missed the announcement on our message board, Pat Aikman, director of the Indiana All-Stars Series, passed along the following information:
   
The ballots for the coaches went out yesterday via e-mail to the athletic directors. The ADs are then supposed to give the ballot to the coaches. This is the first time--for the sake of economy--that we have tried e-mail. Some of the media ballots will go out this way, too, and the rest will go regular mail. The ballots are due back Wed., March 6. Miss BB will be named March 17 and the rest of the girls team on March 24.

The post-season awards period is in full swing, and several publications are making their top picks known:
   
The LaPorte Herald-Argus has named New Prairie senior Meghan Pilarski as its Player of the Year.  She is joined by teammate Macara Hostetler, Oregon-Davis junior Britta Johnson, Glenn junior Angie Nifong and LaCrosse senior Sara Koselke on the Herald-Argus First Team.
   
The South Bend Tribune has named Wawasee senior Shanna Zolman and South Bend Riley junior Suntana Granderson as their Players of the year.  Coaches of the Year were Jeff Hull of South Bend Adams and Kevin Brown of North Judson.  Rounding out the squads for the annual All-Metro v. All-Area showdown (set for March 7 at Bethel College) are:
   

   
The Goshen News has named its first, second and third teams for the season.  Player of the Year Shanna Zolman is joined by Carol Duncan of NorthWood, Jessica Ramey of West Noble, Crystal Yoder of Lakeland and Shanna Hoogenboom of Goshen.  Coach of the Year is Kem Zolman of Wawasee.

All-conference announcements are taking place all around the state, and rather than give a conference-by-conference list, we've started a thread on our message board for everyone to report All-Conference awards.  However, we will report NWI conference results here.  Please feel free to add your conference awards and results to the thread.

Conference members use all types of voting methods to reach their all-conference selections, but at least one conference -- the Ohio River Valley Conference -- is considering revamping their voting methods after a great deal of controversy in this season's selections.  More in the Madison Courier.

Indiana University head coach Kathi Bennett is back on the sidelines after spending time away from her team due to a neck injury in a car crash on February 8.  Bennett broke the second vertebrae in her neck and is now making a recovery with a walking halo that keeps her neck aligned with her back.  Bennett came back to contribute from the sideline and honor her seniors players at the last IU home game of the season yesterday.  More in the Hoosier Times.

For the second year in a row, Wawasee senior Shanna Zolman has been nominated for the prestigious Naismith Prep Basketball Player of the Year Award.  Last year, Naismith winner Shyra Ely (Ben Davis) and nominee Jacqueline Batteast (SB Washington) were nominated along with Zolman for the award.  Let's hope for a second Indiana winner in two years!  Complete details and other nominees can be found in the South Bend Tribune.

T-minus two days and counting until the Semi-State games on Saturday.  Here's the latest online:
   
 Riley on verge of State Finals - SB Tribune
South seniors lead with attitude - Tribune-Star
Versatile Gophers create winning formula on court - Lafayette Journal & Courier
(check for more articles on our Scores & Reports)

Well, the invitation list is set for the Duneland, with Lake Central, Penn and Mishawaka getting the nod to join.  Lake Central looks like they'll be jumping at the chance, but Penn and Mishawka are still mulling it over.  All schools will have to state their intentions by March 1.  More coverage:
   
Coaches see both sides of possible move to DAC - SB Tribune
Questions swirling on league issues - SB Tribune
Athletes concerned about travel time, too - SB Tribune
LaPorte coaches react to revamped Duneland conference - Herald-Argus
Penn, Mishawaka, Lake Central invited to join DAC - Chesterton Tribune

After being ranked No. 3 in the USA Today Super 25, Bloomington South fell off the radar screen after losing to Terre Haute South, who now appears in the No. 20 spot.  TH South is also listed as the No. 6 team in the Midwest.

Boy, when you think you're having a string of luck, there's always someone who has it worse.  The Shelbyville News has a feature article about Bishop Chatard coach Dawn Grinnage and her trials and tribulations this season.

Former Highland standout Jennifer Kaczka was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar Athlete First Team.  The Wichita State standout has a 3.143 GPA to go along with her contributions on the court of 16.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game this season.  More at the Wichita State women's basketball website.

Franklin College freshman Jenny Cooper (Connersville) will be sitting out the rest of the season after a season-ending ankle sprain resulted in five torn ligaments so severe that they popped a hole in her skin.  According to the Johnson County Daily Journal, Cooper has many months of rehabilitation before she can compete on the basketball floor again.  The Grizzlies will miss her, as the rookie was averaging 10.0 points per game to go along with 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals.  Franklin College (21-5) is in the midst of the HCAC Tournament, where they beat first-round opponent Bluffton by 38 points.

As they did last year, Tom and Sandy Howley from Shelby County were relentless in their mission to get autographs on a basketball to be auctioned for charity.  Last year it was the signatures of all the former Mr. Basketball winners still living.  This time around, they've secured the signatures of all 26 Miss Basketball winners.  The male version of this unique memorabilia was auctioned off for $17,000, with all proceeds going to Triton Central athletic programs.  The Howleys are hoping for similar results with the female version.  The Indianapolis Star has some interesting tidbits of how some of the signatures were secured.

The college career of Anderson University senior Rachel Miller (Anderson Highland) is the subject of an article in the Anderson Herald Bulletin.

An exciting weekend of regional action has produced the Final Four pairings for this weekend's semi-state events.  The RRR was at the Valparaiso Regional where three very good games, the first going to double overtime, were attended by a really nice crowd at both midday and evening sessions.  
   
The first game between Valpo and Gary West Side was an absolute marathon.  There were so many clutch baskets made by different players throughout game for both sides.  Valpo's Brooke McAfee had an especially great final high school outing with 22 points.  West Side's Michelle Jones almost matched McAfee in scoring with 20, and sophomore Karima Davies also pitched in 18 for the West Side cause.  It was a great effort by the mostly senior lineup for Valpo, with only seven Viking players making it onto the floor during the 40-minute game.  A deep West Side roster simply wore down the Vikings in the end, and the much-heralded Cougar freshman class, especially Ashley Gates (14 points off the bench for the day), lived up to the hype, contributing some clutch shots when they were needed most.
   
The final game of the day between South Bend Riley and Gary West Side was a thriller as well, going down to the wire.  Some outstanding performances from a number of players were significant, most notably from Riley frosh Kendra Reynolds, who came up with some huge offensive and defensive plays late in the game.  With Riley's Big Three -- Reynolds, Suntana Granderson and Crystal Norman -- doing most of the scoring (59 of Riley's 66 points), the Wildcats were able to overcome a 5-point deficit very late in the game to walk away with the championship hardware.  West Side's Jones was phenomenal, scoring 28 points, including two consecutive treys in the waning seconds of the game.  One sour note at the end of the evening was when the Riley fans rushed the floor, trampling one of the Wildcat players.  We couldn't see who she was, but she had to be helped off the floor with what looked like a knee injury.  Hope she is okay. 
   
We took A LOT of photos to share with everyone, and our roving photographer Bob Strempka was snapping away as well.  You can view all the photos of the action on our Valparaiso Regional Photo Gallery.  Also, new pictures were added to the Portage Sectional Photo Gallery as well with shots from the Valpo v. Chesterton, Hobart v. Crown Point and Valpo v. Crown Point games.  Thanks to Bob Strempka for a fine job!  

We've updated the Scores & Recaps page with some new online articles from regional action over the weekend.  (It took a couple of days for some of them to show up online.)  Can't help but think that the RRR has become a great scouting resource for coaches around the state looking to find out information about teams from out of their area.

The schedule for this weekend's semi-state games is now set.  Game 1 at each location will begin at 1:00 p.m. (local time for each location), while Game 2 at each will begin at 3:30 p.m.  All tickets are $7.00.
   
WARSAW
Game 1 – Class A Hebron (24-2) vs Clinton Prairie (21-4)
Game 2 – Class 2A North Judson (24-1) vs Shenandoah (21-3)

PLYMOUTH
Game 1 – Class 3A Highland (21-5) vs Ft. Wayne Luers (19-5)
Game 2 – Class 4A South Bend Riley (23-3) vs Ft. Wayne Northrop (17-8)

SOUTHPORT
Game 1 – Class 2A North Putnam (22-2) vs Southwestern (Hanover) (23-2)
Game 2 – Class 4A Ben Davis (19-8) vs Terre Haute South (23-2)

SOUTHRIDGE
Game 1 – Class A North Vermillion (23-1) vs Loogootee (18-6)
Game 2 – Class 3A Brebeuf Jesuit (25-2) vs Gibson Southern (23-4)

As expected, media coverage for this weekend has already started:
   
Riley girls headed to 4-A Final Four - SB Tribune
Area teams ready to try semistate (Loogootee, Southwestern) - Courier-Press

The IHSAA tournament action of NWI teams has been covered extremely well so far by the great Region media.  Complete play-by-play of the sectionals at Portage and West Side, as well as the Valparaiso Regional, were broadcast on WHLP 89.9 FM.   Updates from other sectionals and regionals were passed along throughout the radio broadcasts.  The Crown Point v. Valparaiso sectional final was broadcast on AT&T Cable television, as well as the Highland v. Northwestern Regional final.  The Highland game was broadcast Saturday evening and will be broadcast again on Wednesday (tonight) at 7:00 p.m.  Can't say enough about the great job the newspapers, radio and television teams are doing in covering girls basketball this season.  Again, all of us in NWI should be extremely thankful for all the extra-mile efforts by those making this coverage possible.  WHLP will be broadcasting from the 3A and 4A Plymouth Semi-State this weekend, and if they can get enough commercial sponsorship, the games at the 1A and 2A Warsaw Semi-State will be broadcast as well.  Anyone interested in advertising with the Regional Radio Sports Network to make that Warsaw broadcast possible can call Bob Potosky at 219-663-2221 ext. 18.  (Although I'm not sure there will be anyone left in Hebron to hear the game on the radio... they'll all be in Warsaw!)
   
For those of you outside of the WHLP listening area, the Plymouth Semi-State games will also be broadcast via the Internet by Hoosier 103.5 FM.  The state finals on March 2 will be broadcast via the Internet by Hoosier 103.5 as well.  More details can be found on the Hickory Husker website.

Wawasee senior Shanna Zolman will be the sole Hoosier representative in this year's Phoenix/WBCA High School All-America Game, to be played on April 6 in Hartford, Connecticut.  (Details on the WBCA website.)  Zolman is one of 20 players on what the WBCA is describing as possibly "one of the best groups of talent we have ever assembled."  The game will be televised live on ESPN2.  Also, the South Bend Tribune is reporting that Zolman will have her jersey retired in a ceremony during Friday's halftime of the Wawasee v. Tippy Valley boys game.

The Porter County edition of The Times has lots of news, notes and season-end stats on Porter County girls basketball.

The ICGSA 2002 Academic All-State and Academic All-State Honorable Mention lists have been released.  ICGSA academic honors were based upon a combination of GPA, SAT scores and class rank.  Only those seniors who were nominated by their coaches were considered.  Congratulations to all seniors around the state who were able to attain high academic achievements during a hectic high school sports career.  Locally, the following girls basketball players were named as all-state academic achievers.  
   

If anyone ever doubted it, the Region plays defense with a capital "D".  According to the always-interesting game stats site Indiana High School Basketball, seven of the top 15 defensive teams hail from Lake and Porter Counties.  The always tough Valparaiso defense leads the state in limiting their opponents' scoring, averaging 35.46 points allowed per game this season.  The top 15 list is as follows:
   
DEFENSIVE AVERAGE
1. Valparaiso 35.46 
2. Griffith 35.86 
3. North Putnam 36.17 
4. Whiting 36.33 
5. Borden 36.48 
6. Highland 36.54 
7. Fountain Cent. 38.13 
8. Union City 38.52 
9. Angola 38.71 
10. Wash. Catholic 38.95 
11. Hebron 39.00 
12. Crown Point 39.18 
13. Gibson Southern 39.41 
14. TH South 39.52 
15. Calumet 39.68

Whiteland senior Megan Liffick has been named the Daily Journal Johnson County Player of the Year for the second year in a row.  Liffick "shattered" the county scoring record by 278 points this season.  The Daily Journal also named the members of its All-County Team, which include Liffick, sophomore Adrienne Squire of Indian Creek, senior Morgan Goode of Franklin, senior Lindsay Atkinson of Greenwood and junior Erin Ladyman of Center Grove.

Decatur Central senior Dana Collins was recently interviewed by GBall Magazine with respect to her recruiting experiences.  Collins is headed to Ball State next fall, and was also recruited by Loyola, Bowling Green and Toledo.

After losing to a good North Putnam team on Saturday, Triton Central coach Larry Pringle put speculation to rest that he would be resigning.  According to the Indianapolis Star, Pringle will be back, trying to find a more positive end to his career at TC.

In case you missed out on ordering the highly-touted 2001-02 Indiana High School Basketball Guide, published by High School Sports Publications, you can now download the entire guide online by conference.  I can't recall any publication making their book available online at no cost.  Kudos to HSSP for making this available to everyone around the state.  The downloads require Adobe Acrobat for viewing.  The entire index can be found the the HSSP website.  

Duneland Athletic Conference principals met last night to decide whether or not the league will expand after membership applications from Lake Central, East Chicago, Penn, Elkhart Central and Mishawaka were submitted.  According to the Post-Tribune, one member school is stating that at least one new school will be admitted to the conference.  More on the subject:
   
Will area team win Duneland lottery? - SB Tribune
   
UPDATE:  The Times has announced that Lake Central, Penn and Mishawaka have all been invited to join the Duneland.  Those three schools have until March 1 to make a decision.

Purdue's Mary Jo Noon (Jeffersonville) was the subject of GBall Magazine's One on One column recently.  Noon suffered stress fractures in her foot and a torn ACL during her career at Purdue, but now she is flying high as a solid contributor for the Boilermakers.

For the first time in her career, Toledo's Courtney Risinger (Terre Haute South) is this week's West Division Player of the Week.  In a pair of wins over Northern Illinois and Akron, Risinger averaged 24.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.  She connected on 71 percent of her shots from the floor, including 68 percent from 3-point range.  The senior guard tallied a school-tying eight 3-pointers en route to a season-high 30 points in the team's win over the Huskies.  The last of her triples was the game-winner, breaking a 53-53 tie with eight seconds left in regulation.  In the game, she went 10-of-13 from the field and was a blistering 8-for-10 from beyond the arc.  Against Akron, she had 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, four rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes of action.

Before we talk about anything here, an important newsflash:

The 2A Regional originally scheduled for Adams Central HAS BEEN MOVED to South Adams in Berne.

The entire girls basketball community is gearing up for a weekend of 4-team regionals, the first time girls basketball has been seen this format for regional play since the 1997 IHSAA Tournament under single class.  The RRR will be at the Valparaiso Regional where the  hosts will take on Gary West Side in the first game of the day, followed by South Bend Riley and Penn.  Here's our take on the key factors to the games at Valparaiso tomorrow.  (Sorry it got a bit long.)
  

Draw - The way the draw matched up the four sectional winners feeding into this regional couldn't have been any better for the fans or any worse for Penn and Valpo.  Both teams would have loved a first-round meeting, allowing West Side and Riley to wear each other out in their high-tempo, no holds barred approach to basketball.  The winner of the slow-paced game would have been well-rested and ready to control the evening game.  But, with the draw as it is, no team in this regional has an advantage based upon the draw, other than the winner of the first game getting a couple of hours extra rest before the evening final.
   
Tempo - Both first round games in this regional will be extremely interesting, as you couldn't find two more contrasting styles in Indiana high school girls basketball than Valparaiso/Penn and West Side/Riley.  But which two teams have the style advantage going in cannot be determined until everyone gets a feel for how the officials will be making the calls.  If the games are called close, watch for Valpo and Penn to gain the upper hand with a methodical tempo and trips to the charity stripe.  If the officials let the teams play, both Valpo and Penn could suffer considerably, as neither is well-equipped to get into an offensive, up-and-down the court showdown.  If Gary West Side and Riley make it to the finals, get out the heating pad because your neck will hurt after an evening of watching the back and forth action.  If Penn and Valpo make it to the finals, bring along a book to read during alternating possessions, because it might be one of the most slow-paced, plodding games you'll see all season.  If a game of mix-and-match styles is the result in the evening, again tempo (dictated by the way the game is called) could very well determine the winner.
   
Roster depth - With two games in one day for the morning winners, depth will play a key role for every team in regional play.  However, with the full-court, run-and-gun tempo of Gary West Side and South Bend Riley, any of the four teams could be lagging by the second quarter of the evening game.  Gary West Side and Penn may have the advantage here, as both rely on a balanced attack and expect scoring off the bench.  Conversely, Valpo and Riley may have the disadvantage, as they rely on a short player rotation and just 2-3 key players to make their teams go.  Seniors Brooke McAfee and Kelly Compton, the Vikings' offensive bread and butter in the post for Valpo, will have to be fresh in the evening game for the Vikes to be successful.  The one advantage is if they do make it to the second game and are tired, their close-range shots won't be as affected by fatigue as much as the Riley perimeter shooting of juniors Suntana Granderson and Crystal Norman could be.  
   

Offense v. defense - Both Penn and Valpo rely upon their controlled defense to win games.  Valpo ranks first in the state for least points allowed at 34.30 per game, and Penn isn't far behind at 39.91 points allowed.  Neither team is known for its shooting prowess, which will definitely be a problem if they cannot dictate game tempo.  However, Riley and Gary West Side are all offense, with a good bit of defense thrown in for good measure.  With two of the state's top gunners in Norman (20.8 ppg) and Granderson (17.6 ppg), only four 4A teams in the state scored more per game this season than Riley's 65.88 point average.  Norman lit up the nets for 43 points in her last outing, exceeding the 42-point school record set by Granderson earlier this year.  Keeping tabs defensively on both shooters will be a challenge even for the vaunted defenses of Penn and Valpo, especially since both present matchup problems with their size at 5'10 and 6'1.  However, the key to Riley is that they are so dependent upon these two.  Gary West Side, not far behind Riley in offensive average at 65.50 points per game, conversely relies on a very balanced attack that goes deep through their bench.  Only senior Michelle Jones averages in double figures (16.6 ppg), with seven players averaging 4.0 or more points per game.  Four of those players, including Jones, shoot better than 46% from the field.  But don't be fooled, the Side is comes in waves at you with their defense, too.  On a two-game day, with a deep bench that produces on both offense and defense, the Cougars will be a handful.
   
Experience - The Vikings step into tomorrow's regional with the most tournament experience under their belts.  During the fabled run to Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse in 2000, seniors McAfee, Compton, Brittany Landreth and Heather Hutton were along for the ride as sophomores.  They just finished playing to a nearly packed house at the Portage Sectional, where the atmosphere was hot and heavy, so they know how to play in a pressure-packed environment.  Gary West Side had the experience of playing in a very hostile Highland gymnasium last year at the Regionals, where they lost a heartbreaker in OT.  It doesn't get any crazier than that game for experience under the belt; but don't forget there is a bevy of freshmen on the West Side roster that have yet to experience what will take place tomorrow.  Riley was at the high-exposure McDonalds Prep event in Chicago this season which will help them as well.  Penn, however, was not really involved in any high-exposure, high-atmosphere events similar to Regionals. This shouldn't be a problem for their seniors, who are seasoned performers, but the underclass contingent of Penn's player rotation may experience a bit of the jitters before feeling comfortable on the floor. 
   
Strength of schedule - Interestingly, none of these teams ranks higher than 66th in Sagarin's strength of schedule rankings.  (See chart below.)  Experience against some of the tougher teams in the state should be helpful to those teams who pulled out wins in late-game situations.  
    

    
Claims to fame - Each team has accomplished  some major claims to fame for the season.  Valparaiso won the Duneland Conference in a  7-0 sweep.  Penn defeated (at the time) No. 1 Kokomo in a huge upset in January.  Besides a good showing against Whitney Young in Chicago, Riley defeated both Penn and Gary West during the regular season.  West Side, who has seen their sectional dreams taken away two years running, finally brought home the sectional hardware last weekend, but will have to prove to the doubters that two double-digit losses to 4A power McCutcheon doesn't mean they shouldn't be respected.
   
Team keys - Each team will have to make sure they accomplish some key goals if they are to win:
  

Valparaiso - Against the Side's full court pressure, the Vikings will have to do a better job of taking care of the ball than they did against sectional opponent Crown Point, who forced Valpo into 20 turnovers for the night.  Every possession will be critical from this point on, and the Vikes can't win if they lose possession before they get a chance to shoot the ball.  Post players Brooke McAfee, and especially Kelly Compton, who is probably the most critical piece the the Valpo offense, must stay out of foul trouble.  Also, Valpo's bench will have to contribute with some big minutes and at least 10 points to give Valpo a win.
   
Gary West Side - The Side will have to bring its intensity not just once, but twice if they make it out of the morning round.  With young players who are new to this type of environment, that might be a problem.  Although the Cougars are famous for their smothering "Speed Kills" defense, they will have to take care of the ball after they get the steals and convert on those opportunities when they get them.  Gary West will have to play in-your-face defense against Valpo's post players to wear them down and disrupt that patented high-low post offense.  A physical game, if allowed, will benefit the Cougars tremendously.
   
Penn - The Kingsmen will have to keep their fingers crossed that someone on their roster is hitting shots tomorrow.  A streaky offense will not see a second game, especially against Riley's sharpshooters.  Keeping track of Norman and Granderson will be a Herculean task, but not impossible.  If Penn can't control the tempo, though, it will be over earlier than later for the Kingsmen.
   
South Bend Riley - Riley will need to keep doing the things they've done all season to get to the second round.  There can be no let up or overlooking an opponent that they've already beaten.  Even an early lead could be threatened late if the heads get a little big in the process.  Playing straight-up defense, hustling after loose balls and playing team ball are necessary to move on.
  
OKAY, OKAY.  We know.  Too much information!

Pull up a chair and sit back for a ton of reading on the upcoming regional weekend:
   
General Coverage
Area matchups highlight girls regional tourneys - Post Tribune
Scouting area girls basketball regionals - The Times 
2-minute drill (news and notes) - The Times
Crunch Time - FW News-Sentinel
Rumbling on to regional - Anderson Herald-Bulletin

4A Valparaiso Regional
Pleased to meet you (Valpo, West Side) - The Times 
Patience pays off for Compton (Valparaiso) - The Times 
Valpo-West Side matchup pits top defenses - Post Tribune
A net gain for Riley (Coach Mike Megyesi) - SB Tribune
Riley won't take Penn for granted - SB Tribune
   Herculean effort required (Penn) - Elkhart Truth
   
4A Huntington North Regional
Yo-Yo Northrop - FW News Sentinel
Trojans, opponent new to regional atmosphere - Star Press
   
4A Bedford North-Lawrence Regional
Team's two big keys - Tribune Star
South faces stiff regional competition - Hoosier Times
New Albany prepares by scrimmaging boys - Courier-Journal
  
3A Twin Lakes Regional
Addition by subtraction works for Highland - Post Tribune
   
3A Peru Regional
Indians try to keep cooking (SB St. Joseph's) - SB Tribune
Rituals work well for quirky Cadets (FW Concordia) - News Sentinel
   
3A Greenfield-Central Regional
Top-ranked Alex faces unfamiliar opponent - Star Press
Family reunion adds to excitement of Alex tourney run - Star Press
   
3A Jasper Regional
Panthers forward making much noise with her play (North Harrison) - Courier Journal
     
2A Triton Regional
North Newton's iron lady (Brianne Harwood) - The Times 
   
2A Speedway Regional
Big three plus Little Three equals success (Triton Central) - Indy Star
Positive approach pays dividend for Park Tudor - Indy Star
Mustangs, Cougars set for revamped regional - Journal Review

2A South Adams Regional
Indians concerned with their own play (Mississinewa) - Chronicle Tribune
Experience not an issue for young Raiders - Star Press
   
1A Caston Regional
Gladdis gets the message (Washington Twp.) - The Times 
Culver now in underdog role - SB Tribune
Culver's Stacy Stevens standing tall - SB Tribune
   
1A Lapel Regional
Containing Tri-county standout top priority for Clinton Prairie - Journal & Courier
Wes-Del recapturing its success - Star Press

1A Southwestern (Shelbyville) Regional
Falcons, T-Birds set to battle in Class A regional - Tribune Star

1A Loogootee Regional
Borden gearing up for title run - Evening News
Borden trying to come down after winning sectional title - Evenng News
Blackhawks made history with sectional win (Springs Valley) - Courier-Journal

A couple of college commitments have crossed our desk during the past week.
   
Winchester point guard Laramie Smith (5'5) has committed to Franklin College.  Smith led the Golden Falcons to an 18-5 record, finishing out the season in a sectional final loss to Shenandoah by a score of 57-35.  Smith chose Franklin over several D1 and D2 programs on the East Coast.
   
Also, according to the Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Arlington senior Shanda Smith has committed to sign with St. Francis in Ft. Wayne.  Smith, a 6'0 guard/forward, helped her team to a 11-8 record this season.

The Post-Tribune is still continues with its Top 10 on a weekly basis.
   

The South Bend Tribune recently announced the Northern Indiana Conference selections for all-conference honors.

The Top 100 Girls Finalists for the McDonalds All-American Game were announced today.  Making the list from Indiana are Ashley Mays of Warren Central, Jenny Pfeiffer of Jennings County, Sharika Webb and Jessica Wright of Cathedral, and Shanna Zolman of Wawasee.  Also, 29 others from Indiana were nominated in the first round of voting, including NWI seniors Lauren Bechtold of Hebron and Alex Webster of Crown Point.

Bryan Alexander of Hoosier Girls Basketball Report will be conducting a spring exposure event at the University of Indianapolis on March 17th at 10am.  Dubbed the "Midwest Explosion",  this event will draw from the best talent in the Midwest.  All participants will be guaranteed three games.  College and high school officials will be used.  Expecting 175-225 players and 60 college coaches.  Cost is $70.  Anyone who hasn't attended in the past and would like an application can email Bryan at hoosiergbr@yahoo.com.

Ball State, which has been on a roll and is atop the MAC standings, received 8 votes in the latest Associate Press women's college basketball poll.  The Cardinals are on track to break a number of season records if they continue their winning ways under first-year head coach Tracy Roller (Crown Point).

Franklin College recently honored its undefeated women's team of 25 years ago.  Lots of good reading about the "days of long ago" in the Johnson County Daily Journal.

Two coaches resigned after the first round of sectional play on Tuesday.
   
Floyd Central coach Bill  Krammes, who compiled a 74-73 record over his 7-year tenure as head coach for the Highlanders, handed in his resignation the morning after a 73-56 first round loss to New Albany Tuesday evening.  Krammes, who saw his team ranked as high as No. 9 in the 4A ICGSA poll during the season, cited two reasons for his resignation -- the expectations of a larger time commitment than he is willing to take away from his family with the new summer rules, and his belief that he is not sure that he can take the FC program any higher than what it is presently.  Krammes leaves behind a strong nucleus for his replacement, with all five starters and 10 of FC's top 12 players returning from a 12-9 season.  In an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal, Krammes made it very clear that his decision had nothing whatsoever to do with his players.
   
Boonville head coach Jim Little tendered his resignation also, although his decision to resign was made midway through the season.  According to the Evansville Courier & Press, Little decided that he would resign before his daughter became eligible to play at the high school level.  His daughter will be a freshman next season, and he would prefer to watch her play instead of coach.

In case you missed it on our message board yesterday, Hoosier Basketball Magazine released its Top 100 Seniors list yesterday.  HBM's annual Top 40 Workout, which is scheduled for Sunday, March 10 at Ben Davis High School, will include invites culled from the Top 100 list.  Twelve NWI seniors (shown in bold below) were named to the list.
    

Also released yesterday was the updated Midwest Sports Publishing Post-Season Top 100 Seniors, Juniors, Sophs and Frosh.  Region senior players ranked on the first four teams by MSP include:
   
First Team
Alex Webster of Crown Point
Lauren Bechtold of Hebron
Michelle Jones of Gary West Side
Jamie Gutowski of Andrean
   
Second Team 
Carissa Triplett of Crown Point
Brooke McAfee of Valparaiso
Kelly Boyd of North Judson
   
Third Team 
Jillian Martin of Munster
 Lisa Matie of Hobart
Melinda Bunkowfst of North Judson
   
Fourth Team 
Kim Sliwa of Boone Grove
 Katie Beckman of LaPorte.  
   
High mention for the juniors was Lyndee Arnold of Highland.

Andrean's Jamie Gutowski is profiled in the Post-Tribune today (one-day link).  The 5'8 senior guard is finally getting back to her old form after suffering a second ACL tear during the summer.  The timing couldn't be any better, as the 59ers start sectional play tonight against Wirt.

And still the endless discussion goes on, this time in the Indianapolis Star, about whether or not Shanna Zolman will "actually" break Damon Bailey's scoring record if she surpasses the 3,134-point mark during tournament play.  Just 73 points off of breaking the record, Zolman would have to get all 73 points tonight if opponent Columbia City has its way.  The two will face off for the second time this season.  The first round went to CC in a 71-68 win at home.  On a neutral court, the Warriors believe it will be a different story this time around.  With all things being equal in terms of court neutrality, Sagarin predicts an 8-point Wawasee win.  (But then, Kokomo was supposed to beat McCutcheon by 4, according to Sagarin...)

The storied season of the Benton Central Bison is examined in the Lafayette Journal & Courier.  After losing two players to injuries at the start of the season, and then their coach, Sandy Herre, at mid-season, the Bison took awhile to make some major adjustments.  But with a great bye draw in the 3A Western Sectional, the Bison, especially seniors Ashley Green and Holli Brouillette, start a new season where the slate is wiped clean at 0-0 tonight.  With junior Lauren Budreau back at the point after recovering from a lingering knee injury, the Bison are poised to make up for an unexpected turn of events during a disappointing regular season.

A few more previews to tonight's sectional action are online:
   
North, South hope to earn title matchup - Bloomington Hoosier Times
Arties to battle No. 3 Braves - Martinsville Reporter-Times
Washington Catholic hopes slump's effects long gone - Courier & Press
Jeff isn't fazed by underdog role - Louisville Courier-Journal

Scottsburg senior Ashley Peacock is profiled in today's Louisville Courier-Journal.  One of only two seniors on the Warriorettes roster, Peacock worked hard and stuck out a losing string in junior high when many of her teammates decided to quit.  Scottsburg, who beat Jennings County in their season opener, and who lost to Jeffersonville, Columbus East and Bedford North Lawrence by less than 5 points, is the odds-on favorite to take the 3A Corydon Sectional.  Scottsburg faces the hosts in the second sectional game tonight.

According to the Bedford Times-Mail, the Bedford North Lawrence Lady Stars will be without starting center Chelsea Swalls, who suffered an ACL tear in Tuesday's victory over Seymour.  This is the second center the Stars have lost this season.  Courtney Gilstrap, who held the starting center position for the Stars at the beginning of the season, also succumbed to a season-ending injury.  The timing couldn't be any worse, as BNL will face New Albany tonight in the first game of the evening at New Albany.

The Jeffersonville Evening News makes its case for New Washington senior Sonya Wahl to be selected as an Indiana All-Star.  Wahl is currently ranked fourth on the IHSAA State Scoring Leaders with 24.8 points per game.

The latest USA Today Super 25 rankings have undefeated 4A No. 1 Bloomington South ranked as the No. 3 team in the nation behind Lynwood (CA) and Ribault (FL).  

The big news around the state coming out of Tuesday's IHSAA Sectional first round was the OT fall of 4A #5 Kokomo to upstart #12 McCutcheon on the Kats own floor by two points.  (Good coverage of the game is in the Lafayette Journal & Courier.)  The Mavericks look to have a clear path to a sectional championship, unless, of course, there is another upset in the Kokomo Sectional crystal ball.  Other upsets of note around the state included unranked Twin Lakes (16-6) over 3A #10 Frankfort (16-7),  unranked Northridge (8-13) over 3A #14 New Prairie (18-4), and unranked Park Tudor (9-11) o