BOYS BASKETBALL: Top 10 for Week of 1/16/17

#10.
LAKE CENTRAL INDIANS
9-6/2-0

 

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LAST WEEK: NR

 

Raise your hand if you thought at any point of the that season the Indians would be tied for first in the DAC….anybody? Despite an offense that averages just 55.5 points a game, LC is getting it done, winning four of their last five. The meat of the DAC schedule is still to come, so we’ll see how long the Tribe stays in the rankings, but it’s a well deserved spot for the time being.

 

#9
CHESTERTON TROJANS
9-5/0-2

 

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LAST WEEK: #7

 

Its been a rough stretch for the Trojans, dropping four of their last six, including both of their conference matchups (LaPorte & Merrillville). It doesn’t get much easier as their next four are all against teams ranked in the RSN Top 10 – Andrean, Crown Point, Lake Central and Michigan City. At least three of them are at home.

 

#8
LAPORTE SLICERS
11-3/1-1

 

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LAST WEEK: #10

 

It may not always be pretty when the Slicers hit the court, but they are efficient, having won five of their last six. LaPorte’s defense first style needs to be at its best coming up as Michigan City, Crown Point and Valpo are on the schedule for three of their next four.

 

#7
LOWELL RED DEVILS
11-4/2-1

 

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LAST WEEK: #8

 

Despite a home loss, the Devils move up a spot in the rankings thanks to a bounce back win over Lake Central on Tuesday evening. Winners of nine out of the last 10, Lowell faces a brutal stretch in late January/early February with Munster, Merrillville, Andrean and EC Central in a four game stretch – maybe they’ll move up even further if they manage to go 2-2 in that span.

 

#6
ANDREAN 59ERS
9-1/1-0

 

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LAST WEEK: #6

With their only game of last week (against Lafayette Central Catholic) postponed, the Niners stay locked into the #6 spot in the Region Sports rankings. That likely won’t be the case next time the poll is released, as Andrean can make a statement one way or another on Wednesday night when they travel to Chesterton.

 

#5
GRIFFITH PANTHERS
12-1/3-0

 

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LAST WEEK: #5

 

The Panthers faced top shelf competition last weekend for the first time all season – and they came out even. A win at Lowell proved that Griffith remains at the top of the NCC ladder, but a double digit loss to Crown Point shows they may be half a notch below the Region’s elite. With road games at EC Central and Andrean on the docket before the end of January, Griffith will be able to shed the label that they aren’t battle tested, but will they be victorious?

 

#4
MICHIGAN CITY WOLVES
12-4/1-1

 

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LAST WEEK: #3

 

It’s time for the Wolves to get comfortable at home. Out of their final eight games, five of them will be at “The Den”….and oh yeah, the sectional will be there as well. But before that, City has their sights set on a conference title – they’re only a game behind the pace and both of their DAC games have been decided by three points. Fellow Top 10 team LaPorte comes to town on Friday in a game we can only hope to be half as good as when they met on the gridiron.

 

#3
MERRILLVILLE PIRATES
10-4/1-1

 

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LAST WEEK: #1

 

The loss to Crown Point kept the Pirates from keeping pace with the top of the DAC, but the 30 point victory over Munster the following night showed that TJ Lux’s squad wouldn’t let the loss linger. With an offense that averages over 70 points a game, the Pirates are going to be a major factor in the conference race and in the post-season as well.

 

#2
CROWN POINT BULLDOGS
11-2/1-1

 

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LAST WEEK: #4

 

No team in the Region, or maybe even the state, had as good of a weekend as the ‘Dogs did. It started with their seven point win at rival Merrillville on Friday and continued with a double digit victory over then undefeated Griffith at home on Saturday. A back-to-backer like that puts the losses to Pike & Michigan City in the rear view. The Crowners will need to ride this momentum as another tough weekend looms, with a trip to Chesterton and then a showdown against Warsaw – the team that eliminated them in the Regional championship a year ago, on the schedule.

#1
VALPARAISO VIKINGS
12-2/2-0

 

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LAST WEEK: #2

 

Rebounding nicely from a loss to Penn, the Vikings swept last weekend’s action with a late win over Michigan City and a 14 point drubbing of New Prairie. Valpo leads the DAC with a defense that gives up just 48.1 points per game and they’ve only given up more than 60 four times this year. Sole possession of the Duneland lead is on the line Friday as the Vikings host Lake Central.