OK, deep breath everyone.
We are through Christmas week, and we will soon find ourselves in 2020. Between the SAC Holiday Tournament and various shootouts and games throughout the state over the last few weeks, we have a lot of movement in Bounce’s weekly power poll.
A familiar team is still No. 1, but the rest of the field has seen a major overhaul.
1. BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN BRAVES (8-1)
WHY #1?
All the Braves did over the holiday was win the Noblesville Tournament by beating a trio of Class 4A teams, including an eight-win Columbus North team in the championship.
While Caleb Furst and Zane Burke have been as advertised, Marcus Davidson’s 37-point effort against Northridge shows that Blackhawk Christian has another big-time scoring weapon.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
No. 1 reigns over all heading into 2020.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 1-0
2. NORWELL KNIGHTS (8-0, 1-0 NE8)
WHY #2?
Will Geiger and the Knights have been on a tear to begin the season, with a 42-40 victory over Carroll on Dec. 21 the highlight.
Coach Mike McBride’s team is more than just Geiger, evidenced by the contributions coming from a talented freshman class and the defensive prowess of guys like Connor Torson, who just so happened to score the winning points in that win over the Chargers.
The Knights will compete with South Side later this week in the Thomas Moorman Memorial Holiday Tournament at Mishawaka Marian.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
At this point, Norwell despite being undefeated does not have the resume that Blackhawk Christian has.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 1-0
3. CARROLL CHARGERS (8-1, 2-0 SAC)
WHY #3?
Coach Marty Beasley’s team beat three solid opponents to win the SAC Holiday Tournament, including an 11-point victory over Snider in the final.
Sophomore Jalen Jackson gets a lot of hype, but it was the blue-collar work of the likes of Ray Vollmer, Sam Strycker and Ryan Preston (among others) that were the difference in the tournament.
The Chargers are off until next weekend when they will take on Bishop Dwenger and East Noble.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
The two-point loss to Norwell just before Christmas pushes the Chargers below the Knights.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 2-1
4. SNIDER PANTHERS (6-2, 1-1 SAC)
WHY #4?
The Panthers did exorcise some demons in beating Homestead in the SAC Holiday Tournament semifinal for the first time in five meetings, but Snider simply did not show up in the nightcap against Carroll.
Once again, the inconsistency of this team is what is so frustrating. Snider is a better team than what it showed in a loss to Wayne to open the SAC season as well as in last Saturday night’s defeat at the hands of the Chargers.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
As Bounce said above, this is once again a team high on talent but lacking consistency. Too many defensive breakdowns and too many cold stretches on the offensive end prevent this team from being any higher.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 1-1
5. HOMESTEAD SPARTANS (6-2, 2-0 SAC)
WHY #5?
A back-and-forth game against Snider ended in a two-point loss in the semifinals of the SAC Holiday Tournament for the Spartans.
Homestead should be fine going forward, particularly with the developing secondary scoring from the likes of Grant Simmons and Preston Barker.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
This is the spot for Homestead right now with the loss to Snider. Mid-January will be a tough test with games against South Side, Blackhawk Christian and Snider (again).
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 1-1
6. LEO LIONS (7-3, 1-0 NE8)
WHY #6?
Two of Leo’s three losses came to teams a combined 14-1 – South Bend St. Joseph (7-1) and Warren Central (7-0).
All told, the Lions have put together a sloppy loss at Concordia Lutheran behind them and have looked competitive in games against elite 3A and 4A foes.
D.J. Allen is a player to watch the rest of the season as he continues to prove himself in the post.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Leo is the highest team in Bounce’s top 10 with three or more losses.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 1-0
7. SOUTH SIDE ARCHERS (3-2, 2-0 SAC)
WHY #7?
Coach J.J. Foster’s team stands pat in Bounce’s top 10 despite a 10-point loss to Carroll in the SAC Holiday Tournament.
The sample size is still small for South, and Bounce may be ranking them higher than where they truly belong.
With games against Norwell, Mishawaka Marian and Pike coming up later this week, we will learn a lot about the Archers.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Again, South may very well be a good squad, it just needs to prove it. The health of Austin Jordan is also a concern after he suffered a knee injury in the Carroll game.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 0-2
8. PRAIRIE HEIGHTS PANTHERS (9-0, 5-0 NECC)
WHY #8?
The debut of the Panthers in this year’s power poll. Why not? Heights is 9-0, including a 26-point smashing of preseason NECC favorite Churubusco right before Christmas.
This squad may be lean on proven competition, but it has showed itself to be capable of dominating inferior teams, something that can’t be said about other programs under consideration for this spot.
The senior trio of Mike Perkins, Elijah Malone and Brandon Christlieb are averaging a collective 55 points per game.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Prairie heights can only play the teams on its schedule, but it is still tough to judge a team that doesn’t have any of the current top 10 on its slate this season.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 0-0
9. NEW HAVEN BULLDOGS (6-3, 1-0 NE8)
WHY #9?
Yes, the Bulldogs have lost three times by a significant margin, but each was to a state contender – Blackhawk Christian, Homestead and Warren Central.
This team will be in the thick of the NE8 race over the next two months and could be Leo’s biggest challenger when all is said and done.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
The losses have been telling. What also could be telling is a visit to Snider on Jan. 7.
RECORD VS. OTH TOP 10: 0-2
10. BISHOP LUERS KNIGHTS (3-3, 1-0 SAC)
WHY #10?
Wins over Mishawaka Marian and Northrop stand out in the early portion of the schedule, and the losses are Homestead (twice) and Warren Central.
In other words, the losses aren’t bad enough to warrant punishing Bishop Luers accordingly.
Led by Demarcus Hudson and Naylon Thompson, this team can score when it needs to. The questions remains, however, whether the Knights are strong enough defensively to slow down good opponents.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
To be honest, Bounce had trouble finding anyone worthy of the No. 10 spot. Bishop Luers needs to take this ranking and run with it.
RECORd VS. OTH TOP 10: 0-2
Other teams in the conversation (in no particular order): Central Noble (5-2), Westview (5-2), Bluffton (5-2), Bellmont (6-3).
These opinions represent those of Bounce and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Bounce on Twitter at Bounce_OTH
Be the first to comment