The plan was to wait for another week or so to do Bounce’s initial Power Poll of the 2020-21 campaign. After all, with games being canceled, postponed, rescheduled, etc. seemingly every day, there wasn’t much movement expected for a few weeks.
Hold that thought.
Bounce has seen enough transpire over the first few weeks of the season to make some changes, including a new No. 1.
No. 1 – BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN
Records: 3-0 overall; 1-0 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 2
The Braves ascend to the top spot in the power on the strength of three blowout victories by 50, 53 and 27 points, respectively. Included in those routs is a pasting of New Haven and a beatdown of Hamilton (OH), which features 7-foot Auburn commitment Sage Tolentino, who was held scoreless in the first half.
Four Braves are averaging in double figures, and Caleb Furst is averaging 22 and 12 so far this year.
Best win: New Haven
No. 2 – HOMESTEAD
Records: 3-0 overall; 0-0 SAC; 0-0 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 1
Homestead drops out of the top spot more because of what Blackhawk Christian has done instead of what the Spartans have NOT done.
Coach Chris Johnson’s team is off to a fine start, headlined by the 2OT win over Cathedral last Saturday at Brownsburg.
While the Spartans are hitting just 28 percent of their three-pointers through three games, they are 41-of-49 from the free throw line, good for 84 percent.
Best win: Cathedral
No. 3 – CARROLL
Records: 3-0 overall; 0-0 SAC; 0-0 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 3
Jalen Jackson has been a force through the early part of the year for the Chargers, highlighted by a 33-point, 10-rebound effort in a 10-point victory over Penn.
Coach Marty Beasley’s team has opened up sharp on both ends of the floor, with the defense holding Norwell to 37 points and East Noble just 26.
Speaking of Coach Beasley, he picked up his career win No. 300 in the triumph over Penn late last month.
Carroll has a pair of SAC road games upcoming – at Concordia Lutheran this Friday and at Wayne next Friday.
Best win: Penn
No. 4 – LEO
Records: 3-0 overall; 0-0 NE8; 2-0 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 4
No team has done more work on the SAC to begin the year than Leo, which has taken out the likes of South Side, Wayne and Snider already this season.
DJ Allen did work in the come-from-behind victory over Snider, scoring 33 and grabbing 10 rebounds, with seniors Zach Troyer and Blake Davison also big.
The scary thing is that Leo has had issues with quarantine, meaning it isn’t close to hitting its stride as it still gets used to playing together and, at times, being shorthanded.
Best win: Snider
No. 5 – CENTRAL NOBLE
Records: 2-0 overall; 0-0 NECC; 0-0 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 5
A bit too early to finalize the hierarchy of the NECC, but the Cougars are making an early case that they are the best team in the leagues.
Now, Westview will get a say in that as soon as this Saturday as the two are scheduled to meet.
But so far, Central Noble has looked the part, dispatching the likes of Canterbury and Angola by double digits.
Best win: Angola
No. 6 – SNIDER
Records: 2-1 overall; 0-0 SAC; 0-1 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 10
The first team with a loss in this week’s poll are the Panthers, who took Leo to overtime in what ended up being a very exciting early-season game.
Jade Moore, Aidan Lambert and Karson Jenkins have already emerged as consistent scorers for Snider, an aspect of the team that looked open to concern in the preseason.
This team remains a work in progress, but early signs are promising.
Best win: Merrillville
No. 7 – BISHOP LUERS
Records: 0-0 overall; 0-0 SAC; 0-0 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 9
Coach Fonso White’s team has looked good in…not playing?
Well, they are undefeated.
Bishop Luers can prove itself early on with a road test at Leo tonight.
Best win: N/A
No. 8 – WESTVIEW
Records: 2-1 overall; 1-0 NECC; 1-0 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: NR
Coach Ed Bentley already has a signature win in his new gig as the head of Westview as the Warriors went on the road and beat Churubusco by 15 last week.
There was concern that without Charlie Yoder, this team was going to have troubles, particularly on the offensive end. Yet through three games the Warriors are averaging 66 points per game.
A home showdown with Central Noble looms this weekend.
Best win: Churubusco
No. 9 – NEW HAVEN
Records: 0-1 overall; 0-0 NE8; 0-1 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 7
Well, the Bulldogs have played just a single game thus far, and it was a 53-point loss to Blackhawk Christian.
But Bounce is being patient before he jumps completely off the New Haven bandwagon. The Braves are just THAT GOOD, seriously.
Coach Bruce Stephens’ team has Woodlan and Homestead on tap this week.
Best win: N/A
No. 10 – CHURUBUSCO
Records: 0-1 overall; 0-1 NECC; 0-1 vs. current Top 10
Previous Rank: 6
It is fair to say that the Eagles did not look good in their lone game thus far – a 15-point loss to Westview at home.
Both Landen Jordan and Jackson Paul fouled out in the contest, which exposed Churubusco for how thin it really is outside of its Big 2.
But this is still a very strong basketball team, so Bounce cannot drop ‘Busco out of his Top 10 quite yet.
Best win: N/A
IN THE ARGUMENT (in no particular order)
South Side: 1-1
Wayne 2-1
Bishop Dwenger 0-0
Huntington North 1-1
South Adams 0-0
Angola 1-2
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