The holidays put my Power Poll on hiatus, but I am back and better than ever (I guess) to open the thick of the conference races.
Can anyone make sense of the season thus far? Take any team outside of the top two and you can poke holes in their ranking. Try and figure it out after the top six or so and it is complete guesswork.
Let’s start with Homestead, who was at No. 9 in the last poll. But the Spartans have since lost to Leo, which lost to two-win Canterbury and Norwell. Norwell lost to Adams Central by 32 points, which lost to Bellmont, which lost to Concordia and Columbia City. Concordia fell to Carroll, which lost to Bishop Dwenger which lost to Central Noble.
See? Absolute craziness.
Is it parity or mediocrity? They aren’t the same thing. I am leaning towards the latter, but let’s hope we see some surprises come March.
No. 1 – WAYNE GENERALS (8-3, 3-0 SAC)
The hyped up matchup between the Generals and North Side last Friday turned out to be a one-sided affair. A close game at halftime turned into a blowout as Coach Anthony Brewer’s team held the Legends to just 13 points over the final two quarters in a 24-point rout.
Wayne is the most complete team in the area right now. Yes, it has three losses, including a 14-point defeat at the hands of Arsenal Tech on Saturday, but that trio of setbacks have come against good competition.
In an indication that the Generals’ best days are ahead, six of the team’s top seven scorers are underclassmen.
No. 2 – BISHOP LUERS KNIGHTS (9-1, 3-0 SAC)
It was a fruitful weekend for the Truesdale twins, with Dereon and Drelyn combining for 26 points in Friday’s win over Concordia Lutheran, then followed that up with a game day visit to Muncie as Ball State hosted Central Michigan.
The junior duo have been pivotal for the Knights in their fast start as the team’s top two scorers.
Why Not Higher?
Bishop Luers, through no fault of its own, has only played two teams that currently have winning records – Leo and Northridge – and has only beaten one of them (the Lions on Dec. 5).
No. 3 – BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN BRAVES (10-3)
Coach Matt Roth’s squad has won five of six after a pair of weekend dubs over Mishawaka Marian and Concordia Lutheran. As a junior, Kellen Pickett has emerged as one of the area’s best players, averaging 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
An interesting week upcoming, with Homestead and Bishop Luers on tap between today and Saturday.
Why Not Higher?
Not only does Blackhawk Christian have a loss to North Side that opened the season, it also fell to Columbia City right before Christmas.
Is Blackhawk good? Yes. Are they REALLY good? That’s up for debate.
No. 4 – FAIRFIELD FALCONS (6-3, 2-0 NECC)
Exhibit A on the craziness of the first Power Poll of 2024.
If you missed it, over the holiday break Fairfield owned North Side at Trine, executing on both ends of the floor for a full 32 minutes in a 54-43 victory.
It wasn’t a fluke, as the Falcons outworked the Legends and put on a clinic in the half-court offensively – extra passes, great court vision, superb shooting.
The NECC Tournament is on tap this week.
Why Not Higher?
Fairfield began the season losers of its first two. Could this be the highest the Falcons are all season in my poll? Or do they have staying power?
No. 5 – ADAMS CENTRAL FLYING JETS (6-1, 2-0 ACAC)
The Flying Jets began the season in my top five and here they still are, despite a loss to Bellmont a few days before Christmas.
It is always tough for kids to lock in just before or during the holidays, so does Adams Central deserve a pass? Well, if you do it for AC you need to do it for everyone.
A 32-point rout of Norwell on Dec. 30 was impressive.
Why Not Higher?
Because I have no idea where to rank anyone at this point.
No. 6 – NORTH SIDE LEGENDS (9-4, 2-1 SAC)
The last few weeks have been very telling for the Legends, who perhaps got a bit more love than they deserved from pollsters around the state for their 7-0 start.
North is just 2-4 since that start, including a rout at the hands of Wayne last Friday.
The Legends no doubt challenged themselves over the holiday at both Trine and the Bob Wettig Memorial down at Richmond, but the results weren’t up to the expectations that many felt when North rolled through the first four weeks of the regular season.
Also, anyone else enjoying watching Jordan King on the basketball court? Future Purdue footballer is an underrated player on the hardwood.
Why Not Higher?
Just two wins in their last six.
No. 7 – WARSAW TIGERS (7-2, 1-1 NLC)
Junior Carson Gould was the hero last Friday for the Tigers with a tip-in at the buzzer that propelled the team to a big road win over Northridge.
The victory was Warsaw’s fourth straight dub since back-to-back losses to North Side and Wawasee by a combined six points in mid-December.
A trip to Penn and a visit to former Northrop coach Barak Coolman is next on tap for the Tigers.
Why Not Higher?
That one-point loss to North Side keeps Warsaw behind the Legends. For now.
No. 8 – COLUMBIA CITY EAGLES (8-6, 1-1 NE8)
There may be no more befuddling team in the area than Columbia City.
On the one hand, the Eagles have victories over Carroll, Blackhawk Christian and 10-win Bellmont.
On the other, CC has fallen to squads like East Noble and Concordia.
For now, Columbia City sits firmly in the top 10 for the first time this season.
Why Not Higher?
Uh, six losses maybe?
No. 9 – LAKELAND LAKERS (7-3, 4-1 NECC)
How about some more NECC love?
Some will scoff at this ranking, but Lakeland’s lone NECC loss was to Fairfield, which as we mentioned above, beat North Side by double digits.
Senior Nate Keil has been the Lakers’ most consistent scorer, but behind him is a lot of underclass potential that has begun to blossom.
Lakeland opens with Westview in the opening game of the NECC Tournament on Wednesday, further showcasing the absurdity of a blind draw.
Why Not Higher?
Quality of schedule leaves something to be desired.
No. 10 – NORWELL KNIGHTS (7-4, 2-0 NE8)
Another Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team. Norwell hasn’t really knocked off anyone that makes you say “wow” to yourself, but a gritty double OT victory over Leo on Saturday definitely elevated the Knights in my mind.
But just seven days before that Leo win, Norwell was housed by Adams Central by 32 points in Monroe. In addition, Norwell is currently averaging just 49 points per game. That isn’t going to get you very far against good team.
But for now, Norwell fits the bill as a top 10 area squad.
Why Not Higher?
Lopsided losses to Carroll and Adams Central.
UNDER CONSIDERATION
Bellmont, 10-3
Leo, 6-4
Homestead, 6-7
Central Noble, 8-2
Canterbury, 2-6
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