After allowing a few weeks for teams to settle in after the start of the regular season the week of Thanksgiving, Bounce is here to give you his top 10 area boys’ basketball teams.
There has already been some jumbling in what is shaping up to be a wide-open season in the area.
Read on to find out where your team ranks as we approach the middle of December.
NO. 1 – HOMESTEAD SPARTANS (2-0, 0-0 SAC)
The Spartans began the season atop the power poll and no reason to bump them out. A road trip to Warsaw last Friday was the first test for Coach Chris Johnson’s squad, and they passed with flying colors in notching an 11-point victory.
Mack Welker has been as advertised, with the junior dropping 25 against Manchester to open the season before scoring 32 of Homestead’s 48 points in the win over Warsaw.
Homestead opens up SAC play on Friday at Bishop Dwenger before a neutral-court game against South Bend Riley at Grace College on Saturday.
NO. 2 – BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN BRAVES (3-0)
Yours truly was a bit guarded in his preseason rankings when it came to the Braves. After all, the graduation of so much production was going to set them back, at least to start the season, right?
Well, guess not, as Blackhawk Christian has won all three of its games by double digits, including a 57-46 win over New Haven last Friday in a big early-season showdown. The Braves jump from No. 8 in the preseason to No. 2 already in Bounce’s poll.
It already looks like the cadre of youngsters paced by talented sophomores Drake Sefton and Bryce LaCross are in sync and bringing along the rest of a predominantly young group. Senior guard Briggs Pardon has yet to play due to injury, which will further help the Braves if/when he returns.
It is a tough week for Blackhawk Christian, who visits Penn on Tuesday followed by a game against Warsaw at Grace College on Saturday.
Why Not Higher?
Blackhawk Christian may not be able to climb to No. 1 without Homestead losing. The two will meet in mid-January with the Braves hosting.
NO. 3 – NEW HAVEN BULLDOGS (2-1, 0-0 NE8)
The Bulldogs have four players averaging double figures in points, led by junior guard Tarvar Baskerville and senior Daylen Jackson at 14 points per game apiece.
Offense is going to be plentiful in New Haven, but finding ways to win against teams that slow them down will be critical. The Bulldogs found that out when Blackhawk Christian knocked them off 57-46 last Friday.
This is still the team to beat in the NE8, although they won’t play their first league game until Dec. 19 at home against Bellmont.
For now, a road trip to Wayne is on tap for Wednesday.
Why Not Higher?
The loss to Blackhawk Christian. However, New Haven is up a spot from its preseason ranking.
NO. 4 – WESTVIEW WARRIORS (3-1, 1-0 NECC)
It is going to be an ongoing battle to properly rank the Warriors, considering they play just one team all season that is currently ranked in the power poll – Blackhawk Christian on Feb. 7.
But this is still a team that has won at least 17 games in all three full seasons under fourth-year coach Chandler Prible, so it’s pretty safe to consider them as pretty good.
The lone loss isn’t a bad one, a 12-point setback at undefeated Northridge.
The Warriors defense has been sound. Outside of the loss to Northridge, the team is allowing just 24.6 points per game.
A challenging game looms Thursday with a visit from NorthWood, which beat Westview by 17 points last year.
Why Not Higher?
See above. Lack of opponents on schedule inside of Allen County.
NO. 5 – SOUTH SIDE ARCHERS (3-0, 1-0 SAC)
An early-season candidate for game of the year went down last Friday as South Side held off Snider 71-65 in overtime in both teams’ league openers. The Panthers tied the game at the buzzer on a three-pointer to send it into extra time, but the Archers got it done to improve to 3-0.
This is a team perhaps a bit ahead of schedule with a bevy of juniors leading the way. Terrance Jordan leads South at 18.3 points, five assists and five steals per game.
The Archers are at Leo on Tuesday and are home against rival North Side on Friday.
Why Not Higher?
It is a significant jump into the top five for the Archers since the preseason. If the impressive start continues, so will the march upward.
NO. 6 – BISHOP LUERS KNIGHTS (0-1, 0-0 SAC)
It is always tough to find your footing when several of your players are coming off a state finals run not two weeks ago in football, but Bishop Luers’ season-opening loss to Mishawaka Marian by 20 points was still puzzling.
Seniors Carmani Davis and Ayle Taylor combined for 33 points, but it was the defense that was most concerning in allowing 71 points, 17 points over the average points allowed last year by the Knights in a 21-win campaign.
There is also the question of Jonas Muya, the 6-foot-7, 292-pound senior who played basketball at La Lumiere last season and recently committed to West Virginia for football. The hope is that he joins the Knights at some point, but the situation is fluid.
The Knights open SAC play Friday at home against Northrop.
Why Not Higher?
Just one game played, and that was a 20-point loss.
NO. 7 – COLUMBIA CITY EAGLES (2-0, 0-0 SAC)
The competition hasn’t been sterling to start the season, with wins over Whitko and Peru, teams that are a combined 0-5, but the Eagles are off to a good start.
Sophomore Ian St. John is one of the best players in the area most people have not yet heard of. He dropped 31 points on Peru in the 73-63 victory last week. He and senior Landon Richmond are a stellar one-two scoring punch for the Eagles.
Columbia City heads to Wawasee (2-2) on Wednesday, followed by a visit from Carroll on Saturday.
Why Not Higher?
Two wins to start the season is good, but neither of those opponents have won a game yet. So, patience, Eagles fans…
NO. 8 – CARROLL CHARGERS (2-1, 0-0 SAC)
Through the first three games of the season, senior Brody Fisher is averaging almost 10 points more than he did a season ago and nearly four more rebounds as he enters this week scoring 17 and rebounding seven a contest.
The Chargers played Penn tough on the road last weekend in a 10-point loss, a team that nearly knocked off Crown Point – the No. 2 team in Class 4A – one day later.
The Chargers have a doubleheader this weekend with Concordia on Friday to open SAC play followed by a visit to Columbia City on Saturday.
Why Not Higher?
Not enough of a sample size against good teams.
NO. 9 – SNIDER PANTHERS (0-1, 0-1 SAC)
The Panthers took South Side to overtime in a wild game on Kilmer Court last Friday, but fell short of the dub in what was Snider’s season opener.
Much like South Side, the Panthers’ roster is full of impactful juniors, three of whom scored in double digits in Friday’s defeat.
The early-season tests continue with a trip to Wayne on Friday followed by a matchup with Chesterton on Saturday at Grace College.
Why Not Higher?
Just one game played, and it was a loss.
NO. 10 – HUNTINGTON NORTH VIKINGS (2-0, 0-0 NE8)
The first win for the Vikings over Warsaw since 2020 was a good way to end the week last week, and Bounce recognized it as a reason to put Coach Eric Thompson’s team in the Top 10.
To go on the road and knock off the Tigers was very impressive. Junior Titus Schultz is shooting at a 50 percent clip from three-point range. Yes, it’s early, but 6-of-12 from range to go with a perfect 100 percent from the free-throw line are aspects of his game to appreciate.
Huntington North gets winless Manchester at home on Saturday in its lone game of the week.
Why Not Higher?
Bounce just welcomed you to his weekly Top 10 party. Isn’t that enough?
IN THE CONVERSATION
Angola (3-0)
DeKalb (2-0)
Fairfield (2-0)
Heritage (3-0)
Lakeland (3-0)
Leo (1-2)
Norwell (2-1)
Warsaw (0-2)
Wayne (1-0)
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
Just FYI, Briggs Pardon has not played a game this season for the Blackhawk Braves because of a back problem.