Rakestraw's Ramblings

This page is dedicated to the Rambling's of Greg Rakestraw, local sports authority and VP/Sports Director at HomeTown Sports Indiana.

2/17/12 Park Tudor, Bishop Chatard

Park Tudor 75, Bishop Chatard 57

I was at New Castle earlier this week where a game didn't take place due to a blackout 40 minutes before tipoff. Tonight, Park Tudor was the team who shot the lights out.

Making 14 three-point field goals, including a school single-game record of 8 by Trevon Blueitt, Park Tudor overwhelmed a game Chatard club tonight, winning 75-57. The game was tied at 31 at halftime, but Park Tudor was never seriously threatened after racing out to an 11-2 start to the third quater.

For the Panthers, they will sit idle next week, awaiting to defend their 2A state crown. Park Tudor finished the regular season at 18-2. For Chatard, they'll host Anderson on Thursday. The Trojans fall to 12-8 on the season.

Chatard matched Park Tudor blow for blow in the first half, leading 19-18, with three's coming from all corners. Leading the charge were sophomore guard Michael Hackney and freshman point guard Delano Coffey, in for injured senior Ryan Kleinschmidt. Chatard would pull out to a 25-20 lead, with Hackney talleying 13 of those first 25 for the Trojans.

Park Tudor would provide their first answer of the night, going on an 11-0 run. Blueitt, who began the night on the bench with 5 seniors earning the starting nod in the home finale, would connect on four first half three-point field goals. Yogi Ferrell wasn't far behind, scoring from inside and out, leading the Panthers with 15 first half points.

But Chatard wouldn't go away. Joe Fagan would connect on back-to-back threes to end the half, pulling Chatard even after 16 minutes of play.

After a lengthly halftime break with senior night festivites, Chatard could never regain their offensive momentum. Park Tudor had no such struggles. Park Tudor would put another 22 on the board in third quarter, leading by 11 at the frame's end. They would not seriously be threatened in the fourth quarter.

Yogi Ferrell had a brilliant finish in his final home game, scoring 30. Blueitt would add 27, with Manhattan-bound senior Paul Bayt chipping in 13. For Chatard, Hackney would finish with 19, with Joe Fagan also hitting in double figures with 12.

Quick takeaway: No one in the state would have beaten Park Tudor tonight. Not in 2A, but in any of the four classes. When Ferrell is consistenly hitting his 15-foot pull up jumpers, as he was this evening, they are flat unguardable. When Blueitt makes 8 threes in a game, they are flat unbeatable. Troy Spears, who as a sophomore has already verballed to New Mexico, didn't even score a point. And PT still won by 18. Park Tudor has two challengers in their sectional, Broad Ripple and Heritage Christian. If they can get by those two, they next likely challenge would come at the semi-state round. It could easily be a rematch of Park Tudor and Bishop Noll in the state championship game, but Bowman Academy could easily factor into the mix as well.

For Chatard, I thought they played well, and still got beat by 18. They played a nearly flawless first half, but just couldn't get the same shots to fall in half two. Greg Gardner scored just one point. He largely played the role of facilitator this evening, but they still need more from him. I still wouldn't be surprised if they win the sectional at Mt. Vernon, despite the fact they are 4-8 in their last 12 games. Along with Brebeuf, Mt. Vernon, or Guerin, any of those four could lay claim to a sectional crown.

Next up for me, Tuesday night with Roncalli visiting Southport on Catholic Radio 89.1 and catholicradioindy.org. See you at the game!

2/9/12

Cathedral 59, Roncalli 37

Speed kills. You've seen it referenced on driving PSAs when you were in high school. It is often referenced in terms of football. Tonight, it applied on the basketball floor as the Irish dealt the Rebels easily their worst loss of the season.

Roncalli was blanked by Cathedral's stifling defense in the opening quarter, the Irish building a 10-0 lead after the first eight minutes. Colin Hawk would score from three-point range to get off the goose egg for the Rebels on the opening possession of the second quarter. The Irish would then score the next 10 points of the game, opening their lead to 20-3. The Rebels would at least find the range a couple of more times before halftime, and would trail 21-8 going to the halftime break.

The Rebels would hit their stride for the only time in the game early in the third quarter. The Rebels would score on their first four trips down the floor in the quarter. They would then pull within three after a steal and a thunderous dunk by Ryan Weber, who was fouled and would covert the free throw to bring Roncalli back within three at 24-21.

But, in a sign of things to come, freshman Jalen Coleman buried a three, to push the lead back to six. While Roncalli would continue to put points on the board, so would the Irish, primarily from outside arc. Colin Hartmam would connect from the left baseline corner, as would Jared Drew. For good measure, Hartman would hit in the waning seconds of the quarter, to push the lead back to it's halftime margin of 13 at 43-30. The Rebels wouldn't get much closer in the final frame.

The Rebels would again go through a scoring drought, and wouldn't hit again from the field until less than four minutes to play. During that time, Cathedral would push their lead to more than 20, and wouldn't be challenged in the final minutes of the game.

The freshman in Coleman led all scorers with 17 points. Colin Hartman would add 13, and Jared Drew 11 for the Irish. For Roncalli, only Weber would crack the double figure scoring mark with 15.

Cathedral wins their 9th straight game, and runs their record to 16-3. They'll play host to Heritage Christian on Saturday at 2:30p. The Rebels next play again on Tuesday night at Seymour. This game was postponed on Jan. 21st due to icy condtitions in south central Indiana.

Quick takeaway: The Irish are really good. They've lost three times this year, all by single digits. The first loss, to Tech in December, was reversed during the City Tourney. The second loss was at Bowman Academy on New Year's Eve, and the third loss was to Carmel on Jan. 11th. They are deep, they are athletic, and they play just one senior. When they hit jumpers as they did tonight, they are a hard team to beat. They are flying under the radar as much as a team can in this area. But, with their lone senior heading to play at St. Louis next year, Hartman an IU verbal, Mo Evans a likely D1 point guard, and Coleman perhaps the best freshman in the state, they are loaded with talent. If they can get out of their sectional, they are a threat to make a deep run for the first time in 4A.

As for Roncalli, what has to be most concerning about tonight was the way they were out-quicked by Cathedral. The Rebels start three 6'7 players, and bring another off of the bench. And the Rebs have been solid at the guard spot, but struggled to handle the ball tonight, and find any opening against the Irish defense. The good news for Roncalli is that they had this wakeup call three weeks before the sectional. They now know what to expect in Sectional 10. The Rebels are now 13-2, but 0-2 against teams from their sectional. And they will not play another team from Sectional 10 until the post-season. They've got four games to prepare for a higher level of competition.

Next HS game for me: Tuesday at Pendleton Heights, as the Arabians play host to New Castle live on HTSN. See you at the game!

2/3/12 Roncalli,Bishop Chatard

Roncalli 58, Chatard 42

It was just your average night for the Roncalli Rebels. Stifling defensively and another victory.

The Rebels, who came into the game 12th in the state, and 2nd in 4A in points allowed per game at 42, allowed that number on the mark, and earned their 13th win in 14 games played this season. It also marked their 7th consecutive win over their northside diocean rivals.

Both teams found the scoring column tough to crack in the opening frame, as Roncalli led 10-4 after the first quarter of play. Chatard would spurt out on a 7-0 burst to take an 11-10 lead early in the quarter. Back to back threes by reserve guards Delano Coffey and Michael Hackney would give the Trojans the advantage. And it would be their only lead of the game.

David Heckman, one of four 6'7 Rebels to take the floor tonight for Michael Wantz's team tonight, banked in a three from the top of the key to give the Rebels an 13-11 lead, and it would be a lead they would not relinquish.

It took a while for Roncalli to truly pull away in this game. The lead was just four at halftime at 21-17. It would take a five-point trip early in the third quarter to give Roncalli their first double-digit lead. Ryan Weber would make a three pointer to push the lead to 29-21, and on the play, a rebounding foul was whistled against Chatard. On the ensuing in-bound play, Weber would score from a 2-point range (he was fouled but missed the and one opportunity), and the Rebel lead would eventually grow to 12.

Chatard would try to answer one final time. It was a struggle by their own high standards for Chatard's 1-2 punch of Joe Fagan and Greg Gardner. They would finish the night with a combined 23 points; they normally combine for 39 per game. However, on back-to-back possessions, they would each hit from three point range, to bring the Trojans back within six at 33-27. They would get no closer the rest of the way.

Roncalli was able to keep Chatard at bay in the fourth quarter by not missing a single FT in the quarter. The Rebels went 14-14 from the line in the final stanza. For the game, Roncalli made 19 of 23 from the line.

Ryan Weber led the way for Roncalli with 18, while David Heckman added 17. Michael Clements would also hit double digits for the Rebels with 10.

Roncalli is next in action against Cathedral on Thursday, at the Irish. These two are now in the same sectional, so this could easliy be the first of two meetings this season for these huge rivals. The game can be heard on Catholic Radio Indy (89.1 FM throughout Central Indiana, and 90.9 in Hamilton County, plus online at catholicradioindy.org) at 7:30p. For Chatard, they'll play for the third time this week in a makeup game from a scheduled December contest with Scecina. The game was pushed back due to both teams reach the state football finals on Thanksgiving weekend.

Quick takeaway: If Roncalli could've waited one more year to make the jump from 3A to 4A, they'd be a favorite for the state title. However, don't count this team out from making a lengthy run in their debut season in 4A. Four of their top six players are 6'7. They have another pair of players 6'7 and 6'9 that barely see the floor. They also start 5 seniors, meaning this team has seen a lot. If that wasn't enough, two players will play college basketball next season (Weber to Youngstown State, Heckman to Division II Lewis), starter Cole Toner signed his NLI to play football at Harvard on Wednesday, and two guard Colin Hawk is going play baseball at Cincinnati next season. Needless to say, they've got some athletic ability on their side. Sectional is 10 is the ultimate coin flip. Seemingly any of the 6 teams (who all have Division I talent on their rosters) could win it. It all comes down to the draw.

For Chatard, they are now 3-5 after starting the season 8-0. But, they are playing a much tougher schedule after the New Year than in December. This team still has a very lethal combo in Fagan and Gardner, and plays a deep 9-10 man rotation. Unfortunately, they might be without PG Ryan Kleinschmidt, who missed the game tonight with a left hand/wrist injury. He's not a key scorer, but he's a senior with multiple state championships in football. That never hurts to have that level of winning on your team. Chatard is in Sectional 26, which could see any of Guerin Catholic, Mt. Vernon, Chatard, or even Brebeuf take home the title.

Next HS game for me is the aforementioned game between Roncalli and Cathedral. See you there!

2/1/12 Noblesville-Zionsville

Noblesville 59, Zionsville 47

Each team had one outstanding quarter in last night's HCC affair. For Zionsville, that quarter was the first one. For Noblesville, it was the fourth. And, as per usual, the team that finishes stronger, normally wins the game.

Leading by two going into the final stanza, the Millers outscored Zville 20-10 in the fourth quarter, erning their second straight win after three losses. The Millers now stand at 9-7 on the season, while Zionsville loses their second straight, and falls to 11-5 overall. Four of the five Eagle defeats this year have come in HCC play.

Zionsville opened the game with an 18-11 lead after quarter number one. Noblesville primarily played a 2-3 zone in the opening quarter, and Zionsville had little trouble disecting the zone with quick ball movement, and paint penetration by junior PG Andrew Dakich. The zone defense also provided second and third chance opportunities for the Eagles as they built their eight point lead.

At the beginning of the second quarter, Noblesville would change to a man-to-man defensively. That would significantly slow the Zionsville offensive attack. The Eagles would be held to 4 points in the quarter, until the final possession of the quarter. A Dakich drive as the clock wound down led to an open three for Parker Dunshee. He'd hit in rhythm, after Noblesville had taken a brief one-point lead, to give Zionsville a 25-23 advantage at halftime.

The teams remained close in the third quarter, but the tide began to turn in the Millers' favor during the third quarter. A 9-0 Noblesville run would turn a 4-point Zionsville advantage into a 5-point deficit.

Noblesville's lead would quickly blossom in the fourth quarter. A Zionsville turnover down by six at 46-40 let to Greg Ogden's only basket of the night, a 3-pointer, that pushed the Noblesville lead to 9. Zionsville would quickly call a timeout, but would never seriously threaten after that point.

Next up for Zionsville, it doesn't get any easier as Sectional 8 rival Carmel heads to Zionsville on Saturday. For the Millers, they'll play host to a stuggling Harrison squad on Friday night.

Quick takeaway: Noblesville has suffered two tough injuries during the year, losing reserve post Josh Turnock, and starting shooting guard Jacob Price, both with season-ending injuries. I don't know if Noblesville could have taken down multiple teams in their ridiculously loaded sectional, with Carmel, North Central, and HSE all taking part, but they could have been a bit more of a spoiler. They still have great size in Sam Philpott, who led all scorers with 22 in the game, and Daniel Purvlicis, who both stand 6'7. But, I don't think the Millers have the bodies to make a long tournament run this season.

For Zionsville, the best may be ahead for this bunch. They're a team that moves the basketball well, plays hard, but do not have an overabundance of size. That proved to be a fatal flaw against the taller Millers last night. The good news, they start just one senior, the the 6'9 and growing son of Pacers great Rik Smith is a freshman on the JV squad. Combine him with the return of leading scorer Will Dixon, Andrew Dakich running the point, and two-sport athlete Parker Dunshee (starting QB on football team), next year's Zionsville squad could be one to be reckoned with.

The other takeaway from last night's game was how bad the crowd was, and it's never something I've expereienced before. In fairness, it's a mid-week game. All of my past Noblesville experiences have come on Fridays and Saturdays. But, it was easily the worst crowd I've ever seen in that building. The student section has set the bar pretty high for themselves in the past, there might have been 25 students in attendance last night. I think the atmosphere will be a little bit different the next time I'm in that building, which will be for games in sectional 8. I'd expect a sell out for the Wednesday and Friday sessions, maybe even the single game sessions on Tuesday and Saturday as well.

Next game for me will be Friday night when Chatard travels to Roncalli. You can listen at 89.1 FM and 90.9 in Hamilton County, as well as online at CatholicRadioIndy.org. See you at the game!

1/29/12 Guerin Catholic, Heritage Christian

It was easy to tell from the crowd, atmosphere, and quality of play that the calendar is about to turn to February. Actually, you could have easily sold me that it had already turned to March.

Guerin Catholic kept their 2012 winning streak in tact at 5, using Aaron Brennan's tip in with 11 seconds left to fend away Heritage Christian 60-59 at a packed Eagles Nest at Guerin on Friday night. Guerin runs its record to 13-3, while Heritage falls to 9-6.

Neither team would lead by more than seven on the night. Heritage Christian's lead would come early, posting an 8-1 and then 10-4 lead in the game's opening minutes. Guerin would quickly rebound, scoring the next 10 points, and charging to an 18-14 lead by the end of the first quarter. Senior forward Adam Hufford was the story in the early going, scoring 13 of Guerin's first 18 points.

Heritage Christian would quickly answer, making back-to-back threes to start quarter number two, jumping back in front. The Eagles from HCS would push their lead to 28-24 before another Guerin run, this time a 9-0 spurt would build their lead to 33-28.

By halftime, Guerin would maintain a 1-point advtanage at 35-34. GC would then score the first 6 points of half number two, enjoying their largest lead of the night at 41-34. By this point, a pattern had been established. A Joel Smith three would cap a 10-2 HC run, to give Heritage back the lead at 44-43. Guerin would then seesaw back in front 52-49 by the end of quarter number three.

The only change in the pattern in the final quarter is that both teams offenses began to slow in the final eight minutes. Namely Guerin Catholic, who would only add the game winning tip-in on their side of the scoring column in the game's final three minutes. Heritage Christian would take just their second lead of the second half with Joel Smith's free throws in the final two minutes to lead 59-58. Heritage Christian would get the ball back with that one point lead. Guerin would foul HC near half court with 21.7 seconds left to play, and that foul would be the sixth whistled against Guerin. On the ensuing in-bounds play, Heritage would throw the ball all the way into the back court. Under pressure, HC's Anthony Warrum, who led all scorers with 23 points, would track down the ball, but would turn the ball over to GC with 19 seconds left on a travelling violation.

From there, Guerin would miss two close looks, the first from Riley Rapp, the second from Hufford, before Brennan's game winner. Heritage Christian elected not to call a timeout after the decisive basket. HCS got a good look from Joel Smith that missed, and time ran out as the both teams were scrambling for the loose ball. The Guerin student section poured onto the court at the conclusion of the game.

Guerin Catholic plays again tomorrow night, at Arlington. Heritage Christian, who lost in the city finals to Cathedral on Monday before easily besting Herron on Tuesday, is off before facing Triton Central next Friday.

Quick takeaway here: Both of these teams are very good. Guerin, in their first year in 3A, can make a deep run in the post-season. Doesn't mean they are a lock to win their sectional, with Chatard, Brebeuf, and Mt. Vernon all in their sectional, that's not easy sledding. But, they are experienced, big, and talented, and of course well-coached under Pete Smith. For Heritage Christian, they have the bad luck of being in the same 2A sectional as Park Tudor and Broad Ripple. They have played and lost to both teams by 10 or less points. I'm not sure they can beat both teams, but if they get some help from the draw, and only have to beat one of those teams, its certainly possible. They only played seven player tonight, and really only got contributions from their starting five. But, those five, especially Warrum and Smith, are pretty solid. Warrum might be one of the best athletes in the state when you combine football and basketball. Might have a hard choice to make in two years, which sport to play in college. Great problem to have.

Next HS game for me: Tuesday night at Noblesville hosting Zionsville. Game airs live on HTSN at 7:30p. See you at the game!

1/25/12 Ben Davis-Lawrence Central

If you're a fan of music from the 60s, or if you've simply seen Full Metal Jacket, you're famillair with the musical hook line, "These boots are made for walking." Well, in Indiana high school basketball, there's a set of boots that are made for winning. They happen to belong to new Ben Davis head coach Mark James.

Last night, those boots, and the coach wearing them, picked up their 450th varsity victory in 30 years of coach, as the Giants won at Lawrence Central 71-63 in a game seen on HTSN in Indy. Replays of the game continue Wednesday and Thursday in Central Indiana.

It was a rare matchup for these teams, as they had played just three times in the last 18 years until last night, all in the Marion County tourney. They played last year, with LC pulling out a 3OT win in the tourney opener. And, since it was their first "regular season" matchup in who know's how long, it was fitting to start this new rivlary off with a bang, as both teams came in ranked in 4A, with LC at #7, and Ben Davis at #11.

Ben Davis quickly built a 9-point 1st quarter lead, primarily on second chance opportunities from their starting post combo of Brennan Gillis and Trevor Thompson, along with the defensive work of Harry and Tony Wills. LC was plagued by a slow start offensively from future Indiana Hoosier Jerermy Hollowell, who scored just four first half points. Both teams limped towards the halftime break with sluggish second quarters; Ben Davis would finish the half with a 26-19 lead.

Both teams would kick it in to high gear offensively in the second half, and it was a half of streaks as well. LC came out of the halftime break with a much more determined sense of defensive energy, and would pull back within one at 28-27. Then, the Tony Wills show began for BD.

Wills would already have 10 points at halftime. He would then score 13 of the next 15 as the Giants erupted on a 15-0 run to turn a one point game into a 43-27 margin. LC would then answer again, and an old-fashioned three point play would bring them back with six at 44-38 towards the end of the quarter.

But it was simply Tony Wills' night. On the final possession of the quarter, Wills' would make a near miracle three, taking a foul on the play. He'd miss the freebie and the chance to make it a four point play, but still pushed the BD lead back to nine at the quarter break. Wills would finish the night with 34 points, 16 coming in the third quarter.

LC would never get much closer the rest of the way. The Bears picked up the defensive pressure, but the Giants handled it quite well, scoring many easy layups. Jeremy Hollowell would find his offensive game in the second half, finishing with a game-high 21 for the Bears. But, it simply came too late to make a difference in this game.

Ben Davis, who finished a stretch of 9 games in 15 days with the win, now get a day or two to catch their breath before another great challenge with #4 Carmel on Saturday night. If Carmel wins that game, it virtually locks up the MIC title for the Hounds, who would own wins over BD and NC with the victory. A BD win makes it a 3-team fight to the finish.

For Lawrence Central, the Bears play at Perry Meridian on Friday, and then begin a very strong finishing kick to their season. They'll play Franklin Central, Cathedral, Broad Ripple, Mt. Vernon, and Warren Central amongst others before the sectional begins, where they join a loaded group including Tech, Roncalli, LN, Cathedral, and WC.

Quick takeaway: Ben Davis will have to get by Pike and Avon to win their sectional, but could be a regional threat if they can make it to Hinkle. They've got post depth, two great guards in the Wills brothers (Harry added 18 in the win, and is averaging 5 assists a game), not to mention one of the best coaches in the state. They've already split two matchups with Pike this year. For LC, they will go as far as Hollowell will take them. They also have great size, starting 6'5 and 6'7 in addition to the 6'8 Hollowell and bringing in 6'6 Devontay Brent off the bench. But, they really have no consistent scoring off of the bench (their starters scored all 63 points last night). I like Corley at the point guard spot, and Freeman and Fischl both do some nice things around the bucket and know their roles well. But, Holowell has to be the transcendant player for the Bears to make a tourney run. With such great depth in that sectional, whomever gets the lucky break and gets the bye to the semis will be at a big advantage.

Next up for me: Chatard @ Brebeuf Friday night on Catholic Radio Indy (89.1, 90.9 in Hamilton County, and catholicradioindy.org). See you at the game!

1/14/12 Center Grove-Edinburgh

Johnson County Championship

Center Grove 68, Edinburgh 55

Edinburgh traveled to Center Grove tonight searching for a win, a county championship, and an end to some very long streaks.

They have to settle for a healthy dose of respect.

The Lancers spotted Center Grove a 9-0 lead to begin the game. They'd wittle the lead down to four by the end of the first quarter, down to 1 on a couple of occasions in the second quarter, but could never take the lead in the game. CG would push the halftime lead of 5 to 16 by late in the 3rd quarter, and would never be seriously threatened in the 4th quarter on their way to wrapping up their 6th county title since the event was resumed in 2005.

Edinburgh was playing Center Grove for the first time since 1985. During the one-class sectional days, Edinburgh would be sent to Columbus. Since the county tourney had resumed, the Lancers had Trojans had not played. The last Lancer win in the series was 1959, and the last County Tourney championship for the school was back in 1961.

Apparently, the Edinburgh faithful hadn't forgotten the path to Center Grove despite not having played in so long, as Lancer fans nearly outnumbered the Franklin, Indian Creek, and Center Grove fans combined. Edinburgh's game didn't tip until 7:30p, some fans arrived at 5:15p to grab their seat.

What they did see was a team that battled throughout the night, but couldn't overcome the the boardwork of Center Grove star Joe Reed. Reed, headed to IPFW next fall, scored 15 of his team's 19 first quarter points. While his offensive output cooled the rest of the way, finishing with 23 points, his board work never did. Reed would also pick up 22 rebounds in the winning effort. Troy Vorhies would also hit double digit points with 14, and his board work came up large for CG, as did DeMarcus Nathan's off the bench for the Trojans.

Edinburgh's size in Jordan Burton would score just seven points, and couldn't match the 2-3 man effort on the glass by Center Grove. What Edinburgh did do well until their legs simply wore down in the second half would be shoot from three-point range. The Lancers connected on seven 3's for the game, several from NBA range. Kyle Wuest would pace the Edinburgh attack with 22 points, including hitting 12 of 13 from the free throw line. Caleb Allen would also go for double digits with 13 points.

Center Grove moves to 9-3 on the season, while Edinburgh falls to 8-2. Next up for CG, a good test in Ben Davis on Friday, after the Giants fell in the Marion County tourney final tonight to North Central. Edinburgh will play Eminence on Friday, before taking on a Crothersville team having it's best season in years on Saturday. The Tigers are 10-2 so far on the campaign.

Quick takeway from tonight: I've had the pleasure of seeing two very good 1A teams the last two nights in University and Edinburgh. They are on a collision course to play in the regional at Martinsville. University shouldn't be challend in it's own sectional, Edinburgh has to get through Lutheran, who beat them in December for their only other loss that tonight. Edinburgh plays 2-3 kids off the bench, but really it's about their starting five, which is very good. With Jordan Burton at 6'8, they've got rare size for 1A. They've also got four very good shooters, and 2-3 good ball handlers to surrond that size. Which ever team wins that likely showdown in the regional at Martinsville, then would likely see either Barr-Reeve or Loogootee (#'s 1 and 2 who played tonight) in the south semi-state.

For Center Grove, most people won't think that a win over a 1A school would be impressive. I thought tonight was. Reed got them started, but the other role players stepped up well in quarters 2-3. In addition to Reed, CG has good shooters in Brown, Wright, and Bryant. They also got the benefit of some shifted 4A geography. Center Grove was moved out of their past sectional alighment with Southport, into their own sectional. CG could be tested by Frankin Central, or maybe by New Palestine, but more importantly the Trojans were moved out of the Hinkle regional, and into the southern most 4A regional, primarily the domain of Bloomington South the last few years. Could be a longer dance for the Trojans this year, after winning their first sectional since 1994 a season ago.

Next up for me, college work Monday and Tuesday, but back to HS hoops on Friday with Brebeuf @ Guerin. See you at the game!

1/14/12 Franklin-Indian Creek

3rd place game Johnson County Tourney

Franklin 62, Indian Creek 61

You don't have to lead very long in a game, just at the end.

That was good enough for Franklin on Saturday night, trailing by as many as 12 in the second quarter to Indian Creek, didn't take their first lead until 56-55 late in the 4th quarter, and then won the game on a Logan Wall free throw with 2.1 seconds to play to secure the third place spot in the Johnson County tourney.

It was the second win of the week for the Grizzly Cubs, who boosted their record to 5-7 on the season. Last year was just a 2-win season for Dave Clark at Franklin. An 0-3 start to this season for the Grizzly Cubs had brought a losing streak to 16 games. Since that time, the Grizzly Cubs have gone 5-4. It's still a young team for Clark, playing just one senior in his rotation, and it was Wall, who led the winning effort with 17 points, including numerous second and third chances on offensive rebounds.

For Indian Creek, the loss dropped the Braves to 7-5. The Braves opened up the county tourney by beating Greenwood, then fell in back-to-back games to Center Grove and Franklin. Three players would each score 12 points for coach Derek Perry's team: Tyler Sichting, Calvin Loechel, and Bret DeHart. All nine players who played on Saturday night hit the scoring column for the Braves.

It was a three-point field goal frenzy that helped build the Indian Creek lead. Sichting would finish the game with four three-pointers made, with DeHart, Isaac Jackson, and Romulus Key all connecting from downtown during the game. Loechel's absence during stretches of the game due to foul trouble, however, made the efforts on the glass even tougher for the Braves in the loss.

The second half saw numerous possessions for Franklin trailing by 1, 2, or 3 points. It proved a tough hurdle to climb, and every time the Grizzly Cubs would score, Indian Creek would seem to match. Maybe that's why in the final minute, with the game tied at 61, Franklin held for a final shot for nearly a minute. After an initial shot was missed, Wall would grab the rebound, draw a foul from Loechel, and make one of the two free throws.

Wall's miss would be on the second free throw, and Indian Creek would call for time. With the clock reset to 1.8 seconds, Matt Wray attempted a length of the court pass for Loechel. The ball would be knocked away, and Franklin would enjoy the victory.

Next up for Franklin is a home date with the Whiteland Warriors, whom they beat in the county tourney opening round last Tuesday. For Indian Creek, they'll have a home weekend, hosting Mid-Hoosier foe Southwestern on Friday, then battle Speedway on Saturday night.

Quick takeaway: Dave Clark's tenure at Franklin has been a series of ups and downs. After a great first 8-9 years, including a run to the final 8 in the final one-class year of 1997, Franklin's talent has had some serious ebbs and flows. Two years ago, an almost all senior squad won 15 games and the county tourney. Last year's team won just two games, and this year's bunch appears to have things going in the right direction. The other double figure scorers for the Grizzly Cubs were Keenan Wood, a junior, and Branden Hardesty, a 6'5 freshman, who made three 3-pointers on the night. Three sophomores also saw significant time. If Franklin can get back to .500 this season, it'd be a good year for a young team, then big things could happen next season in terms of a sectional crown in sectional 13.

For Indian Creek, this is their first year in 3A in basketball and other sports, after being in 2A since class sports inception in 1998. They are part of a wide open sectional at Beech Grove, where Manual has the best record, but no team can be considered dominant. If Indian Creek can make threes on a regular basis come post-season time, they've got a shot of winning a sectional in their first 3A season.es

You can watch replays of this game in many part of the state on Xfinity/Bright House Ch. 81 and on Xfinity on Demand. This game will replay Wednesday 11a and 7p, Thursday 730a, 3p, and 930p, Friday at 11a.

Next up for me, a great 3A showdown between Brebeuf and Guerin, at Guerin Friday night. Game can be heard on Catholic Radio Indy at 89.1 FM, 90.9 in Hamilton County, and online at catholicradioindy.org. See you at the game!

1/13/2012 University-Ritter

Earlier this week, I tweeted that the matchup between University's Jordan Pickett and Ritter's Alex Parrett would be a match up of can't-miss junior prospects. I was right. If you were at the game tonight, you couldn't miss them.

University's Pickett was as good as advertised pouring in 33, including 12 in an opening 12-1 spurt that led to a 25-8 first quarter lead as the Trail Blazers soared to their 9th straight victory after a season-opening loss to Traders Point Christian Academy. Ritter fell to 4-5, despite Parrett's 27 and a 44 point second-half effort.

University would stretch their halftime lead to 21 at 42-21. The Raiders began the second half with a flurry of baskets, namely by junior guard Kevin Bacon. For a five minute spell of the third quarter, he played with the star power you would assume of someone with that name. He scored the first 10 points of the quarter for the Raiders. But, defensive stops were still at a premium throughout the game. Despite their best effort, Ritter would only trim five points off of the deficit by the end of the third quarter.

Ritter continue to hang around, with Parrett connecting on drives to the basket, Lamont Hawthorne providing outside shooting and a spark off the bench, and Bacon's 16-point second half effort. But, the closest they would come would be 70-60 with under 2:00 remaining. University would hit enough free throws in the final minute to keep the outcome from ever being in doubt.

Grant Randle, a 6'6 senior would add 16 points, with numerous putbacks, and easy buckets on assists from Pickett. Senior Mason Webber would also add 10 off the bench, playing extended minutes with Domenik Dixon not being much of a factor due to early foul trouble.

Hawthorne would also chip in 16 in the losing effort for Ritter. Between Hawthorne, Parrett, and Bacon, those three would combine for 59 of the Ritter 65 points. University is back in action Saturday night v. Eminence. Ritter is off until Tuesday's opener of the City Tourney at Heritage Christian, a team who defeated Ritter by double digits in December.

Quick takeaway from tonight: University could easily be this year's Metropolitan. In other words, a school that most people in the state have never heard of, yet can make a long run in the post-season. Pickett is getting D1 looks from places like IUPUI and St. Bonaventure, and that will only continue as he's just a junior. Coach Paul Gianankos's team plays an 8-man rotation, starts to 6'6 players, brings in a 6'3 senior off of the bench, and gets to play their sectional games at home. Should be tested until the regional at Martinsville. And, might not lose again until a regular-season finale at Guerin Catholic.

For Ritter, their lack of size killed them tonight. They started no player over 6'0, and that was a glaring issue against University. They hope to get back 6'8 300 lb. junior Jeffrey Davis in February, and he'll help. But, the best news for Pete Bitting's team is that of their 9-player rotation, only two are seniors, they both come off the bench, and combine to average 1.1 points per game. The key pieces all return for next year. And, they are in a wide open sectional at Triton Central where no team going into the weekend had a record over .500. It can still be a special year. And, some college will get an absolute steal in Parrett. He'll make a great point guard, who can score, at the next level. I think he could be a low D1-type player, certainly a D2 player, and would be a star at the D3 or NAIA level.

Quick turnaround for me, will be at Center Grove for Johnson County 3rd place and title game tomorrow night for Xfinity/Bright House. See you there!

Carmel-Cathedral 1/10/12

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Carmel 52, Cathedral 46

This is the third time I've had the Carmel Greyhonds this year on HTSN. Each time, I've sold the Carmel story as an underdog team, a team that's not overly talented, but a hard-working, high basketball IQ-having team, that is getting the most out of their talent. The more they keep winning, the less I can run with that story.

Despite spotting Cathedral a 12-0 lead to start the game, Carmel kept chipping away, finally taking their first lead on a Sam Curts' three at 32-31 late in the third quarter. Eventaully, the Hounds would use a 9-0 spurt early in the 4th quarter to go from one down, to eight up, and would never trail again on their way to an 8th consecutive victory.

Carmel, who rose to the number two spot in the 4A poll earlier this week, will face another stiff test on Saturday, when they travel to Kokomo for a showdown with last year's runner-up, powered by Evansville recruit DJ Balentine. They were certainly well prepared by an underrated Cathedral ball club.

The difference in this matchup came from necessity for Carmel head coach Scott Heady. Carmel switched to a 2-3 zone midway through the first quarter after falling behind by double digits. Cathedral's size, starting players at 6'3, 6'6, and 6'6, proved to be tough to match up with Carmel's 3-guard attack. Once the Hounds switced to a zone defense, the Cathedral offensive attack could never find the same rhythm. It was also slowed by Jared Drew's limited minutes due to foul trouble. He'd play 20 minutes on the night, but sat for most of the first half with two quick fouls.

By halftime, the Hounds had narrowed the deficit to four at 25-21. They had done so without a contribution from their top three point shoot in Sam Curts. Curts would eventually drain three in the second half, and the Hounds would hit four in the quarter alone. At the same time, Cathedral continued to shoot, and miss, from three-point range. The Irish would finish the game 3-20 from three point range.

Cathedral would be led by Drew's 12 points, the only Irish player in double figures. Collin Hartman would finish with 9 points, fouling out in the late stages of the game. Cathedral will be tested again on Tuesday when they play host to Tech in the opener of the City Tourney. Tech downed the Irish 59-58 in December. With those two also in the same sectional, could easily be the second meeting of a best of three.

Quick takeaway from last night: Carmel is a great story. There is not a division I player on that roster. They are simply a great team. Coach Heady has done a great job with the kids who are tyring rebuild from the mess of two years ago. And it's a team led by its guards. The eight players in their rotation all know their roles very well. From a talent standpoint, they don't matchup with most of their schedule. From an IQ standpoint, they've got them all beat. They've already knocked off North Central from their sectional, and we'll find out a lot about the Hounds when they play HSE on Wednesday Feb. 8th. On Cathedral's sign of things, they can also beat anybody on a given night. They're a much better shooting team than they showed last night. They play 10 kids, bring size in off the bench with Collin Barthel at 6'6 and Devin Dixon at 6'7. They play just one senior. They'll be a tough out this year in the state tournament, and a favorite next year. Sam Alford was at the game last night, don't be surprised if the Irish are playing in the HOF classic next season.

Next game for me: University @ Ritter Friday night on Catholic Radio. See you at the game!

1/6/2012 Guerin 51, Chatard 49

Guerin 51, Chatard 49

For a game that never had a lead change, this one was pretty darn exciting.

Despite Greg Gardner's best efforts, including 23 2nd-half points, and a three-pointer that would have given Chatard it's first lead with 13 seconds to play if had only counted, Guerin was able to deal the Trojans their first loss of the season in 9 games. Eighth-ranked Guerin bolstered their record to 9-3. Chatard game into the contest ranked 18th in 3A.

The reason the aforementioned three pointed did not count was that it came just moments after Travis Daugherty called his final timeout. Even after the timeout, the Trojans got a great look at out of their halfcourt set. Gardner would receive the ball at the high post, and would be immediately doubled. He find a wide-open Dan Wagner underneath the basket, who was then fouled by Aaron Brennan to prevent the layup with 3.1 seconds remaining. Wagner would miss the first free throw, leaving the deficit at two. He was then instructed to intentionally miss the second free throw. In doing so, he threw the ball up off the backboard, it didn't make contact with the rim, giving the ball out of bounds to Guerin. The Eagles would in bound the ball to Riley Rapp, who would break free of the Chatard pressure to dribble out the clock and hang on to Guerin's first win at Chatard in three tries.

Guerin would lead by as many 12 points early in the second quarter and would take an 11-point lead to halftime, up 28-17. The two main cogs of the BC offense, Gardner and Joe Fagan were quiet in the first half, combining for just five points. That would quickly change in the second half, as Gardner would score the first 7 points of the half, forcing Guerin into their first timeout of the game still leading 28-24.

Seemingly every time Chatard would get within 4-5 points, the Eagles would find a way to push that lead back to 8-9. As he has been most of the season, Aaron Brennan was the key weapon in Pete Smith's team's attack. He'd finish the game with 19 points, just over his average on the season, on a night where IU assistant coach Steve McClain was in attendance to watch the game. Brennan would not be the only offensive weapon in the arsenal for Guerin on the night, especially on the low block, where senior forward Adam Hufford would pick up a double-double of 10 points and 13 offensive rebounds.

The Rapp brothers, Riley and Whit, would combine for 10 assists, which is their season combined average. Whit would lead that category with 8. He would also make two key free throws to push the lead back to six in the later stages.

For Chatard, junior Joe Fagan would chip in 9 points, 12 below his season average, on 3 three-point FGs. Aaron Hepp would add five, but also fouled out with 1:59 to play. Both teams are now off for the weekend, with Chatard hosting Northwest on Wednesday night, while Guerin plays host to Metropolitan on Friday night.

Quick takeaway from tonight: Guerin is really good. They are not very deep, and played just seven players tonight. But those seven, five seniors and two very talented sophomores in Brennan and the younger Rapp, form an outstanding core. In this the first Zeller-less year in 3A in nearly a decade, in tends to mean the field is a little more open to win in 3A. I need to see Muncie Central to accurately size up Guerin's chances, but it's not crazy to think that Pete's team can have a very deep run. And, of course, the same can be said for Chatard. Any team that has two players the caliber of Gardner (attending D2 Alabama-Huntsville next year) and Fagan (recruited by Wright State, Bucknell, Cornell, Gardner-Webb, and Ball State), plus has the athleticism and strength of kids that have won back-to-back state titles in football can make a long run as well. I know Brebeuf, Mt. Vernon, and Howe will all have a say in Sectional 26, but I'd be stunned if these two teams don't play again at some point in that sectional. It should be a great one.

Next game for me here: Carmel @ Cathedral Wednesday night televised live on HTSN. See you at the game!

12/31/2011 - Game Recap - Speedway-Ritter

Ritter 66, Speedway 63

You'll always here us basketball types tell you, "Just go to a game." There are always many great games to choose from on a Friday or Saturday night. Such was the case on December 30th. With great tournaments like the Hall of Fame Classic of the Wettig in Richmond, some games get lost in the shuffle. Ritter hosting Speedway in their annual backyard brawl was one of those games.

Luckily for you, I was there, and it was a good one.

Alex Parrott's three-pointer, his first of the night and just Ritter's second made three, with 2.1 seconds to play gave the Raiders their 5th straight win over their west-side rivals. No team led by more than 9 point on the night, and that was a 26-17 Raider lead late in the second quarter. The largest second half lead belonged to Speedway at 43-37 late in the 3rd quarter.

Each of these two teams share much more than just size and location. Both teams are very young, with Speedway having just one senior, Ritter only two. With Ritter's Jeffrey Davis out due to academics, both teams also field very small lineups. No Speedway roation player is taller than 6'3, while Ritter started a center a 6'1 who hadn't scored a point on the season until last night.

Speedway would jump out to an 8-2 lead to begin the game, and would maintain a 12-8 advantage after the first quarter of play. Ritter was limited to just one first quarter field goal, but trips to the line would keep Ritter in the game in the early going. Ritter would then begin quarter number two on a 12-2 run to push the lead to 20-14. Eventually the lead would grow to 26-17 before a Speedway 5-point burst would close the deficit to 29-26 at the end of the half.

Both teams picked up their offensive games in the second half, with it becoming a 2-horse race for each side. For the Sparkplugs, the dynamic duo from the football season can do the same work in the basketball season. Austin Anglea and Justin Brent are the top QB and WR combo for head coach Denny Pelley in the fall. At Ritter on Friday night for Chuck Bennett, they were the inside/outside 1-2 punch to pace the Plugs. Anglea would lead the way with 19, primarily on mid-range jump shots. Brent was the force on the low block, adding 17.

For Ritter, Parrott's 26 would pace all scorers, but it was sophomore Lamont Hawthorne's 20 points scored in a variety of ways that helped keep the Plugs at bay. Ritter led most of the final quarter, but on most trips it would be a one, two, or three point lead. Ritter would push their lead to four at 58-54, but then Speedway answered with their lone three point field goal of the night, this from freshman Anthony Jones, who would finish the game with 9 points. A series of baskets, free throws made and missed would eventually give the ball to Speedway, trailing 63-61. Austin Anglea would fire in another basket on a 15-foot baseline jumper to tie the game at 63 with approximately 20 seconds to play. Ritter, being out of timeouts, simply put the ball in the hands of their best player, Alex Parrott, and hoped for the best.

Parrott would pull up for a three from the right wing with about five seconds to play. The ball hit the rim, spun up, and then fell straight through to put Ritter back in front 66-63. Speedway would signal for time, with some time being added back on the clock to 2.1 seconds. As you would expect, the quarterback (Anglea) would find his wide receiver (Brent) one more time on a length of the court pass. Brent had a great look from deep, but missed as time expired. The Ritter student section stormed the court, swarming Parrott, for delivering the Raiders' 5th straight win in the series.

Both teams play again on Friday night. Ritter evens their record at 3-3 on the season, Speedway falls to 3-5.

Quick take away from the game: Both teams are young, but well coached, and have bright futures. Both will compete well against the remainder of their schedule, with the exception of each team's remaining game with Park Tudor in Indiana Crossroads Conference play. The other great similarity that both teams have is that they lucked out in the sectional realignments in the spring from the IHSAA. Each team avoids the group of death (soccer reference for you!) in sectional 42 with Park Tudor, Broad Ripple, and Heritage Christian. Ritter is in sectional 43 at Triton Central, Speedway heads west to sectional 44 at South Putnam. Both of those sectionals are wide open for any team to win. It is not out of the realm of possibility that one or both of these young teams could be regional bound.

Next game for me is next Friday night, a 3A sectional preview between Chatard and Guerin. Game can be heard on Catholic Radio Indy 89.1/90.9 and catholicradioindy.org. Coverage begins at 7:30p. See you at the game!

12/22/2011 - Game Recap Cathedral - Brebeuf

Cathedral 52, Brebeuf 44

The Cathedral picked up their 5th win in six tries on the season, and won for an 11th straight time against the Braves on Thursday night. The Irish never trailed in the game, but don't take that as a sign that they didn't have a battle on their hands.

The Irish would enjoy their largest lead in the first half at halftime on a David Hill three as time expired to push the margin to 24-14. The Irish man-to-man defense was suffocating in the first half, holding Brebeuf to just three field goals, and single digit point totals in each quarter. The Irish would then push the lead to its largest point less than a minute into the third quarter, scoring on it's first two trips in both two-point and three-point variety, leading 29-14 with 7:04 remaining in the quarter.

Brebeuf would then spurt right back into the game, with 8 consecutive points to make it a 29-22 game. That run coincided with senior Mike Lenz's emergence in the game. The crafty left-hander (just like in baseball, every lefty is crafty) would start to find the range from the field. After going scoreless in the first half, Lenz would combine with sophomore guard PJ Thompson to spark the Brave run. Eventually the lead would shrink to 35-30, before another buzzer beating three, this one from IU recruit Colin Hartmann would push the 3rd quarter margin to 38-30.

Brebeuf continued to battle, but could never get the deficit smaller than five. Cathedral's patience in the half court set would eventually force Brebuef out of the 2-3 zone they had played for the entire game, but even the switch of defenses couldn't spark a final Brave rally. The Irish would make enough free throws down the stretch to keep Brebeuf at bay.

PJ Thompson led all scorers with 25 points, and would be the only Brave to make a 3-point field goal on the night. He also was stellar from the line, connecting on 11-14 for the game. The balanced Irish attach was paced by Hartmann's 12 points, including two three-pointers, with junior F Josh Sullen adding 11 points.

For the Irish, they're off until a New Year's Eve date with Bowman Academy in Hammond, while Brebeuf will play Oldenburg Academy at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown on Tuesday.

Quick take away from tonight: Both teams are very solid. Cathedral will play 9-10 players, and that will increase with Colin Barthel, a 6'7 sophomore returns from a knee injury. Cathedral has depth, athleticism, size, a great PG in Mo Evans, and a high basketball IQ. It should be another outstanding year for 2nd-year head coach Andy Fagan. For Brebeuf, Scott McClelland again has done a good job in his second year taking over for Fagan. Thompson had numerous college coaches watching him tonight (as they were also watching freshman Jalen Coleman and Evans for the Irish), and he's a defnite all-star candidate two years down the road. I love Lenz's game, even though he had an off night from the field. DJ Perdue is a beast down low for the Braves at only 6'2, but a solid 275-ish (D1 caliber football player). In 3A, Brebeuf can make a deep run.

Off now for a few days for the holiday. Next game for me: Avon @ Carmel live on HTSN next Wednesday. Have a Merry Christmas!

12/21/2011 -Game Recap for Fishers-Avon

The best 2-4 team in the state may have just become the best 3-4 team in the state. In a game where Avon led just once, and that was at 2-1, Fishers emphatically ended a 4-game losing streak by beating the Orioles 70-51 at Fishers on Wednesday night.

It was a balanced attack led by junior CJ Johnson, who remained in the starting lineup with the return of C Tyler Alderman from an ankle sprain, with 18 points. All 5 starters would finish in double digits. Alderman, who did play in the last Tiger loss to Carmel, but entered the game off of the bench, would contribute 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 blocks.

Fishers would shoot 57 percent from the floor and make 5-10 3's. Only an 11-19 night from the line had room for improvement on the stat line for the evening. The Tigers won the battle of the boards by six, would commit just eight turnovers on the night. Avon was led by the 12 points each from Lance Magee and Aaron Bode, who would also grab eight boards. Austin Burgett added just 7 points, and dealt with 3 fouls in the first half. As hot as Fishers was the field, Avon was equally as cold, shooting only 33 percent from the floor. Much of that had to do with the altering powers of Alderman in the paint. Magee would shoot just 4-15 from the floor, and driving lanes were tough to find throughout the game,

Avon next gets Carmel in a game that can be seen on HTSN on Wednesday December 28th (and read about here on ExcelHSports), while Fishers takes part in the North Central Invite next Tuesday and Wednesay. The Tigers play East Chicago Central in the second game on Tuesday, following North Central and Castle.

Quick take away from each side: There wasn't much Fishers did wrong tonight. They might have beaten any team in the state the way they played this evening. Add another good team in this year's toughest sectional (and it won't be close): #1 NC, #2 HSE, #8 Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers, and Zionsville all at Noblesville. Call Mike Hasch (Noblesville AD) about your tickets now. For Avon, it was a learning experience for a still young team. Other than Magee and Burgett, no other players return with significant varsity experience. Hopefully the Orioles can bounce back, because they still have many teams of this caliber to play on their schedule, like next week v. Carmel.

Tomorrow night, it's off to Cathedral for the Catholic Radio game of the week v. Brebeuf. Listen live at 730p on 89.1 FM, 90.9 FM in Hamilton County, and online at CatholicRadioIndy.org. See you at the game!

12/16/2011 - Carmel Fishers Show Down

Carmel 53, Fishers 50: Impressed by Fishers in a losing effort. Tyler Alderman has been hampered by a right ankle injury. Didn't start, but almost played 28 minutes in the effort. 12 points, just shy of a double-double in rebounds, and 5 blocks. Headed to D1 Jacksonville in the Atlantic Sun next year. Has a physical presence for D1 basketball already. Liked what I saw from an athletic standpoint from Jaylon Brown. Ran a nice 2-man game with he and Alderman on high ball screens. Didn't see enough of Joe Retic for Fishers tonight, foul trouble really saddled him, and limited him in minutes. Finally for Fishers, JP Pena hit some nice shots for the Tigers as well. Baseball likely his sport in college if he chooses to play, but has been a solid 3-year contributor for Coach Leonard's team.

As for the Greyhounds, they are getting the most out of their talent. Space the floor very well, rely on jump shots falling, which they didn't in the first half, but did so in the 2nd half, especially in the 3rd quarter. Got down 33-27, then hit 3 straight 3's to take a 36-33 lead. Love the mid-range game of Ben Gardner, a 3-year starter on the varsity. Not afraid to take a 16-foot jumper in rhythm, as opposed to forcing a 20-footer from 3-point range. Loved the spacing and quick ball movement of the Greyhounds. Not a great deal of athletic ability, but a very high basketball IQ team, and a team where almost every player has at least one year of varsity experience. Love the post players, Heffern (who'll play football at IU), McRoberts (sophomore younger brother of Josh), and Schneider. None of them try to do too much, they all know their role very well.

One other note to add. Carmel head coach Scott Heady was ejected less than 10 minutes into the game. I've never seen a head coach get tossed that quickly. In talking with a good friend on the Carmel staff, Heady never swore at the official in either technical foul, and maybe had one foot on the floor. My broadcast location at Carmel is on the opposite side of the floor, and elevated, where I can't hear the coaches the way I can other places. But, from first glance, it was underserving one of T, let alone two quickies.

Next report will come your way from Fishers v. Avon next Wednesday.