[Michigan City Wolves]

Brad made a nice leap last year. If anything happens to the starting line up, he is the next guy in. Troy Jones is the teams most talented player after Hemphill. I think Troy could end up as a PG on the next level if he keeps improving from year to year.

I'd like to see Troy Jones be the 2 this season. Let him take over the scoring load if Hemphill gets in foul trouble.

[Southsider2k12]

I'd like to see Troy Jones be the 2 this season. Let him take over the scoring load if Hemphill gets in foul trouble.

With Boyd on the team, he will be playing a lot of 2 this year.

[MCwolves]

With Boyd on the team, he will be playing a lot of 2 this year.

Who really thinks Boyd should be starting besides his dad? It's going to be just like last year, when it comes crunch time Miller, Pawloski, and Barron are there to save the team. If we didn't even start him in the first place we would be leading games the whole time. I just don't see anything positive that Boyd does on the floor.

[Jesse B]

Who really thinks Boyd should be starting besides his dad? It's going to be just like last year, when it comes crunch time Miller, Pawloski, and Barron are there to save the team. If we didn't even start him in the first place we would be leading games the whole time. I just don't see anything positive that Boyd does on the floor.

It doesn't matter really what anyone else thinks since Boyd is the man and the guy getting paid to make those decisions. Agree or not that is the reality.

[MCwolves]

It doesn't matter really what anyone else thinks since Boyd is the man and the guy getting paid to make those decisions. Agree or not that is the reality.

It's funny how even kids on the team will tell you that he is the worst PG in the DAC. Do you think his kid deserves to be starting?

[Southsider2k12]

Who really thinks Boyd should be starting besides his dad? It's going to be just like last year, when it comes crunch time Miller, Pawloski, and Barron are there to save the team. If we didn't even start him in the first place we would be leading games the whole time. I just don't see anything positive that Boyd does on the floor.

He wouldn't have started at all last year, but the ridiculous amount of injuries they had to start the season, and Marquette holding up the transfer of Mike Miller. He might even have started on JV last year.

[Michigan City Wolves]

Anybody know when the Blue/Grey Scrimmage at the Den is the this year, and if they have any other scrimmages before the opener on the 29th?

[Michigan City Wolves]

These are the sectionals hosts for the Winter Sports Season 2014-2015. Michigan City will host Boys Basketball Regional and Girls Basketball Sectional.

[taxthedeer]

These are the sectionals hosts for the Winter Sports Season 2014-2015. Michigan City will host Boys Basketball Regional and Girls Basketball Sectional.

According to the .PDF Merrillville will host the boys sectional and Michigan City will host the girls sectional.

Boys regionals will be at Michigan City and Girls regionals will be at La Porte.

[MCwolves]

Anybody know when the Blue/Grey Scrimmage at the Den is the this year, and if they have any other scrimmages before the opener on the 29th?

The scrimmage is the 25th.

[MCwolves]

Rumor is that City has added Bowman, Lawrence Central, and Penn to their schedule this year.

The starting lineup is looking like it will be Boyd, Jones, Miller, Pawloski, and Hemphill. Barron should be the first man off the bench and Dante Combs will surprise a lot of people coming off the bench.

[Southsider2k12]

The starting lineup is looking like it will be Boyd, Jones, Miller, Pawloski, and Hemphill. Barron should be the first man off the bench and Dante Combs will surprise a lot of people coming off the bench.

That sounds about right to me.

Also worth noting. How tough is Michigan City's schedule this year? Of the 4 teams that made it to the state finals in 3A and 4A we play 3 of them this year.

[MCwolves]

That sounds about right to me.

Also worth noting. How tough is Michigan City's schedule this year? Of the 4 teams that made it to the state finals in 3A and 4A we play 3 of them this year.

It will be interesting to see how the team responds to this tough schedule. It could be a schedule that benefits them come sectional time, or it could wear the team out and they could pile up losses. They will definitely need to bounce back from losses or it could be a downward spiral. The conference games this year will be the least toughest of the schedule.

[Southsider2k12]

It will be interesting to see how the team responds to this tough schedule. It could be a schedule that benefits them come sectional time, or it could wear the team out and they could pile up losses. They will definitely need to bounce back from losses or it could be a downward spiral. The conference games this year will be the least toughest of the schedule.

They have had the toughest schedule in the DAC for the last couple of years. I think it helps them when they hit DAC time. Though I will say this years schedule is going to be one of the toughest in the whole state with the trips to Chicago and Detroit factored in.

[MCwolves]

They have had the toughest schedule in the DAC for the last couple of years. I think it helps them when they hit DAC time. Though I will say this years schedule is going to be one of the toughest in the whole state with the trips to Chicago and Detroit factored in.

I think those tournaments will be good exposure for kids on the team. Those tournaments are huge and some of the top talent in the nation will be there.

[Southsider2k12]

2014-2015 Michigan City High School basketball preview
The MCHS Wolves will be returning a very strong group of now experienced underclassmen, but first let’s start with the graduates.

The biggest loss for MC will be 4 year varsity Center, Keenan Simmons. Simmons takes his talents to SIU-Edwardsville becoming the third straight class with a Division 1 product to come out of it (’13 Ryan Taylor and Jabbar Washington ’12). Simmons dominated last year not only defensively, but had an explosion offensively with a newly added 3 point shot. City also loses some great leadership in Donnie Wilson and Luke Daurer, as well as role players Michael Smallwood and Java Oliver.

Injuries headlined a lot of the season early last year, with many of the rotation players missing time, it set up a situation where City started a very young starting lineup last year. MC started 2 freshmen, and 1 sophomore, in addition to 2 seniors for most of the season last year and now is when that pays off.

Junior ShanQuan Hemphill has all of the earmarks of being the next star of Michigan City basketball. Hemphill started all season last year as a sophomore and showed flashed of his game. Even at 6’6” he will have one of the quickest first steps in the DAC, and an explosive leaping ability to match. He will be a match up nightmare for opposing teams who will struggle by either putting smaller guards on him, or slower big men. Hemphill thrives in the open floor. You will see college scouts at the Wolves Den this year trying to convince him to play for their programs in the future.

Senior Mike Miller returned to City after sitting early for a transfer in a big way. The twin brother of star of the girls MCHS team (and division 1 signee) Michal Miller, Mike showed valuable leadership on the floor and will be a key member of the back court, and do a lot of the ball handling. Miller strikes me as a kid in the Donnie Wilson/Alajuwon Edwards mold who is going to be smarter than just about anyone else on the floor and use that basketball IQ to his advantage.

Sophomore Jaronde Boyd started the entire season for City as a true freshman, and never looked out of place on the floor despite his age. Boyd showed a very quick first step, as well as a developing shot from the outside. Look for Boyd to be the starting PG for City this year.

Sophomore Troy Jones also spent the entire season as a starter during his freshman year, and also exhibited signs of being a great high school player very soon. Jones body profiles him as a potential D1 PG, with nice handles, and a guy who isn’t afraid to attack the basket.

Shayne Barron, a Senior, has been a two sport threat, doubling as TE on the MC football team. Barron showed a much improved three point shot last year, and had a couple of big games during the season. With graduation eating away at City’s front line, Barron might start at the 4 on City’s team. If not, he will get significant minutes off of the bench.

Brad Pawloski’s game took a big leap last year, as the then Junior was forced into much bigger minutes because of Luke Dauer’s major ankle injury. Pawloski’s game matured and he turned into a big threat from distance, as well as a well improved defender.

Senior Zach Stewart will see minutes this year as a sparkplug off of the bench who will look to show off his impressive three point shooting ability. Stewart worked hard to play himself on to the varsity roster about the middle of last season, and didn’t yield his spot after winning it. For fans of City basketball, I see a Sam Bellamy kind of role in Stewart’s future.

Sophomore Tyler Games is another kid who saw a lot of varsity roster time as a freshman last year, in one of the best freshmen classes I can recall seeing in a long time. Games didn’t see much time as a back up to Keenan Simmons, but he has the size and frame that you can’t teach. He will see some minutes, but I think his best years will be in his Junior and Senior years as his game catches up and matures, as he comes off of a pretty significant injury at the end of last year. Games profiles as a more traditional back to the basket high school center, with some athletic ability that could carry his game to the next level with some development.

Junior Cevin Crawford also worked his way from JV on to the Varsity roster last year, as he has an explosive leaping ability, and a strong frame. Crawford also saw significant minutes on the football field as one of the starting wide outs for the Wolves.

The rest of the roster is filled up with kids who are making the leap to the varsity roster for their first significant minutes with seniors Jerome Watts, MiQuan Dority, along with Sophomores Matt Westman, Dante Combs, and Makiyah Smallwood all looking to steal minutes, and win jobs if the opportunities present themselves.

STARTING 5: My guess at the starting five looks like this Boyd, Jones, Miller, Pawloski, and Hemphill.

TEAM PROJECTION: (12-10) (5-2). Now before anyone looks the record and gets ready to send hate mail, take a look at the Michigan City schedule. MCHS will play games against 3 of the 4 teams in the 3A and 4A state finals last year (Indy Tech, Bowman, and Lake Central). They also take trips to Chicago and Detroit for invitationals against some of the best schools in the country. They also have games against powerhouses such as Bishop Noll and Munster who have also been highly rated in recent years. That is in addition to the always tough Duneland Conference Schedule that City has. While many others are stacking inferior 1 and 2A schools on to their schedule to pad win totals, City has what should be the toughest schedule in the northern half of Indiana. They will be ready come tournament time.

DAC PROJECTIONS: The DAC will down overall this year, with a huge chunk of its best players leaving through graduation. The list of Centers alone is impressive. In addition to Simmons, Gage Ott of Laporte, Tyler Wideman of Lake Central, and Bret Barclay of Crown Point have all moved on to the next level. Three of them are playing Division 1 basketball. Crown Points returns the most front line talent in Grant Gelon and Nick Jeffirs, but has also had trouble gelling around that talent. I am picking the Bulldogs, but don’t be surprised to see City at the top of the DAC and Sectional 2 as their young talent grows up. Valpo looks to be improved, but had trouble scoring last year, and had disappointing PG play. Chesterton graduated all of their talent except for division 1 recruit Chris Palombizio. Merrillville, much like City, returns a young, but experienced group and could also surprise.

The bottom of the DAC is going to struggle this year, as Lake Central only returns Joe Bannister from an amazing group that finished as State Runner’s up. LaPorte will be devastated by graduation as they lose Ott, and 3 year varsity star Josh Fleming. Portage graduated most of their top players from a team that finished at the bottom of the conference, and will be led by guards Jordan Collazo and Tim Byrant. They will lack much size again.

PREDICTED DAC STANDINGS
Crown Point
Michigan City
Valparaiso
Merrillville
Chesterton
Lake Central
LaPorte
Portage

[MCwolves]

2014-2015 Michigan City High School basketball preview
The MCHS Wolves will be returning a very strong group of now experienced underclassmen, but first let’s start with the graduates.

The biggest loss for MC will be 4 year varsity Center, Keenan Simmons. Simmons takes his talents to SIU-Edwardsville becoming the third straight class with a Division 1 product to come out of it (’13 Ryan Taylor and Jabbar Washington ’12). Simmons dominated last year not only defensively, but had an explosion offensively with a newly added 3 point shot. City also loses some great leadership in Donnie Wilson and Luke Daurer, as well as role players Michael Smallwood and Java Oliver.

Injuries headlined a lot of the season early last year, with many of the rotation players missing time, it set up a situation where City started a very young starting lineup last year. MC started 2 freshmen, and 1 sophomore, in addition to 2 seniors for most of the season last year and now is when that pays off.

Junior ShanQuan Hemphill has all of the earmarks of being the next star of Michigan City basketball. Hemphill started all season last year as a sophomore and showed flashed of his game. Even at 6’6” he will have one of the quickest first steps in the DAC, and an explosive leaping ability to match. He will be a match up nightmare for opposing teams who will struggle by either putting smaller guards on him, or slower big men. Hemphill thrives in the open floor. You will see college scouts at the Wolves Den this year trying to convince him to play for their programs in the future.

Senior Mike Miller returned to City after sitting early for a transfer in a big way. The twin brother of star of the girls MCHS team (and division 1 signee) Michal Miller, Mike showed valuable leadership on the floor and will be a key member of the back court, and do a lot of the ball handling. Miller strikes me as a kid in the Donnie Wilson/Alajuwon Edwards mold who is going to be smarter than just about anyone else on the floor and use that basketball IQ to his advantage.

Sophomore Jaronde Boyd started the entire season for City as a true freshman, and never looked out of place on the floor despite his age. Boyd showed a very quick first step, as well as a developing shot from the outside. Look for Boyd to be the starting PG for City this year.

Sophomore Troy Jones also spent the entire season as a starter during his freshman year, and also exhibited signs of being a great high school player very soon. Jones body profiles him as a potential D1 PG, with nice handles, and a guy who isn’t afraid to attack the basket.

Shayne Barron, a Senior, has been a two sport threat, doubling as TE on the MC football team. Barron showed a much improved three point shot last year, and had a couple of big games during the season. With graduation eating away at City’s front line, Barron might start at the 4 on City’s team. If not, he will get significant minutes off of the bench.

Brad Pawloski’s game took a big leap last year, as the then Junior was forced into much bigger minutes because of Luke Dauer’s major ankle injury. Pawloski’s game matured and he turned into a big threat from distance, as well as a well improved defender.

Senior Zach Stewart will see minutes this year as a sparkplug off of the bench who will look to show off his impressive three point shooting ability. Stewart worked hard to play himself on to the varsity roster about the middle of last season, and didn’t yield his spot after winning it. For fans of City basketball, I see a Sam Bellamy kind of role in Stewart’s future.

Sophomore Tyler Games is another kid who saw a lot of varsity roster time as a freshman last year, in one of the best freshmen classes I can recall seeing in a long time. Games didn’t see much time as a back up to Keenan Simmons, but he has the size and frame that you can’t teach. He will see some minutes, but I think his best years will be in his Junior and Senior years as his game catches up and matures, as he comes off of a pretty significant injury at the end of last year. Games profiles as a more traditional back to the basket high school center, with some athletic ability that could carry his game to the next level with some development.

Junior Cevin Crawford also worked his way from JV on to the Varsity roster last year, as he has an explosive leaping ability, and a strong frame. Crawford also saw significant minutes on the football field as one of the starting wide outs for the Wolves.

The rest of the roster is filled up with kids who are making the leap to the varsity roster for their first significant minutes with seniors Jerome Watts, MiQuan Dority, along with Sophomores Matt Westman, Dante Combs, and Makiyah Smallwood all looking to steal minutes, and win jobs if the opportunities present themselves.

STARTING 5: My guess at the starting five looks like this Boyd, Jones, Miller, Pawloski, and Hemphill.

TEAM PROJECTION: (12-10) (5-2). Now before anyone looks the record and gets ready to send hate mail, take a look at the Michigan City schedule. MCHS will play games against 3 of the 4 teams in the 3A and 4A state finals last year (Indy Tech, Bowman, and Lake Central). They also take trips to Chicago and Detroit for invitationals against some of the best schools in the country. They also have games against powerhouses such as Bishop Noll and Munster who have also been highly rated in recent years. That is in addition to the always tough Duneland Conference Schedule that City has. While many others are stacking inferior 1 and 2A schools on to their schedule to pad win totals, City has what should be the toughest schedule in the northern half of Indiana. They will be ready come tournament time.

DAC PROJECTIONS: The DAC will down overall this year, with a huge chunk of its best players leaving through graduation. The list of Centers alone is impressive. In addition to Simmons, Gage Ott of Laporte, Tyler Wideman of Lake Central, and Bret Barclay of Crown Point have all moved on to the next level. Three of them are playing Division 1 basketball. Crown Points returns the most front line talent in Grant Gelon and Nick Jeffirs, but has also had trouble gelling around that talent. I am picking the Bulldogs, but don’t be surprised to see City at the top of the DAC and Sectional 2 as their young talent grows up. Valpo looks to be improved, but had trouble scoring last year, and had disappointing PG play. Chesterton graduated all of their talent except for division 1 recruit Chris Palombizio. Merrillville, much like City, returns a young, but experienced group and could also surprise.

The bottom of the DAC is going to struggle this year, as Lake Central only returns Joe Bannister from an amazing group that finished as State Runner’s up. LaPorte will be devastated by graduation as they lose Ott, and 3 year varsity star Josh Fleming. Portage graduated most of their top players from a team that finished at the bottom of the conference, and will be led by guards Jordan Collazo and Tim Byrant. They will lack much size again.

PREDICTED DAC STANDINGS
Crown Point
Michigan City
Valparaiso
Merrillville
Chesterton
Lake Central
LaPorte
Portage

This team looks like it's going to shoot the ball well this year and they will get out and run. Mike Miller has really improved going into his senior year. Pawloski has looked to develop his game to more than just the 3 point shot. I do believe that City may run into issues with rebounding with the smaller lineup, but will make up for it with the ability to get out on the fast break. I see a lot of teams coming out of the 2-3 zone early in the game after City makes them pay for it after burying some 3's. I see City going with a lineup of Jones, Miller, Pawloski, Hemphill, and Barron/Crawford to have better rebounding and post defense in the game. Concord will be a good first test as they do have a good big man in Swertka and it will be interesting to see how City responds. I know that Concord will start play in a 2-3 zone and hopefully City comes out firing on all cylinders.

[Michigan City Wolves]

City goes to 1-0 with there 60-54 victory over Concord at the den tonight.

[Southsider2k12]

In the Wolves season opening win last night, they were led in scoring by Mike Miller's 14 points and 7 rebounds, 3 steals and a block. Zach Stewart had 12 off of the bench. Jaronde Boyd had 8, along with 3 steals. Tank Hemphill scored 7, but added 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and a steal. Dante Combs scored 6 points on two 3 pointers. Cevin Crawford scored 5, but had two monster offensive rebounds off of missed free throws late to ice the game. To round out the scoring, Troy Jones had 4, plus Shayne Barron and Brad Pawloski had 2 each.

The win was Coach John Boyd's 60th as Coach of the Wolves. He trails only Bear Falls's 81 wins as a Coach at Michigan City High School.

The Wolves next game is Saturday night December 6 against Gary West Side in the Den.

[Southsider2k12]

The Wolves lose to West Side 78-75 on a last second shot. City battled back from a 5 point deficit late to tie it.