[Southsider2k12]

I did attend the Wolves scrimmage game last night and had some thoughts on the direction of the team...

I agree with Adam Parkhouse, ND Sports Editor when he said the schedule is going to be a bitch. The Wolves first five games this year are on the road. That includes a trip to East Chicago Central to start the season. Portage and Chesterton are the second and third games, both of which should be winnable games against down programs with lots of new players. Then we get to go to West Side and Merrillville. West Side is big and tough, Merrillville graduated 7 of their top 8, bringing back one of their big men. Early in the season is a good time to get the Pirates, as they are the type of program that will just reload. Then finally we have our first home game on December 16th against Crown Point.

The middle of the schedule is much more favorable as City has 8 of 12 games at home, including the meat of the DAC schedule. One of the road games is a trip to Munster for a rematch of last years game, that City very nearly pulled off.

Then City ends the season with three brutal games on the road at Lake Central who is the wide favorite in the DAC this year, at South Bend Washington, and at Valpo.

The talent is there this year. In Coach John Boyd's third year (going 11-10 and 12-10 in his first two), this is by far the most talented team he has. The biggest question coming into this year in my mind is leadership. With last years heart and soul Alajuwon Edwards off to play Division I basketball at Holy Cross, plus floor generals Shereff Knight and Reggie Clay also graduated, someone has to step into that role of captain.

In last night's intrasquad scrimmage game one moment caught my eye as Jabbar Washington took aside Sophomore newcomer Stacey Whitt and had a talk with him about how to approach a previous play. If Washington steps into a leadership role and catches up with the huge potential in his game City will be very dangerous in the backcourt. Washington came in with a bang as a freshman. His defensive game has always been advanced. With an nose for the ball, a long wingspan, and extremely quick feet, he is a lockdown defender when he wants to be. The offensive game needs to follow for Washington.

Another guy to keep an eye on this year is Taylor Lavery. Lavery is an enigma so far in his two years at City. He is a good three point shooter with a smooth stroke and amazing touch in warm ups and practice, but for whatever reason it hasn't translated regularly on to the game floor yet. Lavery did a lot more ball handling last night than he did last year, but with City losing a lot of backcourt depth to graduation, I would not be surprised to see Lavery get more time at the point this year.

For the first time since Coach Boyd took over City, the focus of this team is actually going to be on the front court, where they will have one of the best front lines in the DAC.

The focus starts with returning Sophomore Keenan Simmons. Simmons burst on to the scene last year as a freshman, scoring 10 points in his first game with the varsity in mid-season. Simmons is a tenacious worker on the block, and a kid who seems to have a great floor presence. Even as a true freshman in his first game he never had the indecision or jitters that can accompany a 14 year old on a varsity basketball court. He looked like he had been out there for years, and yesterday was no different. There was a sequence yesterday where Simmons was defending fellow Sophomore Stacey Whitt in the post. While giving up a few inches to Whitt, Simmons managed to block Whitt's shot, and after Whitt recovered the ball and tried to shoot again, Simmons stuffed that shot, and then managed to recover the rebound afterwards and trigger the break back the other way.

Speaking of Stacey Whitt, it was great to finally see him on the court. Whitt transferred to City last year during his freshman year, but had to sit out until the second semester started, and never logged time at the varsity level. He measures in the 6'7" range, has quick feet and a very nice vertical. I watched him dunk the ball with ease during warm ups, including a couple of trick dunks. The one concern was his reaction to adversity. I will wave the flag about this coming out of a scrimmage game, but there were a couple of points where the youth of Whitt seemed to show. After the sequence I highlighted with Simmons, Whitt hung his head, and both of the next two times the guards got him the ball in the post, he refused to even look at posting up. Later on he took an 18 footer from the top of the circle, which is what prompted the conversation by Jabbar Washingon. Whitt does have what other don't, which is a long frame, a massive wing span, and seems to be comfortable at his height. He has a nice feel around the basket for sure. He seems to find the ball.

Lawrence Davis is another big man back for City. Davis also broke threw the ranks as an underclassman a couple of years ago. Now a senior, Davis stands at about 6'4", and is a very hard worker on the block. Davis in the past couple of years brought his lunch pail, set nice screens, and exhibited nice footwork and touch in the post. This year, he seems to have added a nice three point shot, which would allow him to also log time at the 3 position, instead of being a bit undersized at the 4 and 5 spots on most nights. That shot could really open up the inside for Simmons and Whitt, and to open up the lanes for the guards.

Back to the guards, one name that you will be hearing a lot of on the scoring sheet is Darius Jenkins. Jenkins is a smallish guard, with very quick feet and an explosive first step. He has that Adam Harmon feel to his game in that he is not afraid to take the ball to the rim and finish. Jenkins best ball is in the open floor. In the transition he is nearly impossible to stop, and should offer the Wolves some fast break opportunities that they really haven't seen over the last two years.

Players coming off of the bench his year include Thomas Carlock, who got some quality minutes for City last year. Carlock showed tenacity as a tough defender, drawing some big assignments such as defending all conference and division I recruit Jeremiah Jones. The offensive game could still use some polish.

Donovan Wilson will also back up the guard positions as a good defender and solid ball handler. Wilson put in a season as one of the Wolves starting WR's on the football team with great hands and a nice vertical.

Lacy Johnson will join the varsity squad after spending the last couple of season the JV team. Johnson exhibits a great frame and impressive vertical. The natural talent is there for sure, but the biggest concerns in his game are focus and in game decision making. He would make one play down the floor that made you saw "WOW!", and the next time down make you ask "What was that?"

Ryan Taylor was the last member of the varsity squad to dress and play last night. Taylor also played JV last year, and had a very nice season. Taylor has filled nicely into his 6'3" frame and seems to have a good presence as a floor leader when he handles the ball. In conversations with Coach Boyd over the fall, he repeatedly pointed to Taylor as a player to watch for if the players in front of him falter. He could be someone to keep an eye on as the season moves on.

Based on the talent of this squad, and factoring in the very tough stretches of schedule in this season, I am predicting a 13-7 regular season for City, along with a 10-4 mark in the DAC. Lake Central is by far the most talent team in the Duneland and should win it on the backs of Glenn Robinson III, a Michigan signee, and supersized Sophomore Tyler Wideman. After that the DAC is wide open, and down in talent. What we could see this year, is City's first run at a Sectional title. The sectionals of course are made up of all of the DAC minus Lake Central, and plus Hobart. There is no traditional Merrillville or Valparaiso powerhouse for City to contend with this year, as they were both hit hard by graduation losing players such as Jerimiah Jones, Tukumbo Fashawe and Brandon Clark for the Pirates and Jarrick Suiter and John Clymer for the Vikings. Crown Point also loses their top players in 6'10" Jared Smoot and Spike Albrecht.

You heard it here first. The Michigan City Wolves win their first sectional crown in 2012.

It is also worth pointing out that besides Edwards moving on to Holy Cross, City also has two other players from last years team playing college ball this year in Shereff Knight and Sam Bellamy at IU Northwest. Both Knight and Bellamy are getting significant playing time, including logging muliple double digit game scoring early this year. This is also the Senior year for Jarrod Jones, who was a MAC pre-season all conference player for Ball State, and seems to be coming on to the radar as a professional prospect. Darrell Hopkins is starting his Sophomore year at Bethel.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...ac395525375.txt

Have what it takes?

Wolves unveil 2011-12 boys basketball squad in intra-squad scrimmage
By Adam Parkhouse
Sports Editor
Published: Thursday, November 17, 2011 9:52 AM CST
To speak to John Boyd about expectations for his team, you might think he was the head coach of a perennial state superpower.

Boyd’s goal each and every season is simple: He wants to win a state championship. Apparently, winning one whets your appetite for more, and Boyd isn’t satisfied with the title he won at Gary West Side in 2002.

Fans of Michigan City basketball know there’s a couple steps before that the Wolves need to take for the first time.

The history is what it is: Since the consolidation, no City team has won a sectional title. It’s a troubling, head-scratching streak.

*
But Boyd believes it’s going to happen, and his tone suggests more sooner than later.

So is this the team that’ll get it done? We got our first look at the 2011-12 Wolves during Wednesday’s Blue-Grey Scrimmage, an intra-squad affair featuring freshmen, junior varsity and varsity squads.

The results of the evening aren’t so important, though they are posted at the end of this column. What I was looking for was if City had the horses to end this dreadful sectional drought.

I’ll say this: I believe this is going to be Boyd’s best team in three years, though I’m not sure the record will necessarily bear that out.

City’s schedule is absolutely brutal. Out of the Wolves’ 20 games, 12 will be on the road. Between now and the new year, City will play just once at the Wolves Den and open with a five-game road trip.

Away games include perennial powers East Chicago, Munster and Gary West Side. It’s not going to be easy.

Of course, it’s not supposed to be and this is the way Boyd likes it. But if any City team could do it, this might very well be it.

The Wolves this season will be as balanced a team as we’ve seen around here in a while. They’ll have strong guard play with Darius Jenkins, Jabbar Washington, Taylor Lavery and others and should contain a solid inside presence with big bangers Keenan Simmons and Stacey Whitt.

This pack of Wolves appears to be fast, strong and able to play multiple styles. Make no mistake, Boyd’s mandate will still be defensive in nature, but I’d expect City to be more efficient offensively.

What all this adds up to, I don’t know. But coupled with high expectations for City’s girls team, it’s looking to be a fantastic winter of basketball at the Wolves Den.

q

For those interested in results of Wednesday’s action, here’s how it broke down.

The freshmen squads squared off in a six-minute quarter first, with White beating Blue 15-10. Brandon Pawloski had six points for the winners while Ryan Washington added eight for the Blue.

Next, the freshmen played the junior varsity in a six-minute quarter, with the freshmen winning 9-5. Pawloski, who made two 3-pointers in the first mini-game, made another trey in second.

The junior varsity squads were up next, with the Blue beating the White 12-4. Corey Workman had nine points.

The varsity then routed the junior varsity 29-9 in a 16-minute, running clock affair. Darius Jenkins had seven points and Keenan Simmons added six.

In the varsity game, Blue and Grey settled for a 23-23 tie. Officials then allowed a modified 3-point shootout. Ryan Taylor made his shot to claim the victory for Blue. Davis led Blue with seven points while Simmons added six and Jenkins had five. For Grey, Stacey Whitt had seven and Donovan Wilson six. Jabbar Washington chipped in five.





Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school...8e777a5ede.html

Boys basketball, the 2011-12 Michigan City Wolves

John Boyd, Michigan City boys basketball coach

John Boyd, Michigan City coach
Taylor Lavery, Michigan City
Lawrence Davis, Michigan City
Ryan Taylor, Micihgan City

Michigan City Wolves

Last season: 12-10, 7-7 DAC, lost in Class 4A Michigan City Sectional semifinals to Merrillville

Inside the Wolves

Leading returning scorer: Ryan Taylor, 10.4 ppg.

Leading returning rebounder: Ryan Taylor, 6 rpg.

Newcomer to watch: Keenan Simmons, So., F. OK, so he's not exactly a newcomer. Simmons, however, is in his first full season on varsity after coming up around the middle of the schedule as a freshman, and contributing to the Wolves' 6-2 finish after a 4-8 start. Long and athletic, Simmons figures to produce double-doubles with regularity, giving M.C. an inside presence it's lacked for a while, and will be a shot changer-blocker.

Breakdown

Wolves are going to run, run, run

The Wolves are going to get after it in classic John Boyd fashion, running players in and out in waves.

"Everybody knows my style of play," Boyd said. "We're going to punch you in the mouth, be quick down the floor, quick in transition to defense and hopefully be playing above the rim. It's a style that's hard to simulate in this area unless you have those weapons and we think we have some weapons."

Boyd believes he also has the inside punch and perimeter shooting to complement their array of wing-type talent.

"We've got quite a few big guys with an array of moves, ways to score, who really go at it in the paint," he said. "Then we've got guys who can attack the basket and guys who can shoot it very well, which is something we haven't really had in big games."

The Wolves figure to be the next best thing in the Duneland after Lake Central.

"My goal when I came here was to try to get better each and every year," Boyd said. "So far, we've been able to work toward that goal and we want to continue that." !~ Jim Peters

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school...l#ixzz1e5a6fLps

[MC Born & Raised]

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school...8e777a5ede.html

Ryan Taylor, eh? LOL ... I have no doubt he averaged 10 ppg on JV last year, but he barely cracked the varsity lineup, if at all, last season. Oops.

[Southsider2k12]

Ryan Taylor, eh? LOL ... I have no doubt he averaged 10 ppg on JV last year, but he barely cracked the varsity lineup, if at all, last season. Oops.

The NWI Times preseason top 10 mentions that Taylor is getting D1 looks.

[MC Born & Raised]

The NWI Times preseason top 10 mentions that Taylor is getting D1 looks.

I believe that could be the case, but he wasn't a varsity player a year ago is my point.

[Southsider2k12]

I believe that could be the case, but he wasn't a varsity player a year ago is my point.

Sounds like the kid had a big time summer league. I guess we will see if that translates to the IHSAA starting tonight. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if he is a starter for Lavery by the end of the season.