[Southsider2k12]

Two notes of FWIW, WIMS is broadcasting the game with their regular team of Adam and Matt. Also the game is not tonight, which isn't really made clear in the article, it is Friday nite.

[Southsider2k12]

Tonight is the next game... 7:30 tip off versus Portage, first DAC game of the year. Matt and Adam on the call!

[Roger Kaputnik]

Like I said on the radio, they did a good job on the football games, they should be with the bball. What other games are you doing, SSider?

[Southsider2k12]

Like I said on the radio, they did a good job on the football games, they should be with the bball. What other games are you doing, SSider?

I am set to do a total of 5 games this year. Next up for me are Dec 13 vs NP, Dec 16 vs MER, and Dec 23 vs LP.

FYI, the Dec 13 games are a Girls and Boys varsity back to back night. So if you have been wanted to see the girls team in action, as well as the boys, that is the night!.

[Southsider2k12]

Wolves beat Portage 64-61 in a thriller.

[eric.hanke]

Wolves beat Portage 64-61 in a thriller.

For being up by 10+ at the end of the first quarter and looking strong, it sure was a close game.

We purchased season tickets this year and plan on attending as many of the home games possible.

[Southsider2k12]

For being up by 10+ at the end of the first quarter and looking strong, it sure was a close game.

We purchased season tickets this year and plan on attending as many of the home games possible.

Foul trouble really made them change their game, and they could never get back to the style of play that got them the early lead. They adapted well in the 4th quarter.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47575.86

MAKING PROGRESS

Adam Parkhouse
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Michigan City boys basketball coach Bob Buscher is pretty confident his team would have lost this game last season.

After building a big early lead in the Duneland Conference opener, the Wolves found themselves in a severe foul trouble and eventually surrendered the advantage.

But, showing remarkable poise under pressure and determination, the Wolves played a terrific fourth quarter and held on for a 64-61 win over Portage on Friday at the Wolves Den.

"As a group we're playing hard," said Buscher, whose team improved to 2-0 to start the season for the first time since 2002-03. "If we play hard and we're unselfish then ... well, it's only the second game."

City, using its aggressive, full-court defensive pressure went on an 8-0 run to start the game and eventually led 15-4, controlling the tempo on both sides of the floor and forcing the Indians (1-2, 0-1 DAC) to play faster than they wanted to.

But the Wolves would quickly get into foul trouble. By half's end, three players had three fouls and Portage stayed in the game by making 10 of 12 first-half free throws.

"And we were playing so well, too," Buscher said, lamenting his team's fouls situation. "We have to be able to play that kind of game yet not foul."

A jumper from Aaron Ciesielski saw City's lead cut down to two with 2:09 left in the first half, but City would take a four-point lead into the halftime locker room.

The third quarter belonged to Portage. City's foul trouble forced it to play almost exclusively half-court defense, and the Indians made the Wolves pay. Ciesielski gave his team its first lead of the game on a drive into the lane with 6:23 left in the third and that lead pushed out to six with 1:19 left on Luke Wheeler's 3-pointer, making it 49-43 Portage.

With 4:52 left in the game, just moments after Portage' Steve Perry completed an old-fashioned three-point play, City senior Darrell Hopkins had one of his own to keep the deficit manageable at 54-52.

Hopkins, who had 15 points and 20 rebounds in last week's season-opening win over Marquette, had another big night, scoring a game-high 22 points to go with nine rebounds.

"Darrell is coming along. He's just a warrior," Buscher said.

Hopkins split a pair of free throws a moment later but Adam Harmon hit a clutch layup in traffic to give the Wolves the lead back for good at 55-54 with 3:11 to play.

Hopkins, on a terrific feed from Brandon Pawloski, converted another old-fashiong three-point play with 2:21 left, giving the Wolves a two-possession lead at 58-54.

City led 59-56 when Portage's Damonte Lowery scored and was fouled, giving him a chance to tie the score with a free throw. He missed and Pawloski secured the rebound before getting tied up for a jump ball, giving City possession with the arrow.

Pawloski then came down had hit an 18-foot jumper to push the lead back out to three with 38 seconds left. The City senior then split a pair of free throws with 15.4 seconds left.

Lowery came down and drained a trey for Portage, making the score 62-61. Pawloski took the inbound and was immediately fouled. This time, he made both freebies, pushing the lead back to three.

With a foul to give, Harmon alertly allowed Dominique Walton to dribble down court before fouling him with one second left. Portage turned the ball over on the inbound pass, giving City the gutsy win.

"I thought we outplayed them after the first quarter," Portage coach Rick Snodgrass said. "We just didn't make the plays when we needed to."

Buscher was pleased with his team's progression, comparing this win to several games his team dropped in similar fashion a year ago.

"We would have lost this last year," Buscher said. "But, you look at last year, I was new and we were loaded with seniors, so that isn't unusual because they were learning to trust me. The summer was a big key for us in bringing the kids together.

"We were really unselfish tonight."

Notes: City lost the junior varsity game 52-51. ... Sophomore Shereff Knight, a starting guard, again found himself in deep foul trouble, much like the Marquette game. He scored his first points of the season on a fourth-quarter layup, but played limited minutes finishing the game with four fouls. ... During the second half City senior DaQuvay Sherrod was spotted with blood on his shorts and was forced to quickly make a change - right on the sidelines, shielded as well as possible by coaches and teammates. He finished with seven points and six rebounds.

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

[Roger Kaputnik]

SSider, are you gonna be on the air Fri or Sat?

Johnny, how are the rebroadcaasts gonna be handled since there are TWO--yes, TWO--games this weekend?

[Southsider2k12]

SSider, are you gonna be on the air Fri or Sat?

Johnny, how are the rebroadcaasts gonna be handled since there are TWO--yes, TWO--games this weekend?

I will be on the Saturday doubleheader broadcast. I can't wait!

[Roger Kaputnik]

Wait! Are you trying to tell us that WIMS is broadcasting the Girls Varsity and the Boys Varsity? And you are gonna do both?

And Matt will do the Friday game?

[Southsider2k12]

Wait! Are you trying to tell us that WIMS is broadcasting the Girls Varsity and the Boys Varsity? And you are gonna do both?

And Matt will do the Friday game?

As far as I know, we are just doing the one game. Also it sounds like Matt will not be there on Friday either. I would be there, but I have the company Christmas party that night.

[Roger Kaputnik]

So who is gonna do Friday? Mr. P?

[Johnny Rush]

We will be replaying BOTH games this Sunday, with the Friday one going from 10am to noon and the Saturday game going from 6 to 8pm. Matt cannot make it to this Friday's game, so we are throwing in the WIMS super sub...Brian Brophy. Adam Parkhouse assures me that he can do the play by play, so I'm very interested to hear how it sounds.

By the way...who on the staff do you consider to be Mr. P?

[Roger Kaputnik]

We will be replaying BOTH games this Sunday, with the Friday one going from 10am to noon and the Saturday game going from 6 to 8pm. Matt cannot make it to this Friday's game, so we are throwing in the WIMS super sub...Brian Brophy. Adam Parkhouse assures me that he can do the play by play, so I'm very interested to hear how it sounds.

By the way...who on the staff do you consider to be Mr. P?

Mr. P(arkhouse)

[Southsider2k12]

So an up and down weekend for the Wolves as they split their games this weekend. Friday nite was a bad loss to Chesteron 54-36, but they had a nice bounceback against New Prarie with a big second half winning 74-63. Next game up is Tuesday against a 4-1 Merrillville that owns a eight point win against Chesterton and a three point loss against LaPorte. Adam and I will be on the call from the Wolves Den with a 7:30 pm tip off.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Any feedback from the broadcasts of the games? I did not catch them.

[Southsider2k12]

I had the company Christmas party Friday nite, so I can't comment on that. Saturday went well, I think I liked the opening night broadcast better, but I can be a bit hard on myself. I thought I could have done better, and will do so Tuesday nite!

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47459.63

City Boys Beat NP

From Staff Reports

DaQuvay Sherrod led Michigan City with 17 points in the Wolves' 74-63 victory over New Prairie on Saturday night at the Wolves Den.

City (3-1) also got 15 points and 13 rebounds from Darrell Hopkins.

New Prairie (1-3) was led by Austin Sill with 17 points, and Austin Kubit had 16 points and six rebounds.

For the girls, City beat the Cougars, 67-31.Ta'Kenya Nixon had 23 points and eight rebounds, and Joslyn Edwards had 15 points.

A full recap of Saturday's game, along with the girls game, will be in Monday's The News-Dispatch.

[Southsider2k12]

The boys gave a great effort against an excellent MVille team, but couldn't quite take advantage of the breaks. The Pirates had six guys at 6'5" or taller, the Wolves had one. We just couldn't make the big basket at the end of the game to crawl back into it. Wolves fell to the Pirates in a nice effort 63-54.