If it weren’t for last year, we might be talking about the recently completed Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic as the best one ever — and it unquestionably had the most interesting championship game, only the 2003 Terre Haute North-Bloomfield matchup being anywhere comparable.
There wasn’t really a close game on the first day, but plenty of down-to-the-wire thrillers the rest of the way. Crowds, by my educated guess, were also second only to the 2008 tournament — nearly full for the 11:30 a.m. game on the first day (maybe a morning record, and a sign of discriminating taste since that was the Sullivan-South Vermillion matchup), full by the time Marshall and North played on the second day, and perhaps down early on the third day but filling the gym by the time Marshall was finishing its game and Sullivan and West Vigo were getting ready to go.
Two of my friends from Terre Haute South are no longer in the Classic’s top 10 in scoring, with Armon Bassett’s 155 points and Jeremy Lock’s 152 having been supplanted by West Vigo’s Tyler Wampler and South’s John Michael Jarvis.
R.J. Mahurin of Rockville leads the way with 292 points, and probably will for awhile. To put his numbers in perspective, to get to 292 points a player would have to average 18.3 points per game and play four games (which only half the teams do each year) in all four years of high school. Yes, that record is safe.
Unofficially, the rest of the top 10 now consists of Nate Blank of North (225), Adam Gore of Monrovia (214), Lucas Eitel of Marshall and Wampler (both 210), Phil Woods of Turkey Run (208), Logan Eitel of Marshall (200), Jarvis (197), Zach Keyes of Northview (179) and Tyler Morgan of Riverton Parke (162).
Other unofficial statistics and tidbits from 2009 are as follows:
• He played too early in the day — I had no qualms at all about the 10 players (Thomas Anderson and Justin Gant of North, Dreyson Boyd and Rhett Smith of Sullivan, Taylor Duncan of Marshall, Jarvis, Trent Lancaster of Northview, Billy Newton of Shakamak, Andy Walsh of South Vermillion and Wampler) named to the all-tournament team. All of them were under consideration on the ballot that I eventually whittled down to 10.
But the first player I wrote down on that ballot was Jake Weaver of Turkey Run, who averaged a little over 15 points per game (on a team that averaged a little over 46) and who does a lot more for the Warriors than just score. I also voted for Tyler Richardson of Shakamak and considered Anthony McGill of South and Chase Rhoten of Linton.
• Teams that helped themselves — The obvious first choices here are Northview and Linton, each of whom picked up their first win of the season and came close to getting at least one more. The Miners who lost to Casey on Tuesday were a vastly better team than the Miners who lost to Shakamak on Saturday. South also gained a shot of confidence from its three wins (and its Dec. 22 win at Indianapolis Arlington).
No team, however, got a bigger boost than consolation-bracket champion Casey.
• Teams who hurt themselves — I’m not sure anybody’s on this list, although I imagine Bloomfield and Monrovia were fairly desperate teams before beating Riverton Parke and Rockville on Tuesday to salvage a win each, and Marshall’s Lions need the shots to start dropping pretty soon.
South Vermillion certainly suffered a setback when Cody Mumaw, one of the Wildcats’ three-year starters, was injured against Sullivan and missed the rest of the tournament. But if a couple of players take advantage of additional playing time until Mumaw’s return, the Wildcats might be a deeper and more versatile tournament team as a result.
Rockville didn’t win, but I don’t count the Rox as having hurt themselves either. They are 10 deep (as coach Dave Mahurin quipped, five offensive players and five defensive players), they were in all three of their Classic games and could easily have won two of them, and figure to keep getting better.
• Players who emerged — Maybe I should include West Vigo in the list of teams that helped themselves, because the Classic was a coming-out party for both Zach Kent, the hero of the Owen Valley win, and Ryan Crowther. Chance Talbot of Northview seems to be taking advantage of increased playing time too, and I thought Ike Worrell of South had a very solid week.
• Best mascot — Even with a little more competition, the Marshall Lion would have won this award paws down.
• All-name team addition — Kruz Kusterman of Casey makes any top-10 list in that regard.
n New favorites needed — This was the final Classic for David Parsons of Rockville, very possibly the most interesting player I’ve ever covered, and Dustin Morey of Marshall, one of my favorite people to interview.
I may have isolated a possible successor to Parsons in Dess Fougerousse of Linton, however.
• Best crossover dribble — I know a lot of you are picking Duncan, having watched him operate at the top of the key for Marshall for four days.
But the best single crossover I’ve seen all season — maybe for several seasons — was turned in by freshman Jeff Woods of Turkey Run (yes, that’s his brother who was mentioned earlier). Every time I’m in the North gym now I keep expecting someone to trip over that athletic supporter left there by Woods’ move against a surprised Owen Valley defender.
• Best one-on-one matchup — Nominations are pouring in for Duncan again, either being guarded by North’s Chris O’Leary or guarding Northview’s Lancaster the following night.
My vote, however, was set in stone early Monday when I watched Parsons — who would have thought he’d become an offensive threat as a senior? — being guarded by Casey’s Chris Unzicker. Parsons had Unzicker by about five inches and at least 50 pounds, but Unzicker — captain of the all-feisty team and the Classic leader in righteous indignation — did his best to match Parsons push for push and shove for shove.
Unzicker, in fact, might have been my favorite player to watch in this tournament, at least partly because after a couple of days — my 22 games plus halves of two others enabled me to see the Warriors four times — I figured out who he reminds me of: John McEnroe.
I can hear Chris now. “McEnroe? You cannot be serious!”
Andy Amey can be reached after 4 p.m. for comments or news items at (812) 231-4277 or 1-800-783-8742; by e-mail at andy.amey@tribstar.com; by mail at P.O. Box 149, Terre Haute, IN, 47808; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.
Amey Takes Aim
Amey takes Aim: Classic’s best title game capped great tourney
- Amey Takes Aim
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Getting ready for the dance
Terre Haute North got the good news Sunday night — or did it?
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Harrowing path for state hopefuls
The bad news is that the winner of Class 4A Sectional 13 in boys basketball heads northeast instead of southeast for regional play in March — to Hinkle Fieldhouse instead of Seymour as a result of Indiana High School Athletic Association’s changes.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: A superior all-star arrangement
I don’t work on Wednesdays, so I wasn’t able to attend the first Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association draft last week to set up the annual all-star game that will be June 23 this year.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: The biggest & baddest of a holiday classic
There are more things to love about the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic than could fit in this newspaper, but one of this year’s best things was that for an hour or so on Wednesday, it was Justin Paddock’s world and we were just living in it.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Taking note of ISU’s latest football win
The biggest difference I’ve noticed, as I transition from the high school football beat to quasi-official status as the Indiana State football beat writer for a few weeks, is the length of the games.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: IHSAA playoff draw not as bad as it could have been
First reaction to the Indiana sectional football pairings drawn late Sunday by the Indiana High School Athletic Association? It could have been a lot worse.
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ANDY AMEY: Between the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & a hard place
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Amey Takes Aim: UFC fighter’s bloodines traced back to ISU brothers
As a mild-mannered reporter from a great metropolitan newspaper — or thereabouts — I admit I haven’t paid much attention to the burgeoning mixed martial arts scene.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Predators’ win is music to new fan’s ears
For many, many years, the number of live games televised on WGN has been cited as perhaps the main reason for the popularity of the Chicago Cubs (it’s got to be something besides masochism, right?).
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AMEY TAKES AIM: You’ll be having a good ol’ time on vacation with the Ameys
When one of the first people you meet is Tammy Wynette’s stepdaughter, when you’ve stepped on the feet of people you haven’t met while trying to navigate Ernest Tubbs’ old Silver Eagle tour bus, and when the activities director of your resort is, well, Elvis, you might be vacationing in Nashville.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: The Annual All-Amey basketball teams close out the prep season
The most encouraging boys high school basketball event I’ve attended so far in 2011 has been the Lafayette Semistate a couple of weeks ago.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Family remembers Cheryl Weatherman as caring grandmother
As far as Riley and Keely Davis are concerned, Cheryl Weatherman was simply their grandmother, and a pretty darn good one at that.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Honor to see Turkey Run girls close out memorable career
I don’t know if anyone in this part of the state could actually say they enjoy going to Fort Wayne and back, but I was glad to see the Turkey Run Warriors play one last time during the girls basketball state finals Saturday.
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So many matches, so many favorites
Go ahead, ask me anything about the 224 wrestlers who competed last week at the Indiana state finals — or at least about the 112 wrestlers who survived Saturday’s first round.
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ANDY TAKES AIM: A sportwriters’s lament: Oh, the games we missed
I was already tired of winter by the time that first bitterly cold snap passed through in mid-December, so it’s safe to say the season hasn’t grown on me.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Time of the season for teams to tough it out
In the last month or so I figure I’ve seen at least four boys high school basketball teams with legitimate state-championship dreams as the season heads into its dog days.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: It's the fall 2010 Amey Awards
I won’t get to know the kids from Casey and North Putnam until they come to Terre Haute in droves next June for the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star game, so I guess it’s not too early for the high school football awards from this space.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: An early look at Indiana prep football playoffs
I wasn’t at all surprised to watch Linton pick up a 20-point win over previously unbeaten North Knox in high school football last Friday, one week after the Miners had lost by 40 to North Daviess.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Baseball season rounding third for an exciting ending
Major League baseball is coming down to an interesting week for the National League, then a couple of interesting weeks for the American League.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Look for me in the yellow shirt
I won’t be wearing pink or blue tonight for the Terre Haute South-Terre Haute North volleyball match at North, but I’m anticipating that plenty of you will be.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Little QB had big moments in ISU blue
You won’t find his name easily in the Indiana State record book, but for my money the best quarterback the Sycamores have ever had was Verbie Walder.
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Amey Takes Aim: Biggest baseball pet peeve … Nibbling
Having seen some outstanding baseball — and some not-so-outstanding baseball — at literally every level of play this spring and summer, I have identified what without a doubt is my main pet peeve with the sport. Nibbling. I’m not referring to popcorn or pretzels or nachos or cheese sticks or corn dogs or snow cones or candy or ice cream. Those can also be a serious problem — particularly if the kids are with me — but one that can be solved by simply running out of money.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Head to the high seas: Ameys’ vacation cruise
It’s good to be king. Abdication? Not so good.
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World Cup replaces void opened when Stanley Cup ended
It’s niche sports day here at the Tribune-Star, so we’ll start with a test of how much you learned while watching the recent National Hockey League season.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Win or lose, a softball season to remember
Well, this is awkward. I’m writing this late Monday night, with my Tuesday and Wednesday days off in the future, not knowing entirely how happy I am with state-finals softball.
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Amey Takes Aim: Wabash Valley is a softball powerhouse
Greetings from the high school softball capital of Indiana. Your Tribune-Star will be spending all day Saturday at Ben Davis, dominating the press box and elbowing those other newspapers to the back row where they belong. No other paper has as many teams to cover as we do (go Panthers, go Miners and go Patriots); The Times and Post-Tribune get off to a good start with Whiting (against Riverton Parke) and Wheeler (versus Linton), but couldn’t get anything going among the bigger schools (now that my cousin Keith Hauber no longer coaches at Lake Central).
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Amey Takes Aim: NHL playoffs > NBA playoffs
Eavesdropping, as I often do, at a couple of sporting events recently, I heard conversations that warmed my heart. At both the Rose-Hulman baseball game recently and the Terre Haute North-Terre Haute South girls tennis match a week ago, I heard spirited arguments involving — the NHL playoffs.
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Amey Takes Aim: Amey family travels to Astros land
I have an uneasy feeling that I know what I’m getting for Fathers Day. Not sure how your family celebrates that holiday, but mine uses it to get me things I wouldn’t otherwise buy for myself. It’s probably the only reason I ever got a cell phone, and a couple of years ago it was a good excuse for a flat-screen TV for the living room. Yes, I use both of them now.
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Amey Takes Aim: Favorite group for boys basketball Amey Awards ... Most Improved team
As much as I enjoyed the girls high school basketball season this past winter, I liked the boys season even better; something about a team winning its last game — or another team practically becoming the 2010 version of “Hoosiers” — will do that for you. Maybe that’s the excuse for having a record number of captains for some of the Andy Amey teams, as you are about to see.
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ANDY AMEY: Butter your popcorn! It’s time for the Amey Awards!
Yes, you’re right. The high school girls basketball season has been over for awhile, which can only mean the Andy Amey teams are getting out a little late this spring.
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