>> It is week two of Lakeshore Prep Sports on Lakeshore PBS.

Tonight we preview the boys and girls high school basketball coming our way.

This weekend we'll talk about the boys and girls basketball polls, and a feature on one of the outstanding pep bands in northwest Indiana.

All that coming up next on Lakeshore Sports.

(upbeat rock music) >> Announcer: Valparaiso University is a place for you to grow.

It's where professors are there to help you find your passions, and it's where you'll make connections that last a lifetime.

Learn more at valpo.edu.

>> Dale: Doing as much as you can as quickly as you can is important to me.

Life is short, and the earlier we get started helping our community, the better off our community will be.

(intense rock music) >> It is week two of Lakeshore Prep Sports and Lakeshore PBS.

Ready to get rolling on this weekend's basketball.

We'll start first with the Munster Girls and the KV girls going at it this weekend.

And two of the teams with outstanding records in Northwest Indiana.

>> Oh, nearly identical records.

Only five losses for each team.

both of these teams have just lost a couple games recently, but they really played well in the early season.

bringing that momentum into the postseason.

>> All right, let's start first with Munster.

15 and five on the season, and had a hard fought ballgame on Tuesday night against Crown Point.

>> Tommy: And that's a game you wanted to win because Crown Point is a team that's been a pain in the side for Munster and a lot of other teams in the region.

That's a win you wanted to get, but hey, you gotta move on.

>> Joe: Trinity Hogge from downtown.

Knocking down a three ball.

>> Ben: And that was a nice no jump shot in the paint there.

>> Tommy: Look like one of the old 1930 basketball moves.

>> Joe: They got some balanced scoring.

Nina Gardner from downtown.

>> Tommy: And if you wanna go find a tournament, you wanna have balance scoring and that was indeed a good shot.

>> Ben: Excellent take by Gracyn Gilliard there.

Oh, a nice move.

Take your flat foot stuff there.

>> Joe: Yeah, that's a Odeluga there.

Excellent take to the hole.

>> Tommy: Flat foot stuff?

(commentators laughing) >> Joe: Hey, getting the job done.

That was Nina Gardner.

>> Ben: Yeah, that was a power move.

They can shoot the ball from the perimeter and throw it inside.

You can see why they're 15 and five.

>> Joe: Good defense there.

Take that to the hole.

Number 24, Lillian Mason again.

A beautiful play by that young lady.

>> Tommy: Averaging 57 points per game.

That's good for a girls' basketball team, and a team that if they can get it together, watch out.

You don't wanna face them come February.

>> Joe: Yeah, I agree.

You know, they look outstanding here on the video.

>> You know, and I've been really impressed with how they hung tight with Crown Point.

This is showing them where their momentum lies and, you know, the slimmest of margins, you know, very short two possession game.

Where they need to improve, getting into where it really matters.

The state championship tournament.

>> Yes, Munster 15 and five as we said.

KV, 14 and five.

Let's check them out.

The Lady Kougars with a K. >> Tommy: And that's a basketball team that when you talk about the best teams, the teams should have a chance to really make something happen in February, you won't mention them, which is a good position to be in.

You know, you wanna go in there kinda like under the radar.

Then you can make some noise next next month.

>> Ben: Yeah, KV is led by Lilian Toppen.

She's averaging 13 points per game.

Just an excellent leader for this young ball team.

And right there, that's Haley Anderson in the three from the corner.

>> Joe: You know what's amazing?

Every team has players that can knock down the three.

>> Tommy: Yeah, it's the ones that play defense on the other side of the floor.

Those are the ones that make the difference.

The Crown Point teams that won a state championship, they will squeeze you on the defensive end, as will us get the points on the offensive side.

>> Ben: Well, speaking of Kankakee Valley on the defensive end, they're averaging 14 fouls per game.

That's giving their opponents a lot of freebies at the line.

That's something they need to cut it out if they want to haves some success here late in the year.

>> Tommy: And while you on that subject, 18 turnovers per game.

That's something they also have to cut back on if they wanna do well in the tournament.

>> Ben: Absolutely.

If you look at the offensive skillset, 'cause that was Kate Thomas with a beautiful take to the hole, if they cut down on the turnovers and play some good defense.

Oh, an instant replay.

The same play almost together.

A beautiful play by her.

But if they cut down on those issues, they can do some damage here in the tournament.

>> Joe: We saw Laynie Capellari knocked down a couple threes and a nice layup as well.

So KV, 14 and five.

Munster one of the top games this weekend.

And Ben likes?

>> Ben: Well I like Kankakee Valley in this game.

It's essentially a home court advantage type situation.

Pretty evenly matched teams, but if you're at home, it counts for something this time of year.

>> I don't like making predictions, but on this one I gotta disagree.

>> All right, go ahead and disagree.

>> Hey can we redo that?

(commentators laughing) >> All right, let's check out Lake Station and Andrean.

>> Tommy: Talk about a team that's had a big time pain in the butt.

Lake Station has had a great year.

Their coach is fantastic and he's done a great job, a great job over there, but Andrean has owned them the past couple of years.

>> Joe: That was Darne Toney right there taking it to the hole.

There is a lot of athleticism on this Lake Station team, and they take the ball up, she's got her eyes down court.

Sees the lane, takes it again.

Toney, one more time.

>> Tommy: Darne there she's a great ball player, but, you know, they also have a player on this team named Tranika Randolph.

We had no idea what that girl could do at the beginning of the year, but then all of a sudden she's leading the team in scoring.

>> Ben: 13 and three on the seasons, Tommy.

>> Tommy: Yeah.

Not bad, not bad.

>> Ben: Torri Chabes from downtown.

>> Tommy: Yeah, and Chabes you should save that tape because she's normally not a scorer, but she knocked that out.

No doubt.

>> Ben: You see the tenacious defense that Lake Station was playing right there.

Stealing the ball, taking it in for a score.

That's really what you need for success here late in the year.

>> Tommy: And Kayla Wilkerson is a young lady that can hit the outside jumper.

There's an outside jumper by Lake station.

Wilkerson can get red hot when she shoots the ball consistently.

She is that good a ball player.

>> That was some great ball movement there, and that was Chavis hitting another jumper from outside.

>> We had two of them, two jumpers?

>> Yes.

>> Way to go, girl.

>> She's trying to make a a liar outta you there too.

How about some Andrean?

15 and two on the season.

>> Tommy: As a matter of fact, both teams have players that have scored a thousand points in their career this season.

So Andrean obviously a team that won the sectional last year, and beat Lake Station in the semi-finals to get it done and really dominated the series.

>> Joe: And they're actually playing really hot right now.

They've won their last four games.

It's gonna be a tall order for Lake Station to come back and take this team down right now.

>> Ben: Cristina Martinez right there.

>> You've got girls like Arcella from last year, Tori Allen from last season getting it done.

You've got some players on this team along with a little inexperience, but you've got a couple of girls that can carry that basketball team if they have to.

>> Ben: Maddie Walton with a beautiful layup there in the lane in traffic.

That was Emily Ziegelhofer taking care of business, and finishing the play in traffic.

This is a very tough Andrean team.

You can tell that they've got a lot of guts.

And again, that was Tori Allen here with the three.

They can do it from the lane, from inside, from the mid-range, from the outside.

They can get it done and score from all parts of the floor.

>> Joe: Tori Allen I know went over a thousand points for her career this year.

Who was the Lake Station girl?

>> Tommy: Oh, the Lake Station girl.

Gimme a second.

>> I was gonna put you on the spot.

>> Tommy: Yeah, thanks Joe.

(commentators laughing) CC Goss is the young lady that went over a thousand.

>> Joe: Really?

>> Tommy: Yes, Cece.

Last week as a matter of fact.

Congratulations to both young ladies.

>> That was your pick.

>> That was my pick.

>> Ben: That is your pick, Joe.

>> Well, I am high on Andrean.

There's no doubt about that.

I think that they're outstanding.

Beat Crown Point early this season for 2A.

Like, you saw their nice balance on offense.

Both these teams have balance on offense.

>> Yeah, but again, here's where you might be correct because Andrean has seemed to have the advantage over the Lake Station girls the past three times they played.

So if Lake Station shows up and plays, they have a chance in this one.

If they showed up like they did the last time, not gonna work out.

>> Winning streaks are made to be broken, right?

>> Yeah.

>> Who never knows what can happen.

>> Tori Allen, 17 points per game and she is big time.

I think if she didn't have, you know, as good a teammates as she has, I think she could be averaging 25 points a game.

>> And wouldn't be winning as many games too.

>> Maybe not, maybe not.

So she's giving up probably some of her offensive game to be a better team.

All right, so we'll see how that one turns out on the girls side.

How about on the boys side?

Let's check out Griffith in Crown Point.

>> Ben: Now Griffith's got a little bit of momentum right now.

They've won three outta the last four games.

So this team is heading in the right direction.

>> Tommy: And Griff, I mean Crown Point, when you think of Crown Point, what do you think of?

Clint Swan.

He's been coaching there forever.

They consistently win ballgames under him.

>> Joe: I was thinking of Lux.

I'm sorry.

>> Tommy: Oh, you're thinking of Lux too?

Yeah, he's good too.

He's pretty good, but- >> Joe: He committed to Bellerman I believe.

>> Oh really?

>> AJ Ladendorf right there for two for Griffith.

>> Ben: Excellent take on the left hand side, finishing with the right hand for the and one.

Beautiful play by Hatch.

>> Antoine Hatch.

Oh, and the defense.

Nobody's catching him.

>> Joe: Very quick athletic individual, keeping his eyes up, getting that steal, and taking it to the hole.

>> Tommy: And by the way, does Crown Point have a kid on their team named Dikembe?

I love it.

It reminds me of Mutombo.

The guy that used to play for (indistinct).

>> Joe: Yeah, exactly.

That was Miles there with the finish at the hoop.

>> Tommy: Nice drive to the basket, and see there's the pump fake right there.

Frozen and got this bucket and one.

>> Joe: This Hatch kid, he can play.

He's got a lot of toughness to him.

I like his game.

>> Ben: Griffith's won three out of four, not scoring a ton of points per game.

Had some problems with turnovers this year.

>> Yeah, as a matter of fact, you put one with the other that's gonna hurt you come tournament time.

They gotta do something about those turnovers and get that scoring average up.

>> Well, they're averaging 21 turnovers per game.

Maybe that's why they're not scoring at the high clip they need to be, but you take care of that.

Hey, there's more opportunities on offense.

>> Yep.

>> All right, Griffith taking on Crown Point.

The Bulldogs have had a little bit up and down as well this year.

>> Ben: Yeah, they're 500 over the last four games.

They're two outta the last four, and they're not scoring a ton either.

They're at 55, but their offense is capable there.

You saw the the nice play, the feed to AJ Lux there for the finish.

>> Tommy: Does that make you happy now, Joe?

>> Joe: Well, you know, I think the defender was shocked that he was going down low because that's where he usually shoots the ball from is way downtown.

>> Tommy: Yeah, and I remember last year watching him play, he was hitting outside jumpers against, I wanna say Griffith, and he was not missing.

>> Ben: That was Dikembe Shaw.

>> Joe: Strong take to the hole.

>> Exactly.

>> I definitely wanna see him wag his finger here.

(commentators laughing) >> Tommy: But don't wag it at number 23, whatever you do.

>> Nice move.

>> Lux with the floater.

That's a very, very difficult shot right there.

>> Tommy: And AJ Lux of course related to?

>> Joe: TJ.

>> Tommy: Exactly, who was a pretty darn good ball player.

>> Ben: TJ's son.

Outstanding shooter.

Oh nice.

>> Nice dish off.

>> Tommy: You drive three guys to you and you're passing out to the open man.

>> Joe: Well that was good.

Perfect.

Three guys went to him.

There's our downtown shot.

Something tells me Lux can shoot.

>> Tommy: You think?

>> Ben: So Crown Point right now they're two and one at home.

They're in a position where they are at home playing this game is definitely something that they're hoping to keep their momentum going.

>> Joe: Lux at 38 against Michigan City, and Crown Point a 12 point favorite.

>> That's what I see in my thing.

Again, we're going back with the home court advantage early in the season.

It's a different ball game.

You're making sure that can your home crowd take you out where you need to be.

Ride that momentum.

>> And I think Crown Point just shoots the ball way better at home as well, and that's gonna be a factor in this ballgame as well.

All right, one of the hotter teams in northwest Indiana is the Lake Central Bullwicks, and they will be hosting Portage who shocked the world last weekend, I think, with the win over Valpo, right?

>> Ben: That's a big time win.

There's a lot of athleticism on this Portage Indians team.

They're really, really tough.

So they showed it against Buffalo.

>> Joe: Eight and five, Garrett Clark there.

Now they hadn't beat Valpo in a long time.

Maybe there was some wolfing going on Twitter.

>> Ben: Oh sure.

Sure.

That's what rivalries do, right?

That's Garrett Clark hitting from way downtown.

That was almost NBA range.

>> Tommy: And obviously, the boys have a little bit more time to prepare for tournament time.

But let me ask you guys this, Portage knocks out Valparaiso, what does that do for them come tournament time?

You know it's only a month or so from now.

>> Ben: I think it's definitely gotta be a confidence builder.

>> Joe: I mean, anytime you can beat your rival, and basketball is a game of runs and a game of momentum.

If you're taking care of business, you beat your rival, hey, things are looking good.

It means you're doing something right.

>> Ben: Oh, there you go.

I was just getting ready to see that Garrett Clark looks like nothing flashy but effective.

But then he just crossed over and shot the jumper in, and says I've got some flash to my game as well.

>> Joe: There he is cooking again but dishes it to the corner, and that's a shot by who was that though?

>> I think that was- >> Mario Evans?

>> Joe: Yeah.

>> Ben: Beautiful shot there on the corner.

>> That was a huge win for Portage really last week I think confidence wise and beat Valpo in I don't know, around 20 years maybe?

>> I don't know if it's been that long, but it's been quite a bit.

>> Yeah, I think it was close to 20 years.

But big win and like I said, one of the hotter teams in the area is LC, and they have a lot of guys that can shoot the three.

>> Tommy: Yeah, yeah.

Good ball handling, a team that could put some points on the board and as you mentioned before, don't leave them open behind the three point stripe or you will get burnt.

>> Joe: Our shot sheets got about 12 guys scoring in these highlight reels so you know they've got some balance.

It was Mitchell Milausnic.

>> Ben: Oh, good put back by number 41.

That was Brennan Escobedo there.

Wonderful concentration on that offensive rebound.

>> Tommy: As a matter of fact, the boys and the girls at Lake Central gonna get that this year.

Oh my goodness.

>> Oh, oh, oh.

>> Geez.

>> We're going inside outside.

That's Miles Yekich.

This Lake Central team has got some good looking plays early.

>> Ben: They had five guys make threes in the first half against Laport and you can see why.

>> Joe: All kind of guys that can shoot it.

>> Ben: Jake Smith.

Yep.

Inside.

>> Joe: You gotta pick your poison.

>> Ben: Strong move by Escobedo there.

>> Tommy: He had that guy posted up.

There was no way he was gonna block that inside shot.

>> Ben: They got some inside game, huh?

>> Tommy: Yeah.

>> Ben: Really impressive.

>> Joe: At ten and two, obviously they've started off really tough to start the year.

That's exactly what you want from an experienced team like this.

It's gonna be hard for Portage to keep up offensively, and you'd like LC?

>> Yeah, I like Lake Central here 10 points.

Again, early in the season.

It's the experience of Lake Central and that inside outside game that they have.

And again, they are at home.

>> Give me a team with two inside players that can score and like five guys that can shoot threes.

I'll be a fan of theirs.

>> What more can you ask?

(commentators laughing) >> What the heck?

All right, so Lake Central and Portage.

All right, this week's feature on the Prep Sports report, one of the top pep bands in the area.

The Portage High School Pep band.

>> I play trombone and this is what it sounds like.

(trombone tooting loudly) >> I play trumpet and this is what it sounds like.

(trumpet blowing rhythmically) >> Okay, so I play flute and this is what a flute sounds like.

(flute toots softly) >> This is what the bass trombone sounds like.

(bass trombone blows rhythmically) (intense rock music) >> Yeah, the Pep band is just a bunch of our band members who get together to perform at our basketball games.

I guess our main function is to just create an exciting atmosphere during the game.

When we start the basketball season, we generally have three or four rehearsals just to kinda read down the book.

And then once we've done that, once the basketball season starts, we get together about an hour before the game starts, and we kind of run through some of the tunes we're gonna do for the day, and then the kids just kinda take over once we're in there.

They really bring a lot of energy and excitement to what we do, and it really creates a great atmosphere in the gym.

I think the biggest thing that band in general offers is a family, a sense of family.

Family, friends are like the most important thing that we have, and when they come here they're a part of our band family.

And it's really as they kinda work their self through the season here, we develop a tight bond.

And it's really just friends hanging out and doing something they really love to do.

They bring their energy, they bring their excitement, and they bring a passion for music and in turn, just create this great atmosphere in the gym.

>> The kids will come in and like you'll see them start to warm up, and they start to wake up a little bit even though they're ready for the weekend and probably tired after a full week of school.

We'll warm up with a tune.

We'll play the "Fight Song," we'll play the "Star Spangled Banner," they'll start to wake up a little bit more and then we'll play like that first tune or two in full.

And then it's like we cut it off and I'll say like, "Hey, hey, when we're done with the full tune, you know, just try to be as quiet as you can so I can talk a little bit."

And then as soon as I'm done talking, they're just like, pep band, oh yeah, we're going to the next.

And it's like they're just all the chatter, all the excitement, it really just builds and gets started when we're rehearsing and running through stuff.

They're also watching and interested, which I think helps maintain that energy and atmosphere environment.

You know, in terms of like administrators or the basketball coaches or things like that, they're really interested in what we're doing with the pep band too.

Like, they ask during football season about, you know, pep band and the plans with the pep band and all that kind of stuff.

So it's definitely a really big part of the atmosphere and the community aspect of it, which is great.

And I think just in terms of like getting to be involved, it's a pride factor too.

They're proud to be such a big part of the atmosphere in the game, and it makes me proud even being new here that that expectation and that mindset is already there.

Our goal is just to kind of keep it going at a really, really high level, but just do our part to maintain the exciting nature and high level of things that we've been doing in the past.

And that's kind of the goal moving forward, I guess with the two is keep everybody excited and interested in it, which I think so far they have been, and I think they hopefully always will be because that's what we want to maintain for years to come, and just having a lot of fun while doing it And that if everybody has fun, we're playing, we're doing a good job at the games, that'd be the biggest thing moving forward is just keep it going and we'll find little things to keep making it bigger and better, but it's really big and really great already.

So there's not a not a lot of crazy things we gotta do.

We just gotta keep it going.

>> I love pep band because it's a very fun environment.

It's something that I don't get anywhere else in the music program at the school, and it's just a time where I can relax, have some fun, and just play a little bit of music.

>> I love pep band because they make me happy, and they just like, it's one big family.

>> I love pep band because the people in the band itself.

You know, there's a whole different side of people here.

We're all a lot more excited to be here and happy to be here.

>> I love pep band because it really is a family, and it gets you to show off your musical expertise without needing to worry about anything because in pep band, you're gonna have a second chance.

Like in regular concert band, you get one shot, you get one concert and that's it.

There's no reruns, you know, but in pep band it's like, we got this, we have another performance next week or the week after that.

Like, you have so many opportunities to perfect what you've got going for you, and you're gonna have fun doing it.

>> Well, you're in and you're out.

Any game you've gone to at Portage.

Outstanding pep band.

>> Can you imagine getting interviewed and playing your instrument on television with the camera right in front of you?

That takes a lot of guts to do that.

They're doing an excellent job.

Good job, Portage.

>> All right, quickly, girls pull on Lakeshore Prep Sports.

Let's go from the bottom five.

Morgan, Washington, we talked about KV and Munster.

They battle.

Lake Central, you know, still maybe not getting a little, the record's a little deceiving.

They played a tremendous schedule.

Valpo, 17 and one.

Lake Station, and Andrean, T Dub.

>> Tommy: I know, but speaking of which, Lake Station's game tonight canceled.

Don't go.

Do not go there.

They canceled that game tonight because of whatever reason.

>> Ben: Highlands had an outstanding girl season as well.

>> Tommy: Yes, they have.

>> Joe: How about the boys top 10?

Laporte nine and four.

21st Century, 10 and three.

Michigan City quietly nine and three as well.

Illiana Christian at seven and two.

Who's gonna be number one?

Gotta be the former Purple Gang, which is now the Central Wolves.

13 and one, playing a lot of Illinois schools with a lot of success.

I think their only loss was to an Illinois school.

Lake Station nine and one.

Watch it, does LC play Hammond?

I don't know, I'll do research that one.

And Munster, 10 and two.

Had an outstanding year.

And Judson, nine and two.

>> Tommy: And this might be the best high school basketball season for Lake Station ever.

Two number two teams.

>> Joe: Yeah, you're right.

You're right.

Let's check out some of the girls games from this weekend.

City in Valpo, Crown Point Chesterton.

>> Ben: Battle of the bridge with Highland and Munster this weekend.

>> Joe: That'll be a great one.

Both teams with great records.

On the boys side, Crownpoint Merrillville rivalry Game.

Noll and Illiana Christian.

Hobart and Chesterton.

When is the Lake Station Andrean girls game?

Is that Tuesday night?

>> I wanna say it's Tuesday night.

>> Joe: Well, you should know that, shouldn't you?

>> Yeah, considering I have to be there, you'd think I know, but yeah, I do believe it's Tuesday night.

That should be a fun game.

>> It should be a fun game.

You know, this is my favorite time of year.

You know, unfortunately you know me from the high school football show, but I love basketball just as much and this is so much fun to watch these teams play.

>> If your friend missed the feature on the Portage Band or on the girls wrestling team from Hobart last week, it's on our Facebook page.

The Lakeshore Prep Sports on Facebook.

Check it out, watch those features.

Your relative, your niece, your nephew might be famous being on Facebook on the Lakeshore Prep Sports Show.

So definitely give it a view, follow it so you're not missing any of the things that are posted, including game highlights of high school basketball, same night postings of some game highlights of high school basketball during this season.

So we've had a tremendous amount of folks like those.

A lot of folks that really liked the girls wrestling feature last week.

In fact, we're trendsetters 'cause I saw an Illinois high school get featured this week.

for their girls wrestling team.

We'll see you next Thursday night on Lakeshore Prep Sports.

>> Announcer: Valparaiso University is a place for you to grow.

It's where professors are there to help you find your passions, and it's where you'll make connections that last a lifetime.

Learn more at valpo.edu.

>> Dale: Doing as much as you can, as quickly as you can is important to me.

Life is short, and the earlier we get started helping our community, the better off our community will be.

(upbeat intense rock music) (soft music)