Lawrence North Wildcats (Indianapolis, IN)

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12/11/05

December 11, 2005


LAWRENCE NORTH 89, Fort WAYNE SNIDER 45
'Cats cruise without big guy

No Greg Oden? No problem.
After playing arguably his best game of the season in Thursday's nationally televised matchup against Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar, Lawrence North's center was left with a swollen jaw and eight stitches for his effort.

As a precaution, the 7-foot senior was held out of Saturday's home game against Class 4A No. 6 Fort Wayne Snider (3-1).

With the big man out, the Wildcats showed they are far from a one-man band, defeating the Panthers 89-45 on the strength of senior guards Michael Conley and Brandon McDonald, who scored 26 and 20 points, respectively.

"Without Greg's 20 points, I was wondering where we would find some scoring," Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer said. "I know Conley had a bunch and McDonald has had two great games in a row. The whole team really stepped up."

The trio of Conley, McDonald and junior forward Damian Windham combined for 60 of the team's 89 points.

Lawrence North (6-0) stormed to a 10-0 lead as the Panthers didn't score a field goal until 41/2 minutes into the game.

Fort Wayne Snider fought back in the second quarter behind senior guard Marques Johnson. Johnson scored 11 of his team's 17 points in the quarter and narrowed the Wildcats' lead to 37-29 at halftime.

The second half started much like the first as the Wildcats opened with a 17-2 run, putting the outcome beyond any doubt.

"I thought our defense stepped up against a really good team who scored 77 points the night before," Keefer said. "Those are three of the finest shooters we'll see all year, and we just had a hand up and we found a way to stop them."

McDonald, from whom Keefer said he's been seeking a breakout performance, shot 9-of-12 from the field and was flying around the court at both ends much of the evening.

"These last two games, (McDonald) has just been an outstanding player," Keefer said. "He's a senior, and he's playing like a senior. He's been with me for four years on the varsity and these are the best two games he's put in."

With Oden out, Keefer turned to freshman big men Chris Read and Stephan VanTreese. Read, making his first career start, scored four of the Wildcats' first six points but struggled with foul trouble much of the evening. Both players, however, provided the Wildcats with valuable minutes in the middle.

"Both those freshmen are special," Keefer said. "Any other year, I'd be starting them right away. I just happen to have a big guy named Greg Oden right now. Tonight, we just had some kids step up to replace Greg and we feel better about how our young kids are coming along."

Keefer said he doesn't expect Oden, who is averaging 21.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game, will miss the team's next game against Arlington on Wednesday.
Fort Wayne Snider1217511--45Lawrence North16211933--89

SNIDER -- Johnson 3-5 7-10 14, Hetrick 3-12 2-2 10, Young 2-7 4-4 8, Sims 2-15 0-0 5, Sneary 1-1 2-2 4, Berghoff 1-3 0-0 3, Tapp 0-0 1-4 1, Davis 0-3 0-0 0, Chambers 0-2 0-0 0, Belt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 16-22 45.

LAWRENCE NORTH -- Conley 11-19 4-5 26, McDonald 9-12 0-0 20, Windham 7-10 0-0 14, Read 3-5 0-0 6, VanTreese 1-1 2-2 4, W. Smith 1-1 1-2 4, Bibbs 1-1 0-0 3, L. Smith 1-2 0-0 3, Jones 0-1 3-4 3, Weigel 1-1 0-0 3, Thomas 1-1 0-0 2, Owen 0-2 1-2 1. Totals: 36 11-15 89.

3-point shooting -- Snider 5-20 (Hetrick 2-6, Johnson 1-1, Sims 1-9, Berghoff 1-2, Davis 0-2.); Lawrence North 6-12 (McDonald 2-3, L. Smith 1-1, Weigel 1-1, W.Smith 1-1, Bibbs 1-1, Jones 0-1, Conley 0-4.). Rebounds -- Snider 21 (Johnson 8); LN 39 (Windham 8). Assists -- Snider 9 (Johnson 3); Lawrence North 20 (Windham 6). Turnovers -- Snider 15; Lawrence North 9. Total fouls -- Snider 16; Lawrence North 16. Fouled out -- VanTreese.

 

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12/15/05

lawrence north 81, arlington 55

Oden, Conley quiet Golden Knights

Conley has 10 steals, Oden 9 blocks as No. 1 Wildcats win 23rd straight
game

The last time Lawrence North played Arlington, Greg Oden had one of the most impressive defensive performances in Indiana high school basketball postseason history with 18 blocked shots.

In the rematch Wednesday night, his defensive numbers weren't quite as high, but he had some help.

Senior point guard Mike Conley had a career-high 10 steals and Oden blocked nine shots as the top-ranked Wildcats beat Arlington 81-55 at Lawrence North's gymnasium.

After missing one game with stitches in his mouth and a swollen jaw, the 7-foot Oden scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in 27 minutes to finish one block from a triple-double.

Conley had 11 points and seven assists to come close to a triple-double as well as the two-time defending Class 4A state champs improved to 7-0 and won their 23rd straight game.

"They add to everything they do," said coach Jack Keefer, who got his 500th victory at Lawrence North. "If Greg was just a defensive player . . . he's becoming a complete player.

"Mike's always been a complete player, but I couldn't get him to shoot enough to score, but I think we've got that solved. He's finding his spots and his times to score and still be a point guard, and that's important."

Lawrence North and Arlington (2-3) played a pair of hotly contested games last year. Arlington won 70-60 in December. But in a sectional semifinal, Oden's 18 blocked shots paved the way for a 60-45 Lawrence North win.

"They're a great team," said Oden, whose squad opened the year ranked No. 1 in the nation by Sports Illustrated. "The blocked shots? They're a driving team. They like to go inside, and when they go in, I get a lot of blocked shots."

Oden suffered a swollen jaw and six stitches after taking a blow to the face in last Thursday's 69-54 victory over Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The stitches on the outside of his mouth have been removed, but he still has some on the inside of his left jaw.

He sat out Saturday's 89-45 victory over then-4A No. 6 Fort Wayne Snider as a precaution.

"I just tried to get my breathing down because I haven't really played in a week," Oden said. "I really just tried to play at my team's level because against Fort Wayne Snider, they were at a different level."

Oden started the game with a black mouth guard, but it was knocked out on a layup early and he played the rest of the game without it.

Lawrence North opened the game in a full-court press with Oden at the point. Conley had eight of his steals in the first half and all 10 before committing his first foul with 6:08 to play in the fourth quarter and Lawrence North up 67-46.

"They were running a lot of the plays we run, and we scouted that, so I knew where the ball was going a lot of the time," Conley said. "I was fortunate to be in the right spot sometimes."

Six-foot-6 junior Cory Torrence scored 18 points to lead Arlington while all five Lawrence North starters reached double figures.

Wednesday's game attracted local television (WHMB-40), the local ESPN radio affiliate and the Chicago Tribune. Oden and company will be on a big stage again Saturday as the headline game in a 12-team shootout at Southport High School that includes a number of nationally ranked teams and players.

Lawrence North faces Proviso East from Maywood, Ill., with 6-11 center Brian Carlwell, who has signed with Illinois.

Arlington14141611--55Lawrence North24182514--81

ARLINGTON -- Smith 3-8 2-4 8, Weeden 0-4 2-2 2, Hoke 2-2 0-2 4, Torrence 6-15 6-7 18, Freeman 2-6 1-2 6, Berryhill 1-1 0-1 2, Keeylen 0-4 2-2 2, Crawford 1-2 0-0 0, Beasley 1-5 0-0 2, Jackson 0-1 0-0 0, Squires 4-7 0-0 9, Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Brewer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-56 13-20 55.

LAWRENCE NORTH -- Owen 5-8 2-3 12, McDonald 5-9 0-0 11, Conley 5-11 1-1 11, Windham 6-10 0-0 12, Oden 11-13 1-1 23, Bibbs 0-1 3-4 3, Jones 1-1 0-0 2, Weigel 0-0 0-0 0, W. Smith 0-0 0-0, Thomas 1-2 1-2 3, Read 2-2 0-0 4, VanTreese 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 36-57 8-11 81.

3-point shooting -- Arlington 2-9 (Smith 0-2, Weeden 0-2, Keeylen 0-1, Squires 1-3, Freeman 1-1), Lawrence North 1-9 (Bibbs 0-1, Owen 0-2, McDonald 1-4, Conley 0-4). Rebounds -- Arlington 26 (Squires 4), Lawrence North 37 (Oden 12). Assists -- Arlington 14 (Smith 6), Lawrence North 23 (Conley 7). Turnovers -- Arlington 18, Lawrence North 16. Officials -- Rob Couch, Greg Bowman, Dale Gurgle.

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com (free)

12/16/05

The Circle City Classic takes center stage at Southport High School as Greg Oden highlights a stellar field of teams. Lawrence North will take on Proviso East and their star player, Brian Carlwell.

 

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12/16/05

More to these showdowns than Oden vs. Carlwell

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]

December 16, 2005 BY MICHAEL O'BRIEN Staff Reporter[/FONT]


It's pretty difficult to overshadow Greg Oden.

For the last two seasons, Oden, Indianapolis Lawrence North's 7-foot center, has been the consensus "best amateur player in America.''

Most scouts believe he would have been the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft when he was a junior in high school.

Oden will battle Proviso East and 6-10 Illinois-bound center Brian Carlwell on Saturday night in the Circle City Classic at Indianapolis Southport.
Lawrence North (6-0) is the top-ranked team in Indiana and No. 4 ranked team in the nation.

Oden vs. Carlwell should be interesting, but it is not the reason there will be so many Illinois residents at Southport. The matchup that has fans buzzing centers on two of the top guards in the junior class.

No. 2 Simeon and Derrick Rose, the top recruiting target of Illinois coach Bruce Weber, will face Indianapolis North Central's Eric Gordon, Bruce Weber's top recruit and possibly the Illini's best recruit in 20 years.

"On a national level, Gordon is ranked higher than Dee Brown was,'' Roy Schmidt of Illinois Prep Bulls-Eye Report said. "You have to go back to either Jamie Brandon or Marcus Liberty to find an Illinois recruit with this national reputation.

"This is reaping the benefit of the Final Four. I would say it's a bigger get than anyone Bill Self brought in.''

Rose and Gordon are friends. After committing to Illinois, Gordon said convincing Rose to join him at Illinois was his "No. 1 priority.''
North Central (3-1) is ranked fifth in Indiana.

"We'll be going in blind, just like we did against Oak Hill,'' Simeon coach Robert Smith said. "The difference is that we've played three games now. [Gordon] can play from what I hear, and I know they lost to Indianapolis Pike.''

The Proviso East-Lawrence North matchup also will feature a guard showdown.

Lawrence North guard Mike Conley, an Ohio State recruit, is one of the top guards in the senior class and an excellent defender. He will have his hands full with the Pirates' Jacob Pullen, who seems to play well in Proviso's most important games and will be looking to prove himself on the national stage. [email protected]

 

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12/18/05

lawrence north 72, proviso east 59

Oden answers the challenge
Wildcats' 7-footer dominates Illinois signee with 31 points, 16 rebounds

Another center barked about challenging Greg Oden. Another center went home humbled.

Lawrence North's 7-footer dominated his latest antagonist, 6-11 Brian Carlwell, an Illinois recruit from perennial power Proviso East in the Chicago suburbs.

The reigning national high school Player of the Year scored 31 points to go with 16 rebounds and four blocked shots in a matchup of future Big Ten centers. Carlwell, ranked No. 40 in the senior class, had nine points, eight rebounds and one block as Lawrence North won the marquee matchup 72-59 in the Challenge of Champions Showcase.

Earlier in the week, Carlwell boasted to the Illinois media he was faster and more athletic than Oden, headed to Ohio State. The Lawrence North coaches posted the quotes on Oden's locker.

"I had to read it," said Oden, who shot 13-for-19 from the field, including hitting his developing hook shot. "They highlighted it for everybody to see. But I really didn't worry about it. I just wanted to come out and play a good game and get a win."

Approximately 6,500 fans filled most of Southport High School's gym for the final two games of the 12-team event, including large groups of orange-clad Illinois fans and Illini coach Bruce Weber.

Proviso East (6-2), ranked No. 6 among Illinois large schools, played to take away Oden's jumper, and Class 4A No. 1 Lawrence North (7-0) countered with lobs inside. Oden powered past defenders at times, and when they played behind him, he often used his quickness to spin around them for dunks.

"It was a great challenge," said Oden, who limped off the court and was out briefly in the first quarter after getting tangled up under the basket. "What I'm looking at now, when I think about him, is that I'm going to see him for the next four years because he's going to Illinois."

At the end of the third quarter, Lawrence North led 59-42. Carlwell had five points and five rebounds. Oden had 24 and 11.

"He dominated," said Lawrence North point guard Mike Conley, who added 14 points and 11 assists. "I don't know if anybody can stop him. I don't know why anybody would say they're faster than he is or anything because that just motivates him even more."

"He did everything they said he was going to do," Carlwell said. "It wasn't anything different. I have to continue to get better. If I don't, then this will happen again next time I play him."

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.
Proviso East16161017--59Lawrence North20211813--72

Proviso East-- Jones 1-3 0-0 2, Fuqua 6-16 1-4 14, Carlwell 4-10 1-4 9, Pullen 8-17 5-6 26, Stanback 1-7 0-0 2, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Ross 1-3 0-0 2, Ankum 0-0 0-0 0, Woods 2-7 0-0 4. Totals: 23-63 7-14 59.

Lawrence North -- Owen 1-1 2-5 4, Windham 4-11 0-0 8, Oden 13-19 5-8 31, McDonald 5-9 0-0 13, Conley 5-11 3-5 14, Thomas 0-1 0-0 0, Read 1-2 0-0 2, Van Treese 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 29-54 10-18 72.

3-point shooting--Proviso East 6-18 (Fuqua 1-4, Pullen 5-10, Stanback 0-3, Ross 0-1); Lawrence North 4-9 (McDonald 3-5, Conley 1-3, Thomas 0-1).
Rebounds-- Proviso East 32 (Carlwell 8); Lawrence North 41 (Oden 16).

Turnovers--Proviso East 11; Lawrence North 13. Assists--Proviso East 12 (Pullen 5); Lawrence North 15 (Conley 11). Total fouls-- Proviso East 18; Lawrence North 16. Officials--Pat Strong, Mike Ward, Darren Wright.

Star reporter Kristen Leigh Porter contributed to this story.

 

[BuckWrestler141]

"What I'm looking at now, when I think about him, is that I'm going to see him for the next four years because he's going to Illinois."http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051218/SPORTS02/512180468/1057

We could only wish:tongue2:

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I honestly believe that he will be at tOSU for at least two years.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Oden and company will be back in action on 3 Jan vs Franklin Central, who features JuJaun Johnson.

 

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cnnsi.com

12/29/05

Lawrence North is ranked #1 on the cnnsi.com high school boys basketball top 25.

<H2>Ohio State-bound duo leads top team

Oden and Conley producing big numbers for Lawrence

</H2>

Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) (8-0)

Seven-foot Greg Oden is averaging 23.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.5 blocks while shooting 71 percent from the field and 79 percent from the free throw line. Point guard Mike Conley is averaging 16 points, 6.1 assists and 5.0 steals while shooting 52 percent from the field. Both have signed with Ohio State. Senior guard Brandon McDonald is averaging 11 points and shooting 50 percent from the field.

Last week: Did not play.

 

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1/4/06

LAWRENCE N. 57, FRANKLIN C. 38

Wildcats snap out of funk, win
Lawrence North breaks away from Franklin Central in 3rd quarter.

After a 16-day layoff, Lawrence North looked a bit sluggish. The unbeaten two-time defending Class 4A state champions led unranked Franklin Central by just three points in the third quarter.

"Then it was like the Road Runner," Franklin Central coach Mark James said. "Beep, beep -- gone."

On the heels of a strong third quarter from 7-foot center Greg Oden, visiting Lawrence North went on a 19-2 run and surged past the Flashes 57-38 Tuesday night. It was the fewest points the Wildcats have scored this season, but also the second-fewest they've allowed.

Oden, in foul trouble five minutes into the game, was 2-for-2 from the field in the first half for four points as the Wildcats seldom threw him the ball in position to make a play. That changed in the second half as Lawrence North looked for him more, and last season's national high school Player of the Year responded with 15 third-quarter points as the Wildcats (9-0) won their 25th game in a row.

Oden got the message assistant coach Joe Leonard delivered.

"He said I was walking around with my head down and he told me everybody was playing like that, with their head down," Oden said. "He said we needed somebody to play with some heart."

Oden finished with 21 points on 10-for-11 shooting, including hitting his improving hook shot, and had eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Lawrence North point guard Mike Conley had a nearly flawless game, scoring a game-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting, with four assists and five steals. Conley kept the Wildcats in the game in the first half with 14 points as they led 23-18.

Franklin Central (4-4) got 12 points from junior guard John Ashworth and eight points and four rebounds from 6-10 junior center JaJuan Johnson.

Lawrence North plays in the Marion County Tournament beginning Tuesday before playing at North Central on Jan. 19 in a game on ESPN2.

Lawrence North1582113--57Franklin Central108137--38

Lawrence North -- Owen 1-3 1-2 3, McDonald 1-3 2-2 4, Conley 9-11 3-3 23, Windham 1-8 0-0 2, Oden 10-11 1-2 21, VanTreese 0-0 4-4 4, Bibbs 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Read 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-36 11-13 57.

Franklin Central -- Kiel 1-2 0-0 2, Piety 3-7 2-2 9, Hopper 2-5 0-0 4, Ashworth 4-10 2-2 12, Johnson 4-9 0-0 8, Coon 0-0 0-0 0, Arnold 0-2 0-0 0, Gill 0-2 3-4 3, Alsum 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 14-38 7-8 38.

3-point goals -- Lawrence North 2-7 (Conley 2-4, McDonald 0-2, Owen 0-1), Franklin Central 3-10 (Ashworth 2-5, Piety 1-3, Kiel 0-1, Arnold 0-1). Rebounds -- Lawrence North 25 (Oden 8), Franklin Central 16 (Johnson 4, Hopper 4). Steals -- Lawrence North 10 (Conley 5), Franklin Central 8 (Hopper 2, Ashworth 2, Johnson 2). Turnovers -- Lawrence North 16, Franklin Central 16. Total Fouls -- Lawrence North 13, Franklin Central 12.

 

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1/10/06

MARION COUNTY TOURNAMENT

It's a matter of which stars shine brightest

Power-packed field boasts 10 players signed or committed to NCAA Division I programs

Class 4A No. 1 Lawrence North has seniors Greg Oden and Mike Conley, 4A No. 3 Pike offers a well-balanced cast and 4A No. 6 North Central features junior Eric Gordon.

Already Division I
Players on Marion County boys basketball teams who are bound for NCAA Division I programs. Players are listed with their high school and college choice:

• Jordan Campbell, North Central, Belmont
• Mike Conley, Lawrence North, Ohio State
• Devon Dumes, Decatur Central, Eastern Michigan
• Eric Gordon, North Central, Illinois*
• Darin Granger, Lawrence Central, Evansville
• Greg Oden, Lawrence North, Ohio State
• Walter Offutt, Warren Central, Ohio State*
• Cordell Passley, Pike, Tennessee*
• Rodriguez Sherman, Ben Davis, Kent State
• Andrew Warren, Brebeuf Jesuit, Bradley

*-Non-binding oral commitment

There also is Warren Central with touted sophomore Walter Offutt, 3A No. 7 Brebeuf Jesuit with standout senior Andrew Warren and a capable Ben Davis squad led by seniors Rodriguez Sherman and Clark Williams.

Decatur Central has senior Devon Dumes, Franklin Central offers juniors JaJuan Johnson and John Ashworth and Lawrence Central looks to Darin Granger.

Together, this group of players and teams figures to make the 2006 Marion County boys basketball tournament one of the best and deepest in its 87 years. Opening-round games are at four sites tonight.

Quarterfinals are at two sites Wednesday, followed by the semifinals and finals Friday and Saturday at Southport.

"When you look at how the County teams did in (last month's) Circle City Classic Challenge of Champions, you'd have an argument to say this is one of the toughest tournaments in the country," North Central coach Doug Mitchell said.

"I don't know where else you're going to see the No. 1 guard in the country (in Gordon) and a possible No. 1 NBA draft choice (in Oden). This is an event with strong teams every year, but it is very, very tough this year."

While it makes sense that top teams are strong, the depth of this 16-team field is notable. Supporting that, 10 players from the various rosters already have signed or committed to NCAA Division I programs. That's a number that is sure to increase, as several others are solid prospects.

"If this was back in the '60s, you couldn't buy a ticket," said Decatur Central coach Dave Oberle, a 1968 graduate of the Southwestside school who has played or coached in the event for more than 40 years. "It would be a sellout every game. . . . You could write a whole book on the Marion County Tournament."

Pike coach Larry Bullington has observed local high school basketball for about 50 years. He calls County titles last year and in 2003 among his proudest coaching achievements.

"The competition is so great," said Bullington, who also guided the Red Devils to the 2003 Class 4A state title. "There are great teams, great players and great coaches. Every night makes you reach your potential."
The tournament also is special to veteran Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer, whose defending Class 4A state champion Wildcats dropped a first-round game last year to North Central.

"I don't know of a better tournament, at least not one where they're not hand-picking teams from across the country," Keefer said, still expressing disappointment of the early setback last year. "It's still on my mind. And if it's on my mind, I'm pretty sure it's on our players' minds."

Call Star reporter Pat McKee at (317) 444-6182.

 

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1/11/06

LAWRENCE NORTH 81, BEN DAVIS 40; PIKE 81, LUTHERAN 14

State's top hoops rivalry to add chapter tonight
4A No. 1 Wildcats, No. 3 Red Devils win to set up another critical matchup

Every sport at every level has a rivalry that needs little explanation, that evokes memories of great performances, great games, great players. The NBA had Bird vs. Magic. Tennis had McEnroe vs. Connors.

In Indiana high school basketball recently, it's been Lawrence North vs. Pike.

One or the other has played in each of the past five Class 4A state title games, Lawrence North capturing the past two state championships with Pike winning in 2001 and '03 and finishing second to Gary West in '02.

The two heavyweights square off again at 7:30 tonight at Lawrence North in the quarterfinals of a loaded Marion County Tournament.

Lawrence North is 10-0, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, No. 1 in the nation by Sports Illustrated and has the nation's top-rated high school player in senior center Greg Oden. Pike is 8-1, ranked third in 4A and the defending Marion County Tournament champion.

"I'd say it's a rivalry," said Lawrence North senior point guard Mike Conley, who scored a game-high 23 points as the Wildcats beat Ben Davis 81-40 in their opener Tuesday at Pike.

"It's two great programs that have played some great games against each other. We've beaten them a couple times; they've beaten us a couple times. When we're out on the floor, it's all-out war."

The Red Devils rolled to an 81-14 victory over Class A Lutheran (3-6) at home on Tuesday for a chance to face their rival.

"Since we've been on the bad end of the stick for the past few games, that's a good measuring stick for us as a team," Pike senior Tony James said. "That's been on our minds since the start of preseason, since conditioning. We feel we're a team that can beat them every single year."

During the Oden-Conley era, Lawrence North has lost to only four Indiana teams: Pike (twice), North Central (twice), Bloomington South and Arlington.

Last year, Lawrence North beat Pike 59-40 in the regular season and 54-46 in the regional. In 2003-04, the Wildcats won 59-43 in the regular season in the only meeting that year. Pike won the two meetings when Oden and Conley were freshmen, 75-67 in overtime in the regular season and 55-47 in the regional, the only postseason loss for Oden and Conley.

The Red Devils get plenty of reminding about the rivalry from assistant coach Shabaka Lands, a Lawrence North graduate.

"I've been thinking about it since day one," Pike junior Jeff Teague said. "Coach Lands, that's all he talks about. I think it's the biggest rivalry in the state."

The teams play a regular-season game at Lawrence North on Feb. 21 and could meet again in the postseason.

In the second game Tuesday night, the Red Devils led Lutheran 44-2 at halftime, as the Saints managed only two free throws by Cory Emmons with 1.9 seconds left in the first quarter. The Saints, who had only sophomores and juniors on their roster, didn't get a basket until Emmons scored 36 seconds into the third quarter.

James and sophomore Cordell Passley had 12 points each for Pike as 12 Red Devils scored.

In the opener, Ben Davis (6-4) focused most of its defensive attention on Oden, and Conley made the Giants pay. Conley scored 15 of the Wildcats' first 28 points, assisted on three other baskets and had steals that led to three scores.

One of the nation's top-ranked point guards, Conley shot 9-for-10 from the field for a game-high 23 points in 20 minutes to go with four assists and four steals.

Oden, the reigning national high school Player of the Year, finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot in 21 minutes.

Oden shot 9-for-11 from the field, mostly on dunks and offensive rebounds. He was 1-for-2 on mid-range jumpers.

"When he takes three people on one side of the court and I'm on the other, it leaves a lot of open lanes and a lot of open jump shots," said Conley, shooting 86 percent from the field (18-for-21) and 63 percent (5-for-8) from 3-point range in the past two games.

"When he does get the ball, he's such a great passer. He draws so much attention, he really helps out a lot of what we do on offense."

LAWRENCE NORTH 81, BEN DAVIS 40
Lawrence North22211721--81Ben Davis9101011--40
Lawrence North -- Owen 1-6 0-0 2, McDonald 2-6 2-2 7, Conley 9-10 1-1 23, Windham 3-4 0-0 6, Oden 9-12 0-0 18, Bibbs 2-4 0-0 4, Jones 2-4 6-6 11, Weigel 1-2 0-0 2, Smith 1-4 0-0 2, Thomas 1-3 0-0 2, Read 1-1 0-1 2, VanTreese 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 33-59 9-10 81.
Ben Davis -- Burnett 2-5 2-2 6, Sherman 4-11 0-0 8, Horner 3-8 0-0 6, Jackson 3-10 0-0 8, Williams 2-5 0-0 5, Asberry 12- 0-0 2, Sturghiss 1-2 0-0 3, Gomes 0-0 0-0 0, Carey 0-0 0-0 0, Tate 0-2 0-4 0, Hardy 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 17-50 2-6 40.
3-point goals -- Lawrence North 6-14 (Conley 4-5, McDonald 1-4, Jones 1-1, Bibbs 0-1, Owen 0-1, Weigel 0-1, Thomas 0-1), Ben Davis 4-16 (Jackson 2-3, Sturghiss 1-2, Williams 1-4, Asberry 0-1, Sherman 0-1, Tate 0-1, Hardy 0-1). Rebounds -- Lawrence North 40 (Oden 7, Windham 6, VanTreese 6), Ben Davis 21 (Jackson 5). Assists -- Lawrence North 22 (Thomas 5, Conley 4, Owen 4), Ben Davis 7 (Sturghiss 2, Burnett 2, Williams 2). Turnovers -- Lawrence North 14, Ben Davis 23. Total fouls -- Lawrence North 10, Ben Davis 14. Fouled out -- Williams.
PIKE 81, LUTHERAN 14
Pike18261522--81Lutheran2039--14
Lutheran -- Borst 0-1 0-0 0, Maddigan 0-2 0-0 0, Naffziger 0-3 3-4 3, Broughton 0-5 0-0 0, Simmons 1-6 2-2 4, Boggs 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 0-3 0-0 0, Buck 1-1 0-0 2, Cutshaw 0-4 1-2 1, Bugher 0-3 0-0 0, Sears 1-3 2-3 4. Totals: 3-31 8-11 14.
Pike -- James 4-7 2-2 12, Chatham 3-5 0-0 6, White 3-6 2-2 8, Collins 3-9 0-0 6, Holmes 2-9 2-2 6, Sallee 0-2 0-0 0, Riley 4-4 0-0 9, Jordan 1-3 1-1 3, Passley 6-6 0-1 12, Holliday 3-5 0-3 6, Teague 4-5 0-0 9, Newton 1-3 0-0 2, Young 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 35-67 7-11 81.
3-point goals -- Lutheran 0-8 (Naffziger 0-2, Broughton 0-1, Davis 0-1, Cutshaw 0-3), Pike 4-11 (James 2-4, Cheatham 0-1, White 0-1, Sallee 0-1, Riley 1-1, Jordan 0-2, Teague 1-1). Rebounds -- Lutheran 13 (Naffziger 5), Pike 46 (Holmes 9, White 7). Assists -- Lutheran 0, Pike 21 (Cheatham 6). Turnovers -- Lutheran 25, Pike 13. Total fouls -- Lutheran 8, Pike 11.

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.

Copyright 2005 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved

 

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1/12/06

LAWRENCE NORTH 73, PIKe 60

Wildcats to meet Flashes
No. 1 Lawrence North 'disappointed' despite win over No. 3 Pike

Greg Oden leaned against a wall in the Lawrence North locker room, munching on an apple, an ice bag under each knee. And a look of disgust on his face.

Wildcats point guard Mike Conley was a few feet away, an ice bag on a sore ankle, looking equally displeased.

Was this the losers' locker room? Had the two-time defending state champs been bounced out of the Marion County Tournament in the quarterfinals in front of a near-capacity crowd in their own gym?

No, Lawrence North staved off a late rally for a 73-60 victory over Pike, one of only a few teams seen as a legitimate threat to the Wildcats' pursuit of a third consecutive state title. But the way Lawrence North saw it, even a double-digit victory over the third-ranked team in Class 4A wasn't a cause for celebration when they didn't feel they played to their potential.

"It was kind of like when things weren't going our way, we gave up," Oden said after scoring 23 points to go with 17 rebounds and five blocked shots as the top-ranked team in Class 4A improved to 11-0. "We've got some things to work out. We have to realize you've got to keep going after it every play, no matter what's going on."

The Wildcats, who have won 27 in a row, play Franklin Central (7-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals at Southport High School.

The Flashes, who handled Southport 80-62 in Wednesday's other quarterfinal at Lawrence North, lost to the Wildcats 57-38 at home Jan. 3.

Against Pike (8-2), the Wildcats led 40-24 at halftime and were up 56-34 late in the third before Pike coach Larry Bullington's press began taking effect and the Red Devils began gnawing away. Pike forced three consecutive turnovers at one point and twice got to within 13.

"We're not there yet, a state-championship type of team," said Conley, who had 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. "We feel we should be able to put away teams in the second half and keep momentum from the first half.

"We didn't do that. We're real upset with ourselves. Even though we won, the win doesn't matter much to us. We want to get better."

Pike, which won state titles in 2001 and '03 and was runner-up in '02, forced 16 turnovers, 12 in the second half. Lawrence North survived, in part, because of a 40-22 rebounding edge.

Oden shot an uncharacteristic 10-for-19 from the field, missing several short shots. For the season, he's shooting 71 percent. Conley was 3-for-6 from 3-point range to improve his season percentage to 42.

Reece Cheatham led Pike with 15 points.

After the game, Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer kept his team in the locker room for an extended tongue-lashing.

"I thought we were sloppy," Keefer said.

"We got up and let up. A good team would have put them away in the fourth, and we let them fight back in the fourth. I was a little disappointed."

 

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1/14/06

MARION COUNTY TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS: NORTH CENTRAL 80, WARREN CENTRAL 66; LAWRENCE NORTH 56, FRANKLIN CENTRAL 38

Winner of this matchup goes home with a trophy

Lawrence North to play North Central for a title tonight; next week, it's a national TV game

The national attention of ESPN will focus on North Central and Lawrence North on Thursday.

For now, it's just a county thing.

Two teams featuring three of the best high school basketball players in the nation will battle for the Marion County Tournament title at 7:30 tonight at Southport High School. The teams meet again Thursday at North Central in a game to be shown on ESPN2.

"That's one of the luxuries of playing in Marion County," North Central coach Doug Mitchell said after his team beat Warren Central 80-66 in the first semifinal. "There are challenges in life. It's fun. Our team looks forward to it. Our kids have worked really hard all this week to get to this point."

North Central's Illinois-bound Eric Gordon, the top-ranked shooting guard in the nation in the junior class, scored a game-high 34 points to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.

In tonight's final, Gordon will be opposite Lawrence North's 7-foot center Greg Oden, the reigning national high school Player of the Year, and Mike Conley, one of the top-ranked point guards in the country, both headed to Ohio State.

"It's cool to be able to play them twice in that span," said Conley, who scored a game-high 15 points to lead the Wildcats past Franklin Central 56-38 in the second semifinal. "The team we're playing (today) is for the county championships. The team we play Thursday is just North Central.

That's the mind-set, win the county and leave next Thursday until then."
Lawrence North (12-0) has won the past two Class 4A state titles and is ranked No. 1 in the nation by Sports Illustrated. North Central (11-1) is ranked No. 6 in Class 4A and is one of only two teams to beat Lawrence North twice in the Oden-Conley era.

At an earlier practice, Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer had the players look at all the banners in the gym, from regionals to the three state titles.

Keefer pointed out Lawrence North has just six county titles in the school's 30-year history. The current senior class has one county title.

"It's so hard to win because all the good teams that are right here," said Oden, who had 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. "Coach really wants to win it."

Against Franklin Central (7-5), Lawrence North scored its first three baskets on fast-break dunks and built a comfortable cushion that allowed no player to play more than 19 minutes.

"Defensively, those first three minutes were as good as we've played in Lawrence North history," Keefer said.

Franklin Central 6-10 junior JaJuan Johnson showed flashes of why schools such as Connecticut and Kentucky have been to practices recently to watch him. Johnson scored just five points, but hit a baseline jumper over Oden, grabbed six rebounds and blocked four shots.

The first game featured two future Big Ten players in Gordon and Ohio State-bound Walter Offutt, the state's top-ranked sophomore, from Warren Central (9-2).

The 6-4 Gordon hit long 3-pointers, drove for baskets, to draw fouls and create assists, and hit fadeaway jumpers on the baseline, scoring 24 points in the first half as North Central led 45-29.

"Eric Gordon was absolutely phenomenal tonight," Mitchell said. "I'd be hard pressed to believe there's a better guard in the country."

The 6-2 Offutt, who picked up his fourth foul with 3:25 left in the first half and was already slowed while coming back from a summer knee injury, had 10 points, four steals and a rebound.

NORTH CENTRAL 80, WARREN CENTRAL 66
North Central17281520--80Warren Central10191522--66
North Central -- Finkton 2-5 0-1 4, Gordon 12-22 8-9 34, Malone 2-7 0-0 5, Campbell 3-8 5-7 13, Hodzic 6-7 0-0 12, Fort 1-1 0-0 3, Toler 0-0 0-0 0, Hollowell 0-0 2-2 2, Lickliter 0-0 0-0 0, Wynn 0-0 0-0 0, Barlow 1-3 0-0 2, Latimore 2-3 1-3 5. Totals 29-59 16-22 80.
Warren Central -- Offutt 4-9 1-2 10, Wright 0-0 2-2 2, Thomas 4-15 12-13 21, Harvey 8-14 4-5 22, Smith 2-4 2-3 6, Rogers 0-0 0-0 0, Buggs 1-5 0-0 3, Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Finch 0-0 0-0 0, Hazelett 0-0 0-0 0, Clardy 1-2 0-0 2, Lane 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-50 21-25 66.
3-point goals -- North Central 6-15 (Gordon 2-6, Campbell 2-6, Fort 1-1, Finkton 0-1, Malone 1-1), Warren Central 5-18 (Harvey 2-5, Thomas 1-8, Offutt 1-1, Buggs 1-4). Rebounds -- North Central 30 (Barlow 6, Gordon 5, Finkton 5), Warren Central 31 (Harvey 8). Assists -- North Central 23 (Gordon 9), Warren Central 13 (Rogers 7). Turnovers -- North Central 18, Warren Central 20. Total fouls -- North Central 18, Warren Central 19. Fouled out -- Offutt. Technical fouls -- Barlow, Warren Central bench.
LAWRENCE NORTH 56
FRANKLIN CENTRAL 38
Lawrence North2310158--56Franklin Central991010--38
Lawrence North -- Owen 3-5 0-0 6, McDonald 3-5 0-0 7, Conley 5-13 4-5 15, Windham 1-5 0-0 2, Oden 6-7 0-1 12, Bibbs 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 1-2 0-0 2, Weigel 0-1 0-0 0, Smith 1-2 0-0 2, Thomas 1-3 0-0 2, Read 2-4 0-0 4, VanTreese 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 25-51 4-6 56.
Franklin Central -- Arnold 1-2 0-0 2, Piety 5-6 0-0 11, Hopper 2-7 0-0 4, Ashworth 3-12 2-2 9, Johnson 2-8 1-2 5, Coons 0-1 0-0 0, Kiel 1-2 0-0 3, Gill 1-2 2-3 4, Alsum 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-41 5-7 38.
3-point goals -- Lawrence North 2-8 (Conley 1-3, McDonald 1-2, Jones 0-1, Weigel 0-1, Thomas 0-1), Franklin Central 3-11 (Kiel 1-2, Piety 1-1, Ashworth 1-6, Coons 0-1, Arnold 0-1). Rebounds -- Lawrence North 33 (Oden 7), Franklin Central 20 (Johnson 6). Assists -- Lawrence North 13 (McDonald 3), Franklin Central 10 (Piety 3). Turnovers -- Lawrence North 14, Franklin Central 17. Total fouls -- Lawrence North 12, Franklin Central 8.


Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.


Copyright 2006 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved

 

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1/15/06

January 15, 2006


Marion COUNTY tournament: lawrence north 78, north central 55
Point hammered home

No. 1 Wildcats break open close game with 23-5 scoring edge in 4th quarter

With 35 seconds left to play, Lawrence North basketball coach Jack Keefer grabbed a sledgehammer and brought it to the front of his bench to the delight of his players.

A team symbol for slamming the door shut, the sledgehammer was appropriate at the end of the Marion County Tournament title game.

The top-ranked Wildcats led by just five points entering the fourth quarter but allowed only two North Central baskets the rest of the way to turn a close game into a 78-55 victory.

An estimated 5,000 people at Southport saw three of the best high school players in the country battle for the championship of a 16-team tournament that started with four state-ranked teams and two other one-loss squads and included four players headed to the Big Ten.

"Right now, the county is a hotbed of basketball," Keefer said as his players cut down the nets and dozens of fans waited behind a rope for Greg Oden's autograph. "It's a thrill when you go the road we did and you get here."

Prior to beating Class 4A No. 6 North Central, the Wildcats defeated Ben Davis, Class 4A No. 3 Pike and a Franklin Central team that is 7-2 against everyone except Lawrence North.

The two-time defending state champion Wildcats improved to 13-0 and pushed their winning streak to 29 games. The county title is the sixth in the 30 years of Lawrence North and the second for the senior class.

"It's real big because it shows where we are as a team," senior point guard Mike Conley said. "Beating two of the best teams in the state in Pike and North Central is a big confidence booster."

The two finalists have only five days to wait for a rematch. Lawrence North plays at North Central (11-2) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (ESPN2).

Oden, the reigning national high school Player of the Year, had 23 points and 12 rebounds, including nine offensive, and three blocked shots. He shot 8-for-10 from the floor and didn't foul out despite getting his fourth foul with 3:33 left in the third quarter. Oden survived a physical battle with 6-7 Adnan Hodzic, who used his bulk to try to keep Oden off the block.

"It was as physical as it looked," Oden said. "But I've been through it so much, so it wasn't much of a problem."

Conley, headed to Ohio State along with Oden, scored 23 points and had nine rebounds and five assists. Lawrence North's big guns got considerable help from junior forward Damian Windham (15 points) and junior guard Qadar Owen (12 points).

Illinois-bound North Central junior Eric Gordon scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half before fouling out with 2:11 to play. Getting most of the defensive attention from Lawrence North senior guard Brandon McDonald, Gordon shot just 5-for-14, including 3-for-10 from 3-point range.

"I though Eric and Jordan brought it, just like always," North Central coach Doug Mitchell said. "I was anxious to see how some of our guys who had never been in that situation would respond. I think they learned, and they'll be better players as early as Thursday."

Trailing 55-50, North Central had the ball to start the fourth quarter.

Campbell's 3-pointer bounced out and Conley hit an open 3-pointer on the other end to start a 14-2 run that put the game away. Oden had three dunks during that span and 11 points in the fourth quarter.

With Oden in foul trouble, Lawrence North played most of the fourth quarter in a zone.
Lawrence North21191523--78North Central1520155--55
Lawrence North -- Owen 5-10 1-2 12, McDonald 1-3 2-2 4, Conley 8-14 4-6 23, Windham 5-11 5-9 15, Oden 8-10 7-9 23, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Weigel 0-1 0-0 0, Smith 0-1 1-2 1, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Read 0-0 0-0 0, VanTreese 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-50 20-30 78.
North Central -- Finkton 1-2 0-0 2, Gordon 5-14 7-8 20, Malone 1-2 1-2 3, Campbell 5-11 3-5 14, Hodzic 4-7 0-0 8, Fort 0-2 0-0 0, Hollowell 0-0 0-0 0, Lickliter 0-1 0-0 0, Barlow 3-5 0-0 8, Latimore 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-44 11-5 55.
3-point goals -- Lawrence North 4-11 (Conley 3-6, Owen 1-3, Weigel 0-1, McDonald 0-1), North Central 6-21 (Gordon 3-10, Barlow 2-3, Campbell 1-6, Fort 0-1, Lickliter 0-1). Rebounds -- Lawrence North 35 (Oden 12), North Central 24 (Gordon 8). Assists -- Lawrence North 10 (Conley 5), North Central 14 (Barlow 4, Campbell 4). Turnovers -- Lawrence North 16, North Central 19. Total fouls -- Lawrence North 16, North Central 23. Fouled out -- Gordon, Malone.

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.