Trio at the top

Little separates the region’s top three girls basketball teams this season and last week really showed it. West Side survived a scare from Munster in a 52-47 victory, Lake Central pulled out a close game against Kankakee Valley, 35-34, and Crown Point’s offense was inconsistent in a 68-35 victory over Merrillville.

On paper, Class 4A No. 7 West Side features the most athleticism and talent, but it has been inconsistent with without Alicia Booyer (ankle injury), and some younger players in the lineup.

In the Cougars’ victory over Munster, West Side Coach Rod Fisher started three sophomores and two freshmen. “We’d had several bad practices leading up to this game after our best game of the year (the 71-47 victory over Gavit on Dec. 1),” Fisher said. “They need to understand 90 percent of the teams we play are going to give us their best shot and we have to be ready for it.”

Like most freshmen players, West Side’s Isabelle Rhenwrick, Ashley Gates, Ashley Cheairs and Michelle Hamblin have all played well in spurts. Coming off the bench against Munster, Rhenwrick scored 13 points.

Fighting Bulldogs

Class 4A No. 20 Crown Point has lost only to No. 4 Wawasee and No. 6 Warsaw. Senior guard Alex Webster has been a consistent scorer this year, moving to shooting guard and senior center Carissa Triplett has been a force when she gets the ball.

Crown Point is just starting to tap into freshman point guard Cassie Pruzin’s potential. In her first start against Merrillville last Friday, she scored 14 points after a rough start handling the ball against Merrillville’s press.

“Cassie found out something important in this game,” Crown Point Coach Tom May said. “It’s a totally different atmosphere starting a game and everything is moving at light speed. Cassie struggled early with the press, but she also came back to make some plays late.”

Guard heavy

The Bulldogs are fortunate to have three very talented point guards (Pruzin, Ashley Plumley and Webster) even though Webster no longer plays the position. Plumley started the first seven games at the point.

Plumley played well against Merrillville, handling the ball well against the press and scoring six points off the bench.

Forward Blayre Reeves also had a good game as the sophomore scored nine points.

“She played very well and she did everything we needed her to do with Cassie struggling to handle the press at times,” May said of Plumley. “We see better things from Blayre every game and she continues to improve.”

Janel Heneghan scored nine points and had six rebounds in the game. The senior forward is a blue-collar player who does all the little things well.

“It was absolutely one of her finest games this season,” May said. “Janel doesn’t get a lot of recognition for what she does because a lot of it isn’t going to show up in a box score, but we know how hard she works.”