Basketball is very alive in the state of Indiana as teams are hitting their stride into Christmas break.
Class 4A No. 1 North Central proved Saturday that they are the best team in the basketball state.
North Central (5-0) hung on to beat No. 6 Hamilton Southeastern (5-1) on the road 69-67. It was a battle of two of the areas best teams and both came in undefeated.
The game attracted top college coaches including Butler’s Brad Stevens, Michigan’s John Beilein, Purdue’s Matt Painter and assistants from Indiana, Louisville, Michigan and Stanford.
It was my first glance at NC this year. I tried to attend their season-opener at Pike but was turned away at the door despite having a ticket.
Led by head coach Doug Mitchell for another year, the Panthers still run the same offense and defense.
North Central as usual is very athletic and quick. They were not hesitant to press full court throughout most of the game. When the Panthers get beat on defense, they are fast enough to recover. This team outworked Hamilton Southeastern and clearly was the better team.
NC is led by junior D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera who took command of the team in the second half. He hit big shots and also finished about the basket. Smith-Rivera who scored a team-high 21 points had multiple and-one opportunities. He has scored over 30 points in almost every game this season.
6-5 sophomore Darius Latham played outstanding connecting on multiple 15-footers and he grabbed numerous offensive boards. He played to his football-like size and was not afraid to use his body. I would like to see him finish around the hoop which would lead to more points when he is fouled. Latham tallied 17 points, six rebounds and proved to be a pivotal force inside.
“This guy does the dirty work every single night that nobody sees,” Doug Mitchell said. “He’s a competitor and the glue that holds us together defensively. And now he’s really starting to score the ball and add that dimension to his game.”
Point guard Ronnie Johnson shined while on the court for the Panthers. He’s an undersized yet speedy guard and he played under control while delegating the offense. Now that Terone is playing at Purdue, Ronnie is proving that he can play for a quality team at the next level. He had 17 in the winning effort.
North Central impressed me with their talent, speed and depth. Coach Mitchell continues to reload with talent year after year. Last year they won state and I see no reason for them not to win again.
Undefeated, Class 4A No. 1 and ranked 8th in the country according to MaxPreps.com, the Panthers are feeling good heading into the new year.