Lawrence North: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Most successful basketball teams of the past, the ones who have reached the pinnacle of success at their specific level, have typically relied on the formula of having one superstar surrounded by lesser stars and role players. Often there is only the one stud with all role players, but sometimes there is a sidekick, someone who compliments the superstar and has star qualities of their own, but their role is always clear: do what you do, but defer to the superstar when need be. This recipe, the one superstar, one or two lesser stars, and a group of solid role players, this has been the formula of success for most championship teams. This has been the case for many of the top teams of the past few years in Indiana high school ball as well: Oden, Conley, and crew; Gordon, Hodzic, and crew; Hayward, Mavunga, and crew; and the list goes on.

This brings us to this year's version of the Lawrence North Wildcats. As the preseason consensus #1 team in 4A, they Wildcats looks every bit the runaway champ in the state this season. With size and skill to spare, Jack Keefer's squad rightfully has an air of confidence, even swagger, about them. They will always be bigger, stronger, faster, will always jump higher, always have more coaches in attendance in the stands, and always have more promise and potential than any other team in 4A this year. So Friday's six-point loss at the hands of a relatively unheralded Terre Haute South team came as a shock to most hoops fans in the state. They rebounded nicely with a 12-point win (70-58) over a quality Marion squad, but Friday's game still begs the question: How does this team lose? How do they even get challenged? With at least four, and as many as eight (or more!) D1 players on their roster, and size and strength that other coaches would kill for, how are they 2-1? I think their problem, even if it is a minute one, lies in the one superstar for success theory.

As stated before, LN does not lack skill. They have four players currently signed or committed to Division 1 powerhouse programs: seniors Stephan Van Treese (Louisville) and Jeff Robinson (Purdue), and juniors Dominique Ferguson (Kentucky) and Justin Martin (Louisville). Other players on the Wildcat team with D1 offers include sophomores Michael Chandler and Ryan Taylor, and they have other players with heavy interest from D1 coaches, including Larry Smith, Chris Read, and Jan Maehlen. They also don't lack size, with seven player checking in a 6'7" or taller. The current Hoosier team envies Keefer's roster size, and maybe the roster in general! They do not lack athleticism, speed, or rebounding ability. One possible chink in their armor, as in LN teams of the past, could be considered their lack of quality outside shooting, but you would think their ability to get easy lay-ups and dunks would negate that weakness. No, as I see it, the problem, however minor, with this team is that they have no go-to guy, no one they know is "the man," no individual that all the other guys play off of. And the question is, who should it be? Does Van Treese warrant the majority of the touches? Despite being a Louisville signee, most of his high school career could be considered a disappointment, considering all the hype he received as Oden's heir-apparent as a freshman, fair or not. According to Keefer, Van Treese had his best game yet against Marion, going for 21 points and 12 boards on 9-14 shooting. But he has had plenty of disappearing acts, going games without double digit outputs offensively. Should Ferguson get the nod as the top dog? Well, he has proven capable of scoring and defending with the best of them, but it usually appears to be on his own terms and not within the constraints of the team concept. He has a world of talent, but until he fully buys in, it's tough to hang your hat on him. What about Robinson? His commitment to Purdue came as a surprise to many. He has a world of potential, but it remains mostly untapped, as witnessed by his six-point performance against Marion. He has size at 6'9" and plenty of strength and athleticism, but he is not yet that skilled in the post and can't be reliably counted on to produce. Then there's Martin, the second Louisville recruit. He, like Robinson, can't yet be fully trusted to bring it offensively on any given night. His three points against Marion speaks to that. He has a nice mid-range game to accompany his slashing style, but for now, he is more of a defensive standout than an offensive threat. All of these guys have the potential to be the guy, but as of now, there is a lack of clarity as to who it is, or who it is going to be.

All four of these players have the ability and potential to lead any team to the State Championship. The problem, as I see it, is that they all play for the same team. Right now, it appears that there is no one player who can carry this team, put them on his back, demand the ball in crunch time, and get it done. The Wildcats have no one Jordan, no one Bird, heck, even no one Alford; they have a team full of them. Therein lies their problem. All stars, no role players. It is a problem that most coaches, me included, would love to have, but it may be the thing that keeps them off the final podium at Conseco Fieldhouse this season.