Latest news with #EastChicagoCentral
Chicago Tribune
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Dominique Murphy, the 2024-25 Post-Tribune Boys Basketball Player of the Year, makes his mark in East Chicago
East Chicago Central coach Alaa Mroueh couldn't overstate Dominique Murphy's impact. 'What Dominique did this year was much bigger than basketball,' Mroueh said. Mroueh described a visit that Murphy, a 6-foot-6 senior guard/forward, made to a city elementary school with his teammates. 'We had to get escorted out by security because they were all over us, all over him,' Mroueh said. 'It was like he was a superstar. 'He helped reignite the pride of Cardinal basketball right in front of everyone's eye.' Murphy, the 2024-25 Post-Tribune Boys Basketball Player of the Year, led East Chicago Central back to regular-season success and, more notably, postseason glory. Murphy averaged 22.6 points and 8.3 rebounds this season. On Friday, it was announced he's an Indiana All-Star, and he had already been selected to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association's All-State Supreme 15. But as Murphy discussed those achievements, he tried to put himself in context. 'I feel like I had a good season,' he said. 'All of it contributed to my team winning. Without my team, there is no me. It all just contributed to my team winning.' To win, Murphy rose to the occasion, increasing his scoring to 25.3 points in the postseason. He helped the Cardinals (21-9) win their first regional title since 2007, when they were the Class 4A state champions. They then won their Class 3A semistate semifinal and pushed eventual state champion South Bend St. Joseph in the semistate final. 'We accomplished a lot,' Murphy said. 'Of course, we wanted to go all the way and win it all. But you can only do so much.' Murphy did plenty. In the process, he became the leading scorer in program and city history. He finished with 2,048 points in his career, moving past the 1,829 scored by the iconic E'Twaun Moore, who propelled the Cardinals to that 2007 state title before starring at Purdue and playing in the NBA. 'It means a lot,' Murphy said of setting the record. 'It's a big accomplishment. Being from the city, hearing about this record for so long and now I'm the owner of it, it means a lot.' Murphy said he was informed toward the end of his sophomore season that the record could be in his sights. 'I learned I was on track to break it,' he said. 'But I really didn't think too much of it because I'm not going to think about that while I'm trying to go out here and win the game.' Indeed, Murphy then led East Chicago Central to a 2024 sectional title, its first since 2017. 'All of that success accumulates, and he had a big part to do with it,' Mroueh said. The Cardinals went a combined 43-14 in the past two seasons. They hadn't won more than 12 games in a season since they went 15-10 in 2016-17. 'We were down for so long,' Murphy said. 'So to be back up, it means a lot.' Murphy excelled from the early stages of his career. He was an Indiana Junior All-Star and was picked for the inaugural Futures Game. But there's no question he reached another level this season. 'He was much more mature on the court,' Mroueh said. 'He just played like a veteran. He played at his own pace. It looked like he's been there before. It looked like he's been out there for three years, four years.' Murphy's playing career should continue for many years to come. He's in the process of 'surveying his options' for next season in a 'crazy college landscape,' Mroueh said. Wherever Murphy lands, his time with the Cardinals won't be forgotten. 'Dom's put in the work, and he's built a legacy at East Chicago Central,' Mroueh said.
Chicago Tribune
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Bowman transfer Jamarie Pollard brings ‘a spark' to East Chicago Central, which catches fire in the playoffs
It has all gone smoothly for East Chicago Central's Jamarie Pollard. The 6-foot junior guard changed schools and then changed roles but has handled it all with aplomb. In his first season after transferring from Bowman, Pollard has helped the Cardinals win their first regional title since their Class 4A state championship season in 2007. 'It was a great transition,' he said. 'I adapted to the coaching system, the players on the team, and figured out what to do to help the team win and play my role.' Pollard is averaging 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 steals for East Chicago Central (20-8), which will try to take another step against Delta (17-7) in the semifinals of the Class 3A Logansport Semistate on Saturday. Pollard began this season as a starter. He has more recently been the Cardinals' top reserve. 'He's in a new role as sixth man,' East Chicago coach Alaa Mroueh said. 'He was starting up until February. Now he's coming off the bench with a spark every time. That's been pivotal in how our defensive game has improved.' Pollard, who averaged 10.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.9 steals last season before returning to his hometown school, has gotten better defensively too. 'Pollard's defensive improvements over the year have been big in our success,' Mroueh said. 'He's just super active, brings a lot of energy. 'Seeing what Jamarie's been able to do, he started the year off leading the area in 3-pointers made, then sort of slowed down in that aspect. But he picked up on the defensive end, and with him picking up on the defensive end, he's found his spark back on the offensive end. He's dangerous on both ends right now.' Pollard has embraced whatever he has been asked to do, including coming off the bench. 'It's been good,' he said. 'I adapted to it these last few games. I got used to it. I'm happy I'm playing the same role and just bringing the same energy as when I started. 'Just make shots, play defense really hard, communicate on both ends of the court, help people find their right positions on plays that he calls.' Senior forward Greg Williams knew Pollard, who scored 12 points during the Cardinals' 78-55 win against Hanover Central in the Michigan City Regional championship game last week, would make an impact from the get-go. 'He's an amazing defensive player,' Williams said. 'He's a spark for us, and he's a knockdown shooter. You don't have to worry about him when he's out there at all. He knows what he's doing.' Pollard has deep roots in East Chicago. His family includes the iconic LaTaunya Pollard, who led East Chicago Roosevelt to two state titles, was named Indiana Miss Basketball and a McDonald's All-American in 1979, was the national player of the year at Long Beach State in 1983 and played professionally overseas. She has been inducted into multiple halls of fame. 'This year, it's been what I expected,' Jamarie Pollard said. 'I just wanted to play in front of my family, in my hometown, and for the community, and it's been great. We just want to keep going.'
Chicago Tribune
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Joseph Watkins may be ‘the underdog.' But don't underestimate him or semistate-bound East Chicago Central.
There will come a time when Joseph Watkins is heavily involved in the East Chicago Central boys basketball team's offense. Until then, the 6-foot-2 junior guard doesn't mind a role that's more focused on the other end of the court. Not when the Cardinals are winning. 'I've embraced it,' White said. 'I just got that scoring mentality out of my mind. But at the defensive end, I knew I had to take that role.' Watkins' willingness to handle that assignment has been an essential part of a deep postseason run for the Cardinals (20-8), who will play Delta (17-7) in the semifinals of the Class 3A Logansport Semistate on Saturday after winning their first regional title since E'Twaun Moore led the team to the 4A state championship in 2007. East Chicago Central coach Alaa Mroueh said he expects Watkins to find some way to factor into the result, even if it's not on the scoreboard, like he did during the 78-55 regional win against Hanover Central on March 15. 'He takes the toughest assignment that we can give him, and he rebounds at a high level too,' Mroueh said. 'His ability to crash the offensive glass was major for us in the first half, and he kick-started the other guys to join him in that area.' Watkins' numbers are modest this season, as he entered the regional ranked fifth on the team in most categories, averaging 4.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.7 steal. Playing alongside senior guard/forward Dominique Murphy, who is averaging a team-high 22.3 points and has passed Moore to become East Chicago Central's all-time scoring leader, Watkins knows scoring isn't what's needed from him yet. 'I'm just waiting for my time, and I can keep playing this role because it's still getting me the exposure that I want,' Watkins said. 'Because we have a scorer or two on the team, I can show more defensively this year. Then next year, they can know me as an all-around player, not just my scoring ability.' Mroueh made no secret of the expanded role that he expects Watkins to have next season, believing Watkins already has the tools to be a prolific scorer. 'He's just explosive,' Mroueh said. 'He's very gifted, and he can score at all three levels. I'd anticipate him averaging 16 to 20 points per game next season. He'll be taking the shots that Dominique is taking this season. But he's found so many different ways to impact the game this year.' Mroueh pointed to Watkins' emphatic breakaway dunk against Class 4A regional runner-up Portage on Jan. 11 that went viral on social media as evidence of Watkins' physical tools. 'He's going to be one of the next staples of this program, and we've already asked him to do so much for us because he has the ability to do so many different things,' Mroueh said. 'It's just good to see him out there producing.' East Chicago Central junior guard JeVaughn Wofford, whom Mroueh expects to join Watkins and junior guard Jamarie Pollard in larger roles next season, said Watkins' ability to thrive at both ends of the court stems from the consistent way he plays basketball. 'It's his motor,' Wofford said. 'He's just a competitive person who plays hard constantly and doesn't give up. He won't back down from anyone.' Watkins said he'll take that aggressive mindset to semistate with the belief that he can thrive on offense if the opportunity arises. 'Because of the attention that Dom and my other teammates get, I'm not really on scouting reports,' he said. 'I'm the underdog, and I like that because when I'm out there, I can show off my talents, that I can really hoop.'
Chicago Tribune
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
A point guard again, Savannah Ballard ‘just had to get back into it.' She gets Highland back into the regional.
Highland sophomore Savannah Ballard isn't always looking to put the ball in someone else's hands anymore. That's just one of the ways the 5-foot-5 guard's game has evolved since she was given the reins of Highland's offense over the summer. 'I was looking to pass more to everyone else, for them to take the shots,' Ballard said. 'I still do that, but I know when to take my own shots now.' Ballard found plenty of her own shots over the weekend, helping Highland win its second sectional title in three seasons. Ballard scored 12 points during the Trojans' 70-57 win against Bishop Noll in the Class 3A Griffith Sectional semifinals on Friday and then added seven key points during their 45-36 win against East Chicago Central in the championship game one day later. 'We couldn't have won without her on Friday night,' Highland coach Eric Kundich said. 'She played a huge first half for us.' The Trojans (14-10), who will play Culver Academies (20-5) in the Winamac Regional on Saturday, were led by junior guard Jordan Steele's 24 points against East Chicago Central. As often happens, the Cardinals' defense was largely focused on Steele, who is one of the top scorers in the state. That can give Ballard opportunities for open looks at the basket, and she ignited a brief 5-0 run in the fourth quarter as Highland held off East Chicago Central's second-half comeback. 'Jordan was getting face-guarded every time down the floor, so Savannah made a few buckets, and they were big buckets,' Kundich said. Steele expressed confidence in Ballard's decision-making as a point guard. 'I'm just trying to get open because Savannah will make that pass to me, and when she pushes the ball, that's very good for us,' Steele said. Ballard wasn't quite so confident when Kundich, who is in his first season at Highland after 15 years at East Chicago, told her that she would be the team's point guard. 'I was a little worried at first because I went a whole year without playing point guard,' Ballard said. 'But I'd played point guard every year before that, so I just had to get back into it.' Ballard said she leaned heavily on her family for support. That included her parents, Kevin and Allencia, and her older sister Sanai, a 2023 Highland graduate who's averaging 8.3 points for Mount Mary this season. Their support helped Ballard navigate some early growing pains. Kundich said Ballard's postseason performances indicate how far she has come. 'She just needed to feel it on the floor,' Kundich said. 'She's a great kid who loves the game of basketball, and she wants to learn. She's taking care of the basketball a little better now — not turning it over as much, making smarter passes — and she's looking to knock down some shots too. She's making the game simpler.' One teammate who isn't surprised by Ballard's progress is freshman guard Addyson Figueroa. Ballard and Figueroa were teammates for several seasons before they reunited on the varsity team. 'I've seen it before,' Figueroa said. 'Every team I've played on with her, she's always been the point guard. So I've always had confidence in her.' Ballard feels confident too. 'I've gotten a lot stronger this year,' she said. 'But I just have to keep working hard, keep pushing myself.'
