'Hoosier' state matchup shows fearless Indiana attitude
By NOAH AMSTADTER
Assistant Sports Writer
VALPARAISO, Ind.
In the 1986 movie "Hoosiers" Gene Hackman's character, Hickory High School head coach Norman Dale, leads his small-town team to an upset over big-city rival South Bend Central.
The match-up was similar Friday night in Valparaiso.
The game was played in an arena that more resembled the rickety gymnasium in "Hoosiers" than the Joyce Center. With the balcony closed off and Valparaiso students having left for Thanksgiving break, many of the 3,000 fans in attendance were cheering for the Irish.
While the team from South Bend escaped Valparaiso with a 71-46 victory Friday night, the Crusaders of Valparaiso showed the Irish that they, like Hackman's 8-man team in the movie, could play with the big boys, actually outscoring Notre Dame 29-24 in the second half after falling behind early on.
"If our learning curve can be that good this year game to game as it was from the first half to the second half, I'd be happy," said Crusaders coach Keith Freeman following the game.
Freeman wasn't that satisfied early on. Early in the game, Valparaiso struggled. Perhaps the male cheerleader running across the court before the game with a sign reading "School Song" put too much pressure on the young team in their first game. Maybe the chants of "Ruuuuuuuuuuuuth" — an homage to Irish All-American Ruth Riley — that echoed during pre-game introductions took away their home-team advantage.
Whatever happened, Valparaiso struggled mightily in the first half. If the Crusaders' destination was the basket, it seemed their search would end in futility each time down the court. The team ended the first half with four more points than their 13 turnovers, and only guard Jeanette Gray made more than one basket.
After falling behind 47-17 at halftime, most teams would pack it in and get their bench players in the game. Rather than giving in, Freeman — a veteran Indiana coach who has been directing women's basketball from the sideline in the state since becoming a head coach in 1983 at age 21 — was able to direct a performance that showed why the Crusaders reached the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament championship game last season.
After playing in a zone defense during the first half of the game, a defense that fell victim to a strong Irish perimeter attack that included nine first-half three-pointers, Valparaiso switched to a man-to-man attack in the second half. The attack worked, as Valparaiso opened the half with a 12-5 run.
Keying the Valparaiso attack was freshman point guard Suzie Hammel. The Lebanon, Ind. native making her college debut showed no fear after being asked to guard Irish sharp-shooter Alicia Ratay.
Second-team all-Big East vs. rookie? No problem for the tough Hammel.
"I was glad they put me on her, actually," said Hammel — who allowed Ratay to take only one of four shots in the latter half of the game. Hammel also helped out on offense, hitting a key 3-pointer in the opening minutes of the half. The point guard also finished the game with six assists.
Hammel found success at point guard despite having never before played the position. "I thought she had a lot of poise. For never playing the point in high school," said Freeman. "I feel like as our practices have gone on, she's emerged as our best point guard."
The game had a home-town feel for many players on each side, giving the game an atmosphere much less like a national powerhouse opening its season against a week opponent. It felt like
Valparaiso started three native Hoosiers in Gray — a Valparaiso native, Hammel and forward Amber Schober. Notre Dame's superstar Riley hails herself from the small town of Macy, Ind. Ratay, an Illinois native, also had her mother in attendance. For Hammel at least, having friends in the stands provided comfort.
"It's a lot of fun knowing that you have people out there that you know," said Hammel. "That's one of the reasons why I picked coming here."
Gray, who finished the game as Valparaiso's leading scorer with 14 points, stood as the perfect example of her team's guts and determination.
"Jeanette plays hard, I think Jeanette plays really hard," said Freeman. "Two days ago she almost passed out in practice because she was sick. She's a gutsy kid."
Freeman's team showed, at least for one half, that despite not being the deepest and most talented team on the court, they could compete with the big time.
"I like the character of this team," said Freeman. "I think over the course of the season we're going to get better."
In "Hoosiers" Hickory used eight players in overcoming South Bend Central to take the title. In an NCAA tournament known for pitting small schools against powerhouses, the Irish may have to watch out — Valpo could be right around the corner.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Sports Stories for Monday, November 20, 2000
