first-place portage in town for dac basketball showdown tonight

Tom Keegan
onwardtrojans.com

The first-place Portage boys basketball team brings impressive credentials into Chesterton’s gym tonight for a DAC showdown that tips off at 7.
Such as:
Five seniors in the starting lineup, including three four-year starters who have committed to college basketball programs. A 15-4 overall record and 5-0 DAC mark, and a score that jumps off its schedule and results page: Portage 64, Crown Point 40.
That lopsided homecourt win over a Bulldogs squad that had been ranked as high as No. 2 in the state was the talk of the region, but didn’t sway the Associated Press voters who still ranked Crown Point (No. 9) ahead of Portage (No. 16) in the state’s 4A poll. So add a no-respect chip on the shoulder to the list of factors that make Portage a difficult opponent. for the Trojans (10-8 overall, 2-3 in the DAC).
“They’re probably as connected as they’ve been in the four years they’ve been together,” ninth-year Chesterton coach Marc Urban said of the Portage players. “They’re playing well right now. They obviously just beat Crown Point by 24. They’re a good team and there are a lot of challenges that we face with it, but I still feel like we’re getting better. Every day in practice, the mindset of our guys has been good.”
The 6-foot-5 Mike Wellman is committed to Grace College, leads the team in scoring with 14.2 points per game and averages 4.5 rebounds. His 6-1 twin, Sam, a Bethel recruit, averages 9.8 points and leads the team in rebounding (5.2) and assists (3.6). Air Force recruit Garrett Clark averages 11.2 points and 4.5 rebounds and guard Omari Evans averages 10.3 points and 2.5 assists. All four players are 3-point shooting threats, as is 6-2 freshman reserve Bryce Kobe.
“Obviously, you get to know a lot of the kids that you play against especially in summer league, and they’re nice kids and good players,” Urban said.
Down low, 6-9 junior Me’trell Harbin backs up 6-3 Daylon Powell.
The teams met Jan. 3 at the Fishers Holiday Tournament and Portage won 55-44 in a game that was tied with three minutes remaining. Chesterton’s Logan Pokorney and sixth man Malachi Ransom and Portage’s Mike Wellman shared game scoring honors with 14 points.
“Just kind of let it go there at the end, but anything can happen,” said junior Rob Czarniecki, who is coming off a big game in the Trojans’ last game, a 52-49 win at Michigan City.
Chesterton lost at Portage, 70-49, in the regular season a year ago and then pulled off the upset at home, 57-51, in a sectional semifinal.
“They play really hard. They have a good motor to them,” Czarniecki said. “I feel like they feel like the past few years in sectionals they haven’t won what they think they should have. This year they’re really focused on getting the job done and they’ve shown it by starting off really well.”
Pokorney has the most experience playing against Portage’s seniors. The Wellmans and Clark played in the same AAU program, Indiana Game, as Porkorney, though on different teams because Pokorney is a year younger.
“I scrimmaged a lot with them and I’m pretty familiar with their games,” Pokorney said. “I used to play them at the Boys and Girls Club when I was in like seventh grade.”
Since both schools are in the Valparaiso sectional, along with the host school, Merriillville and Hobart, they could meet a third time.