Mark Morrow's My View/Your View: Marion County title means more than you think

Maybe it's time to call the Marion County Tournament, which opens Tuesday night, the "Tournament of Champions.'' The 2008-09 season could be a prelude to the boys basketball State Finals. Not exactly a surprise, though, since the Marion County Tournament has a history of producing champions. A Marion County team has won a boys state title - six of which came in Class 4A - eight of the past 10 years. Brebeuf Jesuit (3A) won in 2000 despite failing to win the county. And Speedway won 2A in 2002, the same year Brebeuf won county. "I think the county is every bit as hard to win as the state,'' North Central coach Doug Mitchell said, matter of factly. Well, Mitchell should know. Despite winning the Class 4A state championship in 1999 and finishing as state runners-up in 2007, Mitchell's north side Panthers have not won the Marion County Tournament since 1997. Tall and talented Lawrence North (10-1), ranked one spot lower than second-ranked and unbeaten North Central (10-0) this season, has won five of the past 10 county championships. The Wildcats won state three straight years (2004-06), though failing to win county in 2005. If the draw works out like many figure, North Central and once-beaten Lawrence North should meet in one of two semifinal games Friday night at Southport. Should either North Central or Lawrence North advance to and win the championship Saturday night, one of them certainly would be thinking revenge when they meet Jan. 23 at Lawrence North. Then round three could come in the sectional, where North Central eliminated Lawrence North in a second-round game last season, snapping the Wildcats' string of sectional titles at five. Lawrence North, the defending county champion, meets Ben Davis in Tuesday's second game at Pike, while North Central opens at Beech Grove. Franklin Central cut down county nets in 2007, the Flashes' first championship since 1991. Ranked No. 8, they first must get past a pretty fair Pike team in Tuesday's opener before they can think about the road ahead in the tournament. Based on the rankings, North Central - long on speed, quickness and depth - and Lawrence North - boasting four players 6-9 or taller, led by veteran 6-9 seniors Stephan Van Tresse and Jeff Robinson - appear to be the tourney's heavyweights. I saw Ben Davis, winless prior to Saturday's 15-point win over Tech, give North Central all it wanted Friday night before losing by seven points. The Giants were impressive, and I dare to say they'll surprise someone big before the season ends. Ben Davis senior guard Greg Rice has plenty of game, and I'm not sure there are many more talented guards around than North Central junior Terone Johnson, who's the straw than stirs the drink for the Panthers. I also was impressed with Franklin Central, which needed an overtime to rid of pesky Tipton in the championship game of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Classic last month in New Castle. The Flashes, who boast 6-8 Purdue recruit Patrick Bade, have an outstanding shooter in senior guard Casey Coons, who made a school-record nine 3-point goals and scored 29 points in Saturday's 16-point win over Southport, not to mention a well-poised sophomore guard in Kyle James, son of coach Mark James. Kyle, a good ball handler and passer, raised some eyebrows, I'm sure, by driving and making the winning basket with a little less than three seconds left against Tipton. FAST FACTS: Marion County teams have won boys basketball state championships eight of the past 10 years: 1999: Lawrence North (CC), North Central (SC) 2000: Warren Central (CC), Brebeuf Jesuit (SC) 2001: Lawrence North (CC), Pike (SC) 2002: Brebeuf Jesuit (CC), Speedway (SC), Pike (SR) 2003: Pike (CC), Pike (SC) 2004: Lawrence North (CC), Lawrence North (SC) 2005: Pike (CC), Lawrence North (SC) 2006: Lawrence North (CC), Lawrence North (SC) 2007: Franklin Central (CC), North Central (SR) 2008: Lawrence North (CC), Lutheran (SR) Key: County champs - (CC) State champs - (SC) State runners-up - (SR) Note: All Class 4A schools with exception of Lutheran (Class A) Speedway (2A) and Brebeuf Jesuit (3A).