Mayer: Why I'm Picking Rockville to Win It All

Courtesy MaxPreps

I can't say I went out on a limb by picking the Rockville Rox to win the Class 1A State Championship. After all, Rockville is currently 23-0. Not to mention the Rox were runner ups in Class 1A last year and won the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic Tournament this year. With those facts alone you can probably say Rockville is a solid choice as favorite to take the 1A crown.

While the above paragraph definitely plays a part in my pick there are many other reasons as well. Start with who the Rox have beaten this year. They went through a demanding tournament having to beat four competitive teams; Casey-Westfield, Marshall, Sullivan, and Robinson. The golden Arrows and Maroons in particular are extremely talented squads that could just not find a way to keep up with the Rox. Add in a gutty effort in a hostile environment at Terre Haute North and a victory of Terre Haute South this season.

Here is the main reason I'm picking Rockville to end the season cutting down the nets at bankers life Fieldhouse. Have you watched this team play? Even during their 61-40 sectional victory on Tuesday against Riverton Parke, a game coach Dave Mahurin and star Lane Mahurin described as sloppy and poorly played, the Rox displayed excellent team basketball with players perfectly suited for certain rules.

Courtesy highschoolhoopsreport.com

Rockville has a star and go to scorer Lane Mahurin who will be attending Indiana Weslyn next year. Mahurin has the size to control the post, quickness to drive, and touch to make a shot from anywhere on the floor. Not to mention, he is selfless with little care for individual statistics. At the same time, Mahurin has displayed the tenacity to take over when needed.

Gary Ulrich is next on my list. Some of the shots this kid makes make you do a double take. There are only so many basketball players that can make a contested three pointer without setting. Ulrich is a machine from deep, but he always plays bigger then his size. Ulrich will mix it up in the paint and has sneaky good speed.

Next I'll focus on Jordan McFall who gets them to fall often as I like to saying during my Rockville highlights. McFall has the ability to light up the scoreboard as exemplified by his 22 points in Rockville's first sectional game. He's an all around guy with the ability to hit from deep and match up with similar sized players down low. He's extremely valuable in the rebound game especially when Mahurin is getting boxed out by two opposing players.

Courtesy tribstar.com

Finally, to Kiontre Wilkey who displays the same superb speed and shiftiness on the hardwood as the gridiron during football season. Wilkey is a point guard to the very definition. He controls the tempo and is always looking to pass. Wilkey also plays fantastic defense often pressuring the other guards. Wilkey does have the ability to hit key jumpers, as he did against Riverton Parke, but it's never his primary concern.

The bench is deep and will always put in productive minutes when called upon. This became necessary after suspension, due to a violation of team rules, robbed the Rox of multiple players including a key contributor.

The cherry on top is head coach Dave Mahurin who is in his 23rd year coaching and 10th at Rockville. Mahurin has his squad playing team basketball to perfection. There are no egos on this team and nothing but excellence is accepted.

I'm sure Rockville will run into some greats teams. Immediately, I think about Barr-Reeve (21-1), defending champion Loogootee, and North Daviess not to mention many teams I don't even know about. This prediction is all about the Rox though. I've seen this team play enough to believe they have all the elements to take home a championship. The journey continues tomorrow when the Rox face off against Turkey Run. If they win, Rockville plays the winner of Covington and Attica in the sectional championship.

Mayer: My First Pizza Hut Classic Experience

It wasn't a week after I started working at NBC 2 that I heard about the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic. Grant and Jason were obviously already looking forward to one of the Wabash Valley's marquee sporting events and I can now say, it lived up to expectations.

I've covered high school sports in different capacities before starting at WTWO and since including high school basketball this season. However, at no other point has the true love of high school bball in this state been displayed better. I guess this is why they say"In 49 states it's just basketball."

The atmosphere from day one through the title game could not have been better and at points was bordering on stunning. I mean this tournament was a marathon. 28 games over four days (27 after the Owen Valley forfeit due to snow). That's another thing, there were multiple days of some nasty winter weather, but fans would not be deterred. Game after game had great attendance.

The players were pumped up coming in and didn't disappoint in their performances although you could see certain squads clearly disappointed in the games following their elimination. That's pretty understandable, although there were some great match ups on the consolation side of the bracket. That's mostly due to the random draw. I think that is the one major improvement that should be implemented for The Classic. It would make much more sense to do a coaches/media poll and have the tournament seeded instead of a random draw. 

 Rockville was a deserving champion (I'll pat myself on the back for picking them in the beginning). They weren't the flashiest team, but constantly forced their tempo on the opposing squad. Lane Mahurin is a match up nightmare even for players his size. The Rox are a tough squad that aren't afraid to get physical, best exemplified  by Joel Wittenmyer who got elbowed very hard in the nose and was bleeding profusely. Keiontre Wilkey also was elbowed and had some bleeding, but both played and helped the Rox win. Here's a recap of title run.

I have to spotlight the quarter final game between Terre Haute North and Robinson. The Patriots and Maroons along with the Rox were the best teams at the Classic. The game between North and Robinson was in a word EPIC. Aaron Siler put Robinson on his back scoring 39 points, only one behind Indiana State Sycamores star R.J. Mahurin for most in a single game at the tournament. The Terre Haute South gym was packed to capacity with an atmosphere that reminded me of a small Assembly Hall. The game was a heavyweight fight with each team refusing to back down. Easily one of the best basketball games I've ever covered.

Overall, the Pizza hut Wabash Valley Classic was basketball at its finest. The tournament was well orchestrated and the passion from every player, coach, and fan could not have been better. I had an absolute blast covering the tournament.