When numbers belie

Democrats in the Indiana General Assembly can only wish defeat had the same tart-but-darn-tolerable taste it has had for their cousins in Washington.

Triumphant Republicans, mere weeks away from regaining parity in Congress after two years of minority monkey-wrenching, morphed into a comparative Santa Claus for President Barack "No Tomorrow" Obama.

On its face, the shower of lame-duck largess could be seen as unremarkable. The New START treaty, after all, was endorsed by former secretaries of state from both parties. The brass was pretty solidly behind ending anti-gay discrimination in the military. The tax deal took care of the millionaire community, which was foremost in the hearts of the GOP "populists;" and may have planted a poison pill in that rightwing quarry, Social Security. But by Obama's battered standards, it was a miracle.

The progressive African-American history-maker who had to kowtow to big business for two years, and then get clubbed with its ingratitude, found himself celebrating alongside the Chamber of Commerce and its disciples as he awaited a new year for which they might have waited -- and denied him even his half a loaf.

With the Senate filibuster, with the absurd prerogatives afforded individual lawmakers, Obama could barely get a courthouse parking garage attendant confirmed with his majority. He had to contort health-care reform into a boon for insurance companies to squeeze it past the lockstep Republicans and the lobbied-limp Blue Dogs.

Next year, without the House majority, he can prepare to have his administration investigated for every missing paper clip. But perhaps he'll find further magnanimity in the newly empowered opposition as well. After all, the two sides already have united on the biggest issue of the 2010 campaign: the federal deficit. They've made it bigger. Perhaps we weren't listening closely enough when they explained their plans all those months.

Alas, in the Indiana legislature, the parties are not allowed to get together and have a deficit. Nor is there filibustering. With their numbers, Senate Democrats couldn't pull it off anyway.

The last time the Indiana Dems were in this total-minority fix, in the latter half of Gov. Mitch Daniels' first term, they resisted a flurry of unanimous Republican bills in the House by walking out -- or caucusing, as they termed it. They were branded obstructionists, as were the Republicans in the Congress just passed; and they got a lot less obstructing accomplished than did the Stop-Obama GOP.

This time, a saber-rattling, nationally ambitious governor and his overwhelming troops figure to take no prisoners. Unions, cities, public schools, the environment -- the hits will keep on coming. The minority Democrats, unlike the minority Republicans, will not be asked for generosity.

Dickman is back to full speed

Dickman's recovery from knee injury spurs Eagles

Kristen Dickman underwent surgery in January. She rehabbed hard for five months, performing physical therapy and weightlifting exercises designed for recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament she suffered during Zionsville's 2009-10 basketball season.

Finally, in June, the senior-to-be returned to the court for a midsummer game . . . and she didn't feel anything. No lingering pain. No fear. Nothing to hold her back.

"I wasn't afraid to go out there and go hard," Dickman said.

What about now, about halfway into her final season at Zionsville?

"I really, honestly feel like I was never hurt," Dickman said. "I feel completely normal."

She's playing like it -- or at least close to it, according to coach Andy Maguire -- as Dickman is an important rebounder and one of five key scorers for a Zionsville team (4-5) heading into today's holiday tournament.

Dickman's numbers: A team-high 8.8 points per game, plus 5.8 rebounds (second on Zionsville).

The team's four wins are two fewer than last year's team posted, and its Hoosier Crossroads Conference victories over Lafayette Jeff and Avon are two more than in 2009-10.

A lot of this is thanks to Dickman and to her quick recovery. She said it had been expected to take six to eight months, instead of five.

"I think she's done a great job," Maguire said of Dickman, who is aiming to play at a Division III college, possibly DePauw. "She's in shape, and she's strong.

"Just playing in games again, it's still a process with her, but she's been really consistent the last three weeks. . . . We're pleased with where she is right now, and I think she's going to be even better the second half of the season."

Seniors Katie Drapeau (8.1 points), Jenna Mitchell (8.0, plus a team-high 6.4 rebounds), Kelly Hunt (7.7 points and 5.1 rebounds) and Emily Olds (6.1 points) give Zionsville a five-person offensive attack.

It's a bit of a departure from past years' inside-oriented focus behind Dickman and Mitchell. Now -- thanks to Drapeau and Olds -- the team can score from the perimeter as well.

"It would be hard to guard us," Maguire said, "because you can't really say we're just an inside team. We are capable of playing pretty well from the outside, too."

Maguire said the team has some winnable games coming up. Today, it starts with Danville (2-8), then either Benton Central (9-1) or Crawfordsville (6-5) -- with Maguire seeing both games as winnable if the Eagles play to their potential. The Danville game is scheduled for 11 a.m., the second semifinal for 12:45 p.m., the consolation at 6 p.m. and the title game at 7:45 p.m. Cost is $5.

A junior varsity tournament with the same matchups also is scheduled for today.

After that come Park Tudor (5-4), Guerin Catholic (5-6) and Southmont (1-9) before the Eagles' Jan. 15 trip to Hamilton Southeastern (9-1, 5-0 HCC).

With Dickman healthy and her teammates contributing greatly, this could be a successful span for Zionsville.

"You hate to look at paper and (past) scores," Maguire said, "but it looks like if we play like we're capable, we could have a stretch of games where we could win four or five games."

Brownsburg girls win Hall of Fame Classic

NEW CASTLE, Ind. -- The only question about Brownsburg High School sophomore forward Stephanie Mavunga following Wednesday's surprising City Securities Hall of Fame Classic championship: What shined brighter, her play or her smile?

For Mavunga, the answer was easy. Neither.

"Not everyone sees (my teammates) as stars, but I think everybody's a shining star on my team," said Mavunga, who was named the event's Most Valuable Player.

She led the only unranked team in the tournament to victory with key contributions from her teammates, especially seniors Ryne Carr and Lindsey Dall.

"Ryne and Lindsey are great players," Mavunga said. "They stepped up in many different ways. You might not see them on the stat sheet, but they showed out (Wednesday)."

Brownsburg (11-2), the only team entering the event with a loss, beat Class 3A No. 2 Evansville Memorial 51-41 in the championship game after knocking off 4A No. 3 Jeffersonville 44-32 in the first round. Evansville Memorial reached the championship game with a 57-48 victory over 4A No. 2 Carmel. Jeffersonville beat Carmel 56-28 in the consolation game.

In the first round, Mavunga blocked seven shots while Brownsburg held a Jeffersonville front line of Lakin Roland, Jalynn McClain and Brooke Valentine that was averaging 40.4 points per game to 24 on 9-of-39 shooting.

When Jeffersonville -- and foul trouble -- held Mavunga to one field goal attempt in the first half, Carr hit two 3-pointers and Dall added five points to give Brownsburg a 17-15 halftime lead. Mavunga, who was averaging 18.8 points per game, put the game away by scoring six points during a 9-1 run that began late in the third quarter and gave the Bulldogs a 29-19 lead.

Evansville Memorial reached the championship game behind a 31-point, 18-rebound performance by Valparaiso-bound Mallory Ladd, but Brownsburg -- led by Carr -- held Ladd to seven points and six rebounds, and the Tigers shot just 35.7 percent as a team.

In the championship game, Brownsburg scored the first nine points -- six by Mavunga -- but Evansville Memorial answered with a 17-1 run. Mavunga converted an offensive rebound and Dall (12 points) scored in the post to break the run.

Mavunga then went to the bench with her second foul, Evansville Memorial's Maggie Minnette hitting 1-of-2 free throws in the process. Carr responded by hitting two free throws and Allison DeVaney scored to make it 18-18.

Over the next 41/2 minutes, there were three ties and five lead changes. Mavunga scored inside to put Brownsburg ahead to stay 29-27 with 5:44 remaining.

"Stephanie is a great player," Brownsburg coach Amy Brauman said after Mavunga totaled 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting, 22 rebounds and nine blocks in the two games. "We need to get the ball to her to get our offense going, but she's got a lot of good people around her. They know when to get her the ball and are ready to step up at any time.

"This is a great accomplishment. The seniors have been playing varsity since they were freshmen and they've gone through lots of ups and downs (including a 4-17 record as sophomores). To see all the hard work paying off is really amazing."