It is difficult to imagine that the 2023-24 basketball season is right around the corner, yet here we are. A new season brings new hopes to every team in the state, with the hopes of making it to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to cut down the nets. There are many steps between now and then, so good luck to everyone who will lace up the sneakers this fall!
As with last year, there are several new faces at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame with two new hires since the last fall newsletter.
- Noah Dahlquist was hired in January 2023 as our Publications Coordinator. Noah has excelled with the “Indiana Basketball History Magazine” along with our social media posts. Noah has done a tremendous job in promoting the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, and Indiana high school basketball, alike.
- With Trip Lukemeyer moving offices to North Meridian Street, taking a position with the IHSAA Foundation, Cory Criswell was hired in August to fill that void. Trip did a fantastic job in his role as Development Director, and we look for Cory to continue to reach new heights with that position.
- The heart of the office, Assistant Director Kayla Kessler and Operations Coordinator Cheryl Betten, continue to be staples of our team and are vital to our daily operations and organization.
In basketball news related to the Hall of Fame, we are pleased to welcome Henry Community Health as our new primary sponsor for the Hall of Fame Classic for this year … and years to come. We are beyond excited to have them on board as our title sponsor and thank them for all the continued support of our mission.
Our star-studded Henry Community Health Classic lineup for 2023 is:
2023 HENRY COMMUNITY HEALTH HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
Girls Tournament: Friday, Dec. 29
Columbia City vs Indian Creek, 11:00 a.m. (EST)
Lake Central vs Jennings County, to follow
Consolation game, 6:00 p.m. (EST)
Championship game, to follow
Boys Tournament, Saturday, Dec. 30
Kokomo vs Crispus Attucks, 11:00 a.m. (EST)
Brownstown Central vs Brownsburg, to follow
Consolation game, 6:00 p.m. (EST)
Championship game, to follow
As an IBCA member, we are asking for your support by becoming an annual member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame for 2024.The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is the finest high school Hall of Fame in the world. This is possible because of the support of people who have lived Indiana high school basketball, including coaches such as you. Your involvement is important to us, as current high school coaches will be needed to step into leadership roles as the future guardians of the history of Indiana high school basketball.
Indiana was the first state to have a facility dedicated strictly to high school basketball. We continually receive praise from our visitors – from Indiana and beyond – while drawing comparisons to or praise greater than the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Massachusetts!
As with all facilities, the cost of operating, maintaining and now replacing parts of our building continue to rise. We have been fortunate that our facility in New Castle is in good condition. But with age, there come added costs. Thanks to the generous support of our 2023 membership campaign, we recently have been able to upgrade our exhibits, add new and exciting graphics as well as work on extending our physical footprint.
We break ground on our 6,500-square-foot expansion on Oct. 12 and look forward to what that will bring. This addition will allow us to expand our gift shop, create a larger archive room and, most importantly, expand our museum space to be able to be more interactive and showcase more of what makes our great game unique to Indiana. Lots of great things are happening right now, and we thank you for being a part of that.
Basketball has played an important role in the lives of many Hoosiers. Your annual membership makes you part of the team that sustains our museum as the finest high school basketball museum in the world. As part of our web site, you may make online membership contributions or donations. Please join by completing our online membership form at https://hoopshall.com/support/membership/ with your tax-deductible gift. Be sure to check the benefits listed when viewing the web site.
Our gift shop also is available through the web site. Please see these items and plenty of Indiana basketball history at www.hoopshall.com.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Hall.
– Matt Martin, executive director
