IBCA E-Newsletter

Indiana All Stars

Shooting for an attendance this June of over 8,000, the Indiana All-Star basketball teams will work on extending their current dominance over the Kentucky High School All-Stars.

The World Series of High School Basketball will send the Hoosiers against the Bluegrass squads June 16 in Bowling Green, KY on the Western Kentucky University court. A week later action resumes in the 67-year-old series in Conseco Fieldhouse on June 23.

Larry Pringle, Triton Central, and Mike Miller, Lawrence Central, are directing the Indiana girls' and boys' squads respectively.Pringle will be assisted by Marty Niehaus of Forest Park and Curt Bell of New Castle. Jerry Bomholt, Shawe Memorial, and Murray Mendenhall, Fort Wayne Wayne, will aid Miller.

Indiana's boys have won 14 of the past 16 games with Kentucky, including sweeps in 2006, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2000 and 1999. The all-time boys record has Indiana with a 77-41 series lead.

The news is just as good for the girls. After trailing Kentucky in the series 21-11 in 1991, the Indiana team has taken 22 of the past 28 games to move out ahead in the series, 34-28, including sweeps in 2006, 2004, 2000, 1999, 1996, 1995, 1994, and 1993.

The series with Kentucky's boys began in 1940 after the first Indiana boys' team defeated the state high school champions from Frankfort, 31-21, in 1939. This part of the interstate rivalry has been played every year since except for an interruption during the World War II years of 1943 and 1944.

The girls' series began and made the annual confrontations doubleheaders in 1976 when the inaugural game was a Kentucky 59-48 win in Louisville's Freedom Hall. A week later Indiana turned the tables behind its first Miss Basketball Judi Warren, 68-55,in Market Square Arena.

This spring marks the first year in the series' history when The Indianapolis Star has sponsored All-Star tryouts for the state's prestigious teams. A tryout for the Indiana girls' team was held for 40 candidates on March 4th, and a similar tryout for boys was conducted March 25, both at Ben Davis High School. The decision to conduct its own tryouts was generally warmly received by the state's coaches.

Net proceeds from those tryouts were split between The Indianapolis Star's Lend A Hand Fund, which receives the revenue from the All-Star games and related activities, and the Scholarship Fund managed by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

In addition to the Indiana-Kentucky games, the 2007 Indiana Junior All-Stars will meet the 2007 Indiana All-Stars in exhibition games June 13, 19 and 21. Sites for these games will be determined later this spring after the Indiana teams have been selected. Last year Valparaiso H.S./Valparaiso University; Forest Park, and Huntington North hosted the exhibition games, drawing over 4,000 fans.

The continuing recognition of former Indiana All-Stars continues this coming summer. Players who were on teams in years ending in "7" will be honored. The Star is seeking addresses for the more than 90 All-Stars who played in 1947-1957-1967-1977-1987 and 1997. A dinner will be held the night before the Kentucky games in Indianapolis. A reception will be held on game day in Conseco Fieldhouse, and all returning former All-Stars and coaches will be introduced at the halftime of the boys Indiana-Kentucky game.

To facilitate communication with All-Star game fans, The Star has established a BLOG on the newspaper's website. To get All-Star news (info on the selection process, announcements of the teams, ticket information, profiles on former All-Stars, and much more, go to www.indystar.com/prepsplus

Ticket sales for the June 23 games will begin in April with availability through The Star and through Ticketmaster. For further information on the games and related activities, call 317 444 7350.