The main entrance of Decatur’s Bellmont High School.
The Bellmont Braves logo on a lightpost.
The main concourse to the Bellmont gym.
The Bellmont Braves logo in the concourse.
A first look at “The Teepee.”
The “Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the Norwell-Mississinewa game.
The Norwell cheerleaders during player inroductions.
The Teepee has the Bellmont initials in the bleachers.
The “Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the Bellmont-Marion game.
Marion players in the huddle during the game.
One of Bellmont’s all-time best was Kip Jones who went onto play at Purdue.
Bellmont is more known for its girls’ volleyball success.
And its wrestling acumen.
Bellmont’s Keagan Martin was an all-state wrestler in 2024. He’s now at Purdue.
The Bellmont weight room.
The exterior of New Castle Fieldhouse.
The view upon entry to New Castle Fieldhouse.
The Fieldhouse is billed as the World’s Largest and Finest High School Fieldhouse.
The Trojans logo along the baseline.
The original Fieldhouse center court is displayed.
New Castle’s first state championship was in 1932.
Here is the 1932 team photo.
The Fieldhouse banners tell the story of New Castle’s athletics.
The 2006 New Castle state championship team photo.
Kent Benson was the school’s first Indiana Mr. Basketball recipient.
Benson is in the school’s athletic Hall of Fame.
Steve Alford was the school’s second Indiana Mr. Basketball recipient.
He too is in the Hall of Fame.
As is Steve’s dad, Sam, who was the longtime boy’s basketball coach.
A look at all the New Castle basketball all-staters.
Former New Castle HS players who are in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
The “Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the Delta-Yorktown game.
The Yorktown student section.
The Delta student section.
Our seat view in the cavernous Fieldhouse.
The floor view at the Fieldhouse.
The Connersville team gathers at center court prior to its game against New Castle.
The Connersville student section.
The New Castle student section.
Like Bellmont, New Castle has a long history of Volleyball success as well.
The New Castle weight room.
The exterior of the Muncie Fieldhouse.
Your view upon entry at Muncie Fieldhouse.
This giant orb honors the 1979 Indiana State Champions.
The first state championship trophy case.
And a second.
And a third.
Off the gym there’s a space that houses athletic memorabilia through the years.
A wider shot from one wing of the room.
A piece of the state championship net from 1928.
The 1931 state championship team photo.
Nets from the 1952 state championship run.
This newspaper chronicles the 1954 Milan state championship upset of Muncie Central.
A photo of the 1978 Muncie Central state champions.
A photo of the 1979 Muncie Central state champions.
An old welcome to Muncie sign.
The original drawings of the Muncie Fieldhouse.
All-stater Ray McCallum’s jersey.
Rick Jones was the 1963 Indiana Mr. Basketball.
Future NFL player Ryan Kerrigan is a Muncie Central alum.
The fierce Bearcat logo guarding the condiments.
How about a dill pickle for a treat?
This bell is from the first Muncie Central High School location.
Bill Harrell coached the Bearcats to three state championships.
The old floor was damaged by a 2017 tornado and rain. Pieces have been memorialized around the hallways.
More of the old flooring.
And still more.
Plenty of state championship banners hang above the court.
A view from court level.
The “Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the start of the Greenfield-Central vs. Mt. Vernon game.
The opening tip.
The view behind the Mt. Vernon student section.
Hey, who’s this fella?
The view from our seat for this double overtime Sectional Final.
The top of the Fieldhouse.
Me, Brandon, and Calah enjoyed the game.
This buddies were crossing everything hoping for their team to win.
Mt. Vernon fans celebrate following their team’s victory.
Mt. Vernon cuts down the nets.
Like the other two high school hosts, Muncie Central has quite a volleyball history as well.
More volleyball hardware.
And still more.
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Colleges
The exterior of Grace College’s Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.
The Grace Lancers logo.
A few members of the Grace College Athletics Hall of Fame.
Grace has a few trophies in this showcase.
A small but serviceable Concession Stand at the MOCC.
A few more trophies in another showcase.
You don’t see a cattle company sponsorship everyday.
The Grace logo at center court is illuminated during introductions.
The Lancers’ cheer team is fired up.
The opening tip of the Huntington-Grace Crossroads League Championship.
A Grace player attempts a free throw.
Huntington University coach Kory Alford (yes, Steve’s son) looks on at the action.
A Huntington University player attempts a free throw.
Grace College have had a bit of success in the Crossroads League.
A look at the entire MOCC facility behind one of the baskets.
The Grace Pep Band in action.
The view from our seats at the MOCC.
Following its win over Huntington, the Grace team in prayer at center court.
An exterior wide shot upon arrival at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
An exterior end shot of Hinkle Fieldhouse.
The Butler Bulldogs’ basketball office.
A look at the wall housing the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame.
A showcase housing pieces of Hinkle Fieldhouse memorabilia.
The original configuration of the court in Hinkle.
Tony Hinkle did a little bit of everything at Butler University.
One of the things Hinkle did was change the color of basketballs from brown to orange.
The Butler Bulldog mascot as seen during its Final Four run in 2010.
The view of Hinkle from behind the band.
Fans check out the showcase featuring its conseuctive Final Four appearances.
A close up of some of the Final Four showcase items.
Here are the Final Four banners inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Tony Hinkle would know what it might share.
This showcase is devoted to Hinkle Fieldhouse’s appearance in the movie “Hoosiers.”
The view of center court during a pre-game walkabout.
The Bulldogs have had success in the NIT as well.
A view of Hinkle Fieldhouse from a corner.
Butler head coach Thad Matta.
Xavier head coach (at that time) Sean Miller.
The view from our seats at Hinkle.
Here we are, me, Brandon, George, and Jerry.
The Butler banner was in the spotlight during introductions.
There’s a thing known as The Butler Way, apparently.
So there are 18 of these historic markers around Hinkle Fieldhouse. Inexplicably, I missed No. 4.
This plaque tells the tale of the swimming pool that used to be in Hinkle Fieldhouse.
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Professionals
The exterior of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The wall across from Gainbridge Fieldhouse includes the season schedule.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse is decked out for the coming Big Ten Tournaments.
The old-school marquee ascends on Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The original dedication plate for Conseco Fieldhouse.
The rededication
A random Gainbridge Fieldhouse plate found on the concourse.
The banners of the 2024 high school champions hang in the main concourse of Gainbridge.
A view from above at the main floor of the Indiana Pacers team store.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have a section in the team store.
A look at the concourse near the main entrance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Pacers Hype Crew pose for photos with a young fan.
This showcase of Pacers and Fever who are in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
A closer look at the items in the Hall of Fame showcase.
The Pacemates sign autographs for fans pregame.
This display on the concourse showcases three Pacers’ players’ lockers.
There is an Indiana Fever showcase on the concourse.
Pointing out where I’m at.
This mural caught my eye while walking around the fieldhouse.
Nothing to point out here.
The Indiana Pacers’ ABA Championship Trophies.
Some Indiana high school historical items.
Indianapolis native Oscar Robertson is depicted in this statue.
The view from our seats at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The retired Pacers and Fever players and coaches.
A look at championship banners hanging in the rafters.
Scott and I in the main entrance area.
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Other Hoosier Hoops Highlights
This mural of Larry Bird is on a buildling adjacent to the Larry Bird Museum in Terre Haute.
This larger-than-life statue of Larry Bird is on the grounds of the Hulman Center home of the Indiana State Sycamores.
The story behind the statue.
Visitors’ first glimpse of the Larry Bird Museum.
Larry himself gives you the lowdown on what you’re about to see via this video.
Larry’s Springs Valley HS showcase.
The Indiana State University showcase.
The Boston Celtics’ showcase.
A Dream Team showcase features items from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
This ball is autographed by all members of the Dream Team.
Larry Bird’s Olympic Gold Medal.
A menagerie of artifacts from Bird’s career.
Larry’s NBA Championship rings.
Bird’s Hall of Fame ring.
Some of Bird’s contemporaries have items featured in the museum.
The exterior of the Milan 1954 Hoosiers Museum.
The welcome sign in Milan is still touting the 1954 state championship.
The first of two Milan historical markers.
The second of those historical markers.
The old water tower, painted to honor the 1954 team, still stands.
The Milan 1954 Hoosiers Museum honored the recently deceased Hackmans.
The interior of the Milan Museum.
Lockers of Milan players on display at the Museum.
Prop uniforms from the movie “Hoosiers.”
The hospital bed Dennis Hopper’s character, Shooter, was in during “Hoosiers.”
Shoes worn during the movie “Hoosiers.”
Part of the 1954 Milan HS court.
The full hand-written bracket from the 1954 Indiana State Basketball Tournament.
Ticket stubs from Milan’s tournament run.
A showcase devoted to Oscar Robertson of Crispus Attucks HS, an opponent of Milan’s during the tournament.
My dad and I posing for a photo.
Plump’s Last Shot is a tavern near Butler University’s campus and is named for the Milan HS player who hit the game-winning shot in 1954.
Another look at Plump’s Last Shot.
The Plump’s Last Shot logo built from the Milan HS court.
Bobby Plump was a coverboy during his schoolboy days.
The 1954 Milan HS basketball team photo.
An autographed “Hoosiers” movie poster signed by the writer, Angelo Pizzo, and director, David Anspaugh.
This poster features some of Indiana’s biggest high school stars of all time.
A look at the new wing at Indiana’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shoes worn by New Castle HS star Steve Alford.
A large exhibit focuses on girls basketball.
Indiana schoolboy and college star Gordon Hayward’s Boston Celtic jersey is displayed.
Milan HS gets its own showcase in the Hall of Fame.
Muncie Central HS also has its own showcase.
This immersive surround theater allows visitors to experience Indiana state championship Saturday.
Oscar Robertson’s Milwaukee Bucks’ jersey.
President Barack Obama visited the Hall and left behind this autographed basketball.
Indiana Pacers’ center Rik Smits had some big shoes to fill.
The Indiana Pacers wore Hickory Huskers’ jerseys on a special theme night.
This is the beanie from John Wooden’s freshmen year at Purdue University.
The Hickory Huskers’ home gym in Knightstown, IN.
4 / 51
Video
I shot a lot of video during my week immersed in the culture of Indiana basketball. So much, in fact, that I’m not going to attempt to share it all here. Below are some of my favorites. If you’re interested is seeing all the Videos and Shorts (from both this and other Events) please direct your browser to my YouTube Channel.
Entering the nation’s largest HS gym.
Still thinking about this Xavier fan.
Massive 4-point play for Mt. Vernon HS.
UConn commit Braylon Mullins.
Grace wins Crossroads League.
End of regulation of IHSAA 4A Sectional Final.
Grace College students do the “Church Clap.”
A look at the Championship Day exhibit at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
Audio
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Executive Director Matt Martin joins us to discuss why basketball is such a passion for Indiana residents.
Fun Facts
Traveling Party – During the week in Indiana Doug was joined by his father, Jerry; Jerry’s friend, George; cousin, Brandon; Brandon’s daughter, Calah; uncle, Ken; and childhood pal, Scott.
Last Time Visited – Doug has foggy recollections of visiting then-Conseco Fieldhouse shortly after it opened around 2000 for a Pacers game with some fantasy basketball friends; he last attended a basketball game at Bellmont High School in the mid-1970s; he’d never been to Grace College; Hinkle Fieldhouse; New Castle High School; Muncie Central High School; or the 1954 Milan Museum.
Largese – New Castle High School Fieldhouse proclaims is the largest on-campus gym in the world (capacity 8,424) and Muncie Fieldhouse isn’t far behind at 7,635 (good for fourth largest). In total, eight of the 10 largest high school venues are found in Indiana (Dallas, TX, and Moline, IL, claim the other two).
Movie Star – Hinkle Fieldhouse became internationally known when it played a key role during the 1986 film, “Hoosiers.” Hinkle was the site of the film’s state championship game between Hickory and South Bend. Check out this scene featuring the recently deceased Gene Hackman showing his team the dimensions are the same as back home.
High School Bracket Show – I was a bit amazed (though I probably shouldn’t have been) when I noticed on the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA’s) website that there was a tournament bracket announcement show ala CBS’s revealing of the NCAA Brackets. Sure enough, I tuned into the livestream and there were video and photos of high school team’s gathered in gyms, classrooms, and private residences to see who they’d be playing during the Sectionals.
Running List of States Traveled To/Through – Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, & West Virginia
Running List of Countries Traveled To/Through – Canada (Ontario & Quebec), England, Scotland, United States, & Wales
Distance Traveled – Total for the weeklong travels in Indiana was 1,443 miles
Cumulative Distance Traveled After 14 Events – 25,036 miles and this – officially – puts me past the one trip around the Equator mark (24,901 miles).
Up Next: A Madison Square Garden doubleheader. The Vancouver Canucks-New York Rangers by day and Washington Wizards-New York New York Knicks by night.
