shortridge & much more

Take a grand old school (one of the most beautiful in the state), add a historic gym (during girl's varsity practice - a program with its own historic past), throw in another great gym with three games (varsity, jv & freshmen) between rivals (Shortridge Blue Devils & Broad Ripple Rockets) and top it all off with a Blue Devils alumni recognition ceremony (that also included Broad Ripple alumni).  That pretty much sums up our evening at Indianapolis Shortridge - except that I forgot to mention that this is the last season for Broad Ripple and that many of its current students will attend Shortridge next year.  Wow, what a night.  © Chris Smith

the long run

White River Valley, gearing up for the long season ahead. 
© Chris Smith

eagles on the hunt

With back to back Sectional championships (2016 & 2017) a part of their resume the Lady Eagles of Zionsville powered their way past rival Avon 59-43 in an early season clash.  Only time will tell if the young but solid roster can rise to the challenge of three in a row.  © Chris Smith

thankful

© Chris Smith

pine village

Little Pine Knots, hard at work.  CGS.

the fort

How can you not love a gym that was once home to a basketball team nicknamed the Twigs, especially when the town has Branch in its name?  Never mind that the old brick building looks like the Hall of Fame Southwest.  Never mind that the well manicured little community seems to have more civic pride than any we have seen and that their basketball pedigree is real (8 Sectional titles).  Never in our imagination would we have believed that the spot on the map called Fort Branch would be a special place like this. CGS.

it's a girl's game

According to basketball historian Bob Adams Indiana high school girls began playing basketball before the turn of the 20th Century and many schools only fielded girls teams, because "basketball, in the early days, was considered by many to be a 'sissy' sport."  Those teams flourished throughout the state until the Great Depression & World War 2 brought that early history to an end.  In 1975 the IHSAA once again sanctioned girls basketball and 1976 saw the Warsaw Tigers crowned the state's first official post war champion.  Our recent trip to Mooresville's Newby Gym and Indian Creek  (home of the Braves) opened the 2017-18 campaign and girls basketball was on full display.  From those just beginning their hard court careers to those near the end, the second act of Indiana high school girls basketball is no longer just on the sidelines, but firmly in control of the stage.  CGS.