Saturday night in Jay County

In our attempt to "remember how things were" we often overlook how things are.  Take Hoosier high school basketball - a great game many believe to be diminished by classification, school consolidation, and dropping attendance.  Some say Indiana's winter sport, linking fall to spring, has been pushed into the background by Netflix, video games and cell phones.  The days when whole communities packed into a gym to watch local rivalries play out on a basketball court are long gone, right?  Well, maybe not.  Case in point - this past Saturday night in Jay County when Blackford brought their oft repeated story of the "old coach" (Jerry Hoover) and "young sharpshooter" (Luke Brown) to the home of the Patriots for a full night of hoops.  As the evening unfolded it was all there - a packed house, colorful mascots, flag totting cheerleaders, a spirited pep band and three games of basketball (Freshman in the auxiliary, JV & Varsity in the big gym).  The main event was close for awhile, until quick passing, state scoring leader (PPG average) Brown took over.  Final score - Bruins 79, Patriots 53.  But, wait a minute, forget the score - could it be that our beloved sport is just as good as we remember?  Wouldn't that be something to talk about. © Chris Smith