day 3

Recollected diary -

- day 3 & our "tour guide" Greg Humnicky has us on the move.  First up, Clay High School and Coach Tom DeBaets, winners of the '94 state title.  That championship season is lovingly displayed in a large, lobby case that rivals the best we've seen.  No wonder Greg is so proud of his place in Clay history.

- on to the old Washington-Clay High School gym where we meet up with teammates from the '60s, Glen Neely & Bill Liggett.  Lots of stories all around.

- a quick stop at the former SB LaSalle High School, home of 1978 Mr. Basketball David Magley.  Magley would go on to play at Kansas and eventually be drafted by the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers.  Even though the school is no longer a high school they've had the good sense to maintain their gym.

-  an even quicker stop at the old South Bend Central, second step on the coaching trail of John Wooden.  Without a gym, Wooden would have success at Central, but never reach the heights that he did as a player at Martinsville or later, a Hall of Fame coach at UCLA.

- from 2006-2009 there may not have been a better girl's basketball team in the state than South Bend Washington (4A runner-up for three years & the 2007 State Champs) and there may not have been a better player in the country than Skylar Diggins.  Skylar would go on to star for Notre Dame and now plays for the WNBA  Dallas Wings.

- after a short stop to photograph memorabilia at Greg's house we say our goodbyes and head to Elkhart North Side for a chance to see the 8th largest gym in the US (it was #1 when it was built in 1954).  A well cared for old arena that seems to have as much future as it did a past. But I'm most impressed that there is enough room in each balcony for practice courts.  © Chris Smith