This weekend's Indiana High School boys basketball state finals will not only be special for the Warsaw community, but for the state as a whole.
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the boys basketball state tournament, the IHSAA is planning a few events in conjunction with the four state championship games Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.Things get started at 10:30 a.m. when No. 2 Barr-Reeve (24-3) and No. 1 Bowman Academy (23-1) square off in the Class 1A final, followed by the Class 2A clash between Park Tudor (15-10) and No. 2 Wheeler (26-1).
During those contests, the action on the court won't be the only attractions, as replays of past state finals will be shown on the Conseco Fieldhouse jumbotron during timeouts along with congratulatory messages from past Indiana athletes.
"We don't want to delay the game or take away from the athletes," IHSAA Commissioner Blake Ress said. "We want the games to be the primary focus, so the clips will be shown during timeouts and at halftimes. But we will have a lot going on."
After the morning session, fans can go to the Conseco Fieldhouse lobby to meet and receive autographs from former state champions.
"I think people will really enjoy it," Ress said about the day.
Also taking place in between the two sessions will be a parade of former state championship teams, including the 1984 Warsaw team.
The mile-long parade begins at 3 p.m., starting at the corner of Pennsylvania and Vermont streets and making its way around Monument Circle, eventually ending up back at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The day's highly-anticipated second session begins with No. 6 Washington (22-3) and No. 5 Gary Wallace (19-4) in the Class 3A game, beginning at 6 p.m. followed by No. 6 Warsaw's (23-2) game against No. 3 North Central (24-3).
The morning session will feature big games with big crowds, but the night session should really fill the Fieldhouse.
"Warsaw has great support and the 4A game will have anticipation," Ress said. "However, the Gary Wallace and Washington game will also be good, no doubt."
The 3A game will feature Gary Wallace junior Branden Dawson and Washington junior Cody Zeller, both of whom are receiving major Division I looks. According to Rivals.com, among those looking at Zeller are Butler, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Purdue, while Dawson is being recruited by Georgetown, Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue and UCLA, among others.
The Class 4A game will also feature some highly recruited players, including Warsaw junior Nic Moore, who is making his way up the recruiting ladder, having been scouted by Butler and Louisville in the last month.
For North Central, 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior point guard Terone Johnson will play for Purdue next season, while 6-4, 220-pound sophomore point guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera is being recruited by a number of tradition-rich Division I programs, including Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Notre Dame.
"It's going to be a great matchup," Ress said. "I've seen North Central and they are very talented and quick. Warsaw's good as well. It's going to be about who can control the tempo."
Getting tickets to see these matchups may be tough as they're going quick.
The IHSAA sends out tickets to each school around the state, with the unsold passes being sent back Friday morning at approximately 10 a.m.
Those unsold tickets are then sent to the Conseco Fieldhouse Box Office, where they'll then be sold to the public.
However, Ress isn't too optimistic about the number of tickets that may be for open sale Friday.
"I don't think there will be a lot of returns," he said.
