Rhodes Inducted Into Hall Of Fame; Other Locals Recognized
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It's been a special week for the Warsaw Community High School boys basketball program.
On top of the Warsaw Tigers competing in tonight's Class 4A state championship game against the North Central (Indianapolis) Panthers, three locals were also a part of Wednesday's Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony in New Castle.
On the night, former Warsaw athletic director and basketball official Gene Butts, 1985 Indiana Mr. Basketball Jeff Grose and former Tigers head coach Al Rhodes were all on hand, highlighted by Rhodes' induction into the hall of fame.
"It was a very, very proud moment," Rhodes, the current head coach at Penn, said. "However, I see it as a team award. A lot of the credit goes to the assistant coaches and the hard work of the young men it takes to make a team."
One of those players was Grose, who helped Rhodes' capture a state championship in 1984.
Grose was on hand for the ceremony as a part of the Hall's 2010 Men's Silver Anniversary Team, joining 17 others.
But Grose wasn't the only former Rhodes player present for the ceremony.
"We had over 30 former players from all of Warsaw's Final Four teams, including 1981, 1984, 1992, 1996 and 2000," Rhodes said. "I'm just really proud of those players."
Along with being proud of his former players, Rhodes is also proud of this year's Tigers.
"I had all those kids when they were in elementary, and I had my camp, and I'm wishing them the best of luck," Rhodes said.
He's also wishing his former assistants the best of luck, including his former junior varsity coach, and current Warsaw head coach, Doug Ogle.
"I feel great for them all," he said. "They done a great job of getting everything together for this run. Doug's was obviously one of my assistants, Hal Gunter was an assistant and Jeff Grose played for me. David Wayne was also an elementary coach when I was there. I'm very happy for all of them."
Starting his head coaching career in 1980 at Warsaw, Rhodes left the program following the 2001-2002 season, stepping away from coaching for a season.
When he returned, Rhodes coached Logansport between 2003 and 2006, before moving on to Fort Wayne Northrop in 2007.
Following one season at Northrop, an opening at his alma mater lured him to Penn, where he's been coaching since 2008, going 16-8 last season, winning Northern Indiana Conference Tournament Championship in the process.
The NIC tourney title was Rhodes' 52nd championship in his head coaching career.
Showcasing his right to be in the hall of fame are such statistics as taking five teams to the Final Four, winning the 1984 state championship, as well as claiming 14 sectionals, seven regionals, four semistates, 10 Northern Lakes Conference championships, four South Bend Holiday titles, six Warsaw Holiday Tournaments, two NLC Holiday Tournaments, two Cass County championships, a Hall of Fame Classic and the NIC Tournament.
In all, Rhodes has compiled a 477-214 record, including a 73-28 mark in the postseason.
That kind of record has led him to such individual honors as being an eight-time NLC Coach of the Year, coaching the McDonald's All-American game in 2005, the US All-Stars in McDonald's Capital Classic in 1988, as well as serving as an assistant for the Indiana All-Stars in 1985 before being the head coach of the team in 1995.
With all those accomplishments, including many, many more, Rhodes can now put member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame on his résumé.
Along with Rhodes' induction and Grose's involvement with the Silver Anniversary Team, Butts was named a 2010 Men's Center Circle Officials Award winner.
Joining Gary Muncy and Homer Owens in this year's Center Circle, Butts earned the honor for his contribution as a high school basketball official.
During his officiating days, Butts refereed 25 sectionals, 16 regionals, five semistates and two state finals for boys basketball, in 1976 and 1977. In 1976, Butts became the first official to referee both the boys and girls state championship game.
Joining Grose on the Silver Anniversary team were: LeFon Bowens (Marion), Jim Busher (Southport), Billy Butts (Muncie North), Jeff Cooper (Attica), Gary Goode (Frankfort), Todd Graf (Richmond), Dylan Howard (Harding), Wayne Jackson (East Chicago Washington), Kip Jones (Bellmont), Troy Jones (Daleville), Jeff Oliphant (L&M), Tony Patterson (L&M), Michael Smith (LaSalle), Jay Teagle (Marion), William Ware (Ben Davis), Jamie Whetstone (Elwood) and Greg Wright (Owen Valley).
