My second year as games director of the Indiana All-Star basketball program did not go as expected, to say the least.
The 2019-20 Indiana high school basketball season started with a number of great games and individual performances. The IHSAA Girls Basketball state tournament in February had many close games, and four great state champions in Lawrence North, NorthWood, Linton-Stockton and Loogootee were crowned.
We subsequently announced the 2020 Indiana Junior Girls All-Stars on March 3 and Indiana Girls All-Stars on March 12. The latter announcement coincided as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the basketball world – with the IHSAA Boys Basketball state tournament being suspended and ultimately canceled – and all of the world.
The 2020 Indiana Junior Boys All-Stars were announced on March 25, and the 2020 Indiana Boys All-Stars were announced on April 6. Soon after, Anthony Leal of Bloomington South and Sydney Parrish of Hamilton Southeastern were announced as respective winners of the 2020 Indiana Mr. Basketball and 2020 Indiana Miss Basketball awards.
Unfortunately, we had to announce on April 9 that the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star Games – including the Junior Game with Kentucky, the Junior-Senior Game that dates to 1996 and the traditional Senior Games with Kentucky – were canceled for 2020. In a series that dates to 1940, it was the first time the two states have not competed against each other since 1944 (when there was a two-year hiatus because of World War II).
In August, we were able to announce winners of the annual Wooden/MCL Citizenship Awards from our group of 2020 All-Star players – Dre Davis of Lawrence Central and Madison Layden of Northwestern. That is an award that dates to 1992.
Sports in general across the state of Indiana in the summer of 2020 have gone through many changes. It is my hope not only the All-Star games director but a loyal fan of Indiana high school basketball that the 2020-21 boys’ and girls’ basketball seasons go smoothly for the coaches and players of this great game.
Plans are for the 2021 Indiana-Kentucky All-Star games to be played on Friday, June 11 at a Kentucky site and Saturday, June 12 at Southport Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. We hope you mark this date down because the All-Star program needs to have a big crowd to make up for the 2020 cancellation. In addition, the 2021 Junior-Senior All-Star game is planned for Wednesday, June 9 at a site to be announced. It has not yet been decided whether there will be a game (or games) between the Indiana Juniors and Kentucky Juniors in 2021.
As I prepare to travel across the state to find the best of the best 26 players – 13 boys and 13 girls – to represent Indiana on the 2021 Indiana All-Star teams, the Kentucky games director feels this may be the best team they have produced in many years.
As I have stated in the past, “In 49 states, it’s just basketball. But this is Indiana.” Let’s as schools and fans across the state of Indiana pull together and have a great 2020-21 school year in all academic and athletic endeavors.
You can follow me this fall and winter on our Twitter account – @indallstars – which has grown to more than 3,400 followers or at a gym near you.
Go Indiana! Beat Kentucky!
Mike Broughton, Indiana All-Star games director
