This is why the STATE of Indiana is KING in basketball

[GeoFisher]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest..._United_States

While some Indiana programs may be down right now, and some are rebuilding, it simply AMAZES me how serious this state takes basketball.

13 of the 15 largest fieldhouses are in Indiana.

Oh yea, my Hometown owns more IHSAA titles than any other in Indiana.....

My WHOLE family went to high school in Muncie, Indiana. My brothers, sisters, mother, father, grand parents........Been to most of those arenas. AND let me tell you Chrysler is DA BOMB.

Later,

Geo

[Tim_T]

Geo, didn't realize you had Muncie roots. There used to be some really good amateur boxers from Muncie back in the 80's. They all came from the same gym. They had a couple of National Golden Gloves champions from there.

[artcarney_agr]

....and yet the schools in Indiana are facing a major budget crisis....I wonder why?

[GeoFisher]

....and yet the schools in Indiana are facing a major budget crisis....I wonder why?

HM...........Most of these fieldhouses were build 40-60 years ago, so I don't think that is the problem. AND I know for a FACT that the Muncie Field House, which is not on this list BTW is self sufficient. The school rents it for games, but it is also rented out for many other things.

No, I believe the problems with schools in Indiana, and for that matter.......all over the country.....have to do with unfunded liabilities with regards to healthcare and pensions.......

This was a basketball conversation, NOT a Political one, so how bout we leave it alone

Later,

Geo

[elnutsmalljaws]

So by building the biggest fieldhouses in the country means Indiana is KING of basketball? As Dave Stewart once said, "I never seen a bass boat catch a fish", sort of translates into "I never seen a fieldhouse win basketball games". Maybe if Indiana spent a little more time and money in building their ACTUAL basketball teams instead of places to play they would have a leg to stand on. In the Mcdonalds All American games held every year since 1979, there has been a total of 2 kids from the state of Indiana voted MVP of that game. The state of Virginia has had 7 kids voted MVP. Indiana has had a total of 25 McDonalds All Americans TOTAL in the 32 year history of the game featuring the best kids in high school basketball.

The following players came from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia:

Corey Alexander
Carmelo Anthony
Steve Smith
Rajon Rondo
Doron Lamb
Michael Beasley
Kevin Durant
Stephen Jackson
Brandon Jennings
Ty Lawson
Jeff Mccinnis
Ron Mercer
Josh Smith
Jerry Stackhouse
Rod Strickland

Oak Hill Academy is a private school in Virginia that has a total of around 150 students in the 4 grades of high school. They RARELY play a home game in a gym that holds 400 but they have put 900 people ABSOLUTELY STUFFED TO THE GILLS full. They charge between 4,000 and 10,000 per game for them to come and play at YOUR gym, because they always sell out. The size of the gym or fieldhouse proves ABSOLUTELY nothing to how great the actual basketball that is played in them and certainly does not prove that one is KING of Basketball because they have a bunch of big fieldhouses. Now show me where these fieldhouses are sold out each and every home game on a consistent basis and I will change my mind. Just because you can seat 10,000 and put 900 in the stands does not prove you are KING over a school that seats 400 and puts 900. In this case, SIZE DOES NOT MATTER

[Tim_T]

Oak Hill is a boarding school and is not a fair comparison when talking burger all americans. Most of those kids are not from Virginia and many do not go to Oak Hill until thier junior and senior year. Not sure about the money it cost to bring them to town because I know when they had Jeff McInnis they played at Hart County one night and at Bullitt Central the next night. They have played a lot of games in Louisville over the years.

Btw, here is a little known fact for you, the head coach of Oak Hill, Steve Smith is a Kentucky native.

[smokefan]

I dont know about Indiana being king in basketball, but I put them right up there for one reason. Larry Joe Bird, the hick from French Lick. My all time favorite basketball player, hands down. No one today plays with the heart and hustle that he did, of course he had to, he wasnt the fastest and couldnt jump-I heard him say that in a interview once.

[elnutsmalljaws]

Oak Hill is a boarding school and is not a fair comparison when talking burger all americans. Most of those kids are not from Virginia and many do not go to Oak Hill until thier junior and senior year. Not sure about the money it cost to bring them to town because I know when they had Jeff McInnis they played at Hart County one night and at Bullitt Central the next night. They have played a lot of games in Louisville over the years.

Btw, here is a little known fact for you, the head coach of Oak Hill, Steve Smith is a Kentucky native.

I know Oak Hill is a private school and the players are not all from Virginia. The point I was making is the size of the fieldhouse does not correspond to the greatness of the basketball. Kids move all over in high school to get the best exposure. There is no telling where these kids actually are born. OJ Mayo played on high school teams in Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia but was born in West Virginia, so which state claims him. There are private schools in every state that recruit kids to play from all parts of that state or other states. Just because they may have a smaller "fieldhouse" does not mean they are inferior to teams or states that have larger "fieldhouses". Again, if it is posted that these oversized fieldhouses for high school basketball games sell out or are close to sell outs every home game then I will admit Basketball is King in Indiana but not Indiana is the King of Basketball, there is a HUGE difference. Teams in Kentucky like Louisville Ballard with seating capacity of 2000, Scott County with seating capacity of 3000 and Covington Holmes with seating capacity of 3000, have all been pretty dominant in their own right the past few years and they don't have fieldhouses 5-6 times their current capacity but the level of basketball played is just as good if not better than what is played in Hoosier Hoop Hysteria country. Again, in this case SIZE DOES NOT MATTER

[elnutsmalljaws]

I dont know about Indiana being king in basketball, but I put them right up there for one reason. Larry Joe Bird, the hick from French Lick. My all time favorite basketball player, hands down. No one today plays with the heart and hustle that he did, of course he had to, he wasnt the fastest and couldnt jump-I heard him say that in a interview once.

I heard Bird say one time that he was the only basketball player that needed his vertical jump measured on the horizontal scale, pretty funny. Defineately one of the best if not the best White Basketball player that has ever lived and along with Magic Johnson pretty much saved the NBA to where it has grown to be what it is today. Every single player since Bird and Magic should send them a monthly check for royalties because the MILLIONS that they are getting now is in a large part to Bird / Magic Celtics / Lakers. Put not only the playoffs but regular season games on TV and the dollars started rolling in because of these 2. I remember watching the Indiana State Michigan State National Title game back in the late 70's. I think Bird's Indiana State team was undefeated but Bird had one of his worst games of the year and Michigan State and Jud Heathcoat (sp) cut down the nets.

The new Mcdonalds commercial where Lebron James is about to eat his lunch and Dwight Howard says he will play him for his lunch. Lebron says ok and Dwight says "No Jumpshots". A play on the old McDonalds commercial where Michael Jordan and Larry Bird are playing for the lunch and Bird says "No Dunking". After James and Howard are done there is Bird clapping and says "thanks for lunch" as he walks off and Lebron and Dwight look confused and ask "who is that".

[Tim_T]

I agree it doesn't make the players better, but you can bet those gyms are near capacity when the teams play. If you want to see some good high school talent in Indiana go to Indy. There are some top flight high school players up there. Especially from the school that Teague and Van Treese played for.

I have been fortunate to see some really good Oak Hill teams play. I have caught them on at least four occasions over the years. I remember when Louisville Fairdale beat them in Louisville gardens one night. I also saw them against Ballard at the Gardens. Ballard had Brandon Bender and Adam Chiles. Oak Hill had Cliff Hawkins, Luke Whitehead and a big guy that went straight to the NBA DeSagna Diop.

[Fishin is life]

Tim I remember playing against team Louisville in 8th grade AAU....they had Brandon Bender and he was already 6'8 or so, adam chiles, and the big white kid that played at georgetown....They hit a last second three or we would have beat them out in the round robin section of the tournament....I was 6'2 180 trying to guard Brandon Bender...Man those were the good ol days

But back to the topic at hand.....for the size and population of Indiana compared to other states, Indiana consistently produces good prospects and most of them aren't recruited....Oak Hill is the NBDL of D1 college basketball

[GeoFisher]

My post was about Indiana as a Whole.......fans, players, facilities.......Indiana consistently produces some SERIOUS players.

There is a post on one of my IU basketball sites where they are talking about 10 players out of One sectional in Indianapolis, where ALL the players are in the NBA right now. THAT is STRONG, if you ask me.