By Mike McGraw
Executive Director

Every year, when the dust settles from the boys basketball state finals, I am left with some overall impressions from the day. This year is no different, so here we go.

In a day and age where so much of basketball has become about individual talent and athletic ability, it is always a pleasure for me to see teams like Triton have great success. The Class A champion Trojans were an example of basketball played the way it was intended – as a team game. There were no great players on the roster but, when combined, they were a great team.

Triton serves as a reminder of why optimism abounds at the beginning of each season at every school. Coaches, players, and fans still realize that it is possible to create that kind of chemistry and purpose among a group of young men. They also know it pays tremendous dividends.

We all know class basketball is here to stay, so there is no more purpose in jousting with windmills over the matter. After the 2008 state finals, however, can we once and for all put to rest the public relations drivel that class came about for the purpose of competitive fairness?

A convincing argument could be made that the best team Saturday in Conseco Fieldhouse was Washington, a relatively small 3A school. One could also argue that either of the 2A schools could have competed more than admirably with either of the 4A finalists. Within the same vein, many would contend that the best girls team in the state for the past three years has been at Heritage Christian, which is a 2A school.

In fairness, it is becoming increasingly apparent that there are athletes playing at smaller schools who would not be there were it not for class basketball. How many folks think Deshaun Thomas would have chosen to go to Luers if we still had a non-class system?

There will be ranting directed toward last weekend’s officiating for months to come. Regardless of the accuracy of any complaints, that criticism is unfair. The game is becoming more difficult to officiate every year. Occasionally, the referees are going to miss one. Before you start vilifying the officials, ask yourself how many of us would have the courage to even take a job that could possibly put us in the situation that officials were in at least twice on this day.

Shifting to the surreal, midway through the third quarter of the 3A title game, Tyler Zeller caught a pass at the top of the key, squared up on his defender and drove down the left side of the lane for a layup. Folks, a 7-footer being able to put the ball on the floor with his weak hand and drive from 20 feet ought to be illegal. That just ain’t fair.

During the week leading up to the finals, I was struck with how much the Marion Giants are like the New York Yankees. They have always been a polarizing entity in this state. Much like Muncie Central, there are people who do not like Marion simply because of how successful they have been over the years. The fact is, whether you love the Giants or hate them, basketball in Indiana is just better when Marion is on the scene.

All in all, it was just another typical, unbelievable, remarkable day at the state finals.

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