The Indiana All Stars defeated Kentucky again for the sweep this past weekend. I am sure if you weren't paying attention, you missed it (this used to be a huge deal series). What's going on in this rivalry? It was a rivalry that used to be more competitive and draw more fans, what has happened to the Kentucky side of this for the boys' series and really the Indiana side as well. We win, but the crowds are down.
Indiana's boys' are 88-42 winning 26 of the last 29 games. What has happened? Indiana is a larger state, but Kentucky's consolidation has many larger schools. Is Class basketball an answer because Indiana has dominated in the years since 1998. Why isn't the one class type tournament in Kentucky, if it is so superior, not lending to these kids who are obviously learning better life lessons (tongue in cheek) when it comes to competing against their counterparts in Indiana?
Kentucky's high school history is long, storied, and I enjoy reading about it and I even attend one day of their Sweet 16 in March, but they cannot beat Indiana anymore. There are even UK fans that take pride in the fact that Indiana beats Kentucky. How does that make sense? You root for Indiana kids when they play against Kentucky high school players, but once they don the uniform of their local college, you suddenly root for the other state? Do you support the buildings in Kentucky over the players you supported months before?
Look at the talent level of high school players in Indiana, you can take the less than best players from the state and make the national championship game two years in a row (Butler). UK rarely wants the best players in its state. UK fans should thank the Lord that Darius Miller went to UK and stayed because his Kentucky pride and senior leadership was huge with that group last year, I am sure. I have so much respect for guys like Darius Miller, who go to their home state school, play with passion and win a national championship. His senior year of high school was one of the best all star teams Kentucky has had in the recent past, and Indiana's was ummmm, not so good, and we split!
I actually had someone compare Indiana (4A) to Kentucky (2A) when it came to the all star game. Don't they select the 12 or 13 best from each state? Isn't it just 5 on 5 on the court? And if Indiana's talent is so superior, why don't they destroy Kentucky instead of winning close games? I believe it is because we have so many dominantly talented players, that it is hard to get them to play as a "team", but in Kentucky (whose Mr. Basketball is going to Boston University), those guys know that they must defer to the better one or two players and play together to have a chance (which I highly respect from their coaching staff and players).
Indiana high school basketball is not what it was in the 50's, not the 70's, not the 90's, but it is still superior to the state that we are often compared to. We have better players and better coaches. We have a better understanding of what the game should be, and our coaches teach fundamentals in a different, special way. Indiana high school basketball is the elite of the two states.
However, Kentucky high school basketball is special. It is Ballard vs. Scott County, it is Paintsville vs. Johnson Central, it is the Muhlenberg rivalries, it is long, historical and special. Kentucky high school basketball is something that I enjoy watching each season because it is so special, but they are not as good as we are. And when you think about it, Kentucky as second to us still makes them better than 48 other states.
I realize that these are my opinions and don't make me right. I realize that there are many more opinions about what is right and wrong with this series. I just hope that this series doesn't go the way of the IU vs. UK regular season series and dies because, win or lose for Indiana and Kentucky, it is a special event. It is a way to showcase the two greatest states when it comes to high school basketball.
