Farewell To Hysteria

INDIANAPOLIS - I, along with 26,000 of my closest friends, gathered at the RCA Dome Saturday to say good bye to an old friend - Hoosier Hysteria.

Except for a minor miracle, Indiana high school hosted its final one-class tournament. It was the last time the IHSAA will crown just a single state champion in boys' basketball. More than 87 years of tradition was pretty much tossed out the window.

It is certainly hard to say whether the new tournament will generate as much as excitement and atmosphere as the old system. I do hope so. Because it would be a shame to lose what was generated by the fans, players and coaches on Saturday. The electricity of the crowd just sends a charge throughout the Dome (or at least half of it). That is what Hoosier Hysteria is all about.

It does remain to be seen if the new system can have the same effect on people. I don't really think that four class state championships in Market Square Arena can come close to duplicating what the matchup between Bloomington North and Delta did in the championship game.

It was probably very appropriate that Delta, the "small" school was in the championship game in the final one-class tournament. It just goes to show that a small school can make it to the title game. Delta has 900 students in grades 9-12 and would have been the smallest school to win since Plymouth in 1982. And they still talk about that Plymouth team.

"The last thing I said to the kids after (the semifinal game) was that you have the opportunity to play in the state championship in the last one-class tournament in the greatest basketball state in the United States," Delta coach Paul Keller said.

With three starters back next year, Delta is probably one of the favorites for the state championship - albeit among only 25 percent of the schools in the state in Class 3A.

"It hurts me because I am a competitor, and I like to be No. 1," Delta junior guard Patrick Jackson said. "It won't be the same sharing state championships."

For all the four teams involved, at least they got to say they were part of the last pure high school boys' basketball tournament in the state.

"I am sorry to be a part of the one-class tournament," LaPorte coach Joe Otis said. "We can always say we were one of the final Final Four."

I say, good bye old friend, you will be missed.

Local Official Does Final Game

One person who has a unique perspective on the class basketball issue is Jay Smith, a local basketball official.

Smith, who has been an official for 25 years, worked his first boys' state championship game in what might turn out to be the final one-class basketball title game.

"It was special being the last one," Smith said. "It may come back. We'll have to give it a couple of years and see how it goes."

After two years, the IHSAA can evaluate the move to multiple classes and possibly return to the one-class system.

"I have accepted it was going to happen," Smith said. "So let's see how it goes and do the best we can. I know the small schools are looking forward to it."

Smith, who often works as an officiating team with his brother Tim, also worked the girls' state championship last month. By doing both in the same year, Smith became only the third official to pull off the double duty in the same year.

In the boys' tournament, Smith has worked 21 sectionals, 16 regionals and six semistates. But this was the first time Smith has worked in front of the 26,000 people at the RCA Dome.

"It is fun to work in front of a crowd that really enjoys basketball," Smith said. "I hope we don't lose that with the new system. I don't feel the pressure. I go out and call what I have to call. You have to enjoy the game."