The Milan Miracle game is especially poignant to me. and center Sheddrick Mitchell added 18 for the Tigers (31-1). In his best season with Portland in 2001-02, Wells averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. for the Bearcats. victory against Milan in a semifinal. Cincinnati held a commanding lead in the second half over Loyola, but became overly cautious and wound up losing in overtime. His hiring was controversial, coming on the heels of Superintendent Willard Green's firing of coach Herman "Snort" Grinstead, who had ordered new uniforms without authorization. Todd, who passed away several years ago, was alongtime high school basketball official from Fort Wayne, Ind. In the years since, the former players have forged a unique bond. That night is a topic Agullana frequently gets asked about, and despite coming out on the losing side, theres no difficulty in talking about it. Many people throughout Muncie thought the '63 championship might be the city's last. With four starters returning from the semifinalists, Milan was considered a lock to win both the Ripley County tournament and the sectional. East Chicago Washington lost to eventual state runner-up And while Central was a big school with roughly 1,500 students, it wasn't even the biggest in its conference. Get the people who attended those games and played in that fieldhouse talking about it, and the passion is evident even over the telephone. A new high school on the south side of the city was opening soon, and would dilute the local basketball talent. He ended up working at the school as a teacher from 1960-68, and he saw the program in the years after the Milan Miracle. In 105 career games, he averaged 11.5 points and finished with 1,204 career points. Plumps game-winning shot put small-town Milanon the map. Please subscribe to keep reading. The two-year varsity standout scored 1,137 points. Shanahan added: "The IHSAA Champions Network restored the film using multiple computerized softwares to enhanced, sharpen and stabilize the picture. Success! The tournament's terminology was adjusted in 1957 when the IHSAA The stirring and universal theme of a champion underdog is as old as David and Goliath and its likely why the 1986 film was the winner in the AP vote. Some have made it to the NBA. The Bearcats of Muncie Central were on a mission that season, in their first two sectional wins (Cowan and Daleville) they scored 89 and 94 points. Bonzi Wells The 6-5 Wells was an Indiana All-Star as a senior in 1994 after he averaged 23.5 points per game for the 24-2 Bearcats. He said he grew close with members of that Milan team, including Plump, and still talks to them. Milan led, 23-17, at halftime, but Muncie came backand tied the game, 26-26, by the end of the third quarter. Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 40th Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary Series: Indian Premier League 2022 Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai In October 2011, he got a D grade national contract from the BCCI. His 40-point outburst in the semi-final victory over Bloomington broke Robertson's final four single-game scoring record by one point. John Coalman's combined 106 points in his team's McCallum averaged a career-high 20.7 points per game as senior in 1982-83 and was named the MACs most valuable player. Many of these small schools had realistic expectations of advancing several rounds into the tournament in that era, but they would almost inevitably fall in the regionals to urban schools from places such as South Bend, Evansville, Gary, Terre Haute, Muncie, Bloomington, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, Anderson and Indianapolis. Muncie Fieldhouse, built in 1928, held 7,635 people, although nearly 9,000 would cram themselves in by sitting in aisles and stairwells. championship showdown against Crispus Attucks. thumping of Lafayette Jefferson in the state title game at Butler (3-26-18) In 1954 tiny Milan pulled off one of the all-time great basketball feats winning the Indiana High School Boys Basketball Championship. The images from restored film appear clearer than shown here. four players named to the all-state team. Officiating In Perspective with Barry Mano, Webbers Timeout: Michigan vs. UNC 1993 NCAA Championship, You Are There: Cal vs. the Stanford Band (November 20, 1982), Next Level Softball Umpiring Free Email Series, Sports Officiating Summit Registration Open, NFLRA to Receive Mel Narol Medallion Award, NHL Referees and Linesmen for 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, NCAA Mens and Womens Soccer National Coordinator of Officials, USA Rugby Referee & Laws Committee announce WPL Match Officials. MUNCIE Some 66 years later, the 1954state championship game between Milan and Muncie Central remainsone of the most enthralling games in Indiana basketball history. With the score tied 30-30, Milan guard Bobby Plump hit a game the year before, Madison earned redemption with its 67-44 Madison in 1949, to lift the Tigers to their second consecutive Another center, Bill Dinwiddie, a reserve underclassman on the team, attended college at New Mexico Highlands and played 220 games in the NBA for Cincinnati, Boston and Milwaukee. View the 22-23 Muncie Central varsity basketball team schedule. A lot of people thought that itwas an easy game to officiatebecause of the low score, Birgesaid. East Chicago Washington fell 56-52 to Lafayette Jefferson in a So, really, I was just throwing it. school to advance to the Final Four in consecutive seasons since You'd have to go all the way up to the tip-top, or, if it was really a big game like Marion or Anderson or a team from Muncie, you'd be in the stairwell.". (28-2). Center Jack Quiggle scored 12 points and forward Jack Wiltrout {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Valpo man nabbed with child porn after making video of his online activities, police say, Vanis Salon, an 'iconic brand' in Northwest Indiana, sold to new ownership as founder retires, Valparaiso University and Vitalize Valpo buy former Strongbow Inn for $2.2 million, Police pursuit ends in crash, death of motorcyclist, Young man shot dead in front yard, area police chief says, First ocean vessel arrives at Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, Heavily intoxicated woman found sitting on U.S. 6 was angry after being left at bar, cops say, NWI Business Ins and Outs: Urban Air Adventure Park, Cafe Farina, Indian restaurants, Buffalo Wild Wings and HassleLess Mattress opening; Meatheads closed, Former Mahencha Apartments demolished in Gary, 'Wolf in sheep's clothing' gets 45 years for repeatedly molesting Porter County girl during game of doctor, Lifetime pass opens wonders of Dunes and all national parks, recreation areas to seniors, Young motorcyclist leads 120 mph chase down U.S. 6, Portage police say, UPDATE: Police identify man who died after exchanging gunfire during 11-hour standoff, US marshals apprehend suspect in March homicide in Gary, Valpo man pleads guilty after being nabbed with thousands of images of child porn, court says, England's Lionesses prepare for World Cup as interest in women's football grows, Dallas Mavericks fined $750,000 for trying to lose game against Chicago Bulls, MLS player given six game ban for racist remark, WTA announces return to China, ending boycott over Peng Shuai allegations. Instead of the Milan High Indians winning it all in 1954 against Muncie Central, it's the fictional Hickory Huskers beating mighty South Bend Central in 1952. INDIANAPOLIS | With an enrollment of only 161, Milan became a He can recall spending four days that next week preparing to face Terre Haute Gerstmeyer, only to see the previous season's state runner-up lose to tiny Milan High. Semistate. Wells averaged 22.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.3 assists per game as a senior to earn third-team All-American honors on a Ball State team that won the Mid-American Conference regular-season title. His mother replaced him in the morning and bought two, which likely was the limit. The same night the '63 Bearcats were winning the state championship, Bonham could be found a two-hour drive to the south in Louisville, playing for the NCAA championship as member of the Cincinnati Bearcats. Moore also won the Trester Award. He waited up all night. state championship with a 79-57 victory over Lafayette at Butler 3 Muncie Central vs. No. Madison, which returned three players from its 1948-49 starting 1 sports movie of all time by the sports staff of The Associated Press. I was very much aware of the reputation, No. I guess at the time, you never think that 30-some years later it would be a movie.. It does not store any personal data. Milan 65, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks 52. We got outcoached.. In the other semifinal, Muncie Central took care of business You can cancel at any time. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. When Plump thought of that Central team, he recalls the classic mold of a favorite: big, strong and talented. Center Jerry Now check your email to confirm your subscription to the Referee.com Review. In his email, Shanahan also noted that if a 3-point line had existed, Muncie Central would have won 37-33, thanks to Jim Hind's three 3-pointers. Central had become a basketball powerhouse by the 1950s. Upload it Ways you can help Make an impact on this team, and help keep MaxPreps up-to-date. "I can't tell you how many times I had to defend my court," he said. Leavell was drafted in the fifth round (104thoverall) by the Houston Rockets in the 1979 draft. IndyStar high school sports Insider Kyle Neddenriep identified the 64 best high school teams of all-time. I walked past her and I just stood there in front of him. And it was sincere.. 1954 Milan 32, Muncie Central 30. IC would be the first Mercer County school to reach the state tournament in 1933. couldn't earn a berth in the title game as they fell 56-37 against remaining in the fourth quarter, allowing Terre Haute Gerstmeyer a For the Milan-Muncie championship match-up, HoosierHysteria was at an all-time high as 14,000-plus fans packed into ButlerFieldhouse, and tickets were being scalped for up to $50. Both teams scored oncemore to knot the score at 30-30. Its been 60 years since the Bearcats took the court at what was then Butler Fieldhouse to face Milan, the team from a 161-student school that made an improbable run to the single-class state title game. It was merely the sixth-largest in the state, but also the sixth-largest in the world. The idea of a team that had only recently won two state titles losing to such a tiny school seemed all but impossible to many fans. (7-9-16) Until the 1972-73 high school basketball season Celina had two high schools, Celina High and Celina Immaculate Conception. victory. eventual state titlist South Bend Central. They were the greatest on Earth as far as most of the local citizens were concerned, a vortex that inhaled a community, instilled pride and knit generations together. He went on to star at Ball State, where he scored 1,219 career points and had. Oscar Robertson of Attucks and John Coalman of South Bend Muncie Central High School Bearcats (Basketball team) Basketball teams Group portraits Boys Teenagers Coaches (Athletics) Basketball players Students: Further information on this record can be found at its source. Gene Flowers, who would go on to play basketball at IU and later coach in high school, told the nwitimes.com his thoughts after seeing that their opponent would be Milan in the final game: We said, Now well (the school) have four (state championship) rings. 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Milanentered the postseason with a 19-2 regular-season record and made it to the semifinals the year before, losingto South Bend Central. The Milan Miracle team in the 1953-54 season inspired the 1986 . "People thought I was nuts," he said. This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 21:36. Plump scored 10 points, and guard Ray Craft led the Even in the Eighties, he and his father had to do what fathers and sons had been doing for decades: get to the game before the Bearkittens junior varsity team took the court so they could be sure of having a seat for the varsity game. Rolf went on to lead the Indiana All-Stars in scoring in each of the two games in the annual series against Kentucky that year, scoring 34 points in the second game in Louisville. Check out more historic rosters Kyle has put together. Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Indiana Pacers. Not that community, not that year. win against Crispus Attucks, which was paced by standout forward Geographic Location: Muncie . He later played on two NBA championship teams with the Boston Celtics and was a member of the original Pacers team in 1967-68. After Beck took Plump to Central's memorabilia room and showed him an authentic jacket from Hoosiers and the autographed ball from Plump he joined the Central alumni association and continues to pay his $10 annual dues. The city could hardly have been more confident of winning another state championship in 1960, but its response to the crushing defeat of the championship game loss was telling. Albert Maxey and Laverne Benson scored 18 points apiece to pace Thats the part in the Hoosiers movie where fictiondissolves into fact, according to Birge. game at Butler Fieldhouse. and I just stood there. There was an error submitting your subscription. But after falling behind by five, the Bearcats actually rallied back against such tactics and took a lead. become only the second team in history to win four titles. Robertson also scored 21 points to lead Crispus Attucks to a 79-67 Eison led the "We thought there would be two Bearcat champions that night," Jones said. McCallum was a role player as a junior, but took advantage of his chance as a senior to average 12.3 points and 2.6 assists per game and shooting 59 percent from the floor on a 24-5 team. Basketball. "We never heard any negatives, only sorrow that we didn't win," Bonham once recalled. As it happened, Muncie found itself on an island. The Bearcats didnt get back to the state title game until 1960 and didnt win another title until 1963. Copyright 2022 Referee Enterprises Inc. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Jefferson in the championship game of the Lafayette Semistate. Milan then had the ball with less than a minuteremaining and Plump held the ball again, letting theclock wind down. Rick Jones, who led the scoring in the two "final four" games, was later voted Mr. Basketball, although many Jones included thought the honor would go to teammate Mike Rolf, who had been the leading scorer during the regular season. basketball coach at Purdue University the following September. to the title game on the line. No school with an enrollment less than five times that of Milan's ever won the tournament again under the one-class system that was replaced with a multi-class tournament in 1997. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Lafayette Semifinal, which would be officially named the Lafayette Fieldhouse. College just doesnt have thathigh school hysteria, said Birge, whowas inducted into the IndianaBasketball Hall of Fame in 1995 for hisefforts as a Jasper player and noted referee. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Create a website or blog at WordPress.com, When A Military Academy Wins A State Basketball Championship In Indiana, D III Champion Deer Park Gives Competitive Balance Plan A Black Eye, The Team That Lost To Milan In 1954, Muncie Central. But hedidnt come close to traveling. Volunteer Help the coach manage this team. He averaged 17.5 points per game as a junior in 1965-66 and was named all-conference. fellow forward Jerry Trice had 13, guard Larry McIntyre and center The event moved to "Hutch" in 1949, and has been . Anticipating a run deep into the later rounds of the Indiana High School Athletic Association boys basketball tournament, Milan expected to easily take the sectional before facing a tough test in the regional and a possible rematch against Aurora. in their showdown against Kokomo. Guard Jerry Lounsbury scored 21 points to lead the Bearcats game at Butler Fieldhouse. Central 53-45 in the other semifinal. NEW HAVEN REGISTER ALL-STATE BOYS' BASKETBALL TEAMS 1949. Award. In the original footage, Shanahan said Gates' call "was almost indiscernible at times." replaced, but Crispus Attucks didn't miss a beat with the legendary He scored more than 40 points once and more than 30 five times that season, but was overshadowed by future Hall of Famer Rick Barry. Similar Items. Guard Jimmy Nettles became an All-American defensive back at Wisconsin and played five seasons in the NFL. He signed with Cincinnati out of high school and averaged 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds over three seasons. Forward Bruce Benbow added 10 points It might be six decades from the time he made his mark on basketball history, but it hardly feels that way to Plump. Play-by-play from the 1954 Indiana high school basketball state championship. The tension was there, but asfar as up and down the floor, wedidnt have to run nearly as muchas we were used to, said Birge. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. Milan's enrollment is now over twice as large as it was in 1954. Fieldhouse. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, Learn More About This Season's Honorees . It gathered again for a banquet 11 days following the final game that was attended by 500 people. He went on to play at Ball State and has been a head coach at Ball State, Houston and Detroit Mercy, as well as an assistant coach at Indiana University. They held the ball. With an enrollment of only 161, Milan was the smallest school ever to win a single-class state basketball title in Indiana, beating the team from the much larger Muncie Central High School in a classic competition known as the Milan Miracle. We had a high scoring average and there we were at 30 points, 28 at that time. You have permission to edit this article. Echelbarger's only way to work on his game in those years he got cut from the junior high school team was to play by himself in a neighbor's driveway. Beckner and his Bearcats (26-4) ended a 20-year drought for their Agullanas Bearcats held a slim lead into the final three minutes of that game, before back-to-back Milan baskets put them in a hole. . Gary Roosevelt suffered a 50-48 defeat against Lafayette Youre never going to have that happen again, saidBirge, because youve got four different classes herenow. On Monday, the team rode on a fire truck from the school to the Rivoli Theatre downtown for a parade and an afternoon rally, and a dance was conducted at the fieldhouse that evening. One rule: No school would have more than a 10-player roster. View. It won state titles in 1951 and 1952 and entered the 1953-54 season with the billing of tallest team in Indiana history," a favorite to win it all. At the semistate i, Your email address will not be published. When the game was over, of course, we went straight to our dressing room,which was underneath Butler Fieldhouse (now Hinkle Fieldhouse), saidBirge, 88, from his home in Jasper, Ind. Central to a 54-36 rout of Lafayette Jefferson. 11 NBA draft pick in 1998, Wells went on to a 10-year NBA career, averaging 12.1 points and 4.6 rebounds with Portland, Memphis, Sacramento, Houston and New Orleans. Mock scored 20 points and forward Tom Harrold added 17 points to some of their fans. Logansport behind Hazelwood's game-high 17 points. Thompson went on to become an all-conference player at Ball State and led the Cardinals to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament in 1990, where it lost by two points to eventual champion UNLV. Milan High School, enrollment 161, defeated the favored Bearcats ofMuncie Central, 32-30, to win the 1954 Indiana state basketball championship. Muncie Fieldhouse is empty now, still under rehabilitation from the tornado that ripped a hole in its roof and drenched it with water in November of 2017. school. Your email address will not be published. There remains nothing as exciting as Indiana High School basketball. help Muncie Central prevail in the title game. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. But the tension was there evenmoreso, I guess, because it wassomething we didnt do that often. Crispus Attucks (26-5) had five players score in double figures About 6,000 fans migrated to the fieldhouse for a pep rally later that Saturday evening. The real story of Muncie's basketball tradition - which will be honored at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday when . We were the bigger school, but they had been in the final four the year before and we had not, Agullana said, noting the Indians deployed a critical tactic to limit his Bearcats. There were two high schools in Muncie back then and Central represented the city's working class. Basketball Home; . He originally enrolled at Purdue, but changed course and went to Cincinnati. He can rattle off the magical, same-day sweep of top-ranked Fort Wayne North and second-ranked Mississinewa that set up the Bearcats' chance at a fifth state championship. To become one of 12 members of the junior varsity team the Bearkittens, they were called was a major accomplishment. Worked toward it, too. first appearance in the state championship game since 1916. Indianapolis Tech at Butler Fieldhouse. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Haute Gerstmeyer. who limited all of Lafayette Jefferson's players to single-digit Thompson is now the Bearcats' head coach, and in a unique position to appreciate the city's basketball history. first-year coach Lawrence "Jay" McCreary. The 1959-60 Bearcats glided through the season without a loss, winning by an average of 32 points. The tournament has often featured future NCAA and National Basketball Association (NBA) players. MUNCIE Some 66 years later, the 1954 state championship game between Milan and Muncie Central remains one of the most enthralling games in Indiana basketball history. Required fields are marked *. I saw the zeros, so I knew it was no good," he said.