Carmel vs. LN on the big screen
By FRED SWIFT
The County Line
Is Indiana’s widely-known high school basketball tourney, often called Hoosier Hysteria, being overshadowed this year by collegiate March Madness? Certainly the eyes of the sports world are focused on Indiana, site of the entire NCAA playoff.
But, in Carmel, Lawrence and other communities with teams in the high school tourney, there remains keen interest in the prep-level contests. The high school tourney not only faces competition from the NCAA tourney, but health concerns over COVID and the beginning of spring break also challenge the state tourney set for April 3.
But, Carmel High School, playing for its fifth state championship, is building enthusiasm. Athletic Director Jim Inskeep says ticket sales are brisk. Players’ parents are planning a send-off before the game. Carmel will play Lawrence North for the championship.
And the City of Carmel has plans to give fans a place to congregate and watch the big game on the Big Screen, a really big screen.
At Midtown Plaza, the city’s 224 square-foot TV screen will show the championship game live beginning at 7 p.m. on the 3rd. The plaza is along the Monon Trail four blocks south of Main Street and will be open free of charge to fans who do not have game tickets or don’t care to go to the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
For true fans and perhaps many newcomers to Hoosierland, the madness such as seen in Milan’s epic win in 1954 or Carmel’s breath-taking victory in 1977, is a sports spectacle not soon forgotten and truly competitive with the NCAA for the true Indiana basketball fanatics.