There is a reason the Hoosier Basketball magazine is MIA.

 

Where is my Hoosier Basketball magazine?

 

Usually, by mid-November, all Hoosier hoop junkies are devouring every page

of the unofficial Bible of high school basketball, and getting jacked for

the

new season.

 

But not this year.

 

Garry Donna, who has published the state-renowned magazine for the past 34

years, called Wednesday to tell me he has never seen a preseason like this

one. Consider:

 

Donna planned on having the lock for this year's Mr. Basketball award,

Robert

Vaden of last year's Class 4A state champion Indianapolis Pike, on his

cover.

Early in the fall, however, Vaden decided to leave the state and play his

senior year at Brighton Academy in Maine.

So Donna decided to give the girls a chance to get some prime cover time.

He

chose Miss Basketball candidate Robyn Stone for the cover. There was just

one

problem. Just before the 34 edition of Hoosier Basketball was about to go

to

press, Stone, of Lawrence North, was charged with felony auto theft.

 

So Donna had to brainstorm again.

 

North Central (Indianapolis) had been talking to Donna about the Panthers

becoming true state title contenders this season, so he figured he would go

with the twin stars from North Central -- Jason Malone and George Tandy.

One

big problem. Just as the presses were getting ready to roll, it was

discovered Malone and Tandy were booted out of North Central High School

for

violating school regulations. Losing the two all-staters again delayed the

publishing date for Hoosier Basketball.

 

Now, I know what you're thinking. Next up, Bill Harrell? No, but once the

money-gate scandal rocked Bearcat country, Donna again had to make hasty

changes on the inside of his magazine.

 

The final product finally made its way to be published Monday. Donna said

the

finished product should be out just before Thanksgiving, so teams that open

that week will just have to wait on their copy.

BTW for all who are interested. The basketball bible is out. Hoosier Basketball's top 3 for 2003-4 is Lawrence North, Indy Pike, and Columbia City. All time state title leader Muncie Central is rated 4th.

Also teams from The Region...

 

#10 Merrilville

 

#20 Lake Central

 

#27 Gary Roosevelt

 

#31 LaPorte

 

#37 Gary Wallace

 

#38 Gary West

 

#43 East Chicago Central

 

#47 Valparaiso

Ah we just played Warsaw tonight. We got stomped 60-48. It wasn't pretty; our team is very young. It's filled with a lot of freshman and sophomores.

Did you know the IHSAA is celebrating it's centennial this year? I just noticed that in the program tonight.

Ah we just played Warsaw tonight.  We got stomped 60-48.  It wasn't pretty; our team is very young.  It's filled with a lot of freshman and sophomores.

Warsaw is one of those teams that is almost always good.

That's true. They had a lot of height on us. Our team is so young. We're really similar to IU in problems this year. We're young and always outmatched in the paint. But hey, I'm going to IU next year, and they look like they'll be pretty good next year.

James Hardy of Elmhurst in town is one of the coveted prospects the Hoosiers are bringing in next year. He's committing to IU, but he's just waiting until the spring to make it official. This way he can play football along w/ basketball at IU. If he signed now, he could only play basketball. It'll be neat to see someone from in town there next year.