Last Friday night the annual North/South high school all-star football game was ended early at Decatur Central - more than four minutes left in the fourth.

Officials called it due to excessive unsportsmanlike calls against both teams.

From all accounts, there were no problems during run-up events and practices.

However, on game night apparently officials and coaches of both teams tried and tried to settle things, but to no avail.

Eminence boys - Departing Coach Kevin Bradshaw
EMINENCE, Ind. -- Drew Dorsett (Closed 7/13)

Coach Neill Minix moves up to AD. Asst Gappa possible favorite to replace. My personal favorite is Redskin great Mollie Taulbee Howard if Gappa does not ake the job.

Lakeland girls - Departing Coach Dale Gearhart
LaGRANGE, Ind. -- James Benson (Closed 7/11)

South Spencer boys - Departing Coach Matt Britton
REO, Ind. -- Aaron Thompson (Closed 7/11)

Still space available —

Anyone have any insight on the situation at Pendleton Heights? Sounds like a complete coaching change on the boys side due to a team camp issue. Harrell took down the thread on his site. Feel bad for Coach Ballard. Sounds like parents win again.

INDIANA -- Where else but Indiana would you see a preseason basketball poll released on the 4th of July? ...And where else would anyone care. Nevertheless, the HickoryHusker.com releases its 29th annual midsummer prognostication with a rundown of who looks to be setting the pace for the 2023-24 season...

I doubt there is much out there that can mean less than this poll. So much can take place between now and the actual start of the basketball season. However, this is Indiana and we do find some comfort in finding like-minded Hoosiers that are still thinking orange and round when it's 90* outside.

One word of caution: With all due respect to conventional polls, this one needs to be qualified a bit. This is simply the idling of an aging basketball aficionado (Read...not an expert in my field) Still I would expect that these teams will be highly ranked and discussed fervently come basketball season tip-off.

2023-24 4th of July Super Ten

1. Brownsburg

2. Kokomo

3. Jeffersonville

4. Attucks

5. Lawrence North

6. Fishers

7. Mt. Vernon (F)

8. Heritage Hills

9. Brownstown

10. FW Wayne

10. Ben Davis

10. Chesterton

Desmond Bane signed a $207 million extension with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Not bad for somebody from little Class 1A Richmond Seton Catholic.

New Albany boys - Departing Coach Craig Teagle (Closed 4/11 - Reopened)
NEW ALBANY, Ind. - (Updated 6/30) Good Varsity Club reports a couple of rumored names. Chris Moore-University of Southern Indiana and Chris Hawkins- Indianapolis Attucks

Owen Valley boys - Departing Coach Jon Neill
SPENCER, Ind. -- (Updated 6/30) Offer has been extended and accepted, pending School Board vote. External candidate

Even back to last year? I was looking on IHSAA website, but didn't find it anywhere.

I had my first trip to Mexico this past week and just got in last night about 1:30. Will not be my last - so fun. However, I'm full on in catch-up mode now. I was supposed to have North America plan through Verizon, but either they or the budget all-inclusive I was at somehow didn't get that memo. I was pretty much out of touch the whole time. Here we go!

North Judson girls - Departing Coach Bayley Goodman
NORTH JUDSON, Ind. -- Whitney Combs (Closed 6/27)

Just read that Chuck Negron, lead singer of the 60's rock group 3 Dog Night, was a high school basketball star in California and played at Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, California in the early 60's. One of his teammates at Hancock was John Dampier, who along with Ron Bonham led Muncie Central to the state final game in 1960 (defeated by East Chicago Washington). Dampier played his last two years with Rick Barry at Miami (Fla.). Negron left basketball and went on to fame and fortune with 3 Dog Night only to fall victim to alcohol and drug abuse in the 70's, literally losing a fortune and almost his life.
After Miami Dampier ended up back in Muncie and passed in 2014. Negron is in California, still living but in poor health with COPD.
Sometimes hoops lead to some strange matchups.

IHSAA Executive Committee votes for 20 - 25 - 25 - 30 enrollment cutoffs for classes beginning 2024-25 season.

Knightstown’s boys job is open. Not sure who they will be looking at to fill the opening.

Keith Witty leaves Edinburgh for Greenwood.

Marlowe and my long time Hickory Husker friend Rockman co-published the Indiana Basketball Handbook (the little orange books that contained the schedules for all the high school and college teams in the state that usually banks, insurance agencies, and small hometown businesses gave away. It was the way we knew who played who and where before John Harrell built his great website. Almost all of us had a copy of the handbook and it was a wealth of information.)

I did not know Mr. Marlowe - I probably met him but didn't interact with him regularly. Our game certainly will miss this gentleman who helped many of us feed our Basketball addiction every winter.

Rest easy Basketball gentleman.

I had a girl sign up for an All-Star game that is happening tomorrow. But she nor I have heard anything else about. She and I both have email the guy, but no response. There are no times or locations on the paper he has and my school email has been purged. Does anyone have any insight on this?

Bloomington North girls - Departing Coach Jeff Turmail
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- (Updated 6/16) The Herald-Times is reporting Coach Turmail announced his resignation as girls' basketball coach/assistant AD. Last year’s Cougars were 17-7, and word from good Varsity Clubber reports that while four seniors depart, a trio of underclassmen led the scoring last year and are expected back. 5-10 sr-2-b guard Ava Reitmeyer (10PPG,) 6-0 sr-2-b forward Mia Robbennolt (12PPG,) and 5-11 jr-2-b forward Kenli Sullivan (9PPG.) HS Latin, HS Sign Language, several MS openings as well as Eled.

Bedford North lawrence boys - Departing coach Jeff Hein
BEDFORD, Ind. -- (Updated 5/15) WBIW is reporting that coach Hein has resigned after four seasons with the Stars. Last season BNL went 16-7, but a good Varsity Clubber reports lean times may be ahead for new coach. Next year’s Stars will reportedly be minus a shit ton of seniors, and will boast almost zero height. Given their Hoosier Hills schedule, it might get pretty bleak in Lawrence County next winter. If there was ever a need for a solid JV, this would be it, and thankfully a Varsity Clubber reports BNL had a very good one last year going 18-3. Looking further down the pipe, Bedford 8th finished 12-3 and 7th was 8-7. Confirmed openings at this point include: MS PE/Health, MS Science, HS Sped, Eled, HS Math, HS Biology, and HS English.

Lakeland girls - Departing Coach Dale Gearhart
LaGRANGE, Ind. -- (Updated 6/15) Last year’s Lakers went 13-11 and three varsity contributors have departed. Good Varsity Clubber reports Lakers still have something in the tank though. Three varsity regulars are expected back, and although 10PPG is the biggest offensive threat of the three, this core has the potential to remain very competitive and a 500 mark is an achievable goal. JV not so hot (5 or 6 wins.) However, some underclass leaders were already logging varsity time from this group. 5-9 is about it for post players, but schedule is comparable. Teaching areas are few and far between at this point.

Edinburgh girls - Departing Coach Amy Schilling
EDINBURGH, Ind. -- Dennis Smith (Closed 6/15)

Delphi girls - Departing Coach Tod Winlan
DELPHI, Ind. -- Dave Gilbert (Closed 6/15)