Headed to the Classic

The winter break from school has often also been a break for the Jay County High School girls basketball team.

In 2005 the Patriots had 12 days off between games. In 2006 it was a full two weeks.

In other seasons the stretch has been broken up by the interstate rivalry game with Fort Recovery.

Last year JCHS traveled to the Bedford North Lawrence tournament on Jan. 27. This season it will be on an even bigger stage.

The Patriots will compete Tuesday in the City Securities Hall of Fame Classic at the New Castle Fieldhouse.

"It's quite an honor," said JCHS athletics director Ted Habegger. "It's only the second time in 35 years, so we're thrilled ... with the opportunity.

"I think it showcases the team, the fan base and just Jay County High School. It's (something) a lot of other schools don't get an opportunity to be in.

"We're hoping that we take a good crowd down there and represent Jay County High School."

JCHS will play Plainfield in the opening game of the Classic at 11 a.m. The second game of the tournament will pit Mooresville against Rushville at 1 p.m.

The losing teams will play in the consolation game at 6 p.m., and the championship game will be at 8 p.m.

The boys tournament, which includes Munster, Mount Vernon, Princeton and Zionsville, is Wednesday.

Coach Luke Cummings, who is in his first season, said Jay County's involvement in the tournament was one of the things that attracted him to the job.

The 1999 Kokomo graduate said he would have loved play in the Hall of Fame Classic during his high school career.

"It's a big deal," he said. "Four teams in the state get picked and we were lucky enough to be one of them.

"I feel lucky to be here. ... Now hopefully we can take advantage of it."

The Classic started with boys teams only in 1977 and was played at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse for each of its first three years. For the next 10 years it rotated sites, including the Muncie Fieldhouse, Anderson's Wigwam and Assembly Hall at Indiana University, and the girls tournament was added in 1984.

The tournament has been held at the New Castle Fieldhouse every year since 1990.

"It was an event created to showcase the top teams, the top talent in Indiana," said Chris May, executive director of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, noting that it is the Hall's biggest fundraiser of the year. "It was created as an event to showcase an the best of the best in a basketball crazy state like Indiana."

The Patriots, currently on a six-game winning streak and at 10-2 overall, were 18-0 in the 2008-09 regular season.

Mooresville, which was 23-2 and reached the semi-state last season, is the highest-rated among the teams this year at No. 2 in Class 4A with a 10-0 record. Rushville is 9-1 and ranked second in Class 3A, and Planfield is 5-5 after finishing 19-2 last season.

"We obviously want very talented, very competitive teams," May added. "Obviously Jay County with the undefeated regular season last year ... that was a big selling point.

"We want this to be ... the highlight of the season. We want this to be a real shining moment and day for that school."

JCHS has been involved in the Classic once before, with the boys team taking part in the 1987 tournament at Richmond High School's Tiernan Center.

The Patriots went into the day unranked, but knocked off No. 8 Jeffersonville, which had been averaging 101 points per game, 83-70 in the opening round. That set up a battle with No. 1 host Red Devils in the championship game, and Jay County ran out to a 44-28 halftime lead.

The advantage remained at 16 with 4:32 to go in the third quarter before everything fell apart. Richmond went on a 28-2 run over the next 4:56 and beat the Patriots 76-67.

However, Jay County would get revenge later in the season in one of the most famous games in school history. On their home floor, the Patriots beat No. 1 Richmond 74-73 in overtime on a last-second shot by Mark Hardwick.

Cummings said he hopes the tournament, which will be televised in some parts of the state on WHMB, can prepare his team for the sectional and beyond.

"I think it's always a good thing to be in a tournament," he said. "With this format, hopefully it's preparing us to get ready for a regional. When you look long-term, regional is a unique week now. ... It's something that teams don't prepare for much, don't get the chance to do."

Pazia Speed, the Patriots' lone senior and leading scorer, agreed that playing against such strong competition would make JCHS a better team. She said she has been looking forward to the tournament ever since finding out her team would be involved.

"It's exciting," she said. "We've never had a chance to do anything like this before. Being invited to it is just awesome."

[[In-content Ad]]Tickets for Tuesday's Hall of Fame Classic, which includes the Jay County High School girls basketball team, will be on sale in the JCHS office on Monday.

They will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the athletics office. Tickets at JCHS are $10 for the entire tournament, while tickets at the door will be $20.