ED PEAK: Kentucky-Indiana High School All Star Games Are Fading Fast

I don’t know why I care. Just about no one else does. The annual Kentucky All-Star series versus Indiana All-Stars is on life support.

I attended Friday’s boys and girls doubleheader at Lexington Catholic High School.

I arrived for the girls’ game with less four minutes to play. In time to watch Kentucky blow a 10-point lead. The bluegrass girls won the game as time expired when Sacred Heart’s Bri Wilkens drove the baseline for the game winning layup, 59-57.

I estimated maybe 1,500 fans were at the game. When the boys game started, maybe a 1,000 remained.

While Kentucky had two outstanding performances from Mr. Basketball, Luke Feldhaus of Madison Central, 22 points and six rebounds. St. Xavier’s Jeremiah Jackson was spectacular with 21 points.

Indiana won 106-92.

Saturday, Indiana convincingly won both games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis..

My seat was next to Indiana's game director, Mike Brougton, the former Jeffersonville coach who spent time at Nebraska and as a Division II coach in Oklahoma.

Brougton, the Indiana Coaches Association president, said he travels throughout state watching future all-stars and has backing from three corporate sponsors.

Indiana played at Southport Field house for several years before returning to Gainbridge. 

I saw my first All-Star game in Louisville’s Freedom Hall in 1971. Before 13,000 fans, Pleasure Ridge Park coach Gary Schaffer led Kentucky to a victory after a 20-point loss in Hoosier Land.

I’ve watched a lot of these games. But Friday’s was my first in close to 20 years. I enjoyed the games but I didn’t enjoy the pounding put on Kentucky. Call me “old fashion” or outdated by the current times.

Brougton and Kentucky game director Scott Chalk are trying to save the game.

I asked if he thought the games would continue. “Its been going since 1939,” said Broughton.

These games have tradition. State pride and just plain good old competition.

A lot of big names have played in this classic. Louisville Male’s Darrell Griffith and Winston Bennett. Ballard’s Allan Houston and Dwjuan Wheat. Dave Cowens of Newport. Seneca’s Wes Unseld. I can go on.

Indiana had George McGinnis, Mike Flynn, Oscar Robertson and Glenn Robinson.

I’m pretty confident the games will continue. But there are so many games anymore. Kids just don’t care.

In the 1950s and 60s, the games ended the school year. Most of the players reported to their respective colleges. More practice. More games.

Another aspect I noticed there were no media outlets.  Not one radio station transmitted the games back to their hometowns. Only a couple newspapers reported.

Let the games continue. But nothing like they use to be.

Ed Peak is a longtime journalist from Louisville, Ky.