For a night, it was as if the calendar had been turned back a few decades. On Friday, in a scene reminiscent of a time before class basketball, the Penn Palace was packed for a high school game.
In many ways it was the perfect backdrop. Future college teammates Austin Torres & Demetrius Jackson squaring off against each other, for likely the final time in their careers.
Torres & Penn, with a chance to win the conference title. Jackson, just 24 hours removed from being named a McDonald's all-american. It was the perfect set-up.
And both players delivered.
The action was end to end. Jackson & Torres both looked like the elite, division one recruits they are. Each guy one upping the other, every chance they got!
Their teammates played inspired in the moment too.
The crowd was frenzied. And why not? Who doesn't want to see electrifying dunks? And blocked shots? And lead changes with so much on the line?
It was Hoosier high school hoops at it's very finest!
I didn't want the game to end.
Of course, it had to. Jackson ended up with 26 points. Torres had 18, but the Kingsmen got the win, and their share of the NIC crown.
It was a great precursor to the sectional tournament which tips-off next week.
A great night of high school basketball.
And for Irish hoops fans everywhere:
Hopefully, an exciting glimpse of what the next four years have in store!
