FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Pat McKee, 317-403-1665
Nov. 14, 2022 IBCA Director of Special Projects
Indiana-Kentucky All-Stars set for Gainbridge Fieldhouse in 2023
Doubleheader scheduled Saturday, June 10; boys', girls' Futures games added to event
The IndyStar Indiana All-Star doubleheader against Kentucky is “going home” to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, June 10, 2023.
Played the past two years at Southport Fieldhouse because of renovations to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana All-Stars are returning the annual doubleheader to the home of the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever – its home from 2000 through 2019 under the facility names of Conseco Fieldhouse (2000-11) and Bankers Life Fieldhouse (2012-19). No games were played in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and games were played at Southport in 2021 and 2022.
The Indiana site for previous All-Star encounters against Kentucky were Butler Fieldhouse (1939-41, 1945 and 1949-66), the Fairgrounds Coliseum (1942 and 1946-48), Hinkle Fieldhouse (1967-74) and Market Square Arena (1975-99).
Besides moving the doubleheader back to downtown Indianapolis, the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association – the All-Stars’ managing partner – has decided to add a pair of “Futures Games” to the event in an Indiana north-south format. Players for the Futures games will be picked by an IBCA committee chaired by Indiana All-Star games directory Mike Broughton in February. The Futures games will include players from the freshman, sophomore and junior classes, 12 players per team.
A Futures girls’ game is set for noon, and a Futures boys’ game will follow about 2 p.m. The traditional senior Indiana-Kentucky girls’ game is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the annual senior Indiana-Kentucky boys’ game will follow about 7:30 p.m.
“I want to thank Southport High School for its kindness and help in hosting the All-Star games over the past three summers,” Broughton said. “Perry Township Schools superintendent Pat Mapes, Southport athletic director Brian Murphy, assistant athletic director Nick Stevens and everyone at Southport went above and beyond to make activities there memorable for those who participated.”
Another new event for 2023 will be an autograph session where 12 to 15 former Indiana Mr. Basketball and Indiana Miss Basketball winners will be available. The autograph session will be at 4 p.m. June 10 in the lobby of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Indiana All-Stars began in 1939 with a single game against Frankfort High School, that year’s Indiana high school state champion. The boys’ series against Kentucky began in 1940, and Indiana holds a 103-44 edge, including 104-77 and 101-81 victories in 2022. The girls’ series against Kentucky was added in 1976. Indiana leads 52-40 in the girls’ encounters. The teams split last season, Indiana winning 67-66 in the opener and Kentucky rebounding for a 101-76 triumph.
The Indiana Junior All-Star program began in 1996 for both boys and girls. The Junior All-Star program will continue with its annual exhibition games against the senior All-Stars and games against the Kentucky Junior All-Stars. The Indiana senior All-Stars lead the Indiana Junior All-Stars 41-10 in both boys and girls. In Junior All-Star games against Kentucky, the Indiana girls lead 10-1 and the Indiana boys lead 7-4.
“Please plan on enjoying a day of high school basketball that promotes the best of the past, present and future,” Broughton said.
Tickets for the 2023 Indiana-Kentucky All-Star events will be available in February 2023.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
2023 IndyStar Indiana-Kentucky All-Stars
June 10, 2023, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (times EDT)
Noon – Indiana girls’ Futures game (North vs. South)
2 p.m. – Indiana boys’ Futures game (North vs. South)
5 p.m. – Indiana girls’ All-Stars vs. Kentucky girls’ All-Stars
7:30 p.m. – Indiana boys’ All-Stars vs. Kentucky boys’ All-Stars
INDIANA ALL-STAR HOME SITES
Senior All-Stars vs. Kentucky, 1939-2023
1939-41 – Butler Fieldhouse
1942 – Fairgrounds Coliseum
1943-44 – No games (World War II)
1945 – Butler Fieldhouse
1946-48 – Fairgrounds Coliseum
1949-66 – Butler Fieldhouse
1967-74 – Hinkle Fieldhouse
1975-99 – Market Square Arena
2000-11 – Conseco Fieldhouse
2012-19 – Bankers Life Fieldhouse
2020 – No games (COVID-19 pandemic)
2021-22 – Southport Fieldhouse
2023 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse