As a Hoosier, not surprised by most of these being from Indiana. We had the championship game in 1990 at the old Hoosier Dome, where the Colts played, with over 41k in attendance . The Indiana Basketball HoF is located next to New Castle HS. But I have to say, that El Paso Eastwood gym looks gorgeous. Also, Terre Haute is pronounced Tera Hote
Glad to see the Hatchet House on here. Once saw two adult fans get into a fight there during a regional championship game. It was Cody Zeller’s senior year and the student sections were intense. When I first moved out of state, I was shocked to see how small high school gyms can be. It really is just a game everywhere else.
@@jeremyreynolds6330 I was in like the third row down by the court behind the Boonville bench. It went down up higher behind me. It was a great game. Boonville had a big kid who played awesome and some good guards. I think their dad was the coach. I was just glad Princeton wasn't there. They thought they were Montverde or something when they won it all as sophomores but never did anything after. I think some of those fellows even ended up in prison.
@@antonchigurh5336 The two senior guards for Boonville were the coach's sons. There were at least four players on that Boonville team that played collegiate basketball (no D1 players like Zeller, though). The post player you're probably talking about had a good career at OCU if memory serves.
The Hatchet House is absolutely amazing along with the people that take care of it. I helped coach a regional and 2 semi state games in this arena. When the team walked in for our practice pre-regional they had music from the movie “Hoosiers” playing over the loud speakers. All of us coaches were taken back and in awe!!!! We took the team around to the trophy display and to the front hall way to witness the historical images captured on the wall. What an amazing experience for those kids. The people there at the Washington Hatchet House were absolutely amazing!!!!
I saw the Muncie Fieldhouse, but it wasn’t actually mentioned in the video. Growing up in Indiana I was able to attend games in several of the gyms that were mentioned. Indiana basketball was truly special before the multiple class divisions that exist today. I can’t even put into words how awesome it was and how it created a buzz all around town when games were being played. Needless to say, multiple divisions has devastated the true heritage of Indiana basketball. Just to put it into perspective, would the movie Hoosiers even exist if class basketball was in place during the time of Milan versus Muncie Central?
I attended Anderson High School in the early 70's and loved the Wigwam. Little fact that many don't know, the Wigwam and the New Castle gyms hosted several Indiana Pacer games when there were in the ABA. Both gyms had significantly higher seating capacities than the old Field House that the Pacers normally played at in those days.
Although no longer used, the old Anderson High School gym in Anderson, Indiana was the largest in the US for a while. Home of the Anderson Indians, it was known as the Wigwam. Saw many a great game their and a lot of history in that gym.
Was hoping someone mentioned the wigwam! I went to Madison heights HS in the mid 80s. Great times for Indiana basketball. Loved going to see games at the wigwam. The "dance" before the game with the indian couple was fantastic to see as a kid.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Jacksonville, Illinois, the Jacksonville Bowl looks like it would fit in with this collection you provided. Built in 1952, it has bleacher style seating that can hold (unofficially) 3000 spectators, natural lighting from window walls on east and west side of the arena, and features one of the Illinois first Sports Hall Of Fame dedicated to the local high school community.
Tulsa Union has a nice arena. It seats around 5,800. It has been used for a college post season tournament but what makes it interesting is the alumni shop and the north side which has indoor suites over looking the south end of the football field. It was built about 7 - 10 years ago.
Not saying they should be on the list, but Benton High school in Illinois had a gym that always interested me growing up. It seemed more like a college gym, but I know better now that it didn't have the seating capacity to truly be one. But for one, they had a lower bowl that was made up of bleachers.(no big deal there) Then they had an upper bowl with a legitemate concourse that you could walk completely around the perimeter of. I just found this unusual for a high school gym of that time. The seating on the two long runs of the upper level were actual chair seats and seemed to go for ever. The other unique characteristic was their rubber floor. They've since yanked that thing and gone to a traditional hardwood, but it was different at the time. Again, not making a case for it to be on the list, but it always stood out to me as a gym that punched above its weight for high school venues.
Duster Thomas Gymnasium in Pinckneyville, Illinois could definitely be on this list. The Panthers home court is a bowl style gym built in the 1950’s with a capacity of around 2,400. The school only has an enrollment of around 420 students and is one of only 7 schools in the country to win over 2,000 games in program history and has won state championships in 1948, 1994, and 2001.
I remember the high school I went to in Indiana had a massive gymnasium that they built the year before I moved. The high school I moved to in California had probably 2 times the number of students but a smaller gym. For a while there the high school I went to in Indiana had 4 gymnasiums but I think the old varsity gym ended up being turned into classrooms after the new one was built. The high school also had a large indoor nadatorium with a swimming pool and diving area.
I have been to most of the bigger gyms Indiana and have played in Seymour and felt giant to be playing on the court. Indiana high school basketball is just something different.
East Chicago, IN high school gym holds 7,000 and so does Gary West Side. Up until the late 90's/early 2000's, Indiana High School basketball wasn't a sport, it was a religion.
Are many other domed HS stadiums in Indiana, including Frankfort, Shelbyville,Benton Central, some of older Indiana arenas no longer used like The Wigwam in Anderson were huge. Richmond Tierman Center (capacity was 8,100) and East Chicago Central have huge gyms too
The UMAC at Tulsa Union HS, Tulsa, OK. Seats 5600, It hosted the D-I Summit League Men’s tournament from 2005-2008. Never heard of another HS hosting an NCAA Division I conference tournament before.
@@ronhummel9350 I get the state pride, but that’s a weird point to make. Pros don’t get that attendance because pro arenas aren’t built that large. There’s no basketball-specific indoor arena that holds 42k people. Oklahoma has multiple arenas that seat upwards of 18k, I just thought it was interesting that a conference chose to host their tournament at an (admittedly very nice) high school arena.
Chuck i went to that tournament because one of my nieces played in it 2 years. I made a similar post but couldn't remember the conference name. Also mentioned the suites on the northside over looking the south end of the football stadium and when the stadium renovations get completed that will be a nice view. I live north of OKC but I was told the suites are for sponsers and season ticket holders do you know anything about that?
There is a reason that 8 of the top 10 high school basketball arenas are in Indiana. Basketball is still a big deal in Indiana, even though they ruined the high school tournament in 1998 by introducing multi-class basketball.
Depends… Many 1,2 and 3 star schools would have never made the Championship game had it not been for that move. A school of 300 is going to rarely compete with the schools of 1000+ students. Limited budgets and most of all, limited players pools.
These are some really great gyms, but you should check out Shelby, Montana's High School gym. It's an amazing venue in the middle of nowhere 30 minutes from the Canada USA border!!! Seats well over 4,000 in a town with a population of 3,200. If you've played or been to a game here with a full house their's nothing like it.
I remember going into New Castle’s gym as a little kid and feeling like I was walking into Madison Square Garden or something, I assumed New Castle must be this giant city 😂
I'm assuming arenas like Merrell Center(Katy ISD), Berry Center (Cy-Fair ISD), and Northside ISD Sports Gym don't qualify since they're district venues for multiple schools.
I live 5 minutes from it and it is nice. Having said that, I grew up in Indiana and there was nothing like Indiana basketball when it was a one-class tournament. They gyms were (are) amazing, huge and packed to the brim. Sectionals were all local schools competing so the energy blew the roof off.
Allen tx High school Gym is nice when i played for McKinney i played there gym was so nice felt like a college stadium! P.S they Beat the hell out of us i had 19pts the..😂
Ummm… #2 is Muncie Centrals gym and half of the pics you used aren’t even the right gym? Super confused cuz I went there 😂 you should probably update this man
There is not a single bad view from any of the 7,300 capacity octagonally-aligned bleacher seats at Southport Fieldhouse. It is worth a look if you ever happen upon the Sunny Southside of Indy!🏀👍
I'm just gonna note the errors: 1: Costed is not a word 2: Its pronounced "Terra Hote" 3: The green arena is not a "dome" and there are over a dozen gyms just in Indiana with the same roof design including multiple other gyms literally in this video..I mean the shelbyville gym LITERALLY has a dome... 4: Your picture for the Scott Gymnasium is a different gym entirely...Its the Muncie Fieldhouse. Do some research man....
You do realize the school or the state would never fund a gym or for football stadium if that caliber. Size maybe. Because if the number of students can justify the need then it may be granted. Most of this is just booster money.
Big mistake that you did not mention the Canton Field House, home to the Canton McKinnley Bulldogs. Iconic arena and has been for over 60 years. You need to get out ot Indiana son.
New castle lied the wigwam is the real largest high school gymnasium on earth. Dont believe me Google them.... Its defunct now but is about to be recommissioned for some games. Its also the loudest gym in history. Over the lifetime it had a 94% home game win percentage (which you won't find a comparison at any level.
