About ten months ago, I remember Indianapolis Star sports columnist Bob Kravitz complaining about Indiana’s lack of commitments on the Indiana All-Star team. Last year, there wasn’t one on the roster.
In that column my friend Kravitz said, “There’s the state’s top player, Fort Wayne Luers’ scoring machine Deshaun Thomas, joining Thad Matta at Ohio State. There are 15 young men on the roster, and none of them — zero — are heading to IU to play for Tom Crean.”
Well all this “movement” has me thinking. Kravvy, things are changing.
In 2011 Crean signed Indiana Mr. Basketball Cody Zeller and reserve Austin Ethernington of Hamilton Heights who was also named to the team today.
At the time, I agreed with Kravitz’s notion because it didn’t speak very highly of the Indiana program, not to have some of the state’s best. The 2012 Indiana All-Stars will most likely feature an Indiana-bound Mr. Basketball and at least three other teammates.
The program is on the rise, hoping to finally please fans, alumni, and the Big Ten. Don’t think for one second the Big Ten doesn’t want Indiana back. Because when the Hoosiers return to prominence, they gain more attention from television outlets and money from big tournament games and the conference tournament.
Congrats to Coach Crean and his staff, and may the success continue.