(LaCrosse, IN) - The basketball rivalry between two schools in farm country is real, and the setting tomorrow night will be similar to what was portrayed in the movie "Hoosiers."

 

The high school girls' basketball teams from South Central and LaCrosse will go at it.   Adding to the electric atmosphere will be South Central being undefeated and No. 1 ranked in Class 2A and upset-minded LaCrosse having a solid year at 14-6.

 

"This is going to be a great match-up for many reasons," said Mike Kellems of La Porte.

Kellems has watched both schools' teams play each other over the years and described the upcoming game as always something out of Indiana's storied basketball history.

 

He said the players seem to all know each other and are friendly toward one another, but it's strictly competition come game time. Kellems also said games inside the near century-old gym at LaCrosse are like what's depicted in a Hollywood basketball movie.

 

"It's an old-style traditional gym that was built in the '30s. It holds only 700 to 800 people, but they'll cram all of them in there tomorrow night," Kellems said.

Kellems knows the communities well. The retired La Porte County Police officer worked closely with students and families in both communities, particularly when he was assigned to drug prevention education talks to the students mid-way through his career.

 

“There is no greater rivalry,” Kellems said.