Latest news with #HallofFameClassic
Indianapolis Star
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Bill Springer led Southport to Hoosier Dome to face Damon Bailey, won more than 500 games as basketball coach
Bill Springer did not coach a high school basketball game after 1999 but still managed to make his way to games long after his retirement. When Southport revived its program in the mid-2010s under then-coach Kyle Simpson, Springer rode the roller coaster of emotions like he was still on the bench — maybe even more. 'I don't give him any advice,' Springer said of Simpson in 2016. 'I just like to watch.' Springer made his name as a basketball coach over a 40-year career, including 17 at Southport. But he was known first as a friend, a family man and a kind soul to those who knew him personally. Springer, an Indiana Basketball Hall of Famer, died on Saturday at age 90. 'His heart was bigger than he was, and his sayings/life lessons stuck with all of us,' Simpson shared. 'The six years I got to spend with him is something I'll never forget, whether it was talking Cardinals baseball in his living room, or him coming by practice to teach some players how to do a post drill. Probably the most important lesson he taught me was the importance of family. I witnessed a true testament to love and marriage when I saw him take care of his wife Carolyn, who had Alzheimer's disease. I also remember him telling me that all those coach of the year or awards he won were just hollow plaques, that it was the impact you made on your players that mattered most.' Springer, a 1953 high school graduate of Indianapolis Washington, was an all-city selection as a senior at Washington before going on to be a three-year letterman at Hanover College. He won 539 games in his coaching career, starting out at tiny Linden in 1959 before moving on to Seeger for two years, Brazil for seven years, two years at Shortridge and three at Jennings County before he was hired at Bloomington South in 1975. He led the Panthers for seven seasons before taking the Southport job in 1982. One of the highlights of Springer's tenure at Southport — and the school's history — was a final four appearance at Hoosier Dome in 1990. Playing in front of more than 41,000 fans, the Cardinals battled Damon Bailey and Bedford North Lawrence to a 58-55 loss in a game Southport led by 11 points at halftime. That team, led by William Moore and Marlon Fleming, remains the only Southport squad to win a semistate championship in program history. He retired at the end of the 1990s, then was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame two years later. For several years, Springer helped former Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame executive director Chris May identify teams for the annual Hall of Fame Classic. May learned a lot about basketball from Springer during the car rides around the state, but their talks inevitably turned to life and family 'and always invoked his memorable smile and laughter.' 'The lasting impact he had as a coach was admirable,' May shared. 'The network of former players and friends from coaching stops in Brazil, North Vernon, Bloomington and Southport was impressive. Most memorable for me of our countless trips was when he was given an impromptu acknowledgement at center court at Jennings County. One of his former players rushed down to talk to his coach he hadn't seen in 40 years. Another former player showed up at the game after his wife heard on the radio broadcast that coach Springer was in attendance.' Springer lost his wife, Carolyn, on Jan. 1, 2019, after her lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. Springer and his wife, high school sweethearts at Washington, were married 63 years and raised five children: Tony, Mike, Debbie, Beth Ann and John. Springer's coaching acumen was appreciated by his peers. Before the 1989-90 season, the Indianapolis News polled area coaches in five categories. Springer came up No. 1 for 'best game coach' and 'best X's and O's coach.' He ranked second for 'best motivator' and 'gets most from the least.' 'It's quite obvious that he hasn't played all those games and let them funnel through one ear and out the other,' then-Roncalli coach Chuck Weisenbach said at the time. 'Bill's teams always have something for every situation.' Springer's son Mike is the coach at Winamac. In 2016, when Mike led Eastern (Greentown) to its first sectional title in 60 years, his father was in attendance. 'I would place that above any game I ever won as a coach,' Bill Springer said at the time. 'I was glad I could be there with him.'
NBC Sports
26-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Matchups, Streaming Designation Set for 2025 Hall of Fame Classic Announced
All four Hall of Fame Classic games to stream live Nov. 20-21 on Peacock and the NBC Sports NOW Channel KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Nebraska will take on New Mexico and Kansas State will battle Mississippi State in the semifinal round of the 2025 Hall of Fame Classic at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Both Nov. 20 semifinals along with the Nov. 21 consolation and championship games will be streamed live on Peacock and NBC Sports NOW. The Thursday, Nov. 20 Hall of Fame Classic semifinal schedule will feature Nebraska vs. New Mexico tipping off at 6:00 p.m. CT, followed by Kansas State vs. Mississippi State at 8:30 p.m. CT. Then on Friday, Nov. 21, the event's consolation matchup will tip at 6:00 p.m. CT followed by the championship game at 8:30 p.m. CT. Tickets for the 2025 Hall of Fame Classic will go on sale via the T-Mobile Center box office and on Sept. 3. Kansas State holds a 3-1 all-time series lead over Mississippi State with the last meeting coming in 2019, while the only previous matchup between New Mexico and Nebraska was won by the Lobos in 2009. Peacock's expansive sports programming features live coverage including Sunday Night Football, Olympic and Paralympic Games, Big Ten Football and Basketball, Notre Dame Football, BIG EAST basketball, Premier League, NASCAR, golf, the NBA beginning in 2025-26, the WNBA beginning in 2026, La Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel. NBC Sports NOW, a free 24/7 streaming channel offering daily sports talk shows, live sports and highlights, is available via Peacock, the NBC Sports App on mobile and tablet devices, and all major FAST Channel distributors, including the Roku Channel and Samsung TV Plus. 2025 Hall of Fame Classic (All times CT) Thursday, Nov. 20 Nebraska vs. New Mexico – 6:00 p.m., Peacock/NBC Sports NOW Kansas State vs. Mississippi State – 8:30 p.m., Peacock/NBC Sports NOW Friday, Nov. 21 Consolation Game – 6:00 p.m., Peacock/NBC Sports NOW Championship Game – 8:30 p.m., Peacock/NBC Sports NOW
USA Today
31-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Non-conference schedule released for Nebraska's 2025-26 men's basketball season
Non-conference schedule released for Nebraska's 2025-26 men's basketball season On Friday afternoon, the Nebraska men's basketball team released the non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season. The Huskers start the season with exhibitions against BYU and Midland at the end of October. Other highlights include a game against Oklahoma to be played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and participation in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City. Head coach Fred Hoiberg is excited for what the non-conference schedule holds for Nebraska this season. 'We have a number of tests in our non-conference schedule, beginning with the exhibition game with a BYU team that went to the Sweet 16 last season. That matchup will give us a good gauge heading into the season. We open with three straight home games before facing Oklahoma and two high-caliber games in the Hall of Fame Classic the following week. The December portion of the schedule features Creighton which will be one of the favorites in the Big East and two Big Ten games before we return to conference play in January.' The Huskers also have home matchups in the Big Ten against Purdue, Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Illinois. Nebraska is coming off a 2024-25 season that saw the Huskers finish with a 21-14 record and a championship in the College Basketball Crown. Find the entire non-conference schedule below. 2025-26 Nebraska Non-Conference Schedule Date Opponent Sat., Oct. 18 BYU (Exhibition) Mon., Oct. 27 Midland (Exhibition) Mon., Nov. 3 West Georgia Sat., Nov. 8 Florida International Tues., Nov. 11 Maryland-Eastern Shore Sat., Nov. 15 vs. Oklahoma (at Sioux Falls) Thurs., Nov. 20 at Hall of Fame Classic (Kansas State, Miss. St., New Mexico) Fri., Nov. 21 at Hall of Fame Classic (Kansas State, Miss. St., New Mexico) Tues, Nov. 25 Winthrop Sat., Nov. 29 South Carolina Upstate Sun, Dec. 7 Creighton Sun, Dec. 21 North Dakota Tues., Dec. 30 New Hampshire Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mississippi State basketball lands Georgetown's Jayden Epps in transfer portal
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State basketball has landed a prolific scoring guard in the transfer portal. Georgetown's Jayden Epps committed to the Bulldogs and coach Chris Jans on April 25, according to a report from On3. He is ranked by 247Sports as a four-star transfer. Advertisement Epps, listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, scored 12.8 points per game as a junior last season while averaging 2.3 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He shot a career-high 34.4% from 3-point range on 5.7 attempts per game. He averaged 18.5 points per game as a sophomore. Epps is from Virginia and played at Illinois as a freshman in the 2022-23 season. What Jayden Epps brings to Mississippi State basketball in transfer portal Epps fills a need as an offensive threat at the guard position for MSU. The Bulldogs are experiencing heavy roster turnover from last season's team that reached a third consecutive NCAA tournament. Leading scorer Josh Hubbard declared for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility. If he doesn't return, MSU will lose its top eight scorers from last season. Advertisement Epps started 50 games in the last two seasons at Georgetown and could be a starter for Mississippi State, too. Epps is Mississippi State's fifth transfer commitment joining wing Achor Achor (Kansas State), guard/forward Amier Ali (Arizona State), center Quincy Ballard (Wichita State) and guard Ja'Borri McGhee (UAB). SCHEDULE: Mississippi State basketball scheduled for Hall of Fame Classic during 2025-26 season Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@ and follow him on X @sklarsam_. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jayden Epps transferring to Mississippi State from Georgetown | Report
Associated Press
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Hamilton Southeastern guard Maya Malusky is top vote-getter on Associated Press all-state girls team
Hamilton Southeastern won the girls basketball Hall of Fame Classic, the Hoosier Crossroads Conference title, sectional and regional titles and lost only one game in 2024-25, in the semifinal round. Maya Makalusky, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard, spurred the Royals charge. She averaged 22.1 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 40.1% from 3-point range and leading HSE to a 27-1 mark. She was so good, she won the coveted IndyStar Miss Basketball Award and was selected by Gatorade MaxPreps as the state's player of now. Now she owns another title — top vote-getter on The Associated Press all-state team. Makalusky received the most votes from a panel of sportswriters, broadcasters and coaches around Indiana. Players are chosen regardless of grade level or the class in which their schools compete. The top five selections comprise the first team with the next 10 earning second and third-team honors and the next 25 receiving high honorable mention status. Makalusky was joined on an all-senior first team by Jaylah Lampley of Lawrence Central, Meredith Tippner of Noblesville, Kira Reynolds of South Bend Washington and Addison Baxter of Columbia City. Lampley also made the first team last year. Makalusky, who will play for the Indiana Hoosiers next season, and Reynolds were both second team picks last year. Lampley is heading to Mississippi State while Tippner is going to Miami (Fla.) and Baxter is Butler bound. Reynolds recently decommitted from Purdue. Brownsburg senior center Avery Gordon, who is a Purdue signee, led the second-team choices. The others are McCutcheon sophomore Lillie Graves and three juniors — Myah Epps of Homestead, Joslyn Bricker of Warsaw and Lola Lampley of Lawrence Central. The third team is junior-heavy, led by Makalusky's teammate, Kennedy Holman. She's joined by Lillian Barnes of Valparaiso, Madalynn Shirley of Evansville Central and Brooklynn Renn of Silver Creek. Pendleton Heights senior Kaycie Warfel also made on the third team after finishing her career by topping the 2,000-point mark.
