IHSAA Officially Cancels Boys Basketball Tournament

Indiana signees Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal, plus commit Khristian Lander, won't be able to chase their state title dreams because of the coronavirus pandemic.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Shortly after the announcement was made by Gov. Eric Holcomb that all Indiana schools will remain closed until at least May 1, the Indiana High School Athletic Association announced that the remainder of the boys basketball tournament will not be played this year..

“It is with great sadness and disappointment that we inform Hoosiers of the cancellation of the remaining games of the 2020 IHSAA boys basketball tournament series,” said IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox. “While the Association maintained every hope of continuance, it is now evident those hopes are now unreachable. Albeit there will not be regional, semi-state and state champions crowned across our four classifications, the heath and safety of our public remains paramount and our primary focus.”

It was sad news for Indiana signees Trey Galloway (Culver Academies) and Anthony Leal (Bloomington South) and commit Khristian Lander (Evansville Reitz), who had won sectional titles two weeks ago. There were 16 teams remaining in all four classes. Their dreams of winning a state title are now gone.

Last Friday, the IHSAA announced the remaining games of the state tournament would be postponed beginning with the regional games due to the growing number of school closures. Since then, just about every school district in the state closed their doors into April. Gov. Holcomb's announcement pushes that date out even further. 

"As always, the health and safety of IHSAA student-athletes are of utmost importance and the Association continues to remind its member schools and the general public to follow the guidance of the governor and the Indiana State Department of Health via IN.gov/coronavirus'' the IHSAA said in the statement.

Leal's Bloomington South team was ranked No. 1 in the state and was 26-0. Galloway never lost a game all year either. His Culver team lost four time when he was out with a wrist injury, but in the 19 games he played in, they won them all.

So lucky to get to play high school basketball in Indiana... will forever hurt that my boys and I didn’t get to finish what we started. 26-0. #southsideforever https://t.co/UVL1YqVaPb

— Anthony Leal (@anthonyl3al) March 19, 2020

All spring sports are postponed for now, but the IHSAA said any cancellation announcement on them won't come until later.