The Columbus Christian boys and girls basketball teams pose for a photo late Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after their girls game and before the boys game against Cannelton.
Submitted photo
The Indiana Pacers game against the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics was the feature game Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but it wasn’t the only game being played there that night.
Columbus Christian’s girls and boys basketball teams had a chance to play on the same court as the NBA stars when they faced Cannelton after the Pacers-Celtics game.
“It was really fun,” said senior Peyton Walden, who scored 12 points to lead the Crusader boys to a 55-35 victory. “I’ve been looking forward to it. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’m never going to forget it.”
Columbus Christian’s girls also beat Cannelton 24-15. Juniors Eva Blair and Paige Harden led the Crusaders with five points apiece.
Blair was making her first visit to Gainbridge, which opened in 1999 as Conseco Fieldhouse and also formerly was called Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“It was really enjoyable,” Blair said. “I was excited that we were able to win and play in the Pacers gym. It was a different feeling playing on that big court, different than what we’re used to playing on. But it was a lot of fun. It was a lifetime experience for me, personally.”
The NBA court is 94 feet, or 10 feet longer than the standard high school court.
“It was a little different playing on that size of court,” Walden said. “You don’t notice it until you’re running up and down it a few times. But it’s probably going to be my favorite game I’ve ever played.”
The Pacers-Celtics game began at 7 p.m. and ended around 9:30 p.m. After the court was cleared, workers put down tape for the high school 3-point lines and free-throw lanes, and the girls game began about 10:05 p.m.
Since Columbus Christian and Cannelton only had the court reserved for two hours, they had about a five-minute warmup and halftime, and the girls played with a running clock the entire game. The boys used a running clock in the fourth quarter.
“I think it was a great experience for the girls to be able to play in such a great facility,” Columbus Christian girls coach Chris Noblitt said. “Getting a win in such a great gym, it will be something they will never forget.”
The Crusaders originally were to host Cannelton on Saturday. Athletics director and boys coach Kevin Roth said all they had to do to reserve the court was pay a $100 deposit and purchase tickets to the Pacers-Celtics game, which were $80 apiece. The Columbus Christian athletics department paid for the tickets for the coaching staff and players.
“When the schedule comes out in August, you call up there and have people that you contact,” Roth said. “It’s first come, first serve. You have to pay a deposit, and you pick out three times. I always pick a Saturday. Previously, we had always played in the afternoon on Saturday and then we stayed for the Pacers game after.”
This was the Crusaders’ fourth time playing at the home of the Pacers. They previously had played there against Trinity Lutheran, Indiana Deaf and Traders Point Christian.
“For me as a coach, I’ve done that before, but it was exciting for my standpoint watching the kids get out there and warm up,” Roth said. “After the game, there was family and friends of some of the Celtics courtside, and they got to see (Al) Horford and Jrue Holiday. Just watching them to see some of those guys and then get out on the floor, the response from them afterward, and from the Cannelton players, the opportunity to play on that court, we got texts from parents that were thankful. Then, it always helps that we won, and that it was a (Southern Roads) conference game.”
Columbus Christian boys 55, Cannelton 35
Cannelton;17;6;5;7;—;35
Columbus Christian;11;19;14;11;—;55
Cannelton (1-7, 1-4): Brayden Puckett 0 0-0 0, Rylan Snyder 0 0-0 0, Jaden Cecil 0 0-0 0, Jerrett Coon 1 0-0 2, Trevor Hale 6 1-4 13, River McIntosh 1 0-0 3, Trevor Sturgeon 2 0-0 4, Kaleb Wilkenson 2 0-0 4, Gage Garrett 3 1-2 9, Trent Zoglimon 0 0-0 0, Isaac Fuqua 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 2-6 35.
Columbus Christian (8-6, 4-0): Adam Haines 2 2-4 7, Jayden Howe 4 1-4 10, Levi Johnson 0 0-0 0, Cam Pritchard 4 1-1 9, Brian Fox 0 0-0 0, Brayden Howe 2 0-0 4, Josh Conrad 0 5-10 5, Peyton Walden 5 2-3 12, Branson Carr 4 0-0 8, Elijah Fields 0 0-0 0, Heath Harrison 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 11-22 55.
3-point goals: Cannelton 3 (Garrett 2, McIntosh); Columbus Christian 2 (Haines, J. Howe).
Columbus Christian girls 24, Cannelton 15
Cannelton;0;3;4;8;—;15
Columbus Christian;4;11;5;4;—;24
Cannelton (0-14, 0-4): Makayla Hulse 1 0-2 2, Shilah McMahan 0 0-0 0, Chloe Hale 1 1-4 3, Bria Garrett 0 0-0 0, Jaliyah Little 1 0-0 3, Kylie Anastasiades 2 1-2 7. Totals: 5 2-6 15.
Columbus Christian (6-8, 2-1): Kaeli Clawson 2 0-0 4, Eva Blair 2 1-2 5, Paige Harden 2 0-0 5, Katie Bond 1 0-0 2, Olivia Wise 0 0-2 0, Emma Rice 0 0-0 0, Mara Nickerson 1 0-0 2, Belle Blair 1 0-0 2, Emma Murray 2 0-2 4. Totals: 11 1-6 24.
3-point goals: Cannelton 3 (Anastasiades 2, Little); Columbus Christian 1 (Harden).
