Champion Bulldogs thank their fans

BY Todd Taylor

Tue, May 13 2008

— BROWNSBURG — There simply weren’t enough tickets to accommodate the loyal following of the Brownsburg High School basketball team during their run to the state championship. The 4,000 championship game tickets made available to the public were sold in just under three hours, leaving many Bulldog fans to watch from home.
Understanding this, the Bulldogs took the opportunity to meet each and every one of their fans and celebrate their achievement Thursday night at the Brownburg Varsity Fieldhouse.
The Bulldogs spent two hours talking to fans and signing autographs on their home court, with the giant state championship trophy serving as the backdrop.
“Coach Kendrick felt bad that some people weren’t able to come to the celebration after the game, it was already 11 p.m.,” Brownsburg athletic director Greg Hill said. “He said the team wasn’t interested in getting any more applause, they had already gotten more than they needed. They wanted to look in their fans’ eyes, shake their hands, and thank them for their support.”
A line from the lobby of the Fieldhouse flowed steadily onto the court as fans young and old alike awaited a chance to talk to the players and coaching staff.
The team signed fans’ basketballs, championship T-shirts, and homemade poster boards and the Bulldog faithful were given a chance to have their photo taken with the championship hardware.
As fans filtered into the gym, a projector replayed the championship game and those final seconds that inspired a town.
“I still can’t believe he made that shot with just 2.1 seconds left,” said a Brownsburg East Middle School student waiting in line to see his favorite player.
Next to a group of children showing off their newly signed gear was a pair of older fans — including Vic Overman, 85 — discussing the team’s dramatic victory.
Overman, long-time Brownsburg resident and the 1972-81 BHS football coach, attended last Saturday’s championship game at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“You know, I saw the 1954 Milan game (which later inspired the movie Hoosiers) and this beat it,” Overman said. “The rest of the state didn’t know much about Brownsburg, they weren’t ranked. After beating North Central, Carmel, New Albany, and Marion … they know where Brownsburg is now.”
While the title game’s finish had the entire Brownsburg community on pins and needles, looking back, Hill wouldn’t have it any other way.
“If you win by 8-10 points it probably wouldn’t have been as exciting,” Hill said. “It was a great night to be a Bulldog.”
todd.taylor@flyergroup.com

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