Two former basketball greats who now live or work in Columbus have been selected for induction in the 2020 Class of the Indiana High School Basketball Hall of Fame.
Dick Nyers played basketball at Manual High School and Indiana Central College (now University of Indianapolis) in the 1950s. He played professional football for the Baltimore Colts for one season before coaching football at Carmel and Edinburgh high schools, Ball State University and UIndy. He is retired and lives in Columbus.
Lyndon Jones rose to prominence as a three-time state champion and the 1987 co-Mr. Basketball at Marion High School. He went on to play for two Big Ten Championship and two NCAA Sweet 16 teams at Indiana University before playing in the Continental Basketball Association. He lives in Fishers and has worked for Cummins since 2005.
Nyers and Jones are among those who will be honored at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s 59th Annual Men’s Awards Banquet, which will be held on March 25, 2020 at Primo Banquet Hall in Indianapolis.
Bull Dogs named All-State
Sophomore Matt Newell, who finished 14th individually led Columbus North to a fourth-place team finish at the state finals, has been named to the Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches All-State Class 4A Boys first team.
Bull Dog sophomore Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff, who finished 26th, and junior Andy Stohr, who took 47th, were named honorable mention on for 4A boys.
For the 4A girls, North senior Olivia Morlok (33rd), freshmen Brianna Newell (36th) and Lily Baker (42nd) and junior Mackenzie Barnett (44th) are honorable mention selections. The Bull Dog girls finished fifth as a team.
Brown County freshman Hadley Gradolf, who finished 57th at state, made the 3A girls honorable mention list.
SRC Tournament pairings set
The Southern Roads Conference boys basketball tournament will be played Friday and Saturday at Cannelton.
Columbus Christian will face Cannelton at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Medora at 9:30 p.m. Friday in pool play. The fifth-place game will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, followed by the third-place game at 1 p.m. and the championship at 3 p.m.
East-Loogootee pushed back
Saturday’s Columbus East at Loogootee girls basketball game has been moved back to accomodate players who will be taking the ACT or SAT that morning.
The junior varsity game now will begin at noon, with the varsity to follow at around 1:30 p.m.
Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at [email protected] or 812-379-5628.
