Men's basketball player Michael Bennett had the opportunity to play in both the single and multi-class basketball format during his high school years at Brebeuf Jesuit High in Indianapolis. Bennett, now a junior, won the 3A state championship in 2000 with the Braves. At the time, he said, he was "on the fence" regarding the single or multi-class tournament format.
"I could understand what they were saying about giving the small schools a chance," he said. "But also, there's the tradition. On any given day, anyone can beat anyone, whether it's Class A or 4A."
After 87 years of single class, the Indiana High School Athletic Association decided to switch to multi-class during the 1997-98 season. The response was a mixture of outcry opposing and celebrating the change.
Before 1997, all Indiana High Schools competed against each other in the postseason tournament, regardless of enrollment. In 1997, the Indiana High School Athletic Association divided the state schools into four classes based on enrollment, each with its own tournament and champion.
When class basketball was being considered, one of the biggest arguments opposing the switch was the 1954 state title game. Milan -- with an enrollment of only 162 -- defeated Muncie Central 32-30, after Bobby Plump hit the game-winning 14-foot jumper.
Opponents of multi-class basketball, namely fans, players and coaches, cited the Milan upset when defending their arguments, saying a switch to class basketball would never allow smaller schools to pull off such an upset. This group also included Plump, who has been an outspoken opponent of class basketball since it was first under consideration.
Proponents, however, namely the IHSAA and schools responded by stating another such upset was very unlikely, especially since the Milan upset occurred about 40 years before class basketball was being debated. Their main argument favoring multi-class was that such a system would not allow schools the opportunity not only to win state championships, but to even win just the sectional. In some areas around the state such as Lafayette, the larger schools dominated the sectional for decades, never allowing their smaller opponents to advance.
Muncie Central was coming off back-to-back state championships in 1951 and 1952, and had won two other state championships. They also had made seven state-championship game appearances and 14 state-finals appearances before 1954.
Contrary to popular myth, Milan also had experience in the state finals, having fallen to South Bend Central the year before its triumph. It entered the game against Muncie Central with a 27-2 record.
The 1997-98 season was the first year class basketball was put into effect. Since then, 19 schools have won at least one state title.
Roger Dickinson, director of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, told the Muncie Star Press in a story on Tuesday that he believes the Milan upset delayed the switch to multi-class.
"I think it probably did delay the decision because everyone was clinging to the hope (of another upset)," Dickinson said. "But nobody did it after them, even though a few small schools made it to the finals, such as Argos."
After the Milan upset, the next-smallest school to win the state championship in single class was Plymouth, a school that was five times as big as Milan. That team included former NBA player and current Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles. The dominance of larger schools, though not surprising, prompted the IHSAA to look into multi-class.
Many Hoosiers are still unhappy about the change, saying smaller schools will never find out whether such an incredible feat can be done again.
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