NAPPANEE – There was absolutely nothing anyone could do about what happened at the end of last week. IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox sheepishly sat in front of a very audible microphone and held out hope that its prized pony, the boys basketball tournament, could weather the storm that was and is the coronavirus pandemic. The IHSAA eventually gave in.

NorthWood boys basketball was part of the waiting game. As champion of the NorthWood Boys Basketball Sectional, its next stop in the tournament series was three hours away at New Castle High School for the regional and a 10 a.m. Saturday, March 14, game against Norwell. But before NorthWood could even get on the Wanee bus, it got a call it feared it might get.

“We were getting ready to board our bus when we heard the news that afternoon,” said NorthWood boys basketball coach Aaron Wolfe. The program were planning on traveling down to New Castle earlier in the day Friday to be in town and ready to go for the early Saturday start. “I feel our players were disappointed as we were scheduled to play Saturday, but had some “hope” that Mr. Cox postponed the tournament as to cancelling the tournament. Obviously, our Indiana basketball tournament is “sacred ground” and we have players who are deserving to complete their season.”

Wolfe still isn’t giving up hope, and apparently, neither is Cox. As commish made a second video press conference on Friday afternoon of the postponement of the tournament after Thursday’s initial wake-up call, he didn’t give up hope the entire tournament was off. As the Center For Disease Control continued to, and continues to, modify its levels of prevention and precaution with the coronavirus, the IHSAA is holding on that it can somehow manage to slip in its biggest attraction, and biggest money maker.

Cox noted during his Thursday press conference that the halting of the boys basketball tournament would cost the association in the range of a half million dollars. He also noted he wanted to stretch the tournament to possibly resume in mid-April when the original CDC mandates were given to the schools.

As the end of the week has now transitioned into this week’s latest updates, the CDC is recommending and getting support from lawmakers to limit gatherings to 50 people. Whereas that total when Wolfe and NorthWood were pulled back, it was 250 and families were still allowed to attend. It was a frightening 72 hours from Wednesday night to Friday evening, where so much was coming in all at once. Wolfe and the pack had to just absorb and listen to their superiors.

“We are under the realization that we are in “uncharted waters” with the pandemic we are facing and our players’ safety is our first priority,” Wolfe said.  “Our administration has been fantastic communicating with us and we are following the recommendations of the County Healthy Board and we will support those decisions on day by day basis. This pandemic has progressed quickly and it is almost impossible to forecast the future. We will continue to practice as allowed with the same intentions of progressing through the tournament.”

One question posed to Wolfe that seems to change with the tides is how to keep his team not only stable, but sharp in the wake of NorthWood deciding to close until April 13. With spring sports now in season per the IHSAA calendar (and even those aren’t allowed to fully assemble), basketball is quickly fading into the rearview mirror.

NorthWood was riding from wild girls basketball ride to a state title that energized the Wanee community. Tucked into the girls basketball were state finals trips by wrestler Jake Lone and diver Caden Jenkins. Then the boys basketball team won a sectional title and looked to have a psychological advantage in terms of community momentum heading to the home of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame to take on Norwell in the regional semi-final.

To at least treat the students, Wolfe had an idea. As the IHSAA said sorry Charlie to large crowds at the regional, Wolfe decided to do the next best thing. As the team departed the bus and returned to The Pit, it held an intra-squad scrimmage. And the student body was encouraged to attend. And they did. It was the least the team could do in an uncertain time that may not have a conclusion.

“We have been striving to get to the third week of the tournament and…we did…it was just unconventional,” Wolfe said.

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