There’s nothing quite like high school basketball in Indiana, where each and every game feels like something more. After all, in 49 other states … well, you know what they say.
However, some games truly do mean a little more. Whether through conferences, frequent postseason meetings, shared histories of success or simply geographic proximity, certain matchups can bring out the best (and occasionally the worst) in every player, coach and fan who pours into them. In a state with such a rich basketball history, there’s no shortage of great rivalries in Indiana.
As part of our ongoing celebration of Indiana high school basketball in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, here’s a look at 120 of the Hoosier State’s greatest rivalries.
(Rivalries are listed alphabetically within each region, and the first team alphabetically is listed first in each matchup).
Northwest Indiana
Andrean vs. Hammond Bishop Noll: One of the state’s fiercest Catholic school rivalries made national headlines in 2016 when Andrean’s student section directed some controversial taunts at the Bishop Noll fanbase.
Andrean vs. Merrillville: An intense parochial vs. public school matchup within the same town, sparks are sure to fly in “The Battle of Broadway.”
Boone Grove vs. Wheeler: This long-standing Porter County rivalry features two schools less than seven miles apart. When Wheeler left the Porter County Conference in 2003, there were questions about whether the rivalry would continue as a non-conference matchup due to its intensity.
Chesterton vs. Valparaiso: One of the most historic rivalries in the region, these Porter County neighbors are competitive in most sports and always produce a feisty matchup. The football teams compete for the Campbell Meridian Cup, affectionately known as the “Milk Jug.”
Crown Point vs. Lake Central: The two largest schools in the region with about 3,000 students each, these two Lake County programs often create fantastic sectional clashes.
Crown Point vs. Merrillville: Although this may be more of a football rivalry, Crown Point sits just a few miles south of its Duneland Athletic Conference rival. The localized nature of this rivalry makes it a great matchup regardless of sport.
Crown Point vs. Portage: Another highly competitive Duneland Athletic Conference rivalry, there’s no love lost between the Bulldogs and Indians.
East Chicago Central vs. Gary West Side: Two schools with rich hoops traditions and multiple state championships in neighboring blue-collar cities that frequently meet in sectionals is the recipe for a perfect rivalry.
Gary 21st Century vs. Gary West Side: This inner-city rivalry dates back to the establishment of the 21st Century Charter School in 2005 and has only gotten better as the Cougars have become one of the area’s premier programs.
Hammond Central vs. Hammond Morton: One of the area’s premier crosstown rivalries was born when Hammond, Clark and Gavit High Schools consolidated into Hammond Central in 2021.
Highland vs. Munster: The “Battle of the Bridge” remains one of the region’s best local rivalries.
Kankakee Valley vs. Rensselaer Central: Though they haven’t been conference rivals for a while now, this Jasper County rivalry remains strong with the teams opening the season against one another every year. The two football teams play for the “Cracker Barrel Trophy.”
Knox vs. North Judson-San Pierre: The Stark County Showdown is a great small-school rivalry that serves as the traditional season opener in football.
Kouts vs. Morgan Township: Located just down the road from one another, the Mustangs and Cherokees meet multiple times a year between their Porter County Conference matchups and shared sectionals.
North Central Indiana
Bremen vs. Jimtown: The Lions and Jimmies often compete at the top of the Indiana Northern State Conference and sectionals and are known for tough, physical matchups that tend to come down to the final minutes.
Concord vs. Jimtown: Roughly five miles apart in Elkhart County, this historic football rivalry is just as fierce on the basketball court despite a large enrollment disparity. This rivalry has gotten even juicier in the past year after former Jimtown coach Tyler Leighton left to take the Concord job just a few months after taking the Jimmies to the Class 2A semi-state in 2025.
Concord vs. Goshen: Goshen is much more similar to Concord in size than Jimtown, and the two make up one of the Northern Lakes Conference’s best feuds with frequent postseason matchups as well.
Fairfield vs. Westview: Less than 10 miles apart in Elkhart and LaGrange counties, standing room only crowds are common for this matchup. These two Northeast Corner Conference rivals have met over 100 times over the last six decades and have a combined 41 sectional and regional titles between them.
LaPorte vs. Michigan City: The two biggest schools in LaPorte County provide one of the Duneland Conference’s most intense rivalries.
LaPorte vs. New Prairie: These two teams open football season against one another in a matchup for the traveling milk jug trophy. Those tensions from the gridiron always translate to the hardwood.
Mishawaka Marian vs. South Bend St. Joseph: Another Catholic school rivalry, “The Holy War” between the Knights and the Huskies is one of the best in South Bend — though St. Joe has owned it on the basketball court recently with four-straight wins.
Mishawaka vs. Mishawaka Marian: Less than three miles apart in the Princess City, this cross-town parochial vs. public rivalry is one of the fiercest in the region.
Mishawaka vs. Penn: Known as the “Backyard Brawl” in football, this cross-town rivalry between the Cavemen and Kingsmen brings the fire no matter the sport.
Northridge vs. NorthWood: An intense rivalry in Elkhart County and in the Northern Lakes Conference, the “Battle for the North” has been especially tense in recent years as both programs have been particularly strong.
Northridge vs. Warsaw: These two frequently match up multiple times a year between the regular season and sectionals. In the most recent meeting of the girls basketball teams, Northridge’s Lily Scholl exploded for 42 points to lead the Raiders to an upset over the No. 4 Tigers in the Sectional 4 championship.
South Bend Adams vs. South Bend Riley: This is consistently an electric Northern Indiana Conference matchup between the two largest public schools in South Bend.
Northeast Indiana
Adams Central vs. South Adams: The Battle of Adams County began in 1966, and the two schools have competed together in the Allen County Athletic Conference since 1989. With a rich wrestling history and a recently-peaking football rivalry, the Flying Jets and the Starfires save their best for one another in every sport.
Bellmont vs. Norwell: “The Battle on Eightmile Creek” began in 1967 and pits together two foes from opposite sides of the Adams-Wells county line.
Carroll vs. Homestead: Fort Wayne’s biggest rivalry right now, the Chargers and Spartans have played each other every year since 1989. With frequent postseason meetings and several state titles between the two across various sports, tensions run high every time they meet on the hardwood.
Central Noble vs. Churubusco: “The Battle on Baseline Road” began with the opening of Central Noble in 1968, but this rivalry has an even deeper history from the days of Wolf Lake vs. Busco.
Columbia City vs. New Haven: These two Northeast Eight Conference adversaries met in the Class 3A North boys basketball semi-state championship this past season, with the Bulldogs taking a thrilling 59-55 victory.
Columbia City vs. Norwell: This rivalry began in 1989 when both schools joined the Northeast Hoosier Conference as founding members. It continues today under the Northeast Eight Conference and is a particularly feisty girls basketball rivalry.
DeKalb vs. East Noble: This rivalry peaked in the 80s and 90s but remains one of the best in the stacked Northeast Eight Conference.
DeKalb vs. Garrett: These two schools nearly consolidated in 1967, but Garrett was doing so well athletically at the time that it chose not to absorb the school system. Ever since then, these two schools separated by just a railroad track have been one of the region’s fiercest bouts.
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger vs. Bishop Luers: “The Battle of the Bishops” between Fort Wayne’s two Catholic institutions has a storied tradition over the last six decades. While this one is particularly strong as a football rivalry, both schools are historically strong across all athletics.
Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian vs. Canterbury: Blackhawk Christian has dominated this rivalry in recent years and is more competitive with the two Bishops, but this remains one of the premier private school rivalries in the area.
Fort Wayne North Side vs. South Side: Fort Wayne’s oldest rivalry is nearly a century old, dating back to 1927. The two schools compete for the Totem Pole Trophy in football and paved the way for professional basketball in the city with North Side’s gym serving as the original home of the Zollner Pistons, which would eventually evolve into the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.
Fort Wayne Northrop vs. Snider vs. Wayne: Are we cheating by lumping three schools into one rivalry? Possibly, but this Summit Athletic Conference triumvirate is sure to bring the intensity no matter which combination of the two you put on the court.
West Central Indiana
Carroll (Flora) vs. Delphi: Known as “The Bacon Bowl” on the gridiron, Carroll and Delphi is an intense rivalry across every sport. The Bacon Bowl Skillet trophy pays homage to the pork industry that is so deeply intwined in the history and culture of Carroll County.
Crawfordsville vs. Lebanon: The oldest rivalry in the state is directly responsible for the birth of the IHSAA state tournament. In 1910, the two teams split the regular-season series, and Lebanon suggested that they play a third game to determine who would be named the state champion. Crawfordsville refused to play and declared themselves state champions, leading to the implementation of a postseason tournament the next year that we all know today as “Hoosier Hysteria.” Crawfordsville defeated Lebanon, 24-17, in the first state championship in 1911.
Delphi vs. Twin Lakes: This historic rivalry across the Carroll-White county border is known as “The War for the Oar” on the football field, but the intensity translates directly to the hardwood.
Faith Christian vs. Lafayette Central Catholic: This intense private school rivalry typically sees its best moments in sectional play — like when Faith Christian girls basketball upset the reigning 1A state runner-up Knights in the first round of the tournament this year.
Harrison vs. McCutcheon: Both part of the Tippecanoe School Corporation, these two are heated rivals in every sport. The football teams play in “The Battle of the Sword,” featuring a traveling sword trophy, while the volleyball teams compete for the “Tippy Trophy.” Both girls flag football programs even got in on the fun this year with the new “Cow Bell Trophy.”
Harrison vs. Lafayette Jefferson: Located just west of Lafayette, Harrison provides Jefferson with a crucial cross-town rival. The Raiders and Bronchos frequently meet in the IU Health Hoops Classic.
Lafayette Central Catholic vs. West Lafayette: Typically the more even cross-river matchup due to the massive size of Lafayette Jefferson, the Knights and the Red Devils provide one of the region’s best parochial vs. public rivalries.
Lafayette Jefferson vs. West Lafayette: Enrollment disparities have historically tipped this rivalry in favor of the Bronchos, but the “War on the Wabash” is sure to draw a feisty crowd when these cross-town rivals face off.
Logansport vs. Peru: These two are separated by about 16 miles along the Wabash River and have the longest continuous football rivalry in the state. The basketball matchup serves as a traditional season opener.
North Vermillion vs. South Vermillion: While South is traditionally larger, North typically provides great competition in this small-town rivalry near the Illinois border.
Parke Heritage vs. Riverton Parke: Heritage, the reigning 2A state champions, have dominated this matchup in recent years, but that doesn’t make the Parke County rivalry any less passionate. These two plus North and South Vermillion make up the “Banks of the Wabash” — a high-stakes local tournament across various sports.
The Sugar Creek Classic: The highly anticipated annual tournament for Montgomery County, the Sugar Creek Classic features Crawfordsville, Montgomery County and Southmont vying for local bragging rights in the historic “Cradle of Basketball” region.
Terre Haute North Vigo vs. South Vigo: The Patriots and the Braves traditionally play a high-profile girls and boys doubleheader in the Hulman Center to keep the city’s biggest rivalry on its biggest stage. The boys compete for the Shoe Trophy, which North has held firmly in recent years, while the girls compete for the Crown Trophy, where South has had better luck lately. Sadly, this one is on the way out as the two schools will be consolidated into one building within the next few years.
Central Indiana
Avon vs. Brownsburg: Separated by just a few miles in Hendricks County, these Hoosier Crossroads Conference rivals typically meet multiple times a year between the regular season, county tournament and sectionals.
Brownsburg vs. Plainfield: Another Hendricks County rivalry, these two don’t share a conference but are still one of the best big-school rivalries on the west side of Indy, frequently producing great sectional games.
Carmel vs. Center Grove: A lot has happened with this rivalry in recent years. Two of the largest suburban Indianapolis schools from opposite sides of the state capital — Carmel in the north and Center Grove in the south — were simultaneously voted out of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference in 2021. In 2023, the rivalry nearly ended when Carmel tried to cancel all future athletic contracts with Center Grove following an on-court skirmish after a basketball game. Things cooled off, the rivalry stayed around, and the two schools will rejoin the MIC in 2026-27.
Carmel vs. Fishers: A crucial Hamilton County rivalry between two of the state’s top-four largest schools, the Greyhounds and Tigers often see each other multiple times a year. In their most recent matchup, Carmel shocked a previously undefeated Fishers team that spent all season as the consensus No. 1 team in the state with a 50-49 upset in the Sectional 8 championship.
Fishers vs. Hamilton Southeastern: Located in the same city in Hamilton County, the “Mudsock Rivalry” is one of the state’s best across multiple sports, pitting two of the state’s largest and most athletically well-rounded schools against one another in a cross-town showdown.
Franklin vs. Greenwood vs. Whiteland: These three communities are separated by just a few miles in Johnson County and share the Mid-State Conference. None of them like the county’s behemoth of Center Grove either.
Frankton vs. Lapel: Part of the same school corporation, Frankton and Lapel are guaranteed to produce a highly competitive and emotionally intense environment. The Eagles and Bulldogs have gone to war in the regular season, the now-defunct Madison County Tournament and sectional tournaments over the years, and both student sections pack the house at every meeting.
Greenfield-Central vs. Mt. Vernon (Fortville): This Hoosier Heritage Conference and Hancock County rivalry peaked recently with the 2025 Sectional 9 championship game. 2025 Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins scored 38 points for the Cougars, who ultimately fell to the Marauders and the eventual 2026 Mr. Basketball Luke Ertel, who dropped 36 of his own.
Greenfield-Central vs. New Palestine: Another pair of Hoosier Heritage Conference teams in Hancock County, the Cougars and Dragons are always a solid bet to create a good contest.
Kokomo vs. Western: These Howard County neighbors traditionally face off in the season opener and are guaranteed to produce a tough, physical, emotional game. Kokomo is part of the historically successful North Central Conference that features some of the state’s fiercest rivalries (see: East Central Indiana section), but the Wildkats’ biggest rival may just be the Panthers.
Mt. Vernon (Fortville) vs. Pendleton Heights: Just seven miles apart across the Hancock-Madison county line, these Hoosier Heritage Conference rivals frequently clash in the postseason as well.
Noblesville vs. Westfield: The Millers and the Shamrocks make up the other major rivalry in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference, joined by the aforementioned Mudsock Rivalry. All four schools are sure to bring the intensity when taking on one of their suburban Indy neighbors.
Shelby County: Home to one of the state’s oldest and most historic county tournaments, Morristown, Southwestern (Shelbyville), Triton Central and Waldron recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Shelby County Tournament. These four tiny schools compete for the coveted Victory Bell during the regular season tournament, and three of the four meet in the same Class 1A sectional (Triton Central is in 2A).
Indianapolis
Ben Davis vs. Brownsburg: Two perennial football powerhouses separated by a few miles across the Hendricks-Marion county line, these Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference rivals also bring the heat on the basketball court and frequently produce great sectional games early in the postseason.
Ben Davis vs. Warren Central: The Eastside vs. Westside battle between the Giants and Warriors is one of the best the city has to offer. Perhaps stronger as a football rivalry, these two are still the fiercest of foes on the basketball court.
Bishop Chatard vs. Guerin Catholic: One of the capital’s premier Catholic school rivalries is entering a new chapter with Guerin preparing to exit the Circle City Conference, but expect these two to continue dueling it out on the hardwood as non-conference foes.
Brebeuf Jesuit vs. Guerin Catholic: Another big private school rivalry on the city’s north end, these longtime Circle City Conference rivals will become Hoosier Heritage Conference foes effective in 2027-28.
Cardinal Ritter vs. Scecina: Another great Catholic school matchup from opposite ends of the city, these Indiana Crossroads Conference foes have a long-standing back-and-forth rivalry.
Cathedral vs. Crispus Attucks: Two of the city’s most historically strong programs frequently face off in the City Tournament and again in the postseason. Cathedral, the reigning 3A state champ, has had the upper hand in recent years, but Attucks’ recent resurgence has made this one quite the spectacle.
Cathedral vs. Roncalli: Another elite Catholic school rivalry, the Fighting Irish hold a historical advantage in this bitter rivalry, but the Royals recently produced a defining moment in the girls basketball rivalry with Elliot Leffler’s game-winning shot lifting them to a regional championship over their nemesis.
Lawrence Central vs. Lawrence North: This game is usually set aside on a Wednesday in December with no other big games around it to ensure maximum attendance. That is usually the case, as the Battle for Lawrence draws frequent sellout crowds.
Lawrence North vs. North Central: These Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference powerhouses frequently sell out gymnasiums and produce some of the most intense postseason games the city has to offer.
Lawrence North vs. Pike: Another tense MIC showdown, the Wildcats and Red Devils have seen several future NBA players take part in this northern Indy rivalry.
Perry Meridian vs. Southport: “The Battle of the Birds” between the Falcons and Cardinals is one of the best non-conference matchups on the south side of Indy.
Roncalli vs. Scecina: If Chatard vs. Guerin is the best Catholic school rivalry on Indy’s north side, then Roncalli vs. Scecina is the equivalent on the south side. The Royals and Crusaders are guaranteed to produce a spirited matchup every time they take the floor.
East Central Indiana
Anderson vs. Marion: Two of the most historic programs in one of the state’s most historic conferences, these North Central Conference foes bring the heat every time they face off.
Anderson vs. Muncie Central: 100 years ago, Anderson and Muncie Central were founding members of the North Central Conference. A century later, it remains an incredibly fierce matchup every time the two teams hit the hardwood.
Blackford vs. Eastbrook: The shared proximity between the Bruins and Panthers makes this rivalry one of the fiercest in the Central Indiana Conference.
Blackford vs. Jay County: The most recent boys basketball edition of this matchup was electric, with Jay County holding on for a win in front of a sold-out home gym despite a 42-point outburst by Blackford star Mari Leggett.
Centerville vs. Northeastern: These two often meet multiple times a year between Tri-Eastern Conference matchups, Wayne County tournaments and sectional tournaments.
Connersville vs. Rushville: Just 18 miles apart on Route 44, the Spartans and Lions share the Fayette-Rush county border. The annual football matchup is dubbed the “War on 44.”
Cowan vs. Daleville: These two 1A schools are located minutes apart in Delaware County, The Blackhawks and Broncos frequently face off in Mid-Eastern Conference action, as well as county and sectional tournaments.
Delta vs. Yorktown: Delaware County’s oldest and fiercest rivalry between the Eagles and Tigers is as good as it gets, no matter the sport. The upcoming 2026-27 season will mark their last year as conference rivals with Delta leaving the Hoosier Heritage Conference effective in 2027-28, but this long-standing rivalry will certainly live on either way.
Monroe Central vs. Wapahani: Located just a few minutes apart across the Delaware/Randolph county line, the Golden Bears and Raiders are sure to provide an exciting matchup every time they meet — especially in recent years with both teams among the region’s winningest small schools.
Monroe Central vs. Wes-Del: Perhaps more of a football rivalry thanks to the Harvest Helmet Classic trophy, these two MEC foes aren’t exactly friendly on the hardwood either.
Marion vs. Muncie Central: The two programs tied for the most state championships are also fierce rivals. The Giants and Bearcats have shared the NCC since 1933, and the dynastic success of both programs throughout the 70s and 80s made it one of the fiercest rivalries. While it has been a while since either program was a legit state title contender, this rivalry remains as intense as they come.
Muncie Central vs. New Castle: Another historic NCC rivalry, this one has lost some of its luster since New Castle left the conference in 2013. That said, the Bearcats and Trojans still meet up in one of their glorious fieldhouses on occasion.
Muncie Central vs. Richmond: Yet another long-standing NCC rivalry, the Bearcats and Red Devils meet frequently in sectional play as well. It seems like every team in the NCC considers Muncie Central its biggest rival, but that’s what happens when you win as much as the Bearcats have historically.
New Castle vs. Shenandoah: This Henry County rivalry should only get more intense in the coming years with both schools becoming founding members of the Eastern Crossroads Conference.
Union City vs. Winchester Community: These Randolph County and Tri-Eastern Conference foes share a long-standing local rivalry near the Ohio border.
South Central Indiana
Bedford North Lawrence vs. Mitchell: These two are naturally big rivals as the only two schools in Lawrence County, but BNL has historically dominated in a 4A vs. 2A situation.
Bloomington North vs. Bloomington South: In 1972, Bloomington High School became BHS South, and BHS North was formed with students from the closed Unionville and University High Schools, as well as some transfers from South. North fans weren’t happy when South got to keep the BHS school colors, records and Panthers mascot, and the two have remained contentious rivals across every sport since then. The football rivalry is historically lopsided in favor of South, but basketball has been much more even over the years.
Bloomington North/South vs. Martinsville: Bloomington’s Cougars and Panthers don’t agree on much, but their dislike of Martinsville makes the short list. South is considered the Artesians’ primary adversary with a rivalry spanning back decades, but things have gotten testy with North over the years too, especially in basketball. In 1998, North’s girls team forfeited a sectional game in Martinsville after its boys team accused Martinsville fans and players of racist comments, which resulted in a year of probation for Martinsville from the IHSAA.
Brownstown Central vs. Seymour: Seymour is the larger of these two Jackson County rivals, but 2A powerhouse Brownstown Central holds a long winning streak in this matchup.
Columbus East vs. Columbus North: One of the state’s most fiercely contested cross-town rivalries, the Olympians and Bulldogs have produced some classic games over the years between regular season matchups and sectional rematches.
Edgewood vs. Owen Valley: Most heated in girls and boys basketball as Western Indiana Conference and sectional rivals, these two teams also play for the Black and Blue Trophy in football. While Edgewood has had the better of this one lately, the two developed a penchant for down-to-the-wire games in the early 2010s with six games in a row being decided by five points or less from 2012-14.
Linton-Stockton vs. Sullivan: Located just 15 miles apart across the Greene-Sullivan county line, these two meet annually in every sport and are guaranteed to produce a passionate, physical contest in each one. The football series began in 1904 and is one of the state’s longest continuous matchups, and the history between the two is evident on the court as well.
Martinsville vs. Mooresville: The Artesians and Pioneers share the Mid-State Conference and are about 15 miles apart on opposite ends of Morgan County, making “The Battle for the M” one of the region’s most fiery contests each year.
Southeast Indiana
Charlestown vs. Silver Creek: The Dragons have had a significant upper hand in recent years, but the Pirates often get multiple chances at them per season between their regular-season Mid-Southern Conference tilts and their frequent rematches during in-season and sectional tournaments.
Floyd Central vs. New Albany: While not nearly as tense as the Bulldogs’ tilt with Jeffersonville, the annual battle between New Albany and Floyd Central across the Clark-Floyd county line is one of the best large-school matchups in the region. These two, as well as Jeffersonville, frequently face off in sectional battles as well.
Jac-Cen-Del vs. Milan: These two small schools in Ripley County share one of the Ohio River Valley Conference’s fiercest rivalries.
Jeffersonville vs. New Albany: One of the state’s oldest rivalries dates back to 1909, and with all that history comes plenty of intensity. The Red Devils and Bulldogs have faced off over 170 times and frequently draw standing-room only crowds. With rich histories of success including multiple state championships between the two, this rivalry has a strong argument for the state’s very best.
Jeffersonville vs. Silver Creek: Traditionally dominated by the larger Jeffersonville, Silver Creek’s emergence as a top 3A program in recent years has made this Clark County battle much more interesting lately.
Lawrenceburg vs. South Dearborn: These Dearborn County foes and Eastern Indiana Conference rivals have faced off at least twice a year in eight of the last 10 seasons.
Orleans vs. Paoli: Two of the strongest programs in Class 1A in recent years, this small-school rivalry in Orange County has gotten all the more intense as both the Bulldogs and Rams have excelled on the court.
Paoli vs. Springs Valley: This matchup has favored the Rams recently, but these Patoka Lake Conference foes are still a very strong small-school rivalry in the area. Not to be confused with the college football bowl game in Miami, these two face off in the “Orange Bowl” on the football field.
Southwest Indiana
Barr-Reeve vs. North Daviess: These two schools in Amish country play in the highly anticipated “Buggy Bowl” each year, where the kids literally ride horses and buggies to the big game.
Barr-Reeve vs. Loogootee: The reigning 1A state champion Vikings are a school of many rivals, but this Blue Chip Conference and sectional rivalry carries the most weight.
Barr-Reeve vs. Washington: Washington is a historic 3A program with deep roots in Indiana basketball lore and one of the state’s most iconic stadiums — the Hatchet House. Barr-Reeve is a perennial 1A powerhouse that just added a third state title to its trophy room. The local fanfare around this annual Thanksgiving week matchup is unmatched, and a packed-out Hatchet House is the expectation when these two face off.
Castle vs. Evansville Memorial: Castle sits a few miles east of Evansville in Newburgh, but the Knights maintain strong rivalries with the whole city thanks to being in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference. This matchup was played in the city’s Ford Center this year, marking the first high school basketball game there in nearly six years.
Evansville Bosse vs. Harrison: Bosse is on the smaller side in Vanderburgh County compared to its Southern Indiana Athletic Conference counterparts, but the Bulldogs have typically been able to hang around near the top of the conference nonetheless. East side neighbor Harrison is generally considered to be Bosse’s main rival, and the two meet each year on the gridiron during SIAC football rivalry week.
Evansville Central vs. North: Two of the city’s largest public schools always bring it when they take each other on in hoops. Though Central has fallen on some hard times on the boys side lately, the rivalry is a historically even one.
Evansville Mater Dei vs. Reitz: This intense rivalry on the city’s west side is another one of the state’s best Catholic vs. public school rivalries. Neighbors often go to different schools, but there’s a deep respect within this rivalry as well. The football programs play annually for the West Side Nut Club Trophy.
Gibson Southern vs. Princeton Community: These two schools sit just north of Evansville in Gibson County and frequently square off in high-intensity matchups across both girls and boys basketball, including the local Gibson Toyota Classic tournament.
Jasper vs. Vincennes Lincoln: This Pocket Conference rivalry is best summed up by what late Vincennes coach Orlando “Gunner” Wyman had etched into his tombstone: “I had rather be here than in Jasper, Ind.”
North Daviess vs. Washington: Another hotly contested Daviess County matchup, this one might not have the nickname and pageantry of the iconic Buggy Bowl, but the Cougars and Hatchets have had a solid back-and-forth going over the years featuring low-scoring, defensive battles.
North Knox vs. South Knox: Knox County’s biggest rivalry has been a particularly strong girls basketball rivalry in recent years with the matchup frequently filling one gym or the other.
Vincennes Lincoln vs. Vincennes Rivet: While Lincoln probably considers a conference rival like Jasper or a historic rival like Washington to be its biggest adversary, it still means a little more when local bragging rights are on the line in a cross-town rivalry like this one.
Vincennes Lincoln vs. Washington: The Alices and Hatchets have one of the oldest rivalries in the region and frequently slug it out in low-scoring sectional contests.
NOTE: This story is part of a special “America 250” project on the history of Indiana high school basketball by journalists within USA Today Co. at the South Bend Tribune, Journal & Courier (Lafayette), The Star Press (Muncie), The Herald-Times (Bloomington) and The Courier & Press (Evansville). All stories will run on those respective sites between July 6-17, with select stories in printed copies of the paper as well.
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@usatodayco.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: 120 greatest rivalries in Indiana high school sports
Reporting by Cade Hampton, Muncie Star Press / Muncie Star Press
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By Cade Hampton, Muncie Star Press | USA TODAY Network
