Marion (Current) (7,690) Built 1970
December 3, 2024: Anderson vs. Marion (Girls)
December 3, 2024: Anderson vs. Marion (Girls)
When I was kid, the two things that really got me into basketball beyond the high school level were the Sports Illustrated NBA preview with full rosters, and the NBA Live video game. I used to study the rosters and play imaginary full court games either against myself or my little brother when get got older. Once my mom caved and finally let us get video games when we grew up a bit, we would play full March Madness style tournaments against each other with every team in the league using paper brackets we made by hand. It was a blast, and we each quickly found a couple of teams we loved playing with. My favorite was always the Memphis Grizzlies, and the main reason was Zach Randolph. Watching him play during that Grit and Grind era was just awesome. I became obsessed with his throwback low post game coming from a lefthanded, undersized, power forward. He was a walking bucket in the most unconventional way for the era he was playing in. He played with an edge that was contagious. My fascination with him led me to learn more about his backstory, and low and behold I found out he was from a city just a couple hours south of me in Marion. My older cousin even played against him and lost in the year that Westview would eventually go on to win the 2A state championship. This Indiana link made me feel even more connected to him, and it opened a door to me learning about the legacy of excellence that the Marion Giants have carved out for themselves over the last 100 years.
While Zach Randolph was the only player from Marion that was on my radar growing up, researching the history of basketball in this state over the last few years has opened my eyes to just how deep the well of basketball royalty runs in this town. I think only Muncie can truly rival what Marion has built, not just in terms of postseason success, but in the heroes of the game that have come out of the program. Dave Colescott, Lyndon Jones, Jay Edwards, Mr. Randolph, two generations of Blackmons, the list goes on and on. Eight state championships, seven runner-up finishes, and one of only two programs ever to three-peat. They did all of this while playing in the best basketball conference in the entire nation. The NCC was a bloodbath year in and year out for the better part of six decades, and they were always in the thick of it. There was barely ever a dropoff. In the early days they won 21 straight sectionals (shout-out to tiny Fairmount for breaking the streak in 1942!). Their gym is named after the most legendary coach in the history of Hoosier Hysteria, Mr. Bill Green. All of this to say, a school this steeped in tradition and a winning culture deserves a gym just as grand, and boy do they have one.
Like its NCC counterpart in Richmond, Bill Green Arena was built later than the older cathedrals in the conference. Its layout isn't anything revolutionary, but it's exquisitely executed. There are retractable bleachers on all four sides of the court on ground level. They each go up about 15 rows, which is decently high for a lower seating section. This lower section has plastic bleachers that alternate between purple and yellow. While I'm not a big fan of that color scheme, from a distance the bleachers look better than your typical plastic fare. Get a little closer and actually sit down on them, and you'll quickly notice that they are some of the most worn out plastic bleachers you will find. It's probably time for an upgrade, and going back to classic wood would be an instant upgrade. There are entrances to this lower level in all four corners of the gym. Inside what I guess would be considered the main entrance is a display honoring all the former Giants who have been enshrined in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. We'll talk more about this later, but I'm not sure I've seen any school honor their former greats better than Marion does in so many different places in and around the gym. Right outside in the hallway here is a sign honoring the leading scorers and winningest coaches for both the boys and and girls programs. Also in this hallway you can find displays from each of the state championship teams. The trophy and old-school ball from the 1926 title team is pretty incredible to see.
The upper level of the gym is accessed by stairs in the corners, and there's a lot to talk about. Let's start with some of the coolest sets of the bleachers you'll find anywhere. 26 rows of old brown beauties spanning the entire length of the sideline from wall to wall on each side. On this particular night, they were rolled back and criminally hidden behind two big partitions as is common at many bigger venues for girls basketball games. Nonetheless, it is easy to see how impressive they are. What's odd is that one sideline sectoin has each individual seat numbered in bright yellow paint, while the other side is completely bare. If someone from Marion wants to fill me in on why that is I would love to solve that mystery. When the bleachers are rolled up, those numbers really pop. When rolled up there are also practice courts on these upper levels as well. One side has normal glass hoops, but the other has old wooden backboards that aren't even full rectangles. That's something I've never seen even in older gyms. I'll hopefully make it back soon for a boys game so I can more pictures from some higher vantage points. There are no bleachers in the upper section behind either baseline, but the seating capacity still soars over 7,000. That tells you just how big these sideline sections are. I don't think they really miss the lack of seating behind the baselines though, because they utilize that space incredibly well.
I often lament how drab some upper baseline walls are in gyms. There's always a lot of space to cover, and using unique banners, murals, or other signage can really go a long way. Marion does an impeccable job of this, granted it helps when you have so much success and history to honor and display. The far baseline wall across from the main entrance has a lot going on. Looking from left to right, it starts with portraits of Marion Giant legends in individual square displays trimmed in purple and yellow. I've never seen anything like it before. Next to that is a vintage painting of an early Giant mascot. It's a little unnerving but eclectic and that's always a good thing. Beside that is the run of all 8 large state championship banners. It's an imposing sight if you are the visiting team. The opposite wall begins with very similar banners, but this time honoring the runner-up teams. On the other side of the wall is a mosaic of plaques honoring past Indiana All-Stars. Yes, there are enough to make a true mosaic. Squeezed in between the plaques and banners is a tall yellow display honoring Bill Green. Underneath these large baseline walls on both sides is a concourse that connects each side of the gym. You'll find concession stands in all four corners of the gym which seems crazy in today's day and age, but when this place was packed every single weekend I can see why they would be needed.
The last thing I want to point out about the upper levels are the four press boxes that overhang the action below. There are two above each baseline. They're carpeted with a nice ledge from which reporters and broadcasters can work with a great view of the game. They remind me of a similar setup you can find at Warsaw. Marion probably garnered more media coverage than almost anyone else back in the glory days, and I have no doubt these were premium seats reserved for the top news outlets. It's such a cool vantage point. Looking down on the court below, you'll see a very simple (in a good way) design. Most of the hardwood is a very light tan color, with darker hues only inside the wings on each side. There's the classic purple Marion "M" at center court, and the perimeter of the playing surface is trimmed in purple as well. "Marion" and "Giants" are written in big yellow block letters on opposite ends. It looks like something from the 90s or early 2000s, but I wouldn't really change a thing.
This was technically a return visit for me. My first and only other time inside the Marion gym was at a summer high school basketball tournament before my senior year. I just remember playing in the game with almost every set of bleachers rolled up and marveling at how cavernous it felt. Coming back to watch a girls game against Anderson with the upper bleachers rolled back, I still have yet to experience the full effect of the gym. Hopefully I'll make it back for a boys game or when it hosts a regional or semistate contest to view it in all its glory. Even still, I've been able to tell why this place is considered one of the preeminent places in the whole state to host big games. It's not just the size, it's the history and everything that comes with it. Tonight I just sat and thought about how many incredible games and crowds this gym has been a part of. The more I read and hear about these timeless moments, the more it puts everything into perspective. The NCC may not be what it used to be, and the classic gyms still standing within it may not be as consistently full anymore, but I don't think the aura will ever leave. Like Z-Bo and those came before him, the legend lives on.
