The Indiana Pacers announced Monday they have signed free agent T.J. McConnell and re-signed Edmond Sumner.

McConnell, a 6-2, 190 lb. guard, averaged 6.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field over 76 games for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2018-19. After he went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, McConnell played four seasons in Philadelphia and averaged 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals over 314 games played.

Sumner, a 6-5, 196 lb. guard, played 23 games and made two starts for the Pacers last year after beginning the season on a two-way contract. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.0 rebound over 9.1 minutes per game. Sumner also made 26 starts for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ affiliate in the NBA G League, and ranked 11th in the league in scoring with an average of 22.1 points per game.

Megan Fox and Donaven Harper captured titles in the annual Derby Days racing held in Morristown on Saturday.

Fox, in Car #9, went undefeated in the girls seven-car field.  She is 10 years old and it was her second year of competition.  Her parents are Matt and Alissa Fox.

As for Harper, the defending champion lost his first race to Ben Calaski in the double elimination bracket.  He wouldn’t lose again as he came back to beat Calaski twice and claim the title for a second straight year.

Harper is eight years old.  His parents are Barry Harper Jr and Jessica Hobson.

Natalie Dayharsh, a 17-year-old senior at Danville High School, was the winner of the recent QHRAI Youth Racing Experience event held at Indiana Grand Saturday, June 29. Dayharsh received a $2,000 scholarship from the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana (QHRAI) and will advance to the national American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Youth Racing Experience during the Bank of America Challenge. The event is set for The Downs at Albuquerque in New Mexico Saturday, Oct. 26, which will offer more scholarship prize money to the top contenders for the Youth Racing Experience events from across the nation.

A native of Coatesville, Ind., Dayharsh is an avid barrel racer. She started participating in 4-H in fifth grade and developed a love of horses from that point forward. She is a member of the National Barrel Horse Association, the International Barrel Racing Association and competes at local shows. She has also completed with the Thoroughbred Barrel Racing Association as well as the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover. She is a member of her school’s FFA program and competes with the Horse Evaluation CDE. Her team from Danville High School was the State Champion Senior Team and she placed as the top individual in the State.

“I wanted to participate in the QHRAI’s Youth Day Experience because I’ve always been fond of restarting off-the-track horses,” said Dayharsh. “I wanted to know more about the inner workings of life at the racetrack.”

Dayharsh was among 10 talented students participating in this year’s event at Indiana Grand. QHRAI noted it was a difficult decision to pick an overall winner.

“It was so hard for us to choose as all of the participants were capable of being first,” said Vickie Duke, vice president of QHRAI and coordinator for the local Youth Racing Experience. “The test at the end of the day was the determining factor.”

Participants in the QHRAI Youth Racing Experience started off their day with hands on work in the barn area with various Quarter Horse trainers. They heard from industry experts in all aspects of racing and visited several locations on the track, from the racing office and Indiana Horse Racing Commission to the starting gate and track maintenance facility. At the conclusion of the day, each student took a test on what they had learned during the program and accompanied a trainer to the paddock during a Quarter Horse race to see the process of preparing a horse for the race.

In addition to Dayharsh receiving the top scholarship of $2,000, second place finisher Gabi Paxson of Pennville, Ind. received a $1,000 scholarship. QHRAI also awarded $500 to the third, fourth and fifth place finishers for the QHRAI Youth Racing Experience.

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

The Indiana General Assembly passed a new law this year that is now in effect (Senate Enrolled Act 363) requiring a Hunting Guide License for those that provide hunting guide services for money or other goods or services (barter or trade). 

The license costs $100 a year. The application for the license and monthly report form can be found at wildlife.IN.gov/2371.htm.

While hunting guides (also called outfitters) have not been licensed by the Indiana DNR in the past, fishing guides have been licensed for a number of years.

The Indiana General Assembly also modified language for penalties as it pertains to guides. Violations include knowingly or intentionally guiding an individual on private property to hunt without consent of the landowner. The laws can be found at the same website, wildlife.IN.gov/2371.htm.

The win streak continues for Hooked on Jordan and Juan Galvan. The duo crossed under the finish line with an impressive performance to win the 17^th running of the $118,200 Blue River Derby Saturday, July 20 at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

Hooked on Jordan was just waiting for the starting gate to open to get to business. Galvan had him out of the gate in one big leap and on top of the nine-horse field. The Fast Prize Jordan gelding had control early on, rallying home by a neck to win his fourth straight victory in :20.040 seconds. A very tight photo determined Cause for Corona and Gerardo Garrido for second over Nacho Binez and Fernando Morin for third.

“He (Hooked on Jordan) was perfect,” said Galvan, through his wife, Nikki, who translated his comments following the race. “We had a good header and my respect goes out to all of them. He is such a strong horse. And, he gets very good care, too. They have done an excellent job with him. I want to thank Ron (Raper) and Jeannette (Hoover) for letting me ride him. He’s definitely a very strong competitor.”

Hooked on Jordan now has four wins in five starts for 2019 and boosted his career earnings tally to more than $118,000. As the fastest qualifier from the trials, Hooked on Jordan was one of the favorites, paying $7.40, $4.80, $3.20 across the board. The chestnut gelding is owned by Jeannette Hoover and trained by Ron Raper, who is also the breeder.

“We raised him and he’s very spoiled,” smiled Hoover. “His nickname is ‘MJ’ for Michael Jordan.”

Hooked on Jordan reminds Raper of his mother, Hooked on Laveaux, who also raced for his stable in Indiana more than a decade ago. He sees a lot of similarities in the two.

“He (Hooked on Jordan) runs just like his mother,” said Raper. “He’s honest and he’s not as big as the others, but he runs his hardest every time. He broke on top big tonight, and that was important. He’s a great horse to be around and easy to work with. He goes out for 20 minutes of grass every day. That’s his treat.”

Hooked on Jordan inherited the will to win from his dam. Hooked on Laveaux won several stakes races for Raper in three different stakes before retiring with 13 wins in 32 starts. However, Hoover and Raper have one factor that has changed the gelding’s success this season.

“Maturity is everything with this horse,” added Raper. “Plus, he was a stallion last year and we gelded him over the winter. This year, he’s all business. And Juan (Galvan) has done a good job riding him. That is the key.”

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m.

Christopher Brackett, 41, former host of the Outdoor Channel hunting show “Fear No Evil,” has pled guilty in federal court to unlawful transportation of wildlife, in violation of the Lacey Act.

Brackett, of East Peoria, Ill., admitted to killing two bucks within minutes of each other in Indiana in December 2013 while filming an episode for his show. Indiana law only allowed hunters to kill one buck per season. Brackett also admitted to transporting the larger buck, which he nicknamed “Unicorn Buck,” across state lines to his home in Illinois.

The footage featuring “Unicorn Buck” appeared on an episode of his show in 2014. Brackett also took steps to conceal the taking of the smaller buck by instructing staff to hide video footage and destroy the antlers.

As part of the plea agreement, Brackett agreed to 30 months of probation, and a ban of his hunting privileges worldwide for the same time period. He has also agreed to pay $30,000 in restitution and fines. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 5.

The investigation was completed by Indiana Conservation Officers along with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Prosecution was completed by the United States Attorney’s Office.

Tickets for the Horizon League Basketball Championships in Indianapolis are on sale now at HorizonLeague.com, the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office, or by calling the Indiana Farmers Coliseum Box Office at 317-927-7601.

Tickets for the semifinals and championship games start at just $10. Fans that purchase a ticket before September 30 will receive $5 off. Eight teams – four men and four women – will look to advance to Indianapolis and #ReachTheHorizon March 9-10 at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum located at the Indiana State Fairground & Event Center.

All eligible teams will compete in this year’s Horizon League Basketball Championships. First Round and Quarterfinal games will take place at campus sites of the highest available seed. Each host school will announce its ticketing plans. Students of Horizon League schools, with a current student ID, may obtain a free student ticket at the host school box office.

The Horizon League Basketball Championships will continue to feature student tickets. Students of Horizon League schools, with a current student ID, can obtain a ticket at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office.

Every game of the tournament will be carried on ESPN networks, with the championships airing live on Tuesday, March 10.

For complete information on the 2020 Horizon League Basketball Championships go to HorizonLeague.com/Indy or follow @HorizonLeague on social media.

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino will put the spotlight on racehorse aftercare programs Saturday, July 20 as part of Caesars Entertainment Racing properties’ “Empire of Hope.” The entire evening will be dedicated to raising funding and awareness for racehorses once their careers on the track are completed.

Indiana Grand will provide a “Parade of Champions” following the fourth race on the card at approximately 7:45 p.m. Several former racehorses now serve as outriding and pony horses for assistance on the track during the races. Looking at a few of those with new careers include “Vinny” owned by Outrider John Neal. “Vinny” has served as an outriding horse in both Kentucky and Indiana and was part of the on-set group of horses included in the Disney movie “Secretariat.” Another standout performer is the flashy grey gelding, Gallant, who is now part of the fleet of pony horses owned by Liz Klopp. Gallant won more than $427,000 during his racing career, including a win in the $500,000 Princess of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie in Canada.

“We are excited to offer a night where we can place the spotlight on racehorse aftercare programs,” said Jon Schuster, vice president and general manager of racing. “Organizations such as Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Friends of Ferdinand and New Vocations are crucial to our business and its very rewarding to see our equine athletes go on and find success in different types of careers after their racing days have completed. We hope to provide a great backdrop with our ‘Empire of Hope’ event to support such a worthy cause in both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing at Indiana Grand.”

To help complement the evening, several free children’s activities will take place, including face painting, airbrush tattoos, strolling entertainment and an inflatable. The popular “Peppermints for Ponies” will also be available. Guests may purchase peppermints to feed to the pony horses between select races with all proceeds going to racehorse aftercare programs.

Indiana Grand has been working over the past two months to help raise funding for the cause. One dollar from every package sold for Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Indiana Derby was earmarked for the cause, and unclaimed monies from an on-track contest have been earmarked for racehorse aftercare programs. Friends of Ferdinand, based in the Indianapolis area, will be on hand to provide information about their program, and items from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will also be available throughout the racing card. The Indiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) will provide two donations during the night and the jockeys of Indiana Grand will also provide a donation to the overall tally for the evening.

In addition to activities on the racing side, the casino side has also joined in support of “Empire of Hope” with the “Give $10, Get $10” program. Guests on the casino floor may stop at the casino cashier and give a $10 donation and in turn get $10 in casino play. All proceeds from the promotion will go directly to racehorse aftercare programs.

Racing gets underway at 6:15 p.m. for the nine-race card. The first eight will feature Thoroughbred racing with the $118,200 Blue River Derby Final for Quarter Horses taking center stage in the night cap.

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. 

“Grand Experience” the popular free interactive program for racing fans of all ages, will be on the road this weekend. Presented by the Indiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), the event will be held at the Katie and Tony Duran farm located at 2617 E. Old Rushville Road in Shelbyville, Ind. Lunch begins at 11:45 a.m. with a tour of their breeding farm to follow. The program will be completed at approximately 12:45 p.m. Saturday, July 20, 2019.

“Grand Experience” provides guests of the monthly program with a behind the scenes look at Thoroughbred racing. The event focuses on a different topic each month, showcasing the different aspects of the Thoroughbred industry. The event at the Duran Farm will give fans an up close and personal look at a breeding farm complete with brood mares and weanlings. Industry experts will also be on hand to answer questions about the Indiana Thoroughbred breeding program.

Guests wishing to attend the Duran Farm tour may drive on their own to the farm, located north of Shelbyville on Old Rushville Road, or ride a shuttle provided from Indiana Grand. A marker will be placed on Old Rushville Road identifying the entrance to the farm, which sits back off the road on a lane.

For guests who wish to ride a shuttle to the farm, transportation will be provided from Indiana Grand’s racecourse apron area adjacent to the racetrack. The shuttle will be limited to the first 13 guests who sign in and the shuttle will leave the track promptly at 11:15 a.m., arriving at the Duran Farm at approximately 11:35 a.m.

Other events planned for 2019 through the Indiana HBPA’s “Grand Experience” includes “Boots ‘N Brews” night Saturday, July 27 beginning at 6 p.m. trackside at Indiana Grand and “Come Along for the Ride,” with former jockey and chaplain Otto Thorwarth set for Saturday, Sept. 21 beginning at 9 a.m. also held trackside at Indiana Grand. For more information on “Grand Experience,” go to the Indiana Grand Website at www.indianagrand.com and select the racing tab.

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

The Boston Celtics earned the top seed in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2019 tournament, following the first seven days of action in Las Vegas.  the Detroit Pistons (2), Minnesota Timberwolves (3), New Orleans Pelicans (4), Miami Heat (5), Dallas Mavericks (6), Brooklyn Nets (7) and Memphis Grizzlies (8) round out the eight tournament teams.  This marks the first year of the eight-team tournament format.

The single-elimination tournament tips off on Saturday, July 13, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas.  The tournament will culminate in a championship game on Monday, July 15 at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN2. 

Saturday’s tournament slate features four quarterfinal games.  The top-seeded Celtics tip off the day when they take on the Grizzlies at 1:30 p.m. PT at the Thomas & Mack Center, followed by the Pelicans and Heat (3:30 p.m. PT), Detroit and Brooklyn (5:30 p.m. PT) and Minnesota and Dallas (7:30 p.m. PT).

The 24 teams who did not qualify for the tournament will each play a consolation game, tipping off Friday, July 12, at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion and conclude Saturday, July 13 at Cox Pavilion. 

Each of the 32 teams played four games apiece since the event tipped off on July 5, with the results of those games determining the tournament seeding.  Seeding for the tournament was determined by win-loss records, with ties being broken using quarter-points followed by point differential.   

ESPN and NBA TV will present the remaining 19 games from Las Vegas with ESPN and ESPN2 exclusively televising the tournament rounds on Saturday, July 13; Sunday, July 14; and Monday, July 15.  Additionally, all remaining games will be available live on the ESPN App.

Fans can purchase tickets for the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League by visiting NBATickets.com.

The complete list of team seedings and results from the first seven days of competition, is attached and available online at www.nba.com/summerleague.

MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2019 Schedule & Results

Friday, July 5

Cox Pavilion

12 p.m. – Detroit 96, Croatia 80

2 p.m. – Minnesota 85, Cleveland 75

4 p.m. – Dallas 96, Brooklyn 92

6 p.m. – Charlotte 93, Golden State 85

8 p.m. – Orlando 75, San Antonio 59 (Final)

Thomas & Mack

12:30 p.m. – Philadelphia 107, Milwaukee 106

2:30 p.m. – Miami 103, China 62

4:30 p.m. – Chicago 96, Los Angeles Lakers 76

6:30 p.m. – New Orleans 80, New York 74 (Final)

8:30 p.m. – Denver vs. Phoenix - Cancelled

Saturday, July 6

Cox Pavilion

12 p.m. – Utah 78, Oklahoma City 66

2 p.m. – Milwaukee 89, Atlanta 83

4 p.m. – Memphis 101, Indiana 75

6 p.m. – Dallas 113, Houston 81

8 p.m. – Sacramento 94, China 77

Thomas & Mack

12:30 p.m. – Detroit 93, Portland 73

2:30 p.m. – Boston 96, Philadelphia 82

4:30 p.m. – LA Clippers 93, Los Angeles Lakers 87

7 p.m. – Washington 84, New Orleans 79

9 p.m. – Golden State 80, Toronto 71

Sunday, July 7

Cox Pavilion

1 p.m. – Brooklyn 74, Croatia 58

3 p.m. – Denver 84, Orlando 79

5 p.m. – Miami 93, Utah 81

7 p.m. – Portland 97, Houston 87

Thomas & Mack

12:30 p.m. – San Antonio 106, Charlotte 96

2:30 p.m. – Minnesota 90, Atlanta 66

4:30 p.m. – Cleveland 82, Chicago 75

6:30 p.m. – Phoenix 105, New York 100 (OT)

8:30 p.m. – Memphis 87, LA Clippers 75

Monday, July 8

Cox Pavilion

12 p.m. – Oklahoma City 84, Philadelphia 81 (OT)

2 p.m. – Detroit 102. Indiana 84

4 p.m. – San Antonio 93, Toronto 90

6 p.m. – Minnesota 100, Milwaukee 91

8 p.m. – China 84, Charlotte 80

Thomas & Mack

12:30 p.m. – Sacramento 105, Dallas 101

2:30 p.m. – Brooklyn 88, Washington 85

4:30 p.m. – Boston 89, Cleveland 72

6:30 p.m. – New Orleans 109, Chicago 72

8:30 p.m. – Golden State 88, Los Angeles Lakers 80

Tuesday, July 9

Cox Pavilion

1 p.m. – Miami 96, Orlando 92

3 p.m. – Utah 97, Portland 93

5 p.m. – Boston 95, Denver 82

7 p.m. – Houston 94, Sacramento 92

Thomas & Mack

12:30 p.m. – Oklahoma City 84, Croatia 76

2:30 p.m. – Atlanta 87, Indiana 67

4:30 p.m. – Memphis 79, Phoenix 69 

6:30 p.m. – Toronto 85, New York 73

8:30 p.m. – LA Clippers 90, Washington 72

Wednesday, July 10

Cox Pavilion

12 p.m. – Detroit 96, Philadelphia 81

2 p.m. – Chicago 75, Charlotte 72

4 p.m. – Minnesota 90, Miami 87

6 p.m. – Phoenix 79, San Antonio 78

8 p.m. – Milwaukee 84, China 67

Thomas & Mack

12:30 p.m. – Dallas 79, Croatia 71

2:30 p.m. – Brooklyn 93, Orlando 85

4:30 p.m. – New Orleans 99, Cleveland 78

6:30 p.m. – New York 117, Los Angeles Lakers 96

8:30 p.m. – Golden State 73, Denver 69

Thursday, July 11

Cox Pavilion

3 p.m. – Toronto 94, Indiana 79

5 p.m. – Oklahoma City 92, Portland 87

7 p.m. – LA Clippers 83, Sacramento 80

Thomas & Mack

3:30 p.m. – Washington 76, Atlanta 71

5:30 p.m. – Houston 87, Utah 78

7:30 p.m. – Boston 113, Memphis 87

Friday, July 12 – Consolation

Cox Pavilion:

1 p.m. – #27 Philadelphia vs. #14 Toronto (ESPNU)

3 p.m. – #30 Croatia vs. #11 Oklahoma City (ESPNU)

5 p.m. – #28 Cleveland vs. #13 Sacramento (ESPNU)

7 p.m. – #26 Portland vs. #15 Milwaukee (ESPNU)

Thomas & Mack:

1:30 p.m. – #31 L.A. Lakers vs. #10 Golden State (NBA TV)

3:30 p.m. – #29 China vs. #12 Phoenix (NBA TV)

5:30 p.m. – #32 Indiana vs. #9 LA Clippers (NBA TV)

7:30 p.m. – #25 Atlanta vs. #16 San Antonio (NBA TV)

Saturday, July 13 – Consolation and Quarterfinals

Consolation games:

Cox Pavilion:

1 p.m. – #24 Charlotte vs. #17 Utah (NBA TV)

3 p.m. – #23 New York vs. #18 Washington (NBA TV)

5 p.m. – #22 Orlando vs. #19 Chicago (NBA TV)

7 p.m. – #21 Denver vs. #20 Houston (NBA TV)

Quarterfinal tournament games:

Thomas & Mack:

1:30 p.m. – #8 Memphis vs. #1 Boston (ESPN)

3:30 p.m. – #5 Miami vs. #4 New Orleans (ESPN)

5:30 p.m. – #7 Brooklyn vs. #2 Detroit (ESPN)

7:30 p.m. – #6 Dallas vs. #3 Minnesota (ESPN2)

Sunday, July 14 – Semifinals

Thomas & Mack: 3 p.m. (ESPN2) and 5 p.m. (ESPN2)

Monday, July 15 – Championship

Thomas & Mack: 6 p.m. (ESPN2)

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame has elected new officers and added new members to their Board of Directors effective July 1, 2019. 

Jerry Peirson, a 2010 HOF inductee, has been elected as President.  A graduate of Royerton High School and Miami (OH) University, he served as head coach at Cowan High School before a coaching career at Miami (OH), including as head men’s basketball coach from 1984-1990.  Retired from a position with Ball State University’s Cardinal Varsity Club, he resides in Yorktown.

Mark Baltz, a 2013 recipient of the Hall of Fame’s Center Circle Officials Award, has been elected as Executive Vice President.  Baltz was a veteran NFL official for 25 seasons, along with a lengthy basketball officiating career.  He worked 38 IHSAA sectionals, 25 regionals, eight semi-states and three state finals during his involvement in Indiana high school basketball.  He resides in Zionsville.

Ray Pavy, a 1990 HOF inductee, remains the organization’s Treasurer.  A graduate of New Castle Chrysler High School and Indiana University, he was head coach at Sulphur Springs and Shenandoah high schools before a lengthy career as a school administrator in New Castle.  He resides in New Castle.

Donna Sullivan, a 2002 HOF inductee, has been appointed to a two-year term as Secretary.  A graduate of Orleans High School and Indiana University, she coached Seymour High School girls teams to 344 wins, including 10 sectional championships, five regional titles and a 1987 state finals appearance.  Retired from Seymour High School, she resides in Seymour.

Additionally, Steve Platt, Dave Schellhase and Rick Goins have joined the organization’s Executive Committee. 

Platt, a 1996 HOF inductee, is a graduate of Union Township High School (Huntington County) and the then-Huntington College.  An All-American in his college days, he twice led the nation in scoring average and he remains the highest scoring college player in Indiana history (3,700 career points).  In 14 seasons as the head coach at Huntington University, his teams won 329 games and finished as 2006 NAIA National Runners-Up. Retired from coaching, his family farms east of Huntington, where he resides.

Schellhase, a 1992 HOF inductee, is a graduate of Evansville North High School and Purdue University.  Setting the city career scoring record (1,325 points) in Evansville, he graduated from Purdue with the program’s single-game (57) and career (2,074) scoring records, was the nation’s leading scorer and a consensus All-American in 1966 before becoming the first NBA draft pick in Chicago Bulls franchise history.  He was the head men’s basketball coach at Indiana State University from 1982 – 1985 and is the winningest head coach in the history of Moorhead State (MN) University, with 298 wins in 18 seasons.  Employed at Logansport High School from 2004-2015, he is retired and resides in Logansport.

Goins, a 2015 HOF inductee, is a graduate of Rushville Consolidated High School and Miami (OH) University.    Setting Rushville records for most points in a game (45) and in a season (662), he helped lead the Lions to the 1976 IHSAA state runner-up finish.  A team captain and two-time MVP at Miami, he graduated as the school’s 6^th all-time leading scorer (1,230 points) as a member of two Mid-American Conference title teams.  Retired from a career with the Internal Revenue Service, he resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Additionally, four new members have been appointed to four-year terms as new members of the Board of Directors, effective July 1.

Tony Etchison, a member of the Hall’s 2016 Silver Anniversary Team, is a graduate of Noblesville High School and Mercer University.  Totaling 1,357 points in high school, he led Noblesville to two sectional titles and two-time Hamilton County Player of the Year honors, before leading the TransAmerican Conference in three-point shooting at Mercer.  An agent for Farm Bureau Insurance, he resides in Arcadia.

Jimmie Howell, a 2018 HOF inductee, is a graduate of Lapel High School and Charleston Southern University.  In his 38^th season as an Indiana high school basketball coach, the current Lapel head coach is the 14^th winningest high school boys varsity coach in Indiana history with 610 career victories, including 2005 1A and 2016 2A IHSAA championships.  Currently the athletic director of Lapel Middle School, he resides in Lapel.

Jennifer Jacoby, a 2017 HOF inductee, is a graduate of Rossville High School and Purdue University.  Indiana’s 1991 Miss Basketball graduated as the 2^nd all-time leading scorer in Indiana girls basketball history with 2,344 career points after averaging 33.7 points and 11.3 assists as senior and 29.3 points per game for her career.  She was a starter for Purdue teams that won two Big Ten championships including their 1994 NCAA Final Four team.  Employed in college and high school coaching and administrator roles, she resides in Rossville.

Laura Titus, a 2011 HOF inductee, is a graduate of Rochester High School and Purdue University.  At Rochester, she helped teams to undefeated regular seasons and a pair of regional championships in the first two years of IHSAA girls basketball and was named a 1977 Indiana All-Star.  A two-time team MVP at Purdue, she graduated as the program’s career scoring leader.  Employed in education, she teaches at Avon Intermediate School and lives in Plainfield.

A full listing of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Officers and Board members for the 2019-20 year:

Officers

Jerry Peirson, President

Mark Baltz, Executive Vice President

Ray Pavy, Treasurer

Donna Sullivan, Secretary

Steve Witty, Immediate Past President

Bill Walker, Vice President North

John Heaton, Vice President Central

Rick Goins, Vice President South

Dave Schellhase, At-Large

Steve Platt, At-Large

Vance Meier, Henry County Representative

Chris May, Executive Director

Board of Directors

Larry Angle

Wayne Barker
Steve Brett

Bobby Cox

Steve Davidson

Roger DeYoung

Tony Etchison
Jim Fisher

David Gadis

Jimmie Howell

Jennifer Jacoby
Amy Metheny

Alan Nass

Jim Powers, Jr.

Laura Titus

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame was established in 1962 and opened their museum in New Castle in 1990.  Their mission is to honor, preserve and promote the heritage of Indiana high school basketball.  To find out more, visit www.hoopshall.com or call (765) 529-1891.

The Horizon League has unveiled its logo and official hashtag - #ReachTheHorizon - for the 2020 Horizon League Basketball Championships.

The 2020 championships will mark the first year that the Horizon League Basketball Championships will take place in Indianapolis at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center.

The men’s and women’s championship games will take place on Tuesday, March 10 and the semifinals will be played on Monday, March 9. Early round games will be played on campus with the bracket announced at a later date.

The design of the logo blends the incredible skyline of downtown Indianapolis with the iconic facade of the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, located in the shadows of downtown. Indianapolis, centrally located among League schools, was named one of “America’s Favorite Places” by Travel and Leisure and “One of the Most Exciting Food Cities” by Zagat.

#ReachTheHorizon will be used throughout the year to identify the Horizon League Basketball Championships as it symbolizes the goal for all student-athletes, coaches, alumni, and fans - earning a trip to Indianapolis in March and playing for a championship.

Tickets for the semifinals and championship games start at just $10 and will go on sale on July 18 at 10 am ET. Fans that purchase a ticket prior to September 30 will receive $5 off.

For complete information on the 2020 Horizon League Basketball Championships go to HorizonLeague.com/Indy or follow @HorizonLeague on social media. 

#ReachTheHorizon

ABOUT THE HORIZON LEAGUE

The Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of 10 member institutions located throughout the Midwest’s major metropolitan cities. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the League and its members strive to be highly competitive athletically while committing to the total development of its student-athletes and creating a lasting impact on campus and in the community. For more information, visit HorizonLeague.com.

ABOUT INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS & EVENT CENTER                                                                             
The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center is a modern public event facility that annually hosts more than 400 meetings, shows, sports and agricultural events, including the Indiana State Fair. The year-round management of the Fairgrounds is overseen by the Indiana State Fair Commission which is a quasi-governmental agency that was established in 1992, with the mission to preserve and enhance the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the annual Indiana State Fair for the benefit of all citizens of Indiana. Additional information is available at www.indianastatefair.com.

Hunters can apply online for State Parks Deer Management Draw Hunts beginning July 15 by visiting on.IN.gov/reservedhunt. Applications are only available online and close Aug. 26.

The first State Park hunt was held in 1993 as an effort to mitigate damage to vegetation and unique habitat by an overpopulation of white-tailed deer in Brown County State Park. Multiple parks have hosted deer management hunts annually since 1995. The decision to start deer management at individual parks has been based on scientific vegetation monitoring. Decisions to continue deer management at individual parks are made annually using harvest data and consideration of occurrences of rare, threatened, and endangered flora that could be affected by excessive browsing by deer.

Applicants must possess any valid license to take a deer in Indiana at the time of the application, excluding an apprentice license, and must be Indiana residents who will be 18 years of age by the date of the first hunt. Once an application has been submitted, information cannot be changed. Applications must be completed by the application deadline.

Primary applicants can apply by themselves or with up to two secondary applicants (buddies). Primary applicants must apply with their buddies’ information on their application in order for them to participate, including their buddies’ deer license number(s) and date(s) of birth.

Buddies must still meet all age, residency, and licensing requirements of the State Parks Deer Management Hunts. Each applicant may appear on only one application per hunt period.

Firearm hunts allow applicants to use any legal firearm to take deer on public land in Indiana. Archery hunts allow applications to use any legal archery equipment to take deer in Indiana, including crossbows.

Hunters will be selected through a randomized computer drawing. A link to view drawing results will be posted at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt by Aug. 30.  

2019 State Parks Deer Management Draw Hunt properties:

• Chain O’ Lakes State Park
• Charlestown State Park
• Clifty Falls State Park (archery only)
• Fort Harrison State Park (archery only)
• Harmonie State Park
• Indiana Dunes State Park
• McCormick’s Creek State Park
• Ouabache State Park
• Pokagon State Park
• Prophetstown State Park
• Shakamak State Park
• Spring Mill State Park and Cave River Valley Natural Area (drawn and managed together)
• Summit Lake State Park
• Tippecanoe River State Park
• Trine State Recreation Area (archery only)
• Whitewater Memorial State Park

Early hunts are Nov. 18-19, 2019 and late hunts are Dec. 2-3, 2019.

More information is available at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt.

The field is set for the 25^th running of the Grade III $500,000-guaranteed Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand Saturday, July 13. Mr. Money, the talented three-year-old son of Goldencents, has been tagged as the early morning line favorite at odds of 6-5 despite the outside post 11 in the race.

Mr. Money, owned by Chester Thomas’ Allied Racing Stable, LLC based out of Madisonville, Ky., has been a late bloomer for his connections. Early setbacks kept the experienced Graded Stakes performer off the Kentucky Derby trail, but his performances in the past two starts, both Grade III wins, make him a major threat for the title in Indiana’s richest horse race.

“That wasn’t what I was hoping for, but it’s not a big deal,” said Trainer Bret Calhoun on drawing post 11. “I’d rather have been inside a few post positions from there. But he’s got speed. If he can get away all right, he’ll be fine. You’ve got the potential of being hung out there a little bit (around the first turn), but he gets away sharp. He’s fast enough. I don’t know how much speed is in there, but he’s a pretty fast horse. If he gets away sharp, he ought to be able to get himself a decent position and not have to worry about getting hung too wide.”

Regular rider Gabriel Saez will come into ride Mr. Money, who has won two of four starts this season and accumulated a bankroll of nearly half-million dollars.

Joining Mr. Money as a major contender is Long Range Toddy from post nine at odds of 12-1 with veteran rider Jon Court aboard. Court, who has won the Indiana Derby twice in the 24-year history of the race, guided the Take Charge Indy colt to a third-place finish in his last start in the Grade III $500,000 Ohio Derby. Prior to that start, Long Range Toddy competed in the Kentucky Derby and was impeded around the final turn to be placed up to 16^th. Steve Asmussen trains Long Range Toddy, who was a winner of the $750,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park earlier this year. With more than $900,000 in earnings, a win in the Indiana Derby would generously place Long Range Toddy over the million-dollar mark.

Gray Magician and Ricardo Santana Jr. come into the Indiana Derby off a last start in the Kentucky Derby. The Graydar colt, trained by Peter Miller, traveled overseas to the Grade II $2.5 million UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse where he finished second prior to his run in the Kentucky Derby. Gray Magician starts from post three at odds of 8-1.

“He’s tactical, so the three post should be just fine,” commented Peter Miller, trainer of Gray Magician from post three. “We can break and get a position either in or just behind the first flight.”

Another contender that is Graded Stakes placed is Roiland from post one for the Tom Amoss barn. Amoss, a six-time leading trainer at Indiana Grand, sends his Successful Appeal colt into the Indiana Derby off a fifth-place finish in the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational Stakes in early May. His best finish to date was in the Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds where he finished a hard charging third. DeShawn Parker, second in the current jockey standings at Indiana Grand and winner of more than 5,500 career races, has the call from post one at odds of 12-1.

“There’s no secret as to where Roiland will be early in the race,” said Trainer Tom Amoss. “Drawing the rail post position not only allows us to save ground, but we won’t have to move over to get to the rail at the start.”

The entire Indiana Derby field, in order of post position with jockey and odds, includes Roiland (DeShawn Parker, 12-1); Hero Tiger (Ezequiel Lara, 30-1); Gray Magician (Ricardo Santana Jr., 8-1); Market Garden (Santo Sanjur, 30-1); Frolic More (Corey Lanerie, 15-1); Alwaysmining (Julian Pimentel, 8-1); Eskenforit (Julien Leparoux, 20-1); Chess Chief (Brian Hernandez Jr., 12-1); Long Range Toddy (Jon Court, 12-1); Math Wizard (Edgard Zayas, 9-2); and Mr. Money (Gabriel Saez, 6-5).  Post time for the Indiana Derby, which is the ninth on the card, is 10:02 p.m. EST.

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

The Grade III $500,000-guaranteed Indiana Derby has drawn 41 nominations for the 25^th running of Indiana’s richest horse race Saturday, July 13 at Indiana Grand. Of the horses nominated, a total of 10 three-year-olds competed in at least one of the Triple Crown races in 2019 leading into summer’s biggest sporting event in central Indiana.

Heading the list of nominations is Everfast, second place finisher in the Preakness. The son of Take Charge Indy last competed in the Belmont Stakes in early June, finishing seventh for trainer Dale Romans and owner Calumet Farm. Everfast won his first and only race last year at Ellis Park, and would head into the Indiana Derby with nearly $500,000 in purse earnings.

Joining Everfast as a potential contender in the Indiana Derby is Joevia from the Greg Sacco barn. The Shanghai Bobby colt finished third in his last start in the Belmont Stakes and has only finished worse than third one time in five starts this season.

Laughing Fox from the Steve Asmussen Stable was a hard charging fifth in the Preakness and has added his name to the nomination list for the Indiana Derby. With three wins in six starts this season, the Union Rags colt would be seeking his first Graded Stakes win in the Indiana Derby. Asmussen has also nominated Long Range Toddy, winner of the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park earlier this spring. The Take Charge Indy colt finished third in his last start at the Ohio Derby and is less than $100,000 away from earning $1 million during his career.

Kentucky Derby starter Plus Que Parfait from the Brendan Walsh barn comes into Indiana with more than $1.5 million on his card, the most of any other nominee for the Indiana Derby. The Point of Entry ridgling was placed eighth in the Kentucky Derby and scored a win in the UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse in United Emirates in the start prior to the Kentucky Derby.

Joining the Indiana Derby on the Saturday, July 13 racing program will be five other stakes races, including the Grade III $200,000-guaranteed Indiana Oaks. A total of 39 fillies have added their name to the nomination list.

Indiana Derby Night will be complemented by activities, including a t-shirt giveaway to the first 2,500 fans as well as three $2,500 Megabet drawings during the night in honor of the 25^th anniversary of the race. Also, former Indianapolis Colts player and Super Bowl Champion Jeff Saturday will serve as the honorary chairperson for the event.

Parking and general admission is free to the Indiana Derby and open to racing fans of all ages. Gates open at 3 p.m. with a special first race post set for 5:30 p.m. The Indiana Oaks will be slated as Race 8 with an estimated post time of 9:15 followed by the Indiana Derby with an estimated post time of 10 p.m. More information about Indiana Derby Night is available at www.indianagrand.com.

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. 

Country Boy 123 made his third trip to Indiana a winning one, scoring the victory in the 21^st running of the $52,160 Bradford Stakes at Indiana Grand Saturday, July 6. The race was the final on the second all-Quarter Horse racing night of 2019 in Indiana.

Based out of Ontario in the Ruth Barbour Stable northwest of Toronto, Country Boy 123 has spent most of his impressive career racing at Ajax Downs. But Barbour has sent the six-year-old Country Chicks Man gelding to Indiana three years in a row to Trainer Tony Cunningham. The result in the previous two starts have been second place finishes in stakes action. That result changed in the Bradford Stakes Saturday.

Starting from post three, Country Boy 123 was out of the gate quickly and on top in the blink of an eye in the 10-horse field for jockey Giovani Vasquez Gomez. Every stride he took made him more difficult to catch, rallying home to an impressive one and one-quarter length victory in a time of :19.648 seconds. WH Kenny G and Oscar Macias slid up the inside for second followed by Stinkin Rich and Shanley Jackson from the center of the pack for third.

“He (Country Boy 123) is very easy to ride,” said Gomez. “I had actually ridden him a few years ago when he came in for a stakes race and he finished second, so I knew him a little bit before tonight.”

It was the 19^th career victory for Country Boy 123, who topped the $300,000 career earnings mark with the win in the Bradford Stakes. He paid $12.00, $6.60 and $4.40 across the board for his win. Although his time was short with the Cunningham Stable, Country Boy 123 was a welcome addition.

“We’ve only had him a couple of weeks,” said Cunningham. “Ruth sent him to us in good shape. We just did a little fine tuning to get him ready and he settled in a lot better this year. The first two times he came to Indiana, he didn’t get away good and struggled a little, but he broke well tonight. I thank Ruth (Barbour) for trusting me with her horse. He sure is a nice one.”

Barbour knows the horse better than anyone. The Michigan bred was purchased from the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale in 2014 for $7,200 and has been an asset to her barn since that time. She also gallops him herself, so she gets a hands-on view of his progress.

“Right now, I have a three-year-old Quarter Horse and a six-year-old Quarter Horse, which is him (Country Boy 123),” said Barbour. “And, then the rest are Thoroughbreds. I gallop him on our track at home, so he’s broke pretty well. We’ll take him home and we may visit you again in Indiana in October for another stakes.”

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

The Indiana Pacers announced Saturday they have acquired guard Malcolm Brogdon from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a future first round draft pick, as well as two future second round draft picks.

“We feel like Malcolm embodies the values that we’re about here at the Pacers; and he’s the perfect fit for our team,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “Having started on the team with the best record in the NBA last year, we value the leadership he’ll bring to our team, as well as his great ability to play multiple positions.”

Brogdon set new career highs last season as he averaged 15.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 64 starts for the Bucks. Last season, he became the eighth player in NBA history to shoot at least 50 percent from the field (.505), 40 percent from 3-point range (.426) and 90 percent from the free throw line (.928). Brogdon was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2016-17, and has averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from 3-point range and 89.5 percent from the foul line over his three NBA seasons.

 "With all the moves we’ve made, we feel like we’ve put ourselves on a great timeline with a group of guys that either are in their prime or will be hitting their prime soon,” added Pritchard. “Along with that, we really focused on bringing in high character players to fit in with our core values of toughness, togetherness and trust. With these additions to the group we already have in place, we couldn’t be happier.”

A tottal of nine races will be featured on the second all-Quarter Horse Night racing card Saturday, July 6 at Indiana Grand. The evening includes three trials of the Heartland Futurity and two trials for the Blue River Derby followed by the 25^th running of the $76,480 Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby capped off with the 21^st running of the $52,160 Bradford Stakes. First post is set for 6:15 p.m.

The Bradford Stakes is headlined by five horses with earnings in excess of $100,000, including Indiana’s all-time richest Quarter Horse Stinkin Rich. The now seven-year-old flashy grey gelding established a track record at two and has continued to rake in seven stakes victories. With a total of $502,595, Stinkin Rich is the first Indiana bred Quarter Horse to eclipse the $500,000 mark for owner-breeder Carolyn Bruce of Lawrenceburg, Ind. Matt Frazier trains the gelding, who makes his first start of 2019 after polishing off 2018 with two victories. Stinkin Rich starts from post four at odds of 5-1 with Shanley Jackson up.

Race favorite As and Js, from the Leonardo Alcala barn, starts from post five at odds of 9-5. The five-year-old Apollitical Jess mare comes into the event off a win in the Grade II $100,000 Junos Request Stake in her last start. Edwun Lujan comes in to ride the near $500,000 career earnings winner.

WRs Valentino from the Randy Smith Stable has been favored in the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby from post five at odds of 5-2. The Mighty B Valiant gelding was a winner in his sole start for 2019 in late June. He has yet to finish back of second in six career starts with four of those as trips to the winner’s circle. Leading Jockey Berkley Packer rides for Smith, a six-time leading Quarter Horse trainer at Indiana Grand.

The second of two trials for the Blue River Derby features the return of last year’s two-year-old champ Dominyun Cartel from the Erin Thompson barn. The Indiana bred son of Dominyun was a finalist for the AQHA Two-Year-Old of the Year and ran fourth in his last start, the $74,115 Old South Derby at Delta Downs in May. Jose Beltran is back aboard for Thompson and owner-breeder Brian Gunder from post six at even odds as the race favorite.

The second all-Quarter Horse racing night will be complemented by several activities trackside, including $2 race wagers to the first 100 fans courtesy of the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana (QHRAI). The organization will also provide a t-shirt toss as well as the popular contest Quarter Four with a $20 race wager drawn each time one of the top four Quarter Horse jockeys wins a race. The top four jockeys this season are Berkley Packer, Leonardo Rodriguez, Oscar Macias and Fernando Morin. Additional handicapping will be provided by nationally known Quarter Horse racing analyst Martha Claussen.

Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

In June, two black carp were captured in the Ohio River about 10 miles downstream of the Indiana state line. Black carp are native to eastern Asia and were brought to the United States during the 1970-80s. They have since escaped captivity and have been moving throughout the Mississippi River basin.

Black carp feed on mollusks and pose a serious threat to Indiana’s mussel populations. Many of the mussel species native to Indiana are already listed as species of special concern or endangered due to pollution and changes in river habitat. For more information about the important role mussels play in the state’s rivers, visit wildlife.IN.gov/8684.htm.

Although it is possible to catch black carp on traditional baits, bowfishing anglers are more likely to encounter them. Black carp look very similar to grass carp. See the identification sheet at asiancarp.us/Documents/BlackGrassCarpIdentification.PDF to help tell the difference.

If you have caught a suspected black carp, follow the keep, cool, call procedure:

• Keep the fish and make note of its location.
• Cool the fish on ice once you have killed it.
• Call the DNR at 1-866-663-9684 to report the fish.

You may be eligible for a $100 bounty per black carp carcass, funded through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The Indiana Pacers announced Monday they have signed forward Brian Bowen II to a two-way contract. In addition, the Pacers signed forward JaKeenan Gant and guard C.J. Wilcox to contracts.

Bowen played professionally in Australia during the 2018-19 for the Sydney Kings. He averaged 6.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 30 games played.

Gant played collegiately at the University of Louisiana and was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference. He averaged 20.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game as a senior in 2018-19.

Wilcox signed a two-way contract with the Pacers in August 2018 before suffering a torn right Achilles tendon prior to training camp. He was originally selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 28th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Wilcox last appeared for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G League during the 2017-18 season, averaging 10.4 points per game and shooting 45.1 percent from the field. 

DNR hatchery staff is stocking hybrid striped bass across the state for the benefit of Hoosier anglers.

Hybrid striped bass, also known as “wipers,” are a hybrid species of white bass and striped bass. By hybridizing the two, hatchery staff is able to produce fish that grow faster and larger than a typical white bass, yet can tolerate a wider range of conditions than pure striped bass.

On June 17, DNR hatchery staff began stocking nine different lakes across the state with hybrid striped bass. These fish average between 1-1.5 inches when they are stocked, but can reach sizes averaging 13 inches by their second year.

Hybrid striped bass are known for being a challenging catch, but they also help control undesirable species such as gizzard shad in some Indiana lakes. Hybrid striped bass are typically not capable of reproduction. Stockings will be completed in these areas:

• Nyona Lake (Fulton County) – 1,040 fish
• Worster Lake (St. Joseph County) – 3,270 fish
• Clare Lake (LaPorte County) – 420 fish
• Lake Shafer (White County) – 12,910 fish
• Lake Freeman (White County) – 15,470 fish
• Shadyside Pond (Madison County) – 1,000 fish
• Monroe Lake (Monroe County) – 53,750 fish
• Hardy Lake (Scott County) – 7,000 fish
• Patoka Lake (Dubois County) – 44,000 fish

Please note anticipated stock numbers are not always realized due to production issues and other circumstances. Worster Lake, Shadyside Pond, Monroe Lake, Hardy Lake and Patoka Lake are good spots for beginner anglers.

For more information on hybrid striped bass, visit wildlife.IN.gov/3386.htm.