On November 4, the City of La Porte and Mayor Tom Dermody announced that ESPN and the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) will be coming to the Civic Auditorium from Jan. 6-8 for three days of elite prep basketball. This event is a part of the U.S. Marines NIBC Series that will feature 38 games from schools like La Lumiere School, IMG Academy, and Oak Hill Academy from Dec. 2 to Feb. 5. This series will feature 22 of the ESPN Top 100 Recruits from the Class of 2022.
The announcement began with La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody giving his official statement on what this event means to his administration and the City of La Porte.
“From the very beginning, we came into this administration with high expectations and promised that we would compete with the very best – not only at the local, regional, and state levels but also on the national stage. This event is a perfect example of how the City of La Porte stands out among the rest, and how we have proven once again that we are the place to be. With the games being broadcast on ESPN’s various networks, La Porte will shine on national television to thousands of viewers across the country,” Dermody said. “We are thrilled to cheer on our very own La Lumiere right here in our community and could not be more excited to welcome the rest of the nation’s top-ranked teams and players to La Porte. We are ecstatic at the opportunity to host classic Hoosier basketball right here in our very own Civic Auditorium and look forward to packing the house for what will surely be a great weekend.”
Park Superintendent at City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department Mark Schreiber followed Mayor Dermody with this statement.
“We are thrilled to be hosting the college stars of tomorrow. This is exactly the type of event we want to showcase the Civic and our community to the nation. Brett Binversie has been working with La Lumiere officials over the past several years to bring elite high school basketball to our facility, and the commitment from the City administration and partners such as Michigan City and La Porte Civic Auditorium has made this happen,” Schreiber said. “As we make improvements to the Civic infrastructure and entertainment offerings, we continue to ensure the viability and success of the historic venue for years to come.”
Executive Director of the La Porte County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Jack Arnett had this to say about what the announcement means to the community.
“It’s huge. The economic impact alone when you’re talking ESPN, national television, the level of basketball played in this conference, and the exposure for our community, it’s a big deal and we’re happy to be a part of it,” Arnett said.
Indiana’s deep connection to high school basketball continues to grow with the announcement of the U.S. Marines NIBC series. No. 9 ranked La Lumiere School was represented today by head coach Patrick Holmes and Senior Guard J.J. Starling. Holmes and Starling had this to say about what it means to play against this level of competition right in La Porte.
“We’re used to playing in the national events, but for us to be able to co-host it with the Civic here in La Porte is special. It’s something that we’ve put our heads together and tried to work for the past five, six, seven years, and for it to finally come to fruition, we’re kind of at a loss for words,” Holmes said. “We have this great venue and it’s something we’ve always dreamed of making happen. We’re excited to see what that crowd is going to look like at noon on Thursday, January 6 when we tip off the event. We’re hoping that the community comes out and wears their La Lu Blue and puts the Slicer Orange away for three days.”
“It means a lot to me and my teammates just to be able to compete at the highest level because that’s what you want,” Starling said. “Being a high-level athlete, you want to be able to play against the best, and just being able to do it here with widespread support and such a big community, it’s just amazing.”
Dermody was ecstatic at the end of the announcement and rightfully so. This event is a huge step in getting La Porte the local and national recognition it deserves. Dermody recognizes this event as a special opportunity to show the world how great La Porte is.
“We’ve said since day one, La Porte will compete on a national level, and this is just an example of the expectation in our community. I think the event will draw from all over our state and just look at the venue, the Civic Auditorium is a historic, hundred-year-old venue, so people will get to see how special and unique the Civic is,” Dermody said. “You better get your tickets early. It’s going to be a packed house and we’re excited. This is for everyone in the Region and the nation, and if you can’t make it here, you’re going to be able to watch the Civic Auditorium on national, ESPN TV.”
The U.S. Marines NIBC Series at the La Porte Civic Auditorium will begin with La Lumiere School facing off against Legacy Early College (S.C.) at Noon on Thursday, Jan. 6. Games from this series will be available to watch on ESPN U and ESPN+.
