The State of Indiana is notorious for being a basketball state. There is a saying that goes, “In 49 other states, it is just basketball,” and that still holds true today. Many of the country’s largest high school basketball gyms call Indiana home, and a few of those are located right here in Northwest Indiana.
Here is a list of 10 of the best basketball gyms in Northwest Indiana in alphabetical order.
Crown Point High School
Crown Point High School has a very impressive gym. It seems as though every week it is packed with an electric group of students to cheer on the Bulldogs. The gym plays a very comprehensive role in the Bulldogs’ ability to stay competitive in the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC).
East Chicago Central High School
East Chicago has the largest gym in Northwest Indiana. With a capacity of 8,054, it is also the third largest high school gym in the country. It hosts many large events for basketball and also hosts an important semi-state competition in wrestling. The unique gym features 360-degree seating as compared to the normal high school gyms that only function in two directions.
Gary West Side High School
Next is the famous Gary West Side’s “Cougar Den.” The gym features a staggering 7,216 seats and it is the 11th largest high school gym in the country. It hosts the basketball sectional championship game every few years and is one of the older gyms in the Region, having been built in 1969.
Hammond High School
Hammond Civic Center is a very historic basketball venue in the Region. It has hosted a number of match-ups and rivalries for Hammond schools. The venue recently hosted a sectional tournament this past winter.
LaCrosse High School
The next gym is significantly smaller than every gym that has been featured so far, but it is one of the most unique gyms in the state. LaCrosse High School is reflective of what Indiana is as a basketball state. With a capacity of just 800, it still hosts some of the best basketball games around. It features all-wood bleachers, just like in the movie “Hoosiers.” New Head Coach Rick Snodgrass is expected to fill this old school gym in the coming seasons.
La Porte High School
La Porte High School’s gym hosts important sectional and regional tournaments on both the girls and boys side every year. The gym features unique seating all around and always comes alive when a huge shot is made during an important game.
Michigan City High School
Michigan City’s “Wolves Den” is also on the list of the biggest high school gyms in the country and the biggest in the DAC. It features a capacity of 7,304 and is the ninth largest in the country. The gym hosts sectional and regional tournaments every year and always draws out big crowds during DAC play.
Munster High School
The Munster Field House is made by the student section. The Field House has a smaller capacity compared to other schools, but it is just as loud. The student section packs the gym and makes it one of the most unique places to watch a basketball game. The gym is in the shape of a dome as well, which makes it a bit more unique compared to other gyms.
Valparaiso High School
The gym has seen countless spectators in the last years as the team has seen a number of successes. The gym features both lower and upper level seating areas and holds a capacity of 4,314 fans.
Whiting High School
Whiting High School is a favorite venue of many for watching a basketball game in the Region. The seating is raised above the floor, which gives the gym its own spotlight. The seats are also stadium-style seating, as compared to other gyms that feature bleacher-style seating.