They haven't shared a conference affiliation since 2003. When the state tournament was reconfigured two years ago, they no longer were even in the same sectional.
Absence, however, has not made the heart grow fonder.
Wheeler vs. Boone Grove remains, well, Wheeler vs. Boone Grove, with the same on-court intensity minus most of the off-court bitterness.
"Ever since I played in middle school, it's always been THE game," Boone senior Jake Wright said. "They're not in the PCC or our sectional, but it's almost like every time we play we're still fighting for a trophy."
Separated by just 6.5 miles
A rivalry steeped in tradition, it has endured the winds of change, thanks in large part to the hardwood success of the neighboring Class 2A programs separated by about 6.5 miles of Porter County country roads and corn fields, symbols of a hoop history dating back to 1924.
"To me, it's like an NBA final, two big teams going back and forth," Wheeler senior Derek Kappas said.
"I pretty much compare it to Duke-North Carolina," teammate Eric Wise said. "I was a ball boy all the way up to middle school. I remember the players from all games. I saw how big it was for them. I understood what they were going through and now it's the same for me."
Boone holds an overall edge of 76-57 in the series and for a 14-game stretch from 1996 to 2002, it won every meeting. Since then, it's been a toss-up, with Wheeler taking six of 11.
"It's two 2A powerhouse teams fighting in the same area for which team's the best small school," said Boone's Wayland Roach, whose girlfriend goes to Wheeler. "It's like we're fighting for reputation."
Three seasons this decade saw the regular-season winner lose in the sectional, including a 2003 shocker when the 9-11 Wolves stunned the 21-2 Bearcats.
"That sums up the rivalry," said Wheeler senior Donnie Ketchum, who attended the game. "It's not who comes in with the better record. It's who wants to win more. The records are 0-0.
"We don't like them, they don't like us."
The 134th renewal has an added element to it, being played on New Year's Day at Valparaiso University as part of The Times' Region Roundball Rumble.
"We were joking that it might be a VU attendance record," Wright said.
A rite of passage
Many of the players have grown up with the game, anxiously awaiting their turn to be a part of it. Boone's Wright and Rick Gayda experienced it through their brothers who played for the Wolves. Teammates Greg Wilkins and Ryan Reynolds came from Hobart, so they had no prior recollections.
But it didn't take them long to learn.
"I'd never been to one until I came to it my freshman year," Wilkins said. "It was crazy. The gym was completely packed. Each year, it's grown more and more. It's gotten bigger and bigger as I've grown up. It's easily the biggest rivalry I've ever been a part of."
"It reminds me of a college rivalry," Reynolds said. "At Hobart, we never really liked Wheeler and we thought that Wheeler was a pretty big rival. When I came (to Boone), I realized how much more it was divided. We're so close (to each other) and we're so close talent-wise, it's still really heated."
Sometimes, that emotion boils over. Last season, Wheeler's Andrew Rudakas took a two-hand push in the back from Boone's Alex Radivan on a breakaway. The Bearcat senior harbors no ill will, chalking it up to the fervor of the contest.
"The crowd gets worked up and we get worked up with them," Rudakas said. "It's a great atmosphere. We're getting a really good rivalry with Bishop Noll, but Boone Grove means something more. They're good guys, but when we get on the court, we put the game face on and want to put it to 'em."
Wheeler's senior class has held an edge over Boone coming up through the ranks, making last year's Wolves' win particularly sweet for them and bitter for the Bearcats.
"That's the first time I've ever been on a team that lost to Boone," Wheeler's Petar Todorovic said. "I want to get that back, especially my senior year."
Coming to Wheeler this summer from Serbia, Aleksa Kojcinovic had no real clue what the game meant until he walked into the Wolves' Hinkey Gymnasium for the Valpo game.
"I came in, they saw me and they started booing," Kojcinovic said. "I said, 'Why are they booing? I didn't do anything to them.'
"Our guys were looking at me and laughing. They said, 'Oh, they're our rivals.'"
SUNDAY SPECIAL | REGION ROUNDBALL RUMBLE
All-time series record (series started in 1924-25 season):
Boone Grove 76, Wheeler 57
Sectional titles
Boone Grove -- 9 (1983*, 1997*, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
Wheeler -- 2 (2007, 2009)
* -- pre-class tournament format
Porter County Conference titles
Boone Grove -- 14 (tournament); 23 (round-robin)
Wheeler* -- 7 (tournament); 4 (round-robin)
* -- Wheeler left the PCC after the 2003 season
Enrollment (9-12)
Wheeler -- 564
Boone Grove -- 531 (estimated)
IHSAA-sanctioned sports (22 total)
Wheeler -- 20 (all except wrestling and gymnastics)
Boone Grove -- 19 (all except gymnastics and boys/girls swimming)
School's top all-time scorers
Wheeler -- 1. Todd Schafer 1,914; 2. Marv Brickner 1,253, 3. John Noak 1,232; 4. Todd Thomas 1,211; 5. Tim Curtis 1,172, 7. Andrew Rudakas 1,120 (current).
Boone Grove -- 1. Larry Kubal 1,513; 2. Aric Graham 1,498; 3. Mike Lemmons 1,316; 4. Dan Borys 1,164; 5. John Meyne 1,156.
Recent memorable March moments
1. March 8, 2003, Boone Grove 69, Wheeler 66: In likely the biggest upset of the series, the Wolves entered the sectional championship game with a 9-11 mark compared to Wheeler's 21-2 record. Todd Schafer scored 36 points for the Bearcats, including 22 in a wild fourth quarter when Boone reduced a 24-point halftime deficit to one. Mike Christenson notched 21 for the Wolves, who lost the teams' regular-season game 57-52.
2. March 11, 2000, Boone Grove 52, Wheeler 50: In the first game between the schools with a sectional title at stake, the Wolves edged the Bearcats to claim their fourth crown in a row. The game featured 11 lead changes. Troy Wenger scored 18 points, including a go-ahead three-point play in the final minute. It was Boone's third win over Wheeler in the season, the others coming by 26 and 12 points.
3. March 2, 2002, Boone Grove 59, Wheeler 57: In yet another squeaker, the Wolves again denied the Bearcats their first postseason crown. Mike Christenson amassed 28 points and 11 rebounds for Boone, which won when Marcus Banning broke the Wheeler press and fed Phil Bien for a layup in the final seconds. Todd Schafer scored 25 for the Bearcats, including a 25-foot 3-pointer that had tied the game at 57 on the prior possession.
4. March 2, 2007: Wheeler 55, Boone Grove 32: In a dramatic reversal of a 78-74 loss two months earlier, the Bearcats bashed the Wolves and went on to capture their first sectional title the next night. Nate Kasper put up 26 points and 10 boards for Wheeler.
5. March 4, 2006, Boone Grove 44, Wheeler 39: Turnabout was fair play for the Wolves, who reversed a 13-point regular-season defeat. Bryce Palleson topped a balanced Boone attack with 12 points.
They said it
Boone Grove and Wheeler players and coaches respect the teams' longtime rivalry
Boone Grove
"The rivalry has been a tradition for as long as I can remember, and it's up to every Boone and Wheeler team to keep passing it along." -- senior guard Mike Eleftheri
"When you walk in the gym for Boone Grove-Wheeler, you can feel the intensity. Though it's not a conference game, it's always on everybody's minds." -- senior forward Bobby Rapley
"It's easily the biggest rivalry I've ever been a part of. It's grown more and more every year and gotten bigger and bigger as I've grown up." -- senior forward Greg Wilkins
"It's big bragging rights." -- senior guard Jacob Christman
"We took it last year, so this is the deciding one for me unless we play in the regional." -- senior center Daniel Block
"The first time I ever noticed it was when my brother (Ron Solivais) played. It's always been big and it's still big." -- junior forward Rick Gayda
"It doesn't matter what the record is or what the sport is. I remember watching the game when I was young and now I'm always excited to be a part of it." -- sophomore guard Garrett Wardell
"When I was (an assistant) at Wheeler, we always wanted to be like Boone. When I came to Boone, Wheeler started to get better and better, and that just added gas to the fire. It's the kind of thing now where if we'd play 10 times, we'd split five and five. It's that even." -- coach Matt McKay
Wheeler
"Last year, I was on a fast break and (Alex Radivan) shoved me in the back into the wall. It's not something I hold against him. It's just the intensity of the game." -- senior forward Andrew Rudakas
"It's a special game. It doesn't matter if one of the teams is down. It's going to be a close, exciting game." -- junior forward Najee Bailey
"All I know about it is we went to the Valpo-Boone Grove game and when I came in, the (Boone Grove), they started booing." -- junior center Aleksa Kojcinovic
"Just by coming to the game, seeing the magnitude of the crowd, obviously the rivalry is still there." -- coach Mike Jones
11th annual Times Region Roundball Rumble
Where: Valparaiso University's Athletics-Recreation Center.
When: Jan. 1, 2010.
FIRST SESSION
Noon: Vincennes University Girls 3-Point Shootout, first round
1 p.m.: Boys Game, Bowman Academy vs. Elkhart Memorial (at halftime, girls shootout, second round)
2:30 p.m.: Vincennes University Boys 3-Point Shootout, first round
3:15 p.m.: Girls Game, Hobart vs. Fort Wayne South Side (at halftime, boys shootout, second round)
SECOND SESSION
6 p.m.: Boys Game, Boone Grove vs. Wheeler (at halftime, girls shootout, championship round)
8 p.m.: Boys Game, West Side vs. Michigan City (at halftime, boys shootout, championship round)
Where to purchase tickets
General admission (bleacher) tickets are $8 per session and are available at:
* Times offices in Munster, Crown Point and Valparaiso from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday
* Participating schools (sales times will be limited over the holiday/vacation period)
Chairback (theater) seats are $12 per session and available at nwi.com/rumble.
