Category Archives: Athletic Department
Pirate for Life-Chad Gilbert Honored by Hall of Fame
We all know the phrase “March Madness” is thrown around the countryside quite liberally this time of year; but if one is seriously looking for the epicenter of high school basketball in our great country, where should they look for evidence? Attending any one of at least 150 different true rivalry regular season games maybe; or better yet, just visiting any of the 495 state tournament games in any given year. One annual event in Indiana more than provides that evidence; as a matter of fact, it defines the very history and heritage of high school basketball in just one state……the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Annual Awards Dinner. One thinks they know how high school basketball is celebrated in this state; but witnessing what the Indiana Hall of Fame means to high school basketball in the Hoosier state is truly a ‘religious’ experience (for lack of better words).
The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inducted their 55th boys basketball class Wednesday evening inside an Indianapolis banquet hall, filled with over 1,100 lovers of high school basketball. The Hall of Fame tapped fourteen men with the highest honor bestowed in Indiana high school basketball; among those being boys basketball all-time leading scorer, state champion, Indiana Mr. Basketball and 1990 National High School Player of the Year, Damon Bailey (Bedford North Lawrence 1990), and the consensus 1993 National College Player of the Year and longtime NBA player, Calbert Cheaney (Evansville Harrison 1989).
During the same Wednesday evening event; the Hall of Fame also, as they have since 1962, recognized 18 men as members of their 2016 Silver Anniversary Team – acknowledging their spot as top senior basketball players in Indiana 25 years ago.
Charlestown High School Pirate Basketball Alum and current Athletic Director Chad Gilbert found himself sharing Wednesday’s Hall of Fame event stage with some highly notable Indiana High School Basketball royalty; while being honored as one of those 18 men on this years Silver Anniversary team. Gilbert’s Charlestown High School and thereafter college basketball accolades were rightfully recognized among fellow Silver Team honorees like Glen Robinson (Gary Roosevelt HS/Purdue/NBA), Alan Henderson (Brebeuf HS/Indiana/NBA), and Brian Evans (Terre Haute South/Indiana/NBA), just to name a few.
Gilbert scored 1,392 points while playing for the Pirates, helping win the 1990 Sectional and Holiday Tourney titles, setting assist and free throw records, and earning several local MVP and All-American nominations; before playing two years of college ball at Indiana State, and breaking more records and helping the University of Southern Indiana win the NCAA II 1995 National Championship.
Gilbert is the first Charlestown alum to be recognized in any way by Indiana’s Basketball Hall of Fame; and becomes another prideful chapter in the almost 100 year history of Charlestown boys basketball. The centennial anniversary of Charlestown Pirate Basketball is scheduled to be celebrated during the quickly approaching 2017-18 basketball season.
Congratulations to Charlestown High School Pirate Basketball Alum and Athletic Director Chad Gilbert, a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame 2016 Silver Anniversary team.
FREE Home Game Admission to CHS Students with ID
Effectively immediately, and through February 29th, any Charlestown High School Student, showing their valid CHS Student ID, will be admitted free of charge to any Charlestown High School Regular Season Athletic game; courtesy of the Charlestown Pirate Pride Booster Club. All CHS Students will need to do is sign in at the admission gate, again using their student identification card; and all in the quest of increasing support of our Pirate and Lady Pirate Athletes.
Chad Gilbert Named to Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary Team
The team includes 13 members of the 1991 Indiana All-Star squad. Five other all-state players are included to recognize the top of Indiana’s high school class of 1991.
1991 Indiana All-Stars include Mr. Basketball Glenn Robinson, Alan Henderson, Daimon Beathea, Brandon Brantley, Brian Evans, Andy Elkins, Marlon Fleming, Jeff Massey, LaMar Morton, Steve Nicodemus, Andre Owens, LaSalle Thompson and Chris Wilburn.
The remaining five, named to various all-state teams are: Lance Barker, Tony Etchison, Jerry Freshwater, Chad Gilbert (Charlestown) and Jason Williams.
Charlestown’s Chad Gilbert, a three-year varsity starter scored 1,392 career points and averaged 26.9 points and 8.8 rebounds a game as a senior. Gilbert led Charlestown to two Holiday Tournaments, one conference and sectional championship title, and also led 1990 team to best record in school history (21-3). Gilbert was named the 1991 Conference Player of the Year, was a McDonald’s All-American nominee, and named twice to the Holiday Tournament all-tourney team. Additionally, Gilbert was named the 1991 Holiday Tourney MVP and 1st team all-state by Louisville Courier-Journal, was also featured on the cover of Hoosier Basketball magazine 1991, and currently holds assist and free throw records at Charlestown. Gilbert played two seasons at Indiana State University and two at the University of Southern Indiana. He is a 2011 inductee into the USI Athletic Hall of Fame, put up most career points (1,011) and rebounds (506) by any two-year player in school history on teams that were 54-8 and won 1995 NCAA Division II National Championship. Gilbert went on to coach, with 264 wins and 51 losses during 13 seasons as head coach at Jeffersonville High School (both girls and boys); earning multiple Coach of the Year awards, his teams collected nine Conference titles, eight sectionals, five Elite Eight appearances and crowned 2011 4A girls state champions. Gilbert has been the Athletic Director at his alma mater, Charlestown, since 2013 and is married with one son.
All Mens Silver Anniversary Team members will be honored at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s Annual Men’s Banquet on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.
A midday reception, free and open to the public, will be held at the Hall of Fame museum in New Castle. The evening banquet will take place at the Primo Banquet Hall, which is located on the south side of Indianapolis.
Reservation forms will be made available in early 2016, or tickets can be reserved now through the Hall’s website at www.hoopshall.com. Call the Hall at 765-529-1891 or email info@hoopshall.com for more information.