Kyle Hankins — who just finished his first season as the boys’ basketball coach at Clarksville — put the right perspective on the first Kentuckiana Summer Basketball League Outdoor Night as hundreds flocked to the top-notch courts at Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Park in New Albany.

“It’s great environment, pitting some Kentucky and Indiana teams against each other right across the river. It’s all in good fun. It’s about getting better and learning. The told my players, the only thing I’ll get on you about is your attitude and the way you carry yourself, and if you’re a good teammate or not.”

Hankins said he wanted everyone to simply have some fun on a warm summer night.

“We’re just worried about getting better as a program,” he said. “No world championships are being won on June 3.”

The Clarksville boss said everyone should appreciate the facility.

“It’s an amazing facility, not only the basketball, but the water park and the playground. It’s a great place for people to come to and enjoy sports. “

Sherron Wilkerson — who helped Jeffersonville win the state title in 1993 — was recently named the new boys’ head coach at his alma mater, and he had his Red Devils at the first Kentuckiana Summer Basketball League Outdoor Night event.

After a stint at Madison, Wilkerson spent one year at Logansport and he said it wasn’t an easy decision to leave.

“I got a phone call to see if I was interested,” Wilkerson said. “It was tough. It was a very difficult decision. They are wonderful people. That community was just so warm.”

But, Wilkerson said he’s thrilled to be back at Jeff.

“I feel unbelievable,” he said. “There’s no place like home — all the friends and family. I’m beyond happy. I’m ecstatic.

“I’ll be honest. For me, it’s part of my life calling, I believe. It’s a little bit of divine intervention.”

Wilkerson, a high school McDonald’s All-American before he played at Indiana University and Bob Knight, said he believes he’ll be able to connect to the Jeff players.

“I’ve been through some things in my life that I can share with these kids that can help them with their personal things,” he said. “It has come full circle.

“I’ve been very, very excited. I look at these kids and they remind me so much of myself when I was that age. It’s uncanny how it’s all connected. It’s a dream come true.”

Wilkerson said his goal are simple.

“No. 1, (I want to ) get as many kids into college as possible,” he said. “The second thing, we want to make sure they understand what it means to be a successful member of society.

“We want them to come back. I truly believe that’s the sign of a successful program — when your former players come back. They can share their personal stories and personal feelings.

At Jeff, Wilkerson said his teams will play an uptempo style — all the time.

“We’re going to be Rick Pitino on defense. We’re going to pressure. We’re going to trap. We’re going to be North Carolina on offense. We’re going to push in for 84 feet in both directions.”

The Silver Creek girls’ basketball team — missing most of its parts from the last two Class 3A title game runs due to graduation — got a baptism by fire in a contest against powerful Louisville (Ky.) Sacred Heart in the first-ever Kentuckiana Summer Basketball League Outdoor Night on Friday.

“Matt (Denison) called and said it’s a benefit for the (Floyd County) Parks Department and I said WE’RE IN,” said Silver Creek coach Scott Schoen. “He said you’re going to play Sacred Heart and I said WE’RE OUT.”

Schoen — ever the jokester — was kidding of course.

Sacred Heart won 57-32 but Schoen couldn’t care less about the score.

“The opportunity to come out here and help the parks department and the opportunity for our girls to play outside — we had a great crowd. It was super fun.”

“It was a great setup,” Schoen said. “And, some of our girls have never played outside before.”

Schoen said his team is a work in progress and he’s excited.

“Our team competes and plays hard,” he said. “There are a lot of things we can fix. Of the 16 kids here, I’ve only physically coached about 14 of them. They’re getting used to me and I’m getting used to them. They all have about the same skill set and it’s a good skill set.

“We’re starting off with the best team we’ll see all summer and probably all year,” Schoen said.

“It’s not about winning. It’s about our kids playing basketball and getting used to each other.”

Thirteen players have been selected to join Indiana Mr. Basketball Braden Smith of Westfield for the 2022 Indiana Boys All-Stars, All-Stars game director and former Jeffersonville coach Mike Broughton announced. Silver Creek senior Branden Northern was the only local player selected to the team.

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By GREG MENGELT

Just three years into his head coaching career, Ryan Miller has joined a ballyhooed list of local boys’ state championship coaches that includes Jim Shannon, Brandon Hoffman, Kirby Overman and Mike Broughton.

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