Decatur native Andrews inducted into Indiana Hoops Hall of Fame

“This definitely is a very rewarding honor. Growing up out in the country near Decatur I never would have dreamed of some day being in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Growing up I just wanted to try and be the best player I can be.”

So said Gary Andrews after becoming just the second Decatur native in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Andrews was one of 11 members of the 2022 Women’s Induction Class moving into the famed hall in ceremonies on April 30.

Now the boys basketball coach at North Side High School in Fort Wayne,

Andrews was inducted due to his outstanding success as the girls coach at Bishop Luers in Fort Wayne in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Noting what he called “a very rewarding honor,” Andrews spoke of the emotion he experienced at the ceremony. “During the reception at the Hall of Fame I definitely had a wave of emotion come over me a couple times as I saw the display case with my info in it and the plaque with info about my career,” Andrews told the Daily Democrat.

“I have been blessed to be able to coach some really good players that have made my job easy,” he continued. “This award allowed me to reflect about a lot of great memories in my career. I will definitely always cherish the award as it means a lot to me.”

And the guy hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

“You can also say I have great memories of growing up in Decatur,” he added.

Gary is the second Decatur native to enter the hall, following “Hoosiers” director David Anspaugh, inducted in 2013.

Three Berne natives are in the New Castle-based hall: Bob Dro, Les Habegger and Jerome Liechty. A onetime

Berne Bears coach, Bob Dille, is also in the HOF.

3 in a row

The 1986 Bellmont High School graduate won three consecutive 2A girls state championships as head coach at Luers in 1999, 2000 and 2001. During that period, the Knights went 83-2.

In all, his Luers teams posted a record of 167-44 (.791) from 1992 – 2001, winning five Summit Athletic Conference titles, SAC tournament championships, six Sectional titles, four Regionals, and the three state titles.

Gary left Luers to take the head job at St. Francis University in Fort Wayne and the successes continued. In 14 seasons, Andrews’ were 322-141 (.693) with nine NAIA national tournament berths, capped by a 38-0 NAIA Division II National Championship season in 2013-14.

He followed with three seasons as the

head coach at Division II Robert Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York, compiling a record of 70-30 and capturing the 2016 National Christian College Athletic Association National Tournament. Gary was named 2016 NCCAA Coach of the Year.

Saying he always wanted to try coaching boys, Andrews took the North Side job in 2018-19 and recently wrapped up his fourth

season.

At Bellmont, Andrews played on Braves basketball teams which won two conference championship teams and was a Regional runnerup to eventual state champ Marion in 1985. He started his coaching career here, tutoring seventh grade girls. After two years as BHS JV coach, he got the head job at Bishop Luers in 1992.

Andrews graduated from Saint Francis in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, then gained a master’s degree in School Administration in 2001 from IPFW.

The veteran coach is a physical education teacher at St. Joe Central Elementary School in the Fort Wayne Community Schools system.

Gary and his wife, Amanda Love Andrews, are the parents of two sons, CJ and Skyler.

RIGHT: Gary Andrews’ legacy to the game of basketball in Indiana is now on display in New Castle.

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame had a definite Decatur flavor when city native Gary Andrews was inducted on April 30. From left are, Gary's brother, Fred, and his wife, Amanda; Gary's stepson Skyler and son CJ (in front); Gary's wife, Amanda; Gary; his parents, Barb and Larry; Gary's sister, Jennifer, and her daughter, Taya, who played basketball at Indiana Tech.