We've got it pretty good here in Greene County

Our Greene County high school athletic teams have given area fans plenty of reason to cheer in recent years.

Teams advancing deep into postseason play has created a buzz in our local communities unlike anything I've experienced.

Bloomfield's appearance in this Saturday's IHSAA Class A basketball State Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse is just the latest installment of Greene County postseason frenzy.

The postseason success our local teams have enjoyed in recent years is unrivaled anywhere, at least in the small-school classes.

If you're a fan of high school sports I can't think of a better place to be than Greene County, Indiana.

And we haven't even mentioned Miner football and Laker baseball.

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There isn't a more deserving community than Bloomfield to have the chance to bask in the Cardinals' postseason run and be caught up in all the excitement and enthusiasm.

The Bloomfield community lives and breathes basketball. The community backs the Cardinals all the way, win or lose. And it's nice to see the unwavering support rewarded with a trip to the State Finals.

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Speaking of community support, the West Washington faithful arrived loud and proud and in numbers matching Bloomfield's fan section.

West Washington's following came as no surprise to Cardinal coach Matt Britton. Britton coached at West Washington in the 2004-2005 season.

After meeting Linton in the football regional and Bloomfield in the basketball semistate, I wonder if the Campbellsburg crowd wishes they'd never heard of Greene County.

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I'm really happy for coach Britton. It has to be the thrill of a lifetime for Bloomfield's fifth-year coach to lead the Cardinals into Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

He is truly "living the dream" taking his alma mater to the State Finals.

Matt was quite a player himself, you know.

He was an emerging star as a sophomore on Bloomfield's 1994 semistate team.

The 1996 BHS grad went on to play collegiately at the University of Indianapolis for fromer IU assistant Royce Waltman. Britton was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year as a freshman.

From there he transferred to Eastern Illinois University. As a senior Britton averaged 13.2 points per game, 5.1 rebounds and led the team in assists with 161. His EIU Panthers made the Field of 64 in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. The 15th-seeded Panthers lost 101-76 to No. 2 seed Arizona and 1999 Indiana Mr. Basketball Jason Gardner. Still, Britton had the opportunity to experience March Madness.

After college Britton played for Athletes in Action, a traveling basketball ministry playing all over the world.

Matt Britton will be the first to tell you he has been blessed.

His talent for the game has allowed him to experience and enjoy the game of basketball in ways most of us could never imagine.

And now his current Cardinal team has finally gotten the chance to experience the thrill of postseason excitement as their coach once did.

And they'll get to play on the home court of the Indiana Pacers.

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While we're on the subject of postseason fervor, there has been quite a bit of it generated in Linton these past four years.

A Class 2A State Finals appearance in 2013, four straight sectional titles, two regional championships - and two near-misses in the regional finals - has made March an exciting time in Miner City.

It's pointless to play the "What if?" game.

But I have to wonder. Were it not for 10 percent shooting in the first half against Our Lady of Providence in the Paoli Regional final, might we still be talking about the Miners?

And how cool would it be to have two Greene County teams in the State Finals?

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I know there are folks 12 miles east and 12 miles west of Bloomfield that can't bring themselves to ever root for the Cardinals. It would be nice if those people could get past their anti-Bloomfield bias for just one day. These players deserve our support.

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The basket may still be 10 feet high, the free throw line may still be 15 feet away and the length of the court 84 feet, but one thing isn't the same. Cavernous Bankers Life Fieldhouse will alter the players' depth perception. Make sure you get your shooting eyes focused during your practice session on the Indiana Pacers' home floor.

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Boys, Saturday is going to be the ultimate challenge. The Liberty Christian Lions are ranked No. 1 in Class A for good reason.

Give it all you've got, take your very best shot and may the best team win!

Terry Schwinghammer is a sports writer for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at (812) 847-4487, ext. 27. He can also be reached via email at tschwing32@yahoo.com.