Final

This seems awful close. Was this at Knox?

^ Yep.

Big win for PCC.

I was wondering what happened but looks like Knox Central had won 9 of 10 going into tonight's game.

Knox Central might be establishing themselves as the favorites to win the 13th.

Knox Central might be establishing themselves as the favorites to win the 13th.

Where's the 13th played this year?

This seems awful close. Was this at Knox?

 

Knox usually has some talent. One of the bigger schools in the 13th, who, through the years, have had some really good teams that many around the state might not hear about because their runs coincided with those of other EKY powers.

 

Really surprised they've had such a long drought with state tournament trips, all things considered. I don't really know how I feel about 'luck' compared to others, but I think that we'd know have seen more regional titles from them over the past 25-30 years if some of the school's better talent cycles didn't coincide with some great Clay County teams in the late 80's. Last time I saw Knox Central play in a regional tournament game, they beat Clay County in the '04 semis before giving eventual champion Rockcastle County all they wanted and then some in the regional finals. At half of that game, I would have thought Knox was going to break the drought.

 

Aside from having some of their more talented teams when other schools were just a little better, I think that their splitting a substantial number of kids who wind up being good players with Barbourville could be a highly plausible explanation as to why they've seen that drought. Barbourville High usually has a kid or two (at the very least) who can really play and would start or contribute for most regional contenders. This not really common for a lot of county schools in the 13th, at least given the number of students and athletes that a school like Middlesboro might draw from Bell County or Harlan would draw from the newly formed Harlan County. Put a kid like David Vance (early 00's, maybe '03 or so, who I think played at somewhere like Coastal Carolina when Buzz Williams was there) on Knox Central's team and you're probably pushing them over the edge against regional teams they are already competing with. Obviously there isn't a kid like Vance there every year, but Barbourville usually has a few kids who could contribute (speaking in the 1-8 sense) at KC.

The tourney is held at the Arena in Corbin.