... go.

Announcer John Tong (RIP), I loved his voice and when he said....."goooalll by ..."

Some of my favorite memories....

 

2001, Fairdale-Madisonville North Hopkins:

Dad and I are sitting together and, in my middle school know-it-all self (see a pattern here?), I proclaim to my Dad that the game is "over" with 3 seconds left. He tells me it isn't, but I'm sure it is and tell him so. That, of course is before the ball squirts out to the corner to a wide open Fairdale player who buries the shot like it was a layup. I just turned and looked at him with my mouth open.

 

2004, Warren Central-Mason County:

Lonell DeWalt's dunks. Enough said.

 

2004, Chris Lofton vs. the World:

Trinity? Clutch 3's. Scott County? Clutch 3's. Daggers. You just had a feeling about Lofton.

 

2008, Christian County Staff:

Was lucky enough to near Mr. Kerry Stovall and the Christian County staff. All were extremely nice, great about making small talk about basketball, and just cool to watch games near and listen to what they'd say about the games (high school & NCAA). Best moment was when the scene from ESPN's Bluegrass Basketball played in the Championship game's video intro package and it cuts to Coach Stovall telling his team, "everybody in the world said we'll choke... we didn't... we'll fold... we didn't..." and most everyone around the staff gave them a standing ovation just because that clip was played.

1988 Ballard 88 Clay Co. 79

Most unbelievable basketball game I have ever seen. Richie Farmer's 51 points not enough to overcome Ballard's balanced attack, led by Allan Houston with 24 points. Ballard kept coming out on Richie, who just kept stepping out farther and drilling jumpshots.

 

1982 Laurel Co. 53 North Hardin 51

Paul Andrews hits a shot from about the hash mark on the other end of the court to win the game for Laurel Co.

 

2013 Madison Central 65 Ballard 64

Madison Central snatches victory from the jaws of defeat. Ballard truly had the game won.

2007 Scott Co over Ballard. Wasn't a great game but to me it was golden.

2004, Warren Central-Mason County:

Lonell DeWalt's dunks. Enough said.

 

 

THE dunk. I get chills just thinking about being in the crowd when that happened. That's not just my favorite memory from the Sweet 16, that's my favorite memory as a fan of any sporting event. EVER.

THE dunk. I get chills just thinking about being in the crowd when that happened. That's not just my favorite memory from the Sweet 16, that's my favorite memory as a fan of any sporting event. EVER.

 

He had two really good follow-ups in that game. The one where he catwalks the baseline and goes over everyone is definitely the better of the two, but both got me out of my seat.

DeWalt was a man but the key in that game for Central was Brock Whitney. With MC's Wes Jones suspended for the tourney, no one could stay with Whitney in the final game.

 

Favorite moments:

 

A. Mason County's entire 2003 run. They were supremely confident against Ballard in the finals as they had beaten them a couple of times the previous summer.

 

2. Lofton's daggers in the 2004 game against Trinity. Everybody in Rupp Arena knew who was gonna shoot and still couldn't stop him.

 

D. 2008 title game, Mason County vs. Holmes. Russ Middleton set the tone scoring 10 in the first half, Miller took it from there.

 

 

But my all-time favorite still has to be seeing my avatar get selected to participate in the National Guard halftime shootout; 2006 quarters, Mason County vs. Apollo. Even though Mason County lost that game to eventual runner-up Apollo; I'll always get to say my daughter made several baskets at Rupp Arena.

 

Blood is thicker than water.

DeWalt was a man but the key in that game for Central was Brock Whitney. With MC's Wes Jones suspended for the tourney, no one could stay with Whitney in the final game.

Favorite moments:

 

A. Mason County's entire 2003 run. They were supremely confident against Ballard in the finals as they had beaten them a couple of times the previous summer.

 

2. Lofton's daggers in the 2004 game against Trinity. Everybody in Rupp Arena knew who was gonna shoot and still couldn't stop him.

 

D. 2008 title game, Mason County vs. Holmes. Russ Middleton set the tone scoring 10 in the first half, Miller took it from there.

 

 

But my all-time favorite still has to be seeing my avatar get selected to participate in the National Guard halftime shootout; 2006 quarters, Mason County vs. Apollo. Even though Mason County lost that game to eventual runner-up Apollo; I'll always get to say my daughter made several baskets at Rupp Arena.

 

Blood is thicker than water.

 

 

I'll always think of Kelly Wells as a 'man' for suspending Jones instead of taking the easy way out and sitting him for a game or something. Probably cost him the tournament, but he didn't care because that wasn't really the point he was trying to make.

Some of my favorite memories....

 

2001, Fairdale-Madisonville North Hopkins:

Dad and I are sitting together and, in my middle school know-it-all self (see a pattern here?), I proclaim to my Dad that the game is "over" with 3 seconds left. He tells me it isn't, but I'm sure it is and tell him so. That, of course is before the ball squirts out to the corner to a wide open Fairdale player who buries the shot like it was a layup. I just turned and looked at him with my mouth open.

 

-----------------------------------

 

I was listening to that game. If the Madisonville bench had been alert to the fact that Fairdale had a foul to give...and had made sure all three officials knew it too...it might have been a different story. Fairdale, of course, mugged the guy trying to catch the inbounds pass...knowing that even if a foul were called, it wouldn't hurt them. And if a foul weren't called (and it wasn't) they had a chance to win. And it worked. Unbelievable finish. Part of state tournament lore for sure. And one more sad story from a team that had a chance...had a chance...to win it all.

Not in any particular order:

 

* Mason County's runs in 2003 & 2004. Loved watching Chris Lofton play & he was sensational those two years.

 

* Marion County/Anthony Epps run in 1993. Still the most exciting team I've watched play at the State tourney. Epps, Elton Scott, & Michael Douglas led Marion to the '93 title.

 

* Richie scoring 51 in the loss to Ballard. I was never a huge Farmer fan, but that was amazing.

I agree with the John Tong comment. Being there courtside for 18 years; then (mostly) listening; the voice of John Tong was a constant. So unique. And he would always make his way around press row to say "hello" at least once during the tournament.

 

My first state tournament: 1974. The first day was pretty impressive: my team had won its game, and the constant roar of the crowd in Freedom Hall was fun to hear.

 

THEN: day two. Lexington Bryan Station...with Jack Givens, James Clay, and Norman Jackson took the court for the first game with splashy green and gold uniforms and warm-ups. They looked awesome. And Owensboro...with Kenny Higgs, Greg Webster and JoJo Thruston. THEY looked like basketball players too! It was a one-point game going into the fourth quarter. Then Kenny Higgs got into foul trouble and Jack Givens did what he always seemed to do at crunch time. Higgs and Owensboro's other guard fouled out; Givens finished with 35 points. Bryan Station 75-60. (I had to look those stats up; no way I could have remembered the numbers.)

 

And year after year at Freedom Hall, when a team would come out onto the floor, it seemed the roar of the crowd would just ROLL down from the rafters in that corner of the building. And then the opposing team would come out and from the other end of the gym, here it would come again. Awesome.

 

I had broadcast the National Junior College Tournament in 1973, and it didn't hold a candle to Kentucky's Sweet 16.

 

Fantastic memories.

When I was in 6th grade my church league coach took me and one other kid on our team to the sweet 16 finals. My first. I was hooked.

 

He also played Michael W Smith's Secret Ambition album on the away down and back and I became a fan of contemporary Christian music. Still am.

My best memory was when Clay County won the 1987 tournament. I'm not from Clay but they're a border county south of Owsley, so I was cheering for them. It felt good to see a mountain county win the Sweet 16. That doesn't happen very often.

1988 Ballard 88 Clay Co. 79

Most unbelievable basketball game I have ever seen. Richie Farmer's 51 points not enough to overcome Ballard's balanced attack, led by Allan Houston with 24 points. Ballard kept coming out on Richie, who just kept stepping out farther and drilling jumpshots.

 

1982 Laurel Co. 53 North Hardin 51

Paul Andrews hits a shot from about the hash mark on the other end of the court to win the game for Laurel Co.

 

2013 Madison Central 65 Ballard 64

Madison Central snatches victory from the jaws of defeat. Ballard truly had the game won.

 

Three really good ones!