Overview:

Three time defending Champion Johnson Central entered the season as the consensus number 1 team in the 15th Region, but faced many obstacles on the way to their 4th straight crown. In the third game of the season, JC saw eventual 15th Region POY Kyle Gullett go down early in the 2nd quarter with an ankle injury (an injury that would sideline Gullett for 8 games – JC was 2-6 in those games). This was devastating news as the Head Coach Tommy McKenzie had already lost 3 time 15th Region All-Tournament Team Member Truman Salyer to a season ending knee injury suffered during football and key reserve Austin Davis to an ACL injury. Coupled with the fact Senior PF Patrick Rice missed the first 6 games of the season with an MCL injury, its easy to see why JC started the season slow (Senior PG Braxton Blair also missed 3 games early in the season due to various illness).

 

It wasn’t until the Louisville Valley game at the Lake Cumberland Holiday Hoops Classic that Johnson Central had all its players healthy and available for practice. Since that game JC has gone 20-2, with a 1 point loss to Paintsville on the road and an overtime loss to Sheldon Clark in the District Championship. Experience matters and since this class of Seniors started playing basketball, JC has compiled 96 wins and joined only Inez and Paintsville as 4-Peat champions in the 15th Region. Johnson Central won the regional tournament by defeating Shelby Valley by 35, Pike Central by 17, and Lawrence County by 7. Its not the combine 93 points they won the 2014 crown by, buts still dominating in a season when other 15th Region opponents were supposed to have closed the gap.

 

Listed below is some information on Johnson Central leading into the state tournament:

 

Johnson Central (23-9)

Location: Paintsville, KY

Founded: 1969 (Consolidated from Van Lear, Flat Gap, Oil Springs, and Mead Memorial)

Mascot: Golden Eagle

Enrollment: 1,053

Principal: Russell Halsey

Superintendent: Tom Salyer

 

Head Coach: Tommy McKenzie (8th year – All at Johnson Central – Played at JC in 2000)

Career Record: 162-86

20 win seasons: 6

District Titles (57th): 2011, 2013, 2014

Regional Titles (15th): 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Regional Runner-up’s (15th): 2008

Note: Named KABC 15th Region POY (2000) and KABC 15th Region COY (2015)

Note: Head Coach of Kentucky / Ohio All Star Game last season

Note: Top 10 All-Time in scoring at JC with 1,431 career points

Note: This is Coach McKenzie's 6th trip to RUPP with JC (2000 player, 2006 Ast. Coach, 2012-2015 Head Coach)

Staff:

Jason Shepherd - Assistant Coach

Scott Holbrook - Assistant Coach

Eddie Blair - Assistant Coach

J.R. VanHoose - Assistant Coach

Clinton Hackney - Statistician / Media Representative

Jeremy Slone - Assistant Statistician / Team Medic

Louie Stambaugh - Team Manager

Cathy Gullett - Bookkeeper

Johnny Ratliff - Bookkeeper

 

Starting Five (season stats):

Braxton Blair – 6’0’’ Senior PG (15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.14 spg, 0.00 bpg, 4.79 apg, PER 18.2)

Mason Blair – 6’0’’ Sophomore SG (16.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.06 spg, 0.28 bpg, 1.78 apg, PER 17.1)

Dalton Adkins – 5’10’’ Senior G (9.5 ppg, 2.2 rbg, 1.44 spg, 0.03 bpg, 2.78 apg, PER 11.6)

Patrick Rice – 6’2’’ Senior PF (2.5 ppg, 5.1 rbp, 1.19 spg, 0.04 bpg, 3.19 apg, PER 15.6)

Kyle Gullett – 6’7’’ Senior SF (18.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.84 spg, 3.12 bpg, 2.12 apg, PER 29.0)

 

Reserves:

Josh Hitchcock – 6’3’’ Junior SF

Tyler Pack – 6’5’’ Junior C

Jerry McCarty – 6’4’’ Junior C

Luke Vance – 6’3’’ Sophomore SF

Cole Crace – 6’0’’ Sophomore SG

Caleb Price – 5’11’’ Sophomore G

Cody Wheeler – 5’11’’ Sophomore PF

Steven Gound – 6’0’’ Freshman G

Tyrese Allen – 6’4’’ Freshman PF

Dalton Collins – 6’2’’ Freshman F

Jacob Rice – 5’10’’ 8th Grade PG

 

Injured Players:

Austin Davis – 5’11’’ Sophomore G (ACL vs. Jackson County)

Truman Salyer – 6’5’’ Senior PF (MCL / PCL / ACL / Meniscus during football season)

 

Players with college offers:

1. Patrick Rice (football) – singed with Morehead State

2. Truman Salyer (football) – singed with Union College

3. Braxton Blair (basketball) – gave verbal to St. Catherine’s but has reopened recruitment due to recent coaching change. Look for Braxton to assume a professional boxing career after college as he follows in his legendary father’s gold glove footsteps.

4. Kyle Gullett (basketball) – narrowed choices to Transy, Marshall, and Coastal Carolina

5. Dalton Adkins (football) – signed with Centre College

 

Johnson Central Boys’ State Tournament appearances:

1972 – Record (22-10) Lost to Bryan Station 60-87 in Opening Round

1975 – Record (29-6) Lost to Knott Central 68-88 in Opening Round

1984 – Record (24-7) Lost to M.C. Napier 75-76 in Opening Round

2000 – Record (26-7) Lost to Elizabeth Town 68-81 in Elite 8

2006 – Record (19-12) Lost to Jeffersontown 49-68 in Opening Round

2012 – Record (25-11) Lost to John Hardin 36-49 in Opening Round

2013 – Record (22-11) Lost to Louisville Ballard 54-75 in Opening Round

2014 – Record (26-7) Lost to Scott County 55-64 in Elite 8

2015 – Record (23-9) Play Louisville Ballard Thursday at 12:00 PM

 

Players to make the Sweet Sixteen All-Tournament Team from Johnson Central:

1984 - Harry Meek

2000 - Tommy McKenzie

2014 - Shane Hall

 

Season Notes:

*Note - Mason Blair set team record for most 3's in a half (8 in 2nd Half vs. Clark County)

*Note - Braxton Blair broke all-time assist record during season

*Note - Team had at least two players score 20 pts in the same game 4 times

*Note - Dalton Adkins now holds the record for most game started at 129

*Note - Braxton Blair now holds the record for most career games played in 137

*Note - Kyle Gullett and Dalton Adkins both reached the 1,000 point this season

*Note - Team was 0-1 in overtime games during the season (Sheldon Clark – District Championship)

*Note - Team Had 9 game and 7 game win streak during season

*Note - Team had 5 Different Players Score at least 20 points in a game during season (Josh Hitchcock, Mason Blair, Braxton Blair, Kyle Gullett, Dalton Adkins)

*Note - Team had 13 players to score in the same game (Pike Central – Regional Tourney)

*Note – Team had 3 different players to score at least 30 in a game during season (Kyle Gullett, Braxton Blair, Mason Blair)

 

Top Performance’s Against Johnson Central / JC's result:

Chase Parsley Sheldon Clark (34 pts, 8 ast, 4 stls, 1 rbd - Loss)

Dylan James Sheldon Clark (33 pts, 6 rbs, 4 blks, 2 ast - Win)

Trenton Russell Magoffin County (33 pts, 9 rbs, 2 stls, 1 ast - Win)

Dylan James Sheldon Clark (30 pts, 11 rbs, 4 blks, 2 ast, 1 stl - Loss)

Jacob Hammonds Jackson County (29 pts, 9 rbs, 4 ast, 2 stls, 1 blk - Loss)

Braxton Beverly Perry Central (28 pts, 9 ast, 5 stls, 3 rbs, 1 blk - Loss)

Jair Jackson Greenup County (24 pts, 17 rbs, 7 blks, 2 ast, 1 stl - Win)

Jared Savage Warren Central (20 pts, 10 rbs, 5ast, 3 stls - Loss)

 

Good luck to Johnson Central vs. Louisville Ballard and I hope everyone has enjoyed the information on the 15th Region throughout the season. If you have any comments, corrections, or tidbits feel free to post.

Very Nice job! I have enjoyed reading your articles all season. Hope to see your write up after the state tourney or next season previews.

These seniors along with Coach McKenzie have re-written the history books not only at their school, but also in the 15th Region.

Very Nice job! I have enjoyed reading your articles all season. Hope to see your write up after the state tourney or next season previews.

These seniors along with Coach McKenzie have re-written the history books not only at their school, but also in the 15th Region.

 

I agree, these Seniors have been very special for Johnson Central both on and off the court. Its difficult to do what they have done, especially when you are everyone's superbowl in the 15th Region. Very well deserved!