Kudos to the Red Devils, well deserved STATE champs.

 

But I got to say as a CCH guy, hurts just a little bit more knowing a couple plays here/there & we have very good chance of advancing and taking down BG as well.

 

Best team won though !

Congrats to the team - tough road but they did it! All of the kids contributed. Morrow, Sanford, Phillips and Harris all had big plays offensively or defensively.

 

Speaking of Drake - he was a monster of a guard. Here is an excerpt from Kentucky Wesleyan College (DII) first hall of fame induction:

 

Rod Drake (1981-84) – Two-time All-American…jersey number 10 retired…four-time All-Great Lakes Valley Conference selection…1984 NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team…two-time NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player…second in career assists with 458…seventh in career points with 1,664…13th in career rebounds with 648…starter on two Final Four teams…voted to KWC All-Century team by fans.

 

Maybe in the future we might see a couple bios for Holman and Miller.

Congrats to the team - tough road but they did it! All of the kids contributed. Morrow, Sanford, Phillips and Harris all had big plays offensively or defensively.

 

Speaking of Drake - he was a monster of a guard. Here is an excerpt from Kentucky Wesleyan College (DII) first hall of fame induction:

 

Rod Drake (1981-84) – Two-time All-American…jersey number 10 retired…four-time All-Great Lakes Valley Conference selection…1984 NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team…two-time NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player…second in career assists with 458…seventh in career points with 1,664…13th in career rebounds with 648…starter on two Final Four teams…voted to KWC All-Century team by fans.

 

Maybe in the future we might see a couple bios for Holman and Miller.

 

Great stuff — that guy is Owensboro through-and-through! Was a lot of fun watching them this year, and what a great moment for the city.

This Owensboro team reminded me a some of the Warren Central Team that won it in 2004.

A senior led team. Two great versatile bigs (individually they don't equate, but as a pair they are similar). A guard who can score and hit big shots. A shooter. An underclassman point guard who can control the game and score as needed.

 

As much fun as it can be to watch a great player take over, I really enjoyed seeing how Owensboro did it as a team. 6 guys who all knew their role, and performed it the way they were supposed to.

 

There were several athletic teams at the state tournament, but these two appeared to have the best combination of Discipline and Athleticism.

Congrats to the team - tough road but they did it! All of the kids contributed. Morrow, Sanford, Phillips and Harris all had big plays offensively or defensively.

 

Speaking of Drake - he was a monster of a guard. Here is an excerpt from Kentucky Wesleyan College (DII) first hall of fame induction:

 

Rod Drake (1981-84) – Two-time All-American…jersey number 10 retired…four-time All-Great Lakes Valley Conference selection…1984 NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team…two-time NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player…second in career assists with 458…seventh in career points with 1,664…13th in career rebounds with 648…starter on two Final Four teams…voted to KWC All-Century team by fans.

 

Maybe in the future we might see a couple bios for Holman and Miller.

 

My favorite life-time basketball memories are from the 80's Dust Bowl in Owensboro when Drake, Higgs, etc. turned it on full blast, no reins. SRO but really there was no SRO. There was no room to move it was so crowded with hundreds of people around one court. Drake had some vicious dunks over guys that came from all over to play in that tournament.

All 5 starters for Owensboro averaged in double figures for the tournament. I wonder when (if ever) was the last time a champion has had that stat. I'm sure it's been more than 20 years ago if it has happened.

^ That is very impressive. I know Warren Central got their 4 seniors into double figures in 2004, but McFarland only averaged 7.75.

First, I want to say congrats to Bowling Green for a fine season. As a matter of fact, a fine two seasons! As much of a rival as the Purples are, there is a TON of mutual respect between OHS and BG and a ton of heartbreaking wins and losses on both sides. I'll step out on a limb and say there will be many more to come in multiple sports. BG has elevated its athletics in all sports and in some ways, it's forced OHS to do the same. Congrats BG!

 

It's a day removed and I'm still not sure that it's completely sunk in yet. As a lifelong Red Devil (born, raised, played, and watched) yesterday was amazing. I honestly can't come up with the proper words or superlatives to describe this team and how I felt when the clock hit 0.0 at Rupp. First and foremost, I'm so proud of Rod Drake. When Rod took over his first year, OHS was upset by Muhlenberg North on a banked 3 from the corner, and when this group was sophomores, Ohio County upset them in the regional. People talked, but Rod stood steadfast on his beliefs and his experience of what it takes to get to the mountain top. Yesterday, OHS reached that mountain top and boy was it sweet. Rod Drake is OHS, OHS is tradition and as we like to say in the boro......"We are Owensboro!"

 

This group of seniors was a great group to watch develop. Each guy knew his role and they perfected their roles over their high school careers. Even when Justin Miller joined the group his sophomore year, he'd already been playing with these guys in AAU ball since 7th grade. The chemistry was already there and more importantly, they were family. Not twitter "fam" but legitimate brothers. I know that these kids will be successful. Aric Holman is going to do huge things and may be making a ton of money one day if he works hard enough. Justin Miller received his 1st D1 offer from Coppin State. Airius Phillips, Dylan Sanford, and Darrion Morrow have great attitudes, work ethic, and a drive to succeed both in the classroom and on the court.

 

35 years is a very long time between state titles. I've seen OHS teams very capable of winning it all, come up short at the state tournament. It's a testament to how hard it is to actually win the state championship in Kentucky. OHS now has done it 5 times (I don't care what the KHSAA says, 1917 counts). I told my son last night at Rupp Arena that this championship was won not from these kids putting on the OHS jersey and stepping on the floor, but by the amount of work they put in when nobody was watching. Greatness happens in big time settings, but greatness can't be achieved without the grind. There is no shortcut, and I can't be any more proud of these kids, Rod Drake, and to be an OHS alum.

 

Owensboro High School 2015 KHSAA State Basketball Champs #FILD

Gotta share this video that my guy, Brandon Ward, at The Homers made:

Congrats Red Devils!

What a great video...it's still sinking in ....finally got that 5th title..finally..lol..just like the 1972 team broke in on the Louisville schools run of championships for a year...this team broke the 3rd regions drought..from the 1917 team to this team there's been so many great players and coaches in Owensboro's storied tradition...the lineage traces back very quickly to Dr. James Naismith.. Rupp played for Phog Allen at Kansas while Naismith was there. OHS player and coach Bobby Watson played for Rupp and Drake played for Watson at Owensboro....so happy for all the players and coaches past and present.

 

State championship time...39 years ago

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State championship time...39 years ago

 

The team that saved class basketball in Kentucky! Go Edmonson. We have a running joke on "The Homers" where we call them the Edmonson County Sharpshooters. We're huge wrestling fans and since the Hart family (Brett Hart, Owen Hart) were from Edmonton Alberta Canada, we've changed their name. Every time we say Edmonson County, we cue the Brett Hart theme. It's always fun to see those guys at the Sportscenter come regional tournament time!

What a great video...it's still sinking in ....finally got that 5th title..finally..lol..just like the 1972 team broke in on the Louisville schools run of championships for a year...this team broke the 3rd regions drought..from the 1917 team to this team there's been so many great players and coaches in Owensboro's storied tradition...the lineage traces back very quickly to Dr. James Naismith.. Rupp played for Phog Allen at Kansas while Naismith was there. OHS player and coach Bobby Watson played for Rupp and Drake played for Watson at Owensboro....so happy for all the players and coaches past and present.

 

 

Here's another factoid for you my fellow Red Devil. OHS has 2 former players that sit in the 1000 point club at UK. Bobby Watson and Cliff Hagan. When the clock hit 0.0 Sunday and the OHS kids got the trophy, I looked up in the rafters and saw Cliff Hagan's jersey hanging there. I can't describe it man. It was awesome. All the guys who came before us and laid the foundation in OHS athletics. So many. We'd literally have to create a whole new thread, lol.

 

:taz: