I thought I'd get this one started early so there could be plenty of discussion before this one tips off this Friday @ Corbin. I also want to invite any BGP'ers to come to town and take this one in. It is always one of the best games in the state when these two rivals square off.

 

Knox Central is 15-1 on the season. Their only loss was to George Washington High School out of Charleston, VA. KC is a legit top 10 team, and may well go undefeated the remainder of the regular season. I could very easily see this team entering the 13th region tourney with a 29-1 record. They are that good!

 

Corbin is 12-3 on the season, with their only losses coming to Lex. Cath. , Knox Central, and Upson-Lee HS out of Thomasson, GA. , a team that is 18-0 and has won over 50 straight games. Corbin led Upson-Lee by a dozen pts. after three quarters. Corbin also beat a highly-regarded team out of PA. in that same tournament.

 

Corbin's loss to Knox Central was in the finals of the Cumberland Falls Invitational. The game featured an ejection, multiple technicals, and some really, really rough, and some might even say, dirty play. Let's face it, these two fan bases cannot stand one another. The city of Corbin and Knox County have had their fights in the courts as well, including the non-resident reciprocal agreement that the Knox BOE axed a few yrs. ago. The point is - when these two schools get together , the fans usually don't play nice and a lot of times, the animus spills over onto the basketball court, as it did the first time these teams met.

 

Throw into the equation that these two teams are both REALLY REALLY good and it makes for a must see game this Friday at Gilliam Gym in Corbin.

 

Last Year:

 

Corbin beat Knox to win the CFIT championship last year by a score of 76-71.

The Panthers beat the Hounds 93-80 at Knox Central's home gym, in another game that featured multiple technicals.

 

Corbin ended the Panthers season 55-52 in the 13th region semis. Panther fans felt they were robbed(not exactly an unusual sentiment on their part) when Markelle Turner was called for a controversial charge late in the game.

 

The Panthers got some measure of revenge in their CFIT win this year.

 

That brings us to Friday's titanic struggle. It should be another war. There was not a lot of sportsmanship exhibited on the court or in the stands the first time around this year. I would expect much the same this Friday.

 

Corbin vs. Knox Central .... Andrew Taylor vs. Markelle Turner???

 

Who do you have and why?

I think Corbin gets this game by 10 points, or thereabouts. Should be a great atmosphere, but I think the home team wins a hard-fought game and pulls away late from the FT line.

I am liking Corbin in the rematch - home team and all ...

 

Sounds like a crazy environment - wish I could be there to witness it!

Should be an intense atmosphere. I like Knox Central to overcome every kind of adversity imaginable and get the win.

After facing the Hounds at South Laurel a few weeks back, and getting to know their radio guys and Mr. Taylor a little better, I gotta pull for them!

Tough to beat Corbin at home twice. Close game to Corbin. Hopefully the refs can handle the environment.

Should be an intense atmosphere. I like Knox Central to overcome every kind of adversity imaginable and get the win.

 

Coded language, I believe.

Coded language, I believe.

 

Hey, it's hard to win on the road.

Hey, it's hard to win on the road.

 

Yeah, it can be. But if Knox doesn't win it will be because Corbin was better Friday night and not because Knox was playing 5 on 8 like a lot of people will want to think. These are two, REALLY good basketball teams. By the time the post-season rolls around, these two will be legitimate top Ten teams in anyone's poll. With a break here and there, either one could possibly be playing on a Saturday March morning in Rupp. I think there is a good possibility Knox Central may enter the 13th region title game with a 31-1 record. They are that good. If they do get the win Friday @ Corbin, they have a game the next day at Harlan County. That could be a challenge coming off an emotional and draining Friday night.

Know assistant coach at Corbin so I hope they win.

Will this be the game that Anthony Pietrowski unleashes his 6 ft 8, 300 lb monster for the first time this season? Will he wait until a third potential meeting in March? I'd like to see Mr. Nick Martin try to take Mr. Rice down to the floor by the neck.

 

WWE is coming to Corbin on March 10, but we might get a little preview tomorrow night at Gilliam Gym. Get there early to secure your ringside seats.

WWE is coming to Corbin on March 10, but we might get a little preview tomorrow night at Gilliam Gym. Get there early to secure your ringside seats.

You're the PT Barnum of the 13th Region!

You're the PT Barnum of the 13th Region!

Good assessment, If I had been planning on attending, he just changed my mind.

After facing the Hounds at South Laurel a few weeks back, and getting to know their radio guys and Mr. Taylor a little better, I gotta pull for them!

 

 

Andrew is such a gem of a kid. Very humble. Such an easy kid to root for.

You're the PT Barnum of the 13th Region!

 

Maybe so. I've been to enough of these Corbin -Knox tilts. It's not hard to predict what's coming. Lots of animus between the fan bases. While the intensity of the last game was terrific, the hostility and tensions made the basketball hard to watch at times. There was never a whole lot of flow to the game and I don't think either team really got to showcase just how good they are. It was a hard game to watch at times . I just want to watch good basketball tomorrow night.