What are the best boys basketball teams in Kentucky? What are the biggest rivalries?

 

Was a huge rivalry before but after the last few seasons, I would put Montgomery County vs. GRC as one of the biggest and most heated rivalries in the state.

Agree that GRC/Montgomery Co is a big rivalry (all sports) but I have always thought GRC/Madison Central is better. Since 1997 (Rieherds Era) GRC/Madison Central have played 36 times......18 wins each.

Biased, but Trinity vs X. Played every year since 1956. 

X currently on a five-game winning streak. Trinity leads the all-time series 50-46, by my count.

Edited May 28May 28 by St. Matthews Boy

The GRC/moco rivalry is as heated as I've seen. Last year moco fans booed the GRC cheerleaders so bad they were confused as to what happened. A lot of bad blood between those two and unfortunately a lot of extra stuff happens by adults on social media between games.

North Oldham/South Oldham/Oldham are always fun games and have some serious young studs coming up the next few years… If Rondo sticks around, Siakim at South continues to develop, and Bryant at OC…

I think Male vs Manual is one of the oldest and intense rivalries in the state.

It won’t get a lot of love but for those who know, Augusta/Bracken Co has been a fierce rivalry for a long time. No, the record doesn’t scream “rivalry” but it doesn’t matter when you tip off. Generations of fans have been born into it. Through the lean years at Augusta(mid-late 80s) all ppl wanted to know when winter time came was when do you play Bracken County? Been many players switch sides over the years, kids graduate and switch allegiance, then have kids and dread wearing their high school’s rival’s colors. Black roses sent at district tournament time. BC’s school steps were once painted orange and black. There’s so much more I can’t think of. But I’ve got one more. Augusta fans chanting “Augusta County” when a good beat down is taking place. 

I’m not sure many took much stock into this one. 2 small schools but for a while the Villa Madonna/Ludlow rivalry ran pretty deep. Those 2 teams would always seem to find themselves in a close battle year in, year out as they went for a conference championship and provided some pretty electric matchups for the small schools.

Edited May 30May 30 by theguru

Bowling Green and Warren Central have combined for 39 region titles, and 24 of those have come in the last 25 years.  In the last 25 years, they have between them three state titles, four state runners-up, and 11 final fours.  They've met in 13 region finals and played an additional three elimination games during the district tournament during that span.  The teams are 32-32 against each other in the last 64 meetings.  They've combined to win the last thirty 14th District titles, and that's in a district that is not easy to win (other teams in the district during that span have combined for two region titles and three runners-up).  There have been times that the rivalry has probably risen to the standard of hate, but honestly, there's more of a respect between the two, and the knowledge that generally, one will have to go through the other to win the region.  Only eight of the last 24 years have seen them not play each other in an elimination game, and the winner of that game won region 15 of the 16 times they did.  

There are other teams and rivalries that this statement applies to as well, but you can't talk seriously about basketball in Kentucky without talking about these two teams. 

19 hours ago, DragonFire said:

Bowling Green and Warren Central have combined for 39 region titles, and 24 of those have come in the last 25 years.  In the last 25 years, they have between them three state titles, four state runners-up, and 11 final fours.  They've met in 13 region finals and played an additional three elimination games during the district tournament during that span.  The teams are 32-32 against each other in the last 64 meetings.  They've combined to win the last thirty 14th District titles, and that's in a district that is not easy to win (other teams in the district during that span have combined for two region titles and three runners-up).  There have been times that the rivalry has probably risen to the standard of hate, but honestly, there's more of a respect between the two, and the knowledge that generally, one will have to go through the other to win the region.  Only eight of the last 24 years have seen them not play each other in an elimination game, and the winner of that game won region 15 of the 16 times they did.  

There are other teams and rivalries that this statement applies to as well, but you can't talk seriously about basketball in Kentucky without talking about these two teams. 

I agree with you on the Dragons and Purples having an intense rivalry. 
When I was in high school and college back in the ‘70’s the big team of the region seemed to be Warren East. They haven’t made much noise in basketball in recent years but they were darn good back then and if memory serves me correctly they turned out a few kids that went on to star for the WKU Hilltoppers. 

1 hour ago, The Professor said:

I agree with you on the Dragons and Purples having an intense rivalry. 
When I was in high school and college back in the ‘70’s the big team of the region seemed to be Warren East. They haven’t made much noise in basketball in recent years but they were darn good back then and if memory serves me correctly they turned out a few kids that went on to star for the WKU Hilltoppers. 

Absolutely.  Warren East/Bowling Green was a strong rivalry in their own right for a long time. The first 29 years Warren East was a school, the two teams combined for 13 region titles and 7 runners-up finishes, and four state semifinal appearances. Warren East actually led the head to head between the two 41-36 at the conclusion of that season, with Bowling Green having won the last meeting in the district tournament. That win was the first of a current 57 game win streak by Bowling Green in the series. 
 

In the 70s in particular , East was a force of nature.