I don't want to turn this into a private vs. public debate. If you look back at past tournament results, you will see a great mix of public and private participation in the state tournament. Also, if you check out the enrollment numbers provided by the KHSAA, many of the schools that qualify for all "A" are private schools. Small private and public schools deserve a tournament in which they feel that could possbily someday win. However, in saying this, I do think that the participation (and dominance) of UHA (and Lex Cath for a while) has hurt the tournament overall. How much more would winning this tournament mean to schools like Somerset, Gallatin Co., Caverna, Owen Co., Hancock Co., and Owsley Co.? All of these schools lost to either UHA or Lex Cath in the finals or semi-finals. These are schools that are not common names at the sweet sixteen. They likely will never be able to ever win a state championship. -- They all had the opportunity to win an All "A" title only to lose to the basketball factories of Lex Cath and UHA. I have always felt this was unfair.

I agree ... UHA's dominance has hurt the tournament in some ways, just as LexCath's dominance did for a while before they outgrew it. But the All A takes a PR hit if they disqualify a UHA program for winning every other year.

I agree with Westsider on that point. There's not much the All "A" can do about University Heights being as good as they've been. I remember Harlan beating both University Heights (1994) and Lexington Catholic (1995) to win All "A" titles.

I agree with Westsider on that point. There's not much the All "A" can do about University Heights being as good as they've been. I remember Harlan beating both University Heights (1994) and Lexington Catholic (1995) to win All "A" titles.

 

I think Harlan also beat University Heights in the semis of the all a and the quaters of the sweet sixteen in 95. Correct HDE? I think that was Thomas and Cox senior year.

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That seems fair, lets punish all schools for something that only relates to a few schools. To ban all private schools would cause more harm than good. I can think of quite a few 9th and 10th region private schools that do the right thing and the All "A" will most likely be their only chance at ever claming a state championship in basketball. I am sure there are other regions that have private schools doing the right thing. (I just am not familiar with the other regions)

 

If the All "A" committee has a problem with certain schools that may walk a fine line when it come to the rules then let them take it up with the school. If they do not have any problem with them then I do not see why the rest of us should. The last time I checked it is their tournament to run. If you don't like it then do like they did and start your own tourny. Maybe you could call it the "Small Public School Tourny" and in 20 years you might have something as successful as the "All A Classic"[/QUOTE]

 

That would only work for a few years and then the ones that haven't won would be asking for classes, reclassification, etc.

I agree ... UHA's dominance has hurt the tournament in some ways, just as LexCath's dominance did for a while before they outgrew it. But the All A takes a PR hit if they disqualify a UHA program for winning every other year.

 

Leave them in, but watch the transfers a little closer? I remember listening to the Brossart radio crew last year, and they seemed pretty happy when they dismantled UHA (beating them can be particularly sweet) on the way to the "A" crown!! Losing Edmundson and Hopson this year, it will be interesting to see if UHA rebuilds or reloads with "transfers" to be instantly competitive next year??

No, egg on my face! Sorry - I think I made a bad post worse.

 

No problem.

I don't want to turn this into a private vs. public debate. If you look back at past tournament results, you will see a great mix of public and private participation in the state tournament. Also, if you check out the enrollment numbers provided by the KHSAA, many of the schools that qualify for all "A" are private schools. Small private and public schools deserve a tournament in which they feel that could possbily someday win. However, in saying this, I do think that the participation (and dominance) of UHA (and Lex Cath for a while) has hurt the tournament overall. How much more would winning this tournament mean to schools like Somerset, Gallatin Co., Caverna, Owen Co., Hancock Co., and Owsley Co.? All of these schools lost to either UHA or Lex Cath in the finals or semi-finals. These are schools that are not common names at the sweet sixteen. They likely will never be able to ever win a state championship. -- They all had the opportunity to win an All "A" title only to lose to the basketball factories of Lex Cath and UHA. I have always felt this was unfair. -- There have been other private school successes, but schools such as Bishop Brossart, Saint Henry, Newport Central Cath. as far as I know, did it the right way. I can't say they same for some of the other private schools.

 

 

Im just trying to see what you are saying here, are you claiming Lex Cath during the early to mid 90's was bad for the All "A" or didn't belong in it? Because in all honesty, at least in the early part of the 90's Lex Cath was just beginning to be good after having been only mediocre for a couple decades. Size wise Lex Cath had hit class sizes of I think only 60 students or so during the mid to late 80's and really didn't see large growth until the mid to late 90's. Lex Cath was once the small school that could only compete for state titles using this tournament. They did have a few dominant years but were gone by the late '90s from the All 'A'.

This public-private debate is pointless and confusing the real issues on the All "A" Classic. They certainly aren't getting booted out until the KHSAA makes a move and maybe not even then.