Anybody remember the 23,000 crowd for the championship game? There couldn't have been in a soul left in Mason Co. that night.

 

I remember it I was there and everybody was singing we are the Champion!

Manual didn't get ejected. He ended up with 47 points.

 

Manual was in until the end of the game. He missed a turnaround jump shot from the elbow with less than a minute left (Moore had the lead and he had no business taking the shot) that led to Simon Kenton's game winning possession. He may have had 47 but he needed a little more discipline down the stretch.

Manual was in until the end of the game. He missed a turnaround jump shot from the elbow with less than a minute left (Moore had the lead and he had no business taking the shot) that led to Simon Kenton's game winning possession. He may have had 47 but he needed a little more discipline down the stretch.

 

A reporter asked Coach Miller how impressed he was with Forrest's 47 points. Coach said something like "well, he didn't get 72."

Just to set the record straight, his name was Manuel Forrest. One of the best moments in that game was when 6' tall Greg Ponzer beat the 6'6" Forrest in a jump ball.

Four wins by 11 total points.

 

Is this the smallest total margin of victory for a state champion? I would have to imagine that if it isn't (in a modern era), then it's at least very close. If it is, it would be interesting to know where this ranks in comparison to the second & third smallest margins.

Didn't Manual Forrest score their first 15 or 20 points? I remember the radio guy saying SK 15, Manual Forrest 15.

I was there in '81 also. The mountain teams were very good that year as SK had narrow victories over the champions from the 14th (Knott) and 15th (Virgie).

Didn't Manual Forrest score their first 15 or 20 points? I remember the radio guy saying SK 15, Manual Forrest 15.

 

The radio guy was Jock Sutherland I believe. The line I remember most from him was commenting on Troy McKinley, who shot lights out that entire tournament. At some point in that game McKinley made a shot and Sutherland said "It's in the basket before it leaves his hand." That was a great line.

We have a picture of my brother from the finals. Beneath the photo it states he's the youngest member of a world record crowd. I'm not sure if they scouted for every tot in the crowd but he was a mere 5 months old. I just wish I would have been a year or two older, I remember bits and pieces of the parade and celebration at the Holidome but little to none of the game action. I actually got chills watching the documentary earlier this year.

The radio guy was Jock Sutherland I believe. The line I remember most from him was commenting on Troy McKinley, who shot lights out that entire tournament. At some point in that game McKinley made a shot and Sutherland said "It's in the basket before it leaves his hand." That was a great line.

 

You're an NKY guy, right? Wouldn't you have listened to Dale and Hardy on WHKK?

You're an NKY guy, right? Wouldn't you have listened to Dale and Hardy on WHKK?

 

I can't recall why I was listening to WHAS - I think it was WHAS. A lot of times I like to listen to other people broadcast games to get a different perspective so maybe that is what I was doing. I probably wanted to hear what someone outside N. Ky. had to say about the game and players.

Is this the smallest total margin of victory for a state champion? I would have to imagine that if it isn't (in a modern era), then it's at least very close. If it is, it would be interesting to know where this ranks in comparison to the second & third smallest margins.

 

I think Pulaski Co's margin was also 11 points. Five point win over Clay Co in the first round and then three straight two point wins.

WOW! Them were the days! Dale McMillan and Hardy usally set up against the wall just underneath one of the goals. You hardly had any room to get the ball inbounds.

You're an NKY guy, right? Wouldn't you have listened to Dale and Hardy on WHKK?

Just to set the record straight, his name was Manuel Forrest. One of the best moments in that game was when 6' tall Greg Ponzer beat the 6'6" Forrest in a jump ball.

 

Grew up hearing that story time and time again from my Dad, then one day playing ball in his drive way it finally clicked that it was the same guy(who's kids I'd grown up with), however by then it was even harder to imagine, but just given his build even as an older adult with kids in their teens it was still easy to believe that he was probably pretty darn athletic.