Bluegrassrivals

were is the hardest place to win a game at? Your thoughts please.
Clay,Co my picknicker:

^ when I was playing, Shelby Valley was a hard place to go and get a win..

Now coaching, hardest place for a mountain team to get a win is in Lexington.. Talent is a reason but they call games different too..

I agree with Clay Co. Especially with Bobby Keith on their bench!!

Clay County owns Kentucky's longest home winning streak of like 9 years during the Keith era. Shelby Valley is second but it's not even close.

Cov Cath. We went there in 2005 or I believe. Crazy environment. I believe there student section was even featured in sports illustrated,

Clay/Corbin.

Until the 00's, you walked into those places down 20.

To be honest, I think it was South Laurel moving to the 13th that kinda ended that stuff. They were just killing everyone then and since then, it doesnt seem like its that bad.

Cordia. I wouldn't say it is hard to win at. It's just a confusing gym altogether. I would consider it the Vanderbilt gym of the 14th region

Knott co.

Clay County in the old gym. That place was very intimidating with the way the crowd was right on top of you. If it was a big game the gym would fill to standing room only, and alot of people would sit in the walkways with their legs hanging over the sides of the wall next to the court. I guess a pretty scary thing for a teenager playing against one of the top coaches in the state. The other would have to be Corbin, always had very good teams and fans that didn't care to much for losing on their floor, so you had a fight on your hands almost every time.

I would have to agree Clay Co. screaming and heckling...geeeeesh....

tomcatfan722000 Wrote:Cov Cath. We went there in 2005 or I believe. Crazy environment. I believe there student section was even featured in sports illustrated,

They're student section is always so crazy. One of the best I've seen.

ekff Wrote:^ when I was playing, Shelby Valley was a hard place to go and get a win..

Now coaching, hardest place for a mountain team to get a win is in Lexington.. Talent is a reason but they call games different too..

Exactly, you think a ref likes to blow his whistle in the mountains then come to Lexington and see how many weak fouls they call.

Clay county for sure

Corbin has always been tough, but isn't close to what it used to be. Good teams, loud gym, and the Pepsi Cola officials. I remember a Cumberland Falls Tournament game where the outshot Warren Central something like 48-6 from the foul line.

There is alway's home cooking in the 14th no matter what gym your in.

RunItUpTheGut Wrote:To be honest, I think it was South Laurel moving to the 13th that kinda ended that stuff. They were just killing everyone then and since then, it doesnt seem like its that bad.

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When North and South moved into the 13th the London refs came with them and that really helped to take away the home court advantage of many of the power teams.
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With the three man crews it is much harder for one "homer" to take over the game.
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Plus, the big box gyms have taken away the intimidation factor.....
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I can only imagine what Corbin used to be like. Pulaski played there last night and being an old guy I can see how that place could have been something else in the old days.
Let's just say the officiating was some of THE most "interesting" and conversation provoking I have seen in my travels.
It was sad to see such a small crowd turnout for the Corbin boys. It would have been great to have seen thT gym full and rowdy with the interesting officiating to geta really good test.
I lament the fact that people just do not come out to the games like we did 30 to 35 years ago. Although I was never there back then, I suspect Corbin wAs one of the tough places to play.

RunItUpTheGut Wrote:Clay/Corbin.

Until the 00's, you walked into those places down 20.

To be honest, I think it was South Laurel moving to the 13th that kinda ended that stuff. They were just killing everyone then and since then, it doesnt seem like its that bad.

Clay County also won 90 consecutive games against 13 Region opponents. The 13th region streak was ended in the 1991 semi-finals of the 13th region tournament at Bell County. Corbin beat Clay County by 17 points that night. That was the Clay County team led by Shannon Hoskins. After that loss Clay County, Corbin and Harlan were about on equal footing. Clay County has not been the same dominate program since that night. South Laurel didn't enter the 13th Region for more than a decade latter.

catscards Wrote:-
When North and South moved into the 13th the London refs came with them and that really helped to take away the home court advantage of many of the power teams.
-
With the three man crews it is much harder for one "homer" to take over the game.
-
Plus, the big box gyms have taken away the intimidation factor.....
-

Well before NL and SL came to the 13th region a pretty high percentage of 13th region officials came from the London-Laurel County area.

Rojas - I disagree. Bobby Keith has told me personally that the 1992-93 squad was his favorite. That was one of his better teams outside of 87-88. They also had a solid team in 1998 with Henson and Asher. I wouldn't say Clay County's dominance ended in 1991. More like 98 or 2001, however you want to look at it.

OldSchoolTiger Wrote:Clay County in the old gym. That place was very intimidating with the way the crowd was right on top of you. If it was a big game the gym would fill to standing room only, and alot of people would sit in the walkways with their legs hanging over the sides of the wall next to the court. I guess a pretty scary thing for a teenager playing against one of the top coaches in the state. The other would have to be Corbin, always had very good teams and fans that didn't care to much for losing on their floor, so you had a fight on your hands almost every time.

I agree the old gym an coach keith was very intimidating.still was in the new gym under coach keith i miss those 15 years i follow clay at home.an they was a lot of home games.:Thumbs:

13th region
Clay Co. 80's -Mid 90's
Corbin- Mid 90's
Harlan- Mid 90's
Clay Co. was a top 5 team it seemed every year in the 80's. The Mid 90's Clay Co., Corbin, and Harlan all was top 15 type teams. Is was hard to get a win at any of those 3 gyms during that time. The old gym at Clay Co., that may have been the hardest place to play in the country during the 80's.

UKCC Wrote:Rojas - I disagree. Bobby Keith has told me personally that the 1992-93 squad was his favorite. That was one of his better teams outside of 87-88. They also had a solid team in 1998 with Henson and Asher. I wouldn't say Clay County's dominance ended in 1991. More like 98 or 2001, however you want to look at it.

I think you must be mistaken with your years? Harlan and Corbin were by far the best two teams in the 13th region in 92-93. Harlan blew out Clay Co in the regional semifinals at Bell Co. that year. Corbin also beat Clay County handily that year during the season. However, Clay Co did win the region at Clay Co. in 91-92 and went to the Sweet 16 final 4. However, after being the state's top basketball program from the mid 80s up to 91, the 1991/92 team was the last really good team Clay County has had. I'm not 100% sure but I think Clay County's win over South Floyd in 2001 may be the only Sweet 16 win Clay Co has had since that 91/92 team.

It might have use to be clay co. But now I would say it is knott co. Because they seem to get every call and they usually have a good team on top of that. I went to the hazard vs. knott game and knott shot 51 free throws. Perry is also a tough place to play because they are usually one of the best teams in the region. Perry was the last team to beat Shelby valley the year they won the state championship.

It is easy if you are clay co. In the 80's and 90's because bobby Keith recruited every good player around.

The days of dominance in Bobby Keith Gymnasium are no longer intact. Rojas, I think UKCC was referring to the 91-92 team, Shannon Hoskins senior year. And Clay County had two extremely good teams in 98 and 99, they just had bad draws in the state tournament. It's been 12 years since the Tigers made it to Rupp, look for that streak to end this year.

EKYBubbaWatson Wrote:The days of dominance in Bobby Keith Gymnasium are no longer intact. Rojas, I think UKCC was referring to the 91-92 team, Shannon Hoskins senior year. And Clay County had two extremely good teams in 98 and 99, they just had bad draws in the state tournament. It's been 12 years since the Tigers made it to Rupp, look for that streak to end this year.

I would be nice and quite nostalgic to see the Tigers back in Rupp.

Rojas - Got my years mixed up. EKYBubbaWatson is correct. I was referring to the Shannon Hoskins, Robert Marcum, etc. crew. However, Clay County at home is still pretty tough. Since South Laurel joined the region and Corbin with their few years have managed to beat the Tigers at home. Outside of that, they're still pretty tough.

1. Memorial Gym, Hazard
2. Clay County
3. Knott County
4. Corbin

Knott co is getting to be a tough place to win.-turn your frown upside down cause smiley's come to town