USA Today

**Stardust** · 03-19-2009, 04:19 PM

A 'Hoosiers II' in Kentucky keeps county captivated

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/bas...unty_N.htm

The traits of a modern-day Hoosiers at Elliott County (Sandy Hook, Ky.) are palpable.
Small school (enrollment: 312) in a small town (population about 1,000) in a small county (population about 7,000) with a boys' basketball team that has captivated the county and state with its exciting brand of non-stop basketball.

On Thursday, Elliott County will take its 30-2 record into Kentucky's Sweet 16 in Lexington and play schools of all sizes in an open-class tournament, the way it once was in Indiana.

But there is one major difference between Elliott County and Hickory High, the team coached by Gene Hackman's character in Hoosiers. Elliott County, ranked No. 1 in the state at one point this season, is not an underdog, and senior twin guards Ethan and Evan Faulkner expect to play in Saturday's championship game.

Sandy Hook, located in northeast Kentucky 92 miles east of Lexington will be a ghost town as long as the Lions are playing. "We've said all year that we won't be satisfied if we're not playing Saturday night at Rupp Arena,and we're not going to back down from that now," Evan says.........

**Redneck** · 03-20-2009, 01:22 AM

Stardust Wrote:A 'Hoosiers II' in Kentucky keeps county captivated

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/bas...unty_N.htm

The traits of a modern-day Hoosiers at Elliott County (Sandy Hook, Ky.) are palpable.
Small school (enrollment: 312) in a small town (population about 1,000) in a small county (population about 7,000) with a boys' basketball team that has captivated the county and state with its exciting brand of non-stop basketball.

On Thursday, Elliott County will take its 30-2 record into Kentucky's Sweet 16 in Lexington and play schools of all sizes in an open-class tournament, the way it once was in Indiana.

But there is one major difference between Elliott County and Hickory High, the team coached by Gene Hackman's character in Hoosiers. Elliott County, ranked No. 1 in the state at one point this season, is not an underdog, and senior twin guards Ethan and Evan Faulkner expect to play in Saturday's championship game.

Sandy Hook, located in northeast Kentucky 92 miles east of Lexington will be a ghost town as long as the Lions are playing. "We've said all year that we won't be satisfied if we're not playing Saturday night at Rupp Arena,and we're not going to back down from that now," Evan says.........

"Hoosiers II" has already happened. 1996 Paintsville Tigers KHSAA Sweet Sixteen State Champions. Paintsville's enrollment was smaller than 312.

dortonite · 03-20-2009, 01:35 AM

It is nice to see any Ky Mountain team get this type of publicity and notice. EC is a nice team, that has played together for quite a awhile now, and has family, community and Eastern Ky cheering them on. The same can be said about another team this year, Shelby Valley, and they meet in Rupp tomorrow at 8 pm, and the team that goes home a loser is not a loser in the true sense of the word, stay healthy, play hard, and may the winner go on to win the title of KY State Champions.

**Redneck** · 03-20-2009, 01:38 AM

dortonite Wrote:It is nice to see any Ky Mountain team get this type of publicity and notice. EC is a nice team, that has played together for quite a awhile now, and has family, community and Eastern Ky cheering them on. The same can be said about another team this year, Shelby Valley, and they meet in Rupp tomorrow at 8 pm, and the team that goes home a loser is not a loser in the true sense of the word, stay healthy, play hard, and may the winner go on to win the title of KY State Champions.

Oh yeah, for sure man. It's a great article and if my post sounded like a knock on Elliott, I didn't mean for it to. I was just pointin out that a smaller school has won the state championship before.

kybaseball · 03-20-2009, 01:41 AM

It is great to see a non mountian 16th region team get this kind of pub.