[Spud6]

Final from Rupp Arena

[Granny Bear]

Congratulations to the Lions of Lyon County!!

I'm so proud of my Black Bears and the way they fought through this tournament.

Good luck to all the Seniors!

It's a great day to be a Black Bear!!

[jetpilot]

Hell of a run HC Black Bears. A team for the ages, you will always be remembered.

[Bull got out!]

Proud of Harlan County! Congratulations Lyon Co.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Just didn’t have enough gas left in the tank.

This would have been a much better game tomorrow. Gotta get out of that two games in one day deal. It’s just dumb

[Cactus Jack]

Great run by Harlan County. Thought their legs were a little tired in this one, but they hung in there and have nothing to hang their heads about.

[Spud6]

A legendary career for Travis Perry capped off on the mountain top as a state champion!

Great run by Harlan County, I definitely didn't have them going this far

[16BBall Fan]

I hate that the KHSAA to save money makes the two teams in the championship game play two games in one day. As hard as both teams played I still think playing it tomorrow afternoon would have been a little better game. I would like to see what the record is of teams in the finals that play the 2nd semifinal game on Saturday.

[Appalachian Cat]

I hope they do the right thing and still give Trent Noah the Tournament MVP! Kid earned it!

[jetpilot]

^^^No way it's not Perry

[Spud6]

I hope they do the right thing and still give Trent Noah the Tournament MVP!  Kid earned it!

He didn't have a good enough Championship game

[Cactus Jack]

Probably will have some disagreement on this, but I think it'd be a bit different if the games began earlier Saturday morning and the championship tipped a bit later. I may be wrong, but at one point, didn't the early games tip at 10 am and the championship at 8:30 pm or so?

[jetpilot]

^^^I literally posted almost these exact words earlier.

Semis 10 & 11:45
Finals 8:30

[Rainmaker33]

How much money does the KHSAA even save by having them both on the same day

Listen with a 24 hour notice I feel like people would’ve filled the arena for this game (not that the attendance wasn’t great)

[16BBall Fan]

2024 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Aden Barnett, Magoffin County
Connor Loy, Adair County
Broc Sorgenfrei, Campbell County
Andrae Vasser, Trinity (Louisville)
Malachi Moreno, Great Crossing
Gage Richardson, Great Crossing
Christian Doerr, Evangel Christian
Kyran Tilley, Evangel Christian
Reggie Cottrell, Harlan County
Maddox Huff, Harlan County
Trent Noah, Harlan County
Jack Reddick, Lyon County
Brady Shoulders, Lyon County

Most Valuable Player: Travis Perry, Lyon County

[Spud6]

2024 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Aden Barnett, Magoffin County
Connor Loy, Adair County
Broc Sorgenfrei, Campbell County
Andrae Vasser, Trinity (Louisville)
Malachi Moreno, Great Crossing
Gage Richardson, Great Crossing
Christian Doerr, Evangel Christian
Kyran Tilley, Evangel Christian
Reggie Cottrell, Harlan County
Maddox Huff, Harlan County
Trent Noah, Harlan County
Jack Reddick, Lyon County
Brady Shoulders, Lyon County

Most Valuable Player: Travis Perry, Lyon County

Really liked seeing Cottrell be apart of the all-tournament team.  He's a lot of fun to watch.  He knows his role and stays out of the way and does what he needs to help get Noah and Huff the ball

[jetpilot]

How much money does the KHSAA even save by having them both on the same day

Listen with a 24 hour notice I feel like people would’ve filled the arena for this game (not that the attendance wasn’t great)

I think they cut out the Sunday finals because it interfered with the SEC championship some years. No need to worry about that anymore since UK never makes it that far anymore lol. I still like 10 and 11:45 on Saturday morning and 8:30 Saturday night.

[Wildcat_blue]

Move it a day up to Tuesday maybe? What a great tournament in so many ways. All around just an incredible story and achievements. More than happy a single A school won and that single A school is the best in Kentucky. We don’t have to debate or argue about that. Harlan county and Noah is the real deal, shame we can’t see all 3 KY boys next year wear blue!!!!!! Basketball is special and different from all other sports and it showed in this tournament and year. Keep this precious tournament the same for generations to come.

[Spud6]

Move it a day up to Tuesday maybe?  What a great tournament in so many ways.  All around just an incredible story and achievements.  More than happy a single A school won and that single A school is the best in Kentucky.  We don’t have to debate or argue about that.  Harlan county and Noah is the real deal, shame we can’t see all 3 KY boys next year wear blue!!!!!! Basketball is special and different from all other sports and it showed in this tournament and year.  Keep this precious tournament the same for generations to come.

I don't think there is any danger of it going to a class system for the state tournament. Kentucky is only one of two states that still do the state tournament without classes, the other being Delaware.

[Cactus Jack]

I think most would agree that Lyon County had more talent top to bottom than Harlan County. They were tough to stop when they were on-- you had to pick your poison when it came to containing Perry's dribble penetration and staying up in him when he was looking to get his shot off, giving up catch and shoot opportunities from three to Reddick, and/or letting Shoulders drag your big out onto the floor and look to duck in behind everyone and catch it for an open look.

I think Harlan County had played a variation of a pack-line defense most of the season, which was a really good defense for their personnel, but it's something that a team like Lyon County would have the tools to exploit and if you're Harlan County, you can't change what you've done all year, especially when you are getting out of Rupp Arena at 4 pm and having to be back for a 7:30 pm tip.

None of this is to imply that Kyle didn't have his team prepared, just to say that despite the fatigue factor, Lyon County had a lot that would go into making them favored in this one. Always stings to see a mountain team get so close, especially when it's such a humble kid like Noah, but the Lyons had a very tough offense for anyone to truly pitch a shutout against and they did an excellent job rebound the ball against Harlan County and that's why they came out on top.

This Black Bears run will be talked about and remembered for years to come. Excluding South Laurel, who was in the 12th Region when they won the 2005 State Championship, I think that this is the first time a 13th Region team has reached the finals since Clay County went in 1988.

[nedreader]

Great teams have players like Reggie Cottrell. I wish more players like him received more recognition. I bet his coach and teammates know how valuable he is to their team.

[Old School Hound]

Congratulations to the Lions of Lyon County!!

I'm so proud of my Black Bears and the way they fought through this tournament.

Good luck to all the Seniors!

It's a great day to be a Black Bear!!

Been 36 years since a 13th region team won 3 games in the Sweet 16. Well done, Black Bears!  Heck of a job representing our region.

Hope you are feeling better, Granny B.

[Cactus Jack]

Great teams have players like Reggie Cottrell. I wish more players like him received more recognition. I bet his coach and teammates know how valuable he is to their team.

Playing through the tournament with an injured (possibly broken?) wrist tells you how valuable he is. That takes a very tough kid to pull off. You could tell that there were times that it was effecting his play, especially some of the times that he was going up.

[Spud6]

Great teams have players like Reggie Cottrell.  I wish more players like him received more recognition.  I bet his coach and teammates know how valuable he is to their team.

Basketball heads know how important he is.  They are always my favorite players to watch a lot of times because all he cares about is the team and how the team wins.  He plays all out and gets the ball to Noah and Huff.  A 5'9 scrawny kid with WWE long hair guarding Mr. Basketball and going after rebounds above the rim against kids that could bench his body weight for 30 reps is what makes basketball fun to watch. Effort isn't a measured stat but it is one that makes teams win ball games they probably shouldn't.

[insideinfo]

It was a great game, great atmosphere. I was for the 13th region team, but I was not disappointed that a single A school won it. For the life of me I don’t why anybody would want to change the setup we have now. Where a small school from western Ky can play mountain team from eastern Ky, for the state basketball championship. I live in Indiana now, when I heard that Harlan Co. was playing in the Championship game told the wife to load the grandkids, we are going to Lexington.

[Slim one]

Congratulations to Lyon County. This year’s tournament has completely changed my perspective on things. In the early rounds I thought “ here we go again” but as another poster pointed out: with the right talent even the small schools can compete and prevail. And yes, knowing that the winner outlasted even the largest or specialized schools adds a measure of meaning to the title. Well done.

[Granny Bear]

Reggie Cottrell has my undying respect!! I call his position the "trash man". And it's my favorite position for any basketball team.

This kid was everywhere; doing everything. He does whatever is needed, defense, running down loose balls, sacrificing his body for the good of the team, etc I could go on and on about him, and in this tournament he did it all with a broken wrist. You don't find that kind of dedication a lot.

These kids deserved the accolades they received, and although I like to win I can feel great about the team's effort, coaching and performance. There's no disappointment in me today!
.

[Black Bear Cuz]

Great teams have players like Reggie Cottrell.  I wish more players like him received more recognition.  I bet his coach and teammates know how valuable he is to their team.

Basketball heads know how important he is.  They are always my favorite players to watch a lot of times because all he cares about is the team and how the team wins.  He plays all out and gets the ball to Noah and Huff.  A 5'9 scrawny kid with WWE long hair guarding Mr. Basketball and going after rebounds above the rim against kids that could bench his body weight for 30 reps is what makes basketball fun to watch. Effort isn't a measured stat but it is one that makes teams win ball games they probably shouldn't.

Kid is actually 6’2” with athleticism and talent. He will be a top 5 player in 13th region for the next two years. Hats off to the young man!!!

[Hi Risk Warrior]

I'm proud of Harlan, I've been a fan for a while now and they did not disappoint in their
performance in all games. They came up short in the last one, but it was against a really
good team. Congratulations, to the Black Bears, you made an effort in all games to remember
for a long time. 13th Region strong boys!!!

[Panther Thunder]

Awesome game and an awesome tournament.

I hope the younger generations will appreciate the beauty of the Sweet 16 and do their part to keep it alive.

Simply magic.