[Bluecat]

We always talk about the teams that win or predicted to win. Who are some of the better teams you can think of NOT to win a region who should have?

[Grinch1]

First one to come to mind is the BL team that won All A State. I believe they lost the region final to SV team that was under 500 coached by Greg Newsome.

[P. Fanning]

First one to come to mind is the BL team that won All A State. I believe they lost the region final to SV team that was under 500 coached by Greg Newsome.

That was my pick too. Betsy Layne lost to Pikeville in the semi finals, who then lost to Shelby Valley. Speaking of Shelby Valley, their 2001 team looked to be the region favorite, but lost their first game of the region tournament on their home floor.

[Old School Hound]

Top 20 '94 Corbin team (Pietrowski's senior season) should have won region. Was upset 102-99 in triple OT in the opening round of the region.

[Redneck]

2003 Paintsville

[LOOKAYANNER]

1981 Breathitt County Bobcats. They defeated Knott Central three times during the season by around 30 points every time. They won the two season scheduled games and the 55th district. Then they met again in the regional final and Knott Central beat them by 1 or 2 points, don’t recall exactly number. Breathitt had been an overwhelming number 1 in the region all season and had very few losses, I think maybe none in regional play. In my opinion that was one of the biggest regional tournament upsets in regional history, which dates back almost 100 years.

[King Kong]

Top 20 '94 Corbin team (Pietrowski's senior season) should have won region. Was upset 102-99 in triple OT in the opening round of the region.

Sounds like a real barn burner especially in a first round game.  The region that year must have been a real gauntlet.

[HCS]

Cawood 1978
Finished 24-2
Unbeaten in the region. Blew out eventual region champ Clay County in the regular season. Upset by Pineville in regional. Biggest upset in tournament history in my book.

Harlan 1994
Team had four all-staters. Won region in 1993, 1995 and 1996, but the 94 team was probably the best overall. Lost to Clay in semifinals at Clay with controversial late foul call.

[Old School Hound]

Cawood 1978
Finished 24-2
Unbeaten in the region. Blew out eventual region champ Clay County in the regular season. Upset by Pineville in regional. Biggest upset in tournament history in my book.

Harlan 1994
Team had four all-staters. Won region in 1993, 1995 and 1996, but the 94 team was probably the best overall. Lost to Clay in semifinals at Clay with controversial late foul call.

I remember seeing Bobby Keith raising his arms and celebrating the end of the Corbin-Jackson County game, knowing he wouldn't have to play Corbin. He looked like a man that knew he just won the region. He must have known something. Both Corbin and Harlan were good enough that season to make some serious noise in the Sweet 16. Most people were expecting a Corbin-Harlan region final.  Strange ass things happen along the way in Manchester, KY.

[LOOKAYANNER]

Cawood 1978
Finished 24-2
Unbeaten in the region. Blew out eventual region champ Clay County in the regular season. Upset by Pineville in regional. Biggest upset in tournament history in my book.

Harlan 1994
Team had four all-staters. Won region in 1993, 1995 and 1996, but the 94 team was probably the best overall. Lost to Clay in semifinals at Clay with controversial late foul call.

HCS, what about the 1983 Cumberland team with Lewis Morris and the Garrett Gregory  that later starred for Cumberland College. If memory serves me correctly they were a big favorite to win the 13th that year. I recall our team had a preseason scrimmage at Clay Co and Bobby Keith told our coach that Cumberland not only had a team that could win the 13th they could also make a run at the Sweet 16. I believe they were upset in the district tournament by Evarts, a huge upset.

[Old School Hound]

Cawood 1978
Finished 24-2
Unbeaten in the region. Blew out eventual region champ Clay County in the regular season. Upset by Pineville in regional. Biggest upset in tournament history in my book.

Harlan 1994
Team had four all-staters. Won region in 1993, 1995 and 1996, but the 94 team was probably the best overall. Lost to Clay in semifinals at Clay with controversial late foul call.

HCS, what about the 1983 Cumberland team with Lewis Morris and the Garrett Gregory  that later starred for Cumberland College. If memory serves me correctly they were a big favorite to win the 13th that year. I recall our team had a preseason scrimmage at Clay Co and Bobby Keith told our coach that Cumberland not only had a team that could win the 13th they could also make a run at the Sweet 16. I believe they were upset in the district tournament by Evarts, a huge upset.

You are correct.  Cumberland was very good. I believe Keith did, in fact, make that statement. HCS can speak more to how good that '83 Cumberland team was. Cumberland had several good teams back in the day.  I remember Corbin and Cumberland going to six overtimes in a game.

[HCS]

I had a quote in a story from Bobby Keith on the 1978 Cawood upset:

What happened next is now defined as the greatest upset in 13th Region history as Pineville, with a record of 9-13 and no starters above 6-foot tall, shocked the Trojans 71-64 in a first-round game at Middlesboro. Clay County went on to defeat Cumberland in the finals and then broke a long losing streak in the state tournament. Legendary coach Bobby Keith told me years later it was the biggest upset in his memory.
“I remember being at the regional tournament game with my two assistants. I had 20 pages of notes and I didn’t have anything on Pineville,” he said.

---

The 1983 Cumberland team was very good, but I'd guess the 85 team had the best shot. Coach Keith (we're quoting him a lot) told me the 85 team may have been better than the Hopkinsville team that beat his team in the state finals that year.
The 83 Cawood team was loaded and lost in OT to Middlesboro in the regional finals when there was a late start on the clock to give Middlesboro time to get up two shots to force overtime. That was Kirk Chiles' last team at Cawood with David Hensley, Everly Eads, Kevin Hatfield, Tony Sanford and a young Nick Sanford.

---

The 6-OT game was 1984. I was at EKU then in the days before the internet and had to get my Herald to find a score the next morning. I almost tripped on my way to class when I saw six overtimes. I think Clay beat Bell in overtime in the finals that year.

[Old School Hound]

I had a quote in a story from Bobby Keith on the 1978 Cawood upset:

What happened next is now defined as the greatest upset in 13th Region history as Pineville, with a record of 9-13 and no starters above 6-foot tall, shocked the Trojans 71-64 in a first-round game at Middlesboro. Clay County went on to defeat Cumberland in the finals and then broke a long losing streak in the state tournament. Legendary coach Bobby Keith told me years later it was the biggest upset in his memory.
“I remember being at the regional tournament game with my two assistants. I had 20 pages of notes and I didn’t have anything on Pineville,” he said.

---

The 1983 Cumberland team was very good, but I'd guess the 85 team had the best shot. Coach Keith (we're quoting him a lot) told me the 85 team may have been better than the Hopkinsville team that beat his team in the state finals that year.
The 83 Cawood team was loaded and lost in OT to Middlesboro in the regional finals when there was a late start on the clock to give Middlesboro time to get up two shots to force overtime. That was Kirk Chiles' last team at Cawood with David Hensley, Everly Eads, Kevin Hatfield, Tony Sanford and a young Nick Sanford.

---

The 6-OT game was 1984. I was at EKU then in the days before the internet and had to get my Herald to find a score the next morning. I almost tripped on my way to class when I saw six overtimes. I think Clay beat Bell in overtime in the finals that year.

Nick Sanford--what a player!!!  He and Phil Cox easily make my all-time 13th region team.

[HCS]

Yes, mine too.

[Keystone12]

1994 Knox Central was rated top 10 or 15 in state. They only lost a game or two going into the district. The blind draw days landed them corbin first round of district. Pietrowski and that team won in a close one. Central had brandon elam ( played at charleston southern and union) alvin sharp (one of the all time leading scorers at pre Division 1 Lipscomb) and julius blaylock (decent career at union).

[shottaker23]

I had a quote in a story from Bobby Keith on the 1978 Cawood upset:

What happened next is now defined as the greatest upset in 13th Region history as Pineville, with a record of 9-13 and no starters above 6-foot tall, shocked the Trojans 71-64 in a first-round game at Middlesboro. Clay County went on to defeat Cumberland in the finals and then broke a long losing streak in the state tournament. Legendary coach Bobby Keith told me years later it was the biggest upset in his memory.
“I remember being at the regional tournament game with my two assistants. I had 20 pages of notes and I didn’t have anything on Pineville,” he said.

---

The 1983 Cumberland team was very good, but I'd guess the 85 team had the best shot. Coach Keith (we're quoting him a lot) told me the 85 team may have been better than the Hopkinsville team that beat his team in the state finals that year.
The 83 Cawood team was loaded and lost in OT to Middlesboro in the regional finals when there was a late start on the clock to give Middlesboro time to get up two shots to force overtime. That was Kirk Chiles' last team at Cawood with David Hensley, Everly Eads, Kevin Hatfield, Tony Sanford and a young Nick Sanford.

---

The 6-OT game was 1984. I was at EKU then in the days before the internet and had to get my Herald to find a score the next morning. I almost tripped on my way to class when I saw six overtimes. I think Clay beat Bell in overtime in the finals that year.

Nick Sanford--what a player!!!  He and Phil Cox easily make my all-time 13th region team.

I played against Sanford. One of the most physically imposing players I ever saw. Looked like he was cut out of stone and could touch the top of the backboard. Went on to be a 3 time all American at lmu if I remember correctly

[Old School Hound]

1994 Knox Central was rated top 10 or 15 in state. They only lost a game or two going into the district. The blind draw days landed them corbin first round of district. Pietrowski and that team won in a close one. Central had brandon elam ( played at charleston southern and union) alvin sharp (one of the all time leading scorers at pre Division 1 Lipscomb) and julius blaylock (decent career at union).

Corbin vs Knox Central was MUST WATCH basketball that season. Billy Hicks and Bill Swafford literally went nose to nose at midcourt during Corbin's win at Knox Central in a game in which both teams were ranked top five , I believe,  in the AP poll. One of the best atmospheres and games I ever remember attending. You talk about INTENSE!!!  Allen Sharpe of the Panthers was one of the best long distance shooters I've ever seen. He led the Panthers to a 54-9 record over the '93-'94  and '94-95 seasons.

[Van Hagar]

I had a quote in a story from Bobby Keith on the 1978 Cawood upset:

What happened next is now defined as the greatest upset in 13th Region history as Pineville, with a record of 9-13 and no starters above 6-foot tall, shocked the Trojans 71-64 in a first-round game at Middlesboro. Clay County went on to defeat Cumberland in the finals and then broke a long losing streak in the state tournament. Legendary coach Bobby Keith told me years later it was the biggest upset in his memory.
“I remember being at the regional tournament game with my two assistants. I had 20 pages of notes and I didn’t have anything on Pineville,” he said.

---

The 1983 Cumberland team was very good, but I'd guess the 85 team had the best shot. Coach Keith (we're quoting him a lot) told me the 85 team may have been better than the Hopkinsville team that beat his team in the state finals that year.
The 83 Cawood team was loaded and lost in OT to Middlesboro in the regional finals when there was a late start on the clock to give Middlesboro time to get up two shots to force overtime. That was Kirk Chiles' last team at Cawood with David Hensley, Everly Eads, Kevin Hatfield, Tony Sanford and a young Nick Sanford.

---

The 6-OT game was 1984. I was at EKU then in the days before the internet and had to get my Herald to find a score the next morning. I almost tripped on my way to class when I saw six overtimes. I think Clay beat Bell in overtime in the finals that year.

HCS, as you probably know, this was back in the days when I was at every Clay Co. game. The Clay/Bell final actually went three overtimes, Clay winning 51-49 on a shot by Big Eddie Smith. Big Eddie was tragically killed in a four-wheeler accident not long after graduating after the ‘85 state runner-up season.
That Clay-Cumberland final in ‘’85 was still to this day one of the most intense, draining games I’ve ever witnessed. Two great teams, with every possession being sooooo important, as the final score was 47-46.

As far as upsets, nothing in the 13th can ever top Pineville over Cawood, just because of the overall talent disparity between the two teams. The Corbin loss to Jackson Co. was shocking, but Jackson had a couple of very talented players in Mitchell Madden and Chico Baldwin.

---

Oh and I should have added the huge upset pulled off by Barbourville over Knox Central in the district in 1989. Knox had two great big men in Tony Patterson and Tim Davis and had been ranked in the state’s top 10 all year.

[zaga_fan]

Y'all have been around longer than me, but I'll throw out a couple ones I remember in the last 20-ish years.

2004 Hazard Bulldogs: The 54th District was stuck with a blind draw to determine seeds until the last couple years. This put Hazard (a top 10-15 team in the state and the All A champions) and Perry up against each other in a first-round elimination game in Leslie County. Perry Central won on a buzzer beater by Daniel Combs. On top of the blind draw seeding them against each other, Combs was ejected from a game earlier in the week and they had to get another game on the schedule at the last minute to make sure he was ready to go for region (that's no longer allowed). There really needs to be a movie about that one.

2012 Perry Central Commodores: Once again, the 54th District draw sets up some shenanigans. Perry Central's only loss in the state of Kentucky was a 10-pt loss to Scott County. They had beaten the eventual 14th Region champs Knott Central in Hindman, went on the road and beat the eventual 15th Region champs Johnson central, among other solid wins. In protest of the draw, Alan Hatcher refused to play any 54th District teams during the season. The Commodores had Braxton Beverly (future NC Stater) and Jaysean Paige (future WVU player and NBA/pro), which the latter was eligible earlier than planned because of the school calendar being amended, conveniently giving him the GPA/credits needed to play (that is also no longer allowed). Anyway, the Commodores had to play a talented Buckhorn team who would have been no lower than the two-seed if not for the draw, and the Wildcats handed the Commodores their first loss in the region to open district tournament. They went on to lose to Knott Central in the 14th Region championship.

[HCS]

I had a quote in a story from Bobby Keith on the 1978 Cawood upset:

What happened next is now defined as the greatest upset in 13th Region history as Pineville, with a record of 9-13 and no starters above 6-foot tall, shocked the Trojans 71-64 in a first-round game at Middlesboro. Clay County went on to defeat Cumberland in the finals and then broke a long losing streak in the state tournament. Legendary coach Bobby Keith told me years later it was the biggest upset in his memory.
“I remember being at the regional tournament game with my two assistants. I had 20 pages of notes and I didn’t have anything on Pineville,” he said.

---

The 1983 Cumberland team was very good, but I'd guess the 85 team had the best shot. Coach Keith (we're quoting him a lot) told me the 85 team may have been better than the Hopkinsville team that beat his team in the state finals that year.
The 83 Cawood team was loaded and lost in OT to Middlesboro in the regional finals when there was a late start on the clock to give Middlesboro time to get up two shots to force overtime. That was Kirk Chiles' last team at Cawood with David Hensley, Everly Eads, Kevin Hatfield, Tony Sanford and a young Nick Sanford.

---

The 6-OT game was 1984. I was at EKU then in the days before the internet and had to get my Herald to find a score the next morning. I almost tripped on my way to class when I saw six overtimes. I think Clay beat Bell in overtime in the finals that year.

Nick Sanford--what a player!!!  He and Phil Cox easily make my all-time 13th region team.

I played against Sanford. One of the most physically imposing players I ever saw. Looked like he was cut out of stone and could touch the top of the backboard. Went on to be a 3 time all American at lmu if I remember correctly

That sounds more like Tony (Class of 83). He truly was all muscle. He went to EKU to play football. Nick, Class of 86, was an all-stater and might have been Mr. Basketball if not for Rex Chapman. He played at LMU. He wasn't nearly as big as Tony, even though he was 6-6 and Tony was 6-2 or 6-3.

[Cactus Jack]

2000 Owsley County was another really good one. Lost four games in-state all season-- early games at South Laurel and to Perry Central, All A Semifinal to Whitefield Academy, another loss at Perry Central late, and the regional semi to Knott County Central. The 2000 Corbin team that they beat was the same team that gave Russellville a really good game in Rupp. Might be dating myself, but seemed like one of the school's best chances to go to the Sweet 16 in a generation.

Not one of the all-time "best that never" teams like some listed here, but I thought that Breathitt County was going to win the 14th in 2003. Saw them play a couple of times that season and thought they had a lot of really nice pieces. If I'm not mistaken, Haddix was their point guard, they had a skinny kid who shot really well, and a few big kids that seemed like they could punish you one the glass.


Been over these before, but 1998 Bell County, 1998 Corbin, 1999 Harlan, and 2001 Bell County were some really good teams from the 13th that didn't make the trip. All of those teams had some kids who were really good high school players and could do a lot to help you win. I don't know that any of those go any deeper than the 13th went in any of those seasons (losing to Paintsville in '98, Madison Central in '99, or Russellville in '01), but they were all good enough to beat a handful of teams that made those fields. Harlan probably gets talked about the least out of the 90's teams, but Clay County didn't beat them too badly in the regional final and I think one of their starters went down with a pretty bad leg injury really early in that regional final.

Going back to their days in the 12th, the South Laurel team that was upset by Somerset was capable of giving Scott County a much better game than they got from Mercer County in the opener. That's probably one of the bigger upsets of the 2000's if you consider those mountain teams.

[zaga_fan]

That 2003 Breathitt team is another good one, because the semifinal game they lost to Powell is considered one of the single biggest hose jobs in the history of basketball.

[Cactus Jack]

That 2003 Breathitt team is another good one, because the semifinal game they lost to Powell is considered one of the single biggest hose jobs in the history of basketball.

I've heard tale that punches were thrown.

Hard to say that they were undoubtedly the best team because Perry County Central had beat them twice in the regular season and I seem to remember them struggling with Willis at times.

Again, this is just on seeing each of the teams in the 14th two to three times that year, so maybe I caught them on some really good nights, but I really liked how Breathitt was constructed and thought that they probably had the most talented team that season because of how well all of their pieces fit.