Shelby Valley boys brings it home

**Stardust** · 02-02-2009, 10:16 AM

State title is first everfor a Pike hoops team
By Mike Fields - [email]mfields@herald-leader.com[/email] RICHMOND â Pike County's hoops history includes legendary coach John Bill Trivette of Pikeville and Mr. Basketball winners Ervin Stepp of Phelps (1980) and Todd May of Virgie (1982).

Now it can finally claim a state championship, too, after Shelby Valley won the boys' Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic on Sunday.

The Wildcats won the small-school title by holding off Bardstown 58-55, four hours after a semifinal upset of No. 1 Elliott County in Eastern Kentucky's McBrayer Arena

"We're bringing the big trophy back home," a teary-eyed Coach Jason Booher said...........

http://www.kentucky.com/813/story/679997.html

trufan · 02-02-2009, 10:28 AM

This team and Coach Booher and his staff have given this area a state championship. I couldn't be more proud to call myself a Shelby Valley fan. My hats off to everyone that has worked so hard to accomplish this great task, this has been the one thing that everyone that has put on a uniform from Dorton, Virgie and Shelby Valley has worked so hard at doing and it has finally happened, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

ky wildcats · 02-02-2009, 11:24 AM

Congratulations!!!

Watchful Eye · 02-02-2009, 11:29 AM

Congratulations to the Wildcats! I have a very good feeling about your success in March as well.

demongc21 · 02-02-2009, 11:32 AM

Great victory for any mountain school!! Glad it was valley!!

**Scotty doesn't know** · 02-02-2009, 01:41 PM

Ican't wait for March!! Valley bring the big one home!!

KyGurl · 02-02-2009, 02:18 PM

Congrats!!

BlueSky · 02-02-2009, 03:52 PM

This is a GREAT win, but we cannot campare to the Sweet 16.

nature boy · 02-02-2009, 03:57 PM

great job Valley and congrats.

**outdoorsman43** · 02-02-2009, 04:00 PM

I am very proud of this Valley team, congrats!

Commanche · 02-02-2009, 04:23 PM

trufan Wrote:This team and Coach Booher and his staff have given this area a state championship. I couldn't be more proud to call myself a Shelby Valley fan. My hats off to everyone that has worked so hard to accomplish this great task, this has been the one thing that everyone that has put on a uniform from Dorton, Virgie and Shelby Valley has worked so hard at doing and it has finally happened, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Congratulations and the whole area is proud of the Cats accomplishments. Any time a team from our area does wll it helps all the kids from this region.

Gotta give Robert and Greg alot of pride in knowing the hard work they put into these young men in their younger years has paid off. There are others who deserve credit as well, I just know that these two men spent a lot of time trying to help these young men develop.

Again very proud of all of you.

Commanche · 02-02-2009, 04:28 PM

BlueSky Wrote:This is a GREAT win, but we cannot campare to the Sweet 16.

May not be the Sweet 16 but it started out with probably 150 teams or so and the Cats survived. Plus several teams in the top 20 made it to Richmond. Dont disregard this as a great accomplishment.

If basketball were in a class system such as football, SV would probably have several titles already. It is hard to compete with the huge city schools with the limited enrollment in the mountains. I will offer no one should disregard these Cats come March. They have excellent guard play and great size. They are also 8 deep and have quality players coming off the bench.

Good luck and congrats again Cats.

oldeagle · 02-02-2009, 06:20 PM

congrats valley..

justabballfan · 02-02-2009, 08:21 PM

BlueSky Wrote:This is a GREAT win, but we cannot campare to the Sweet 16.

Maybe not but let's not rain on SV's parade , this win couldn't have happened to a better group of boys. This will definitely be something they will remember for the rest of their lifes and as of now no one else in Pike CO. can say yes, I remember win my team won a state championship in eitheir the All A or the Sweet Sixteen. Wink

~~Overrated~~ · 02-02-2009, 08:25 PM

Congrattsss Valleyyyy!!:letsparty

trufan · 02-02-2009, 08:30 PM

BlueSky Wrote:This is a GREAT win, but we cannot campare to the Sweet 16.

I think this is very much like the sweet 16, this tournament has the same format it is just limited to schools that have smaller enrollments. Congrats SV on your State Championship!!! Big Grin

InstantOffense · 02-02-2009, 08:32 PM

In any other state this would simply be regarded as the state title. They beat out every other school in their class, that is quite an achievement. This is exactly the same as winning a state football championship.

dortonite · 02-02-2009, 08:35 PM

I have been impressed by the comments about the character of all

of Shelby Valley players, I am talking about the boys on the bench as well.

trufan · 02-02-2009, 08:37 PM

Actually Kentucky is one of the few states that don't have a class system in basketball.

**Scotty doesn't know** · 02-02-2009, 08:52 PM

Commanche Wrote:May not be the Sweet 16 but it started out with probably 150 teams or so and the Cats survived. Plus several teams in the top 20 made it to Richmond. Dont disregard this as a great accomplishment.

If basketball were in a class system such as football, SV would probably have several titles already. It is hard to compete with the huge city schools with the limited enrollment in the mountains. I will offer no one should disregard these Cats come March. They have excellent guard play and great size. They are also 8 deep and have quality players coming off the bench.

Good luck and congrats again Cats.

Nice post. I completely agree.

**Scotty doesn't know** · 02-02-2009, 08:53 PM

I think Kentucky is the only to divide the regions to have a sweet sixteen.

bigman77 · 02-02-2009, 10:32 PM

I'd just like to congratulate all the team, coaches, and staff on a job well done. You guys deserve it. Can't wait to see you at Rupp!! Go Big Blue!!
:flame:

fanatic11 · 02-02-2009, 11:18 PM

big congratulations to SV. way to bring one home for the mountains.

lil2coupe · 02-03-2009, 01:07 AM

Congrats from Letcher County!!!

Rooster Cogburn · 02-03-2009, 01:26 AM

Great Job - SV!!!

~~Mr.Kimball~~ · 02-03-2009, 10:26 PM

Commanche Wrote:Congratulations and the whole area is proud of the Cats accomplishments. Any time a team from our area does wll it helps all the kids from this region.

Gotta give Robert and Greg alot of pride in knowing the hard work they put into these young men in their younger years has paid off. There are others who deserve credit as well, I just know that these two men spent a lot of time trying to help these young men develop.

Again very proud of all of you.

I agree 100%.

Shelby Valley's success not only this year, but for for several years now can be greatly attributed to what Robert and Greg have exposed these kids to over the years on the AAU circuit. Both are great guys, as I played against both of them back in the day ( even helped put a thumping on em Big Grin

), and have done battle against them in the AAU circuit as well. Tickled to death to see them have a great hand in continuing the Virgie tradition. BTW, dont mean to slight the Dorton folk.

Congrats SV.

**DortonWildcat5** · 02-03-2009, 10:32 PM

Mr.Kimball Wrote:I agree 100%.

Shelby Valley's success not only this year, but for for several years now can be greatly attributed to what Robert and Greg have exposed these kids to over the years on the AAU circuit. Both are great guys, as I played against both of them back in the day ( even helped put a thumping on em ), and have done battle against them in the AAU circuit as well. Tickled to death to see them have a great hand in continuing the Virgie tradition. BTW, dont mean to slight the Dorton folk.

Congrats SV.

Believe me the Dorton folk don't feel slighted at all. We are represented well with 4 of the top 8 players being from Dorton. I for one am very proud of Elisha, Logan, Curby, and Cody Varney and feel very close to the Virgie kids as well. All are great kids. Robert and Greg built up an outstanding AAU as well as middle school team and deserve a lot of credit for this team's success.

Commanche · 02-03-2009, 11:39 PM

DortonWildcat5 Wrote:Believe me the Dorton folk don't feel slighted at all. We are represented well with 4 of the top 8 players being from Dorton. I for one am very proud of Elisha, Logan, Curby, and Cody Varney and feel very close to the Virgie kids as well. All are great kids. Robert and Greg built up an outstanding AAU as well as middle school team and deserve a lot of credit for this team's success.

Not wanting to slight any of these kids or any other folks who had a hand in it. It is not all Booher, all the parents of these kids deserve credit as well, trust me all of them put their heart and soul into basketball. The coach at Dorton Middle deserves a ton of credit as well, he is my favorite coach in middle school. I think his name is Randy, not sure of his last name.

Congrats again to all, not just the people I have named.

dortonite · 02-03-2009, 11:49 PM

Commanche Wrote:Not wanting to slight any of these kids or any other folks who had a hand in it. It is not all Booher, all the parents of these kids deserve credit as well, trust me all of them put their heart and soul into basketball. The coach at Dorton Middle deserves a ton of credit as well, he is my favorite coach in middle school. I think his name is Randy, not sure of his last name.

Congrats again to all, not just the people I have named.

COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER!!LOTS OF GOOD POSTS ON THIS.

STAY POSITIVE,FANS,COACHES,PLAYERS,ETC.

**DortonWildcat5** · 02-04-2009, 12:08 AM

Commanche Wrote:Not wanting to slight any of these kids or any other folks who had a hand in it. It is not all Booher, all the parents of these kids deserve credit as well, trust me all of them put their heart and soul into basketball. The coach at Dorton Middle deserves a ton of credit as well, he is my favorite coach in middle school. I think his name is Randy, not sure of his last name.

Congrats again to all, not just the people I have named.

I am the coach at Dorton, but I definitely do not deserve the credit. I know all people who have worked with these kids have had a hand in it, but the players and parents really deserve the credit for putting the extra time and work into it. I know firsthand that Elisha has worked his butt off during the summers and off days to become a better player and it has definitely paid off. Curby and Logan play basketball with us at Dorton on Wednesday and Sunday nights and I can tell a huge difference in their individual games. They have really worked hard as well. The rest of the players have played basketball for most of their lives and you can tell by the way they play how much it means to them. Like you and I said before, Greg and Robert have had a big hand in the success of this team, and Coach Booher has built on that. To run any great program, you need the hard work of the player, parents, coaches, community, and fans.