[Huggy_Bear]

Branching out from the Ben Bowling thread, who are some of the best players to come out of the mountains within the last 30 years?

[RunItUpTheGut]

Charles Thomas- Harlan
Rick Jones- Corbin/Scott County
Richie Farmer- Clay

Theres really to many to name.
Corbin alone had some great players.

[hitter]

Shannon Hoskins M.C. Napier/Clay County

[Warthog]

Did not know Rick Jones played at Corbin


JR Vanhoose Paintsville
Jeremy Hall Allen Central
Heff Conley Elkhorn City
Todd Tackett Paintsville

[basketball101]

Earvin Stepp was a great player and scorer I think one season he avg 42 points a game. I think he played two years at Sheldon Clark then Phelps.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Did not know Rick Jones played at Corbin


JR Vanhoose Paintsville
Jeremy Hall Allen Central
Heff Conley Elkhorn City
Todd Tackett Paintsville

He grew up in Corbin and only went to Scott County for a couple of years.
If im not mistaken he lives in Corbin now.

[I Rule The World]

Tim Couch- Everyone knows him for Football, but he was the best basketball player I've ever seen around here.

Don't know of any player in the mountains who boasted over 20 Division 1 basketball offers.. Steve Fisher at Michigan wanted him VERY badly..

[Notsofastmyfriend]

John Pelfrey. If you go back 32 years Todd May from Virgie - he was in a league of his own.

[BluegrassHoops1972]

Henry Webb- McDowell
Jody Thompson- Feds Creek
Kelly Wells - Rowan Co.
J.J. Hylton- Belfry
Ratliff- Elkhorn City
Bobby Hood- Wheelwright
Freddie Bowling- Virgie

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Richie Farmer
JR Van Hoose
Charles Thomas
Shannon Hoskins

The man who would have been, Donta Wade. Clay County recruit who didn't get eligible. During practice and summer ball, the manchild was on a different level. Ended up at Providence starting and breaking the Big East record for 3s in a game. It would have been amazing to see what he could have done if his head was in the place it is now. He still is a FREAK of nature!!

[Leaping Lee]

Is this the best 30 players or the best 30 players in the mountains?

Allen Houston
Richie Farmer

And Ervin Stepp played in the 70's

[1-3-1-press]

Rodney Mitchell-Clay Co
Blake Hubbs-Cawood
JaySean Paige-Perry Central
Justin Hicks-Hazard
Walt Allen-South Laurel
Ty Profitt-South Laurel
Elisha Justice-Shelby Valley
Cody Gilbert-Wolfe Co
Daniel Combs-Perry Central

I'm only 27, so here list of players I've watched in person that I left games impressed with. There are probably many more but these are the ones that I instantly thought of.

[Mix1]

Thomas Jenkins from Allen Central,, come on you came up with Jeremy Hall,, lol.

Mix1...

[Mix1]

Is this the best 30 players or the best 30 players in the mountains?

Allen Houston
Richie Farmer

And Ervin Stepp played in the 70's

Allan Houston played at Ballard in Louisville.

Mix1...

[1-3-1-press]

I've from a few of my Hazard friends that Jon Bentley was an exciting player to watch in the day.

[HUB]

Matt Day - Buckhorn
Mr. Basketball Finalist
1st team All State
Ky./Indiana All Star
Multiple Regional Player of the Year Awards

[Huggy_Bear]

Rodney Mitchell-Clay Co
Blake Hubbs-Cawood
JaySean Paige-Perry Central
Justin Hicks-Hazard
Walt Allen-South Laurel
Ty Profitt-South Laurel
Elisha Justice-Shelby Valley
Cody Gilbert-Wolfe Co
Daniel Combs-Perry Central

I'm only 27, so here list of players I've watched in person that I left games impressed with. There are probably many more but these are the ones that I instantly thought of.

You mentioned Blake Hubbs from I think it was Cawood. Rockcastle County had a player right around that time that was a scoring machine too, Aaron Cash. Seems like he played for Transy after graduating.

Also, David Vance of Barbourville was a pretty good player around 2004. I believe he went on to play for Union College.

Maybe not 3 of the best ever to come out of the hills, but 3 pretty dang good players.

[1-3-1-press]

You mentioned Blake Hubbs from I think it was Cawood. Rockcastle County had a player right around that time that was a scoring machine too, Aaron Cash. Seems like he played for Transy after graduating.

Also, David Vance of Barbourville was a pretty good player around 2004. I believe he went on to play for Union College.

Maybe not 3 of the best ever to come out of the hills, but 3 pretty dang good players.

I dont recall Vance but I do remember Cash too. Your right, he was a flat out shooter!

[Warthog]

Thomas Jenkins from Allen Central,, come on you came up with Jeremy Hall,, lol.

Mix1...

Jenkins was tough too

Hall started at Wisconsin

[Wyatt Earp]

In the last 30 years I haven't seen a player that dominated high school like J.R. VanHoose. He could have broken so many scoring records if he had been a selfish player. I just thought he made the other players around him so much better.

[icecreamandcake]

Clay County's-
Richie Farmer
Shannon Hoskins
Russ Chadwell
Russ Farmer- Basketball/Baseball

[HDE]

Ervin Stepp graduated in 1980, so he wouldn't be in the 30-year time period. Phil Cox doesn't either or he would be in the top five as the 1981 Mr. Basketball.

The best I've seen in the 13th Region since the 1984-85 season:
Nick Sanford
Richie Farmer
Charles Thomas
Tony Pietrowski
Walt Allen
Russ Chadwell
Lawrence Buell
Aaron Cash
Michael Jones
Todd Cox
Blake Hubbs
Stewart Miller
Chris Shackleford
Lewis Morris
Woody Asher

[rojas]

In the 13th Region there have been so many great players that have graduated during last 30 years that it's tough to make a comprehensive list. The players that come to mind as top tier are, in no particular order:

Nick Sanford- Cawood (Still holds every scoring record at LMU)
Charles Thomas- Harlan (Minnesota and EKU)
Richie Farmer- Clay County (UK)
Tony Pietrowski- Corbin (LSU and Cumberland)

A few other great ones were:
Woody Asher- Red Bird/Clay County (Georgetown)
Russ Chadwell- Clay County (Austin Peay/Georgetown)
Bo Rhoden- Corbin (Cumberland)
Todd Cox- Cawood/Harlan (VCU/Georgetown
Lawrence Buell- Middlesboro (LMU)
Tye Proffitt- South Laurel (Notre Dame/Morehead)

There are probably 25-30 more who we could make a good argument that they belong on the second list. Michael Jones (Harlan), Elgie Green (Middlesboro) and Tommy Stuart (Corbin) come to mind.

Some of the great coaches that have coached in the 13th the last 30 years would include, in no particular order:
Billy Hicks- Evarts/Harlan/Corbin (over 800 wins and 2 state championships. Holds the record for most Sweet 16 wins by a coach)
Bobby Keith- Clay County (Over 700 wins and a state championship.)
Mike Jones- Cawood/Harlan/Jackson County/Harlan County- (Over 600 wins)
Steve Wright- South Laurel (Over 600 wins and a state championship)
Ralph Roberts- Cumberland (Over 600 wins)
Dinky Philps- Barbourville (Over 500 wins)

[Emmit Brown]

Tim Couch- Everyone knows him for Football, but he was the best basketball player I've ever seen around here.

Don't know of any player in the mountains who boasted over 20 Division 1 basketball offers.. Steve Fisher at Michigan wanted him VERY badly..

Couch was a VERY good basketball player. I went to watch him at the Fast Lane Classic his senior year, but he was on a recruiting trip to Florida. They wanted him to play both football and basketball.

As for not knowing anyone in the mountains with 20 D1 offers, JR VanHoose of Paintsville had well over 20. I can remember when Roy Williams of Kansas (now at UNC) wrote him a Christmas card wishing he and his family well and was begging him to sign with KU. Plus hearing the stories of his recruitment from Bobby Knight are amazing. Not just one of the best players in the past 30 years, but in the history of KY basketball. His stats back it up, but he is one of the most humble people I have ever met.

[1-3-1-press]

Couch was a VERY good basketball player. I went to watch him at the Fast Lane Classic his senior year, but he was on a recruiting trip to Florida. They wanted him to play both football and basketball.

As for not knowing anyone in the mountains with 20 D1 offers, JR VanHoose of Paintsville had well over 20. I can remember when Roy Williams of Kansas (now at UNC) wrote him a Christmas card wishing he and his family well and was begging him to sign with KU. Plus hearing the stories of his recruitment from Bobby Knight are amazing. Not just one of the best players in the past 30 years, but in the history of KY basketball. His stats back it up, but he is one of the most humble people I have ever met.

I used to work with a guy from Paintsville. His son played on the same Paintsville team with JR. He would tell me a lot of good things bout JR and things he would do. He seem like a very humble person by the stories. I never seen him play but the way people describe that did, JR would have to be on everyone's list and was definitely one of the greatest to come out of Eastern Kentucky.

[MidnightRider]

Aaron Cash was a dandy.

[skydiver1]

Brian Kiser from Estill co went on to play for Crum at Louisville. A lot of people thought he should have been mr basketball his sr. year.

[Mix1]

Tim Couch never was shy about shooting,, he was primary ball handler and shooter. Soon as he crossed midcourt you had better be on him. Range out to 30'..

[Huggy_Bear]

Tim Couch never was shy about shooting,, he was primary ball handler and shooter. Soon as he crossed midcourt you had better be on him. Range out to 30'..

I read where he averaged 36 ppg when he was a Junior. Wow.

Also, Ben Bowling of Perry Central hasn't been mentioned except in the original post but he is right up there with the best to come out of the mountains.

[rojas]

Ervin Stepp graduated in 1980, so he wouldn't be in the 30-year time period. Phil Cox doesn't either or he would be in the top five as the 1981 Mr. Basketball.

The best I've seen in the 13th Region since the 1984-85 season:
Nick Sanford
Richie Farmer
Charles Thomas
Tony Pietrowski
Walt Allen
Russ Chadwell
Lawrence Buell
Aaron Cash
Michael Jones
Todd Cox
Blake Hubbs
Stewart Miller
Chris Shackleford
Lewis Morris
Woody Asher

No Bo Rhoden or Tye Proffitt?