It took fifteen years, which is how long the Elizabethtown Boys Basketball team last won the 5th Region Championship. That being said most of the team playing Bardstown that night weren’t old enough to attend grade school yet. James Haire remembers that day very well, but things have changed since then. In fact, he is the last coach still standing in the 17th District since that day. Not that Elizabethtown hasn’t had some good teams during that time, but being in a District that features John Hardin and North Hardin along with Central Hardin, just getting out of the district tournament is a challenge.
When he did take a team to the Region Final, they usually faced the new challenger in Bardstown’s Tigers and twice, James Brewer’s team sent them packing. This time around the Panthers were a different team with plenty of outside shooters and a smothering defensive press that had team’s screaming “Uncle.” Conventional wisdom said this time things would be different, but then the game started and history looked to be repeating itself.
The Tigers took off to a quick 4-0 lead attacking the inside of a smaller Panther lineup and saw some early success, but E-Town stayed close and reclaimed it at 9-4. Bardstown went on a 11-2 run to go up 14-11, but two turnovers by the Panthers relentless press pushed Elizabethtown back up at 28-24. The team’s matched each other for much of the first half, the first of two big breaks happened for the Panthers. With senior inside intimidator JJ Traynor reinjuried his ankle early in the second quarter when the Panthers made a push, but he reentered later on and the Tigers had a halftime lead.
Elizabethtown’s inside game struggled early as the combination of an aggressive Tiger defense and the shot blocking prescence of Traynor made life uncomfortable for the Panthers as they were getting one shot and out on several trips in their half court offense.
In a game of such magnitude, one player needed to step up and junior Jaquais Franklin, who had led Elizabethtown in made three pointers this season was silent much of the game.
That would change in dramatic fashion.
With the game tilting in Bardstown’s favor, the Elizabethtown outside game needed a restart and Franklin did that. His first three was a look at the top of the key as Bardstown was willing to give the Panthers some room outside. His second followed a Tiger two-point basket and was on the left side outside the circle. His third was almost where the first one was and was almost an NBA shot. His fourth left the Tigers defense unconscious and it helped build a deficit into a lead again.
Franklin’s four basket tear came within a five minute period in the third quarter. He finished with 27-points, but when Franklin was putting three’s on the board, the Tigers matched each one with a two and eventually Elizabethtown recaptured a lead they would not lose.
Still, Bardstown did not give up. Trailing 65-59 with 3:07 left, the Tigers got a couple baskets to cut in the lead and after a pair of E-Town free throws kept the lead up, another Tiger basket and a steal set up a tip in making it 69-67 with :38 left.
Just like that, an insurmountable lead looked like it would disappear just like that.
Afterall, weren’t these the same Bardstown Tigers that had knocked off John Hardin two days ago in Overtime? They certainly weren’t clocking out without a fight.
Two Panther free throws helped rebuild some cushion and a Tiger shooter was fouled and went o the line to cut some more off the lead.
This is where free throw shooting makes a difference and can decide a champion or a loser. How many times coaches tell their players to work on free throws because someday you may be shooting for a State Title can’t be counted.
Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games and free throw shooting wins championships.
The Panthers managed to hit their free throws down the stretch and maintain their lead and two missed by the Tigers finished them off and it was the Panthers that celebrated for the first time since 2005.
For Elizabethtown, the fans and players breathed a sign of relief, but none more than Haire, who was there when they won the state title in 2000 and had to live through the past nineteen until 2020. But this time it was he shaking James Brewer’s hand afterward on the winning side and he and his team would finally get to celebrate a hard fought championship in a season that almost wasn’t.
For Elizabethtown, the fans and players breathed a sign of relief, but none more than Haire, who was there when they won the state title in 2000 and had to live through the past nineteen until 2020. But this time it was he shaking James Brewer’s hand afterward on the winning side and he and his team would finally get to celebrate a hard fought championship in a season that almost wasn’t.
Afterwards, Franklin quietly answered questions about his performance which probably ranked in the Top Ten for dramatic fashion. He wasn’t even old enough to remember the last time Haire and company held the Region title Trophy up high. While the rest of his teammates were doing the net cutting ceromony, he was still being interview and politely accomadated everyone.
Somehow I expected an athlete that had the three game series that he and Elizabethtown had to be very high keyed. Not so. He was as cool as a cucumber. All season long, this team had been under a microscope hovering in the Top 5 rankings drawing local and big city media outlets to practices and games. They were getting use to it and the pressure that goes with it.
Haire would know that.
Winning a state title in the sport that draws as much attention as football does that to you. As a result, he always pushed this team to greater heights and never let up knowing that it takes one bad play or a missed assignment to trip you up at seasons end.
This time he got to celebrate and if they ever get the Boys KHSAA Sweet Sixteen restarted, Rupp Arena had better prepare for a group of fans and players that have been nearly fifteen years in the waiting.
