MEMORIES of the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen
Whether it’s the Boys venue in Rupp Arena or the Girls in BB&T Arena, there is something magical about the KHSAA Basketball State Tournaments. It always starts out with sixteen teams spanning sixteen different regions in the state of Kentucky. It’s the best of the best and in the single elimination scenario there are plenty of storylines.
The Boys, which has been in Lexington always seems to be a strong draw and continued that tradition with Bowling Green proving that they are as superior in Basketball as they were in Football with a victory over Cooper in the Final today. 
My memories of covering the event go back to my first season in 2006 when I saw all four games at the Girls Sweet Sixteen on Day three, when Lexington Christian beat Iroquois in the Final behind senior guard Emily London. That team was led by a group of underclassman which would all go D-1 (Anna Martin, Sara Beth Barnette and Courtney Clifton), but the real story was afterwards when the teams were doing their media obligations.
I learned then that one team had made it’s first State trip EVER and although they lost were treated like queens all week leading up to the tournament. One coach on another losing team had just coached his last game after a long tenure, but wanted to go out after his daughter had finished up her season. 
Another team dedicated their season to a fallen teammate, who was out with a season ending knee injury and was victorious. There is probably no better example of what the Boys state tournament stands for then something former Lexington Lafayette head coach
Jock Sutherland said when his team qualified for the State Tournament for the first time.
He sat in his hotel room with the media badges of his players and coaches which they had to wear for entry in the state tourney and poured them out on a table and ran his fingers over them like they were valuable jewelry. 
That’s what going to the State Tournament means to a Kentucky high school basketball player and the history involving it. Whether it was a historic championship game between North Hardin and Laurel County or the stars that it showcased like Richie Farmer, Manuel Forrest. Jeff Lamp or Paul Andrews. Through these photos I can hopefully capture some of the moments of the Tournaments. One thing is certain in that going there never gets old.
Taylor County’s Ezra Oliver put it best when he said “You always want your season to end up at Rupp. You never want it to end, but if it has to that’s where you want it to end.”
