(This is a computer simulation matching  great Ashland Tomcat teams of the past against each other. All game results are computer-generated but the quotes and enhanced play-by-play are on me.)

ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland’s 1957 team isn’t remembered in Tomcat history like they could have been.

The 57 Tomcats won 21 games and were the first “official” winners of the Ashland Invitational Tournament by defeating Flat Gap and the remarkable Charlie Osborne, 67-64, in the finals at the Ashland Armory. The tournament started the previous year as the Greenbo Invitational Tournament but became the AIT in 1957.

However, Ashland’s promising season was derailed when two players, Bob Wright and Don Church, were dismissed from school with six games remaining in the regular season. They enrolled at Russell but were ineligible to play. The Tomcats were not the same and lost by six points to Russell – a team they hammered 78-50 earlier in the season with Wright and Church in the lineup – in the first round of the district tournament. Just like that, the season was over.

The 57 Tomcats were smack dab in the middle of two of the greatest teams in Ashland history – four years after 1953 and four years before 1961 – so it was tough to gain respect in that era.

Howard Humphreys, a senior on the team and leading scorer, often wondered what might have happened with a full roster. He asked for a virtual matchup of the 57 Tomcats – with Church and Wright – against the famed 61 Tomcats.

Will it be a day of redemption or one of be careful what you wish for because it might come true?

In a high-scoring affair the 61 Tomcats outlasted the 57 Tomcats, 88-80, in an entertaining game that was physical from start to finish. The teams combined for 84 free throws and 58 fouls, with both officials having to replace the pea in their whistles.

Both teams had players take elbows to the mouth with blood spilling on the Ashland Armory floor.

The 57 Tomcats proved more than capable of playing against the team that most consider Ashland’s best ever, taking them down to the final minutes before falling in a game that had fans on both sides screaming.

Larry Conley scored 20 and Harold Sergent 19 as the 61 Tomcats used a 35-point second quarter to take control and then hold on down the stretch after a furious comeback.

The 61 Tomcats built their biggest lead at 49-35 when Steve Cram drilled a 15-footer to start the second half. But the 57 Tomcats, led by Humphreys, rallied by going on a 24-10 rampage in the third quarter. Humphreys scored 11 of his 18 points during the stretch.

However, the 57 Tomcats could never take the lead despite staying within striking distance. It was 77-73 with three minutes remaining when the 61 Tomcats scored six consecutive points to make it 83-73 and essentially put it away.

The teams spent a lot of time at the foul line with the 61 Tomcats making 29 of 44 free throws and the 57 Tomcats hitting 28 of 40.

The difference came from the 3-point line where the 61 Tomcats adapted quickly to the new rule, making 7 of 17 with Sergent nailing 4 of 8. The 57 Tomcats attempted only one from behind the arc.

“We instructed our players to take it inside,” said 57 coach Bob Lavoy. “When you have players like Humphreys and (Dale) Griffith, you take it inside. I’m old school. I don’t know about this 3-point thing.”

But the 21-0 difference from the 3-point line was a determining factor.

“We didn’t shoot the 3 and we sure didn’t defend it well either,” Humphreys said. “I’m proud of these guys. It was good to be out there playing with them again, especially Don and Bob.”

Meeks scored 18 and Griffith collected 11 points and seven rebounds while Wright and Church were solid with nine points and eight points, respectively, for the 57 Tomcats.

“I tell you what, these 57 Tomcats were good,” said 61 coach Bob Wright. “Humphreys and Griffith are a handful and those guys never back down. I’d liked to have coached those players. Wright and Church made a difference for them too. Wright is a real banger and so athletic. Our guys were saying he was like a brick wall.

“We found the range from that 3-point line, which I’m starting to like,” Wright said. “I don’t think we win this one without it.”

Cram scored 12 points and Gene Smith 11. Sergent had eight assists and Bob Hilton led with seven rebounds.

Real life

 1957 Ashland was 21-6, AIT champions and ranked as high as 16^th in the Litkenhaus rankings, but bowed out in the opening round of the district tournament to Russell.

1961 Ashland finished as state champions with a sparkling 36-1. These Tomcats are regarded as one of the best in Sweet 16 history.

Reunited

Humphreys and Griffith joined back up with Wright and Church the following year at Louisiana Lafayette. Humphreys’ roommate, Tim Thompson, played on a Lexington Lafayette team that was in the Sweet 16 in 1957.

Sophomores step up

Larry Castle, David Patton and Herb Conley were sophomores in 1957 and stepped up to help the varsity when Wright and Church were dismissed from Ashland High School. Lavoy was replaced by Fred Anson after the season was over.

1961 ASHLAND (88) – Sergent 6-12 3-4 19, Cram 3-8 5-6 12, Conley 6-19 7-9 20, Hilton 3-7 0-1 6,  Smith 3-8 5-6 11, Fairchild 4-7 0-3 8, Sexton 0-1 5-8 5, Daniel 0-2 3-4 3, Johnson 1-2 0-0 3, Gray 0-0 1-3 1. FG: 26-66. FT: 29-44. 3-point FG: 7-17 (Sergent 4-8, Cram 1-2, Conley 1-6, Johnson 1-1). Rebounds: 35 (Sergent 4, Cram 5, Conley 6, Hilton 7, Smith 3, Fairchild 5, Sexton 4, Johnson 1). PF: 27. Turnovers: 11.

 1957 ASHLAND (80) – Wellman 2-7 0-0 4, Church 3-9 3-4 9, Humphreys 6-12 6-8 18, Griffith 4-10 3-6 11, Meek 5-5 8-13 18, Sexton 1-2 1-1 3, Wright 4-5 0-0 8, Hart 1-1 7-8 9, Everman 1-1 0-0 2, Castle 0-0 0-0 0, Conley 0-1 0-0 0, Fillmore 0-1 0-0 0. FGs: 26-53. FT: 28-40. 3-point FGs: 0-1 (Church 0-1). FT: 28-40. Rebounds: 32 (Wellman 3, Church 4, Humphreys 9, Griffith 7, Meek 1, Conley 1, Hart 3, Wright 2, Sexton 1, Everman 1). Assists: 10 (Wellman 2, Church 2, Humphreys 1, Griffith 1, Meeks 2, Fillmore 1, Wright 1). PF: 31. Turnovers: 16.

1961 ASHLAND  14      35      10      29           –         88

1957 ASHLAND  23      12      24      21           –         80

(This is a computer simulation matching  great Ashland Tomcat teams of the past against each other. All game results are computer-generated but the quotes and enhanced play-by-play are on me.)

ASHLAND, Ky. – In a wild game that included 10 players scoring in double figures, 50 assists and both teams breaking the century mark, the 2020 Ashland Tomcats survived a double-overtime thriller on Justin Bradley’s 3-pointer at the buzzer to defeat the 1972 Tomcats, 111-108, Thursday night.

Bradley nailed a corner three – one of only two triples the 20 Tomcats connected on the entire game – for the winner.

The strategy for the 72 Tomcats was to shut down the 20 Tomcats’ vaunted 3-point attack and they did it well, limiting them to only six attempts. But it was a 3-point dagger that did them in with Bradley’s swish from the corner ending a game that featured 14 lead changes.

The game was an offensive show from the outset with the 20 Tomcats jumping ahead 22-17 after the first quarter but trailing 42-35 at the half and 62-59 heading into the fourth quarter.

20 Tomcats coach Jason Mays, ringing wet from sweat after the two-hour game played in front of a packed house at James A. Anderson Gymnasium, said his head was spinning on the sidelines with the teams running up and down the floor. It was as much track meet as basketball game.

“We hardly had time to call anything,” he said, wiping his face with a towel. “They were pressuring our 3-point shooters so we took them off the dribble, which this team does very well. They absolutely were not going to lose by the 3-pointer.”

Colin Porter, who led the 20 Cats with 23 points and 14 assists, sliced down the lane and found teammates open when he was picked up time after time. Cole Villers led the 20 Cats with 25 points while Ethan Hudson (17), Sellars (14) and Bradley (12) joined him in double figures.

“This was like a summer league game in a lot of ways,” Porter said. “It was up and down the court. You hardly had a chance to set your self on defense because here they’d come. They were big and talented, as good as we’ve faced.”

The game had to be stopped three times to mop up condensation on the floor. Both the 72 Tomcats and 20 Tomcats experienced the same circumstances during their seasons, so it was nothing new. to either one.

Besides that, they both could use the breather.

“I was gassed,” Hudson said. “We never stopped running the entire game. It was like playing NBA2K except we were the players in the game. Those 72 guys were so tough, no wonder they won so much.”

Ronnie Griffith was tough to stop for the 72 Cats, scoring a game-high 27 points with nine rebounds. Dale Lynch and Chuck Williams scored 19 apiece, Dwayne Farrow had 14 and Steve Dodd 10. Williams led with 12 rebounds.

72 Tomcat Steve Hall’s driving layup with two seconds to play in regulation tied the game at 83 to force overtime. Villers got away with a foul on the play, crashing into Hall as he soared to the basket and made the shot. But no foul was called.

Each team had sizable leads, nine for the 20 Tomcats and 11 for the 72 Tomcats at 54-43 midway through the third quarter.

Bradley made one of two free throws with 49 seconds to play in the first overtime to tie it at 95 and neither team could score again the rest of the OT, even though they each missed two scoring opportunities. Griffith’s short bank shot from about 12 feet away spun out and Williams’ putback was ruled after the buzzer to end the first overtime.

Villers drilled a 15-footer and then drove for another basket to put the 20 Tomcats in front 103-100 in the second OT. The lead grew to 108-102 before the 72 Tomcats scored six consecutive points, including a nice up-and-under move from Williams, to pull even at 108 with six seconds remaining.

After a timeout, the 20 Tomcats made a pass to halfcourt and quickly called another timeout with four seconds to play. That allowed Mays to set up some last-second strategy.

“It was exactly how we drew it up,” Bradley said. “I was surprised to get open with the way they were overplaying us all game. Cole knew right where he was going with the ball.”

Mays said he had an idea that Bradley could get open. The inbounds pass from Porter went to Villers about the foul line and he quickly zipped it to Bradley, who used a screen from Hudson to get free. He got off the shot a split second before the buzzer sounded. Bingo!

“This is the kind of game you play over and over again in your mind,” said 72 coach Harold Cole. “We had our chances to win and they did too. It was almost like the last shot was going to win. We took away those 3-pointers all night long and then got burned by one.”

Real life

1972 Ashland was the last Tomcat team to be ranked No. 1 until this past season. The Tomcats fell to Russell in the 16^th Region championship game. They finished 28-3.

2000 Ashland finished 33-0 but unable to play in the Sweet 16 because of the coronavirus. It’s the first unbeaten Tomcat team since 1928.

2020 ASHLAND (111) – Porter 8-22 7-9 23, Bradley 5-12 1-2 12, Villers 9-13 6-8 25, Hudson 6-17 5-7 17, Sellars 5-6 4-6 14, Adkins 0-1 2-2 2, Gillum 3-7 2-2 8, Phillips 2-4 2-2 6, Davis 1-2 1-2 3, Atkins 0-3 1-1 1. FGs: 39-86. FT: 31-42. 3-point FGs: 2-6 (Porter 0-2, Bradley 1-2, Villers 1-1, Gillum 0-1). Rebounds: 42 (Porter 5, Bradley 6, Villers 4, Hudson 4, Sellars 6, Adkins 4, Gillum 4, Phillips 7, Atkins 2). Assists: 24 (Porter 14, Villers 2, Gillum 4, Phillips 1, Sellars 2, Davis 1). PF: 28. Turnovers: 13.

1972 ASHLAND (108) – Hall 1-4 2-3 4, Booker 0-2 0-0 0, Griffith 11-15 5-6 27, Lynch 8-15 3-5 19, Williams 8-18 3-4 19, Dodd 3-3 4-5 10, Kleykamp 2-8 2-3 6, Farrow 7-12 0-2 14, Evans 1-2 1-1 3, Conley 3-3 0-0 6. FGs: 44-82. FT: 20-29. 3-point FGs: 0-3 (Griffith 0-1, Lynch 0-2). Rebounds: 45 (Hall 1, Booker 3, Griffith 9, Lynch 6, Williams 12, Dodd 5, Kleykamp 2, Farrow 4, Evans 2, Conley 1). Assists: 26 (Booker 3, Griffith 3, Lynch 6, Williams 4, Dodd 3, Farrow 5, Evans 2). PF: 33. Turnovers: 21.

 2020 ASHLAND    22     13      24      24      12      16   –        111

1972 ASHLAND    17      25      20      21      12      13    –       108

(This is a computer simulation matching  great Ashland Tomcat teams of the past against each other. All game results are computer-generated but the quotes and enhanced play-by-play are on me.)

ASHLAND, Ky. – A highly anticipated matchup between two of Ashland’s greatest teams lived up to expectations.

The 1961 Tomcats pulled ahead early in the second quarter and never surrendered the lead, despite big games from Earl “Brother” Adkins and Bob Emrick, to defeat the 1953 Tomcats, 72-66.

Emrick scored 26 and Adkins 23, but the 61 Tomcats clamped down on everybody else. Meanwhile, Harold Sergent pumped in 22 points to lead three in double figures.

One unusual part of the battle was Larry Conley playing against his father, 53 coach George Conley. Larry grew up idolizing the 53 Tomcats and Wednesday he helped defeat them with 17 points and four rebounds.

“That was completely strange,” he said. “Those guys were my heroes. I can remember playing in the gym and Dad running those guys like crazy.”

The younger Conley must have learned well. He put his 61 Cats ahead for good at 21-20 with a pair of free throws early in the second quarter. While they never regained the lead, the 53 Cats stayed within striking distance and erupted for 27 points in the fourth quarter to make it interesting.

“We waited too long to start playing,” a none-too-happy coach George Conley said. “You can’t do that against great teams. I told our guys this was one we should have won if we’d played the rest of the game like we did in the fourth quarter.”

The coach who would later be a referee wasn’t happy about the difference in fouls – the 53 Cats had 19 compared to eight for 61. “Now I’m not one to talk about the officiating, but that doesn’t seem quite right to me. My guys’ arms were blood red.”

As for facing off against his son, the Senator said it was an honor. “Larry turned into a fine ballplayer. I was proud of him out there. He learned a lot.”

Gene Smith had 10 points and Bob Hilton nine for the 61 Cats, who shot 53 percent from the field. Sergent had seven assists to go along with his team-high scoring total.

“Sarge is a handful,” George Conley said. “If he wasn’t beating us to the basket he was giving it to somebody else to beat us to the basket. I’d play him a lot different next time.”

Larry Conley put the 61 Cats ahead 60-47 with 5:38 remaining with a long 3-pointer and it looked like it was over. But a flurry of baskets from Emrick and Adkins sliced the lead to 68-63 with 27 seconds to play. With 14 seconds, Adkins drilled a 25-footer to make it 70-66 but Conley swished two free throws to ice the hard-fought win.

It was a measure of revenge for 61 coach Bob Wright, who was the coach at Vanceburg in 1953 when Ashland scored 112 in the 16^th Region championship game.

“I’m not going to say that wasn’t on my mind,” Wright said. “Holding them to 66 points shows how great this team defends (the 53 Tomcats averaged 75 per game). They executed our game plan to perfection. We knew when Adkins got comfortable with the 3-point shot it was going to be trouble. I’m just glad he didn’t take any more shots than he did.”

Twelve of Adkins’ 14 shots were from behind the arc. Point guard Bill “Squirt” Jennings was held to three points on 1-for-7 shooting but he did have seven assists.

“Sarge was all over him,” Wright said. “That’s what good defense will do.”

3-point introduction

The 61 and 53 players were asking before the game why there was an arc painted around the top of the key. When told about the 3-point shot, “Brother” Adkins’ and Harold Sergent’s eyes lit up like Christmas morning.

“That’s where I normally shoot anyway,” Adkins said, rubbing his hands together.

“Yeah,” chimed in Sergent, “this is like taking candy from a baby.”

The 53 Tomcats were 11 of 20 from downtown with Adkins nailing 7 of 12 triples. The 61 Tomcats were a respectable 8 of 19, but Sergent, who scored a team-high 22, was only 1 of 4 behind the arc.

Real life

1953 Ashland was the top-ranked team in the state when the Tomcats were stunned by Paducah 46-44 in the opening round. Led by stars Earl “Brother” Adkins and Bill Emrick, these Tomcats are still regarded as one of the most talented in Ashland history.

1961 Ashland is considered THE team in Tomcat history. They were state champions, fashioned a 36-1 record and all five starters received Division I scholarships. Historians consider them one of the greatest state champions in Kentucky history.

1953 ASHLAND (66) – Jennings 1-7 0-0 3, Henderson 1-2 0-0 3, Adkins 8-14 0-0 23, Emrick 11-17 2-2 26, Marshall 2-5 0-0 4, Gray 1-3 1-2 3, Woods 1-2 0-0 2, Jones 1-1 0-0 2, Bailey 0-1 0-0 0. FGs: 26-52. FT: 3-4. 3-point FG: 11-20 (Jennings 1-3, Henderson 1-1, Adkins 7-12, Emrick 2-3, Woods 0-1). Rebounds: 22 (Jennings 3, Henderson 6, Adkins 1, Emrick 5, Marshall 3, Gray 2, Woods 3). Assists: 13 (Jennings 7, Henderson 4, Adkins 1, Woods 1). PF: 19. Turnovers: 10.

1961 ASHLAND (72) – Sergent 8-12 5-6 22, Cram 2-4 0-1 5, Conley 5-10 4-4 17, Hilton 4-7 0-0 9, Smith 5-9 0-0 10, Fairchild 1-2 0-0 2, Johnson 0-2 0-0 0, Daniels 0-2 0-0 0, Sexton 2-2 1-2 7. FG: 27-51. FT: 10-13. 3-point FGs: 8-19 (Sergent 1-4, Sexton 1-2, Conley 3-6, Hilton 1-2, Cram 1-2, Johnson 0-2). Rebounds: 21 (Sergent 2, Sexton 2, Conley 4, Hilton 4, Smith 4, Cram 1, Daniels 2, Fairchild 2). Assists: 13 (Sergent 7, Sexton 2, Conley 2, Cram 2). PF: 8. Turnovers: 6.

1953 ASHLAND     15         14         10         27           –            66

1961 ASHLAND     14         20         18         20           –            72

(This is a computer simulation matching  great Ashland Tomcat teams of the past against each other. All game results are computer-generated but the quotes and enhanced play-by-play are on me.)

ASHLAND, Ky. – The 2020 Ashland Tomcats are known more for finesse than physicalness.

But a rugged 58-55 victory over the 1977 Tomcats showed they could play that style too.

Ethan Hudson scored 18 points, including the last six from the foul line in the last 90 seconds, for the hard-fought win against a team that prides itself on defense and showed why from buzzer to buzzer.

Baskets were hard to come by for both teams and the 3-point shot – new to the 1977 team – was nobody’s friend.

The 20 Tomcats were 7 of 23 and the 77 Tomcats 4 of 18 from behind the arc.

Coach Paul Patterson said the 2020 Tomcats gave his team fits despite being undersized. “A well-coached team that passes the ball as well as any we saw,” he said. “They’re a tough bunch too. I like that about them.”

The 20 Tomcats were knocked to the floor while battling for rebounds on several occasions. Point guard Colin Porter for the 20 Tomcats and Greg Swift for the 77 Tomcats was the best battle of the night.

Porter had 12 points and five assists and Swift collected eight points and eight assists. His older brother Mark Swift scored 11 with six rebounds.

Cole Villers went up against the 6-7 Jeff Kovach and scored a dozen. Kovach led the 77 Tomcats with 15 points and seven rebounds.

“I couldn’t do much with him, he is so strong,” Villers said.

The 77 Tomcats jumped ahead 15-8 before the 20 Tomcats rallied and eventually took the lead for good at 25-23 when Hudson scored inside for his 12^th point of the first half.

“Huddy came through for us in a big way,” said Ashland coach Jason Mays. “I’ve coached in a lot of basketball games in college and high school and that game was as physical as any of them. No wonder those guys made it to the semifinals. What a tremendous team.”

Darryl Smith scored on a putback to bring the 77 Tomcats within 56-55 at the 18-second mark, but Hudson made a pair of free throws with 5.3 seconds to play to set the final margin. A halfcourt shot from Mark Swift that would have tied the game glanced off the front of the rim.

Real life

1977 Ashland went 30-2 and reached the state semifinals before losing to Louisville Valley. Patterson never lost to a 16^th Region opponent in his four years as head coach.

2020 Ashland finished 33-0 but didn’t get to play in the Sweet 16 because of the coronavirus. The Tomcats had three seniors in the history-making season.

1977 ASHLAND (55) – G.Swift 3-10 0-0 8, M.Swift 4-7 2-4 11, Dummit 0-5 0-0 0, Kovach 7-8 0-0 14, Harkins 2-5 6-8 10, Smith 2-5 0-0 4, Allen 2-5 0-0 4, Henderson 1-4 1-2 3, Welch 0-0 1-2 1. FG: 21-49. FT: 9-14. 3-point FGs: 4-18 (M.Swift 2-5, G.Swift 1-2, Dummit 0-5, Harkins 0-1, Smith 0-1, Henderson 1-4). Rebounds: 29 (G.Swift 1, M.Swift 6, Kovach 7, Dummit 3, Harkins 4, Smith 1, Allen 3, Welch 4). Assists: 16 (G.Swift 8, M.Swift 4, Smith 1, Henderson 3). PF: 23. Turnovers: 13.

2020 ASHLAND (58) – Porter 3-12 3-7 12, Bradley 2-6 2-2 6, Villers 4-7 2-3 12, Hudson 5-11 7-9 18, Sellars 3-6 3-4 9, Gillum 0-4 0-0 0, Phillips 1-2 0-0 1, Adkins 0-1 0-0 0. FGs: 17-47. FT: 17-26. 3-point FGs: 7-23 (Porter 3-8, Gillum 0-3, Villers 3-6, Hudson 1-4, Sellars 0-2). Rebounds: 28 (Porter 1, Gillum 2, Villers 4, Hudson 7, Bradley 3, Sellars 6, Phillips 4, Adkins 1). Assists: 9 (Porter 5, Villers 1, Hudson 2, Phillips 1). PF: 14. Turnovers: 9.

1977 ASHLAND       17       8          18       12            –           55

2020 ASHLAND       11       9          23       15            –           58