Some storytelling and thoughts from the mind of Mark Maynard.
Author: Mark Maynard
Managing editor of Kentucky Today, the digital newspaper of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, since July 2017. Worked 42 years for The Daily Independent in Ashland, Kentucky, the last 12 as managing editor and editor and the previous 30 in the sports department, including 17 years as sports editor. President of Amy For Africa, a faith-based Christian ministry serving Uganda. I'm a husband to Beth and father to Stephen and Sally, grandfather to Brooks and Addy.
ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland’s 1992 and 1966 basketball teams had a lot in common so it stood to reason this one would be close.
Both were high-scoring teams who won regional championships, they had nearly identical records and they both had Lynches – perhaps the first family of Tomcat basketball – on the roster.
In the family feud, Rob Lynch outscored his father, Bob, and Uncle Bill, 33-25, in the best individual performance so far in the simulation series between Tomcat teams.
His 33 points came on 9-for-14 shooting from the field, including 4 of 7 triples. He couldn’t miss and it was enough for the 92 Tomcats to defeat the 1966 Tomcats, 85-77, in a highly entertaining game at Anderson gym.
Entertaining, that is, except for some of the Lynches who were on the losing end.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say his grandpa was the referee, the way they protected him,” Bill Lynch said of trying to defend his nephew. “We couldn’t get near him without hearing a whistle.”
Happy days for father and son, Bob and Rob Lynch.
“It was like he had a cone of protection around him,” said Bob Lynch. “Once they saw he was hot, they kept running the offense through him. I was having flashbacks of Pete Maravich (who Lynch defended when he played for Alabama). You’d fight through screen after screen to get near him and when you got within the ‘cone,’ the whistle blew. We’ll replay this game tonight in the driveway, maybe one-on-one style without referees, and see how it turns out.”
Rob Lynch made it a parade to the foul line, drilling 11 of 12, and getting his team off to a big start.
“Those guys are hilarious,” Rob said of his uncle and dad. “I may have been a little extra motivated playing against them. Those guys were a step slow, just sayin’. Kudos to my guys. They got the ball to me in the right spots.”
Point guard Jason Strader had 10 points and seven assists. He said when Rob Lynch made his first 3-pointer from the deep corner, with his dad draped all over him, he knew it was going to be his night.
“Rob is like that. When he’s hot, he’s hot,” Strader said. “I knew where to get the ball.”
It was Rob Lynch’s early scoring that provided the eight-point cushion that the 92 Tomcats were able to maintain throughout the game. He scored 12 of the first 18, with his second trey making it 18-9. The teams played dead even the rest of the way. In fact, they scored the same totals in the second, third and fourth quarters.
“Everything was pretty equal except we had a red-hot Rob Lynch,” said 92 Tomcat coach Jeff Hall. “I knew he was going to be jacked-up for this one. I saw it in his eyes during warmups. He wanted it and he handed it to his dad and uncle. By the way, I love those guys. Two of the greatest athletes in Ashland history. The Lynch family has provided a lot to the tradition of the Tomcats.”
Bill Lynch scored 17 and brother Bob had eight points and four assists. Clint Wheeler collected 19 points and 12 rebounds and Benny Spears also scored 19 for the 66 Tomcats.
“That first quarter was the difference in the game,” said 66 coach Harold Cole, whose team trailed 26-18 after the first quarter. “It seemed like we were chasing them all night long.”
The 66 Tomcats pulled with 56-54 on a short jumper from Steve Hilton and then 60-59 on a spinning move to the basket from Spears late in the third quarter. But it was Rob Lynch to the rescue with a driving layup and pair of free throws for a 64-59 lead.
Nathan Kirk, who scored 13, made some big plays down the stretch. He had seven rebounds and made 7 of 10 free throws for the 92 Tomcats.
“I’m telling you, they wouldn’t let us near them,” Bill Lynch said. “It seemed like those guys were going to the foul line every time down the floor.”
Fred Keeton pulled down 10 rebounds for the 92 Tomcats, who were 29 of 42 from the foul line. The 66 Tomcats made 26 of 34 free throws. The teams combined for 49 fouls in a physically played game.
“It wasn’t like the whistles were only blowing one way,” Hall said. “I know the fans had to love this game though.”
Real life
Ashland’s 1966 team won the region by defeating Russell and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Sweet 16 before bowing out 82-63 against Louisville Male.
Ashland’s 1992 team won the regional title with a pulsating victory over Boyd County, had a treacherous ride home from Morehead when a brake pad thrown off an overpass went through the bus’s windshield. They lost a 72-70 heartbreaker to Pleasure Ridge Park in the Sweet 16.
ASHLAND, Ky. – Even before it was announced that the 1980 and 2002 Ashland Tomcat basketball teams were going to square off in Anderson gym, there was a buzz about the “Battle of the Bigs.”
All the what ifs were about to become reality.
Two of the greatest “bigs” in Tomcat history – 1980’s Jeff Tipton and 2002’s Mark Surgalski – were matched up in a colossal basketball feast for the eyes for Tomcat fans.
Mark Surgalski is one of Ashland’s all-time big men.
The 6-foot-9 Tipton and 6-8 Surgalski were surrounded with talent on their teams and they were no strangers to the bright lights of the Sweet Sixteen with four appearances between them. That made this gigantic matchup more enticing and one of the most anticipated games in the simulated series.
It lived up to the great expectations, coming down to one final trip down the floor with the game on the line and every fan holding their breath while somehow cheering high decibels at the same time. (Don’t ask me how that happened, I’m a writer, not a scientist).
They had battled through seven lead changes and eight ties and one big comeback. The 2002 Tomcats had built a 41-23 lead after Surgalski dunked over Tipton with 1:30 remaining in the first half. It was emphatic. It was convincing. And even embarrassing.
“Man, he was kicking my hind-end,” Tipton said. “He was a lot stronger and quicker than I’d imagined.”
Surgalski’s first half included 12 points and five rebounds as the 2002 Tomcats went into the locker room with a 41-27 advantage.
Tipton was having a tough shooting night, missing six of eight shots in the first half. But things would get better for him and the 1980 Tomcats.
Surgalski could count on one of the best athletes in Ashland history to help him. Arliss Beach, who was best known for his skills as a running back for the Tomcats, was a combination of power and speed that few could match. He also had an explosive first step to the basket, which sent him hurtling to the goal like a freight train. There was not much the 80 Tomcats could do but foul him, so they did. He was 9 of 9 on free throws in the first half alone.
“We didn’t have anybody who could match up with him in strength or quickness,” said 80 Tomcat coach Ernie Simpson. “I guess you could tell that by how many times we fouled him. That had to stop in the second half.”
It was going to be a long road back for the 80 Tomcats, who weren’t a come-from-behind team. But behind John Anderson’s playmaking (10 points, 8 assists), Dirk Anders’ rebounding (14) and Doug Smith’s scoring (12 points, all in the second half), they got on the comeback trail.
Anderson and McCauley both battled foul trouble trying to stop Beach’s powerful moves to the basket. McCauley was 6-3 but his wingspan was much longer, however, Beach bodied him while going to the basket.
Meanwhile, Surgalski and Tipton hammered on each other all night long in a battle that was worth the price of admission
“I’ve never been so tired after a game,” Surgalski said. “Tip is a load in there. Lean on him for 32 minutes and see how you feel. He knows how to use his size well.”
The 80 Tomcats kept hanging around and overtook the 02 Tomcats 55-54 after Tipton sank two free throws early in the fourth quarter. He went on to make 9 of 10 foul shots.
“It was so methodical the way they came back on us,” said 02 Tomcat coach Mike Flynn. “You could feel it coming. I took a couple of timeouts, but it was like a wave, and it kept growing and finally crashed on us.”
It looked like the 02 Tomcats had weathered the storm though after an 8-0 run sent them from down 61-57 to ahead 65-61 with four minutes to play. Consecutive short jumpers from Anderson retied it at 65 and it was still tied at 69 with 1:23 remaining.
Smith scored to put the 80 Tomcats ahead 71-69 and Jeremy Howell tied it at 71 with 30 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, the 80 Tomcats began holding it for on for one last shot.
Everybody was looking inside to Tipton, who was trying to post up Surgalski. The action – and elbows – were fierce and flyin’ from the competitive big men. McCauley was stopped on a drive to the basket and he lofted a pass it to Tipton, who grabbed it with one hand, looked left, spun right and shot a hook shot over Surgalski’s outstretched hand. It was perfect and swished through the net for a 73-71 victory as time expired.
The 80 Tomcats had completed the comeback from 18 points down and Tipton had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a Tomcat “Bigs” showdown for the ages. His free throw shooting stunned even him. “You better check that,” he said. “Nine for 10? I’ve never done that.”
“I didn’t even know he had that shot,” Simpson said of the game-winning hook shot that looked like one of Willis Reed’s rainbows. “But we wanted to get it inside to him. What a great game from all our guys. Greg could have taken the shot at the end and, knowing him, probably would have made it.”
Surgalski and Beach scored 19 apiece for the 02 Tomcats, who felt like they let one get away. One alarming statistic was a 1-for-15 showing from the 3-point line. The 80 team didn’t attempt a 3-pointer and held a whopping 46-24 rebounding advantage.
“We had ‘em, man, we had ‘em on the ropes,” said Beach, who was 11 of 14 from the foul line. “They’re good though and so big. I felt like I was going through the forest on some of those drives. They kind of shut those lanes down on me.”
Flynn said it was a tough loss to take after the 02 Tomcats played so well in the first half.
“We knew who we were playing and knew they had the ability to come back,” he said. “I don’t know if we set on the lead or not, but, Arliss is right, we had them down and didn’t finish the job. Can we play this one again? I’ll let Adam Howard do some of the coaching next time around.”
Real life
2002 Ashland won the regional title by defeating upstart Rose Hill and O.J. Mayo in an emotional championship. The Tomcats bowed out in the Sweet 16 against Lexington Catholic but won the hearts of their fans with the win over Rose Hill.
1980 Ashland won the last of five consecutive regional titles and then reached the quarterfinals of the Sweet 16 where Jeff Tipton’s 41 points was not enough in a 97-92 overtime loss to Covington Holmes.
ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland’s 1993 team held the trump card in Tomcat scoring king Marty Thomas.
But the 1969 Tomcats countered with not just four of a kind, but five. It was a winning hand any way you looked at it.
Ray Kleykamp led five players in double figures and the 69 Tomcats withstood a fierce rally in the fourth quarter to record a 90-83 victory at Anderson gym.
The 93 Tomcats trailed 80-61 with 7:25 remaining and it looked like the rout was on. But Thomas, who finished with 27 points, had other ideas. He began to take over the game, scoring 10 points during a surge that pulled them within 84-81 with a minute remaining.
1969 Ashland Tomcats used balance to win.
“It was getting tight and we weren’t sure how to handle him,” said Roger Baldridge of the 69 Tomcats. “The guy is strong and knows his way to the basket. Me and Ray bumped on him all night. He didn’t budge. Tough kid.”
It didn’t help the 69 Tomcats that they made only 18 of 35 free throws. It left the door open for a comeback.
“Our defense wasn’t good tonight,” said 93 Tomcat coach Wayne Breeden. “My teams don’t give up 90 points. I don’t know where these guys’ heads were. It was a sad showing, that’s all.”
But the 93 Tomcats still had a chance to make a remarkable comeback. They had the opportunity to tie the game but a 3-pointer from Thomas spun out and Kleykamp corralled his 10th rebound. He also scored 19 points, leading five in double figures. Fred Leibee collected 14 points and five assists, Jerry Owens had 13 and Johnny Mullins scored 10.
The 69 Tomcats closed it out with six consecutive free throws.
It was an uphill battle for the 93 Cats, who trailed 47-32 at the half. It looked like it was going to be another routine win for the 69 team that was good at winning.
“Proud of my guys for holding them off at the end,” said 69 Tomcat Coach Harold Cole. “Thomas is a great player who gave us fits, but he wasn’t the only one. That team can play with anybody.”
Thomas actually had plenty of scoring help: Ryan Robinson had 16 points and eight assists, Austin Young scored 15 and Michael Lynch 10.
“I’m disappointed in myself,” Breeden said. “We had some opportunities and almost had it figured out.”
The 69 Tomcats held a significant 35-25 advantage in rebounding with Kleykamp and Baldridge combining for 17.
“Those guys were a couple of hoss-cats,” Breeden said. “I’m not sure what anybody does with them. We sure couldn’t handle them.”
They also connected on 8 of 16 from 3-point range with Leibee and Baldridge going a combined 7-for-9 behind the arc.
“I kinda like that shot,” Baldridge said. “They just kept going in.”
Real life
1993 Ashland won the regional title and advanced to the Sweet 16 behind high-scoring Marty Thomas, the all-time leading scorer in school history. They captured the region in a double-overtime 80-70 thriller against Russell.
1969 Ashland came oh so close to reaching the state championship game. The Tomcats won 25 games in all, including two narrow ones in the Sweet 16 before falling to Ohio County 82-80 in a semifinal heartbreaker when a last-second jumper was off the mark.
1993 ASHLAND (83) – Hammond 1-3 3-4 5, Lynch 4-11 0-0 10, Thomas 10-20 3-3 27, Young 7-7 1-2 15, Robinson 5-6 6-9 16, Reed 0-1 0-0 0, Vaughn 2-3 0-0 4, Jackson 1-1 2-2 4, Adams 0-3 0-0 0, Henry 0-1 0-0 0, Lewis 1-1 0-0 2, Diamond 0-3 0-0 0. FG: 31-60. FT: 15-20. 3FG: 6-18 (Lynch 2-7, Thomas 4-11). Rebounds: 25 (Hammond 1, Lynch 1, Thomas 5, Young 2, Robinson 2, Vaughn 2, Reed 2, Jackson 3, Adams 6, Diamond 1). Assists: 19 (Robinson 8, Thomas 4, Young 1, Hammond 1, Reed 1, Vaughn 1, Jackson 1, Diamond 1, Henry 1). PF: 28. Turnovers: 15.
ASHLAND, Ky. – The parade of 1920s automobiles carrying the 1928 Tomcat basketball team to James A. Anderson Gymnasium was moving through town with lots of gawkers.
The players waved at cheering people who gathered on their porches or in their front yards to catch a glimpse of the undefeated national champions. It was easy enough to see them since the cars weren’t going very fast.
When the line of cars turned off Floyd Street and onto the road leading to the Paul G. Blazer High School campus, this new reality began settling in. Was this a futuristic city? “That’s where we’re going to play?” asked Darrell Darby, one of the 1928 Tomcat stars.
As they came closer, they were told to park the cars under the gymnasium where the words “James A. Anderson Gymnasium” hangs from the wall. It was their coach’s name.
“Coach!” said Ellis Johnson, pointing toward the wall. “Look!”
They gathered up the gear, most of it bawled up in pillow covers. They had their Converses tied around their necks. Most of the players were wearing shirts and ties because Coach Anderson told them to look sharp.
“Winners always look like winners,” said the John Wooden of Tomcat basketball.
2020 Tomcats find kindred spirit with 1928 team.
It had been a week since the 1928 Tomcats met the only other team in Tomcat history that had accomplished what they did – win every game in a season. The 2020 Tomcats had gone 33-0- and the 1928 Tomcats understood how that happened after battling with them at home, in the old gym on Lexington Avenue. The 1928 Cats won again, 31-30, on a last-second shot from Johnson. But that one was played with rules from 1928. The rematch would be on the 2020 team’s home floor and with their rules, including the 3-point shot, which was their weapon of choice.
Coach Jason Mays had unleashed a team of pure basketball players on the 16th Region in 2020 and they did everything he asked and more. As their streak carried on into the twenties and then the thirties, the link to the past started becoming more obvious. The 1928 Tomcats had gone 37-0, maybe the greatest season in Kentucky history, and won the state and national high school tournaments.
It was still hours before the game was going to be played because Coach Anderson wanted to give his players a chance to calm down after seeing what they were going to be seeing. He saw how affected the 2020 Tomcats were when they stepped back in time last week. Anderson noticed those 2020 Cats were big-eyed throughout much of the first half. He couldn’t afford that to happen to the 1928 Cats, who were about to play a style of game they had never imagined. They practiced their 3-point shooting – it was tougher with the two-handed set shot – and learned to play at a much faster pace. They tried to mimic what they saw last week with the jump shot – the first time they had seen anybody have both feet leave the floor while taking a shot aside from a layup. It was still awkward for them.
They came into the Anderson lobby, looked at the trophy cases and even found their own trophy and the deflated ball from that masterful championship game with Carr Creek. That was surreal. So was the plaque on the wall that tells of the national championship season. The 28 Tomcats were emotional looking at the memorabilia.
The 2020 Tomcats greeted them in the lobby. A special friendship was developing between them. After all, they were kindred spirits in a very unique club that may well have only two members ever. The 2020 Tomcats talked about being denied the chance to play in the Sweet 16 because of a mysterious virus. The 1928 Tomcats could relate. They were 6- to 8-year-old boys in Ashland when the Spanish Flu was active in 1918. School was cancelled, including the entire football season, they told them. It was awful, they said. History often repeats itself.
A meal was set up for the teams so they could eat together. Box lunches were put out from Chick-fil-A and a dozen 18-inch Givovanni’s pizzas of all combinations were made available. Guess what? The 1928 Tomcats loved it all!
“I’ve never tasted anything like this,” said Bill Hemlepp, jamming in his fourth slice of sausage and mushroom. “And you guys get to eat this stuff all the time? I’m jealous.”
“It ain’t as good as my grandma’s fried chicken,” chimed in Johnson, “but it ain’t bad. I’d wait in a line for this chicken.”
“Well,” Ethan Hudson said, “we do.”
While the players were getting to know each other better, Mays and Anderson met in the coach’s office for a skull session. Afterward, Mays said he was trying to be a sponge, soaking up every word Anderson had to say. “I was enthralled,” he said. “I sat there and listened, not saying a word. It was the best coaching clinic I’ve had in my life.”
Before the 1928 Tomcats headed to the dressing room, they were able to sneak a look inside Anderson gym. Their attention went to the large 1928 national championship banner on the far side of the gym. “Well will you take a look at that,” said Eck Allen, pointing to the banner.
Fans weren’t here yet, so the seats were empty. The gym was sparkling and it was soon going to be full with this being the hottest ticket in this gym since President Nixon visited in 1972 or was that O.J. Mayo in 2001?
“Wow!” said Gene Strother. “This is even better than Alumni Gym in Lexington (where the 1928 state tournament was played). Look at how big that foul lane is? I could get lost in there!”
Each of the players also saw a 3-point line for the first time except for one that Coach Anderson taped on the floor at their gym for practice.
“Look! There it is,” Johnson said. “It makes an arc.”
The next time they saw the floor, the stands were as full as anybody could ever remember, the Tomcat pep band was playing and the atmosphere was electric. It was dripping with anticipation of what was about to transpire.
Could this game measure up to last week’s first game in the series? You bet it could.
The 1928 Tomcats were shellshocked early, falling behind 30-17 – a typical night’s work on most nights – as the 2020 Tomcats started out in fullcourt pressure. Cole Villers scored nine points, a sign of what was to come from the sophomore, and it looked like a blowout was coming
But a funny thing happened in the second quarter. The 2020 Tomcats went cold from behind the arc, misfiring time and time again. Meanwhile, the 1928 Tomcats not only got used to the pressure, they began liking it. They looked more like the Los Angeles Lakers than a high school team, beating the Tomcats to spots and firing up hoops from everywhere. They were finding the bottom of the net, too. The 1928 Tomcats put up a whopping 36 points and still trailed 55-53 at the half.
It became obvious though that these guys could play any style of basketball.
“They were stunned in the early going but we were the ones stunned going into halftime,” Mays said. “I took the press off after they burned us about five straight times, but they continued to move the ball quicker than I thought was possible. I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t sure how we were going to stop them.”
It didn’t help that guard Colin Porter was in foul trouble and played only sparingly in the first half. Villers and Ethan Sellars kept the offense going.
Jack Phipps, one of the few seniors on the 1928 team, said the that green sweet drink in the big orange containers seemed to be giving them energy.
“I don’t know what was in that jug, but I’d like to have more of it,” he said of the Gatorade that the 2020 Tomcats provided. “Our tongues were dragging early and wagging later. We started telling those boys to pick it up a little.”
Villers had scored 20 by halftime and the Tomcats fired up 20 triples and made six. The 1928 Tomcats, still unfamiliar with the arc, went 2-for-8 in the opening half on treys. When it was over, the 2020 Tomcats had made 10 of 31 and the 1928 Tomcats 5 of 19. So the 3-pointer was less of a factor than first thought.
“Our guys had a hard time shooting that new-fangled shot,” Anderson said of the 3-pointer. “They kept looking down to see where their feet were. By the time they looked back up, those boys were on them. But we did like race it up the floor.”
The 1928 Tomcats were 14-for-18 from the field in the second quarter alone in a blistering performance. “Our defense was bad,” Mays said. “I don’t know what happened.”
In the second half, both teams kept up a torrid pace to the delight of everybody in the stands but not the coaches. It was a game that nobody expected between teams that took great pride in defense. But they were having a blast scoring the ball. The 28 Tomcats outscored the 20 Tomcats, 27-21, in the third quarter and Kermit Riffe’s driving basket had them ahead 80-76 entering the last eight minutes.
“I could tell we were wearing down even though we were ahead,” Anderson said. “The most we scored in a game all season was 54 and that was against a team not nearly as good as this Tomcat team.”
Meanwhile, Mays said his Tomcats were brimming with confidence even though they trailed. “I don’t remember them one time all season panicking. They just knew how to win.”
Villers, who finished with 38 points, scored on a fastbreak to put the 2020 Tomcats into the lead at 84-82. Johnson tied it with a surprising hook shot and then Hudson drilled a long 3-pointer for an 87-84 advantage. The teams punched back and forth and the game was tied at 92 when Villers swished a pair of free throws to make it 94-92. The fans were delirious with both teams approaching the century mark.
Like a pair of heavyweight boxers, they kept taking punches. Strother tied it again at 94 and the 28 Tomcats got a steal and went ahead 96-94 when Darby hit from short range. There was a hush over Anderson gym when Mays called timeout with 35 seconds to play and his team down 96-94.
“I knew we had to score,” Mays said. They did, with Justin Bradley drilling one from the corner to tie it again at 96. The teams exchanged baskets for one last tie at 98 with only 10 seconds remaining. The 28 Tomcats had the ball under their own basket when Sellars, seemingly coming out of nowhere, made a diving steal. He tipped the ball back in play while crashing out of bounds and Nolan Phillips, who had been guarding the inbounds pass, scooped it up and laid it in for the 100th point and a 100-98 victory that set off a celebration like this gym had never seen in its 58-year history.
It must have been akin to what the 1928 Tomcats experienced the night they won the state title, when the fans from Ashland and Carr Creek stormed the floor lifting their heroes on their shoulders and parading them around the court after the epic four-overtime game. Fans from both sides were all over Anderson gym, too. The sweat-soaked coaches embraced and so did the players when they could find each other.
Nothing was really lost, just a lot of respect won.
