ASHLAND, Ky. – When the 1928 Ashland Tomcat basketball team arrived for their rematch with the 1961 Tomcats, they noticed a couple of changes to their old gym at Ashland High School on Lexington Avenue.

For one, the doors had been replaced and painted a nice maroon. But it was inside the gym where the changes were more drastic. There was a stripe painted exactly at the halfway point of the floor. And, they could see clear through the backboards! They went up underneath the goals and studied that part, grabbed a basketball that was sitting near their bench – one with no laces – and began tossing up shots.

“This is going to be different,” said Darrell Darby, who flipped the basketball up against the clear backboard about four times. It came off the backboard much faster than the wooden backboard that deadened the ball when it hit. “It’s going to take some getting used to.”

One by one, each of the 1928 Tomcats took a turn at shooting bank shots. After about a dozen turns each, with varying degrees of success, the ball was going in every time. They’d at least figured out that part.

“Fast learners,” said 1928 coach Jimmy Anderson.

They saw a plague on the wall commemorating the 28 national championship season.

“Look over here guys,” said Ellis Johnson, maybe the most notable of the ’28 Tomcats. “We need to beat these guys tonight. Maybe they’ll put up another one of these if we do.”

The 61 Tomcats had already done what nobody in 1928 did and that was hand those Tomcats a defeat. It was a heartbreaker, 37-36, when Bob Hilton finished off a fastbreak that was set up by an unfortunate turnover.

“Right here, this is it, right here,” said Jack Phipps of the dead spot on the floor that caused the turnover. “The ball won’t come back up. Just watch!” He bounced a basketball in the very spot and, sure enough, it didn’t come back up. “It’s still dead wood right there.”

Phipps walked away, shaking his head and mumbling something about that fateful play. Probably best it was a mumble. A lot had been said and written about the game, and the return engagement, which has the town excited and a little on edge.

When the 28 Tomcats were ready to get dressed for the game, they started heading down to their old locker room.

“Nope,” said a gentleman in rolled-up shirt sleeves. “You guys are the visitors tonight.”

This was going to be different. They headed to the other side of the gym and went into that locker room. It was mostly the same look except the toilet wouldn’t flush and the showers didn’t have much pressure, only a drizzle. The benches looked like the same ones that had been there for 40 years with a few less splinters.

“This doesn’t matter men,” Anderson told them. “We’re here to play basketball.”

The rematch would be with rules from 1961. That meant a faster tempo and no jump balls after every made basket. It was going to be a different kind of game, but the 28 Tomcats were looking forward to it.

“We’re basketball players,” Johnson said. “One rule that doesn’t change is that the team with the most points wins. That’s all we care about.”

There was a certain resolve with the 28 Tomcats, who were determined to show their fellow champion Tomcats a thing or two in this rematch.

“I’m sure they’ll be ready for us,” said 61 coach Bob Wright. “We’ve been practicing, too. I’ve never seen so many good athletes on one team. They’re incredible. So we practiced … a lot.”

Wright, who was known for his long and sometimes brutal practices, had two four-hour sessions one day. He told them they’d only need their sneakers for the second one.

“We all knew what that meant,” said Gene Smith, a center on the team.

Wright had watched 16 mm film of the first game – probably about 100 times – and was determined his team wouldn’t be making any of the same mistakes.

“He knew every single wrong dribble we took,” said Larry Conley, one of the 61 stars. “He thought we should have scored 60 on them even with their rules. But that wasn’t going to happen. These guys are like trying to move oak trees.”

Another huge crowd was gathering in the old gym. This time they sold advance tickets, which was probably a good thing. Besides nearly 1,500 inside (for a gym that seated a little more than half that) another 500 were on the parking lot hoping somebody would give them reports. They set up a way for them to hear Dick Martin’s broadcast of the game. His son, Dicky, only 7 years old in 1961, was with him taking in a moment in time he’d talk about for years. He had a bag of popcorn in one hand and a candy bar in the other, but he was in Tomcat Heaven.

It’s hard to say how many others were tuned into WCMI for the radio broadcast of one of the biggest games in Tomcat history. It was the talk of town.

Just like the first meeting, only in an exaggerated pace, the teams stayed right with each other early. When Kermit Riffe completed a three-point play following a hard foul, the 1928 Tomcats were leading 19-18. The crowd was buzzing.

“We punched and they punched back hard,” Wright said. “I knew we were in for a tough game.”

He tried to get that across to the 61 Tomcats during a timeout following Riffe’s three-point play. Even though they had knocked him up against the padding on the stage end of the floor, Wright said it wasn’t enough.

“Don’t let these guys get comfortable,” he said in a harsh tone.

The 61 Tomcats led 22-21 at the end of the first quarter after Conley used a spin move to get away from the tight defense of Gene Strother. The game had signs of being a high-scoring affair and the 28 Tomcats didn’t seem to mind.

It was more the same in the second quarter, too. The 61 Tomcats led anywhere from one point to eight points but the 28 Tomcats were hanging with them. Phipps buried a 22-footer to bring the 28 Tomcats within 44-38.

“That was some half,” Wright said. “Not sure our defense was where it needed to be, but we got the offense clicking after a little heart to heart. Sarge and Conley were outstanding and the tip-out (play) worked to perfection.”

Gene Smith, Steve Cram, Bob Hilton and Conley tipped the ball back instead of pulling in the rebound with two hands and it started the offense in motion with Harold Sergent usually as the point man. It was devastating, as usual.

“We never had a team do that to us,” Anderson said. “Our games were a little more methodical, I guess you would say. We got the hang of getting it and going eventually but that’s not how this team was made or what they did best.”

The 61 Tomcats maintained the lead throughout the third quarter, but never by more than seven points. They led 62-56 going into the last quarter after Cram dropped in a pair of free throws.

“We couldn’t shake them,” Hilton said. “No matter what we did, it seemed like they had an answer for it. The key for us was to keep scoring because they were going to do the same.”

Jerry Daniel, who played strong off the bench, pump faked his defender and drove for a basket to make it 67-60 early in the fourth quarter. They were able to stretch it to double figures for the first time at 78-68 when Smith tipped in a miss. After the team’s traded baskets, it was 80-70 with 2:25 remaining.

Finally, Wright said, “we had some breathing room.”

But it would be a breathless finish. The 28 Tomcats, playing their best when down the most, stormed back. Johnson and Phipps both hit from short range, sandwiched around a 61 Tomcat turnover. Then a Conley layup went around and around the rim and spun out, with Johnson rebounding. He threw a near length-of-the floor pass to Eck Allen, who laid it in to make it 80-76. Another turnover – this time a three-second call – and the 28 Tomcats were back in business.

Suddenly with some confidence, they worked it around until Darby fired in a 15-foot bank shot to make it 80-78.

The crowd was going bonkers. Wright had exhausted two timeouts, but the momentum was clearly on the other side. There wasn’t much he could say.

The 61 Tomcats worked it around, but missed again, and Darby was there with the rebound with only 45 seconds to play. Anderson took the timeout this time, but it would be a wonder if anybody in the huddle could have heard him the crowd was so loud.

Never had anybody seen it like this.

Using a play that Anderson designed on the spur of the moment, the 28 Tomcats tied it at 80 with Johnson powering his way inside after having his defender picked off at the foul line.

Now it was Wright’s turn in this chess match of brilliant coaches.  He put the ball in the hands of Sergent, who found Conley in the middle. He collided with Darby and scored with no foul called to make it 82-80.

One more time, the 28 Tomcats had to answer. They worked it around until Strother was about 10 feet from the basket. He was at the perfect angle for a bank shot, but wasn’t sure if he trusted that glass backboard. The hesitation was costly and the shot was a little strong. It kissed off the backboard and dangled to the front of the rim, where it set suspended for what seemed like minutes, before rolling off.

Smith reached high for the rebound, tipping it out front to Sergent and that was it. The 1961 Tomcats had prevailed 82-80 in a game that no one is likely to ever forget.

When the 61 Tomcats return to the locker room they found a goat tied to the bench. It represented making them the GOAT – greatest of all time – in Ashland basketball. Wright wasn’t buying it.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of great games but not many any greater than this one,” Wright said. “And as for being the greatest Tomcat champion of all, I don’t know about that. This program has a lot of teams that could make that claim, including all the way back to these 1928 Tomcats and this year’s 2020 team.”

Anderson said the comeback from 10 points down in the last 2½ minutes showed him what the 1928 Tomcats had inside them.

“They are competitors who don’t accept losing well,” he said. “The determination and effort that came in the comeback was something nobody has ever seen. We scored 10 consecutive points on them. I doubt anybody did that in 1961. I’ll be glad to return to 1928. I’ve seen all I want to of Larry Conley and Harold Sergent.”

Top guns

Two individual performances worth noting was Conley scoring 27 on 11-of-13 shooting. He also had six rebounds. Johnson led the 28 Tomcats with 22 points on 11-for-12 shooting.

Father and son

Ken Johnson also got in the game for a couple of minutes to play against his father Ellis Johnson. Ken hit a free throw and grabbed a rebound.

1928 ASHLAND (80) – Fullerton 3-4 0-0 6, Phipps 4-7 1-1 9, Darby 3-9 5-6 11, Strother 5-13 2-2 12, Johnson 11-12 0-1 22, Hemlepp 1-3 0-0 2, Barney 2-4 1-1 5, Dobbs 1-2 0-0 2, Nicholas 0-4 0-0 0, Allen 3-4 0-0 6, Riffe 1-1 1-1 3, Wolfe 1-1 0-0 2. FG: 34-63. FT: 10-12. Rebounds 40 (Fullerton 4, Phipps 4, Darby 8, Strother 5, Johnson 4, Hemlepp 1, Barney 1, Wolfe 3, Riffe 3, Allen 6, Nicholas 1). Assists: 21 (Fullerton 6, Phipps 3, Darby 4, Johnson 1, Hemlepp 2, Barney 2, Dobbs 2, Nicholas 1). PF: 27. Turnovers: 24.

1961 ASHLAND (82) – Sergent 7-13 2-5 16, Hilton 2-12 0-0 4, Sexton 1-5 2-4 4, Smith 2-7 9-12 13, Conley 11-13 5-6 27, Cram 3-6 1-2 7, Fairchild 1-5 0-0 2, Gray 1-6 2-2 4, Johnson 0-1 1-2 1, Daniel 2-3 0-1 4. FG: 30-71. FT: 22-34. Rebounds: 32 (Sergent 2, Sexton 3, Hilton 7, Smith 4, Conley 6, Cram 4, Fairchild 2, Gray 3, Johnson 1). Assists: 15 (Sergent 3, Hilton 3, Sexton 3, Conley 2, Smith 1, Cram 1, Fairchild 2). PF: 17. Turnovers: 8.

1928 ASHLAND       21       17       18       24          –           80      

1961 ASHLAND       22       22       18       16          –           82

ASHLAND, Ky. – The debate has raged for years in Ashland about which Tomcat basketball champion was the greatest of all time.

Was it the undefeated state and national champion 1928 Tomcats or those dominating 1961 Tomcats? Even the many who saw both teams play couldn’t decide. It was a coin flip. Or an argument. They both deserved the title of being the GOAT (greatest of all time).

During the 1961 season, even before those Tomcats were crowned state champions, the newspaper put together a group to rank the teams. They said No.1 belonged to the 1928 wonder boys who went 37-0. Winning the national tournament, which stopped in 1930, may have given them the edge. The best way to decide was if they could play each other but that wasn’t possible.

Until now.

It’s time to decide it on the court with a two-game simulation series between these Tomcat championship teams. Here’s some good news: There will be no travel involved since both of them played in the same gym. Warning to the fire marshal: There’s going to be more people in the gym than you’re going to like or is probably legal.

“They’ve talked about what would happen if we played since the day we came back from the state tournament in 1961,” said 61 Tomcat coach Bob Wright. “It’s funny because it’s not the players. They have so much respect for each other. These rabid Tomcat fans always want something to argue over. So I say, let’s play it and see what happens.”

The first game will be played with the rules from 1928 with jump balls after every made basket and no over-and-back penalty – players are free to roam anywhere on the court. There is no 10-second count to get it across the halfcourt line since there is no halfcourt line.

“This is going to be strange,” admitted Tomcat star Larry Conley. “But we’re ready. We’ll play it their way or any way. I just want to settle this thing once and for all.”

You’d have thought the championship of the world was being staged based on attendance and interest. They came two hours before tipoff and lined up in the parking lot outside. It was a sight to behold. There were a couple of fights as people pushed and shoved to keep their place in line. Attendance was going to be cut off at 1,500, but there was nearly that many already in line with cars coming down Lexington Avenue. Somehow scalpers already had a handful of tickets and they were going for $2 – a hefty fee in 1928.

Fans were allowed in about an hour before tipoff, racing to seats on their respective sides of the floor. The end zone seats were being reserved for dignitaries. The governor himself was supposed to make an appearance. That would be Flem D. Sampson, a Republican, who was the 42^nd governor of the Commonwealth. That’s how big this game had become.

As the teams began warming up, they also started sizing up each other. That was easier for the 28 Tomcats as they looked at some tall timber on the other end of the floor.

The 61 Tomcats were big, much bigger than anybody they had faced. But don’t take that wrong. These 28 Tomcats weren’t afraid of anything and that included the mighty 61 Tomcats.

Within 15 minutes of the doors opening, there wasn’t a seat remaining in the gym. There was a dustup in one corner with a lot of yelling and finger-pointing, but ordered was quickly restored. They found out later it had something to do with the local bookie, who was trying to set a line. Impossible on this one. Just pick ’em.

No game was bigger. It was the Super Bowl of Tomcat basketball and the fanfare that came with it was magnificent aside from Gov. Sampson’s 10-minute speech before tipoff. Nobody seemed interested in anything that wasn’t basketball. A quartet from the 28 Glee Club choir sang the national anthem.

Both teams finished warming up and went to the downstairs locker room for last-minute instructions. It was kind of weird for the 61 Tomcats who, for this game were the visitors on the scoreboard and dressed in the visitor dressing room. There wasn’t much difference. The showers didn’t work well in either one of them.

Jimmy Anderson, the 1928 Tomcat coach, had been asked hundreds of times about what would have happened if these teams ever met. He was always complimentary of both teams, a true gentleman.

“I cheered for those boys, too,” he said. “A remarkable team for their day. I’ve never seen passing like that. The only team that comes even close was that 2020 team we played last week.”

The 1928-2020 two-game series, matching the only undefeated Tomcat teams in history, ended in a draw with each winning on the other’s floor.

And now this matchup was carrying some of the same intensity. Ellis Johnson, one of the 28 stars, wished his son, Ken, a member of the 61 team, well after warmups. Ken Johnson was a sophomore on the 61 team but didn’t see much action.

“We’ve talked a lot about this game and what would happen,” Ellis Johnson said of conversations with his son. “I guess we’re about to find out.”

The game was loud and it was full. The State Police had escorted Gov. Sampson in while the teams were in the downstairs dressing rooms. When they came back onto the floor it was so loud that it made your hair hurt.

“I guess when the governor of Kentucky comes to watch you play basketball, it’s a pretty big deal,” Wright said.

The game tipped off but the noise level never dropped. Not once. It was a constant roar.

The teams went back and forth with Harold Sergent’s driving layup making it an 8-4 advantage for the biggest lead of the first half. The 28 Tomcats led 20-19 at intermission and everybody in the gym was buzzing. Whatever size and strength edge the 61 Tomcats thought they had, seemed to have disappeared. What they found facing them was a raw-boned team that was just as strong and savvy on how to play their style of basketball.

“We could never get any momentum going because of the jump ball thing,” Sergent said. “Daggone it, we’d score and they have to jump it up. And I don’t know how many times we got our hand on the tip, but they ended up with the ball. I tell you what, too, Gene Strother and Ellis can flat-out play the game.”

The game settled into a defensive war in the third quarter. Only 11 points were scored by the two teams combined as both of them took advantage of a passing exhibition. It was hard to follow where the ball was going. There were no-look, behind-the-back and other passes that had the fans standing and cheering and wanting more.

But when the quarter ended, the 28 Tomcats had built on their lead to 26-24 when Strother, who led all scorers with 13, hit a layup off a rifle pass from Darrell Darby.

“I never saw it coming,” said 61 Tomcat Steve Cram. “It was in his hands and in the basket just like that,” he said, snapping his fingers.

Dale Sexton, who came off the 61 bench, put his team ahead 31-30 for the first time since the end of the first quarter. He added two more big baskets in the fourth quarter, too.

“Dale gave us a big boost there,” Wright said. “That was six big points. In a game like this, with the pace like it was, any basket was big. Three of them was a rally.”

The teams exchanged leads two more times and with the 61 Tomcat leading 35-34, Johnson got open for a two-handed set shot from the left wing that swished to make it 36-35 with only 22 seconds remaining. Gene Smith successfully tipped the ball to Conley on the jump and Wright called a timeout.

Strategy was set with Cram inbounding, but the play never materialized. Phipps came out of nowhere for a steal and began to run out the time. Sergent was in full pursuit of Phipps but his dribble hit a dead spot on the floor and he had to reach down for it. Sergent caught up and was able to back-tip the ball to Conley, who gathered it in and sped down the floor with time running out. It was a perfect 3-on-1 fastbreak – just what the doctor ordered for a team that made a living that way. The 28 Tomcats never knew what hit them. A dizzying display of passing, where the ball never touched the floor, ended with Bob Hilton banking in the game-winning shot off the fan-shaped backboard as the horn sounded. It was over and it was a stunning 37-36 victory for the 61 Tomcats.

“I don’t think we settled anything here tonight except to say these are two outstanding basketball teams with great players,” Anderson said. “We look forward to the rematch.”

In the other dressing room, Wright lit up a stogie he’d been given before the game.

“Sweet victory!” he said. “Tremendous play by Sarge to get that backtip. That last fastbreak was a thing of beauty. It was like the Mona Lisa. They ran it like it was taught.”

What about the rematch game with the more uptempo style?

“Get your tickets early,” Wright said. “It’s going to be a barnburner.”

Real life

Ashland’s 1961 team is regarded as one of the greatest champions in Sweet 16 history. They finished 36-1 and every game in the state tournament was won by double figures. All five starters earned Division I college scholarships.

Ashland’s 1928 team was state and national champion with a 37-0 record under coach Jimmy Anderson. They are one of only two unbeaten teams in Tomcat history, the other coming this year.

1961 ASHLAND (37) – Hilton 1-5 0-0 2, Cram 1-4 0-0 2, Conley 6-8 0-0 12, Sergent 2-6 6-7 10, Smith 1-3 0-0 2, Sexton 3-4 0-1 6, Daniel 1-4 1-2 3, Fairchild 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 15-34 FT: 7-10. Rebounds: 25 (Hilton 3, Cram 3, Conley 6, Sergent 2, Smith 7, Sexton 2, Daniel 1, Fairchild 1). Assists: 8 (Hilton 3, Cram 3, Conley 2). PF: 15. Turnovers: 7.

1928 ASHLAND (36) – Johnson 2-5 4-8 8, Phipps 1-4 1-1 3, Darby 2-6 0-0 4, Fullerton 0-5 0-0 0, Strother 4-6 5-5 13, Riffe 1-3 0-0 2, Barney 1-1 0-0 2, Hemlepp 1-1 0-0 2, Allen 1-1 0-0 2. FG: 14-30. FT: 10-14. Rebounds: 20 (Johnson 5, Phipps 1, Darby 7, Fullerton 4, Strother 3). Assists: 8 (Johnson 4, Darby 3). PF: 10. Turnovers: 6.

1961 ASHLAND        8         11         5         13       –         37
1928 ASHLAND        7         13         6         10       –        36

ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland’s ultimate team was matched up against one of the program’s most prolific scorers at the old Ashland High School late Friday night.

The 2020 Tomcats took on the 1956 Tomcats and George Carroll, a 5-foot-9 guard, who came into the game with a big reputation and the ability to put up points in bunches. During his senior season, he had games of 52, 40 and six others in the 30s. He took aim on these futuristic Tomcats, but they were ready.

“We knew what kind of scorer he is and the key was not to let him go nuts, and contain everybody else,” said 2020 Tomcat coach Jason Mays. “I thought we did a decent job of that with our defense. We switched off on Carroll to make sure he didn’t wear us down.”

Carroll scored his points, collecting 25, and Bill Emmett scored 18 but no other 56 Tomcat cracked double figures. And the freewheeling and balanced 2020 Tomcats put five in double figures and made an incredible 27 of 29 free throws. They also bombed in 11-of-23 shots from behind the arc in a balanced attack that led to an 85-70 victory. It was a familiar formula for the 2020 Tomcat team that produced 33 consecutive victories.

“It’s such a special group of young men,” Mays said. “I would coach these guys forever if I could.”

The final margin of 15 points, but it was a much tighter game. It was tied 16 times and there was a dozen lead changes.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, Carroll drove for a basket and was fouled. He sank the free throw to make it 61-56. But that was the closest the 56 Tomcats would come. Ethan Sellars ignited a 12-3 run for the 2020 Tomcats that made it 73-59. He had his own mini-run of six consecutive points, scoring on a fastbreak, a drive and a putback on consecutive possessions.

“Selly was big for us there,” Mays said. “Those guys were hanging around and hanging around. But that was it. Selly took care of them. He is a streaky kind of player.”

Colin Porter scored 17, Ethan Hudson and Cole Villers 16 apiece, Sellars 12 and Justin Bradley 11. It was a typically balanced performance from the 2020 Tomcats. However, after the game, they were all talking about the 27 of 29 free throw showing.

“Everybody was going to the line wondering who was going to be the first one to miss,” said Hudson. “I guess that got to me since I’m the only one who missed one. After the first one came out, I was mad at myself and started thinking about it too much.”

Hudson was 6 of 8 from the foul line while his teammates were a perfect 21 of 21. They made their first 20 attempts before Hudson missed a pair.

“I tell you what, that’s one good team,” said 1956 coach Bob Lavoy. “They’re not a big team but they did a good job against our big men. George played well, like he always does.”

Carroll was 9 of 16 shooting from the field and he made 7 of 10 free throws. Dale Griffith scored nine points and collected six rebounds and Howard Humphreys had seven points and seven rebounds for the 1956 Tomcats.

“When we pulled within five in the fourth quarter, I thought we could make a run at them but the Sellars boy took us out of it,” Lavoy said. “They were such a tough team to defend because they could score from every spot. And I’ve never seen a better passing team. They move the ball as well as anybody we played.”

Mays said the 2020 Tomcats are proving they belong with the elite teams in Ashland history.

“These guys have made their own mark in the history of this incredible program,” he said. “I know people will be talking about them for a long time, maybe forever, in Ashland.”

Real life

Ashland’s 2020 team finished the perfect season – 33-0 – but will always wonder what if. The coronavirus kept them from competing in the Sweet 16, which was cancelled.

Ashland’s 1956 team was 20-9 and bowed out against Mt. Sterling in the semifinals of the 16^th Region tournament. George Carroll’s 52-point game came against Carr Creek in the Ashland Armory in a 98-90 victory. It was the first game of a doubleheader that night. The second game feature the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.

2020 ASHLAND (85) – Gillum 0-2 4-4 4, Bradley 3-8 2-2 11, Villers 3-9 606 16, Phillips 2-5 0-0 4, Hudson 5-6 6-8 16, Porter 5-6 5-5 17, Adkins 1-1 0-0 3, Atkins 0-2 0-0 0, Sellars 4-9 2-2 12, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Conway 0-2 2-2 2. FG: 23-50. FT: 27-29. 3FG: 11-23 (Gillum 0-2, Bradley 3-5, Villers 4-7, Phillips 0-3, Porter 2-2, Adkins 1-1, Atkins 0-1, Sellars 2-2, Conway 0-2). Rebounds: 25 (Gillum 1, Villers 5, Phillips 5, Hudson 3, Porter 1, Adkins 3, Sellars 4, Davis 1, Conway 2). Assists: 10 (Gillum 2, Bradley 2, Villers 1, Phillips 1, Porter 3). PF: 22. Turnovers: 10.

1956 ASHLAND (70) – Emmett 7-10 3-4 18, Griffith 3-7 1-1 9, Wellman 0-0 0-0 0, Carroll 9-16 7-10 25, Humphreys 3-4 0-0 6, Wright 1-5 909 4 6, Frazier 2-5 1-1 5, Church 0-3 1-2 1, Meeks 0-2 0-0 0. FG: 25-52. FT: 17-22. 3FG: 3-9 (Emmett 1-3, Griffith 2-4, Frazier 0-1, Church 0-1). Rebounds: 22 (Emmett 1, Griffith 6, Carroll 1, Humphreys 7, Wright 2, Frazier 4, Meeks 1). Assists: 15 (Emmett 8, Griffith 2, Wellman 1, Carroll 2, Wright 2). PF: 20. Turnovers: 13.

2020 ASHLAND        23         18         20         24       –         85

1956 ASHLAND        24         14         15         17         –        70

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.”

“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.

 1966 ASHLAND (77) – Bob Lynch 2-5 4-4 8, Spears 6-12 6-6 19, Hilton 2-9 3-4 7, Wheeler 5-7 8-12 18, Bill Lynch 7-10 3-4 17, Carr 1-3 1-2 3, B.Workman 1-1 0-0 2, W.Workman 0-0 1-2 1, Lett 1-2 0-0 2, Sieweke 0-2 0-0 0. FG: 25-51. FT: 26-34. 3FG: 1-6 (Bob Lynch 0-2, Spears 1-4). Rebounds: 33 (Bob Lynch 2, Carr 2, Spears 5, Hilton 5, Wheeler 12, Bill Lynch 5, W.Workman 2, Lett 1. Assists: 7 (Bob Lynch 4, Spears 1, Hilton 1, B.Workman 1). PF: 26. Turnovers: 16.

1992 ASHAND (85) – Strader 4-10 2-2 10, Lynch 9-14 11-12 33, Kirk 3-6 7-10 13, Keeton 2-6 1-4 5, Smith 2-4 2-6 6, Messer 1-4 4-4 6, Thomas 3-6 0-2 6, Robinson 0-2 2-2 2, Greene 2-4 0-0 4. FG: 26-56. FT: 29-42. 3FG: 4-7 (Lynch 4-6, Greene 0-1). Rebounds: 32 (Strader 1, Lynch 1, Messer 4, Kirk 7, Keeton 10, Smith 3, Thomas 4, Robinson 1, Greene 1). Assists: 12 (Strader 7, Lynch 2, Kirk 1, Keeton 1, Greene 1). PF: 23. Turnovers: 9.

1966 ASHLAND       18         21         24         14        –            77

1992 ASHLAND       26         21         14         14         –            85