Sweet Sixteen (KHSAA State Basketball Championship)

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association boys' and girls' state basketball championships are single elimination tournaments held each March featuring 16 high schools. Colloquially known as the Sweet Sixteen (the KHSAA holds a trademark on the phrase), the tournament takes place over 4 days at Lexington's Rupp Arena for the boys until 2014 and Bowling Green's E. A. Diddle Arena on the campus of Western Kentucky University for the girls until 2011. The state tournaments begin with District tournaments at sites across the state, district winners and runners-up advance to sixteen regional tournaments with the winners advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Seeding for the Sweet Sixteen is determined by a blind draw, broadcast on statewide television.

Since its 1918 inception the Sweet Sixteen has built a legacy that includes dynasty teams and dramatic underdog stories. The tournament is particularly noteworthy in that it is only one of three state tournaments (Hawaii and Delaware are the others) without a class system dividing small schools and larger schools into separate championships. The possibility of a small rural Kentucky school defeating a large consolidated school or schools from Lexington or Louisville for the state championship are a large part of the statewide appeal for the tournament. Such "Hoosiers"-like stories are not uncommon for the tournament such as in 1995 and 1996 when Breckinridge County and Paintsville defeated much larger schools to win the boys' state championship. Also in 1994 M.C. Napier High School (located near Hazard), in its final year of existence (it would be consolidated into Perry County Central High School), claimed the girls title. The 2007 boys' tournament featured a first-round game in which western Kentucky power Warren Central (enrollment 1070) played and defeated June Buchanan with an enrollment of 74 students.

Another emotional story came in the 1981 boys' tournament, when Simon Kenton High School of Independence, whose students were forced into involuntary exile after a series of natural gas explosions in October 1980 destroyed much of the school, won the state title. However, the greatest finish in Boys Sweet Sixteen history came in the 1982 State Championship game between Laurel County and North Hardin led by high school All-American Robbie Valentine. With the game tied and one second remaining, Laurel County's Paul Andrews hit a desperation 50-foot shot to win the game 53-51.

The unique nature of the tournament and NBA-style pre-game and post-game ceremonies and celebrations at the finals draw fans throughout the state to both tournaments. Crowds for the boys tournament are usually over 250,000 fans during the week and the finals typically draw over 20,000 spectators.

Notable athletes who have competed in the Sweet Sixteen

Boys

*Derek Anderson (Louisville Doss, Ohio State/Kentucky)
*Butch Beard (Breckinridge County, Louisville)
*Ralph Beard (Louisville Male, Kentucky)
*Brian Brohm (Louisville Trinity, Louisville-football)
*Greg Buckner (University Heights, Clemson)
*Michael Bush (Louisville Male, Louisville-football)
*Rex Chapman (Owensboro Apollo, Kentucky)
*"King" Kelly Coleman (Wayland, [Later consolidated into today's Allen Central High School.] Kentucky Wesleyan)
*Tim Couch (Leslie County, Kentucky-football)
*Dave Cowens (Newport Catholic, [This school, an all-boys' institution, was later consolidated with the all-girls' Our Lady of Providence High School to form today's Newport Central Catholic High School.] Florida State)
*Kenny Davis (Wayne County/Georgetown College). Captain of the 1972 U.S Olympic Basketball team.
*Richie Farmer (Clay County, Kentucky)
*Travis Ford (Madisonville, [More properly Madisonville North Hopkins High School.] Missouri/Kentucky)
*Jack Givens (Lexington Bryan Station, Kentucky)
*Darrell Griffith (Louisville Male, Louisville)
*Cliff Hagan (Owensboro, Kentucky)
*Clem Haskins (Taylor County, Western Kentucky)
*Allan Houston (Louisville Ballard, Tennessee)
*Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones (Harlan, Kentucky)
*Roy Kidd (Corbin, Eastern Kentucky-football)
*Chris Lofton (Mason County, Tennessee)
*Jared Lorenzen (Fort Thomas Highlands, Kentucky-football)
*O.J. Mayo (Rose Hill Christian, Southern California)
*Jim McDaniels (Allen County, [This school was later consolidated with Scottsville High School to form today's Allen County-Scottsville High School.] Western Kentucky)
*Dirk Minniefield (Lexington Lafayette, Kentucky)
*John Pelphrey (Paintsville, Kentucky)
*Frank Selvy (Corbin, Furman)
*Wes Unseld (Louisville Seneca, Louisville)
*Bill Walker (Rose Hill Christian, Kansas State)
*André Woodson (North Hardin, Kentucky-football)

Girls

*Kristie Combs (M.C. Napier, University of Kentucky)
*Kyra Elzy (Oldham County, Tennessee)
*Ukari Figgs (Scott County, Purdue)
*Lisa Harrison (Louisville Southern, Tennessee)
*Clemette Haskins [As her name suggests, she is indeed the daughter of Clem Haskins.] (Warren Central, Western Kentucky)
*Jamie Walz (Fort Thomas Highlands, Western Kentucky)

Current Division 1 Basketball Players Who Competed in the Sweet Sixteen

Boys
*Jeremy Anderson (Warren Central, Liberty)
*Jared Carter (Scott County, Kentucky)
*Vincent Crutcher (Pleasure Ridge Park, Morehead State)
*William Graham (Lexington Catholic, Wright State)
*Demetrius Green (Lexington Catholic, Middle Tennessee)
*Scotty Hopson (University Heights, Tennessee)
*Preston Knowles (George Rogers Clark, Louisville)
*Darius Miller (Mason County, Kentucky)
*Steffphon Pettigrew (Elizabethtown, Western Kentucky)
*Ty Proffitt (South Laurel, Notre Dame)
*A.J Slaughter (Shelby County, Western Kentucky)
*Landon Slone (Paintsville, Kentucky)
*Brennan Votel (Covington Catholic, Pennsylvania)

Girls

*Patricka Barlow (Barren County, Louisville)
*Arnika Brown (Christian County, Western Kentucky)
*Hope Brown (North Hardin, Western Kentucky)
*Colette Cole (Breathitt County, Eastern Kentucky)
*Nikki Davis (Lexington Catholic, Virginia Tech)
*Brittany Edelen (Washington County, Kentucky)
*Briana Green (Lexington Catholic, UTEP)
*Crystal Kelly (Sacred Heart, Western Kentucky)
*Charlotte Marshall (Shelby County, Western Kentucky)
*Natalie Novosel (Lexington Catholic, Notre Dame)
*Shannon Novosel (Lexington Catholic, Evansville)
*Anaris Sickles (Lexington Catholic, Evansville)
*Keyla Snowden (Lexington Catholic, Akron)

2008 Houchens Industries KHSAA Girls Sweet Sixteen

March 11-14, 2008 Bowling Green, Kentucky; Ed Diddle Arena

16TeamBracket | RD1=First round
RD2=Quarterfinals
RD3=State Semifinals
RD4=State Championship
RD1-seed01=7
RD1-team01=Louisville Manual
RD1-seed02=13
RD1-team02=South Laurel
RD1-score01=68
RD1-score02=34
RD1-seed03=16
RD1-team03=Rowan County
RD1-seed04=14
RD1-team04=Breathitt County
RD1-score03=49
RD1-score04=60
RD1-seed05=1
RD1-team05=Marshall County
RD1-seed06=6
RD1-team06=Louisville Butler
RD1-score05=38
RD1-score06=65
RD1-seed07=12
RD1-team07=Rockcastle County
RD1-seed08=3
RD1-team08=Ohio County
RD1-score07=56
RD1-score08=60
RD1-seed09=9
RD1-team09=Conner
RD1-seed10=2
RD1-team10=Henderson County
RD1-score09=47
RD1-score10=60
RD1-seed11=15
RD1-team11=Johnson Central
RD1-seed12=5
RD1-team12=Elizabethtown
RD1-score11=31
RD1-score12=51
RD1-seed13=8
RD1-team13=Simon Kenton
RD1-seed14=4
RD1-team14=Franklin-Simpson
RD1-score13=40
RD1-score14=54
RD1-seed15=11
RD1-team15=Lexington Henry Clay
RD1-seed16=10
RD1-team16=Montgomery County
RD1-score15=61
RD1-score16=65
RD2-team01=Louisville Manual
RD2-team02=Breathitt County
RD2-score01=52
RD2-score02=31
RD2-team03=Louisville Butler
RD2-team04=Ohio County
RD2-score03=84
RD2-score04=65
RD2-team05=Henderson County
RD2-team06=Elizabethtown
RD2-score05=33
RD2-score06=57
RD2-team07=Franklin-Simpson
RD2-team08=Montgomery County
RD2-score07=55
RD2-score08=49
RD3-team01=Louisville Manual
RD3-team02=Louisville Butler
RD3-score01=46
RD3-score02=58
RD3-team03=Elizabethtown
RD3-team04=Franklin-Simpson
RD3-score03=56
RD3-score04=62
RD4-team01=Louisville Butler
RD4-team02=Franklin-Simpson
RD4-score01=58
RD4-score02=57

2008 National City Bank KHSAA Boys Sweet Sixteen

March 18-21, 2008 Lexington, Kentucky; Rupp Arena

* = Overtime (one per overtime)

16TeamBracket | RD1=First round
RD2=Quarterfinals
RD3=State Semifinals
RD4=State Championship
RD1-seed01=2
RD1-team01=University Heights
RD1-seed02=11
RD1-team02= Lexington Catholic
RD1-score01=54
RD1-score02=69
RD1-seed03=6
RD1-team03=Louisville Central
RD1-seed04=3
RD1-team04=Owensboro
RD1-score03=48
RD1-score04=63
RD1-seed05=7
RD1-team05=Jeffersontown
RD1-seed06=15
RD1-team06=Paintsville
RD1-score05=87
RD1-score06=93
RD1-seed07=9
RD1-team07=Covington Holmes
RD1-seed08=5
RD1-team08=Bardstown
RD1-score07=64
RD1-score08=44
RD1-seed09=13
RD1-team09=South Laurel
RD1-seed10=14
RD1-team10=Hazard
RD1-score09=47
RD1-score10=50
RD1-seed11=8
RD1-team11=Shelby County
RD1-seed12=12
RD1-team12=Lincoln County
RD1-score11=70
RD1-score12=58
RD1-seed13=1
RD1-team13=Paducah Tilghman
RD1-seed14=4
RD1-team14=Greenwood
RD1-score13=77
RD1-score14=53
RD1-seed15=10
RD1-team15=Mason County
RD1-seed16=16
RD1-team16=Elliot County
RD1-score15=66
RD1-score16=62
RD2-team01=Lexington Catholic
RD2-team02=Owensboro
RD2-score01=54
RD2-score02=47
RD2-team03=Paintsville
RD2-team04=Covington Holmes
RD2-score03=53
RD2-score04=61
RD2-team05=Hazard
RD2-team06=Shelby County
RD2-score05=50
RD2-score06=53
RD2-team07=Paducah Tilghman
RD2-team08=Mason County
RD2-score07=46
RD2-score08=73
RD3-team01=Lexington Catholic
RD3-team02=Covington Holmes
RD3-score01=50
RD3-score02=57
RD3-team03=Shelby County
RD3-team04=Mason County
RD3-score03=50
RD3-score04=60
RD4-team01=Covington Holmes
RD4-team02=Mason County
RD4-score01=48
RD4-score02=57

KHSAA Boys Sweet Sixteen State Champions

KHSAA Girls Sweet Sixteen State Champions

Notes and references