‘They don’t quit.’ Unlikely Sweet 16 qualifier found its groove at the best time.
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Sweet Sixteen stories
The 2020 Boys’ Sweet 16 was postponed before it began because of the coronavirus pandemic. The stoppage of our annual high school basketball state tournament denied 16 schools and their communities — for many — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for recognition on one of Kentucky’s most prominent stages. In the absence of basketball, the Herald-Leader is telling their stories. Click below to read the stories published so far.
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Editor’s Note: The 2020 Boys’ Sweet 16 was postponed before it began because of the coronavirus pandemic. The stoppage of our annual high school basketball state tournament denied 16 schools and their communities — for many — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for recognition on one of Kentucky’s most prominent stages. In the absence of basketball, the Herald-Leader is telling their stories.
Knox Central wasn’t supposed to be playing in the 13th Region championship at Corbin Arena on March 9. And the Panthers dang sure weren’t supposed to win the game and make a repeat trip to the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen.
They were, after all, ranked fourth in the region in the KHSAA’s RPI system and had been swept by the three teams ranked in front of them during the regular season. They were paired against North Laurel, No. 2 in the region, to start the 13th Region tournament and were likely to play region favorite South Laurel in the semifinals.
Knox Central wasn’t supposed to be the 13th Region champ. And head coach Tony Patterson didn’t let his players forget it during their season.
“I may have brought it up a couple times to them that you’re gonna have to earn your respect ‘cause everybody’s counting you all out,” Patterson said. “And they knew that. Those kids played to win.”
Naysayers’ preseason predictions weren’t baseless. Knox Central lost about 80 percent of its scoring from last season’s team that won 30 games and ended a Sweet 16 drought that went back to 1970. No one expected the Panthers to go another 49 years between appearances, but an immediate return did not seem favorable.
And that was before Zach Patterson — Tony’s son and the only returning starter from the 2018-19 Panthers — suffered a stress fracture in his hip that resulted in him missing the first 10 games of the season.
“So we had a completely new team,” Tony Patterson said. “We struggled early trying to find our way there.”
Zach returned in time for a home game against Garrard County, the Panthers’ last in the 2019 calendar. The senior scored 17 points to complement 34 by junior Jevonte Turner, and they won their sixth in what finished as an 11-game win streak.
Playoff time
That winning stretch ended with a loss to fellow Sweet 16 qualifier Warren Central in the Class 2A state tournament on Jan. 16, the first loss of what became a middling stretch: Knox Central ended with a 6-6 record over its final 12 games of the regular season, including the losses to North Laurel, South Laurel and Clay County — No. 3 in the region. Some teams get hot as the season winds down; Knox Central was, at best, room temperature.
It found gasoline in the postseason: The Panthers took care of Pineville, 60-51, in the first round of the 51st District tournament before a championship rematch with Barbourville, whom they defeated a week prior, 74-61. This time around they won going away, 89-54.
As luck would have it, they received a harrowing draw in the region tournament a day following one of their finest performances of the season. Still, it approached its first-round bout against North Laurel with confidence and prevailed, 66-64, and two days later again defied doubters with a 65-62 victory over South Laurel. Free throws made the difference each time as Knox Central nursed narrow leads throughout both.
“We’ve got talent, but they’re just gritty,” Patterson said. “They don’t quit. They play to win and they’re physical. In tournament time, that’s usually what wins. … We knew we had our work cut out for us but our kids, I’m telling ya, they never coughed or hiccuped. They were ready.”
Special moment
Knox Central entered the tournament expecting to see Clay County in the finals, if it were to make it that far. Instead it was greeted by Harlan County, the No. 5 team in the region that upended the Tigers in the semifinals.
It was a “break,” bracketing-wise, but the Black Bears weren’t eager for slaughter; they took command early and led by double digits after the first quarter. The Panthers rallied to get within a point at halftime but ceded more ground in the third quarter, after which Harlan County led 53-43. Missed free throws by the Black Bears helped Knox Central cease momentum, and it outscored them 29-15 in the final period to win, 72-68, and repeat as 13th Region champs for the first time since 1965-66.
Patterson knew during a timeout with about two minutes ago, his team trailing by four, that the Panthers would win their second straight title.
“I just squat down and they’re all looking at me and it goes on for about 15 seconds, so I get tickled,” he said. “One of the assistants looked down at me like, ‘Are you OK?’ and I looked up and said, ‘Guys, we’re gonna win this game.’ You’ve got momentum here and they’re scared to bring the ball up to you up the floor. They’re trying to play not to lose and you guys are playing to win. You’re going to win.’
“Then I said, ‘You make sure you leave it all on the floor, ‘cause I’m not calling another one.’ And they look at me and start laughing. We’re in the regional championship and aren’t even supposed to be there. We came out of the timeout, they had their wind and had their legs under em’, and they just go out and wreak havoc. It’s over.”
Knox Central wasn’t supposed to give three rotation guys who missed out on last year’s trip — Zach Patterson (stress fracture in his fibula), Kevionte Turner (broken arm) and Colby Elliott (torn ACL) — another opportunity to play in Rupp Arena. Perhaps, because of circumstances well beyond their control, nature will deliver the disappointment for which doubters believed the Panthers were destined.
But they’ll never be able to take away that last timeout in Corbin.
“It was such a special moment,” Tony Patterson said. “We were all on the same page and not a word had been spoken. Some of those moments, that’s what you coach for. It was really special.”
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 7:30 AM.
