Madison Central gets taste of glory players remember from Indians’ last trip to Rupp
The last time Madison Central made it to Rupp Arena for the Boys’ Sweet 16, its 2021 11th Region Tournament MVP Kole Browne was in elementary school.
During that team’s regional victory tour around the county’s elementary schools leading up to the state tournament, Coach Allen Feldhaus Jr. called for a volunteer to try to take on Indians’ star Dominique Hawkins for a little one-on-one. Browne’s P.E. teacher pulled Browne out of the crowd.
The memory is a blur, but Browne can’t help but smile at it.
“I can’t remember, but I’m pretty sure I scored one time, though. That was pretty good to score on Dominique,” Browne said, still puffed with pride.
The memory brings a smile to Feldhaus’ face, as well. “I can remember Kole there. (His mom) was right there with him making sure he got a picture with Dominique. Yeah, that seems like a long time ago.”
Hawkins’ team completed their 2013 run with a thrilling 65-64 win over Ballard for the state championship. Browne and fellow senior Braeden Ray remember those games and told their local paper they were in attendance for the entire run to the title.
This year’s Indians must begin the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 presented by UK HealthCare Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine against a Ballard team estimated as the best team in the tournament, according to Dave Cantrall’s Ratings.
Plus, Feldhaus knows his longtime friend, Ballard Coach Chris Renner, can’t wait for a rematch.
“I talk to him once a week,” Feldhaus said. “He texted me after we beat Lexington Catholic. So I texted him whenever he beat Trinity, I think, in the semifinals.
“And he said, ‘I hope you all win. I want one more shot at your butt at Rupp Arena.”
It will be a challenge for Madison Central to knock off the Bruins, but there aren’t many teams who can roll out on the court and shoot 70 percent from the field like the Indians did in the region tournament opener against then-No. 1 Lexington Catholic and then come out again five nights later and shoot 56 percent against No. 7 Frederick Douglass in a region title game.
Feldhaus calls this team “one of the smarter basketball teams I’ve had. They shoot the basketball really well, too.”
And they’ve galvanized through the adversity of a season nearly derailed by COVID-19 and touched by the heartbreak of seeing a player’s father pass away during the season for the second year in a row. Sophomore Jaylen Davis lost his dad this year. Ray lost his father last year.
“This is all for them. That’s what we’ve been talking about. We did the job for them,” Browne said after the region championship.
Browne leads the team in scoring with 18.9 points per game, but Feldhaus credits the senior’s leadership and willingness to make sure every player is sharing the load and the success.
“These past few weeks, we’ve all just been happy for each other,” Browne said. “That’s the main thing about our team. No selfishness. In the beginning of the season, I felt we had a little bit of it. But Coach got us together, and we’re good.”
Boys’ Sweet 16
What: Sixteen-team tournament to decide Kentucky’s high school basketball state champion
When: Wednesday through Saturday
Where: Rupp Arena
Tickets: Seating is limited because of COVID-19. Tickets available for purchase at KHSAA.org.
Boys’ Sweet 16 schedule
At Rupp Arena
Wednesday
11 a.m.: Knott County Central vs. Elizabethtown
2 p.m.: Bowling Green vs. University Heights
5 p.m.: Madison Central vs. Ballard
8 p.m.: Clark County vs. Oldham County
Thursday
11 a.m.: Muhlenberg County vs. Highlands
2 p.m.: Bullitt East vs. McCracken County
5 p.m.: Boyle County vs. Paintsville
8 p.m.: Knox Central vs. Ashland Blazer
Friday
11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m.: Quarterfinal games
Saturday
11 a.m., 2 p.m.: Semifinal games
8 p.m.: Championship game
Cantrall ratings
Dave Cantrall’s Rating the State rankings for teams in the Sweet 16:
1. Ballard 84.2
2. Elizabethtown 83.6
3. Highlands 83.0
4. Bowling Green 82.2
5. Oldham County 80.1
6. Knox Central 79.4
7. Madison Central 79.0
8. Muhlenberg County 77.0
9. Ashland Blazer 76.3
10. Clark County 75.1
11. McCracken County 74.5
12. Bullitt East 73.8
13. Boyle County 72.1
14. Paintsville 68.9
15. University Heights 68.8
16. Knott County Central 63.4
This story was originally published March 29, 2021 at 2:19 PM.
