Corinth Wins State
Lexington, Ky, March 22 - Corinth, a little team from Grant County, did the impossible tonight when it cracked through Kavanaugh Class A boys' State Champion, 22 to 20, to win the championship of the twelfth annual Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament in the University of Kentucky gymnasium.
Corinth came to the tournament to defend the Class B title it attained last year and achieved its goal this afternoon by whipping Tolu, the sensation from Western Kentucky by 26 to 25 in the Class B final. The boys from Grant County trimmed Kavanaugh in a finish that put Garrison to shame. Displaying more fight, determination and plain ordinary guts than any fan of Kentucky basketball ever saw before, the youngsters earned every inch of the great banner they will bear. Kavanaugh earned the privilege of meeting the champions by defeating Hazard in the Class A boys' final in the afternoon, 14 to 11.
Kavanaugh Leads
Kavanaugh led throughout the contest, with two exceptions, up to the last ten seconds of play. Going into the final canto the count was tied 12 to 12. Kavanaugh crept up and held a 20 to 16 advantage with one minute to go. As the closing seconds ticked away, Rogers let go way down the floor and F. Lawrence came through immediately afterward with one just like it to tie the tally. Then, with the timer's pistol in his hand ready to end the regular playing time and send the bout into an extra session, Jones, Corinth forward, blasted from the center circle to win the game and send the 50,000 fans into hysterics.
The class championships were the first of their lives for Kavanaugh, and Hazard, but Corinth, in beating Tolu, took it's second crown in the last two years.
Kavanaugh Leads at Half
Pell Houchin tipped in a crip to start things in the boys' championship struggle. Borries followed with a like shot and James Houchin flicked in a free throw. Borries made one of two gratis heaves and gave Kavanaugh a 6 to 0 lead after seven minutes of play. The frame closed with no further scoring.
Jones gave Corinth its first point on a free flip. Borries contributed a crip after another minute of play. D. Lawrence gave Corinth its first field goal when three minutes remained in the half. Borries missed two gratis heaves as the gun blasted closing the half at 8 to 3.
Bartlett connected from the side. Jones retaliated from under the basket, and then Corinth started its rally. F. Lawrence counted from the side and again from way down the floor. Otor counted a crip to give his team the edge by 11 to 10 and on the next play, D. Lawrence sank one of two free tosses to further lengthen his team's lead. Bartlett sent a long shot through to tie the score as the frame closed, 12 to 12.
Jones Throw Wins
Borries made two free throws good to break the tie. Jimmy Houchin took the ball from a mix-up under the Kavanaugh basket on the next play and pushed it in the nets with one hand. Bartlett was caught in a frenzied smash in the center of the floor and was knocked out. Application of smelling salts and a cold towel by Coach Earl Jones brought him around and after two minutes he resumed to play. D. Lawrence connected shortly after the fight was resumed and Bartlett, despite his injury, tallied a crip with three minutes to go. One more minute ticked away. Jones cripped and Pell Houchins covered it as the last minute of play started. Rogers and F. Lawrence crashed through to tie the score as the gun sounded Jones won the game with a flip from the center of the floor.
Cheering the Boys On
Cheering the boys on throughout all the games was Mrs. C. W. Kavanaugh, superintendent and owner of the school, who stood on the sidelines, her hands clasped and unclasped, here yese shining with the spark of mother love which has guided her in her successful conduct of her [Lawrenceburg, Kentucky] school for two years.
Victory is surprised
The victory for Corinth came as one of the biggest surprises packages every dished out to basketball fans of the Commonwealth. It was just two weeks ago that the Corinth lads were whipped in the sectional championship fight by Highlands High of Ft. Thomas, 36 to 32, and just one week ago that the boys fell before Lexington in the title bout of the region, 25 to 18.
| Corinth - B | Pos. | Kavanaugh - A | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers | 4 | F | 6 | Bartlett |
| Jones | 7 | F | 7 | Borries |
| Odor | 2 | C | 3 | J. Houchin |
| D. Lawrence | 5 | G | 4 | P. Houchin |
| F. Lawrence | 4 | G | Hawthorne | |
| 22 | 20 | |||
From the Louisville Courier-Journal, March 23, 1930, by Earl Ruby, of the Courier-Journal Sports Department. We've edited out a lot of details about the girls championship game (Hazard over Woodburn Falls).