Several members of the Pineville High School boys basketball team and Coach Brad Levy presented their 13th Region All ‘A’ Trophy to the Pineville Board of Education at January’s meeting.

“They represented us very well in Owensboro (at the State All ‘A’ Tournament). It was not an easy route that they had but they went up there and represented us with character and integrity,” Superintendent Russell Thompson said. “They showed what a team from the Mountains can go up there and do and they competed at the highest level.”

The Mountain Lions defeated Williamsburg 57-49, Oneida Baptist 65-54 and Barbourville 66-57 in the championship game of the regional tournament. At the state, they defeated Bishop Brossart 75-44 before losing to defending Sweet 16 champion Lyon County 73-64.

“I’m definitely proud of our kids and our team. When we won the region tournament we felt like we had the hardest road to do it, there’s not doubt we had three tough ballgames to get there,” Levy said. “We won big our first game, our kids were ready and they just performed so well that night. The second game we took the defending Sweet 16 state champion down to the wire.”

Levy and Thompson both praised the community support the Lions had in Owensboro.

“We didn’t have the numbers of fans that other schools did there, but the quality and support was great,” Levy said. “We felt that the whole time. We appreciate the community and all of their support.”

“I was very proud of our community, our fans, our parents, our cheerleaders and other students. They showed up and showed out for these kids and it did not go unnoticed. It was a very special time, something I will never forget in my lifetime and something I’m sure these young men will not forget in their lifetime as well.,” Thompson added.

Senior guard Sawyer Thompson spoke for the team and thanked everyone for supporting the team.

“I just want to thank everybody for coming up there to support us. It meant a lot to see almost everybody in this room in the crowd,” he said.