Bluegrass Basketball

The state of Kentucky is known for bluegrass and bourbon, but as ESPN's Ashley Judd proved in "Season on the Brink: Bluegrass Basketball" high school basketball is also one of the state's hallmarks.

"We represent a lot of people, let's give 'em the best we've got," Redbird Ky. coach John D. Wilson said to his team before one game.

In Redbird, and all across the state's winding roads, Kentuckians are very proud of their high school basketball.

"Basketball and politics, that's Paintsville," Paintsville convenience store owner Maxine Eldridge said.

However, as "Bluegrass Basketball" depicted, it is in Paintsville that a deep-rooted love for the game of basketball is met with a great deal of controversy. The source of this controversy comes at the hands of Bill Mike Runyon, the fiery coach of the Paintsville Tigers.

"He's the Bobby Knight of Kentucky basketball," Indiana University High School Journalism Institute instructor David Bulla said of Runyon.

Indeed, "Bluegrass Basketball" captured Runyon in the midst of a practice session, during which he clearly stated what he expected from his team.

"If you don't go up there [to Lexington] and win the regional tournament, it's not a successful year," Runyon said.

While Runyon is drawing comparisons to the legendary Knight, OJ Mayo, a 14-year-old on the varsity team at Rose Hill Christian in Ashland, is being likened to another famous sports figure.

"He's the Tiger Woods of Ky. high school basketball," Judd said.

From Ashland, the program headed to Boyle County, where it profiled Boyle Co. sophomore guard Josh Sloan. Though he may not be idolized in the same fashion as Rose Hill Christian's Mayo, Sloan is a hero in his own right. He was born deaf, and during games Sloan's mom signs the instructions of coach Andy Moberly to Sloan from the sidelines.

"It's important to experience everything that's going on," Sloan's mom Becky said about signing to her son.

"Bluegrass Basketball" proved there are certainly a great many things to experience, from the compassion of Wilson and the intensity of Runyon, to the skill of Mayo and the heart of Sloan.

Regardless of method, ESPN's fantastic program demonstrated that when it comes to basketball in the bluegrass state, a passion for the game reigns supreme.