The third and final article highlighting the seasons of the Marshall 1, Marshall 2 and Marshall 3 Special Olympic Basketball Teams before the state tournament on Mar. 14.
Marshall 2, Marshall County’s Special Olympics Basketball team, is well-known among other State of Kentucky Special Olympics Basketball programs. In the nine years of the program, Marshall 2 has quite the resume. Eight straight Regional Titles, eight straight State Tournament appearances, five straight State Championship game appearances and four State Titles, winning three in a row.
That streak hit a bump in the road at last year’s State Tournament when the Stride Cardinals eliminated the Marshals in the first round.
“It was a hard pill to swallow,” Coach Jonny Byrd said. “Our athletes work hard for the opportunity to play at state, we just had to move on and regroup. New season, new opportunity. Marshall 2 has played the same hard schedule, 15 games leading up to the Regional with a 13-2 record. Special Olympics is unique due to the fact they move teams around depending on their performances. So, you may play a team in the Regional, both of you advance to State, but you may be in different divisions.”
Byrd said an example of this is Marshall 2 played Christian County in the Regional Championship but Christian County is in the 1A Red Bracket at the State Tournament, one bracket lower than the 1A Black Bracket that Marshall 2 is in.
“We are in a bracket with two teams we’ve already played, Bowling Green Generals and Louisville Wizards and playing the NKY Silverbacks from Florence, Ky.”, Byrd said. “This bracket is loaded. All four teams are potential State Champions.”
“What do we know about the Silverbacks”? Coach Byrd said. “Well, they have a long history of being in the State Tournament. They’re big, physical, have speedy guards and are well coached. The two teams have never met.”
“We’re not changing anything we do”, Bryd said. “We’ll go to Louisville with a positive attitude. Our team plays hard, they’ve played in several tough games this season, been in close games with big crowds and we travel. I think that’s all you can do.”
When asked, does last seasons’ tournament loss come up in motivational speeches, Bryd said, “Nah, I don’t bring it up, I don’t have to. I see it in their eyes in practice, in our games, they’re focused! It should be fun. I can’t wait!”
Marshall 2 plays the NKY Silverbacks Saturday, Mar. 14 at 1:00pm EST at MidAmerica Sports Center, 1906 Watterson Trail in Louisville.