Lyon County's Ryan Perry, McCracken County's Scott Sivills voted Basketball Coaches of Year

It’s been about three weeks since the Lyon County High School boys basketball team won the school’s first Sweet 16 championship, and life in Eddyville is pretty grand for the teenagers who made it happen.

Lyon County coach Ryan Perry said his players have grown so accustomed to getting free meals around town that they were left scrambling one recent evening.

"They didn't even take money because they expected the meal to be paid for,” Perry told our Jason Frakes with a laugh. “They were sitting around looking because no one had offered to pay for it yet, trying to figure out how they were going to pay. They’ve been pretty well taken care of.”

The Lyons have been the stars of the town for years and rewarded their fans with the ultimate prize last month, beating Harlan County 67-58 in the Sweet 16 final to cap a 36-3 championship season.

Perry has been rewarded as well, as he was voted The Courier Journal’s Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.

“It’s really cool,” Perry said. “I definitely didn’t expect it. I was blessed and had a really good team and a really good coaching staff around me. Those guys made us look really good. I’m thankful for all the people who thought I deserved this award.”

Scott Sivills has built an elite girls basketball program at McCracken County High School, so much so that losing four of his top six players to graduation didn’t dampen expectations entering the 2023-24 season.

“We felt we still had players who could get us back to the state tournament,” Sivills said.

Led by seniors Claire Johnson and Mikee Buchanan, the Mustangs returned to the Sweet 16 last month and advanced to the championship game for the second straight season before falling to Sacred Heart.

The state’s coaches took notice of Sivills’ work, voting him The Courier Journal’s Girls Basketball Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

Before you head out to enjoy the beautiful spring weather, check out some of our coverage from earlier in the week including our All-State girls and boys basketball teams.