All program alumni, including former boys and girls basketball players and cheerleaders, are invited to attend the game as the boys basketball team hosts Northwestern at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Kenton Ridge is expecting a large crowd for the gymnasium’s swan song, said Cougars coach Brian Smith, a 1997 KR graduate.
“It’s a tough thing,” Smith said. “Quite frankly, I grew up in here. I started coming to these games when I was probably seven- or eight-years-old and I rarely missed a Friday or Saturday night. This is a special place.”
The gymnasium — which was constructed in 1976 and opened in 1977 — saw 26 conference championships over the years, including 11 boys and 15 girls titles. All three former boys coaches — Bill Smith, Jeff Hobbs and Kris Spriggs — are expected to be in attendance. Longtime Cougars girls coach Ed Foulk is also expected to be in attendance.
“There’s a lot of memories,” said Spriggs, Kenton Ridge’s athletic director. “Being an alumni, I’ve obviously got memories of being a player here and I coached here 23 years. There was a lot of time spent in that gym. We’ve had some good teams over the years. A lot of good basketball has been played here over the years.”
The first game at KR was played on Nov. 19, 1977, a 61-38 loss to Graham.
A decade later, Spriggs was a member of the 1987 Cougars boys basketball teams that won the school’s first league championship. The Cougars repeated as CBC champions during his senior year in 1988.
Brian Smith was also a member of the 1997 team that won the Central Buckeye Conference championship.
“I always tell a lot of people there’s nothing like a Friday night (at KR),” Smith said. “I always make sure I’m in the gym when the band starts. When the pep band starts and the team comes out, it’s just a different thing.”
The one constant over the years has been the atmosphere, Brian Smith said.
“It’s a big open space and it can get super loud in here,” Smith said. “Our student section has been outstanding. The pep band has been great, the cheerleaders, everybody.”
All eight varsity boys players in the Cougars rotation have a relative who played for the boys or girls basketball program, Brian Smith said.
Cougars senior Brady King grew up watching his relatives play at KR. Both of his parents played at KR, as well as his brother, aunt, uncle and cousin. Now, he’ll be a member of the team to play the final game inside the old high school.
“It’s going to be awesome,” he said. “I grew up watching games here. I’ve always looked up to KR and to the high schoolers when I was younger. It’s going to be a great experience to play the last game in this iconic gymnasium.”
King’s favorite part of the atmosphere is the fans and student section who show up to every game.
“Our crowd is always backing us up whenever we need them in a big game, especially against Shawnee this year,” King said. “We had an amazing crowd. We won that game behind a great student section.”
The Cougars new gymnasium will be similar to the facility that opened at Northeastern High School earlier this school year. The boys and girls programs will have a chance to create a legacy at the new school beginning next season.
“We hope we’re going to take (the atmosphere) with us,” Smith said.
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