Pulaski County players celebrated after beating Lincoln County to win the 12th Region title.
Pulaski County coach John Fraley knows what getting to the state tournament means to his community and the Fraley family.
His father, Dave, was the head coach in 1986 when Pulaski won the state championship. John’s brother, Shannon, was the point guard on that state championship team and drove through the Pleasure Ridge Park defense for the game-winning score in a 47-45 victory.
John Fraley, age 6, never saw the shot. He was asleep in his sister’s lap. However, he was the head coach in 2017 when Pulaski went to the state tournament and his son, Colton, was a starting freshman point guard for the Maroons.
Pulaski is back on the stage again and will play Warren Central Wednesday at 6 p.m. If it advances, it would play the Ashland-Owensboro winner Friday at 1:30 p.m.
“Our family does take extra pride in being at the state tournament,” John Fraley said.
Fraley has a nephew, Carson Farley, who is a starting freshman point guard on this team averaging 12.9 points per game. The first team John Fraley brought to the state tourney had another nephew, Carson, that started at point guard.
The Pulaski coach’s father, Dave, age 80, retired from coaching in 2019 with 702 combined wins at four schools.
“Dad said it is harder on him to watch me coach than when he coached,” John Fraley said. “He still chimes in quite regularly. When I was playing for Dad and the car ride home (he would critique him). Now it is a phone call to hear about the game I coached. But he is a great resource for sure.”
Pulaski does not come to Rupp Arena considered a tourney favorite but 12th Region champion Lincoln County was not last year, either. However, the Patriots won two games to reach the state semifinals before losing to eventual state champion George Rogers Clark.
“We have talked quite a bit about that is the reason they play them (games). If just based on paper, we probably would not be here,” Fraley said. “We are going to continue and try to shock the world.
“Every year somebody gets on a run they are not supposed to. Why can it not be us? I know it is a David vs Goliath thing but we are excited.”
