Why Is Maysville Kentucky Cheering Tennesee?
Tennessee basketball coach, Bruce Pearl, visited the Mason County Fieldhouse last night to a warm welcome of Kentuckians wearing orange T-Shirts and shaking orange and white pompoms. The high school band was even playing Rocky Top. The crowd gave him a standing ovation, Mayor Cartmell gave him a key to the city, and State Rep. Mike Denham presented Pearl with a certificate making him a Kentucky Colonel. So why all the Tennessee love from a city that has historically been rivals?
It's because of one very talented basketball player, Chris Lofton. The Maysville native, Lofton, led Mason County to the 2003 state basketball championship. After he was passed over by Kentucky recruiters, he finally signed to Tennessee where he's flourished with a 44.9-percent accuracy through two seasons. As Bruce Pearl announced to Maysville audiences, Tennessee named Lofton its 2006 Male Athlete of the Year.
Mason County loves Chris Lofton, so Mason County loves Tennessee.
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