Darrin Hale Laurel County
Darrin Hale was tall at 6ft. 7 in. He was a senior. It was 1984, two years removed from a most exciting Laurel County boys basketball State championship.
Hale was a key member of the 1984 Laurel County Cardinals boys basketball team that finished 27-6 under Coach Chuck Broughton who coached the Cardinal Boys from 1980-81 through the 1989-90 season and compiled a 240-66 record at the school. In that 1984 season Laurel County played in the 12th Region. After a split to form North Laurel and South Laurel High Schools that began play in the 1992-93 season they both were still in the 12th Region. In 2006 with realignment both North and South Laurel started play in the 13th Region, though in different Districts. We still will write a bit on Laurel County, recognizing their history lay in the 12th Region but with North and South Laurel being in the 13th, we will write on any history of the players and accept them as our own, much as we did on the great Laurel County girls basketball teams and players.
During that senior season a much anticipated matchup against Steve Miller of Henry Clay who would be Mr. Basketball for the state came about with Hale winning the battle scoring 20 to Miller’s 12. He also outrebounded Miller in that contest.
Hale in Regional Tournament play as a senior scored 24 points in the opening victory against Harrodsburg with 18 of those coming in the second half. He then scored 28 points against Lincoln County in a 57-39 victory in a semifinal final match. The Cardinals bid for another return to the Sweet 16 stalled in the championship game of the 12th Region tournament as they fell to Pulaski County, 50-41.
Hale was rated the number one player in the 12th Region that senior season. He also was honored by being named to the All State 2nd Team.
Hale accepted a scholarship to play at Morehead where he appeared in 84 games, averaging 10.2 ppg and abt. 4.5 rebounds per game. At Morehead he was listed at 6ft. 8 inches and 226 lbs. As a senior at Morehead he shot 86.7 percent from the free throw line and hit a career high 38 points against Tennessee Tech that senior season. As a junior at Morehead he was second on the team is scoring at 13.1 and second in rebounding at 6.1. As a senior he led the Eagles in scoring at a 14.2 clip.
Darrin Hale made his mark in both high school and college. Sadly,he passed away from a heart attack in July, 2013 at age 47
