Who would have thought before the 2025-26 season that two of the biggest boys’ basketball jobs would come open at the same time — in the same region, and even more surprising, in the same district?
The dominoes began to fall when Jeff Davis stepped down as South Laurel’s boys’ coach after 15 years, finishing with 305 wins, a 13th Region championship in 2016, and a Final Four appearance at the Sweet 16.
Then came an expected move, as Corbin girls’ coach Isaac Wilson stepped down from leading the Lady Redhounds. That decision opened the door for Tony Pietrowski to take over the girls’ program — prompting him to step down as Corbin’s boys’ head coach after 25 years.
Pietrowski leaves behind a remarkable legacy, collecting 528 wins and becoming the program’s all-time leader. He guided the Redhounds to four 13th Region titles and two Sweet 16 Elite Eight appearances.
So now, here we are — with two of the premier boys’ basketball jobs not only in the region, but in the state, sitting vacant at the same time.
Where do we go from here?
It’s likely we could see even more movement in the coming weeks.
Who does Corbin hire? What about South Laurel?
What happens if both programs target the same candidate? And could other 13th Region coaches begin to express interest as well?
These are certainly interesting times — and a bit of a headache for those of us trying to keep up with it all.
Usually, “March Madness” is reserved for what happens on the hardwood. This time around, though, it’s all about the movement off the court — and who will fill two of the most coveted jobs in the region.
So who will Corbin and South Laurel land?
If I had that answer, I’d probably be playing the lottery.
