Pat Forde profiles Elliott County's Basketball Team on ESPN.com

Good to see some Mountain kids getting some national exposure. This story truly is amazing mainly because this team isn't one that is manufactured by the cobbling together of transfers with a couple of natives; all of Elliott's players are homegrown. Elliott also isn't the stereotypical paper tiger from the mountains that feasts on weaker, local competition, but struggles to match-up against the big boys from Lexington and Louisville. Sporting a 26-2 record with victories over Mason County and Ballard, Elliott County is recognized as a legitimate contender for the Sweet Sixteen crown in the only state that still recognizes a single winner. And therein lies the mystique: A group of local boys in a tiny, Appalachian county who grew up playing ball together has an opportunity to be crowned champions not for their class, but for the entire state. Everyone loves a good underdog story and you would be hard-pressed to find a better one than the Elliott County Lions. So enjoy rooting for your local team during this year's postseason, but keep an eye on the Lions of Elliott County and hope that they will have the opportunity to play giant killer in Rupp Arena. Forde on Elliott County <