Shelby Valley Boys Basketball

08/31/2026

🪿✈️🙌💰🙏

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UK LEGEND JACK “GOOSE” GIVENS TABS SHELBY VALLEY’S MATTHEW TAYLOR TO LEAD TEAM GOOSE 2031

D&D Sports Network

Another Mountain basketball coach is getting the opportunity to take his talents to the national AAU stage.

University of Kentucky legend Jack “Goose” Givens has selected Shelby Valley head coach Matthew Taylor to lead the Team Goose 2031 National Program, which will compete on the Adidas 3SSB circuit.

It’s a major opportunity for Taylor and another big-time connection between Mountain basketball and one of the most recognizable names in Kentucky basketball history.

Taylor brings an impressive coaching résumé to Team Goose, with experience at nearly every level of the game.

His coaching background includes seven years as an NCAA Division I assistant, one year as an NCAA Division II assistant, six years as an NAIA assistant, two years as an NAIA head coach and five years coaching at the high school level.

Taylor is also a two-time Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 2016 and 2022, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.

Now, he’ll bring that wealth of experience to a Team Goose 2031 program designed to compete on a national level.

Taylor took over the Shelby Valley boys basketball program in 2024 after previously serving as head coach at Letcher County Central, where he captured a district championship before making the move to one of the 15th Region’s tradition-rich programs.

The addition of Taylor gives Team Goose 2031 a coach with experience ranging from high school basketball all the way to the NCAA Division I level — and someone who understands what it takes to develop young players for the next level.

With Jack “Goose” Givens behind the program, Matthew Taylor leading the way and the opportunity to compete on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Team Goose 2031 will be a program to keep an eye on as this group begins its journey on the national stage.

Congratulations to Coach Matthew Taylor on a huge opportunity!

🏀 TEAM GOOSE 2031
🌎 NATIONAL PROGRAM
🔥 ADIDAS 3SSB CIRCUIT
🏀 HEAD COACH: MATTHEW TAYLOR

06/01/2026

Special thank you to Jaimieand Brian Mullins for feeding the guys Bdubs today after camp. They loved it and left nothing.

05/26/2026

Couldn’t practice or get a gym anywhere due to graduations. But, the good Lord gave us outside. So we will find a way. God’s country the work will always win.

05/24/2026

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Basketball Summer Camp Alert:
FOR BOYS & GIRLS
June 1st 2nd 3rd
Valley High School

05/19/2026

Best of luck today in the election. To Hall & Jones Funeral Home and thank you for all you do for Shelby Valley and especially our program. The help you provide us is beyond anything we could ask for and also much needed for our kids. THANK YOU Kevin and family.

05/19/2026

Valley Discount Pharmacy has been there helping us and making shirts for team, donating to games as well since day 1. Also thank you for always taking care of my medicine and making sure I’m sending my packages out right. Thank you for all you do for our team.

05/19/2026

The help and love that Jess Waddles has shown since me arriving to our team is beyond anything I could’ve asked for in my time. It goes without saying we are thankful to have you helping our guys be able to see and do things they wouldn’t otherwise.

05/19/2026

Want to thank Shelby Valley Diner. For not only helping us during the season. But also for the Catspy awards the other night. Your support and donations are always appreciated and helpful. Tarlis Thompson has been there since day 1 for me and helped the kids be able to have things they wouldn’t otherwise without his help.

05/18/2026

Truly thankful for the support of the community at Shelby Valley. Toby Hall & Hall Chiropractic has been in my corner since day 1 and is still helping us raise money for the summer to help the guys be able to attend camps and expose them to coaches. Never forget who was there when you started. Grateful.

05/18/2026

Can’t ask for much more from these seniors in my short time spent at Shelby Valley. From the “Dorton 2 a days” to the pre-game tradition of drafting teams to wrestle on court to get out of conditioning. WKU camp wars to the dawg days on the hill. Working at my house in off season to being there for me to lean on through anything. From helping me in a new place to becoming a team of tough mentally strong men. Their impact on the program and the standard they helped establish will be remembered for years to come.

Accomplishments

* Combined for over 3,500 points in just two seasons
* 3 1000pt club scorers
* Earned 6 All-District selections 1 all region selection
* Produced the 2026 15th Region Player of the Year
* Featured a Top 10 three-point shooter in the state in back-to-back seasons
* All 3 with offers to play at the next level
* Competed against the state’s top competition, facing 21 ranked teams over two years
* Helped lead the program to 33 wins in two seasons

Beyond the wins and accomplishments, the trips, memories, and experiences will last a lifetime. Most importantly, they will always be remembered as the group that helped return Shelby Valley basketball to its winning tradition in the 15th Region and reestablish the program as a true contender.

But above all else, they will be remembered as the team no one wanted to play — and no one wanted to schedule — because they embodied the true definition of “Hard to Kill.”

From me personally…..
Thank you.
I love you with all my heart.
I’m so damn proud of you all.
For becoming what you are and making me proud, by being successful in the fields you picked.
Also for realizing at some point different times for each of you that EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN LIFE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HARD, and it’s ok to have to do tough things to be successful.
I will never forget you.
I would love to be able to say…
“HURLEYYYYYYY” one more time and see you all take the floor. Also fight with Caden Johnson about touching the line, and Gavin Hamilton about everything. and him always being right. Finally of course all of us fighting with Brady Johnson about just being Brady Johnson.

Always remember…
HOW YOU DO ONE THING, IS HOW YOU DO ALL THINGS. BE GREAT.

No one will wear…
#55 #23 #2 again in my time here
My honor to you all…

Coach Taylor out….. see you in 26’