Shelby County is obviously the cream of the crop in the 8th and everyone else is fighting for the region tournament. Oldham County has proved themselves with a 12-1 record, however they have played a very weak schedule. Their only loss was by 19 points against a 6-7 Waggener squad that has lost to Moore, CAL, Manual, JTown, Seneca, Valley, and Beth Haven. Oldham had an impressive 18 point victory at South Oldham. Simon Kenton is 11-3 with losses to a very good Holmes squad (-19), Dixie Heights (-5), and Christian County (-20). South Oldham played a very tough early season schedule with losses to JTown, Shelby, Doss, North Oldham, and Desales. Their 18 point loss to Oldham as well as their loss to North Oldham has them behind the 8 ball in the 29th district. The sleeper in the 8th region remains North Oldham. At 5-8, the Mustangs have faced one of, if not the toughest schedules in the state. They have 4 losses to Scott County, JTown, and Elizabethtown twice (21 and 8 points). They lost their season opener at Fairdale by 4 points, at Pulaski County by 1 point in overtime, against Trinity by 1 point on a last second shot, and at Providence of IN by 8 points. Their five wins have come against Desales, South Oldham, Butler, North Hardin, and Christian Academy and they have played only 1 home game. It doesn't get any easier the rest of the way for North Oldham with road games at Oldham, Woodford, JTown, PRP, the Scott County Toyota Classic with a loaded field, and 3 home games against Boone, Highlands, and Shelby.
This Thursday Oldham County hosts North Oldham for the 1st seed in the 29th Distict. The winner of this game will find the easiest path into the Region Tourny. At this point, it looks like the top contenders in the 8th are:
1) Shelby County
2) Simon Kenton
3) Oldham County
North Oldham
5) Anderson County
6) South Oldham
7) Grant County
Whoever makes the 8th Region tourny will be gunning for Shelby County. At that point, you need to look at the teams with the top players and the teams who have been battle tested throughout the season. It only takes one great performance to upset Shelby. It will be an exciting tourny with one heavy favorite and several teams capable of pulling off the major upset on a given night.