article Inside the 4th Region (2/15/15)

Fourth Region Top 10

1) Monroe County (25-3) - 2/13 46-44 W #4 Clinton County

Previous Rank: 1

This Week: 2/17 at Greenwood, 2/19 at Warren East

2) Bowling Green (23-5) - 2/9 77-69 W at #7 Logan County, 2/10 66-69 L Owensboro, 2/13 70-55 W at Warren East

Previous Rank: 2

This Week: 2/17 vs. #8 Russellville

3) Warren Central (20-7) - 2/10 92-43 W #8 Russellville, 2/13 66-41 W at Greenwood, 2/14 86-61 W Elizabethtown

Previous Rank: 3

This Week: 2/17 at Allen County-Scottsville, 2/20 at John Hardin

4) Clinton County (17-10) - 2/9 55-66 L at Corbin, 2/13 44-46 L at #1 Monroe County

Previous Rank: 4

This Week: 2/16 at #10 South Warren, 2/19 vs. #6 Barren County

5) Russell County (14-9) - 2/10 62-59 W #5 Barren County, 2/13 72-54 W at Adair County

Previous Rank: 6

This Week: 2/17 at Madison Southern, 2/20 vs. Allen County-Scottsville

6) Barren County (20-7) - 2/10 59-62 L at #6 Russell County, 2/13 76-49 W Cumberland County

Previous Rank: 5

This Week: 2/17 vs. Metcalfe County, 2/19 at #4 Clinton County

7) Logan County (17-8) - 2/9 69-77 L #2 Bowling Green, 2/10 55-35 W at Rossview (TN), 2/12 60-66 L Hopkinsville

Previous Rank: 7

This Week: 2/19 vs. Greenwood

8) Russellville (12-11) - 2/10 43-92 L at #3 Warren Central, 2/13 63-53 W at Todd County Central

Previous Rank: 8

This Week: 2/17 at #2 Bowling Green, 2/20 at Butler County

9) Franklin-Simpson (9-17) - 2/12 54-44 W #9 South Warren, 2/13 63-58 W at #10 Allen County-Scottsville

Previous Rank: NR

This Week: 2/17 vs. Warren East, 2/19 at Glasgow

10) South Warren (14-14) - 2/9 72-62 W at Todd County Central, 2/10 85-81 W Warren East, 2/12 44-54 L at Franklin-Simpson, 2/14 98-63 W at Ohio County

Previous Rank: 9

This Week: 2/16 vs. #4 Clinton County, 2/19 at Daviess County

Last Week's Game of the Week - Entering Tuesday's matchup, Barren County and Russell County had met six times over the previous 4 seasons, splitting the matchups 3-3. Last year in the region tournament, Barren County ended Willie Feldhaus's run as HC at Russell County 68-59 in the region tourney, avenging an earlier loss in the regular season. Both those matchups last year were at Barren County, and the Lakers took advantage of getting to host this time around. After a tight game early, Russell County stretched into a 33-20 lead at halftime, and increased it to 15 points entering the fourth quarter. Then, the Trojans finally came to life, drawing within a single point and having multiple chances to tie or take the lead. But Russell County could not be denied, puulling out the 62-59 victory. Jones had 19 points for Barren County. The victory led to a flip flop in our ranks for the two teams.

14th District Draw - The dust finally settled on the 14th District this week. On the court, South Warren seized control of the #3 seed with an 85-81 win over Warren East, relegating Greenwood and Warren East to the 4/5 game. Off the court, the coin flip for #1 took place on February 15th and when the dust settled, it was Warren Central with the 1 seed, Bowling Green with the 2 seed. That sets up a great semifinal between Bowling Green and South Warren, played at South Warren. The Spartans will try to break two streaks at once - never having beaten Bowling Green and never making the region tournament.

Lovan Elevates Franklin-Simpson - To say Franklin-Simpson missed Lovan during his absence with a broken wrist would be a wild understatement. Without Lovan, the Wildcats went 2-14. With him, they've gone 7-3, including winning 4 of 5 since his return. Since coming back, he's been averaging 24 points per game. Last week, the Wildcats knocked off South Warren and Allen County-Scottsville in back to back games, elevating them into the top 10 and placing themselves as a legitimate threat to make the region tournament.

Fourth Time The Charm? - Clinton County has been close, sooooooo close. Three times the Bulldogs have played old 16th District rival Monroe County three times this year. They lost all three.... by a combined five points. Monroe County has yet to lose to a region opponent, and it would be an upset if they did not maintain that until at least the region tournament. Clinton County is a lock to make the region tournament and perhaps it is there that they'll finally get over the hump.

Snow - It's coming folks, and it will probably take out most if not all the games next week. It'll be interesting to see how the teams respond to potentially long layoffs leading into the district tournaments.

Upcoming Games of the Week

2/19 - #6 Barren County at #4 Clinton County - It's slim pickings this week and again, it seems likely that a lot of games will get canceled in the snowpocalypse. This is one of the few games matching two top 10 region teams and is a matchup of two teams likely to make the region tournament. Last season these two had a true classic, with Clinton County going on the road for an 82-80 double ovetime win.