article Inside the 15th Region (1-16-17)

Overview: It was a week of upsets in the 15th as this region is becoming nearly impossible to rank. East Ridge is your All-A champion in dramatic fashion winning back to back overtime games. Timmy Dalton continues to volley the 1st and 2nd spot in the nation in scoring. It’s getting fun in the mountains as you don’t know what might happen on a given night!

1. Johnson Central (13-4) – The Golden Eagles lost a heart breaker in Magoffin County to open the week despite having a 9 point lead in the 4th quarter but were able to bounce back with quality performances against Paintsville and South Floyd (leading both by 25 in the 4th quarter). Johnson Central has the most wins and fewest losses in the region and still control their own destiny in pursuit of the 57th District top seed. Week eight will be tough as JC goes on the road to face Sheldon Clark and Knott County, then closes the week with Mingo Central, WV at Williamson, WV. Mingo Central is one of the top teams in their class in the entire state of WV. Magoffin is the only in region loss for JC and that was a 2 point loss on the road in a game they led for 31 of 32 minutes.

2. Magoffin County (12-6) – The Hornets had their best week of the year in week seven and remain undefeated on their new home floor. Jumping two spots in our rankings, Magoffin defeated Johnson Central by two on a Trenton Russell driving lay-up with 3.4s left then defeated Sheldon Clark by one in double overtime on a Jaren Lovely finger roll with 1.2s remaining. In the Johnson Central game, Trenton Russell led the 4th quarter comeback as he scored 11 of his 24 in the frame with tough shot after tough shot. In the Sheldon Clark game Russell went for 37, but Jaren Lovely’s triple double might have been more impactful overall. The Sheldon Clark game was magical in a way as Magoffin led the entire game and had a 78-58 margin very late in the game. The Cardinals fought all the way back and had many chances to win, but the Hornets answered every punch. Magoffin is 6-4 in their last 10 games and 2-2 in their last four. They are making a very strong case for being rated number one overall and are without a doubt the hottest team in the region right now. The Hornets will have Pikeville and Belfry in week eight.

3. Sheldon Clark (10-8) – Going into the All-A championship game Sheldon Clark was in the driver seat for the number one overall spot but as they say, that’s why you play the game. Here is an example of how volatile this region is. Thursday morning, Sheldon Clark was a getting ready to play East Ridge in the All-A championship, Johnson Central was fresh off a loss to Magoffin County (who SC beat easily earlier in the season), and Sheldon Clark’s leader Dylan James looked to be recovering nicely from an early season ankle injury. The Cardinals opened the East Ridge game with a 19-4 first quarter lead but had to go on a late run to force overtime. East Ridge would hold on in OT for the win, knocking the Cardinals out of the All-A for the third straight season. Sheldon Clark would then travel to Magoffin County two days later and find themselves down 20 very late in the game before Dylan James got crazy hot and brought them all the way back. The Cardinals would fall in double overtime in what was the game of the year thus far in the region. In a matter of two days, Sheldon Clark goes from taking control of the region, to third overall. Yes, Sheldon Clark is 10-8, but make no mistake they are very good. They have nine seniors, rim protection in Trey James at 6’8’’, deadly shooting in Bradley Dalton, the go to player in Dylan James, and toughness and grit from players like Shawn Moore and Ethan Osborne. You could see them standing alone at the top by seasons end. This week they have Johnson Central at home then Scott, WV and Ambassador Christian, WV in the Hatfield-McCoy at Williamson, WV. The later of the games should be easy wins, but the JC game might see 3,000 people try to fit into a gym that holds 800.

4. East Ridge (9-6) – The Warriors pulled off two consecutive overtime wins versus Pikeville and Sheldon Clark to win their first All-A regional title before falling to 59th District rival Shelby Valley in a seeded contest on the road. East Ridge has played 12 of their 15 games versus regional competition and until the Sheldon Clark win had yet to defeat one of the top 3. Belfry, Lawrence County, Magoffin, Johnson Central, and Shelby Valley have all knocked off the Warriors, but they are hot right now and playing well as they return to their preseason ranking. One could make an argument that Lawrence County should be ranked higher as they own a convincing head-to-head win but that was earlier in the season. For now, the All-A representatives move up to number 4 despite dropping a game to a hot Shelby Valley team. Week eight will see East Ridge face Allen Central, Prestonsburg, Pikeville, and Tolsia, WV.

5. Lawrence County (11-7) – This might be the best dark horse pick in the region as Timmy Dalton continues to lead the young Bulldogs. Timmy is back and forth as the top scorer in the nation per maxpreps and is also averaging double figure rebounds from the guard position while shooting a high percentage. Most likely the young kids are feeling the grind of a long season, but they are still dangerous with Dalton on the court. Lawrence County has Paintsville and South Floyd in week eight.

6. Pikeville (9-6) – Pikeville’s best win changed during week seven. It was a victory over Phelps and now it’s a win over Belfry. The Panthers have the best junior in the region in Wyatt Battaile and good guard play. They also have good post play in Hamilton. This team could move up or down depending on outcomes from each week. With Magoffin County and East Ridge in Week eight, we will see if they are pretenders or contenders.

7. South Floyd (9-7) – The Raiders have won 5 of their last 8 and two of those losses came at the hands of regional favorites Sheldon Clark and Johnson Central. In both the JC and SC game, South Floyd got down big, but made runs that were too little too late. They have the 2nd leading rebounder in the state in Brady Conn and good guard play. If they figure out a way to open stronger, they could move up the rankings. As it stands now, they are a solid squad that anyone will have to play well against to beat.

8. Belfry (7-7) – The Pirates are athletic and scrappy, but 4-6 in their last 10 contest. They picked up a big win over Lawrence County two weeks ago, then narrowly defeated Phelps before losing by double digits to Pikeville. Belfry will be a tough out come post season play is what is shaping up to be a very competitive 60th district.

9. Shelby Valley (10-6) – The Wildcats finally picked up two quality wins and seem to be hitting their stride now that the young kids have valuable experience. Cody Potter is shooting lights out from deep as evident in wins against Knott Central (overtime) and All-A Champion East Ridge. They are hot right now, but can Shelby Valley keep it rolling?

10. Pike Central (10-7) – The Hawks have yet to hit their stride this season, but are currently on a two game win streak with victories over Prestonsburg and Rock Creek Academy, IN (overtime). You could see them start to peak in week eight as they play Belfry, Hazard, and Phelps.

11. Paintsville (6-9) – The Tigers have lost 6 of their last 7 and did not see senior Darren Morris, sophomore James Allen, and sophomore Chris Allen play against cross town rival Johnson Central. It is unclear if any of the players will return, but with the current set up and difficult 57th District, it will be tough for the Tigers to claw back to .500 by seasons end. Despite the head-to-head win, they are ranked behind Pike Central due to the roster turnover.

12. Phelps (7-9) – The Hornets always have a chance with Christian Mounts and picked up their first district win since 2012 by defeating Pike Central. They also played Belfry to within two points. Phelps could be dangerous come post season play with the ability to knock someone out in a one and done format.

13. Prestonsburg (4-13) – The Blackcats are slowly getting better with each game and picked up a win over district rival Allen Central in week seven. They also lost to Pike Central by 10 which was an improvement on an early season 19 point loss to the same team. They play hard and could be a surprise by making it to the regional tournament from a weak 58th District.

14. Allen Central (5-12) – The Rebels are heading in the wrong direction and have lost 8 of their last 9 after opening the season 3-0. Week seven saw them lose to Prestonsburg by 12 and drop one spot in the rankings.

15. Betsy Layne (1-15) – The long season continues for the Bobcats as their only win is a double overtime one point victory against Metcalf County. Metcalf County is still winless on the season.

16. Piarist (1-15) – It wont be another winless year for the Knights but they have still yet to be competitive with any 15th region opponent. Don’t look for many more wins this campaign.

Agree or Disagree?

It should be noted that every time a team looks to jump over another, they get beat by someone else. This is a difficult region to rank, but I still feel strongly that the winner will come from the 57th district.

I would have ranked Magoffin Co. #1 this week. Johnson Central #2 and who really knows after that!

Reasons:

-"To be the man you have to beat the man". Magoffin Co. just beat Johnson Central head to head.

-Magoffin Co. has gone 6-2 the last couple of weeks, with their only defeats to #23 N. Laurel and Perry Central (who should be ranked).

- Johnson Central lost at Magoffin Co.

-Johnson Central has gone 4-3 against not the most competitive teams.

* I do feel like Johnson Central is the most talented team in the 15th region and the favorite to advance to the State Tournament. But, I think this week Magoffin has proven they are better.

Seems pretty easy to rank to me. Magoffin County should be No. 1 this week.

I would have ranked Magoffin Co. #1 this week. Johnson Central #2 and who really knows after that!

 

Reasons:

-"To be the man you have to beat the man". Magoffin Co. just beat Johnson Central head to head.

-Magoffin Co. has gone 6-2 the last couple of weeks, with their only defeats to #23 N. Laurel and Perry Central (who should be ranked).

- Johnson Central lost at Magoffin Co.

-Johnson Central has gone 4-3 against not the most competitive teams.

* I do feel like Johnson Central is the most talented team in the 15th region and the favorite to advance to the State Tournament. But, I think this week Magoffin has proven they are better.

Very good points and I almost ranked them ahead. You could very well be correct in your reasoning. I ranked JC ahead due to margin of victory in the region and the fact Magoffin has 6 losses on the season. Magoffin and JC have a common opponent in East Ridge and the Warriors beat Magoffin while JC had East Ridge down 33 in the 3rd quarter before winning by 19. Head to head match-up's are key and Magoffin did win, but with such a close margin and at home that game was a push for me.

When I watched Magoffin play Sheldon Clark on the road earlier in the season they didnt look very good. When I saw them lose to Elliott County, again they didnt look very good and were a two man show. When I saw them play JC and SC they looked much better and more team oriented. They are hot at the moment and playing good basketball. Like you said, they might be deserving of a top ranking and I could be wrong. On a neutral floor I still like JC, but that could change as JC has a tough week ahead of them.

Your right about the rest of the region. It is difficult to rank in the middle.

Your rankings should be based on who's playing the best right now. That's why they're done weekly.

Seems pretty easy to rank to me. Magoffin County should be No. 1 this week.

Litkenhous and Cantrall ratings have Magoffin ranked 5th and 4th respectively. I think Magoffin is playing good basketball right now but looking at the entire season JC should be ranked ahead but not by much. Two nice wins at home by a combined 3 points.

Your rankings should be based on who's playing the best right now. That's why they're done weekly.

I disagree. Rankings should be based on the entire season with a skew toward recent play. If Magoffin pulls an upset and beats Scott County do they get ranked #1 in the state? 6 losses versus 4 losses. Common opponents like Paintsville, South Floyd, and East Ridge and looking at margin of victory should be accounted for. We cant be prisoners of the moment. Should Magoffin continue to play well and JC falter then they will pass them but close wins recently dont necessarily erase 58 point losses from earlier.

Litkenhous and Cantrall ratings have Magoffin ranked 5th and 4th respectively. I think Magoffin is playing good basketball right now but looking at the entire season JC should be ranked ahead but not by much. Two nice wins at home by a combined 3 points.

Litkenhous and Cantrall ratings are stupid. Magoffin just beat No. 3 and No. 1 in your rankings.

I disagree. Rankings should be based on the entire season with a skew toward recent play. If Magoffin pulls an upset and beats Scott County do they get ranked #1 in the state? 6 losses versus 4 losses. Common opponents like Paintsville, South Floyd, and East Ridge and looking at margin of victory should be accounted for. We cant be prisoners of the moment. Should Magoffin continue to play well and JC falter then they will pass them but close wins recently dont necessarily erase 58 point losses from earlier.

Figured you'd disagree. You're getting a little extreme on your examples though. The 15th region doesn't have much separation in the top 3/4 teams. Johnson Central has been tapering off. Magoffin heating up. Plus the head to head win recently. I don't care where they played. Magoffin won. If #2 beats #1, #2 should become #1. It's pointless to argue about it. That's why there's a postseason, and only the best teams get in. Until next year of course...

I disagree. Rankings should be based on the entire season with a skew toward recent play. If Magoffin pulls an upset and beats Scott County do they get ranked #1 in the state? 6 losses versus 4 losses. Common opponents like Paintsville, South Floyd, and East Ridge and looking at margin of victory should be accounted for. We cant be prisoners of the moment. Should Magoffin continue to play well and JC falter then they will pass them but close wins recently dont necessarily erase 58 point losses from earlier.

There were circumstances that led to that 58-point loss. And that was also a month and a half ago.

Johnson Central is 3-4 in their last 7 games. Their best player was 6-41 (14.6%) from the 3-point line last week.

There were circumstances that led to that 58-point loss. And that was also a month and a half ago.

 

Johnson Central is 3-4 in their last 7 games. Their best player was 6-41 (14.6%) from the 3-point line last week.

Are you saying you don't subscribe to the "if he shoots a lot of them, some will go in. And when they go in, they count for 3 points" theory?

Region is competitive, but it is as bad as it has ever been.

I'd go -

Magoffin

Johnson Central

East Ridge

Sheldon Clark

Pikeville

Shelby Valley

Belfry

Lawrence

Are you saying you don't subscribe to the "if he shoots a lot of them, some will go in. And when they go in, they count for 3 points" theory?

I'm sure the kid is just in a shooting slump right now, but it is what it is. Interesting game this week when Central travels to Sheldon Clark. That will be a big one for both teams. Lots on the line.

Very good points and I almost ranked them ahead. You could very well be correct in your reasoning. I ranked JC ahead due to margin of victory in the region and the fact Magoffin has 6 losses on the season. Magoffin and JC have a common opponent in East Ridge and the Warriors beat Magoffin while JC had East Ridge down 33 in the 3rd quarter before winning by 19. Head to head match-up's are key and Magoffin did win, but with such a close margin and at home that game was a push for me.

 

When I watched Magoffin play Sheldon Clark on the road earlier in the season they didnt look very good. When I saw them lose to Elliott County, again they didnt look very good and were a two man show. When I saw them play JC and SC they looked much better and more team oriented. They are hot at the moment and playing good basketball. Like you said, they might be deserving of a top ranking and I could be wrong. On a neutral floor I still like JC, but that could change as JC has a tough week ahead of them.

 

Your right about the rest of the region. It is difficult to rank in the middle.

I see your logic and I agree Magoffin Co. didn't look very good against Perry Central or N.Laurel in the WYMT either. Every team in the region has looked bad a one point or another this season too though. You do a good job and I enjoy reading your post since I don't get to see a lot teams outside of the 57th district. I was just trying to get a little discussion going on this weeks rankings since the others haven't gotten a lot of responses. Seemed to have worked!