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KHSAA Sweet 16 Tournament Preview - Hopkinsville


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Name: Hopkinsville

Mascot: Tigers

Head Coach: Timothy Haworth

District: 8th

Region: 2nd

 

State Tournament Appearances:

The Hopkinsville Tigers will be making their 6 state tournament appearance since 2000. The Tigers had made it to two semi-final games…2002/3 season when they fell to Chris Lofton’s Mason County Royals 75-63 and 2012/13 when they lost to Madison Central 60-56 who would go on to win the state tournament. The Tigers have made it to two Elite 8 games, losing both, 2013/14 losing to Louisville Trinity 74-56 and 2014/15 losing to Owensboro 71-50. The Tigers made it to the state tournament in 2011/12 season but was bounced in the first round to Southwestern 52-41.

 

 

Coach Info:

The Tigers have one of the best coaches in the state and probably the nation in Coach Timothy Haworth. Coach Haworth took over for coach James Simmons at the beginning of the 2010/11 season, since then, Coach Haworth has gone 187-43 overall, 102-11 in region play and 43-9 against district opponents. This includes 5 district and regional championships, 4 of those were back to back to back to back. 3 of Coach Haworth’s seasons, his teams have reached 30+ wins….5 of Coach Haworth’s seasons, his teams have reached 25+ wins (includes the 3 30+).

 

 

District Tournament Re-Cap:

The Tigers got to KHSAA State Tournament, which is held at Rupp Arena….by winning the 2nd region tournament on their own home floor. Hopkinsville go to the regional tournament by advancing past the opening round game of the 8th district, which was also at Hopkinsville. The Tigers met Fort Campbell in the opening round of the 8th district tournament and the Tigers wouldn’t need much help as they cruised past Fort Campbell 93-50. The Tigers would move on to the district championship where they would meet Christian County, who just a few weeks earlier, demolished the Tigers 104-65, but more importantly, the Tigers punched their ticket to the 2nd regional tournament. The district game with Christian County would be a back and forth dandy before Hoptown would pull it out late, winning the district championship 62-61 over Christian County.

 

 

Regional Tournament Re-Cap:

Hopkinsville would go on to face Livingston Central in the opening round of the 2nd regional tournament and again, the Tigers wouldn’t need much help as they would roar past the Cardinals 97-49. Hopkinsville would then go on to meet, Henderson County, a team that was bringing in a 22-9 record and would give the Tigers all they wanted but in the end, Hopkinsville would pull another one out 73-67. The Tigers would move on to face Christian County……..yet again, this time for the regional crown and to see who would go on to the KHSAA Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. Hopkinsville led most of the game and by double digits as they rolled to another trophy and punching their ticket to the KHSAA Sweet 16.

 

 

​Sweet 16 Opening Round Game:

Hopkinsville will meet Fern Creek in the opening round of the KHSAA Sweet 16 next Thursday (March 16th) at Noon. The winner will go on to face the winner of Ballard/Taylor County game in the Elite 8. The Tigers and well, the Tigers met earlier this season at Muhlenberg County in the First Security New Years Bash and it wouldn’t be much of a contest as the Tigers, the Hopkinsville Tigers would go on to win 78-58.

 

 

Players:

The Big 3; Junior guards Stephen Cager and Jalen Johnson. SR guard CJ Hennagan are the leading scorers for the Hopkinsville Tigers. Stephen Cager comes in to the Sweet 16 averaging 16 points a game, Jalen Johnson 18 points a game and CJ Hennagan 11 points a game. All 3 are shooting right at 70% or more from the free throw line. Stephen Cager shoots 44% from 3….Jalen Johnson shoots 38% from 3 and CJ Hennagan averages 7 rebounds a game to led the Tigers.

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Haworth one of the best coaches in the nation? That's a stretch. I wouldn't even go so far to say that he is one of the best in the state. I have been watching his teams play in our district for years.

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I would say he is no doubt one of the best in the state. His record speaks for itself and he makes sure Hoptown plays some of the toughest schedules in the state. The big knock for years is that he can't win playing half court defense or offense, but I feel he has put that to rest this year, because that is pretty much all they have played the second half of the year. They do not press nearly like a normal Hoptown team does.

 

That being said, one of the best in the nation? No. Not till he has a FEW state titles, then maybe you could begin to make an argument.

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