article BluegrassPreps.com's Seventh Region update and rankings - 12/24/17

T'was the day before Christmas . . .

And we no longer have any undefeated teams in the Seventh Region. Trinity fell to Fern Creek in the championship game of the King of the Bluegrass. Waggener lost twice, to Scott County and George Rogers Clark.

But we do have the winningest team in the Commonwealth in the Louisville Collegiate Titans. Already at 12 wins, the Titans look like they will easily eclipse the school-record 18 wins they recorded last year.

This week brings a mixture of more holiday tournaments. Nothing as big as last week’s King of the Bluegrass tournament, which was awesome, but some good tournaments. And we can start looking forward to the Louisville Invitational Tournament in early January and a potential third match-up between Trinity and Fern Creek.

But before we get to any of that, here’s to everyone having a wonderful holiday filled with joy.

1. Trinity Shamrocks (8-1)

Trinity lost its first game of the season in the final of the King of the Bluegrass, falling to Fern Creek 65-57. Jay Scrubb’s minutes were limited by foul trouble, and a stretch in the second half during which Trinity did not shoot well did in the Shamrocks. Trinity and Fern Creek have now split their two games this season and may be headed for another match-up in the Louisville Invitational Tournament in January. Trinity had gotten to the finals of the KOB with wins over Anderson County (90-54), Lexington Christian (58-48), and Cooper (72-61). The Shamrocks were particularly impressive in the win over Cooper, a game in which they hit 19 of their 29 three-point shots as a team and Jay Scrubb was 9 out of 12 (he scored a total of 32 points). Trinity travels to Roebuck, South Carolina this week to play in the Farm Bureau Insurance Classic.

2. Ballard Bruins (6-2)

Ballard beat Walton-Verona 75-62 in the King of the Bluegrass tournament before falling to Covington Catholic 71-61. Ballard played hard, as it always does, but fell victim to the one thing that sometimes does the Bruins in, poor shooting (the Bruins shot 36.8% from the field). The Bruins (and their shooting) rebounded to demolish a good team from West Linn, Oregon 94-54, with the Bruins shooting 57.8% from the field, including 11 of 21 three-point shots. Ballard then beat Fairdale 103-93, getting 22 points from junior Alexander Holley off the bench. The Bruins go west this week to play in the Apollo Fairfield Inn Invitational in Owensboro.

3. Waggener Wildcats (7-2)

Waggener suffered its first defeat early in the week when it lost to Scott County 97-82. Nothing to be ashamed of there, of course, and on some level Waggener may have been encouraged by being able to score 82 points against one of the top teams in Kentucky. The Wildcats followed that loss with a victory over Covington Holmes (64-46) but lost to George Rogers Clark 80-74 in what was a close, well-played game. The Wildcats play in the Jeff and Julie Beyke Classic at South Oldham this week.

4. St. Xavier Tigers (8-3)

St. X started the week with a 84-46 win over Brown before heading west to play in the Owensboro Invitational Tournament, where the Tigers finished as runner-up. After beating a good Daviess County team 51-50 in the first round and a team from Smyrna, Tennessee 57-44 in the semi-finals, the Tigers lost to the Owensboro Red Devils 78-74 in the final. The Tigers will join Waggener in playing in the Jeff and Julie Beyke Classic at South Oldham this week.

5. Male Bulldogs (6-5)

Male went 1-2 in the Peoples Exchange Bank Holiday Invitational in Lexington this week. After beating Whitley County in a low-scoring affair (48-38), the Bulldogs beat Lafayette (65-52) and Henry Clay (69-51). The Bulldogs will participate in the City of Middletown Holiday Classic this week.

6. Manual Crimsons (4-6)

The Crimsons went 2-1 in the Graviss McDonald’s Woodford County Invitational, losing to West Jessamine 74-59 before beating Tates Creek (78-56) and Atherton (61-50). Four Crimsons are averaging at least nine points a game: Kenyan Jacob (13.3), Noah Hawkins (12.2), Eli Roberts (11.3), and Jordan McClendon (9.2). Manual plays in the Lake Cumberland Holiday Hoops Classic this week.

7. Seneca Redhawks (1-9)

Seneca’s schedule has lightened up a little bit, but not much. It dropped an away game at Iroquois 81-71 and then traveled to Paducah to play in the Paducah Tilghman Christmas Tournament, where the Redhawks fell to University Heights (95-81), Paducah Tilghman (83-48), and Hopkinsville (82-77). The Redhawks go to Greenup County this week to play in the Stultz Pharmacy Holiday Classic.

8. Eastern Eagles (3-7)

After losing to Franklin County 69-65 earlier in the week, Eastern had a good trip to Rowan County to play in the Kentucky Bank Challenge. The Eagles won both of their games there, beating Letcher County Central 75-62 and Newport Central Catholic 69-66. This week, Eastern hosts the City of Middletown Holiday Classic.

9. Christian Academy Centurions (3-5)

Christian Academy split their two games in the Smoky Mountain Christmas Classic, beating Nintey Six, South Carolina 61-50 before losing to Pleasure Ridge Park 73-54. The Centurions will join Manual in playing in the Lake Cumberland Holiday Hoops Classic this week.

10. Atherton Rebels (4-6)

Atherton beat Shelby County 63-58 in the Graviss McDonald’s Woodford County Invitational, but also suffered two losses there, to host Woodford County (63-52) and to fellow Seventh Region member Manual (61-50). The Rebels head to Henry County this week to play in the Henry County Invitational.

11. Central Yellow Jackets (1-6)

Central came close against two good teams in the Kentucky Bank Challenge but unfortunately lost them both, losing 58-57 to Perry County Central and 66-62 to Knott County Central. This week the Yellow Jackets play in the Central Bank Classic at Lexington Christian, where they open against Madisonville-North Hopkins.

12. Louisville Collegiate Titans (12-1)

The Titans continued their winning ways this week, and now boast an eye-catching 12-1 record. Collegiate went to Western Kentucky and beat Community Christian of Paducah 71-58 and then won the championship of the Bulldog Classic played at Fulton City, with wins over the host Fulton City Bulldogs (60-34), Christian Fellowship (67-48), and Middle College of Memphis (75-61). Collegiate’s 12 wins are the most in the entire state. The Titans play host to the second part of the Louisville Collegiate Classic this week where they are likely to add to their win total.

13. Kentucky Country Day Bearcats (6-4)

The Bearcats had a good week at the Smoky Mountain Christmas Classic, going 3-0 there with wins over Betsy Layne (57-43), Campbellsville (52-41), and Whitefield Academy (61-46). KCD is off until the first week of 2018.

14. St. Francis Wyverns (6-2)

St. Francis suffered its second loss of the season when it fell to Villa Madonna 65-58 Friday night. The Wyverns participate in the North American Stainless tournament this week in Carrollton.

15. Portland Christian Eagles (3-3)

The Eagles emerged as champions of the PCS Holiday Classic with victories over Evangel Christian (74-61) and Brown (75-68). Quincy Dye continues to lead the Eagles in scoring at a 23.5 ppg clip. Portland Christian will play in the Louisville Collegiate Classic this week.

16. Shawnee Golden Eagles (2-8)

The Golden Eagles played only once this week, losing to Elizabethtown 82-47. Shawnee’s schedule on the KHSAA website indicates it is playing in the Mitchell F. Irvin Classic at South Oldham this week, but I think it actually is the Jeff and Julie Beyke Classic being played at South Oldham.

17. Brown Bears (4-8)

After falling to St. X 84-46, the Bears got a convincing 74-31 win over Covington Latin in the first round of the PCS Holiday Classic. Brown then lost in the championship game of that tournament to the host Portland Christian Eagles 75-68. The Bears play in the Louisville Collegiate Classic this week.

18. Walden Wolverines (1-7)

The Wolverines lost to Richmond Model 67-34 in the Beth Haven Holiday Classic this week. Walden next plays on January 6, when it has a home game against Hancock County.

St X lost in their final pool game at Owensboro Invitational. Owensboro beat Bullitt East in the championship game.

St X lost in their final pool game at Owensboro Invitational. Owensboro beat Bullitt East in the championship game.

Thanks for the correction.

Thank you for another great review. You're playin' big, Smallhoops.

Has Louisville Collegiate ever been 12-1 before? @Smallhoops I assume this record and performance has them in the LIT right now for what would probably be one of 1 or 2 appearances in school history? They'll be up against it with whatever seed they get in the LIT if they're lucky enough to make it. The 7th region is as strong as the top as ever. We'll see how it performs in the LIT.

Has Louisville Collegiate ever been 12-1 before? @Smallhoops I assume this record and performance has them in the LIT right now for what would probably be one of 1 or 2 appearances in school history? They'll be up against it with whatever seed they get in the LIT if they're lucky enough to make it. The 7th region is as strong as the top as ever. We'll see how it performs in the LIT.

Collegiate has never been 12-1 before, although they have had some good teams through the years. They won 18 games last year. I remember in 2011 when they beat St. X in the 25th district tournament to advance to the Seventh Region tournament.

Collegiate played in the LIT in 2012, when it lost in the first round to Fern Creek 69-58. I know they were really disappointed last year when they did not make the field.

Collegiate was 17th in the SETH rankings released last week, so they need to move up at least one spot to make the field this year. While I don't know much about how the SETH rankings work, I anticipate Collegiate being in the field when it is announced on January 2.

And you're right about being up against it if they get into the LIT. My guess is that they will have a first round game against either Trinity or Fern Creek. Whoever they might face will be a step up from the teams they have faced so far. But I also suspect Coach Settembre, who is doing a good job with the Titans, will say they welcome the challenge.

Collegiate also played in the 2013 LIT, losing to Eastern in the first round 59-46.