article BluegrassPreps.com Seventh Region update and rankings - 2/12/18

As we enter the last week of the regular season, most people are looking ahead to the post-season; the district tournament match-ups are set and the Seventh Region tournament promises to once again produce some outstanding basketball. But in addition to getting ready for the post-season, several teams have goals they are still chasing. Some have 20-win seasons within reach; some have 10-win seasons within reach; some have winning seasons on the line. Unfortunately, some seem ready for the season to be over.

In addition to team goals, there are individual goals and honors in play. Portland Christian’s Quincy Dye (21.5 ppg) holds a narrow lead over Kentucky Country Day’s Solomon Mathis (21.2 ppg) for this year’s Seventh Region scoring title. Dye also leads the Region in rebounding at 10.7 rpg, followed by Shawnee’s Jermon Boyd at 10.2 rpg. But the season is not over yet!

This week’s rankings:

1. Trinity Shamrocks (24-2)

Trinity flexed its muscles with two easy wins this week. The Rocks went to Taylor County on Tuesday and returned home with a 51-33 win. On Friday, the Rocks traveled to Lexington and beat Lafayette by a 75-50 margin. Justin Powell, who had an unofficial visit to Louisville this week, is back from being sick, David Johnson is playing as expected, and Jay Scrubb has turned into a monster. Trinity finishes the regular season this week with home games against Central on Thursday and Lexington Christian on Friday.

2. Ballard Bruins (21-5)

Ballard went 3-0 for the week. The Bruins had no trouble coasting past Seneca 97-47 to start the week. On Wednesday, the Bruins played Waggener for the 70th time and beat Waggener for the 70th time, this time by a 73-62 margin. It was the Bruins’ 20th win this season, the 20th straight season in which the Bruins have won at least 20 games. On Friday, Ballard dispatched the Male Bulldogs 71-55. Ballard has won 10 of its last 11 games. The Bruins still have four games to play in the regular season, with games against Doss on Monday, Manual on Tuesday, Jeffersonville (IN) on Thursday, and Central on Friday.

3. Waggener Wildcats (16-9)

Waggener lost to Ballard 73-62 on Wednesday to go 0-70 all-time against the Bruins. But I think next year might be the year they get it done. Waggener won the other game it played this week, beating Eastern 88-60 on Friday. A 20-win season is within reach for the Wildcats, which would only be the third time in school history Waggener has won 20 games in a season. It will try to move toward that achievement with games this week against Shawnee and Manual.

4. St. Xavier Tigers (16-9)

The St. Xavier Tigers had a great week. First, St. X led Fern Creek throughout and held off a late Fern Creek rally to beat the Sixth Region power by a 67-65 margin, giving the Tigers their most impressive win this season. Pierce Kiesler led the way with 24 points and 7 rebounds. St. X followed that up with a 75-63 win over Manual. The Tigers have won five straight and seven of their last eight. The Tigers have two games this week, playing at Holy Cross on Tuesday and hosting Floyd Central (IN) on Friday.

5. Male Bulldogs (14-12)

Male had no trouble with Brown early in the week, beating the Bears 94-44. The Bulldogs played Ballard on Friday without second-leading scorer Howard Fleming (11.1 ppg) and third-leading scorer and leading rebounder Noah Courtney (8.9 ppg and 6.5 rpg) and lost to the Bruins 71-55. Apparently it was injuries that kept both Fleming and Courtney out of the game. Getting those two back will be important for Male’s post-season chances. Before that, however, Male plays Atherton and Shawnee this week to finish up the regular season.

6. Manual Crimsons (13-13)

In a preview of its upcoming semi-final match-up in the 25th district tournament, Manual beat the St. Francis Wyverns 87-49 on Tuesday. On Thursday, the Crimsons fell to the St. X Tigers 75-63. Manual’s balance is evidenced by four Crimson players averaging between 9.8 and 12.8 ppg for the season: Jordan McClendon (9.8), Eli Roberts (10.7), Noah Hawkins (12.0), and Kenyan Jacob (12.8). Manual has two opportunities this week to show it is ready for the post-season, with games against Ballard and Waggener.

7. Seneca Redhawks (9-15)

Seneca continues to be without Carl Parker and was not competitive against Ballard early in the week, losing to the Bruins 97-47, its sixth loss in a row. But the Redhawks beat Central 67-61 on Thursday and then earned one of their best wins of the season on Saturday by beating Adair County and Zion Harmon (who scored 37 points) by a 81-77 margin. Richard Ninamou had a big game against Adair County, including four straight free throws in the last thirty seconds to seal the win after Adair County had tied the game in the last minute. Seneca still has three regular season games, against Male, Shawnee, and Waggener.

8. Central Yellow Jackets (7-13)

Central beat Shawnee 67-29 on Tuesday to extend its winning streak to three games before falling to Seneca on Thursday by a 67-61 count. The Yellow Jackets are finishing the regular season with two challenging games, playing Trinity on Thursday and Ballard on Friday.

9. Louisville Collegiate Titans (21-6)

Collegiate continued to build on the best season in school history with a 75-50 win over Beth Haven on Saturday, the only game it played this week. Sophomore Chez Moore has put together a tremendous year, averaging 19.4 ppg and 9.7 rpg. The Titans finish the regular season with games against Carroll County and Portland Christian before facing the Male Bulldogs in the semi-finals of the 26th district tournament.

10. Eastern Eagles (8-18)

Waggener got the best of Eastern 88-60 on Friday. The Eagles followed that game with a 62-52 loss to Atherton on Saturday. Eastern has now lost its last 4 games and 10 of its last 12. The Eagles will look to end that losing streak with games this week against Seneca and Shawnee.

11. Kentucky Country Day Bearcats (9-10)

KCD played a single game this week, a 62-46 loss to North Hardin on Tuesday. Solomon Mathis is currently averaging 21.2 ppg, and recently went over 1000 points for his career. The Bearcats finish the regular season this week with three games over the course of four days, hosting Brown on Tuesday and Fort Knox on Thursday before playing at Christian Academy of New Albany, Indiana on Friday.

12. Atherton Rebels (8-14)

After losing its prior six games, Atherton won both games it played this week. It first easily outdistanced Whitefield Academy 90-46 and then beat Eastern 62-52, the first time the Rebels won back-to-back games this season. Atherton has games this week against Male and Brown.

13. Christian Academy Centurions (6-18)

Christian Academy’s tough season continued this week with losses to Iroquois (71-43) and Oldham County (72-54). Those losses extended CAL’s losing streak to 9. The regular season ends this week for CAL with games against Bullitt Central and Collins.

14. St. Francis Wyverns (12-13)

St. Francis lost 87-49 to Manual, who the Wyverns will play in their first game in the 25th district tournament. The Wyverns rebounded to beat Beth Haven 70-37 and Christian Fellowship 53-39. St. Francis has now won four of its last five games. The Wyverns finish the regular season this week by playing Western, Sayre, and Frederick Fraize.

15. Shawnee Golden Eagles (5-19)

The Golden Eagles suffered two one-sided losses this week, losing to Central 67-29 and 78-31 to Pleasure Ridge Park. Shawnee has lost its last six games. The last week of the regular season includes three games for Shawnee, against Waggener, Eastern, and Seneca.

16. Portland Christian Eagles (11-12)

Portland Christian had a very successful week, going 3-0 with wins over Evangel Christian (62-45), Burgin (53-50), and Covington Latin (74-28). The Eagles play Whitefield Academy on Tuesday and Collegiate on Thursday.

17. Brown Bears (10-15)

Brown lost to Male 94-44 on Tuesday but bounced back to beat Walden 66-50 on Saturday for its 10th win on the season, a two win improvement over last year’s 8 win total. And the season is not over, with Brown playing Kentucky Country Day, Thomas Nelson, and Atherton this week.

18. Walden Wolverines (2-15)

With a game against Heritage Academy on Tuesday cancelled because of weather, Walden was left with three games this week, two of which were against Evangel Christian. While both games were close, Evangel Christian won both games, by scores of 75-65 and 65-60. On Saturday, Walden lost 66-50 to Brown. The Wolverines will end their season Wednesday against Eminence. Walden will not play in the post-season this year.

When's the last time a team other than Trinity or Ballard won the 7th and advanced to Rupp? I know it's been a while. Maybe that Barrett M.S. 8th grade state champ team will all go to Male next yr?

When's the last time a team other than Trinity or Ballard won the 7th and advanced to Rupp? I know it's been a while. Maybe that Barrett M.S. 8th grade state champ team will all go to Male next yr?

The last time the Seventh Region was won by someone other than Trinity or Ballard was 2011, when Eastern beat Jeffersontown in the Seventh Region final.

When's the last time a team other than Trinity or Ballard won the 7th and advanced to Rupp? I know it's been a while. Maybe that Barrett M.S. 8th grade state champ team will all go to Male next yr?

I would say Eastern in 2009.

The last time the Seventh Region was won by someone other than Trinity or Ballard was 2011, when Eastern beat Jeffersontown in the Seventh Region final.

That's right. Gaines, Abel, Woods, ect beat Price and Kimbro. Its been a few yrs. Appreciate it.

That was a good Eastern team. They made it to the state tournament semi-finals.

Very good report, Smallhoops.