article 16th Region Week 7 Review: Parity Reigns Supreme

The same old song and dance continues in the 16th Region. Elliott County was tested for the first time by a region opponent as Rowan County fought them to the final horn. It gives the rest of the region a possible blueprint for an upset once postseason play begins. The rest of the region continues to play competitive games that have resulted in some surprising results such as East Carter shocking Morgan County in Grayson. Should we just throw numbers 2-14 in a hat and pull them out? This week's matchups may provide some clarity to the rankings but don't hold your breath. We try to rate teams how they are currently playing.

1. ELLIOTT COUNTY (13-2) The Lions got a hard-fought win in Morehead over Rowan County last Thursday. Korbin Spencer continues to show why he is the region's best player evidenced by his 30 point average. He is also one of the top rebounders in the region. The Lions now set their sights on another All A region title. They will play host Fairview in the semifinals on Tuesday night.

2. ROWAN COUNTY (15-2) The Vikings have the most wins of any team in the region. They have in-region losses vs Morgan County and Elliott County. Mason Moore has proven to be the addition this Vikings team needed. The Vikings can cement their position as the biggest threat to Elliott County this week. The go on the road to face Russell and Lewis County before facing the challenge of 10th region favorite Campbell County in the Lake Kelly Classic at Fleming County.

3. LEWIS COUNTY (11-6) The Lions recorded a solid win over district rival Greenup County 57-41 on Friday. Stoney Lykins sparked the Lions offense with 17 points off the bench. A big week awaits the Lions with matchups versus perennial region contenders Boyd County and Rowan County followed by a tough tilt with Hazard at the Lake Kelly Classic. A very telling week for the Lions.

4. ASHLAND (8-7) The Tomcats got healthy dose of Scott County on Saturday night after notching a key district win over Fairview. Seniors Devaunte Robinson and Hunter Mays continue to shoulder the scoring burden for the Tomcats. The question remains when or if Cole Villers will return to action? Rose Hill and Boyd County provide the opposition this week.

5. MORGAN COUNTY (13-6) The Cougars have made it clear they are the region's Jekyll and Hyde team this season. The Cougars have solid wins over Rowan County and Lewis County along with head-scratching losses to Russell and East Carter. Blake Evans was on fire from trey-land as the Cougars went 2-2 and also advanced to the state 2A championships in Owensboro where they will face Glasgow on Friday morning.

6. WEST CARTER (9-5) The Comets have steadily remained a top 6-7 team in the region. Their aggressive, hard-nosed play keeps them in games almost every night out. Ethan Adkins and Rodney Evans have been instrumental in the Comets' turnaround this season. They begin All A region action tonight versus Menifee County in Westwood.

7. BOYD COUNTY (10-7) The Lions split games this week with an easy win over Rose Hill and a competitive 10-point loss to Johnson Central. The Lions are still searching for a consistent third scorer to complement Blake Stewart and Talbott Taylor. Coach randy Anderson will find out a lot more about his teams with games against Lewis County, Huntington (Wva), and a third matchup with Ashland.

8. FLEMING COUNTY (9-9) The Panthers made a big jump this week with a key district win over Bath County and a competitive loss at Rowan County. Coach Chris Stapleton has his Panthers believing they can win and it has them at .500. They will travel to a suddenly resurgent East Carter Tuesday and host Boone County on Saturday at the Lake Kelly Classic.

9. EAST CARTER (3-11) A three-win team at #9? The Raiders notched a huge upset behind versatile big man Jordan Brooks last week. This squad has been steadily improving. We will see if their jump in the rankings is justified as they take on Fleming County, Greenup County, and Bath County this week.

10. RUSSELL (5-11) The Red Devils are also an intriguing team. They have led many of their games into the fourth quarter. The one team they have held the against is Raceland. Charlie Jachimczuk is on a roll the last three games scoring at a 25.6 clip for the Devils. Russell hosts Rowan County and Bath County this week at The Fireplace.

11. RACELAND (7-8) The Rams seem to take a step forward then two steps back. The Rams fell at home to Russell and then were beaten at Fairview in the first round of the All A regional on Saturday. Greg Mershon and Andrew both had big games in the two losses. The rams look to get back on track with home games vs Sciotoville (OH) and an improved Phelps squad.

12. GREENUP COUNTY (6-10) The turnover bug continues to plague the Musketeers against better competition. Brady Nelson and Eli Raby have been consistent scorers all season. This week gets no easier with games against Mason County, East Carter, and West Carter.

13. BATH COUNTY (8-11) The Wildcats are another team that just can't consistently play solid basketball. A loss to Montgomery was followed by another district loss to Fleming County. The Wildcats drilled Rose Hill to open All A regional play and will face the West Menifee winner on Wednesday at Fairview with a spot in the finals on the line.

14. FAIRVIEW (7-10) The Eagles are another team that could also be in the Top 10. Noah King has become a great scorer and Garrett Greene has continued to rebound and score well. The Eagles got a ice win over Raceland and will host Elliott County in the All A semifinals on Tuesday.

15. MENIFEE COUNTY (7-13) The Wildcats recorded a win over Lee County last week while absorbing two losses. Coach Tim Swatz agrees with us on the fact that the Wildcats need a signature win.

16. ROSE HILL (2-17) The Royals continue to fight an uphill battle this season. A date with Ashland will be followed by a winnable game with Sciotoville (OH) later this week.

Bath County is 5-2 in the last 7 games. Turnovers hurt at MoCo but it was the difference in the Fleming Co game. Can't turn it over. Good news this week is Bath County's Senior class is 8-0 in Westwood including an 8th grade OVC title in that gym in 2015. They seem to like it there.

I feel like they have the pieces and could well be in the top 8-10 in the next few weeks. Fleming losses are puzzling.

I feel like they have the pieces and could well be in the top 8-10 in the next few weeks. Fleming losses are puzzling.

1st Fleming loss was on the road, BC shot 35% from the field, 31% (yes 31%) from the line, and still had opportunities to win in overtime. BC had a 13 point lead starting the 4th quarter on Friday night and could not buy a bucket in the 4th quarter. Missed several opportunities from point blank range and turnovers on the others. Credit Fleming for hitting shots when it counted in both games.

Yes opportunity is there to move up the ladder.

The Rowan v Elliott game was in Sandy Hook, not Morehead. The blueprint to beat Elliott is the same blueprint to beat any team that is better than you. Slow the game down and limit possessions. I don't know why more teams don't utilize the fact that there is no shot clock to their advantage. That being said, it will be hard to slow Elliott down if Spencer is allowed to hand check and body his opponent.

East Carter beat Fleming Co. 9 points last night.