article 4th Region Week 10 Review

1) Bowling Green (19-4) - 1/29 47-43 W #10 South Warren, 2/1 59-86 L at John Hardin

Previous Rank: 1

This Week: 2/4 at #9 Barren County, 2/5 vs. Owensboro, 2/8 at #12 Warren East

 

Bowling Green had a phenomenal week in Week 9 despite suffering through some personnel turmoil. This week.... they'd likely just as soon forget other than trying to take some lessons. First was a district game against South Warren that they had to have. The Spartans controlled the pace and simply would not go away. BG led by 12 at one point, but South ran them all the way down at 42 all before the Purples closed it out by hitting 5 of 6 free throws. They maintained their unbeaten record against South, and kept themselves planted at the top of the district. They need only defeat Warren East this Friday for what would be their 50th consecutive victory in the series to clinch #1. The John Hardin game..... that was everything falling apart. The 27 point loss was the worst in seven years for the Purples. The scoring has dried up for BG as they have transitioned into a defensive-led team, averaging just 56 PPG in their last seven games after averaging 71 PPG in their first 16 games. They may continue to face closer games if they can't find the offensive spark, but fortunately John Hardin was the first team to score even 60 against them since December.

 

2) Allen County-Scottsville (18-5) - 1/29 48-44 W at #8 Franklin-Simpson, 2/1 70-72 L #11 Monroe County

Previous Rank: 2

This Week: 2/4 vs. #5 Glasgow, 2/5 at Edmonson County, 2/7 at #13 Metcalfe County, 2/9 vs. #6 Logan County

 

The Patriots are another team that had a disappointing week. Quietly, ACS has gone 3-3 in their last six after starting the year 15-2. The Patriots shot just 38.6% against Franklin-Simpson, getting the win despite a season low 48 points. The win did avenge their first loss of the season, a 60-58 OT loss to Franklin in mid-December. The Monroe County loss was much more significant. The Patriots allowed the Falcons to come from behind at ACS, just four weeks after winning by double digits in Tompkinsville. The loss dropped them to 4-1 in district play, and opened the door for Glasgow. The two meet on Monday, and if Glasgow can get the upset win on the road, they will tie ACS for the #1 seed in the district, sending it to a coin flip. The Patriots have used their mulligan in our rankings, and we're deferring to their win over Warren Central to keep them here. But the margin for error is gone.

 

3) Warren Central (14-7) - 1/29 85-77 W at Taylor County, 2/1 64-51 W at #12 Warren East, 2/2 66-54 W Collins

Previous Rank: 3

This Week: 2/5 at #16 Russellville, 2/8 at #7 Greenwood, 2/9 at Wayne County

 

Finally a GOOD week in these ranks, as Central enjoyed three wins to extend their run to six wins in seven games. Their road win at Taylor County saw the Dragons post a season-high 85 points while shooting 57% from the floor and 52% from three. A great effort and shooting performance to deal Taylor County just their second home loss - the other in a 68-64 decision against undefeated John Hardin. Central wasn't quite as sharp in a 64-51 district win at Warren East, but still shot 47% from the floor to clinch no worse than the 3 seed in the district tournament. Finally came what is arguably their best win of the year, a home victory over Collins today. The Dragons were 10/18 from three, and were led by Dre Boyd's 21 points, complimented by 17 from Kobe Brents, who was 5/7 from deep. When Central is making shots from deep, they are very, very dangerous. This Friday features a probable district tournament preview when they visit Greenwood. The Dragons could still grab a tie for first with a win there and a Warren East upset of Bowling Green on the same night.

 

4) Clinton County (18-6) - 2/1 68-54 W at Madison Southern, 2/2 55-50 W #5 Glasgow

Previous Rank: 4

This Week: 2/4 vs. McCreary Central, 2/8 vs. #11 Monroe County

 

The Bulldogs returned to the floor for the first time since the All A loss to Shelby Valley, picking up a pair of victories to move within striking distance of twenty wins on the year. Jackson Harlan had 37 points in the win over Madison Southern, helping the Bulldogs rally from a modest 26-24 deficit. He exploded for 22 of Clinton County's 29 points in a decisive third quarter that saw them take a 15 point lead. The next day they picked up a 55-50 win over Glasgow in a battle of the region's #4 and #5 teams. Clinton County made sure to hold their spot, despite their lowest scoring effort since December. It was the first meeting between the teams since a 66-63 Glasgow win in 2016. They've now won 10 of 11, and they don't figure to slow down this week.

 

5) Glasgow (15-9) - 1/29 60-49 W at #11 Monroe County, 2/2 50-55 L at #4 Clinton County

Previous Rank: 5

This Week: 2/4 at #2 Allen County-Scottsville, 2/5 vs. #13 Metcalfe County, 2/8 vs. Caverna

 

Glasgow simply could not catch up to Clinton County in the loss today, despite having three players in double digits, including a double double by Nick Sorrell with 14 points and 10 rebounds. But the more important game came on the road on Tuesday, when the Scotties took down Monroe County 60-49 in Tompkinsville. Robert Kingery dropped 19 in the contest with Nick Sorrell adding 18. Glasgow shot 51.3% from the floor, including 18/27 shooting from inside the arc. Coupled with Monroe County's upset of Allen County-Scottsville, it opened the door for the Scotties to work their way into a tie for the #1 seed if they can win on the road at AC/S on Monday. Glasgow fell at home 62-59 to the Patriots on January 11th. Being the #1 seed in the district is not a slam dunk as the 15th is very competitive, but Glasgow is 2-0 against their prospective opponent Barren County if they could work their way into the spot, while they have lost against Monroe County, who they'd face if they stayed at #2.

 

6) Logan County (18-5) - 1/31 80-70 W at #17 Todd County Central, 2/1 46-51 L Northeast (TN)

Previous Rank: 6

This Week: 2/5 at #7 Greenwood, 2/8 at Muhlenberg County, 2/9 at #2 Allen County-Scottsville

 

The Cougars moved within two wins of their first 20 win season since 2012 by picking up a district win over Todd County Central on Thursday. The win briefly gave them sole possession of first in the 13th District, though Franklin-Simpson would tie them a night later. Like Allen County-Scottsville, the Cougars have lulled a bit after an incredible start. They're just 3-3 in their last 6 after a 15-2 start as well. They'll get a heat check when they visit both Greenwood and Allen County-Scottsville this week, and will await the results of the Todd County Central/Russellville game and coin flip against Franklin-Simpson to find out who they have to go through to return to the 4th Region tournament for the first time in four years.

 

7) Greenwood (12-11) - 1/29 68-49 W at #7 Barren County, 2/1 71-69 W at #10 South Warren, 2/2 52-49 W Owensboro Catholic (at Warren Central)

Previous Rank: 9

This Week: 2/5 vs. #6 Logan County, 2/8 vs. #3 Warren Central

 

The Gators equaled a season-high four game winning streak with three wins this week, none more important than the road takedown of South Warren on Friday night. That win guaranteed the Gators no worse than the 3 seed, keeping them out of the 4/5 "play-in" game, which would have required them to win twice in the district tournament to make the region tournament. The first half belonged to Greenwood as they shot over 60% from the field to build a 42-26 lead. They eventually led by as many as 18 before having to fend off a South Warren comeback attempt that saw them get within 1. They bookended that win with a road domination of Barren County and a solid win over Owensboro Catholic in the Wes Strader Schoolboy Shootout at Warren Central. Greenwood is peaking at the right time, getting 26 points out of Jack Roberts against Barren County followed by 20 when they took down South Warren. He provides a potent 1-2 punch alongside Ben Carroll, and if they are on, Warren Central could well find themselves upset as they were two years ago. We get a preview of that game on Friday when Greenwood hosts Central.

 

8) Franklin-Simpson (12-10) - 1/29 44-48 L #2 Allen County-Scottsville, 2/1 69-63 W #16 Russellville

Previous Rank: 8

This Week: 2/5 vs. Butler County, 2/7 vs. #10 South Warren

 

The Wildcats have cooled off, winning only two of their last five, but were able to hold off a Russellville comeback attempt to clinch a tie with Logan County for the district's top seed. That 69-63 win came days after a tough 48-44 loss to Allen County-Scottsville, an unwelcome return to the scoring struggles of early December. Franklin shot just 35.6% at home in that one, including just 4/19 shooting from three. DeMarco Chatman had 20 in that one, but no other Wildcat topped 8 points.

 

9) Barren County (12-12) - 1/28 56-46 W #16 Russellville, 1/29 49-68 L #9 Greenwood, 2/2 54-59 L Daviess County

Previous Rank: 7

This Week: 2/4 vs. #1 Bowling Green, 2/5 at #14 Russell County, 2/8 vs. #15 Cumberland County

 

The Trojans have been unable to ever climb more than a couple games above .500 this year, and they're right back at even after dropping two of three this week. Will Bandy had 23 in their win over Russellville, a game that saw the Trojans go o-fer from three (0/7). Those struggles bled into the next night when they were 1/12 from the perimeter, shooting 43.5% from the floor in a loss to Greenwood that they were never close in. Things remain tough when they host Bowling Green on Monday, though they did take down the Purples last year. They then begin their trip through the 16th District that will see them take on all four members in 9 days to close the regular season.

 

10) South Warren (9-14) - 1/29 43-47 L at #1 Bowling Green, 2/1 69-71 L #9 Greenwood

Previous Rank: 10

This Week: 2/5 vs. #12 Warren East, 2/7 at #8 Franklin-Simpson, 2/9 vs. Hart County

 

Six points is all that separated the Spartans from a spectacular week and the missed opportunities they ended up with. They first nearly grabbed their first win over Bowling Green in program history, overcoming a 40-28 deficit to rally and tie the Purples at 42 all. Jace Carver went to the line for a 1 and 1 with 1:20 left, missed the front end, and the Spartans immediately sent Buttry to the line for BG which put them behind for the rest of the game. That made the game against Greenwood a must-win for a chance to escape the 4/5 "play-in" game in the postseason. Jace Carver redeemed himself with a career-high, exploding for 35 points as he keyed a furious rally from 18 points down to close within 66-65. But ultimately, the Gators made their free throws and shot just a little too well for South. That means their game on Tuesday is a definitive preview of their opening opponent in the district tournament in two week's time. They still have an outside chance at avoiding a losing record on the year, but it's an uphill battle now.

 

11) Monroe County (9-12) - 1/29 49-60 L #5 Glasgow, 2/1 72-70 W at #2 Allen County-Scottsville

Previous Rank: 11

This Week: 2/5 at #15 Cumberland County, 2/8 at #4 Clinton County

 

The loss to Glasgow ended Monroe County's hopes for the top seed in the 15th District tournament, and prolonged a 2-10 stretch for the Falcons. No matter, they grabbed by far their best win of the season when they dealt Allen County-Scottsville their first District 15 loss, on the road on homecoming no less. That win muddied the waters in the district, but no matter who ends up in the 2 spot, Monroe County will know that they have already beaten them once this season, having beaten both Glasgow and Allen County on the road. They get a chance at a very winnable game on Tuesday before a difficult matchup with Clinton County.

 

12) Warren East (10-13) - 1/29 80-68 W at #15 Cumberland County, 2/1 51-64 L #3 Warren Central

Previous Rank: 12

This Week: 2/5 at #10 South Warren, 2/8 vs. #1 Bowling Green

 

The Raiders have also endured a very difficult stretch, going 2-9 in their last 11 games. One of those wins came on the road at Cumberland County, where HC Brandon Combs visited his old stomping grounds. The 80 points by East represented a season high, as four players (Kaleb Matlock, Dawson Doyle, Ryan Carter, Braden Wardlow) scored in double figures. The Raiders scorched the nets for 14/23 shooting from the three point line, actually shooting better than they did from the floor overall (54.5%) or the free throw line (46.2%). They put in a solid effort at home against Warren Central, but fell behind early, leading only once at 3-2. That dropped them to 0-6 in district play, and all but guaranteed them the bottom seed in the district tournament. They'll focus on a smaller goal on Friday - ending a 49 game losing streak against Bowling Green.

 

13) Metcalfe County (8-16) - 1/29 56-53 W #13 Russell County, 2/1 84-56 W at Caverna, 2/2 72-100 L at Campbellsville

Previous Rank: 14

This Week: 2/4 at #15 Cumberland County, 2/5 at #5 Glasgow, 2/7 vs. #2 Allen County-Scottsville

 

The Hornets continued their uptick this season with one of their biggest wins in years. Their 56-53 win over Russell County was their first against the Lakers since February 2008, when their seniors would have been in the first grade. Freshman Peyton Dial played the part of hero in the win, leading the team in scoring with 18 points while going 5/9 from three. One of those threes was a buzzer beater for the victory. That win clinched their spot in the 2/3 game against Russell County when the district tournament gets under way in two weeks. Their 84 points in the win over Caverna marked the third time this season the Hornets scored over 80 points. It bears repeating that this was a team that went winless just two years ago, and the 8 wins they now have are more than the last three seasons combined.

 

14) Russell County (6-19) - 1/29 53-56 L at #14 Metcalfe County, 2/1 59-62 OT L at Jackson County, 2/2 61-83 L at Marion County

Previous Rank: 13

This Week: 2/4 at Mercer County, 2/5 vs. #9 Barren County, 2/8 at Adair County

 

Russell County dropped a pair of three point heartbreakers this week before a much larger loss to Marion County. Their three losses are part of a five game losing streak, and they've won just 2 of their last 12 contests. Scott Hamm (17), Briley Hadley (15), and Ryan Coffey (11) all scored in double digits against Metcalfe County, but it wasn't enough to secure the win. They may be looking at three more losses this week.

 

15) Cumberland County (6-17) - 1/29 68-80 L #12 Warren East, 1/31 87-86 W at Caverna

Previous Rank: 15

This Week: 2/4 vs. #13 Metcalfe County, 2/5 vs. #11 Monroe County, 2/8 at #9 Barren County

 

The Panthers have now quietly won four out of their last seven games, and their 87 points against Caverna was not only a season-high, it was their highest since posting 89 against Monticello in January of 2013. The Metcalfe County/Russell County result was a setback in and of itself, however, and now means that the game against Metcalfe County on Monday is just for pride. The Panthers will use their next five games to prep for a Clinton County team that beat them three times this season by a combined 41 points.

 

16) Russellville (7-14) - 1/28 46-56 L at #7 Barren County, 2/1 63-69 L at #8 Franklin-Simpson

Previous Rank: 16

This Week: 2/5 vs. #3 Warren Central, 2/8 at #17 Todd County Central

 

The Panthers are in the midst of a five game losing streak after dropping a pair this week. Russellville started the year at 1-7, pairing with this 0-5 stretch around a 6-2 run from Dewcember 20th to January 8th. Their game at Todd County Central represents their only chance to get out of the #4 seed in the 13th District tournament, though there is not necessarily any advantage gained from facing either Logan County or Franklin-Simpson. Jacob Naylor continues to fill up the scoresheet, dropping 32 on Franklin-Simpson in large part due to going 8/13 from three.

 

17) Todd County Central (5-19) - 1/28 53-59 L at Butler County, 1/31 70-80 L #6 Logan County

Previous Rank: 17

This Week: 2/4 vs. Rossview (TN), 2/8 vs. #16 Russellville

 

The Rebels are rarely buried in any game they play, but the wins just haven't come. Their 10 point loss to Logan County ended a string of four straight single digit margins, but they've now dropped a round ten games in a row. The 70 points in their loss to Logan County was their highest since scoring 85 against Campbellsville back on December 19th. Russellville is one of the few wins they've put up on the board this season, and perhaps their best chance to get another win against the remaining schedule.

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