Fourth Region Top 10

 

1) Warren Central (7-3) - 12/26 54-60 L Cordia (at LexCath), 12/27 65-56 W Butler (at LexCath), 12/28 70-64 W Henderson Co. (at LexCath), 12/29 53-57 L Apollo (at LexCath)

Previous Rank: 1

This Week: 1/4 vs. Bryan Station (at Central Hardin)

 

2) Bowling Green (9-2) - 12/26 88-49 W North Hardin (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/27 84-71 W #8 Barren Co. (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/28 61-56 W Whitley Co. (at Metcalfe Co.)

Previous Rank: 3

This Week: 1/3 at #8 South Warren, 1/4 vs. John Hardin (at Central Hardin)

 

3) Russell County (7-2) - 12/30 80-65 W at #6 Greenwood

Previous Rank: 2

This Week: 1/3 at #4 Clinton County

 

4) Clinton County (9-5) - 12/26 51-60 L Bardstown (at LexCath), 12/27 49-54 L Harrison Co. (at LexCath), 12/29 64-75 L Augusta (at LexCath)

Previous Rank: 4

This Week: 1/3 vs. #3 Russell County

 

5) Monroe County (7-3) - 12/26 84-47 W Carlisle Co. (at Edmonson Co.), 12/27 65-57 OT W #6 Greenwood (at Edmonson Co.), 12/28 60-48 OT W Ft. Knox (at Edmonson Co.)

Previous Rank: 7

This Week: 1/2 vs. Holy Cross (Lou) (at Adair Co.), 1/3 vs. TBA (at Adair Co.), 1/4 vs. TBA (at Adair Co.)

 

6) Warren East (10-2) - 12/26 59-56 W at Campbellsville, 12/27 59-83 L East Jessamine (at Campbellsville), 12/28 65-62 W Green Co. (at Campbellsville)

Previous Rank: NR

This Week: No Games

 

7) Barren County (9-2) - 12/26 77-56 W Garrard Co. (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/27 71-84 L #3 Bowling Green (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/28 65-45 W Adair Co. (at Metcalfe Co.)

Previous Rank: 8

This Week: 1/3 vs. #10 Glasgow, 1/4 at Marion County

 

8) South Warren (6-7) - 12/26 60-62 L Franklin Co. (at South Oldham), 12/27 51-52 L North Oldham (at South Oldham), 55-67 L Christian Academy-Louisville (at South Oldham)

Previous Rank: 5

This Week: 1/3 vs. #2 Bowling Green

 

9) Greenwood (3-5) - 12/26 67-57 W Grayson Co. (at Edmonson Co.), 12/27 57-65 OT L #7 Monroe Co. (at Edmonson Co.), 12/28 66-59 W Glasgow (at Edmonson Co.), 12/30 65-80 L #2 Russell Co.

Previous Rank: 6

This Week: 1/2 vs. Green County (at LaRue Co.), 1/3 vs. TBA (at LaRue Co.), 1/4 vs. TBA (at LaRue Co.)

 

10) Glasgow (7-5) - 12/26 68-64 W North Bullitt (at Edmonson Co.), 12/27 57-64 L Ft. Knox (at Edmonson Co.), 12/28 59-66 L #6 Greenwood (at Edmonson Co.)

Previous Rank: 9

This Week: 1/3 at #7 Barren County

 

Last Week's Game of the Week - There weren't many intra-region games, but the one that stood out took place in the Caveland Classic at Edmonson County. Monroe County continued a recent surge with a victory over then #6 Greenwood with a 65-57 OT victory. The Falcons did not trail at any point in the second half, but never led by more than 7 over the Gators. Greenwood overcame a late technical foul to tie the game with less than 20 seconds left and even had a heave for the victory that was no good. In OT, Monroe County scored the first 6 points and never looked back.

 

Stock Rising - I've already mentioned Monroe County, which gained wins over 4th Region Top 10 teams Barren County, Russell County, and Greenwood since our last notebook. The win over Russell County was particularly eye opening. Another team that is jumping up the ranks is Warren East. At 10-2, they are the first team in the region to double digit victories and matched last season's 10-2 start through twelve games as the best mark for the Raiders at this point in the last 25 years. They would be even higher in these ranks if not for their two blowout losses, one of which came at the hands of South Warren.

 

Stock Falling - It's a relative fall here since they were rated 4th in the last ranking, but had a notebook come out this time last week, Clinton County may have found themselves as the #2 ranked team in the region with a case for #1. But after getting off to the region's best start at 9-0, they have dropped five straight, thanks in large part to the tough slate at the Republic Bank Classic at Lexington Catholic. Another team sliding down is Franklin-Simpson, which has faceplanted to start the year with a 1-7 record. Their last region loss was to unrated Allen County-Scottsville, which sent them out of the top 10.

 

13th District Troubles - The 13th District teams find themselves in a slightly unusual situation. The district has typically found itself with a couple of teams in the dark horse mix for the region crown and usually has at least one team to bear the standard of the district as a real threat to win. Last year that was Russellville, but graduation has crippled the Panthers, and they sit at a paltry 3-9 record. The best record in the district? Todd County Central at 3-6. Every team has a losing record and they currently collectively rate as 4 of the bottom 7 teams in the region. Many years they're a tough out, but right now it appears the other districts will be hoping for the 13th come region tourney time....

 

Region Without a Site - The region tournament is just over 2 months away, and the 4th Region still doesn't have a home for the tournaments. The region has been at WKU every year since 2003 and all but five years in the last 50. But the current site selection plan expired at the close of last season and requires at least 12 schools of the 17 to agree to pass a new one. Per Micheal Compton of the Park City Daily News, just 11 athletic director's have voted WKU's Diddle Arena as the site for the future. If an agreement can not be made, it will go to the choice of the commissioner. In my humble opinion, the tournament belongs at Diddle Arena, but I do concede that there may be financial benefits for it to be played elsewhere.

 

Upcoming Game of the Week

 

1/3 - #3 Russell County at #4 Clinton County - An easy choice. These two teams have combined for all but one of the 16th District titles since 2005, a trend that doesn't seem destined to stop this year as they are miles ahead of their district mates Metcalfe County and Cumberland County. The pair have split their regular season meetings each of the last three seasons, and provide the first top 5 matchup of the year in the region.

Fourth Region Top 10

 

1) Warren Central (7-3) - 12/26 54-60 L Cordia (at LexCath), 12/27 65-56 W Butler (at LexCath), 12/28 70-64 W Henderson Co. (at LexCath), 12/29 53-57 L Apollo (at LexCath)

Previous Rank: 1

This Week: 1/4 vs. Bryan Station (at Central Hardin)

 

2) Bowling Green (9-2) - 12/26 88-49 W North Hardin (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/27 84-71 W #8 Barren Co. (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/28 61-56 W Whitley Co. (at Metcalfe Co.)

Previous Rank: 3

This Week: 1/3 at #8 South Warren, 1/4 vs. John Hardin (at Central Hardin)

 

3) Russell County (7-2) - 12/30 80-65 W at #6 Greenwood

Previous Rank: 2

This Week: 1/3 at #4 Clinton County

 

4) Clinton County (9-5) - 12/26 51-60 L Bardstown (at LexCath), 12/27 49-54 L Harrison Co. (at LexCath), 12/29 64-75 L Augusta (at LexCath)

Previous Rank: 4

This Week: 1/3 vs. #3 Russell County

 

5) Monroe County (7-3) - 12/26 84-47 W Carlisle Co. (at Edmonson Co.), 12/27 65-57 OT W #6 Greenwood (at Edmonson Co.), 12/28 60-48 OT W Ft. Knox (at Edmonson Co.)

Previous Rank: 7

This Week: 1/2 vs. Holy Cross (Lou) (at Adair Co.), 1/3 vs. TBA (at Adair Co.), 1/4 vs. TBA (at Adair Co.)

 

6) Warren East (10-2) - 12/26 59-56 W at Campbellsville, 12/27 59-83 L East Jessamine (at Campbellsville), 12/28 65-62 W Green Co. (at Campbellsville)

Previous Rank: NR

This Week: No Games

 

7) Barren County (9-2) - 12/26 77-56 W Garrard Co. (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/27 71-84 L #3 Bowling Green (at Metcalfe Co.), 12/28 65-45 W Adair Co. (at Metcalfe Co.)

Previous Rank: 8

This Week: 1/3 vs. #10 Glasgow, 1/4 at Marion County

 

8) South Warren (6-7) - 12/26 60-62 L Franklin Co. (at South Oldham), 12/27 51-52 L North Oldham (at South Oldham), 55-67 L Christian Academy-Louisville (at South Oldham)

Previous Rank: 5

This Week: 1/3 vs. #2 Bowling Green

 

9) Greenwood (3-5) - 12/26 67-57 W Grayson Co. (at Edmonson Co.), 12/27 57-65 OT L #7 Monroe Co. (at Edmonson Co.), 12/28 66-59 W Glasgow (at Edmonson Co.), 12/30 65-80 L #2 Russell Co.

Previous Rank: 6

This Week: 1/2 vs. Green County (at LaRue Co.), 1/3 vs. TBA (at LaRue Co.), 1/4 vs. TBA (at LaRue Co.)

 

10) Glasgow (7-5) - 12/26 68-64 W North Bullitt (at Edmonson Co.), 12/27 57-64 L Ft. Knox (at Edmonson Co.), 12/28 59-66 L #6 Greenwood (at Edmonson Co.)

Previous Rank: 9

This Week: 1/3 at #7 Barren County

 

Last Week's Game of the Week - There weren't many intra-region games, but the one that stood out took place in the Caveland Classic at Edmonson County. Monroe County continued a recent surge with a victory over then #6 Greenwood with a 65-57 OT victory. The Falcons did not trail at any point in the second half, but never led by more than 7 over the Gators. Greenwood overcame a late technical foul to tie the game with less than 20 seconds left and even had a heave for the victory that was no good. In OT, Monroe County scored the first 6 points and never looked back.

 

Stock Rising - I've already mentioned Monroe County, which gained wins over 4th Region Top 10 teams Barren County, Russell County, and Greenwood since our last notebook. The win over Russell County was particularly eye opening. Another team that is jumping up the ranks is Warren East. At 10-2, they are the first team in the region to double digit victories and matched last season's 10-2 start through twelve games as the best mark for the Raiders at this point in the last 25 years. They would be even higher in these ranks if not for their two blowout losses, one of which came at the hands of South Warren.

 

Stock Falling - It's a relative fall here since they were rated 4th in the last ranking, but had a notebook come out this time last week, Clinton County may have found themselves as the #2 ranked team in the region with a case for #1. But after getting off to the region's best start at 9-0, they have dropped five straight, thanks in large part to the tough slate at the Republic Bank Classic at Lexington Catholic. Another team sliding down is Franklin-Simpson, which has faceplanted to start the year with a 1-7 record. Their last region loss was to unrated Allen County-Scottsville, which sent them out of the top 10.

 

13th District Troubles - The 13th District teams find themselves in a slightly unusual situation. The district has typically found itself with a couple of teams in the dark horse mix for the region crown and usually has at least one team to bear the standard of the district as a real threat to win. Last year that was Russellville, but graduation has crippled the Panthers, and they sit at a paltry 3-9 record. The best record in the district? Todd County Central at 3-6. Every team has a losing record and they currently collectively rate as 4 of the bottom 7 teams in the region. Many years they're a tough out, but right now it appears the other districts will be hoping for the 13th come region tourney time....

 

Region Without a Site - The region tournament is just over 2 months away, and the 4th Region still doesn't have a home for the tournaments. The region has been at WKU every year since 2003 and all but five years in the last 50. But the current site selection plan expired at the close of last season and requires at least 12 schools of the 17 to agree to pass a new one. Per Micheal Compton of the Park City Daily News, just 11 athletic director's have voted WKU's Diddle Arena as the site for the future. If an agreement can not be made, it will go to the choice of the commissioner. In my humble opinion, the tournament belongs at Diddle Arena, but I do concede that there may be financial benefits for it to be played elsewhere.

Upcoming Game of the Week

 

1/3 - #3 Russell County at #4 Clinton County - An easy choice. These two teams have combined for all but one of the 16th District titles since 2005, a trend that doesn't seem destined to stop this year as they are miles ahead of their district mates Metcalfe County and Cumberland County. The pair have split their regular season meetings each of the last three seasons, and provide the first top 5 matchup of the year in the region.

 

This really speaks volume of the turmoil going on in Warren County regarding the school choice mess. I'm honestly ashamed of the lack of progress that has been made, as well as bleak future regarding this deal. The reason I address this is because the inability to select a region site is just another black eye for the BG area. Especially when WKU is willing to pony up $5,000 to help accommodate the 4th region in hosting the region tournament. The $5,000 takes care of a lot of the financial concern.