Fourth Region Top 10

 

1) Warren Central (7-4) - 1/4 47-62 L Bryan Station (at Central Hardin)

Previous Rank: 1

This Week: 1/10 at #6 Warren East, 1/11 at #7 Barren County

 

2) Bowling Green (10-3) - 1/3 64-43 W at #8 South Warren, 1/4 44-53 L John Hardin (at Central Hardin)

Previous Rank: 2

This Week: 1/10 vs. #8 Greenwood

 

3) Clinton County (10-5) - 1/3 65-52 W #3 Russell County

Previous Rank: 4

This Week: 1/10 vs. Metcalfe County

 

4) Monroe County (9-4) - 1/3 73-57 W Caverna (at Adair Co.) 1/3 61-62 L Holy Cross (Lou) (at Adair Co.), 1/4 67-54 W Hart Co. (at Adair Co.)

Previous Rank: 5

This Week: 1/10 at Allen County-Scottsville, 1/11 vs. Franklin-Simpson

 

5) Russell County (7-3) - 1/3 52-65 L at #4 Clinton County

Previous Rank: 3

This Week: 1/7 at Taylor County, 1/10 vs. Cumberland County

 

6) Warren East (10-2) - No Games

Previous Rank: 6

This Week: 1/10 vs. #1 Warren Central

 

7) Barren County (10-3) - 1/3 85-76 W #10 Glasgow, 1/4 56-63 L at Marion County

Previous Rank: 7

This Week: 1/10 at Franklin-Simpson, 1/11 vs. #1 Warren Central

 

8) Greenwood (5-6) - 1/2 74-52 W Green County (at LaRue Co.), 1/3 48-59 L Bethlehem (at LaRue Co.), 1/4 66-60 W Nelson Co. (at LaRue Co.)

Previous Rank: 9

This Week: 1/10 at #2 Bowling Green

 

9) Glasgow (7-6) - 1/3 76-85 L at #7 Barren County

Previous Rank: 10

This Week: 1/7 at Allen County-Scottsville

 

10) South Warren (6-8) - 1/3 43-64 L #2 Bowling Green

Previous Rank: 8

This Week: 1/9 vs. Muhlenberg County

 

 

Last Week's Game of the Week - Crosstown rivalries are always a big deal, and the matchup between Barren County and Glasgow did not disappoint. Both teams brought their A game as each shot better than 55 percent from the field for the night, leading to a high scoring 85-76 victory for the Trojans of Barren County. Sophomore guard Wade Coomer led the way for Barren County with 23 points, complimented by Charley McCoy's 19. Glasgow for its part got 22 from senior forward Milas Norris. The loss dropped Glasgow to 0-2 in the district, with road losses at both Monroe County and Barren County. They'll have one more road district game this week at Allen County-Scottsville before closing out the back end of the district slate at home.

 

Somewhat Surprising Result - The game I pegged as the likely game of the week in the last edition was a matchup of two top 5 teams in the region, Russell County at Clinton County. There were signs Clinton County might be better than the Lakers despite my ranks, such as their performances against Monroe County (Clinton County won by double digits while Russell County lost). But the Bulldogs entered having lost their previous five games after a 9-0 start. After jumping out to a 16-5 lead on Russell County, the Bulldogs spent much of the rest of the game holding on as the lead dipped under 5 in the 4th quarter. But a late push gave them a 65-52 victory and established them as the clear front runner in the 16th District. For as much as that's worth - they'll both easily advance to the regional, but hey, bragging rights!

 

Region Site Set - Last week I noted the limbo of the regional tournament site as the region AD's could not reach the 2/3 majority they needed to draft a plan over the summer. Well, in a victory for those who believe WKU gave the 14th District a competitive advantage and those who favor the financial benefits and atmosphere of a high school site, Commissioner Julian Tackett set the site of the boys' regional tournament at Barren County, to be played in early March. It was a position supported by the minority of ADs in terms of voting, as 11 of the 17 had voted for WKU, one shy of the 12 votes needed. In his comments and e-mail regarding the matter, Commissioner Tackett noted that there were three factions of ADs: Those in favor of WKU, those in favor of high school sites, and those that just wanted to play basketball and didn't really care (which included some who were voting for WKU). In the end, WKU may have priced themselves out of the game. This will be the seventh year since Diddle Arena opened in December of 1963 that any region tournament games were played somewhere else and only the sixth time that the finals themselves will not be at the venue. In 1989, 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2003 all games were played at high school sites and in 2002 the opening round games were played at the district winners' home courts.

 

Old Man Winter - In a twist that many regions are experiencing, several games have been canceled, not for snow or ice but bone rattling cold. Barren County was to host Bowling Green tonight in an attempt to gain revenge for a Christmas tourney loss, the highest profile game canceled. It did save the Trojans from having to run a gauntlet that would see them face the top two teams in the region during the same week. They'll have to settle (probably) for hosting #1 Warren Central.

 

Upcoming Game of the Week

 

1/10 - #1 Warren Central at #6 Warren East - Last year Warren Central lost only two region games, both of which came to the same team in their district. Most years, the easy leap would be that it was Bowling Green they fell to. But no, it was Warren East that humbled the Dragons twice, their second sweep of Warren Central in six seasons. In fact they're the only team in the region to sweep the Dragons in at least two meetings since 2001. That helped catapult Warren East into a share of their first regular season district title since 1998 and the #1 seed. They'll enter this game assured of the best record in the region while thanks to a cancellation it will be Warren Central's first game against a 4th Region team. If East wins it'll clinch their first three game win streak against Warren Central since winning 4 straight from 95/96-96/97. Also on the line is the potential of the first three game losing streak overall for the Dragons since December 2009.

Nice work Dragonfire! :thumb: