With just a month to go before the Districts, how's the 8th shaping up?

 

Good news: This shaping up to be one of the most competitive 8th region tournaments in years.

 

Bad new: The 8th is definitely in a rebuilding mode... with the perennial powers all showing some "warts", the teams will have to recover the region some respect on the hardwood...

 

In no particular order...

 

Collins (16-2, 6-0 region) The Titans are probably the closest thing to a consensus favorite, and they've done nothing to discourage that notion. With senior Rafael Stone on the inside and junior guard Brent Kidwell on the outside, and a deep, talented supporting cast, the Titans have made their mark this year. Since 12-28-13, Collins has won six in a row, and they have a strong resume, with a split against Bullitt East, an 18-point win over 10th region power Mason County, and region wins over South Oldham and Anderson County. Upcoming are out of region challenges against Eastern (2/1/14) and at Trinity (2/5/14). The Titans been challenged; they survived an upset bid by rival Shelby County by just 2 points and trailed Anderson by 5 with 5 minutes to play. Yet to be seen is whether those are real chinks in the Titans armor or just minor aberrations.

 

South Oldham (13-2, 6-1 region) South Oldham coach Steve Simpson just keeps re-inventing the Dragons. Yet again, the veteran SOHS coach has been faced with a massive loss of players due to graduation, yet South is one of the hottest teams in the region. Kyle Young is the lone returning starter from last year's 8th region champions, the school's first title. But Young dropped football in the off-season to concentrate on basketball, and he leads the Dragons at 18.6 ppg. He's joined by Drew Greenwood, an outside sharpshooter hitting 50% of his threes, and talented point guard Michael Griffin, the son of former Oldham County all-stater Jeff Griffin. Since losing to Collins in the second game of the season, South is 12-1, while averaging a whopping 76.6 ppg and giving up just 59 ppg. Among the Dragons' victims: Jeffersontown, Oldham County, Henry County (by 27), and Lincoln Co. (also by 27). Still ahead for the Dragons are tests against Anderson County, bitter in-county rival North Oldham, and a very impressive Iroquois squad. South can claim the #1 seed in the 29th district tournament with a win over North Oldham on 2/4/14, in a game broadcast by Pegasus Sports at The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN.

 

Oldham County (13-5) This is not your father's Oldham County. First year coach Coy Zerhusen, former star at Scott County, has brought his version of Billy Hicks' basketball philosophy to Buckner. Instead of the hard-nosed defensive units of Jason Holland and hall of famer Gary Forrest, coaches who put together teams that made scoring excruciatingly painful, and counted on patterned half-court offenses, "Coach Z" has brought a style that features 32 minutes of in-your-face, full-court pressure, and an offense that is substantially generated off the defense. Oldham has four starters scoring in double figures, with Hayden Hawes, Conner Hicks, and Austin Wills all prolific three-point threats. Inside, Austin Perkins is a strong post that plays much bigger than his 6'2" frame. Wills is a 6'5" slasher who can hit the three and poses matchup problems for most teams' shorter perimeter players. But Oldham's future may be determined by two talented sophomores coming off the bench, Griffin McClarty and 6'5" Jacob Bates. The question is whether the Colonels will have Zerhusen's philosophy down pat by tourney-time; Oldham has quality wins over Anderson County and DeSales, but has struggled with putting together a complete, 32 minute game.

 

Henry County (15-5, 8-3 region). Coach Enoch Welch has his third Wildcats team humming along with the second-most wins among region 8 teams. It's the best start for the school since Jason Holland's 2008-9 team started 17-5 en route to a 22-9 season, an 8th Region all-A Championship, and a trip to the 8th region semi-finals. The Wildcats have won four of their last 6, and have solid wins over a veteran Larue County team and Gallatin County. But Henry, hoping to knock off the kings of the 31st, the Owen County Rebels, has already lost to the Rebels twice this year, and they were slammed by South Oldham in their most recent game by 27. Still, if the Wildcats can get out of a competitive 31st - Gallatin County also lurks - they'll have the luxury of playing the region tournament on their home court in New Castle. Trivia: The Henry County gym in New Castle, built before the 1961-62 season, has hosted the 8th Region boys' tournament every year since it was built, the longest-running tenure of any region host site in the state.

 

Owen County (9-5, 7-1 region) Coach Devin Duvall has made his Rebels the perennial favorites in the 31st District, and they are favored to win their third consecutive title this year, although Gallatin County and Henry County promise some pretty strong challenges. Carson Williams is perhaps the region's premier big man, a tall, lanky forward who moves well with/without the ball and has an extraordinary touch with the ball. Owen is 9-2 vs. KY competition, and their only loss to an 8th region team was to Gallatin County by 4. They have beaten Henry twice. But Owen's true colors will be seen in four critical February games, with three on the road: 2/11/14 vs. Simon Kenton, 2/13/14 @ Anderson County, 2/15/14 @ South Oldham (game broadcast on Pegasus Sports at The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN), and on 2/20/14 at Oldham County (also broadcast on Pegasus Sports at The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN). Owen is looking to take that "next step"; despite some impressive runs in the 8th region tournament this decade, the Rebels haven't been able to advance past the semi-final round.

 

Simon Kenton (9-6, 6-0 region) Simon Kenton is one of just two 8th region teams to remain undefeated in region play, and Trent Steiner's Pioneers have some quality wins outside the region, with victories over Fleming County and Johnson Central. As usual, SK is putting up the points, averaging 69.8 ppg. With a 31 point win over Williamstown and a 41 point victory over Walton-Verona, SK should have little trouble advancing out of the 32nd district, however, a narrow two -point win over a rapidly-improving Grant County squad served notice this past Friday that the district championship - Simon Kenton's for the past two seasons - will not be conceded easily by the Braves. SK has big road games vs. Owen Co., Oldham Co., and Henry County coming up, as well as a home game against Anderson County. The 2/7/14 game at Oldham County will be aired on Pegasus Sports at The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN Stat: SK has scored over 70 points in 9 of their 15 games, and eclipsed the 100 point mark once.

 

Gallatin County (9-5, 6-5 region) I've been covering the 8th region since 1979, and one thing I've learned - never count out a Jon Jones-coached team. Jones, second only to Anderson County's Glen Drury in terms of 8th region coaching tenure, always seems to take what sometimes seems an outmanned squad from the small Warsaw school and turn them into one of the toughest outs in the 8th Region tournament. So I wouldn't put too much stock in the Wildcats' 6-5 region mark - yet. Gallatin has lost to several of the teams mentioned above - Collins, SK, Henry, and Owen County, but also has a somewhat surprising loss to Carroll County. But Jones' squad has won 7 of its last 8 games, including a 4 point victory over Owen County, and remains a threat to come out of the 31st. Caleb Beckham leads the team in scoring at 13.2, but the Wildcats have five other players averaging 7-10 points per contest.

Big games ahead for the Wildcats: 1/28 @ Henry Co., 2/1 @ Oldham Co., 2/5 @ Anderson County, and 2/7 vs. South Oldham

 

Others to watch....

 

Grant County (6-10, 3-5 region 8) The Braves' record may not impress right now, but first year coach Brandon Grammer seems to have the Braves coming around to his way of thinking. Grant is 2-2 over its last four contests, but the losses were to South Oldham (91-77) and Simon Kenton (71-69). The South game was tied late before South mustered a late fourth-quarter rally to pull away in Crestwood, and the two point loss to district rival SK indicates that the Pioneers may not be the overwhelming favorite to win the 32nd that most thought....Aaron Hicks had 25 versus South and is averaging 16 ppg while hitting over 40% beyond the arc. February games against Perry County Central, Owen County, and Gallatin County will tell us much about the Braves' prospects.

 

Anderson County (7-6) FYI, I found out tonight that the Anderson - Western Hills score is incorrect on Kentucky High School Athletic Association | KHSAA ? Student-athletes of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow. AC won (I was shocked when I initially saw that score). Glen Drury - the dean of 8th region coaches - always is in the mix come tournament time, and he has the tools for an 8th region run. Austin Cummins and Christian Estes are two of the best shooting guards in the region, and the Bearcats have several players who can contribute. The key for Anderson, however, may be a football player. Darius Harvey, one of the Bearcats' top football players who plays center, has the potential to be a matchup problem for the region on the inside. He's big, thick, strong, and is still improving. The 'Cats, however, may have a tough time getting out of the 30th; they've already lost to Collins (by 8) and Shelby County (by 23).

 

North Oldham (8-9) Picked sixth in the region in the coaches' pre-season polls, the Mustangs haven't "fired" yet. Second year coach Chris Stobaugh, one of the region's bright young coaches, thought the Mustangs might have turned the corner after three straight wins pulled North even at 8-8 on the season. But Friday, the Shelby County Rockets turned a 13-point deficit into a 9 point victory on the Mustangs' home court, sending North back to the drawing board. Still - the team has some talent and a good coaching staff. Jon Jon Henry leads the team in scoring at 16 ppg; Henry is a slasher with great leaping ability and a tremendous talent for getting to the rim. Trevor Burton averages nearly 13 ppg, and seems to be finding his range after an early-season slump; he tagged Shelby County for 5 threes and 33 points on Friday. Like so many 8th region teams, the Mustangs are on the small side, and rebounding - or the lack thereof - may determine their post-season success. North - which has yet to play a district seeding game - opens district play on Thursday, 1/30/14, vs. Oldham County in a game on Pegasus Sports at The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN. North hosts the District 29 tournament.

 

Shelby County (7-11) Jason Crouch put his squad through the scheduling ringer early on. Six of the Rockets' first 8 opponents were: South Oldham, Collins, Bullitt East, Manual, Fern Creek, and Iroquois, and the Rockets dropped all six while opening the season 0-8. But Shelby is 7-3 since then, and has won 5 of its last 6 games, including an impressive 23 point win over Anderson County and a come-from-behind win Friday at North Oldham, when the Rockets erased a 13-point second-half deficit to win by 9. The Rockets' only loss since the New Year came at the hands of Fifth Region power Thomas Nelson - which has three Division 1 recruits on its roster - by just three points.... Malik Manica is a sparkplus on the floor, a high-energy guard who gets in the lane in a hurry and converts - either on the shot or on the line. James Gordon is an underrated post who is mobile and handles the ball well. Keenan Cochran is exceptional at driving the lane. Big games for Shelby upcoming: 1/31/14 at Oldham County (broadcast by Pegasus Sports at The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN) and on 2/8/14 @ Collins.

 

The rest of the region appears unlikely to make the region 8 tournament, but upsets happen - which is why high school sports are so fun. Carroll County, under veteran coach Carroll Yeager, has won three in a row to move to 9-8 on the season, but the Panthers' 1-6 district mark to date isn't promising in a 31st district with Gallatin, Henry, and Owen, and just two tickets to the dance. Likewise, Trimble County has won 5 of its last 6 to improve to 8-9 on the year, but the Raiders have already been outscored 163-70 in two games against Oldham County and South Oldham, and would almost certainly have to defeat one of those two to get out of the 29th district. Williamstown (8-11), coached by Roger Harden, has won 3 of its last 4 games, and are led by David Jump, averaging 26 ppg. Jump had 43 of the Demons' 51 points in an 80-51 loss to Grant County in their last game. Williamstown, however, hasn't been competitive against Grant County or Simon Kenton, and would likely have to beat one of them to get out of the 32nd. Spencer County is on a four-game losing streak against some top competition. The Bears (6-12) have dropped their last four against Thomas Nelson, Collins, North Oldham, and Oldham County. Spencer, under first year coach Jason Burns, a former assistant at South Oldham, has been erratic, not surprisingly, as they learn a dramatically new system. The Bears lost to Thomas Nelson by just five and North by just three, but got whacked by Collins by 26 and Oldham by 12. To advance to the region, Spencer must tangle with Collins, Shelby, and Anderson, a tall order. Eminence and Walton-Verona, both with just two wins to date, are in rebuilding mode.

 

CM

Great job.

Good stuff, Mike.

Thanks, UK#1fan!

 

Hey, can you give us some more insight into the Pioneers? Haven't seen them yet in person this year.

Thanks, UK#1fan!

 

Hey, can you give us some more insight into the Pioneers? Haven't seen them yet in person this year.

 

Yes they are a fun team to watch. 6'1 Morrison and 6'4 Robinson are the leading scorers. Robinson usually starts at PG he is a excellent ball handler. 6'4 Mullins plays down low. 6'3 Kuntz and 6'1 Pracht are very athletic. The first 3 off the bench are 5'6 PG Daugherty, 6'0 Childress and 6'5 250 pound Vercheak. 6'2 Heflin also has been getting some minutes off the bench.

Thanks, UK#1fan!

 

Hey, can you give us some more insight into the Pioneers? Haven't seen them yet in person this year.

 

We lost to Johnson Central by two. We may find out what this team is made of down the stretch. I think it can be difficult to handicap SK since they play more 9th region opponents but they've played a solid schedule. I hate the fact that their games vs both SO and Collins were postponed but they will be hitting a gauntlet down the stretch. After Williamstown their opponents have totaled an 84-34 record. The next few weeks may tell us quite a bit.

Edited January 26, 201412 yr by NEERFAN

Thanks for the post. It's excellent. We haven't seen any updates on the eighth region since the preason post several months ago.

I really like the Grant County team the Saylor boys are very good.

I really like the Grant County team the Saylor boys are very good.

 

I was impressed with the varsity point guard (#10 I think) and the Center (#32) and obviously the shooter (#1) but there was a kid in JV that was scoring all the points with the big hair. Are any of those the kids you are talking about?

I was impressed with the varsity point guard (#10 I think) and the Center (#32) and obviously the shooter (#1) but there was a kid in JV that was scoring all the points with the big hair. Are any of those the kids you are talking about?

 

#23 for the JV team and #32 for Varsity are the Saylors.

#23 for the JV team and #32 for Varsity are the Saylors.

 

Thanks, that is 2 of the 4 I was thinking of.

Great job on the post Colonel Mike.

Great job ColonelMike. Thanks for the info.

I'm going to try to put up something like this every Sunday the rest of the way out..... I'll see Oldham against two quality opponents this week....North Oldham vs. Oldham this Thursday and Shelby at Oldham County on Friday.

 

It really looks like everyone who advances to the region this year will have the capacity to make some noise...