INTRODUCTION:

 

After a brief hiatus to get the notebook’s dates aligned with everyone else, we’re back. A lot of action to cover in the 11th, so this one is going to be a big update. I’ve also provided a complete ranking for all of the teams in the 11th since we’ve seen Lafayette’s big rematches with Lexington Catholic and Scott County, the results of some important district games, and the conclusion of the regional portion All-A Classic. Let’s get to it.

 

 

 

 

BURNING QUESTIONS:

 

What is the status of Matt Rose?

The Lexington Christian Academy star guard, who, according to Scout, has garnered interest from Western Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University, Davidson, Valparaiso, and Air Force, has been MIA. By my count, he’s not been listed in the team’s point totals since the team’s 1/14 matchup with West Jessamine, where he finished with 14 points.

 

LCA will now face off with Elliott County in the first round of the All-A Classic in Frankfort. Keep an eye on the training room, as the Eagles could be in trouble without the services of Mr. Rose. Whether or not Rose plays, I expect big things from center Michael Young. Despite that, it doesn’t change the fact that if the Eagles are to make a deep run, they’ll most certainly need a healthy Rose.

 

 

 

 

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:

 

 

Braxton Upthegrove – Henry Clay:

Haven’t heard of him? Well, Nerlens Noel has. So has LeBron James. Upthegrove is a sophomore who dedicates his time to assisting the Henry Clay Blue Devils’ basketball team as a student manager. Former UK Wildcat and current Philadelphia 76er Nerlens Noel surprised Upthegrove during halftime of the Henry Clay – Bryan Station game with a message on the video boards that informed him that he’d be accomplishing one of his goals and meeting LeBron James. You can read the Lexington Herald’s full story below.

Nerlens Noel helping make Henry Clay student's wish come true of meeting LeBron James | High school basketball | Kentucky.com

 

 

Trent Gilbert – Scott County:

Since his looks and stature don’t scream ‘baller’ at first glance, we’re often reminded of how looks can be deceiving and that first impressions might not be everything. Against Lafayette, Gilbert showed some real grit. In the 2nd quarter, he had one of his front teeth knocked out, but kept fighting on his way to a team high 28 points.

 

Gilbert’s 22 against guard-heavy Bryan Station was impressive as well.

 

Scott County's Trent Gilbert is showing everyone he is capable of leading his team. Photo Credit: KYSports.tv

 

 

Jackson Davis - Lafayette:

This is the second big name getting publicity as the player of the week. Like Gilbert, this is the 2nd time this season he’s done so. But, this is a special week and, like Gilbert, Davis has earned it, as both stars shined bright.

 

Davis scored his 2,000th career point against Lexington Christian Academy in a home game on 1/17, and followed that up with a 32 point, 14 rebound effort in the finals of the Toyota Classic against Scott County.

 

Jackson Davis in his younger days. Wow, kid has grown before our eyes. Photo credit to the Louisville Courier Journal.

 

 

 

 

MIDSEASON AWARDS: My 11th Region “Glue Guys”/”All Blue Collar” Team:

 

Shout out to MKG, the ultimate blue collar glue guy.

 

 

These guys might not get the publicity that some of their teammates or rivals do, but play a huge role in their team’s success. I wanted to start this as a way to get their names out there and increase their exposure, because the contributions they provide are simply invaluable to their team’s success. Without further ado, here we go:

 

G – Daquice Allen – Bryan Station

G – Dontavion “Lucky” Jackson - Lafayette

F – Reese Ryan – Lexington Catholic

F – Tony Martini – Scott County

C – Robert Dence – Lexington Catholic

 

First, we’ve got Daquice Allen, who while he might not be a true point guard, is nonetheless probably my favorite player on the Defenders’ squad and someone capable of playing the lead guard role. He’s a heady guard that knows what he can and cannot do and plays within himself. If you’re familiar with Station, you know that this is a breath of fresh air, as his calming presence and ability to pick his spots steadies the rotation. I was really blown away by the kid in the PRP game and was surprised that he didn’t get more burn.

 

Second, we’ve got Lucky Jackson. An All-City type receiver on the gridiron, Jackson’s toughness and athleticism acts as shot in the arm off the bench for the Generals. A kid who is long and quick, he wreaks havoc defensively in full court pressure, and he doesn’t mind throwing his body around to make plays. When he jumps a passing lane for an interception, he’s deadly in transition, as smaller guards struggle to stop him from converting once he’s gotten his momentum going. The fact that he rebounds well for his position only adds to his value.

 

Third, there’s Reese Ryan. He’s undersized for a post-player in the 11th, but that doesn’t stop him from banging with anyone, as this kid doesn’t mind scrapping one bit. While you might think an All-State quarterback who Rivals had listed as the #8 QB in his class (2015) would be a primadonna on the hardwood, think again. Ryan has come up big for the Knights time after time. Whether it’s making free throws, putting a body on someone when the ball goes on the glass, guarding the interior despite giving up some inches and pounds, or making the extra pass, careful observers will see his fingerprints on the Knights’ W’s.

 

Fourth, we have Tony Martini. I hesitate to put Martini on this list because he’s started getting so much love on here that it seems most are finally recognizing just how valuable his contributions are to the Cardinals. However, in a week where Scott County is coming off a win over Lafayette where posters have provided remarks like, “It's clear, though, that SC is not the same without Martini. He's the glue guy if there'd ever be a definition of one”, I’ve got to put him on here. Points, rebounds, assists, steals-- you name it, the kid does it.

 

Fifth, and last but not least, we’ve got Robert Dence, a 6’7 senior who is a large part of Lex Cath’s hopes for contention this season. Coach Salsman told BluegrassPreps that Dence was likely the team’s most improved player last year during the preseason, and that success has carried over into this year. Dence looked strong in the Republic Bank Classic, showing the ability to rebound both inside and out of his area, while his defensive skills have also progressed. The nearly 8-14 points that Dence can be counted on getting nightly are just icing on the cake for the Knights. A kid that has practically been a walking double-double in the 11th this season might be overshadowed by players like Jackson Davis, even though Dence got his to the tune of 13 points and 11 boards in their first matchup and 13 points, 9 boards, and 4 blocks in the rematch. Simply put, Dence is going to make a college coach somewhere happy.

 

 

 

 

TEAM(S) OF THE WEEK:

 

 

Scott County Cardinals:

The hosts won the Toyota Classic, which is one of the State’s premiere showcases each year. They get the nod as my team of the week, however, they do so based on their work in knocking off regional foes Bryan Station and Lafayette, plus, two teams that are in or around the Top 25 in the State in Male and Henderson County. While those wins would be enough to make plenty of team’s seasons, the boys from Georgetown did this in four consecutive games over 10 days (1/17 to 1/26).

 

 

 

 

GAME(S) OF THE WEEK:

 

Photo Credit: Nation of Blue

 

Scott County 56, Lafayette 52 - (1/24/14):

On a night where teammate Tony Martini battled foul trouble and only had 2 points, and Teddy Ware and Raekwon Long had 11 and 10 respectively, the Cardinals really needed Trent Gilbert to step up, and once again, he answered the bell.

 

Scott County was plagued by turnovers, which was consistent with the results from the team’s previous match-up. The difference this time, however, was their ability to convert from the charity stripe, as they shot 77% (21/27) as a team. It’s never pretty when 37.5% of your team’s point total comes from the line, but I’m guessing Coach Hicks and the Cards will take it.

 

Another difference in this one was the fact that Lafayette sniper Harrison Lane didn’t register in the scoring column. Given his penchant for big shots at clutch times, I’m guessing that despite his failure to score through three, he was still checked heavily late.

 

For Lafayette, Jackson Davis led all scorers with 32 points, but no other General reached double figures. Dequise Robinson had 6, Ross Jenkins 5, Jajuante Carpenter 4, Dontavious “Lucky” Jackson 2, and Jaelin Jenkins 1.

 

 

 

 

RECAP OF THIS WEEK’S ACTION:

 

Lexington Christian Academy earned a bid to this week's dance in Frankfort.

 

 

1/16/14:

 

Henry Clay 69, Dunbar 59:

Henry Clay gained a 20-12 advantage in the final quarter, as the game was tied at half and the Devils had a 2-point advantage going into the 4th as they downed the Bulldogs in this game between Lexington-Fayette Publics.

 

Jordan Green dropped an astounding 35 points while Jeremiah Tisdale added 13. For the Bulldogs, Mr. Everything Darius Williams had 24 while Donnie Lewis added 16 and Troy Black 14.

 

 

1/17/14:

Scott County 64, Bryan Station 61:

Scott County led by 1 going into intermission, but trailed by 4 going into the final frame before gutting out a tough win.

 

Tony Martini showed why he’s a BGP favorite and a member of my “Glue Guys/All Blue Collar” Team with a stat stuffing 22 points, 10 boards, and 5 assists. Raekwon Long continued to progress, adding 10 points and 9 rebounds. Teddy Ware was relatively quiet, adding only 6.

 

For Station, Tequan Claitt had 19 points and 6 boards, while Marcellous Washington added 14. Isaiah Barnes had 10. Daquice Allen and Jordan Henry added 6 apiece.

 

 

Franklin County 80, Woodford County 65:

Amazingly, this was only the 2nd Franklin County home game this season. The Flyers unleashed an all-out blitz on the visiting Yellow Jackets, scoring 16 unanswered points to take a 28-16 lead in the late in the first frame. A 16-6 run late in the 2nd quarter gave them a 15 point edge at intermission, and the Flyer’s didn’t look back.

 

Rylan Rowe had 21, Demetrius Wylie 16, Ryan Schneider 13, and Lorenzo McCaskell 8 for the victors. Woodford was led by Sam Souers’ 23, while Grayson Graf had 16 and Eli Boggess 13.

 

Boys Basketball: Snow day helps Flyers top Jackets - Frankfort & Franklin County, Kentucky

 

 

Lafayette 68, Lexington Christian Acadmey 53:

Jackson Davis had 25 and 11, while BGP favorite Dontavious “Lucky” Jackson added 17 points and 5 steals in the General’s rout of the visiting Eagles. For LCA, Michael Young and Drew Schacht had 14 apiece while Drew Trimble added 12.

 

High school basketball roundup: Scott County avoids upset | High school basketball | Kentucky.com

 

 

Frankfort 61, Western Hills 60:

I’m going to be honest. I’m a fan of Coach Geoff Cody. Since our first interview with him early this preseason, he’s been consistent about what kind of attitude and effort he expects from his kids, and it’s really kind of infectious, so I’m honestly glad to see his team making some strides. This one, however, sounds like a heart-breaker, as the two Frankfort programs squared off in what sounds like a classic.

 

This one was a see-saw affair, as the Panthers’ Travis Skelton sank a free throw with just over a minute and a half remaining to break a 55-all tie. From there, Western Hill’s Keaton Anderson got a huge steal that led to a Wolverine’s basket. The Panthers responded with a three point trip to make it 59-57 with just over a minute left. Keaton Anderson would hit a free throw to cut the gap to 1.

 

Wolverine forward Kyle Fisher then scored with around 7 ticks left on the clock to give his team a 60-59 edge. However, Frankfort was fouled with 3.3 seconds left, and got two free throws from Jalen Washington to secure the win.

 

Travis Skelton led Frankfort with 20 points and 8 boards, while Washington added 12. Jeff Quire and Matt Smith had 10 each, while Anthony Robinson had 8.

 

For Western Hills, Fisher led all scorers with 23, while Kory Waller had 15 and ZhaVaughn Reed 14 in the losing effort.

 

Boys Basketball: Free throws seal the win - Frankfort & Franklin County, Kentucky

 

 

1/18/14:

Wayne County 89, Bryan Station 60:

The night following their loss to Scott County, things wouldn’t get easier for the Defenders, as they travelled to West Jessamine to face one of the State’s best teams in Rodney Wood's Wayne County Cardinals.

 

Station would open up with a 21-19 lead after 1, but things were all downhill from there as they were outscored 23-14, 27-13, and 21-12 in the next frames.

 

CJ Walker led the Defenders with 17, “Glue Guy/All Blue Collar” performer Daquice Allen had 10, Isaiah Barnes 8, and Marcellous Washington was held to 8 points in the loss.

 

 

Henry Clay 58, Tates Creek 55:

Tates Creek, who was downed 52-36 by Henry Clay at home to open the year, showed that they have improved, coming in with a solid game plan that limited Jordan Green to 19 and Jeremiah Tisdale to 11, which in turn limited what the Devils wanted to do offensively. However, on this night, Jordan Fucci’s 19 wouldn’t be enough to carry the load, as no other Commodore reached double figures.

 

 

Model 71, Western Hills 66:

On the night the followed their heart-breaking loss to Frankfort, Western Hills again came close to earning the W before falling in defeat. The Wolverines lost the 2nd quarter 25-6, and fell behind by as many as 16 in the third quarter. However, they fought back to cut it to 3 on more than one occasion late. At the end of the day, however, they’d just spent too much energy on the comeback, as the Patriots pulled away in the last :30 to get the victory.

 

For Model, Ephraim Otieno had 24, Keith Mason 21, and Jared Adams 11. For Western Hills, Korey Waller had 28, Kyle Fisher 13, Keaton Anderson 6, and ZhaVaughn Reed 5.

 

Boys Basketball: WHHS comes up short against Model - Frankfort & Franklin County, Kentucky

 

 

1/22/14:

Scott County 56, Louisville Male 38:

While Male is certainly mercurial, this win is impressive nonetheless.

 

A balanced attack Cardinals attack would give the Dawgs fits in this one. Scott County opened up an 8 point lead at half and blew it open with a 21-2 advantage in the 3rd. Male would win the 4th 16-7, but only after the damage was done and the Cardinals had shown mercy.

 

Trent Gilbert led all scorers with 18. Raekwon Long had 12, Tony Martini 8, Seth Crank 7, Teddy Ware 6, and Matt Murray 2 in the winning effort.

 

 

Lexington Christian Academy 62, Frankfort 47 – All A Classic Quarterfinals:

An upset minded Frankfort team would make this one interesting. They led 15-14 after 1 and 27-25 at the half. However, only notching 3 points in the 3rd quarter to LCA’s 16 would doom the Panthers.

 

For LCA, Drew Trimble had 22 points and 13 rebounds while Michael Young had 21 points. For Frankfort, Jalen Washington had 12 points, Travis Skelton 9, and Jeff Quire 8.

 

Frankfort High can?t keep up - Frankfort & Franklin County, Kentucky

 

 

Madison Central 84, West Jessamine 81:

West Jessamine, who came in at 13-6 on the season, visited 15-4 Madison Central this weekend. Central would open a 23-17 lead after 1, but see their lead cut to 1 at intermission. The Colts outscored the hosts 21-15 in the 3rd to gain a 5 point advantage heading into the final frame before the Indians ended the game on a 26-18 run.

 

Sam Jones had 20, Cameron Thomas 18 , Demarcus George 14, Kirk Humphrey 13, Isaiah Johnson 13, and Coty Alexander 4 in a balanced Indians’ attack.

 

 

1/24/14:

Bryan Station 70, Woodford County 54:

The Defenders rode a 25-11 3rd quarter advantage to the victory in this one. Marcellous Washington had 19, Jordan Henry 18, Tequan Claitt 14, and Daquice Allen 10 for the victors. Sam Souers had 15, Grayson Graf 8, and Eli Boggess an uncharacteristically low 8 in the loss. For Woodford County, Colton McCrady also had 8, while Christian Rameriez had 7, and both Michael Shelton and John Couch pitched in 3.

 

 

Lexington Christian Academy 58, Model 46 – All A Classic Semifinals:

Model came into this contest set on defending their crown against the favored Eagles. Model led this one by 3 going into the break, but couldn’t overcome a 26-8 run by Lexington Christian in the 3rd frame.

 

Model’s Zack Rice-Gordon had a solid game with 16 points and 9 boards while Jared Adams and Ephraim Otieno had 12 each.

 

H.S. BASKETBALL: Indians, Patriots, Lady Indians fall on the road » Sports » The Richmond Register

 

 

Lincoln County 66, Madison Central 61:

 

Madison Central travelled to Lincoln County, squaring off with a Patriots squad that is one of the State’s hottest teams.

 

Sam Jones had 14 points and 10 boards and Demarcus George had 12 and 14 while Coty Alexander and Isaiah Johnson had 12 each, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 32-19 halftime deficit.

 

H.S. BASKETBALL: Indians, Patriots, Lady Indians fall on the road » Sports » The Richmond Register

 

 

1/26/14:

Lexington Christian Academy 58, Sayre 39 – All A Classic Finals:

Coming into the tournament, Lexington Christian was a solid favorite to take home the title, and after somewhat lackluster performances against Frankfort and Model, which could, in large part, be attributed to the fact that star Matt Rose did not play, the Eagles could have been primed for an upset. This wouldn’t be the case, however, as they dropped the hammer on the Spartans en route to a 19 point victory. For LCA, Michael Young led the way with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Sayre’s Martin Durmov led all scorers with 17 points.

 

 

Scott County 81, Henderson County 67:

In the finals of the Toyota Classic, which was unfortunately abbreviated due to weather, Scott County reeled off another win against a top 25 team by knocking off Henderson County.

 

Trent Gilbert led the way with 34 points while Raekwon Long contributed a strong line, finishing with 21 points and 8 boards.

 

 

 

 

 

11th REGION TEAM RANKINGS:

 

Tier 1:

 

1.) Scott County:

A narrow win over Bryan Station cost some style points, but their victory over Lafayette secures the #1 spot.

 

 

2.) Lafayette:

Redemption against Lexington Catholic was followed by a loss on the road to Scott County.

 

 

Tier 2:

 

3.) Bryan Station:

Played Scott County tough, then went on the road the very next night and played in one of the State’s most hostile territories in Wayne County. They’ve had some tough losses, but those came to tough teams.

 

4.) Lexington Catholic:

Tough stretch for the Knights. They’ve just been flat since winning the Republic Bank Classic. Since then, they’ve beaten Tates Creek, lost to a great Chaminade, MO team, lost to LCA on their home floor, only beat an 11-7 St. Henry team by 8 on the road, then lost to Lafayette. It’s been lots of basketball in a condensed time frame, so many that explains some things. For now, they’ll drop to four though.

 

 

Tier 3:

 

5.) Henry Clay:

Seem to be playing better as of late. No wins jump out at you, but they have only lost twice since the New Year, with those games coming to Scott County and Bryan Station by a combined total of 19 points. Not too shabby.

 

6.) Madison Central:

A home win over a sneaky good West Jessamine team and a narrow loss on the road to a very good Lincoln County ballclub puts the young Indians at the 6 spot for this week.

 

7.) Franklin County:

Lorenzo McCaskell has been back for a few games now. Senior post-man Chris Roberts, who’d missed time since Christmas with an injury, returned to the lineup against Woodford County on 1/18, as the Flyers downed Woodford County at home, winning by 15. They’ve also been upset recently, losing on the road in overtime to Christian Academy of Louisville. That’s not a good look for the Flyers, and while there’s still time for them to come together, the clock is ticking.

 

8.) Lexington Christian Academy:

They’ve won the 11th Region’s All-A Classic and have been on quite a roll of late. A loss to Lafayette on the road by 15 and a loss to West Jessamine by 8 are their only blemishes after the new year. Michael Young is playing well, and could turn some heads at this week’s All-A Classic in Frankfort. The Eagles will open with Elliott County. If they win that one, University Heights will likely await in the quarterfinals. Advancing there means they’d have a tough game with Newport Central Catholic in the semi’s. This week might give us a good idea of how good the Eagles are and just how strong the 11th is—if the Eagles are able to show their full hand with a healthy Matt Rose.

 

 

Tier 4:

 

9.) Dunbar:

The Darius Williams show comes in at #9 this week. Another of the 11th’s up-and-down squads, the Bulldogs and consistency just don’t go together. Since the New Year, they’ve lost 4 games, two coming to Hopkinsville (77-65) and Owensboro (70-67) in Western Kentucky on back to back days, and two coming to 11th region foes LCA (65-59) and Henry Clay (69-59). They’ve also beaten Madison Central and Tates Creek at home, as well as a decent enough East Jessamine team on the road.

 

10.) Woodford County:

The Yellow Jackets have really struggled of late. Since the calendar has turned, they’ve lost to Madison Central, Henry Clay, Scott County, Franklin County, and Bryan Station. None of those are horrible losses, but their only wins in that time frame have been a 4 point decision over Frankfort, a 10 point home win over Madison Southern, and an 18 point home win over Western Hills.

 

11.) Tates Creek:

A well coached team with a stud in Jordan Fucci anchoring things in the middle, but there’s not been much help for him so far. This was expected to be a rebuilding year for the Commodores, and you know Coach Breeden will have them back soon though. For now, just playing teams tough and hoping for an upset will have to suffice.

 

 

 

Tier 5:

 

12.) Frankfort:

This is a team that some have opened my eyes to. We didn’t have a lot of info on them coming into the year, but it’s now my understanding that they have quite a few football players (that made a deep playoff run) who contribute. They’ve improved of late, but there haven’t been many big wins to point to either.

 

13.) Madison Southern:

They own a win over the team below them (Model), so they’ll get the nod in my rankings.

 

14.) Model:

A team whose improved over the past few years under the direction of Coach Wes Scarberry, but still one who doesn’t have the horses to run with most of the 11th. A 12-point loss to LCA this past week in the All A Classic ended their hopes of repeating.

 

15.) Western Hills:

A team that I see improvement from. They’ve got a long way to go, but I think that they’re making some changes to get things going in the right direction. A 13 point loss to Franklin County (1/4), a 1 point loss to Frankfort (1/17), and a 5 point loss to Model the next night illustrate that.

 

16.) Sayre:

A rough 19 point loss to LCA drops them down. That was a game they had a chance to make a statement in, but didn’t capitalize.

 

17.) Berea:

As one of the smallest publics in the 11th, they’ll have some trouble competing with the rest of the 11th, but play hard and get the most out of what they have.

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING GAMES:

 

1/27:

Mason County @ #4 Lexington Catholic

 

1/28:

#1 Scott County @ #7 Franklin County

#2 Lafayette @ #9 Dunbar

#11 Tates Creek @ #6 Madison Central

 

1/30:

#8 Lexington Christian Academy vs. Elliott County – All A Classic

 

1/31:

#4 Lexington Catholic @ Clay County

#5 Henry Clay @ #2 Lafayette

#9 Dunbar @ #3 Bryan Station

Louisville Trinity @ #6 Madison Central

 

2/1:

Russell County @ #6 Madison Central – Feldhaus vs. Feldhaus

Edited January 27, 201412 yr by JokersWild24

Looks like Mason County has knocked off Lexington Catholic tonight. The Knights are reeling right now.