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INTRODUCTION:

 

RECAP:

 

Another week, some more big games, but also more cancellations. It's tournament time, and teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack. I've tried to include some analysis of each team, including what they'll have to do in tournament play, in my rankings. Scott County justified my ranking them on a tier by themselves with a spanking of Lex Cath on the same day that the Trinity team they beat last weekend handled Lafayette. Lexington Catholic is starting to slide, and occupy a tier of their own this week. There is yet another jumble in the middle with a lot of the bigger publics trading wins and losses.

 

Dunbar was on quite a tear last week, but like Catholic, the wear and tear of a brutal schedule filled with make-up games eventually got to them. Dunbar had 7 games over the course of 9 days. Help during their run has come from an unlikely source, as freshman center Dontell Brown has really started coming along, providing rebounding and energy off the bench. With the emergence of he, the already solid play of fellow freshman Taveion Hollingsworth at the guard spot and the star power of Darius Williams, I have a feeling we might be getting to know Dunbar's core well in the next few years.

 

 

NEWS:

 

To recap, last week was a wild one. Lots of big games, but also some potential news on the coaching carousel. You always hear lots of chatter about coaching changes during the state tournament, so I guess the 2014 merry-go-round is starting to spin with the news on Bryan Station.

 

Bryan Station is no stranger to coaching changes (they fired the reigning Coach of the Year only to hire him back days later then let him go at the end of the next season). Some were critical of the hire of former great Mike Allen, with many citing his record as a head coach in the girl’s game as cause for concern.

 

It would appear that there’s a very strong chance that Allen is let go at the end of this season, as there is a real rift in the coaching/administration/parents/players dynamic in North Lexington.

 

Jaron Brown, a former Defender standout himself who went on to play collegiately at Pitt, is currently an assistant. While it’s still early, if Allen isn’t on the sidelines next season, Brown is likely the early favorite to be there instead.

 

As a UK alum, I would attend probably 10-15 Lexington area games a year during undergrad, and Station’s teams during the Tino Washington/Shelvin Mack eras were some of my favorites to watch. They’re a school that has enjoyed a lot of success in the past and, for their kid’s sake, can return to that glory sooner rather than later, regardless of who is in charge.

 

 

 

 

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:

 

Per usual, my players of the week this week follow a theme. This week, it’s a plug that’s going to go out to some blue-collar kids who’ve played well through some tough stretches.

 

 

Jeremiah Tisdale – Henry Clay:

With Green out, Tisdale has stepped up even more, as if contributions from him hadn’t reached a critical level of necessity already considering the departures of Grundy, Cunningham, and Ware. Still, Tisdale found a way to answer the bell and got Henry Clay a big W against Dunbar by knocking down some timely shots. No doubt that Tisdale is the only player left on Henry Clay’s team that was expected to see serious clock this season, everyone in the gym who was familiar with the 11th likely knew he’d be the kid taking the shots.

 

 

Daquice Allen– Bryan Station:

From the outside looking in, it would appear that his team is in a state of disarray, but Allen has plugged along and put up some nice point totals, including 12 in a win over Dunbar, 16 against Tates Creek, and 11 against Lafayette.

 

 

Robert Dence – Lexington Catholic:

Dence has came on as of late, notching double digit points in most all of Lexington Catholic’s many games over the past week and a half. This week, the senior post had 15 against Dunbar, 14 against Madison Central, 17 against LCA, and 10 against Scott County. 46 points in a week will likely bump your scoring average a bit, even if you do play 4 games.

 

 

Donnie Lewis - Dunbar:

A stat-stuffing performance in the Lexington Catholic game (7 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists) and some solid play during Dunbar's hot streak where he complemented Darius Williams well gets the Bulldog the nod this week.

 

 

 

TEAM OF THE WEEK:

 

Scott County:

 

I hate to keep naming them Team of the Week, but what they’ve done since we’ve flipped our calendars to 2014 has been incredible. A complete thrashing of Lexington Catholic on Saturday showed just how much the Cardinals have improved and how tough they’ll be for anyone else to beat.

 

They’re now on an 18 game win streak. The last 5 of those wins have come against Perry County Central, Bryan Station, Henry Clay, Trinity, and Lexington Catholic. In their streak, they’ve also conquered Lafayette, Henderson County, Male, Manual, and PRP. Impressive indeed.

 

If Billy Hick’s squad can close out the year with wins over a well coached and improving Louisville Eastern and a solid Dunbar team, they’ll go into the post season with a 20 game win streak and the knowledge that they’ve avenged one of their two losses when they beat Lafayette. The only other team to beat them—Ballard.

 

 

 

 

GAME(S) OF THE WEEK:

 

Scott County 81, Lexington Catholic 60 (2/15/14):

 

Lexington Catholic was playing their 4th game in 6 days, which was also their 6th game in 11 days, so maybe fatigue played a factor. What there’s no arguing is that it was nothing but complete and utter domination by the Cardinals on this night.

 

Scott County opened up with a 16-0 run that effectively buried the Knights. They had a 28-9 advantage after the 1st and took a 24 point lead into the break despite going to their bench with around 4 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter. If not for a 19-12 edge in the 4th quarter after Scott County had clearly called off the dogs, this one might have been even worse.

 

A promising sign for Coach Hicks is Raekwon Long’s focus and intensity in this one. Multiple people have remarked about how into this game he seemed. If Long can just find a way to stay on the floor, the Cardinals are a far more dangerous team, as they can leave the 7 footer at the rim, patrolling the paint and looking to erase mistakes that his teammates might have made on defense. Long has already come a long way from the first time I saw him play this season, which has to be promising for the Georgetown faithful. Say what you want about Long, who still has miles and miles to go before reaching his ceiling, but you can’t teach 7 foot and there aren’t many schools who have an answer for that kind of size.

 

Teddy Ware had 13 points, and it seemed as though he’d found a way to parlay his momentum from the Trinity game and carry it over into this one. Trent Gilbert’s 24 led the way for the Cards, and while Tony Martini only netted 8 points, he still had his typical stat stuffing night. Those types of contributions, along with the 10 points Long provided, will go a long way in March.

 

For Lexington Catholic, Tanner Johnson was held to 15, while Robert Dence and Reese Ryan had 10 each. IMO, Jarrod Griffin being held to 6 points really limits the Knight’s effectiveness, especially on a night where Johnson only drops 15.

 

 

Trinity 65, Lafayette 54 (2/15/14):

 

A matchup of the state’s best bigs between Jackson Davis and Ray Spalding didn’t disappoint. Davis finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds while Spalding defended his home turf well, notching 22 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks, 5 steals, and 5 assists. More importantly, Spalding’s team found a way to win.

 

Davis had half of the General’s output, as he saw his squad outscored 37-25 in the 2nd half while the Shamrocks pulled away. Daquice Robinson had 11, and the rest of the General’s points were distributed between Lance Blakley, Ross Jenkins, Lucky Jackson, and Jajuante Carpenter to the tune of 3 or 5 points apiece.

 

Looking at Lafayette’s results late, I really wonder if teams have begun to find ways to limit the role players while accepting that Jackson Davis is just going to get his numbers and hoping that it won’t be enough to beat you if you can limit everyone else.

 

 

 

 

RECAP OF THIS WEEK’S ACTION:

 

Monday, February 10:

 

Dunbar 55, Lexington Catholic 51 (2/10/14):

Dunbar continued their recent tear in this one, as they rode an 18-10 advantage in the 2nd quarter to victory in a game that an observer who is very familiar with them remarked that Dunbar played very well.

 

This game was a preview of the first round game in the 43rd that will take place at Dunbar in a few days, so I’m sure each coach wasn’t necessarily showing their full hand, but you have to credit what the Bulldogs did. With that said, Lex Cath was also without the services of junior point guard Michael Talbott, who was out nursing an injury.

 

For the Bulldogs, Darius Williams showed why he’s one of the 10 best players in the 11th Region by dropping a cool 31. However, it was senior Donnie Lewis who might have stole the show, as he had 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Freshman guard Tavieon Hollingsworth had a relatively quiet game with 5. The fact that the Bulldogs were able to win without scoring contributions from kids that they’ll usually get more production from in PJ Corio and Troy Black is likely encouraging to the Dunbar faithful.

 

For the Knights, big man Robert Dence started off a week where he caught fire by leading the Knights with 15 while Tanner Johnson had 14 and Reese Ryan 10.

 

 

Henry Clay 56, Breathitt County 56:

 

For those of you unfamiliar with Mountain Basketball, I would peg Breathitt County as one of the more underrated teams in the state. Traditionally, they’ve been a school known more for their accomplishments on the gridiron, but this season, they’ve quietly had quite a measure of success on the hardwood as well. Nonetheless, Henry Clay, sans Jordan Green, easily dispatched the Bobcats behind a 20-11 first quarter run that Breathitt just couldn’t recover from. Junior Colby Barnes broke out with 19 points while Dakhari Campbell had 12, Isiaiah Tisdale 11 and Jeremiah Tisdale 7. Breathitt County guard Wes Noble is considered to be one of the top players in a better than usual 14th Region, but was held to only 8 points.

 

 

 

Tuesday, February 11:

 

Madison Central 71, Lexington Catholic 64:

 

Lexington Catholic hit the road already weary and coming off a loss to Dunbar. Things weren’t any better there, as the Indians rallied in the latter part of each half to earn the W.

 

For Central, Isaiah Jonson led all scorers with 25. Sophomore Cameron Thomas, a name that the 11th Region will be familiar with in years to come, added 13 and Coty Alexander 12.

 

For Catholic, Tanner Johnson had 18, while the duo of Reese Ryan and Robert Dence stayed hot by adding 14 and 12 apiece.

 

 

Lafayette 72, Bryan Station 52:

 

Lafayette demolished a short-handed Bryan Station squad in a measure of retribution after only winning by 2 the last time the two met. Station was without Marcellous Washington, Taquan Claitt, and CJ Walker, but this one was close early, but the winning the 2nd frame by 10 and the 3rd by 9 quickly buried any hopes of an upset.

 

The Generals were led by Jackson Davis’ 28 while Daquise Robinson had 23 and Harrison Lane 11.

 

For Station, BGP favorite Daquice Allen had 11, but the only other Defenders who really got into the flow offensively were Deandre Bradford (9) and Jordan Henry (5).

 

 

LCA 63, Tates Creek 50:

 

The shooting of Matt Rose and Drew Nighbert, who had 19 and 18 apiece, led the Eagles past Tates Creek. Jordan Fucci had 17 and Desmond Duke 14 in the losing effort.

 

 

 

Thursday, February 13:

 

Lexington Catholic 59, Lexington Christian 56 (2/13/14):

 

LCA was hype for this one, as the school had a huge pep rally where they brought in former UK players (and national champions) Doron Lamb and Jeff Shepard to get the crowd going. If you’ll remember, the Eagles beat the Knights on their home floor, 63-56, back in mid January. Given that, you know that revenge was on the Knight’s mind while those around LCA’s program were amped about the opportunity to sweep Catholic and show that they’re ready to play with anyone in the area.

 

On this night, however, senior big Robert Dence was extremely efficient, netting 17 points while limiting LCA big man Michael Young and even checking Michael Rose at times. Michael Talbott got excellent penetration most of the night en route to 15 points. Throw in 7 points from Jarrod Griffin and Donovan Morris, and you can see how Lex Cath came out with a W despite going through a night where Tanner Johnson had an uncharacteristically low output of “only” 12 points.

 

For LCA, Michael Rose appears to be back at full strength, as he dropped a game high 20 points. Junior guard Drew Trimble dropped 18, including some deep bombs, and Corbin transfer Trevor Hill had 10. Emerging junior big man Michael Young was very ineffective in this one, finishing with only 2 points after being effectively neturalized by Dence and Ryan.

 

Credit LCA for finding a way to scrap back in it despite trailing 41-29 at one point. The Eagles’ profile only keeps growing, and they are a team with some young talent and a really positive energy around their program. We’ll probably be hearing more from them in future years.

 

 

Henry Clay 63, Dunbar 62 (Overtime):

 

Even without Mr. Basketball candidate Jordan Green, Henry Clay showed that they might have some fight left in them by cooling off a Dunbar team that had been on a tear before entering Al Prewitt Gymnasium.

 

Jeremiah Tisdale scored 22 points, including a fadeaway trey ball that sent the game past regulation and the shot that iced the game in the OT. This one was a game of runs, as Henry Clay outscored Dunbar, who started sluggish, 12-6 in the 2nd frame and was down as many as 12. The Bulldogs would bounce back, ending the third on a 17-11 run.

 

The overtime was back-and-forth, with neither team leading by more than a single point.

 

For Dunbar, Darius Williams had 20, Troy Black dropped 17, Donnie Lewis 10 and PJ Corrio 5. Sadly, the Bulldogs suffered some injuries in this one, including one that might have ended the season for a kid, which you always hate to hear. You never want to hear about an injury, but they are especially tough this time of the year.

 

Henry Clay was led by Jeremiah Tisdale’s 19. Junior Felix Wilson (12) and sophomore Isaiah Tisdale (11) were the only other Devils in double figures, but 4 other players logged points as well.

 

 

Tates Creek 53, Bryan Station 50:

 

Marcellous Washington’s return wasn’t enough for Station as they dropped this one at home. Tates Creek’s interior presence was too much, as Ian Davis led the ‘Dores with 16 while Jordan Fucci had 15. Desmond Duke added 12. For Station, Daquice Allen had 16, Washington 10, and Deandre Bradford 8.

 

 

 

Saturday, February 15:

 

Bryan Station 56, Dunbar 45:

Not much would surprise me when it comes to these team’s results, but the fact that Station pulling this one out by 11 despite not getting a basket from a player listed above 6’1 surprised me yet again.

 

Marcellous Washington was back and led all scorers with 13, including some huge baskets during one of his trademark shooting streaks in the 2nd quarter that essentially buried Dunbar. Daquice Allen continued a week of solid play with 12, while Andre Davis had 12 and Jordan Henry 10.

 

For a very fatigued Dunbar team, Tavieon Hollingsworth and PJ Corio led the way with 12 apiece. Donnie Lewis had 7, which matched the output of Darius Williams, who obviously had a game that’s very uncharacteristic of him.

 

 

 

 

11th REGION TEAM RANKINGS:

 

Tier 1:

 

1.) Scott County:

 

The Cards are starting to pull away from the field in the 11th. Trent Gilbert is one of the best scorers in the State and is making a serious run at Mr. Basketball. Teddy Ware has come on strong and Raekwon Long has improved. Tony Martini is the quintessential glue guy.

 

If the Cardinals can get some steady production outside of their top 4, they can make a serious run at State. Just limiting turnovers and steadying the offense is basically all that will be asked of senior guards Matt Murray and Seth Crank or junior Hines Jones. Dylan Portwood and Austin Kindred are two more kids who are seniors that are asked to come off the bench, and at 6’2 and 6’3, are a bit undersized, but could still be pivotal in providing spot duty if they’re willing to go in and scrap.

 

In all of the Cardinals big tournament runs, Billy Hicks has always seemed to have an unsung hero who comes off the bench and provides a spark that carries the Cards through a rough game like a Cameron Hundley (‘07) or gets hot at the right time during the tournament Casey Alsop (‘98). How well one of the players mentioned above steps up and seizes the moment by fulfilling their role might determine just how far the Cards go.

 

 

 

Tier 2:

 

2.) Lafayette:

 

I wonder if this is a team who might have peaked too soon. Earlier I’d mentioned teams adjusting to take away role players. Harrison Lane is one case in particular that makes me wonder about those kinds of strategies, as he was scoreless in this one and has been fairly limited in some other games. He was scoreless in the Scott County, Dunbar, and Bryan Station (1/7) games as well, and his only really big game in a close contest was 11 points against Lexington Catholic. If he’s not getting good looks and hitting his shot, I could see how their offense might begin to stagnate against top teams due to a lack of spacing and balance.

 

The above is just a thought and in no way should be taken to mean that he’s the reason they’ve dipped, just an example of a guy whose a quality role player who has seemingly been limited as of late as teams adjust. I’m sure Lane has also had his part in plenty of Lafayette’s blowout wins, as his ability to stretch the floor really opens up things for everyone else when guys have to come out and guard him so far from the basket and, if you go zone, be aware of where he is when he’s cutting or coming off screens to get looks. At the same time, I wonder how effectively teams can pick a couple of players like he, Lucky Jackson, Dequise Robinson, Ross Jenkins, Jujuante Carpenter, or even Lance Blakley and try to and disrupt the General’s balance.

 

At the end of the day, Lafayette is still a solid choice for the second best team in the region and have some things that they can do to attack Scott County, so let’s not count them out yet.

 

 

 

Tier 3:

 

 

3.) Lexington Catholic:

 

It would be a mistake to sleep on the Knights and Brandon Salsman come March. What I don’t know, however, is how much gas they’ll have in the tank considering their brutal schedule down the stretch. They’ve simply been crippled by having to make a lot of games up in a short amount of time and I wonder if it’s damaged their psyche as well. They’ve now lost 3 of their last 4 and have went through the grinder by playing 4 games in 6 days as part of a stretch where they played a total of 6 games in 11 days.

 

A grudge match with Lincoln County and a trip to Wayne County means things aren’t any easier this week. Maybe this grueling stretch has prepared them for a run through one of the state’s toughest regions that will start with them playing an elimination game at district host Dunbar, but it might have zapped their legs and energy as well.

 

 

 

Tier 4:

 

 

4.) Madison Central:

 

This young Indians team has really found their way as of late. They went through a rough 3 game stretch where they lost to Lincoln County, Tates Creek in OT, and lost some momentum at the end of an upset bid against Louisville Trinity. Since then, they’ve beaten Henry Clay, Holmes, and Lexington Catholic, and, despite losing, had a really nice performance against Perry County Central in the Joe B. Hall Classic.

 

They’ll have a few more games, including a stout test against Covington Catholic on February 21, before going into one of the weaker districts in the 11th as a heavy favorite. What that means—there’s still time for this team to get better, and they have one of the easier roads to the region, as well as a solid chance of drawing a team they’re more likely to beat once they get there.

 

 

5.) Dunbar:

 

Things have changed quickly in the 11th this year, and Dunbar’s ascent has been accompanied by a sharp fall in two straight games to city foes Bryan Station and Henry Clay as the grind of their schedule seemed to catch up to them. They’ll need to do better than that if they want to knock off Lexington Catholic in the first round of district play, even if it is in the Dawg Pound, which can rock with any school in the 11th when their kids are into it.

 

The bad news for Dunbar is that they have to some tough games coming up this week as well. The good news is that freshman Dontell Brown has been a shot in the arm coming off the bench and doing some dirty work on the interior such as grabbing rebounds, taking charges, and providing energy. That type of energy will only help the Bulldogs' cause when they try to get after teams with stingy man-to-man defense.

 

Who knows, maybe Dunbar clicked somewhat after they beat Bryan Station sans Williams and only got better once he returned and other kids' confidence had picked up as well.

 

 

6.) Bryan Station:

 

If I’m the producer of a reality show and have to pick an 11th Region team to follow and get ratings for my network, this team might be one of the first I’d approach. At least then, things would probably make more sense than they do when you’re trying to get this team’s pulse as an outside observer.

 

In a 5 day span, they were blown out by Lafayette, beaten by a Tates Creek team who is improving but still stands at 7-16 on the year, then went to Dunbar and abruptly ended the 2nd hottest streak in the 11th without getting a single point from a player over 6’1.

 

This is a team with talent, but at the same time, is a team full of guards who don’t really shoot the ball well (or at least with consistency). I had a front row seat to witness them lose to LIT Champion PRP by 2, and results such as a 2 point loss to Lafayette show that they’re capable of beating practically anyone. However, since some of those games, they’ve gone into games without 3 players who were contributors in all-region talent Marcellous Washington, CJ Walker, and Taquan Claitt (who, along with Deandre Bradford, whose also had some games where he was either out or just MIA, is the only real size that the Defenders have).

 

 

7.) Henry Clay:

 

Even with a healthy Jordan Green, the team wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire. Now that Green is out with a dislocated elbow, things are even worse. Oh what might have been. If you’d have told everyone at the end of last season, seconds after their heart-breaking regional loss to eventual State Champion Madison Central, that the Devils would have 11 losses and be the #3 seed in the district in 2014, they might have been even more heartbroken.

 

Oh wait, this team beat Dunbar without Jordan Green? We don’t know if Green will be back in time for District?

 

At the end of the day, I don’t know whether it is more difficult to get a read on them or Station as far as what kind of performance they’ll have on the floor. Ironically enough, the two most mercurial teams in the 11th are going to be matched up in the first round of 42nd District play.

 

 

 

Tier 5:

 

 

8.) LCA:

 

Getting there, but not quite there yet. Next year could be the year they get over the hump.

 

 

9.) Tates Creek:

 

Beating Bryan Station and Madison Central shows that Tates Creek isn’t going to roll over for anyone and can still give some teams more than they want. They’ve only lost to Lex Cath by 5 and took Dunbar to double overtime before falling by 6. Getting only 1 win in the month of January and losing by 13 to LCA shows that a lot of teams are obviously capable of beating them as well.

 

 

 

Tier 6:

 

 

10.) Franklin County:

 

Wow. I had this team really overrated to begin the season. What has happened in Frankfort?

 

 

11.) Madison Southern:

 

Probably going to go to the region, where they’ll be a heavy underdog in their opening game. Could be a sacrificial lamb for Scott County or the winner of the 43rd, which probably isn’t a very appealing thought.

 

 

12.) Woodford County:

 

A solid team who has a good chance of making the region, but just doesn’t seem to have the dynamic athleticism that differentiates this team from some of Hundley’s biggest successes.

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING GAMES:

 

Tuesday, 2/18:

 

Lincoln County @ Lexington Catholic:

This one will be a grudge match. Catholic beat the Patriots in the finals of the Farmers National Bank Fort Harrod Classic at Mercer County back in December. I’m guessing neither team has forgotten about that 2 point win since. Lexington Catholic won’t have long to lick their wounds from the Scott County game before this one either.

 

Henry Clay @ Lafayette:

Any time you have a game between two Lexington-Fayette Publics, it’s going to be good, but until Jordan Green is back for Henry Clay, I don’t know how much you can really expect from the Blue Devils against Lafayette on their home floor.

 

Bryan Station @ Montgomery County:

I think this will be an incredibly tough one for the Defenders to pull out on the road. They seem to struggle with teams who have size, so I’m guessing MoCo’s Bryan Wallace and Dante Ciscero are licking their chops for this one.

 

Scott County @ Eastern:

Two coaches who’ve won State Championships squaring off. The difference is that David Henley’s title came at Holmes, and he doesn’t have that kind of talent at Eastern yet. The Eagles have had some good showings this year, but I think the Cards are just a different animal and playing them close at home the night after they host Oldham County would be a moral victory, whether most would admit it or not.

 

South Laurel @ Madison Central:

Madison Central has more talent than South Laurel and each team’s results reflect that, however, the Indians are still a young team and could be prone to a lapse if they overlook them. They’ll have had a full week off before the game, so staying focused and coming out sharp will be important.

 

Western Hills @ Tates Creek:

Western Hills is improving, but starts a stretch where they’ll play 3 road games in 3 days. It may be a trial by fire for a young team who is looking to end the year on a high note and take something to build on into the offseason. I think Jordan Fucci is the difference in this one as Tates Creek wins comfortably.

 

Bullitt East @ Woodford County:

Controversy in their LIT seeding aside, Bullitt East is a solid team who’ll present some real challenges for Woodford County. This one will be interesting.

 

Dunbar @ West Jessamine:

Insanely hot at this time last week, Dunbar will have to beat a solid Colts team on the road. Don’t be fooled by West Jess’ 10 losses, as some of those defeats came at the hands of the likes of St. Xavier, Montgomery County, Madison Central, and Southwestern Pulaski. They’ve also beaten a very good Doss team, LCA, Southwestern Pulaski, and Fleming County, so the Bulldogs need not take this one lightly. I’m going to be interested in seeing how Dunbar responds to their loss to Station in this one.

 

 

 

Wednesday, 2/19:

 

Western Hills @ Madison Southern:

One that could end up being a decent game, although the Eagles probably want to blow the doors off of the Wolverines as they prepare to advance to regionals.

 

 

 

Thursday, 2/20:

 

Lafayette @ Boyle County:

Boyle County is better than people give them credit for (and PurplePride92 is a fan, so there’s that). As Lee Corso might say, this one could be “closer than the experts think”.

 

Western Hills @ Lexington Christian Academy:

The Wolverines end a stretch of 3 road games in 3 days by visiting LCA.

 

Woodford County @ South Oldham:

Woodford is coming off of 3 straight losses, very likely 4 after a date with Bullitt East, so they Really need this one.

 

 

 

Friday, 2/21:

 

Scott County @ Dunbar:

Trying to rebound from consecutive losses after seeming to turn the corner, Dunbar might get a huge reality check from the Cardinals.

 

Lexington Catholic @ Wayne County:

Two proud programs with great tradition square off in Monticello. The Knights may be able to hurt the Cardinals on the interior, that is if they have anything left in the tank by that time.

 

Madison Central @ Covington Catholic:

I have a feeling we’re going to find out if the Indians are for real or not in this one. They don’t have to win, just show that they can play with the Colonels to convince me.

 

Madison Southern @ Frankfort:

Another game that both teams will likely be using as a tune-up to see where they stand heading into district.

Posted

Rankings look good. I might move Madison Central into the tier with Lexington Catholic.

 

I think Lex Cath could lose in the first round of District, or win the region, but I'm leaning toward an early exit for them.

Posted (edited)

Thank you for the post. One thing that continues to bother me, transfers in Lexington and Scott County. How many kids in SC's starting 5 didn't go to middle school in Scott County? Think about the boys that are born and raised in Georgetown that start in middle school but are stuck on the bench. What does this teach about team?

Edited by JokersWild24
Posted
Another great 11th region breakdown. I'm not even a big fan/follower of the 11th but always enjoy reading these updates. You do all this from Texas?

 

Thanks.

 

Yes, I do. I went to a ton of games on Christmas Break, watch all I can on iHigh, use the stat reports that schools like Lafayette that report their stats to the KHSAA, and most importantly, opened up a line of communication with people familiar with the programs who are awesome at helping me out with things like stats and info so I'm able to plug the kids. Sometimes those can come from the weirdest places (i.e., I got an awesome game report from a former college roommate who is now a teacher at an 11th Region school and was doing his duty to work the one ballgame a year). Before I moved to Texas, I watched TONS of 11th Region basketball in person when I lived in Lexington. Some of the schools have kids (i.e., Jackson Davis, Trent Gilbert, etc.) that I saw in person a lot.

Posted
Thank you for the post. One thing that continues to bother me, transfers in Lexington and Scott County. How many kids in SC's starting 5 didn't go to middle school in Scott County? Think about the boys that are born and raised in Georgetown that start in middle school but are stuck on the bench. What does this teach about team?

 

 

With Scott County, I think of it like this:

 

There might have been a point in time where this was more applicable as far as transfers go, but with Scott County's success, I'd say that a lot of kids come to them wanting to play there.

 

Think of it this way. You are Trent Gilbert's parents. He plays as a 7th/8th grader at Wolfe County. If he didn't go to Scott County, do you think he'd be getting the Mr. Basketball attention he gets now? Most people really legitimized Gilbert as a candidate in their mind after he had the big game against Ballard.

 

If you are his parents and you want the best chance of him getting a free ride to a college that's the best fit, do you really think he'd be able to do as much at Scott County as Wolfe County? Well, one option is to move to Georgetown before his freshman year and start school there, then go out for basketball. Regardless of how we feel about the situation, it's legal for a kid entering his freshman year, even if he's played varsity at another school, to move to a new one as a freshman.

 

I know that if Gilbert played at Wolfe County, I'd probably see a small kid who is undersized and puts up ridiculous numbers (he could legitimately average 40 a game for Wolfe) against lesser competition and say that I doubted he could do it against 11th Region schools. Colleges might see and think this same way.

 

Now, before Billy Hicks won 2 state titles, I think that saying "kids come to him" MIGHT not be as strong of an argument, but as of now, I definitely see why they would.

Posted

Something that came up in another thread, but I thought might be interesting to do as we went into the postseason:

 

Who are the Top 5-10 players in the 11th in each class?

 

I'll start.

 

Freshmen:

Jajuante Carpenter - Lafayette

 

Sophomores:

Darius Williams - Dunbar

Raekwon Long - Scott County

Cameron Thomas - Madison Central

 

Juniors:

Matt Rose - LCA

Jordan Fucci - Tates Creek

Jeremiah Tisdale - Henry Clay

 

Seniors:

Jackson Davis - Lafayette

Jordan Green - Henry Clay

Trent Gilbert - Scott County

Tanner Johnson - Lexington Catholic

Marcellous Washington - Bryan Station

Robert Dence - Lexington Catholic

Posted

Freshman class could probably add

-Taveion Hollingsworth (PL Dunbar)

-Dontell Brown (PL Dunbar)

-Luke Johnson (Lexington Catholic)

-Tre' King (Lexington Christian)

-Isaiah Patterson (Tates Creek)

Posted

As for Sophomores you could make an argument for

-Andre Davis (Bryan Station)

-Timothy Dunn (Bryan Station)

-Donovan Morris (Lexington Catholic)

-Trevor Hill (Lexington Christian)

-Harrison Lane (Lafayette)

-Ross Jenkins (Lafayette)

-Anthony Robinson (Frankfort)

-Jordan Houston (Henry Clay)

Posted

Some to consider for Juniors would be

-"Lucky" Jackson (Lafayette)

-C.J. Walker (Bryan Station)

-Drew Trimble (Lexington Christian)

-Tanner Johnson (Lexington Catholic)

-Jarod Griffin (Lexington Catholic)

-Reese Ryan (Lexington Catholic)

-TaQuan Claitt *SP? (Bryan Station)

-Hines Jones (Scott County)

Posted
Some to consider for Juniors would be

-"Lucky" Jackson (Lafayette)

-C.J. Walker (Bryan Station)

-Drew Trimble (Lexington Christian)

-Tanner Johnson (Lexington Catholic)

-Jarod Griffin (Lexington Catholic)

-Reese Ryan (Lexington Catholic)

-TaQuan Claitt *SP? (Bryan Station)

-Hines Jones (Scott County)

 

I had Johnson from Lex Cath listed as a Senior. Forgot that he was actually a Junior. Looking at all the classes now, there is quite a bit of balance. I think the sophomore class is especially talented when you consider how many of the kids play together.

 

Lexington Catholic gets a lot back next year in the Junior class as well.

Posted
With Scott County, I think of it like this:

 

There might have been a point in time where this was more applicable as far as transfers go, but with Scott County's success, I'd say that a lot of kids come to them wanting to play there.

 

Think of it this way. You are Trent Gilbert's parents. He plays as a 7th/8th grader at Wolfe County. If he didn't go to Scott County, do you think he'd be getting the Mr. Basketball attention he gets now? Most people really legitimized Gilbert as a candidate in their mind after he had the big game against Ballard.

 

If you are his parents and you want the best chance of him getting a free ride to a college that's the best fit, do you really think he'd be able to do as much at Scott County as Wolfe County? Well, one option is to move to Georgetown before his freshman year and start school there, then go out for basketball. Regardless of how we feel about the situation, it's legal for a kid entering his freshman year, even if he's played varsity at another school, to move to a new one as a freshman.

 

I know that if Gilbert played at Wolfe County, I'd probably see a small kid who is undersized and puts up ridiculous numbers (he could legitimately average 40 a game for Wolfe) against lesser competition and say that I doubted he could do it against 11th Region schools. Colleges might see and think this same way.

 

Now, before Billy Hicks won 2 state titles, I think that saying "kids come to him" MIGHT not be as strong of an argument, but as of now, I definitely see why they would.

 

So the 7 footer just heard about how wonderful Billy is?

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