The first week of high school basketball is in the wraps in the 13th Region, and with that said, I’m not going to waste any time getting into the rankings. Starting next week, I’ll have more of an complete Notebook, but for now, let’s get to the 13th Region’s Top 10.

 

1. Corbin (3-0 overall, 2-0 against 13th Region opponents) – Tony Pietrowski’s squad has already flexed their muscles by picking up an impressive 69-67 win over 14th Region power Perry Central. The key to this team so far is the play of freshman Andrew Taylor, who is scoring at will against opponents.

 

2. Clay County (2-0, 2-0) – The Tigers slipped past Oneida Baptist by 12 points, but handed Bell County a big loss, and will be in action Tuesday, Dec. 9 against No. 1 ranked Corbin. Clay County has been led by Blake Smith, who leads the team with a 25.5 scoring average and 6.5 rebounds per game.

 

3. Knox Central (0-1, 0-0) – The Panthers lost their opener against Bryan Station, but showed they can play with the big boys. The loss of outside threat Jeffrey Adams is going to hurt, though.

 

4. Harlan County (2-0, 0-0) – The Black Bears have picked up two big wins by defeating Letcher Central, and Wolfe County. They flew under the radar during the pre-season, so we’re going to see what they are made of Tuesday on the road against No. 3 Knox Central.

 

5. North Laurel (1-2, 0-0) – The team with the most talent in the region isn’t clicking good right now. I can’t put my finger on it, but something just isn’t right with North Laurel. Adam Sizemore is fitting in at the point guard position, and Peyton Broughton scored 32 points against Rockcastle County before scoring 39 against Apollo. The key to North Laurel is to get consistent play from their post players.

 

6. Williamsburg (0-0, 0-0) – The Yellow Jackets won’t play their first game until Friday, and don’t expect a quick start for the team, who’s majority of players will be coming straight in from the football field. With that said, the Yellow Jackets could be one of the most athletic teams in the region this season.

 

7. South Laurel (2-0, 0-0) – The Cardinals are off to an impressive 2-0 start, most in part due to a stingy defense, which is allowing only 47 points per game while center Caleb Taylor is turning in impressive efforts in the paint. He had 23 points, 22 rebounds and eight blocks during South Laurel’s win over Madison Southern this past week.

 

8. Barbourville (3-0, 2-0) – The Tigers are 3-0 and have picked up some pretty impressive wins along the way. Guard Brently Perry is leading the way with a 22.7 scoring average, connecting on 10-of-17 shot attempts from three-point range and shooting 65 percent from the floor (23-of-35).

 

9. Whitley County (1-1, 1-0) – The Colonels took one on the chin against Wayne County, losing 76-59, but will be in a big game Tuesday against No. 7 South Laurel.

 

10. Jackson County (2-1, 0-1) – The Generals have been a pleasant surprise, and almost had No. 1 Corbin beat before losing in McKee. Jacob Hammonds is leading the way with a 24-point scoring average.

 

Player of the Week

Blake Smith, Clay County – Smith is torching the nets right now, averaging 25.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game for the defending 13th Region champion.

 

Big Games this Week

Tuesday, Dec. 9

Clay County at Corbin

Harlan County at Knox Central

Whitley County at South Laurel

 

Friday, Dec. 12

North Laurel at Clay County

Barbourville at Whitley County

Great write up on the region. There's no doubt about Blake Smith's ability. He is a stud. His average would be alot higher had he played more minutes. What's crazy is he is averaging 25 a game while shooting almost 75 %. I think Clay is #1 until someone beats them but this week will tell alot with games at Corbin and vs North.

What happened to Jeffrey Adams for Knox Central?

I was told leg injury of some sort, but I'm not 100%

I was told leg injury of some sort, but I'm not 100%

 

Micro Fracture in his knee. May return in February at the earliest.

Best wishes to the kid. I hate to see anyone have that sort of injury.