11th vs. 12th - Sweet 16 First Round

[JokersWild24]

Lots of possibilities for games in this one. Saw a post from moooremiller31 about all the possible rematches that could happen and started thinking...

 

I thought it'd be fun to talk about the possibilities and games that everyone would most like to see from a fan perspective since these are two regions that are wide open and there are so many different ways you can slice it.

[JokersWild24]

Below is the mooremiller31 quote with the possible rematches, and a link to the draw thread.

 

http://bluegrasspreps.com/ky-boys-basketball/khsaa-sweet-16-a-298176-page4.html

 

 

Hey now don't leave me out of that conversation Joker. By the way saw my man PurplePride say the 11th was the best region in the state yesterday on the CW2 show. PP92 you said it and can't take it back. I'm gonna record and save the video!!!

 

In all honesty though tons of intriguing matchups are possible in the first round for the 11th vs 12th, a lot of possible rematches from games this year. For example:

 

Lincoln County vs. Bryan Station

Boyle County vs. Lexington Catholic

Lincoln County vs. LCA

Boyle County vs. Dunbar

Wayne County vs. Scott County

Wayne County vs. Dunbar

Lincoln County vs. Lafayette

 

Just tons of matchups that some teams would like to see and others wouldn't!! Can't wait for it all!!

[BlacknGold]

Boyle vs Bryan Station

Boyle Vs LCA

[KYBleacherButt]

From a rematch perspective...

 

I'd like to see Boyle Co get another shot at Lexington Catholic.

I also wouldn't mind seeing Boyle Co against Dunbar with Elkins.

I'd also like to see Lincoln Co against LCA. That game may have been the best I've seen LCA play all year.

Or Lincoln Co against Bryan Station. Again, that is probably the best game I've seen Bryan Station play all year. Though the big boy for Lincoln, likely played football, didn't play in that game.

I'll get to see Wayne Co and Scott Co play again tomorrow but that was a hell of a game.

Wayne Co vs Dunbar was one of the best games I've seen this year in terms of excitement. It's hard to go wrong with a 1 point game when both teams score 80+.

 

With that said, I think any of the potential matchups will be good. I have no doubt that that game will be a good one to watch because whoever it is that makes it from either region is going to have to earn it on multiple nights. Many regions are 1-2 teams deep in terms of the top quality and other teams have a chance to sneak in. Whatever two teams make it to Rupp from those regions will have already proved to me they can beat anyone at Rupp just by getting through those regions.

[mooremiller31]

Dunbar vs. Wayne County for selfish reasons of course!

[JokersWild24]

From the standpoint of a fan, here's the match-ups I'd find most intriguing if I could ONLY use each team from the 11th one time (had to use two teams from the 12th twice):

 

Bryan Station vs. Wayne County:

Guard play vs. guard play, but contrasting styles nonetheless. Would be interesting to see what won out-- the Defenders' athleticism and relentless full court pressure or the Cards' precision and fundamentally sound game.

 

Lexington Catholic vs. Boyle County:

Rematch from the Traditional Bank Classic @ Lexington Catholic... Boyle County was coming off of wins vs. Bryan Station, Covington Catholic, and Apollo and playing their 4th game in as many days... Lexington Catholic was coming off of wins vs. Betsy Lane and Casey County, and was only playing their 3rd game in the same stretch. Not really as many teams in the 11th with the kind of size you usually see, so maybe the best matchup in terms of having something to neutralize Elkins would be Lexington Catholic's famed 2-2-1, 3/4 court press.

 

Lexington Christian Academy vs. West Jessamine:

Former district mates a decade ago in the old 42nd, both teams' profiles have risen since (though I know West Jess almost won the 11th a few times, but could never seem to get past Lexington Catholic). West Jessamine is guard heavy, and with kids like Rose, Trimble, and Rode, so is LCA, meaning that it could be a really fun one to watch. None of the kids playing in the game would have been old enough to even be in middle school the last two times these teams shared a district, but you can bet that there'd be some fans remembered those games.

 

Henry Clay vs. Mercer County:

The one-man wrecking crew that is Isaiah Tisdale of Henry Clay vs. Malik Dow, Trevon Faulkner, and Will Hager of Mercer County. Don't count out the Devil's underrated supporting cast of Felix Wilson, Jordan Houston, and Dakahari Campbell either though. In having almost slain both Ballard and Trinity, I doubt anyone wants to face Henry Clay at the top of their game.

 

Dunbar vs. Southwestern Pulaski:

Young guards could steal the show. Hollingsworth and Williams of Dunbar against Fitzgerald, Cromer, Gover, and Butt of Southwestern could be special. Lots of seniors rounding out the lineup for Dunbar could be the difference, but SW Pulaski has a few of their own in Gaskin and Isaacs.

 

Madison Central vs. Lincoln County:

Triple OT thriller only a few weeks ago. Lincoln County might have the style, but there's definite substance to the Indians' grind. Cameron Thomas and Sam Jones of Central are great players in their own right, though Lincoln County's Timmy Taylor and Jacob Conway would probably get most of the press coming in. Lincoln County might be "the face that launched 1,000 ships" in the whole Joker/Mooremiller31 vs. PurplePride92 "11th vs. 12th Region Debate", as it was their win over Lexington Catholic in 12th Region territory early last season that started to really fire up the 11th vs. 12th debate.

 

Scott County vs. Southwestern Pulaski:

The #1 active coach on Kentucky's HS All-Time Wins list vs. the #3 active coach. Billy Hicks vs. Steve Wright goes back to the days when they coached neighboring schools and big time rivals in Corbin and Laurel County/South Laurel. Each might not have the exact lineup that they'd envisioned over the summer, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't have the potential to be a classic if they wound up facing off, with both teams looking to rely on their guard/wing play to carry them to victory.

 

Lafayette vs. Boyle County:

The two have scheduled one another late in the season the past two years, with Boyle County getting the win last season and the game having yet to be played in this one. With no offense meant to Sam Jones of Madison Central, Jordan Fucci of Tates Creek, Dontelle Brown of Dunbar, Tequan Claitt of Bryan Station, or Drew Trimble of LCA (who I could all see matching up with Elkins well for a variety of reasons), Lafayette's junior Ross Jenkins might have the right combination of height and bulk to make him the best player from a team on this list to match-up with Colton Elkins inside. Boyle Co. point guard Jeremiah Bell would have to withstand the waves of full-court pressure that the Generals will throw at team. Hagen Tyler would need to be huge as well, but that might be easier said than done with Lucky Jackson checking him defensively. The Generals have been more up and down than maybe anyone in the 11th this year, but I'm still intrigued by chance for revenge against Boyle County in this year's regular season finale.

[JokersWild24]

Dunbar vs. Wayne County for selfish reasons of course!

 

Was really tempted to list that one. I'd be really interested to see them play Station though, because you don't see two teams who are traditionally so heavily reliant on guard play and overcoming a lack of size play such different styles as these two do.

 

I can honestly say that, based on what I've seen from them this year and over the course of past years, there isn't a result from that game that would surprise me if it were played in Rupp (especially given that the State games won't see the whistles punish teams for being physical as much as you see in the regular season).

 

You always hear that teams who press don't like to be pressed.

 

 

Wouldn't shock me if Wayne County was just so disciplined in their press offense that they picked Station apart there, and had such a good game plan defensively that they frustrated them and forced bad shots. The last thing you want to do against a Wayne County team is to get down and start having to play the foul game, because they'll make their free throws, so it's not really a team that Station would want to get behind on, especially as much as they'd want to turn up the pressure.

 

Could also see some scenarios where Wayne County's execution just carries them, especially having been there before. Woods is one of the best coaches in the State, and he's been in the situation where he's had to play teams that are far more athletic than he a number of times, so you know he'd have something up his sleeve. Maybe it's a situation where he does into a zone or match-up zone, then sits back and takes his chances with Station shooting them out of it. Given that he'd have some prep-time before the game if they met at State, you could see them putting in wrinkles. With the number of teams who don't shoot well in a big, unfamiliar arena, especially one with the lights as bright as Rupp, packing it in and hoping that a team who doesn't shoot particularly well anyway does just that is a chance worth taking.

 

 

Same time, wouldn't shock me if Station was so athletic and their physicality, especially when it came to the size and speed of kids like Tequan Claitt and CJ Walker, just crushed the Cards. I could definitely see a scenario where Claitt owns the backboards. I don't know if Wayne has a guard that would be capable of just blocking Walker out one on one given how physical as he is (All-City WR in Football) and how well he jumps.

 

I know that overall, Wayne County rebounds the ball pretty well overall, but look at their numbers against athletic teams. Scott County out rebounded them 41-34, and Dunbar 35-29. Definitely a different game on the glass for them when they play the 11th. That just isn't who Wayne County is.

 

If Station's guards defend well enough to just play straight man, get in the guy's face and dare him to drive around you with Claitt waiting at the rim, then you could see Wayne struggling to go one-on-one and still create looks. If Station finds a way to turn it into a track meet, whether it be outlets off of defensive rebounds or turnovers off of pressure, then that's not good if you are Wayne.

 

All that aside, and this is a big IF, but IF Station's guards are making some contested shots, then that's not really something that you see Wayne having an answer for defensively. Some of the most athletic teams in the 11th don't want the game to turn into a track meet and are willing to live with Station shooting them out of their first defensive option before anything else. They do that because there aren't really a ton of other things that you are really dying to try against them. If you are Wayne Co especially, then there's not really a great answer for where you go or what you do if they have a guy making shots with a hand in his face. Made shots are also double trouble because as soon as they start closing out too hard, there's a chance that Station misses just turn into de-facto passes to Claitt or guards who've slipped in underneath.

 

 

How it'd actually play out is probably somewhere in the middle, going back and forth between Wayne slowing it down and frustrating Station for awhile and Station playing up-tempo and getting some of those runs that they are known for. Overall, the biggest key to the game overall would be if Davis and Carson's ability to make shots is enough to carry Station through slower stretches that you know Wayne would eventually find a way to force them into.

 

Regardless, no result surprises me if those two meet.

[Knights]

Lexington Catholic still has games versus Lincoln and Wayne County to go this season, if the Knights survive the region its probably going to be a rematch game in the first round for them.

[JokersWild24]

Lexington Catholic still has games versus Lincoln and Wayne County to go this season, if the Knights survive the region its probably going to be a rematch game in the first round for them.

 

Brings up an interesting question about how you approach those games if you are Lexington Catholic, Lincoln County, or Wayne County. You want to win, but now knowing that you'll potentially be playing them in the first game in the State Tournament if things work out might make either side hesitant to pull out all the stops, so to speak.

[PurplePride92]

By the end of the season Boyle County will have seen:

 

Bryan Station

LexCath

Dunbar

Lexington Christian

Lafayette

[PurplePride92]

Brings up an interesting question about how you approach those games if you are Lexington Catholic, Lincoln County, or Wayne County. You want to win, but now knowing that you'll potentially be playing them in the first game in the State Tournament if things work out might make either side hesitant to pull out all the stops, so to speak.

 

Won't matter. Every team will still be playing to win regardless.

[JokersWild24]

Won't matter. Every team will still be playing to win regardless.

 

The team might be playing to win, and I understand that, but if I'm coaching, I would prefer to keep something up my sleeve if we had to play again.

[ky playmaker]

Joker I agree most coaches do. When sw played wayne co sw didnt run a single set the whole game. Its all they work on in practice. Against knott we did run some of the stuff we been working on.

[ky playmaker]

With so much film out there today I am not so sure how much it helps but I would still not run some things against some teams in season.

[JokersWild24]

Agree ky playmaker. No incentive to really go all-out in a regular season game (with no seeding, etc. in play). Whether or not people think that it happens, it would be hard to convince me that it doesn't.

 

I don't think coaches tell kids to lose. I don't think they say they are going to do anything but win when asked about it. I think the players play as hard as they can.

 

But when it comes to two evenly matched teams, if I'm a coach and we're equal in every other aspect, then you can bet your bottom dollar I'm not going to throw the sink at you if I know I have to beat you later and think that it'd be to my advantage to hold off on using it until then.