Two weeks into the season, and the Seventh Region already has no undefeated teams. To be fair, Male, Ballard, and St. X all lost to out-of-state teams, but the bottom line is that there will be no further talk about undefeated teams in the Seventh Region.

 

But there are plenty of teams winning plenty of games. Male looks to be as good as advertised, and Ballard also is looking strong. Multiple teams are off to impressive starts. This week, Seventh Region teams collectively went 15-4 against Kentucky teams from other regions.

 

The upcoming week brings lots of holiday tournaments. Male and Ballard are playing in the King of the Bluegrass, while multiple other teams are playing in the Century Mortgage Derby City Jam. I hope everyone can get out and see some good high school basketball over the holidays.

 

TEAM RANKINGS

 

1. Male Bulldogs (4-1)

 

Male remains the Region’s top-ranked team with two good wins against Sixth Region teams, beating Fern Creek 67-61 and Butler 63-48. Tyren Moore had 31 points against Fern Creek. Freshman Kaleb Glenn had his third double-double of the season in that game and is quickly establishing himself as one of the Region’s best players regardless of age. The Bulldogs host the Brown Bears on Tuesday before participating in the King of the Bluegrass Tournament at Fairdale beginning on Thursday, opening against South Oldham.

 

2. Ballard Bruins (2-1)

 

Ballard was not at full strength in its only game this week, losing to the defending Virginia independent state champion Blue Ridge School 76-60 in a game played as part of the Mike Murphy Classic at Mason County. The Bruins open play in the King of the Bluegrass Tournament on Thursday against Trotwood-Madison, last season’s Ohio Division II state champion.

 

3. Waggener Wildcats (3-2)

 

Waggener had a terrific week, going 3-0 with wins against Atherton (76-57), Southern (83-67), and South Oldham (64-63). Dallas Rufus leads the Wildcats in scoring at 18.4 ppg while Richard White contributes 12.4 ppg. The win against South Oldham, one of the better teams in the Eighth Region, was impressive enough to move Waggener up in the rankings. The Wildcats host Seneca on Tuesday and then will play in the Century Mortgage Derby City Jam.

 

4. St. Xavier Tigers (4-1)

 

The Tigers are off to a great start, even with one of its leading returnees, Kyle Bansbach, not playing yet because of injury. With Nicholas Mosley leading the way with 19 points, St. X beat Central 74-53. The Tigers then suffered their first loss of the season, losing to a team from Kankakee, Illinois 54-50 in overtime, a game in which the Tigers were also missing Mekhi Smith. St. X plays KCD on Wednesday before participating in the Warren East Holiday Hoops Classic.

 

5. Trinity Shamrocks (3-3)

 

Trinity continues to play nothing but close games. The Rocks beat Seneca 55-54 but then fell to Bardstown 46-42 and to Fern Creek 55-49. The six point margin in the Fern Creek game is the largest scoring differential in any of Trinity’s six games this season. The Shamrocks face Collins, the top-ranked team from the Eighth Region, in Thursday’s opening game of the King of the Bluegrass Tournament at Fairdale.

 

6. Eastern Eagles (4-1)

 

Eastern is one of the teams that had a tremendous week, beating Christian Academy (67-59), Henry Clay (58-46), and DeSales (63-47). Through the first four games, sophomore James Jewell was leading the Eagles in scoring at 15.2 ppg. Christian Spalding was not far behind at 13.2 ppg. The Eagles head to Clinton County to play in the Twin Lakes Classic beginning on Friday.

 

7. Dupont Manual Crimsons (4-1)

 

The Crimsons followed a 73-37 win over St. Francis with an impressive 69-61 win over the Fern Creek Tigers on Friday. Manual plays Shawnee on Tuesday before participating in the Century Mortgage Derby City Jam.

 

8. Seneca Redhawks (2-4)

 

Seneca suffered a heart-breaking 55-54 loss to Trinity before gaining its first two wins of the season, beating Iroquois 70-60 and Kentucky Country Day 95-67. DelShawn Simms continues to pour in the points for the Redhawks, averaging 21.6 ppg through the first five games. After playing Waggener on Tuesday, Seneca will participate in the Century Mortgage Derby City Jam.

 

9. Central Yellowjackets (1-2)

 

The Yellowjackets notched their first win of the season against Shawnee on Friday night, prevailing 66-49. Earlier in the week Central fell to the St. X Tigers 74-53. Through the first two games, Jalen Price was leading Central in scoring at 10.5 ppg. The Yellowjackets play Portland Christian on Tuesday before facing Fern Creek as part of the Century Mortgage Derby City Jam on Friday.

 

10. Christian Academy of Louisville Centurions (2-1)

 

CAL had wins over Shelby County (80-44) and Breathitt County (63-62) sandwiched around a 67-59 loss to Eastern. Senior Jacob Sangalli averaged 18.5 ppg through the first two games. CAL plays KCD on Tuesday and then will participate in the Kentucky Bank Challenge at Rowan County.

 

11. Louisville Collegiate Titans (5-1)

 

Collegiate won all three of the games it played this week, beating Brown (66-38), Western (48-33), and Henry County (81-45). While Western was playing without three players who had been suspended, you play the teams your opponents put on the floor, and the Titans beat the teams that were put on the floor against them and now stand 5-1. Collegiate hosts the Louisville Collegiate Classic next weekend, with its schedule showing games against Anderson County and Iroquois.

 

12. Shawnee Golden Eagles (3-1)

 

After beating Portland Christian 97-64 to go 3-0 to start this season, Shawnee suffered its first loss of the season, falling to Central 66-49. The Eagles play Manual on Tuesday and then will play in the Portland Christian Holiday Classic.

 

13. Kentucky Country Day Bearcats (1-4)

 

The Bearcats had a tough week, going 0-3 with losses to Whitefield Academy (85-74), Western (71-54), and Seneca (95-67). On this week’s schedule for the Bearcats are games against CAL and St. X.

 

14. Walden Wolverines (5-2)

 

The Wolverines had a perfect 3-0 week with wins over Burgin (63-60), Frankfort Christian (59-18), and Maysville St. Patrick (73-65). Walden has a game on Friday against L.I.G.H.T. a home school team from Danville.

 

15. Atherton Rebels (1-3)

 

After falling to Waggener 76-57 earlier in the week, Atherton got into the winner’s column on Friday with a 76-68 victory over the St. Francis Wyverns. The Rebels move up in the rankings as a result of that win. Atherton plays in the Arby’s/KFC Holiday Classic at McCreary Central over the weekend.

 

16. St. Francis Wyverns (1-4)

 

The Wyverns dropped both games they played this week, falling to Manual (73-37) and Atherton (76-68). The Wyverns will play in the Kentucky Bank Challenge at Rowan County this weekend.

 

17. Portland Christian Eagles (0-3)

 

The Eagles played just once this week, losing to Shawnee 97-64. Portland Christian plays Central on Tuesday before hosting the Portland Christian School Holiday Classic over the weekend.

 

18. Brown Bears (0-6)

 

The season’s first win still eludes Brown, which dropped games this past week to Collegiate (66-38) and Whitefield Academy (62-48). Through the first five games, Josiah Bibb was leading the Bears in scoring at 18.8 ppg. Brown plays the top-ranked Male Bulldogs on Tuesday and then will participate in the Portland Christian School Holiday Classic.

Bump.