Congratulations to the Ballard Bruins on winning the King of the Bluegrass tournament once again. The Bruins are worthy champions. Ballard followed up its KOB championship with a strong performance at the Kentucky Lake Showcase. Sophomore Maker Bar has been declared eligible and adds to an already strong lineup for Ballard, which will get even stronger with the return from injury of senior Rashad Bishop.

 

But no one is ready to hand the Seventh Region title to Ballard. While Male lost in the KOB to North Oldham and its star Justin Powell, the Bulldogs can beat anybody at any given time and look forward to Howard Fleming's return from injury. The Seneca Redhawks are on a 10-game winning streak. St. X is 10-2, Collegiate is 9-2, and Eastern and Manual are both 8-4. There are lots of really good teams in the Seventh Region. I am looking forward to the matchups between some of them in the coming weeks.

 

One of those anticipated matchups comes this Sunday when the St. X Tigers and the Trinity Shamrocks face off at Bellarmine University. St. X is off to an impressive 10-2 start, while Trinity is at 6-6 but has suffered no bad losses. It should be a good one.

 

Sunday also is the day when the field of the 73rd Louisville Invitational Tournament will be announced. The LIT field will be made up of the 16 teams from the Sixth and Seventh Regions who rank the highest on the Seth Ratings as of January 5. The LIT is always one of the highlights of the Louisville high school basketball season.

 

TEAM RANKINGS

 

1. Ballard Bruins (9-1)

 

It was a very good week for the Bruins. Ballard started the week by winning the King of the Bluegrass tournament with an 82-72 win over North Oldham. It was the Bruins’ fifth KOB championship. Freshmen Jack Edelen and Gabe Sisk were named to the KOB All-Tournament Team. Ballard then finished the week by going 3-0 in the Kentucky Lake Showcase, beating the host Marshall County Marshals 76-61 and beating two out-of-state teams by an average of 33 points. And remember, Ballard is doing all of this without Rashad Bishop. The Bruins host Pleasure Ridge Park Friday night.

 

2. Male Bulldogs (8-2)

 

The Bulldogs bounced back from their loss to North Oldham the prior week to defeat Collins 83-72 to take third place in the King of the Bluegrass tournament in the only game they played this week. Male heads to New Orleans to begin play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic beginning on Thursday. I am not sure when Howard Fleming will be back for the Bulldogs, but I hope it is soon.

 

3. St. Xavier Tigers (10-2)

 

St. X had a busy week, starting with the Tigers beating the previously undefeated Ohio County Eagles 75-62 to claim the championship of the Warren East Hoops Classic on Monday. After Christmas, the Tigers went to South Laurel to participate in the Legacy Nissan Dribble Drive Challenge. The Tigers advanced to the championship game with wins over Cincinnati Roger Bacon (77-49) and Bell County (61-57) but fell in the title game to host South Laurel 67-56. The Tiger take on rival Trinity on Sunday in what could be a very entertaining game.

 

4. Seneca Redhawks (10-4)

 

The Redhawks are red hot, extending their win streak to 10 games with three wins in the Panther Holiday Shootout by Bingham Tire at Knox County Central. Seneca’s victims in that tournament were Gallatin County (65-54), Cordia (69-58), and Western (55-52), The Redhawks have an away game at Western on Friday.

 

5. Waggener Wildcats (6-6)

 

Waggener went 1-1 in the Carespring Holiday Classic at Highlands. After dispatching Campbell County 63-62, the Wildcats fell in a big way to the host (and undefeated) Highlands Bluebirds 91-57. The Wildcats visit the Moore Mustangs on Friday.

 

6. Trinity Shamrocks (6-6)

 

Trinity traveled to St. Louis to participate in the Chaminade Christmas Classic. The Rocks continued their streak of close games with an opening round 39-37 win over Hazelwood (MO) West and then broke its season-long run of close games with a 63-36 win over St. Louis Riverside Gardens. Trinity returned to its close game trend with a 55-50 loss to the host Chaminade team, who is undefeated this season. I get the sense that Trinity is getting better as they gain more experience. Trinity has a great opportunity to show where it is at when it takes on rival St. Xavier on Sunday.

 

7. Eastern Eagles (8-4)

 

Playing in the Central Bank Classic at Lexington Christian, the Eagles had a 75-63 win over West Jessamine but dropped games to a good McCracken County team (63-59) and to Lloyd Memorial (72-63). Eastern hosts the City of Middletown Holiday Classic starting on Thursday.

 

8. Dupont Manual Crimsons (8-4)

 

Manual went 2-1 in the Campbellsville High School Holiday Classic with wins over Taylor County (76-48) and Campbellsville (58-41) and a loss to the undefeated Elizabethtown Panthers (68-48). The Crimsons are taking this week off.

 

9. Louisville Collegiate Titans (9-2)

 

Collegiate had a week to remember in the Roy’s Bar-B-Que/First Southern National Bank Classic. The Titans opened with a 70-66 win over a solid Owensboro Catholic squad that extended its win streak to eight. Collegiate saw its win streak end there when a last second 3-pointer gave the Great Crossing Warhawks a 55-54 victory over the Titans. But the Titans had some heroics of their own the next night against Clinton County. With most of its starters having fouled out, the Titans battled from behind in the 4th quarter and beat Clinton County 59-57 when Smith Lewandowski came up with a steal and scored the winning basket with 1.5 seconds left. Quite a week for the Titans, who are making a push to get into the field of the Louisville Invitational Tournament. Collegiate plays Holy Cross on Friday in a game that may have significance as to whether Collegiate gets in the LIT. The Titans then play Hart County on Saturday.

 

10. Central Yellowjackets (4-6)

 

Central played in the Traditional Bank Classic at Lexington Catholic this week, falling 64-44 to a very good Madisonville-North Hopkins team but then bouncing back to beat the Paintsville Tigers 64-59. In its third game in the tournament, Central fell to Tates Creek 56-51. The Yellowjackets will play in the City of Middletown Holiday Classic beginning on Thursday.

 

11. Christian Academy of Louisville Centurions (4-5)

 

CAL lost the three games it played this week in the Gateway Holiday Classic at Montgomery County, losing to Robertson County (79-72), Montgomery County (64-39), and Mason County (70-62). The Centurions are not scheduled to play again until January 8.

 

12. Shawnee Golden Eagles (6-2)

 

The Golden Eagles moved to an impressive 6-2 on the season with a 74-65 win over the host Whitefield Academy in the Whitefield Down Syndrome Classic. Shawnee will participate in the Beth Haven Holiday Classic starting on Thursday.

 

13. Kentucky Country Day Bearcats (1-6)

 

The Bearcats did not play this week and do not play again until January 6.

 

14. Atherton Rebels (3-5)

 

Atherton completed its participation in the Arby’s/KFC Holiday Classic on Monday with a 61-58 loss to the host McCreary Central Raiders in its only game this week. The Rebels play McLean County on Monday before joining host Eastern and Central in playing in the City of Middletown Holiday Classic starting on Thursday.

 

15. Walden Wolverines (6-3)

 

Walden’s 4-game winning streak came to an end with a 56-54 loss to Danville Christian on Friday. The Wolverines play Frederick Fraize on Monday in the only game on their schedule this week.

 

16. St. Francis Wyverns (1-6)

 

The Wyverns did not play this week but will be back in action starting on Thursday in the Beth Haven Holiday Classic.

 

17. Portland Christian Eagles (1-6)

 

Portland Christian lost the only game it played this week, falling to Christian Fellowship 63-52 in the Whitefield Down Syndrome Classic. The Eagles face Fort Knox on Friday and Calvary Christian on Saturday.

 

18. Brown Bears (1-8)

 

Brown was idle this week but will join Shawnee and St. Francis in the Beth Haven Holiday Classic beginning on Thursday.

Does anyone know when Bishop for Ballard and Fleming for Male will return? I am hoping they'll be back for thr LIT in mid January.

I know nothing for sure, but I would not be surprised if both are back by then.

Elijah Priest for Male who started for the Bulldogs for half the season has been out due to shoulder surgery. He will return in Jan.

Walking wounded in 7th. My Tigers been playing well without two starters. 7th going to be tough come March when all these teams healthy.

Bump.