Saturday, January 4th, at North Oldham HS Champions of KY Hoopfest

Tip at 6 pm

Live video coverage begins at 5:30 pm on The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN

 

Rematch of the 12/28/19 game in Lexington won by PLD, 62-52.

 

No word yet on whether North's star, Justin Powell, will be back. North fell to PLD in Lexington by 10 without Powell.

 

Interestingly, North has played three complete games this year without Powell, and has scored exactly 52 points in all three games - all losses.

 

North is 6-5 as of this writing, and has lost four straight (three straight since losing Powell to injury against Frederick Douglas.) The Mustangs will have a game before this game, facing Bradford (Starke) of Florida on Friday.

 

Without Powell, North is still a very good team. The Mustangs are on a four game losing streak, but have still acquitted themselves well against a brutal schedule. If Powell ultimately comes back, this stretch can do nothing but help steel this team for the post-season. If he doesn't come back, then North is getting plenty of time to adjust to life without the 8th Region Player of the Year / state Mr Basketball candidate.

 

You really can't easily replace 22.2 ppg / 8.5 rebounds, but more difficult to replace is Powell's passing. North will continue to try to feed their twin posts - Tyler Higdon (SR) and Ian Higdon (FR), who are both playing well. But the Higdon's will likely need more rebounds against a sizable PLD team; North managed only 21 rebounds as a team in the last meeting, with the Higdon's both grabbing 6. North certainly still has enough offensive firepower; Tyler Higdon and guard Dallas Roberts are both averaging in double figures, and Ian Higdon is just below 10 ppg. Austin (Rico) Carr-Cole had a team-high 17 points, including 3 threes, against the Bulldogs last time and seems to be coming into his own as a scorer. Look for North to also try to get more from Thomas Ashton, who had seven in the last meeting.

 

But the board work looks to be the key.

 

Paul Laurence Dunbar is 4-7 going into a big game with Oldham County at the Champions of KY Hoopfest on Friday. The Bulldogs have won 2 of their last 3, but fell in their last outing by 6 to Tates Creek. Tim Hall had 19 against the Commodores, and the Bulldogs shot 48% from the floor, but they hit only 9 of 16 at the stripe, which may have proven costly in the close game.

 

Scoring has sometimes been erratic for PLD; the Bulldogs have scored over 60 points only 4 times in eleven games - they have also scored under 50 points in four of those games.

 

A lot was expected from the Bulldogs this year; a sweep of the Mustangs in two games in the span of 8 days would be a real feather in their cap and would help provide momentum to start 2020.

 

Video broadcast coverage begins at 5:30 pm ET on The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN

 

CM

If Powell plays N. Oldham wins, if not PLD wins.

If Powell plays N. Oldham wins, if not PLD wins.

 

North has played three full games without Powell, and has scored just 52 points in each. That will have to improve - the Mustangs have scorers, but will have to bring that number up if they expect to contend to get out of district 29 this year.

Live video coverage begins at 5:30 pm ET at The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN

 

I will post updates as I can during the broadcast.

 

CM

24 minutes till tip

5:35 left in first

 

North Oldham 11

Paul Dunbar 0

 

PLD playing wo leading scorer Tim Hall

end of one

 

North Oldham 21

Paul Dunbar 11

 

Dallas Roberts of NO with a big three off the right wing just before the quarter ending buzzer

 

Tyler Higdon of NO with 11 points

2:18 left in half

 

NO 31-27

HALF

 

North Oldham 35

Paul Dunbar 27

Dallas Roberts and Tyler Higdon each with 13 points for North.

 

NO - FG 57.9% Threes 57.1% (4 of 7) FTs 81.8% (9 of 11)

Is Powell back playing?

End of three

 

PLD 55

North Oldham 49

Powell is still out.

 

Also out for North: Starter Luke Barry and sub Nick Kokoski

PLD Time

 

PLD 62

North 53

 

5:55 left

3:50

 

PLD 62-55