"Two area boys' and two area girls' teams ranked in Kentucky AP prep basketball polls"

 

Warm off the presses of local12.com:

https://local12.com/sports/high-school-sports/two-area-boys-and-two-area-girlsteams-ranked-in-kentucky-ap-high-school-basketball-polls-preps-cincinnati-covington-catholic-notre-dame-highlands-simon-kenton

 

1. Ashland

2. Ballard

3. John Hardin

T4. Elizabethtown

T4. Male

6. Covington Catholic

7. Madisonville-North Hopkins

8. Lexington Catholic

9. Highlands

10. McCracken County

Ashland #1!?

 

It feels like 1971...

Ashland #1!?

 

It feels like 1971...

 

Or the Larry Conley days in the early 1960’s. Congrats to the Tomcats! Way to represent the 16th Region.

Ashland #1!?

 

It feels like 1971...

 

I think we all know they aren't the best team in the state. It is nice to see them get some recognition though.

 

They're gonna be fun to watch the next few years, this team is really young and the next couple of freshman classes have quite a bit of talent as well.

I think we all know they aren't the best team in the state. It is nice to see them get some recognition though.

 

They're gonna be fun to watch the next few years, this team is really young and the next couple of freshman classes have quite a bit of talent as well.

 

Another sad day for the Kentucky AP if you ask me.

Another sad day for the Kentucky AP if you ask me.

 

Are you saying you're not a fan of their voting system? Lol.

 

I honestly feel like it's been broken for so long now that the voters just "homer" it knowing that it doesn't matter anyway. That's been going on for a while but it wasn't always that way.

Actually, I have no comment.

Ashland #1!?

 

It feels like 1971...

 

Relevant:

 

Zack Klemme @zklemmeADI

 

Ashland is the first NEKY team to be No. 1 in the AP boys basketball poll since Paintsville the week of Dec. 16, 1986.

 

The Tomcats are the first eastern Kentucky team to be AP No. 1 since South Laurel the week of Feb. 21, 2006.

 

Stats courtesy of the great Curtis Crye @cryeC

I know a couple of AP voters and - in fairness to both of them - they take the poll very seriously and do a pretty significant amount of research to choose how to fill out their ballot.

 

But the bottom-line issues with the AP remain - the voters are too limited in number, and there are too many teams that go unseen. Regional bias is regional bias and I'm sure people could argue that the BGP Top 20 reflects some regional bias as well - but you can't erase that, you simply balance it out with lots of representation from lots of different places.

 

Actually, compared to AP polls I've seen very recently here the state, the one above isn't all that horrible. I don't agree with Ashland as the #1 team, and I think Highlands is a bit over-rated, but I have to at least concede that I would agree that most of these teams belong in the top 10.

 

For the AP, that's improvement.... :lol2:

I believe that they are at least close to having the top 10 teams in the pill. They may not be in the right order, but it's closer than I've seen in a while.

I believe that they are at least close to having the top 10 teams in the pill. They may not be in the right order, but it's closer than I've seen in a while.

 

I will agree with that.

I think CovCath might take their chances with the Tomcats.

I think we all know they aren't the best team in the state. It is nice to see them get some recognition though.

 

They're gonna be fun to watch the next few years, this team is really young and the next couple of freshman classes have quite a bit of talent as well.

My guess is what swayed some voters is Ashland has a 9 point win over Butler, the same team that demolished Elizabethtown the week after they knocked off number 1 John Hardin.

Not that summer scrimmages mean all that much but this past summer Ashland beat Ballard and LexCath and lost by 1 point to John Hardin. And that was with a starter out of the lineup. The Tomcats are not all that big but they’re pretty solid when clicking on all cylinders. They have 5 starters that can all make treys and know how to get players open for shots, and that is difficult for any team to guard.

My guess is what swayed some voters is Ashland has a 9 point win over Butler, the same team that demolished Elizabethtown the week after they knocked off number 1 John Hardin.

Not that summer scrimmages mean all that much but this past summer Ashland beat Ballard and LexCath and lost by 1 point to John Hardin. And that was with a starter out of the lineup. The Tomcats are not all that big but they’re pretty solid when clicking on all cylinders. They have 5 starters that can all make treys and know how to get players open for shots, and that is difficult for any team to guard.

 

I agree on your points and I do believe Ashland can beat anyone in the state on any given night. Given how well they move the ball, their defensive pressure and crucial halftime coaching adjustments they're a formidable opponent any night. When they're shooting lights out their opponent better be as well or it could be a long, frustrating game for them. That said, I still believe they are a good big man away from being the best in the state. They are close to that though.