Final per the update thread.

About what I thought.

OC has been playing really lights out here recently. They have a legit shot of winning it all this year. I still think they haven’t played a legit contender yet but if they can beat Collins, I think they can beat just about anyone. Still a lot of basketball left to play though.

Win it all = 8th Region?

OC has been playing really lights out here recently. They have a legit shot of winning it all this year. I still think they haven’t played a legit contender yet but if they can beat Collins, I think they can beat just about anyone. Still a lot of basketball left to play though.

 

Of course, SK beat Collins....

Knowing how both teams were playing very well....knowing both teams appeared to be pretty healthy....and knowing the history of the Oldham-SK rivalry (13 of the 17 games played since 2005-6 have been decided by less than 10 points, and the last three matchups were decided by a TOTAL of just 11 points)....I thought that this would be quite the tight game.

 

In the end, it wound up being the second-most lopsided game in the 18-game history of the series since SK joined the 8th Region in 2005-6. (Oldham won by 23 points on 2/5/2016, 75-52, the biggest margin of victory for either team in the series).

 

The first quarter set the stage. With the score 15-12 Oldham, the Colonels went on an 11-5 run to end the period, finishing the quarter up, 26-17. Oldham used its depth to its advantage early, keeping fresh legs on the court and pressuring SK with Coy Zerhusen's trademark 2-2-1. Ironically, the Pioneers did a pretty fair job of beating the press, but they struggled against the Colonels' half-court pressure defense, which repeatedly shut off SK's passing lanes, and trapped. Oldham forced a lot of turnovers in the first half, and as a result, SK took only 20 shots in the entire first half.

 

With over 5 minutes left in the first half, Hensley went to the SK bench with two fouls....that was huge. Hensley had been strong on the glass - he already had five rebounds - and SK really lost a lot with him on the bench.

 

Oldham's lead was 14 in the third when OC got back-to-back threes from Deaton Oak to push the lead to 20 and the Colonels never were really threatened again. Oak hit 5 of 6 shots in the third (including 4 of 5 beyond the arc in the third...he finished 5 of 7 beyond the arc for the game). Oak's 14 third quarter points all but slammed the door on any Pioneer comeback hopes.

 

These are two of the top shooting teams in the 8th Region, and you could tell.

 

The Colonels shot 55.6% overall, and 11 of 20 (55%) beyond the arc. Oldham hit 15 of 16 free throws for 93.8%. Oak led OC with 23 points; Tyler Slone had 19 points, and Sam Campbell 16. Five Colonels hit at least one three. The Oldham bench chipped in 18 points.

 

SK's Kelly Niece led all scorers with 29 points on an incredible 12 of 16 shooting. Davis - who was limited to just 4 points in the first half, scored 12 in the second half and finished with 16. Davis was, however, limited from the outside, where he hit just 1 of 6 threes. SK hit 59% from the floor, but only took 44 shots. The Pioneers were 9 of 12 at the line (75%) and made 7 of 15 threes.

 

Unofficially, though, SK had 18 turnovers.

 

Oldham won their 14th straight game and went to 10-0 at home. The Colonels have beaten most of the top 8th Region contenders - #19 South Oldham, North Oldham, Spencer County, and Simon Kenton. #9 Collins remains to be faced, and the Colonels will travel to Shelbyville to face the Titans next Tuesday.

 

That will be the Colonels' highest-regarded opponent this season, and the game will determine pretty much which team will head to New Castle as the region favorite (assuming no major district upset).

 

Congrats to Oldham on an impressive win tonight. Good luck to both the Colonels and Pioneers the rest of the way!

 

CM

Hensley has to stay out of foul trouble. That seems to be a nightly issue.