Our number one team loses its most productive player to injury - how much did that hurt?  COVID produces some strange juggling of schedules.  We have a new member of the 1,000 point club.  And as always; some stats won't include weekend results.  No changes in this week's rankings.  Let's get into it.

1).  Clark County (9-0) Jan. 29, 83-55 win vs. Mason County.

Previous rank - 1

This week - Feb. 2 at East Jessamine; Jan. 4 vs. Paris; Feb. 6 at Bracken County.

The answer to the question in the intro - it didn't hurt much.  With Jerone Morton nursing a broken wrist (4 weeks out is the initial prognosis) and the previous three games canceled, the Cardinals made easy work of visiting Mason County, cruising to a 28-point win.  Jared Wellman had 23 points (on 9-11 shooting) and 11 boards, while Aden Slone chipped in 17 to go with a handful of dimes.  Trent Edwards and Reed Edwards each reached double figures with 10 apiece.  Tuesday's game at East Jessamine will be the Cards' first test on the road without Morton; who has been averaging over 24 ppg on 50% shooting before being sidelined.

2).  Montgomery County (5-2) - Jan. 25, 86-62 win at Bracken County (a monumental upset per one of our Polar Bear faithful; I'm not so sure); Jan. 29, 84-45 win vs. Paris; Jan. 30, 88-81 win vs. Trinity.

Previous rank - 2

This week - Feb. 1 vs. Bracken County; Feb. 4 vs. Lexington Christian; Feb. 6 vs. Harrison County.

Harrison Hagen with 21 and Ricky Lovette with 15/12 in Brooksville.  Lovette joined the 1,000 point club in this one.  The same duo once again headed the scoring parade over Paris (23; 16/10) as the Indians shot a blistering 65% from the field.  But the game of the week (and maybe the game of the weekend in the entire Commonwealth) saw MoCo rally twice against perennial 7th region power Trinity and win an 88-81, double-overtime thriller.  Harrison with 28, Lovette with 21 and 11 (the guy's a double-double machine); with Eric Morgan and JT Woosley chipping in 14 and 13.  It didn't hurt that Coach Wright's charges went 21-24 from the charity stripe. 

3).  Robertson County (6-1) - Jan. 29, 88-68 win vs. Buckhorn; Jan. 30, 88-74 win at Buckhorn.

Previous rank - 3

This week - Feb. 3 vs. St. Patrick; Feb. 4 vs. Harrison County; Feb. 6 at Campbell County.

If the Scoreboard is correct - and I emphasize IF- then Friday and Saturday gave us maybe the most bizarre COVID scheduling event yet - Robertson home and away with Buckhorn - with the Black Devils scoring 88 points each time.  Next week's tilt at Campbell County is one of those "circle this one on your calendar" matchups.

4).  Scott (4-3) - Jan. 26, 60-85 loss to Highlands; Jan. 29, 67-65 win vs. Campbell County.

Previous rank - 5

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Conner; Feb. 4 vs. Boone County; Feb. 5 vs. Simon Kenton.

Grant Proffitt paced the Eagles in the lopsided loss to Highlands with 21 points; but the Friday tilt against Campbell County was all we expected it to be.  Scott led just about all the way, but the Camels clawed back to tie it at 65s with just over a minute to go.  Scott score with less than 3 seconds to play to seal the deal.  Once again it was Proffitt leading the way with 23; while Dasani Lane helped pick up the slack (Kyle Huelsman has been out since game 3 of the season) with a dozen points on 6-7 shooting.  Scott hosts three NKY squads this week.

5).  Mason County (6-3) - Jan. 29, 55-83 loss at Clark County; Jan. 30, 80-59 win vs. Lewis County.

Previous rank - 5

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Ryle; Feb. 5 at Fleming County; Feb. 6 vs. Elliott County.

The Royals took one on the chin at Winchester, and were never in the game despite GRC being bereft of the services of regional POY candidate Jerone Morton.  Terrell Henry scored 2 on 7-11 shooting; but the rest of the team was 12-37.  After a sluggish first half the next evening, and the Royals pulled away in the second stanza with Henry notching a career-high 36 points.  A rare week with no 10th region foes on the schedule coming up.

6).  Campbell County (5-3) - Jan. 29, 65-67 loss at Scott.

Previous rank - 6

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Simon Kenton; Feb. 5 vs. Bracken County; Feb. 6 vs. Robertson County.

Garrett Beiting hit three threes and scored 20 in the thriller at Scott, while Dane Hegyi added 16.  Someone will have to tell me how the 37th District seeding (along with possible tie-breakers) works.

7). Bishop Brossart (4-4) - Both week 4 games were COVID casualties.

Previous rank - 7

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Newport Catholic; Feb. 5 at Villa Madonna.

Nothing to report this week as games against Calvary Christian and Augusta were canceled; and still no word on the projected return of Carson Schirmer to the lineup (14.8 ppg last season).

8).  Bourbon County (2-5) - No games last week.

Previous rank - 8

This week - No games once again.  The Colonels haven't played a game since January 22; and are scheduled to get back to the hardwood on February 9.  Scheduled games against Knox Central and Campbell County are cancelled.

9). Harrison County (5-4) - Jan. 25, 90-36 win at St. Patrick; Jan. 29, 88-53 win at Fleming County.

Previous rank - 9

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Pendleton County; Feb. 4 at Robertson County; Feb. 6 at Montgomery County.

The Breds scored 178 points in their two week 4 games against outmanned opponents. Eight players, led by James Soard's 24, scored at least half a dozen against the Saints as the Breds went 30-43 from inside the arc.  Soard led the way again, this time with 23, at Fleming County; and has brought his scoring average up to a team-leading 14.6 per game.  Next week's schedule will prove challenging.

10).  Augusta (6-2) - Jan. 28, 58-57 win vs. Augusta; Jan. 30, 84-76 win at Fleming County.

Previous rank - 10

This week - Feb. 2 at Paris; Feb. 5 vs. Ryle; Feb. 6 vs. Cooper.

With a pair of wins last week, Jason Hinson's Panthers are riding a modest 4-game winning streak.  Kason Hinson sank the game-winning free throws - the last of his 24 points - in the cliffhanger against Bracken County; with younger brother Kylar adding 16.  The Hinson brothers led five Panthers with double figures in Flemingsburg two days later.  It will be interesting to see how Augusta fares against defensive-minded Cooper this weekend.

11).  Bracken County (4-7) - Jan. 25, 63-86 loss to Montgomery County; Jan. 28, 57-58 loss at Augusta; Jan. 29, 59-49 win at Pendleton County; Jan. 30, 67-52 win at Dayton.

Previous rank - 11

This week - Feb. 1 at Montgomery County; Feb. 3 at Ryle; Feb. 5 at Campbell County; Feb. 6 vs. Clark County.  

The Bears finished the first half of a two-week, eight-game stretch with a 2-2 record in week 4.  Blake Reed had 25 against the Indians; then scored all 24 of his points in the second half in the narrow loss at Augusta.  The Reed brothers accounted for 47 of the team's 67 in the win at Dayton.  This week's slate of four games will be a gauntlet.

12).  Pendleton County (2-3) - Jan. 29, 49-59 loss to Bracken County.

Previous rank - 12

This week - Feb. 2 at Harrison County; Feb. 5 vs. Nicholas County; Feb. 6 vs. Lloyd Memorial.

Wildcats were a little rusty after their long layoff in the loss to Bracken County.  

13).  Calvary Christian (6-4) - Jan. 25, 62-68 loss to Portland Christian; Jan. 29 58-29 vs. Villa Madonna; Jan. 30, 76-34 win vs. Bellevue.

Previous rank - 13

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Heritage Academy; Feb. 6 at Williamstown.

The Cougars righted the ship after a narrow defeat at the hands of Portland Christian on Monday. Luke Ruwe and Ethan Mulling were consistent all week; and they are the squad's leading scorers at 18.1 and 14.6.

14). Paris (1-4) - Jan. 27, 58-57 win vs. Model; Jan. 29, 45-84 loss at Montgomery County.

Previous rank - 14

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Augusta; Feb. 4 at Clark County; Feb. 5 vs. Frankfort.

The Greyhounds became the final team in the 10th to earn their first victory of the season in the nail-biter against Model.  Riquiece Washington and Jakari Ransom had 15 and 14; while Kentarrion Downey pulled down 10 rebounds.  Ransom and Robinson were the only double-digit scorers in the MoCo contest.

15).  Nicholas County (1-8) - All games canceled due to COVID.

Previous rank - 15

This week - Feb. 1 vs. Menifee County; Feb. 5 at Pendleton County; Feb. 6 vs. Rose Hill

Blue Jackets get some realistic chances to add to the win column this week.

16).  St. Patrick (1-11) - Jan. 25, 36-90 loss to Harrison County; Jan. 26, 56-68 loss at Fleming County; Jan. 29, 28-55 loss to Fairview.

Previous rank - 16

This week - Feb. 2 vs. Greenup County; Feb. 3 at Robertson County; Feb. 5 at Dayton.

Coach Moore was pleased with the Saints' fight in the Fleming County contest where they hung around for most of the game; Chase Walton put up 24/17 numbers.  Points were harder to come by against Fairview, with Walton (14) the only Saint notching more than 6 points.

 

 

I really enjoy your write-ups each week,  thanks for doing them.  Informative, entertaining, and very thorough.

Thank you!

5 hours ago, The Double Deuce said:

I really enjoy your write-ups each week,  thanks for doing them.  Informative, entertaining, and very thorough.

Thank you!

11 minutes ago, Randy Parker said:

I like him better than you.