Oldham County vs. George Rogers Clark (Sweet 16® Round 1) Predictions/Updates

[ColonelMike]

Who:   Region 10 (George Rogers Clark) vs. Region 8 (Oldham County)

What:  Round 1 of the 2021 Sweet 16

Where:  Rupp Arena

When:  Wednesday, March 31st, 2021

Broadcast:   Live internet radio coverage begins at 7 pm on Wednesday at www.pegasussportsky.com

[mcpapa]

Why:  They both won their regional tournaments. 

[ColonelMike]

Let's put together a solid preview here....McPapa, can you preview GRC?   I haven't seen GRC this year, but Oldham and GRC have history....the Colonels and the Cardinals met in the first round of the 2011 Sweet 16, with the Cardinals seizing a 56-39 win.

Oldham and GRC also have competed in the same football district for the past two years, so the two schools are getting to know each other better.

But I haven't seen this year's iteration of the Cardinals' basketball team.     McPapa?

As for Oldham County....the Colonels have now won the 8th Region twice in the last four years, four times in the last 11, and are tied for the most all-time 8th Region titles with Shelby County (both schools have won the title 17 times).

The Colonels bring a veteran bunch to Lexington.   Five seniors start; a group that has been to the regional finals four consecutive years.   Four of the five current starters saw some action in 2018 on Oldham County's state Final Four squad.

A balanced scoring team, Oldham has nobody averaging over 13 ppg, but instead relies on a balanced scoring attack that features at least four starters capable of 20+ in a given game, and 9 players that are not afraid to shoot the ball and who are capable double digit scorers.

A sharp shooting bunch, Oldham is hitting over 49% of its shots, including over 38% from beyond the arc.   At the line, OC is a 76% team, with all five starters hitting over 78% of their free throws, and 3 of the top 4 reserves hitting 75%+. 

The Colonels will be one of the taller teams in the Sweet 16, I would think, with two starters checking in at 6'6" and 6'5", and three of the first four subs off the bench checking in at 6'10", 6'6", and 6'4".    

Oldham comes into the tourney riding a 7 game winning streak.  

 

[mcpapa]

7 hours ago, ColonelMike said:

Let's put together a solid preview here....McPapa, can you preview GRC?   I haven't seen GRC this year, but Oldham and GRC have history....the Colonels and the Cardinals met in the first round of the 2011 Sweet 16, with the Cardinals seizing a 56-39 win.

Oldham and GRC also have competed in the same football district for the past two years, so the two schools are getting to know each other better.

But I haven't seen this year's iteration of the Cardinals' basketball team.     McPapa?

As for Oldham County....the Colonels have now won the 8th Region twice in the last four years, four times in the last 11, and are tied for the most all-time 8th Region titles with Shelby County (both schools have won the title 17 times).

The Colonels bring a veteran bunch to Lexington.   Five seniors start; a group that has been to the regional finals four consecutive years.   Four of the five current starters saw some action in 2018 on Oldham County's state Final Four squad.

A balanced scoring team, Oldham has nobody averaging over 13 ppg, but instead relies on a balanced scoring attack that features at least four starters capable of 20+ in a given game, and 9 players that are not afraid to shoot the ball and who are capable double digit scorers.

A sharp shooting bunch, Oldham is hitting over 49% of its shots, including over 38% from beyond the arc.   At the line, OC is a 76% team, with all five starters hitting over 78% of their free throws, and 3 of the top 4 reserves hitting 75%+. 

The Colonels will be one of the taller teams in the Sweet 16, I would think, with two starters checking in at 6'6" and 6'5", and three of the first four subs off the bench checking in at 6'10", 6'6", and 6'4".    

Oldham comes into the tourney riding a 7 game winning streak.  

 

I’ll try to fit a GRC snapshot into my frenetic social calendar. 

[Randy Parker]

I'll take GRC by 8.

[ConverseAllStar]

I think Oldham County's seniors lead them to victory in this first round game.  Oldham by 6.

* Interesting to note that Oldham County has played the fewest games of any team in the Sweet 16.

[mcpapa]

George Rogers Clark, 10th Region champions.  Overall record; 19-4, 10th Region record 14-0, 40th District record 8-0, RPI - .639.  Key wins -  Campbell County, Mason County X2, Montgomery County X3.  Losses - East Jessamine, Frederick Douglass, Wolfe County, Madison Central.

Clark County has had a long and storied history in the 10th Region.  This year's title gives them 11 all-time, training only Maysville and Mason County.  With this year's performance, they boast a record of 64-36 in their 47 tourney appearances.

Coach Josh Cook's Cardinals enter the state tournament battle-tested.  And they're on something of a mission, as their trip to Rupp last year was cut short by COVID.  They began the season winning their first nine games.  They were ranked in the state's top 20 until injuries and COVID threw a monkey wrench in the works. However, they finished up winning 8 of 9, the only blemish a 1-point loss to 11th Region champion Madison Central.

Starters:  6-4" Jr. G Jerone Morton, 23.1 PPG, 48.1% FG, 6.6 RPG; 6-7" Sr. F Jared Wellman, 17.8 PPG, 48.8% FG, 7.9 RPG; 5-8" Jr. G Aden Slone, 11.8 PPG, 48.7% FG; 6-7" Jr. F Trent Edwards, 10.1 PPG, 54.7% FG, 6.5 RPG and 6-5" Jr. F Stanley Smothers, 6.0 PPG, 66% FG%, 5.4 RPG.  The veteran bench is comprised of three seniors, four juniors and a pair of sophomores.  The Cards have four reliable go-to scorers and a potent combination of floor generalship, athleticism, size and experience.

The Cardinals' primary questions at the season's outset were point guard and replacing Lincoln Bush's double-digit rebounding.  Those have been answered by a) the play of Danville transfer Aden Slone whose "coach on the floor" abilities have freed up the region's second-leading scorer, Jerone Morton to do what he does best - get his shot; and b) rebounding by committee.  When Morton went out in midseason with a hand/wrist injury, the Cards struggles to find enough punch to replace him, but the injury has healed and Morton is back in form, as evidenced by his buzzer-beater in the regional final against Campbell County.  The silky Wellman has been attracting college interest for years; and there is plenty of size to bang underneath the basket.  The Cards have outscored their opponents by 20 points per game and shoot at a 49% clip.  A bit of a weak spot is free-throw shooting, with Slone the only man in the lineup hitting over 70%.  Their coaching and leadership were on display Saturday evening as they converted key baskets at the end of the first quarter, the end of the third quarter, and the end of the game.

 

[Runcible Owl]

So...ColonelMike and mcpapa, you're saying for my "King of the Hardwood" pick, I hmm...use the gold sunrise proof, add ten, carry the eight, cancel the Parker (well, just because)...then draw all homeomorphically irreducible trees of size n = 10, and now I still don't know who to pick.

Thanks for nothin' Professors!

[mcpapa]

8 hours ago, Runcible Owl said:

So...ColonelMike and mcpapa, you're saying for my "King of the Hardwood" pick, I hmm...use the gold sunrise proof, add ten, carry the eight, cancel the Parker (well, just because)...then draw all homeomorphically irreducible trees of size n = 10, and now I still don't know who to pick.

Thanks for nothin' Professors!

I've found it useful to go against any pick upon which the Parker brat and Can'tpick agree, then flip a coin on the others.

[ColonelMike]

This has the real potential to be one of the most competitive / exciting first round games.

We go on air at 7 pm on www.pegasussportsky.com.    I doubt I will have much time to post updates, but will try to do so if I can.

 

[Mojocat]

35 minutes ago, ColonelMike said:

This has the real potential to be one of the most competitive / exciting first round games.

We go on air at 7 pm on www.pegasussportsky.com.    I doubt I will have much time to post updates, but will try to do so if I can.

 

ColonelMike - how much redtape do you have to go through to be able to broadcast the State Tournament from inside Rupp Arena?  I'd think the KHSAA would zealously guard that property, and have an unbearable number of hoops to jump through..... 

[mcpapa]

I can't speak for Mike, but there are close to 50 radio stations broadcasting the games.

[mcpapa]

ColonelMike and I have a little something on the line here.  If GRC wins, he treats me to Ruth’s Chris. 

If Oldham wins, I treat him to the IHOP on Hurstbourne. 

[ColonelMike]

tip in seconds!

www.pegasussportsky.com

[Runcible Owl]

Heart says, Fighting Goldies.

Mind says, Colonels. 🤔