This has the feel of a state championship game happening two rounds earlier. Ballard (20-2) and Bowling Green (24-2) have been rated among the state's best all season.

Players to watch:

Ballard - Gabe Sisk (18 ppg/47 made 3s), Maker Bar (15 ppg/10 rpg/57% from the field), Kennedy Hayden (13 ppg/53% from the field)

Bowling Green - Isaiah Mason (18 ppg/7 rpg), Turner Buttry (15 ppg/41 made 3s/50% from behind the arc/95% FT shooter)

Game time is set for 2pm.

 

BIG Game!  

Ballard is the favorite.  They earned that by defeating BG earlier in the year.  But I like my Purples playing as underdogs.  Need to get someone shooting the ball well besides Mason and Buttry.  If they can do that, I think they can be right there.

But Ballard is the favorite for a reason and have some of the state's best players.

Hoping for a great game and a Purple Upset!

I will not be around for updates. Hopefully someone can provide those. I'll take Ballard in a four quarter affair.

The fourth region rep has lost the last eight times they were matched up with a Louisville region rep (6th or 7th). The last time a team from the 4th beat a Louisville team in the Sweet 16 was when Metcalfe County upset heavily favored Louisville Eastern in 1985 (led by future Cardinal and NBA center Felton Spencer). It’s Bowling Green’s first meeting with a Louisville school since falling to Fairdale in the 1991 semis. They’re 0-5 all-time against Louisville schools in the Sweet 16, but that 91 matchup is only one since the end of WWII. 

In my haste, I forgot to mention that Ballard and BG have met once this season, a 61-45 Bruins win on February 26th in Bowling Green.

5 minutes ago, DragonFire said:

The fourth region rep has lost the last eight times they were matched up with a Louisville region rep (6th or 7th). The last time a team from the 4th beat a Louisville team in the Sweet 16 was when Metcalfe County upset heavily favored Louisville Eastern in 1985 (led by future Cardinal and NBA center Felton Spencer). It’s Bowling Green’s first meeting with a Louisville school since falling to Fairdale in the 1991 semis. They’re 0-5 all-time against Louisville schools in the Sweet 16, but that 91 matchup is only one since the end of WWII. 

Good stuff, DF.

Closer than the first meeting but I’ll take Ballard by 8. 

11 to 2 Ballard.

Gabe Sisk already with 10 points. 

14-11 Ballard

End 1

Ballard is sloppy and letting BG come back.

Ballard 14 Purples 8

Ballard out fast 14-2 over BG with BG a little rattled.

BG rallies for the last 9 points of the 1st quarter.

Ballard 14 BG 11 after 1Q

Dingle with 4 boards for BG 

Yes, Ballard seemed to just be gunning 3 balls and not really focused to let BG back in.

As I mentioned other day, Bowling Green often follows lackluster first quarters with dominating second quarters.  Ballard is definitely flailing.

Ballard needs a timeout IMO.

21 all at the media timeout in the second quarter.  Odd path to get there but it's a competitive game.