BluegrassPreps.com 8th Region Boys Basketball Preview

[ColonelMike]

2022-3 8^th Region Boys’ Basketball Preview

By:  Colonelmike

 

Last year, the North Oldham Mustangs became the 13^th school to win the boys’ 8^th Region basketball tournament since the tournament found it’s (permanent?) home at the Henry County High School gym in New Castle in 1963.    For the last sixty seasons the tourney has been hosted by the fabled Roy L. Winchester gymnasium, and after breaking through last year for the school’s first-ever region 8 title, North figures to be most people’s favorite to repeat as champs this year, with nearly all their top players – including all five starters – back on the roster.

North will join elite company if they can successfully claim their second title.   Only seven schools – including only five currently in region 8 – have won multiple titles since 1963.

As far as claiming back-to-back titles goes, the region last had a repeat winner when South Oldham turned the trick in 2013 and 2014.    Oldham County – which has won 16 titles since 1963 – had the longest string of championships in the last 60 years, winning five straight titles from 1985-9.

Since the tournament started calling New Castle “home” in 1963 (60 seasons):

Oldham County & Shelby County         16 titles each

Scott County (now in the 11^th region)     10

Anderson County                                    4

South Oldham & Collins                         3 apiece

Shelbyville (defunct)                               2

North Oldham, Walton-Verona, Carroll Co., Grant County, Bullitt East (now in the 6^th Region), Bullitt Central (now in the 6^th Region)                1 apiece

Some current 8^th Region schools not on the above list claimed titles prior to 1963, including Henry County (1962, ironically, the year before the Wildcats began hosting the event), Gallatin County (1959), and Eminence (1949).

Current 8^th Region schools still seeking their first Eighth Region title:  Simon Kenton, Williamstown, Owen County, Trimble County, Spencer County, and Woodford County.

Sideline changes from last year….

There will be four new faces on the sidelines this year in the 8^th, with three of the newcomers taking over 31^st District teams.    Brent Welty moves up after coaching the JV squad at Trimble County the past three years…likewise, Brandon Gabbard moves up to the head spot at Eminence after spending three years as an assistant.    And Roger Harden returns to the 8^th Region as a head coach, taking over the Carroll County Panthers.

In Buckner, the winningest coach in the 8^th Region over the past nine seasons, Coy Zerhusen, has stepped aside, making way for Josh Leslie, who spent the last two years as the head coach at Louisville Seneca.

Walton-Verona led the region in scoring last season, at 74.6 points per game, but the Bearcats were next to last in defensive scoring at 72.2 ppg allowed.   Carroll County, at just 50.4 ppg, was the lowest-scoring offense in Region 8, where 12 of 18 teams averaged over 60 ppg last year.

Owen County had the region’s stingiest defense, surrendering just 52.7 ppg, with Woodford County (52.9 ppg allowed) and Collins (54.8 ppg) close behind.

Individually, Owen County’s junior guard and 8^th Region Player of the Year, Teagan Moore, led the region in scoring at 28.9 ppg.  Dylan Hammonds (24.8 ppg) of Grant County, Kevin Wix of Henry County (23.2 ppg), Luke Erhardt of Spencer County (22.0 ppg), and Brant Smithers of Walton-Verona (21.3 ppg) were the only other 8^th Region players to average 20+ ppg.  Smithers also won individual honors, earning the KABC Player of the Year award in the 8th.

Note that there were two "Player of the Year" award winners.   Teagan Moore won the coaches' vote, and Brant Smithers won the KABC vote.    The KABC award is restricted to seniors only; Moore was not eligible to win that award as a junior.

On the glass, Sam Royalty of Henry County led the region with 13.2 rebounds per game.  Dylan Hammonds of Grant County (11.5 rebounds) was second.   Hammonds also averaged 24.8 ppg, second-best in the 8^th Region.    A double-double machine, Hammonds had double-digit points and double-digit rebounds in a stunning 25 of 34 games last season.

Bryce Snellen of Anderson County (10.9 rebounds per game) and Tate Ogburn of Trimble County (10.8) were the only other 8^th Region players to average double digit rebounds.

Kevin Wix of Henry County led the region at the charity stripe, at 85.0%, which also ranked him #12 in the state.   Teagan Moore of Owen County was #17 in Kentucky at 83.9%.  North Oldham’s Dallas Roberts at 81.0% and Spencer County’s Luke Erhardt at 80.7% also finished over the 80% threshold.

 

On to the preview…

As always, there is so much guesswork that goes into the pre-season rankings.   We’ll know a lot more in the first two weeks of the season.   Two teams, however, stand out from the rest – North Oldham and Woodford County.   Last year’s 8^th Region finalists appear to be the class of the bunch.   As we all know, however, nothing is given.

Yours truly has picked the last three region champs in the preseason (Collins in 2020, Oldham County in 2021, and North Oldham last year) and I just missed when I picked Walton-Verona #2 in my preseason rankings in 2019.   But we’re making predictions based upon the performances of young men aged 14-18.   Keeping that in mind, is it any surprise I picked Spencer County #17 out of 18 teams in last year’s preseason poll?  (oops)

With that final, and rather humbling, thought in mind, here’s this year’s ranking:

1 - NORTH OLDHAM MUSTANGS  (19-13, District 29 runner-up, 8^th Region champion, lost in the quarterfinals of the Sweet 16, 56-46, to Lincoln County)   Eighteen years of frustration melted away last March as the North Oldham Mustangs claimed their first-ever 8^th Region crown with a convincing 63-53 win over Woodford County in a region 8 final game that was over at halftime.

The Goshen school that opened in the 2003-4 school year had had its ups and downs prior to last year’s breakthrough season.   Nine winning seasons; eight losing seasons; one .500 year (2015, when the Mustangs finished 16-16).   Only two district crowns and five runner-up finishes.  Two 20 win seasons (2008 and 2017).   The school’s overall record coming into 2021-2 was a pedestrian 272-243.

Even last year brought memories of the past at times.    Having finished as the Region 8 runner-ups to Oldham County the year before, North entered the year with high expectations, picked #1 in the pre-season Bluegrasspreps.com rankings.  But the Mustangs limped into the post-season on a three-game losing streak, and when Oldham County pushed that streak to four with a 65-56 victory in the 29^th District finals, North sat at just 15-12 on the season, hardly looking like the pre-season favorites to win the region.

But for the second consecutive year, the Mustangs found magic in New Castle, and their trip to their second consecutive regional final game was one of the most impressive runs in recent Region 8 history.  

The Mustangs’ first round matchup against Walton-Verona was widely expected to be “the game” of Round 1.   Instead, the Mustang defense held the region’s top-scoring offense (74.6 ppg) to its fewest points of the season – 46 – en route to a stunning 79-46 rout.

The defense smothered one of the favorites, Collins, in the semi-finals, holding yet another team under 50 points as the Titans could manage just 41 points in a 48-41 Mustang victory.

North saved its best for the first half in the finals against favored Woodford County.   In 16 minutes of play where everything went the way of the Teal and Black, North raced out to a 45-19 halftime advantage and cruised to the school’s first Region Eight title from there.

North Oldham went on to win their first-ever Sweet 16 game, defeating Muhlenberg County, 36-32, before losing to Lincoln County in round 2 by 10.

Former North Oldham star David Levitch begins his fifth season as the head man at North Oldham, and he has to be excited as all five starters return from last year’s region titlists, along with the top two reserves.  In fact, only three seniors graduated from last year’s region champs – all reserves.

Senior guard Dallas Roberts returns to lead the Mustangs.    Roberts enters 2022-3 as a fifth-year starter; he was the North starting point guard as an 8^th grader.   The runner-up last year in Region 8 for Player of the Year, Roberts led the Mustangs in just about every way possible last year.   He averaged 16.8 ppg, hit 35% of his threes (53 made threes, second-best on the team), connected on 81% of his free throws, and grabbed nearly four rebounds a game. 

With 1,649 career points scored to his credit, Roberts is well on course for 2,000+ points in his high school career, and he will likely graduate as the school’s all-time leading scorer, eclipsing the record currently held by his coach, David Levitch.

Roberts will definitely be a contender for Player of the Year honors again this year.

Joining Roberts on the perimeter will be two other superb outside shooters in 6’4” senior guard Jack Scales (11.9 ppg and a team-high 78 made threes at 40.6% last season) and Grant Neal, a 6’2” junior who took over the starting job last year as a sophomore after an injury sidelined guard Jack Fischer and who averaged 7.4 ppg.

On the inside, North has as formidable a 1-2 punch as any team in the region, with twin towers Ian Higdon, a 6’7” senior (12.5 ppg / 9.0 rebounds) and 6’8” senior Luke Anderson (8 ppg / 8.1 rebounds).   Both Higdon and Anderson are forces to be reckoned with at both ends of the court, and their development offensively last year was a big reason for North’s ultimate success.   Higdon, like Roberts, is a four-year starter.  Meanwhile Anderson, despite solid numbers on offense, is arguably the best shot-blocker in the 8^th Region and is clearly one of the region’s best overall defenders.

North will bring size and experience off the bench.   6’2” junior guard Jack Fischer started last year until an injury sidelined him for about half of the season.   And 6’5” senior Miles Gay is adept handling the ball on the perimeter or working the inside.

Look for Ryan Howard, a 6’3” junior guard, to get solid minutes off the bench.    A solid outside shooter, Howard should give the North guards a break without compromising the team’s offensive punch from the outside.

As is North’s tradition, the Mustangs are going to take on a brutal schedule, and their record likely will not be quite as good as it could be heading into the post-season.  Besides, Levitch knows the Mustangs have a target on their backs.

“We really have to come out of the gates ready to play,” he said.  “We play the toughest schedule in the region by a mile.   We will be battle-tested when we get to tournament play to say the least.”

“Our district is always tough and the region has never been this good.   Every night will be a dog fight.”

Trivia:  North Oldham has won 20 games or more only twice in school history (the school opened in 2003-4).    The 2007-8 team, coached by Danny Edelen, went 20-9 and won the District 29 championship.   The 2016-17 team, coached by Rob Burton, finished 20-11, but was eliminated in the first round of the district tournament by South Oldham.

Outlook:   North is loaded in every way possible.    Size – the starting five goes 6’8”, 6’7”, 6’5”, 6’2”, 6’1”, and the first subs off the bench are 6’5”, 6’3”, 6’2”.    Experience – Dallas Roberts and Ian Higdon are fifth-year starters, and Anderson, Neal, Scales are all returning starters.     Fischer off the bench has been a part-time starter.    Ballhandling?   Check.    Perimeter shooting?  Check.  The top seven players – including the top six scorers – return from last year.   Barring something unfortunate, like an injury or two, North Oldham has to be the favorites to repeat as 8^th Region champs.    But a lot will depend upon attitude; nothing will be conceded easily in a region that feature some very strong contenders, including a Woodford County team seeking revenge for last year’s title loss.

How North handles the battering from a vicious schedule will also tell a lot.   The schedule includes the likes of Manual, CAL, Trinity, DeSales, St. Xavier, West Jessamine, and Dixie Heights, as well as region contenders Simon Kenton, Walton-Verona, Grant County, Oldham County, Owen County, Spencer County, Collins, and South Oldham.    The Mustangs will also play in the King of the Bluegrass Tournament and the White, Greer, and Maggard Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic, two of the premier tournaments in the state.   As if that weren’t enough, North will tangle with Taft out of Cincinnati in the Henry County BODYARMOR Showcase and on December 11^th will square off with national powerhouse SPIRE Institute out of Geneva, OH at Freedom Hall.    There really doesn’t appear to be a “gimme” win on this schedule.

 

2 - WOODFORD COUNTY YELLOWJACKETS ( 27-6, 30^TH district champs, lost in the regional championship to North Oldham, 63-53) – Last year was supposed to be “the year” for the Jackets.   Woodford County, who came over from the 11^th Region three years ago, looked “locked and loaded”, and many felt the Yellowjackets would claim their first Region 8 title last season.

Woodford spent most of the year in the bluegrasspreps.com rankings, and put together an impressive season, going 23-5 in the regular season, then claiming their first 30^th district title with a 56-53 win over Collins in the title game.  Narrow victories over Grant County (by 5) and defending 8^th Region champion Oldham County (by 4) in the first two rounds of the 8^th Region tournament put Woodford on the cusp of the Sweet 16.

But something happened on the way to the coronation, and another team looking for their first-ever title – North Oldham - ambushed the Jackets in the first half of the championship, racing out to a 45-19 lead at intermission en route to North’s first title.

Woodford returns in 2022-3 with a loaded roster and hungry after being denied just shy of the state tournament last year.

Gone are two key parts to last year’s 27-win squad.   Power forward Jackson Twombly (12.4 ppg) and point guard Brian White (6.8 ppg) are gone to graduation.   But head coach Jaron Brown returns a lineup of talent that will be hard to match.

Several players return who saw significant time last season, including the team’s top scorer, and perhaps the most electric player in the 8^th Region, sophomore Jasper Johnson (13.8 ppg).   Johnson, a 6’4” point guard who is ranked 16^th in his class by ESPN, already has offers from Xavier, Cincinnati, Alabama, and interest from several other top colleges.   

Johnson is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands who can shoot the long jumper (71 made threes at 44.9%).   Extremely athletic, he is a tough matchup for the average guard, given his speed, leaping ability, and size (6’4”).  He hit 50.9% from the floor, overall, last year and was very accurate at the line as well, where he hit 75.3% of his free throws.

Johnson is a legitimate Player of the Year contender; the only thing holding him back may be his age.   

Joining Johnson will be John McCrear, a 6’9” power forward who has already signed with Murray State.   One of the best shot-blockers in the region, McCrear averaged 7.7 ppg last year and 4.3 rebounds, finishing as the team’s #2 rebounder.

Besides Johnson and McCrear, three other players return who played in at least 28 of the Jackets’ 31 games last season:  Santonio Waide, a 5’10” sophomore point guard who averaged 6.8 ppg, Makhi Smith, a 6’3” sophomore forward (6.5 ppg) who has offers from Western Kentucky and UK in football, and Aden Nelson, a 6’2” senior forward who averaged 5.6 ppg and a team-high 6.3 rebounds last year.   Like Smith, Nelson has football offers in hand, from WKU and Ball State.

Those five alone would form arguably the most athletic starting five in the region, with dominant size on the inside, outside shooting ability, and varsity experience.

The bench appeared deep already, but sometimes the rich get richer; a player to watch is Bourbon County transfer Layton Starks, a 6’3” junior who was number two in scoring for the Colonels last year (8.9 ppg) and who led Bourbon in rebounding at 5.2 boards a game.    

Trivia:   Facing one of the most difficult schedules in the region last season, Woodford County still had the second-best scoring defense, allowing just 52.9 points / game.

 

Outlook:  Very few teams can state that they have two Division 1 basketballers and two Division 1 football players on their squad, but Woodford can.  The athleticism found on this squad is unmatched in the region, and on many nights, that alone will be enough for a resounding Yellowjacket victory.   But Woodford is more than just a collection of elite athletes; the team was one of the best shooting squads in the region last year, hitting 54.3% of their shots overall, and 41.3% beyond the arc.   Woodford is rarely “out of the game”; last year’s squad lost only five games on the court, with two losses coming by just a point and only one loss by double digits.  (Woodford lost one game by forfeit, 2-0)  Seasoned by what looks to be a killer schedule (Oldham County, Paul Dunbar, Male, Manual, Spencer County, Collins, Evangel, Bardstown, and a trip to the King of the Bluegrass), the Jackets should be fine-tuned for a strong run in the post-season.

That said, Woodford can’t afford a letdown; the 30^th district is stacked with at least three teams that have their sights on the regional trophy – Woodford, Collins, and Spencer County.  Only two will advance to New Castle.

 

3 - SPENCER COUNTY BEARS (19-10, lost round 1 of the 30^th District tournament, 61-55, to Woodford County) – Spencer County came into last year full of unknowns.   Gone were all the players who had turned Spencer County into an 8^th Region power, a group that had amassed 99 wins over a five year period.   The players replacing them were completely unknown on the varsity level.  Their task – replace nearly 90% of the Bears’ scoring and rebounding.

But when the lights came on for the first game, the Bears were more than ready.   Spencer opened the year by winning 7 of its first 9 games – and it ended the year by winning 9 of its last 10 regular season games.

In between, there was a nine game stretch when the Bears lost six games, but for the most part, Spencer just WON.   The Bears finished the season with a record of 19-10; only Collins, Woodford County, Oldham County, and Owen County had more wins.  The Bears averaged 66.2 ppg, fourth-best in the region, gave up just 58.4 ppg, and earned victories over Collins (23 wins), Walton-Verona (19 wins), and Grant County (18 wins). 

When they did lose, they lost by the slimmest of margins.   Region 12 power Boyle County beat Spencer by one point, as did a ranked Woodford County team.   When Spencer was eliminated by Woodford County in the district tournament, the final score was just 61-55.

This year, there’s no doubt about what this Spencer team can do.

“We bring pretty much everybody back and expect to be competitive in the region,” said Jason Burns, the Bears’ head coach.  “We have a tough schedule, very tough district, and playing in the King of the Bluegrass.  So a lot to be excited about.”

Four starters return from Spencer County’s squad that lost a heartbreaker in the first round of the 30^th district tournament last year.  

Leading the way is 6’0” junior Luke Erhardt, who exploded onto the 8^th Region scene last year, averaging 22.0 ppg.   A tremendous shooter, Erhardt connected on 90 three pointers at a 39.1% clip, while connecting on 51.3% of his twos.  At the line, Erhardt took almost half of the Bears’ free throw attempts, hitting a team-best 80.7%.

Other returning starters include:  Brice Roark, a 6’1” senior (2.9 ppg), Camdon Cox, a 6’1” junior (12.6 ppg), and Jonathan Combs, a 6’4” senior (13.0 ppg / 6.1 rebounds). 

Rounding out the expected starting five will be 5’11” junior Kellen Marksbury, who only averaged 2.0 ppg last year, but who saw action in all 29 games, giving Burns a starting unit that has plenty of varsity game experience.

Burns feels he has solid depth.   The first three off the bench will likely be Jack Armstrong, a 6’5” sophomore, Drew Barron, a 6’1” junior, and Keaton Baird, a 6’4” junior transfer from Collins.  Armstrong and Baird both played in 29 games last year for the Bears; Baird also saw varsity time in Shelbyville.

“We have about eight kids that could start,” asserted Burns.  “Luke Erhardt and Camden Cox are our leading shooters and they shoot the heck out of it.  Brice Roark and Kellen Marksbury are both very good defenders and outstanding passers that will most likely lead our team in assists.”

“Jonathan Combs, Keaton Baird, and Jack Armstrong are our three ‘bigs’, if we want to call them that.   They will lead us in rebounding, can post some, and all three can shoot it,” he added.

“Drew Barron is another guard off the bench that we expect to produce.”

Despite all the varsity experience, this is still a relatively young team; the roster shows only two seniors, Combs and Roark.

Burns expects to pay at a fast pace, and get up the shots.   He anticipates that this will be a good shooting team.    Working the five out and four out offensive sets, expect Spencer to shoot a lot of threes – last year’s squad took 56% of its shots from beyond the arc, making 35%.

Trivia:   Jason Burns is starting his 10^th season at Spencer County, and he has turned the program into a consistent competitor in the region.   Burns’ record of 148-108 overall at the school is deceiving; after starting with back-to-back-to-back losing seasons, Burns’ squads have posted six consecutive winning seasons, never winning fewer than 17 games, and winning 20+ four times.    Playing in the brutally tough 30^th district – which only got tougher when Woodford joined three years ago – it’s been difficult for the Bears to reach the Region tournament in New Castle.     They’ve turned the trick once in the last nine years (2019).

Outlook:   It may well be that three of the top four teams in the region belong to the 30^th district.   Many in region 8 think that Woodford County, Spencer County, and Collins are those three.   Only two teams, however, can advance out of the district.   How the team fares on the glass may be the key to the season.

“Defensive rebounding bothered us last season,” said Burns.  “Especially with the size of the teams in our district.”

“However, we have some size ourselves this year,” he added.

That might make Combs the most valuable player on the court for the Bears.   The Bears’ big man garnered a team-high 6.1 rebounds last year, but may be counted on to do even more this year.    But – after a year when nobody else averaged four or more boards a contest, help may be on hand in Keaton Baird, the 6’4” transfer from Collins.  

A change in fortunes on the glass may be enough to propel Spencer County back to New Castle.

The schedule is challenging throughout, with matchups against Oldham County, North Oldham, Owen County, Boyle County, Walton-Verona, Doss, Bardstown, and a trip to the King of the Bluegrass Tournament in mid-December.

4 - COLLINS TITANS (23-7, 30^th district runner-up, lost in the semi-finals of the 8^th Region tournament to North Oldham, 48-41)    The Collins Titans have been in existence for just twelve.   Amazingly, the boys’ basketball team has qualified for the 8^th Region tournament in all twelve seasons. 

Last year was no different as the Titans lurked as one of the favorites to win the region all season.   Collins had a stellar season, and the 7 losses were tied for the second-fewest losses in a season for the school.  The team scored a respectable 62 ppg, but as usual, it was the suffocating Titan defense that led the way, allowing just 54.8 ppg, third-best in Region 8.

Chris Gaither, starting his 12^th season as the head coach at Collins – and only the second head coach in the school’s history – has a lot to work with in 2022-3.   The Titans return five players with extensive varsity experience, and three starters return, including leading scorer Kenyon Goodin.   Goodin, a 6’3” senior guard, averaged a team-high 18.7 ppg last season while hitting 51.3% of his shots.   He also led the team on the glass with 5.9 rebounds.  

Goodin will be joined in the backcourt by the two other returning starters, Quintin Simmons, a 6’0” senior (11.4 ppg / 52.8% FG) and Kiya Ledford, a 5’11” senior (6.2 ppg / 50.4% FG) who is in his second year at Collins after transferring from South Oldham.

Joining that strong trio of guards in the starting lineup will be 6’0” sophomore Cole Harbin, and 6’5” sophomore center Isaiah Cochran.   Cochran, who appeared in 29 games with the varsity last season, returns after averaging 3.7 ppg off the bench.

Gaither will have one player with significant varsity experience coming off the bench in Kiya’s brother, Kobe Ledford, who saw significant varsity time two years ago with South Oldham and last year with Collins, averaging 2 ppg off the bench.   Other players likely to see significant playing tim include Kade Goodin (6’0” 8^th grade) and Darius Evans (5’9” senior).

Like most Collins teams, this team is guard-oriented.   Even though Cochran is listed as a center, Gaither says that’s not quite accurate.

“We don’t have any true post players,” he said.  “Our quickness will be a huge advantage for us.”

Gaither has made a name for himself over the years with his defense.    This year looks to be more of the same, if the coach has any say.

“(You’ll see) defense leading to offense,” he explained.  “Because many in our region play zone defense, which naturally slows the game down, speeding the game up will depend on (us) doing it defensively.”

“(You’ll see) Man, with traps.  (We want) great transition defense and to limit the other team’s best player from getting good looks.”

Trivia:  Collins has been one of the most successful teams in the 8^th Region since the school opened in the 2010-11 season.   The Titans have posted 11 winning seasons in 12 years, and have won 20 or more games nine times.   The team has accumulated six district championships and six district runner-up finishes, so they have reached the region tournament in every season they have played.  Even the 15-18 team in 2015-16 – the only Titans team with a losing record – finished as the District 30 runner-up and advanced to the Region 8 semi-finals before being eliminated.

The Titans have advanced at least to the second round (semi-finals) of the Region 8 of 12 seasons, with three titles to their credit.   Collins’ overall record in Region 8 tournament play is an impressive 15-9.

Outlook:   “Our expectations are always about the journey and process,” Gaither explained.  “If we can value that, we believe we are talented enough that we will have great opportunities for the results to follow.”

Gaither believes that this team has the talent to contend for a district and a regional title, but he’s wary of the talent he must beat to even reach the Region tournament.    With the 30^th so loaded this year, Gaither thinks it will be tremendously important to win the top seed in order to claim one of the two region tournament berths.

Collins will be able to play faster than most teams in the region, and their ability to get into defensive transition will likely fuel much of their offensive production this year.    Still, the Titans’ ability to play defense will be key; the Titans held 9 opponents to fewer than 50 points last season.  Not surprisingly, they won 8 of those games (their only loss when allowing less than 50 points came in the regional semi-finals, when North Oldham outlasted the Titans, 48-41).

How Collins fares against Woodford County – a taller team with a powerful inside game that features experienced guards who would likely handle Collins ball pressure – will tell a lot about the Titans’ prospects.    Circle January 27^th on the calendar, when Collins travels to Versailles.

 

5 - OLDHAM COUNTY COLONELS  (20-11, 29^th District champs, lost in semi-finals of Region 8 Tournament, 69-65, to Woodford County)   Coy Zerhusen’s final Oldham County squad won 20 or more games (again), claimed yet another district 29 title, and advanced to the 8^th Region semi-finals before falling by four to Woodford County.

It will be a tough job following Zerhusen in Buckner.

In nine seasons as the Colonels’ head coach, Zerhusen racked up a record of 214 wins against only 67 losses (winning percentage .762), while winning 8 district titles and two region titles.    The Colonels played in the region 8 finals four years in a row from 2018-2021, with the two titles and two runner-up finishes.   In two appearances in the Sweet 16, Oldham went 2-2 under Zerhusen, advancing to the state “Final Four” in 2018.

Throughout all nine seasons, the Colonels were consistent.    Oldham won 20+ games every year except the COVID-shortened 2021 season, advanced to the region tournament each season, and played for the regional title a total of five times in nine seasons.    Two Oldham County teams – the 2018 and the 2020 squads – won 30 games, with the 2018 team tying a school record for most wins in a season (31).

By just about any measure, the Colonels were simply the most successful team in the 8^th Region from 2013-14 to 2021-22.

Whew.

Enter Josh Leslie, who comes to Oldham County as the new head coach after a two-year stint as the head coach at Seneca High School.  Before that, Leslie spent time with the North Oldham boys’ team, served as the head coach of the Eastern girls’ program, and prior to that had a successful tenure in Ohio, where he won a state championship at Ottawa-Glandorf in 2008. 

Amazingly, Leslie is only the sixth coach to lead the Colonels since 1976, a span of 46 seasons.

Leslie knows the expectations are high in Buckner, and he has to replace about 75% of last year’s offense.   Among the seven graduated seniors were all-region performers Sam Powell (16.5 ppg / 5.4 reb) and Hayden Burgess (13.9 ppg / 5.9 rebounds), and a host of other key cogs in an OC attack that ranked #3 in the region at 66.4 ppg.     

But the new coach doesn’t inherit an empty cupboard at all.   Although only one starter returns, that returnee is 6’6” Max Green, arguably one of the top juniors in the region.    Green is an electric guard who can score at all three levels, and who has the mobility and leaping ability to be one of the region’s top defenders.    Green averaged 14.1 ppg / 3.2 rebounds last year, while hitting a team-best 76 threes (at a 40.0% clip) and a team-best 79.8% of his free-throws.  A special athlete, Green is already garnering attention as a contender for Player of the Year.

“Green shoots the ball as well as any kid I’ve ever been around,” said Leslie.  “And he’s becoming more of a leader.”

Another key contributor from last year, 6’4” senior Luke Amburgey, also returns.   Amburgey was a blue-collar force off the bench for the Colonels last year, and his rugged, aggressive play on the inside was instrumental to Oldham’s success.   Amburgey’s averages of 5.5 ppg / 5.2 rebounds figure to go up – perhaps considerably – this season.  

Joining Green and Amburgey will be three relative newcomers to the Oldham County starting lineup, or varsity play in general.  

Christian Alexander is a 6’0” senior is technically isn’t a true “newcomer”; he did play a little last season, appearing in five games.   Leslie feels Alexander may be the best defender on the team.

Abram Stinebruner is a 6’4” junior transfer from Christian Academy of Louisville.  The grandson of former UK great Louie Dampier, Stinebruner brings the ability to play any of the five positions.

Rounding out the starting five will be Henry Marcum, a 6’5” sophomore.   Marcum appeared in four varsity games last year.   An athletic big man, Leslie looks for Marcum to be a strong rebounding presence on the floor.

Despite all the new, some things will be very familiar to Oldham fans.

Like Zerhusen, Leslie considers himself a defensive coach first.

“We have to take people out of what they want to do,” he emphasized, sounding eerily like an echo of the Colonels’ previous mentor.  “Style-wise, I want to be similar to what Coach Pitino did at the University of Louisville.   We want a fast pace, and a pressure defense that allows us to create more possessions.”

“We don’t want to adjust to other teams; we want to make other teams adjust to us.”

Leslie expects this unit to be a good ballhandling team with solid outside shooters, but the Colonels will often try to find ways to feed the post.

“I’m not a big dribble-drive fan,” said Leslie.   “You won’t see a lot of isolation.”

The Oldham bench is full of unproven question marks, but Leslie hopes to be able to go at least 9 deep.   6’0” junior Cam Roush and sophomore guard Nolan Leite figure to be two of the first players off the bench.

Other new and upcoming players of note include Logan Slechter, a sophomore guard who is the younger brother of Kenton Slechter, who graduated last year, and transfers Austin Davis, a junior transfer from South Oldham and Tim Rankin, a sophomore transfer from Meade County.

Trivia:   Oldham County hasn’t had a losing season since the 2009-10 team went 11-16.   Since then, the Colonels have won 20 games or more 11 of the last 12 seasons – and the only exception was the COVID shortened 2021 season, when Oldham only PLAYED nineteen games.

During that stretch of 12 years, Oldham has made it to the regional final game an incredible eight times, winning the title four times.  

Outlook:   Josh Leslie gets to create his image of what Oldham County basketball should look like under the shadow of the North Oldham Mustangs, who figure to be the favorites to win the neighborhood brawl, also known as the 29^th district, and the region as well.  But the Colonels look to have enough size, quickness, and shooting ability to be able to be competitive with most teams in the region, and their pressure defense will cause problems.   The Colonels look likely to make it back to New Castle as a dark horse to capture what would be a region-record 18^th title.

 

 

6 - OWEN COUNTY REBELS (21-11, 31^st District champions; lost round 1 8^th Region tournament, 82-66 to Collins – Devin Duvall is entering his 17^th season at Owen County HS; he has served in this position longer than any other 8^th Region coach not named Simpson (Steve Simpson of South Oldham) or Steiner (Trent Steiner of Simon Kenton).    And during his long tenure in Owenton, one thing has been certain:   You can’t keep the Rebels down for long.

From 2011-2016, Owen was one of the best in the 8^th Region, going 116-41, winning five consecutive 31^st district titles, and advancing to the 8^th Region semi-finals twice.   Kentucky Mr. Basketball Carson Williams roamed the Owen County hallways, and the Rebels won over 20 games four seasons.

Times got a little tough in Owenton the next four years, though, and the team struggled to a 24-95 record and failed to get out of the district 31 tournament each year.

But another star has arisen in Owen County.     As a 7^th grader, this rising star had already began playing a bit on the varsity; by his freshman season, Teagan Moore had become the Rebels’ leading scorer and rebounder, and – after leading Owen County to a 21-11 record and the 31^st district title last year – he stands ready to lead the charge as the Rebels seek a district title repeat and a serious run at the region 8 title.

Moore, who has already scored 2,325 career points and grabbed 768 rebounds, won the 8^th Region Player of the Year award last season as a junior while leading the region in scoring at 28.9 points per game.  He’s led the Rebels in scoring and rebounding for three straight years, and just missed averaging a double-double as he snagged 8.9 rebounds a game last year.    A 6’6” monster on the perimeter, Moore is the extremely rare high school guard who stands 6’6”, yet can handle the ball like a much smaller guard.   Moore can score off the dribble or via the outside jumper (34.4% last season beyond the arc), but he also feels comfortable going inside to get his points, posting up smaller guards with ease (and let’s face it, they’re pretty much all smaller.  Much smaller).   Moore does the little things, too, hitting 83.9% at the line in 2021-2.

Joining Moore is a squad that has been tried and tested.   6’9” junior center Brax Ward has also been seeing varsity action since his middle school years; the Owen big man is an exceptional passer, but he has refined his own offensive game and averaged 9.7 ppg and 6.9 rebounds last season.  

Micah Shelton, a 6’1” junior guard, is in his fourth year of varsity experience and will likely be one of the premier three point shooters in the region, after hitting 36.6% of his threes last year, connecting on 48 three pointers.

Shelton will be a key to the Rebels’ season; he would appear to be the most likely player to fill the shoes of Isaac Wash, the number two scorer on last year’s team at 11.0 ppg.    Wash, who graduated with over 1,000 points in his career, was the team’s premier outside threat, making a team-high 64 threes at a 37.2% clip.

Junior guard Ashton Moore and senior forward Cameron Bond both are in their fourth year playing varsity ball for Duvall.   Junior forward Ethan Young and sophomore guard Malachi Mefford each are entering their third year with the varsity, as Duvall has seven players who have 2-5 years of varsity experience coming into the season.

Mefford continues a long family tradition in Owenton; he is the oldest grandson of Gran Mefford, the former head coach of the Rebels who led the team for many years.

The Rebels look to be the clear favorites in the 31^st district again this year, but Duvall is looking for a “special year” from this club.    Look for Owen to be stingy on defense – the Rebels allowed an 8^th-Region best 52.7 ppg in 2021-2 – and for the team to be one of the better shooting teams in the region.   (Owen hit 48% from the floor last year, and an impressive 76.9% at the line).    The Rebels can go big – with the 6’9” Ward, 6’6” Teagan Moore, and 6’6” junior forward Levi Johnson, Owen County can put three players 6’6” or taller on the floor at the same time.   Owen can also beat you with perimeter shooting if the opponent tries to zone them to prevent Moore’s dribble penetration and the interior pass to Ward (Moore and Shelton both shoot well beyond the arc, and Ward was the rare big man who showed that he had the outside range, hitting 33% of his threes last season).

The team should also be seasoned by the end of the year, with big games scheduled against North Laurel and UK-commit Reed Sheppard on 12/2, Bell County (12/20), defending state champion George Rogers Clark (2/4/2023), and matchups against 8^th Region contenders Collins (12/6), Spencer County (1/14/23), Oldham County (1/21/23), North Oldham (1/25/23), and Simon Kenton (2/16/23).

Owen County Trivia:   Owen County was the only 8^th Region team last year to go undefeated against district competition.   The Rebels went 12-0 against 31^st district opponents.    

Owen County led the 8^th Region in free throw percentage in 2021-2, hitting 76.9% of their freebies, which also ranked them #5 in the state of Kentucky.

Outlook:  The Rebels go into the season as the clear favorite in the 31^st district to win their second consecutive crown.   The question is whether the Rebels are ready to challenge the region’s elite – North Oldham, Woodford County, Collins, etc. – for relevance in the region tournament.

 

7 - GRANT COUNTY BRAVES  (18-16, 32^nd district runner-up, lost round 1 of the 8^th Region tournament, 58-53, to Woodford County) – Getting a double-double in a game is one of the most sought-after individual achievements in the game of basketball.    Getting one is hard.   Averaging a double-double is even harder.

That’s why only three players in the 8^th Region actually averaged a double-double last season:

            Sam Royalty – Henry County    16.0 ppg / 13.2 rebounds

            Bryce Snellen – Anderson Co.   19.5 ppg / 10.9 rebounds

            And

            Dylan Hammonds – Grant Co.   24.8 ppg / 11.5 rebounds

Hammonds averaged a double-double for the second consecutive season, following up on his 22.5 ppg / 10.7 rebound average from his sophomore campaign.   In a season when the Braves needed him to be superhuman, he delivered 40% of the Braves’ scoring and 42% of its rebounding.  Hammonds enters his senior season as one of the four main contenders for the Player of the Year award in the region.

The Braves needed Hammonds to step up last year, following a preseason that saw one of their top scorers and expected starting point guard transfer, the backup point guard sustain a major ankle injury, and their #3 scorer from the previous year undergo surgery.    

The black clouds seemed to have “parked” over Dry Ridge.

But a shorthanded Grant squad got off to a decent start, winning 8 of 14 in December, and the Braves made some solid showings in big games, falling to Woodford County by just 3 points, and beating Owen County by 5.     Grant entered 2022 believing in themselves, and the Braves promptly won 8 of their first 10 games in 2022 to start the New Year off right.

In the end, Grant would win an impressive 18 games, finish as the 32^nd district runner-up to a high-flying Walton-Verona team, and play a superb game while falling to Woodford County, 58-53, in the first round of the region tournament.

The 6’4” Hammonds, playing his senior season, will be a huge part of the 2022-3 season, according to his head coach, Joe Utter:

“Hammonds is on pace to break Tyler Jones (2003) all-time school scoring record of 1,958 points before the Christmas break,” he said.  “He is approaching 1,000 rebounds and could possibly break the rebounding record for Grant County as well.”

Unlike last year, though, the Braves expect to have more weapons ready for the 2022-3 campaign.

“We only lost one starter from last year in Wayne Ziegler,” Utter observed.  “We actually lost him at the end of last season due an ACL (injury).  We hope to fill his spot with Jackson Utter (5’10” junior guard, son of Coach Utter).”

“Utter was expected to start last season but broke his ankle and only played the last one-third of the season.”

Besides Hammonds and Utter, Grant has two other returning starters in 6’10” senior center Micah Wills and 5’10” senior guard Daniel Fox.    Wills, the second-tallest player in the 8^th Region, averaged 7.2 ppg / 3.3 rebounds last year.    Fox wasn’t a big scorer for Grant, but he played in 32 ballgames and often handled the point guard duties.  

In addition, 6’1” junior guard Spencer Breeden returns after averaging 8.6 ppg, third-best on the team last season. 

With those five players, Utter has a wealth of varsity experience he can put on the court – with three seniors and two juniors - including size, perimeter shooting ability (Hammonds made 26 threes at a 34.2% clip), and experienced ballhandlers.

Grant’s starting five should be able to compete with anyone.  Depth may be a concern, though.

“Depth is always an issue in Grant County,” he said.  “We have four seniors and three juniors.   We will have to rely on several sophomores.”

Utter is hoping depth isn’t too much of an issue early on…Wills is nursing a dislocated ankle suffered during the Collins pre-season tournament, and Hammonds tweaked his ankle during a scrimmage.   Both are expected to be in uniform day one, but…

There isn’t much varsity experience elsewhere on the roster.   In fact, there is almost none.   Hunter Scalf, a 5’11” senior guard, played in 11 varsity games last season and Dillon Baker appeared in nine games last year as a freshman.    That’s pretty much all the remaining varsity experience Utter has to draw upon.

Trivia:  County rivalries are typically some of basketball’s greatest rivalries.    But since 1998, Grant County has dominated its cross-county rival, Williamstown.    Since 1998, Grant County leads the series, 50-8.   The Braves have won the last ten meetings between the two teams.

Outlook:  Health may be the Braves’ biggest concern this season.

“The early season key will be getting and keeping players healthy,” said Utter.  “We play a good, tough schedule.   Getting Wills back up to pace…   Hammonds has been out since our first scrimmage with an ankle injury.   He is anticipated to return next week, but we will not take any chances.”

If Grant County can stay healthy and develop a bench over the course of the season, then don’t be surprised at what we typically see from Grant County teams – a very tough out come tournament time.   Utter has done a good job of developing his teams over his 8 seasons on the sidelines in Dry Ridge.   Using a gritty, blue-collar defense, Grant County put on a great show in their region tournament loss last year to Woodford County – even without Ziegler.  That said, there are several questions that Utter needs answers to, such as whether Wills will develop into the inside force they want him to be – something along the lines of a Sam Royalty or Trevor Hardin, capable of a nightly double-double.   Maybe even more important, with Ziegler gone, who will the scorer, or scorers, who can take the defensive heat off of Hammonds?   

Finally, who on that bench will come through and provide the quality minutes the Braves will need to give their starters a breather?

 

8 - SIMON KENTON PIONEERS  (14-12, lost round 1 of the 32^nd district tournament, 69-66, to Walton-Verona) – Trent Steiner has been on the sidelines with the Pioneers longer than any other coach in the region not named Steve Simpson.    He’s seen it all – the good and the bad – and the good has generally outweighed the bad in Independence.

Simon Kenton has consistently been named as a team to watch – a major contender, or at the very least, a dark-horse contender  - every year when discussions of what teams are in the hunt for the region 8 title come around.

Last year’s Pioneer squad had its moments: wins over West Jessamine, Conner, Walton-Verona, Fleming County, and Muhlenberg County were all nights when SK outlasted a powerful opponent.   And the Pioneers really didn’t have any “bad” losses:  a 2-point loss to the defending state champions Highlands, an 8-point loss to Lexington Catholic, a four point loss on the road against Greenwood, a 12-point loss to North Oldham – none of these were embarrassing losses.   Each was a competitive game against a strong team.

But the Pioneers, who went into the year as the favorites to win their third consecutive district crown, never found an offensive rhythm in their first season after Kelly Niece’s graduation.

Without Niece in the lineup, Simon Kenton’s average points per game plunged thirteen points to 58.1 ppg, ranking 16^th of 18 teams in the region.    And while the defense improved over the previous season, reducing the points allowed to just 57.6 ppg – 6^th best in region 8 – the result was a margin of victory of just 0.5 ppg, giving the offense very little margin for error, which perfectly explains the final record of 14-12.

Steiner’s team was an excellent shooting team last year, hitting 48.3% from the floor and 73.7% at the stripe.   Two critical keys from last year’s starting five return:  Travis Krohman and Gabe Dynes.

Krohman is listed as a 5’9” junior guard, and he led the Pioneers in scoring last year at 11.9 ppg.   A solid perimeter threat, Krohman hit a team-high 59 threes last year, while shooting 35.5% from beyond the arc.    A superb free throw shooter on a team of excellent free throw shooters – five Pioneers shot better than 75% at the line last season – Krohman knocks down free throws at an 82.5% clip.

Krohman represents a tie to past SK teams, according to Steiner.

Travis Krohman’s dad, Jeff Krohman, is the 2^nd all-time leading scorer in SK history,” he observed.  “Also, Jeff’s team is the last team to advance to the state tournament at SK.”

“(Our) two returning starters have a lot of varsity game experience,” Steiner said.  “But our other three starters played very limited roles last season.”

Filling the other three starters’ roles should be Isaac Gabbard, a 6’0” senior, Logan Crisp, a 6’1” senior, and Jay Bilton, a sophomore guard.  All three played some minutes last season on the varsity – Gabbard played in 24 games and averaged 3.8 points – but Crisp and Bilton’s minutes were limited.

Steiner feels good about his team’s defense and rebounding, but he’s concerned about the lack of varsity experience, and how long it will take his team to find its offensive groove.

“We have a very challenging schedule that should allow us to be ready for post season play,” he said.  “Our expectation is to improve from start to finish.   We want to win the district and give ourselves a chance to play in the 8^th Region tournament.”

The schedule will, in fact, be very challenging for an inexperienced lineup.   SK always faces a hornet’s nest schedule that includes the powers from the 9^th and 10^th Regions, as well as the best 8^th Region squads.   This year’s December schedule includes Covington Catholic, Dixie Heights, North Oldham, DeSales, Cooper, and Ashland Blazer among the first nine opponents.

 Trivia:  Simon Kenton’s 14-12 record last year wasn’t quite what the SK fans wanted / expected, but it did represent the sixth consecutive winning season for the Pioneers, who have now posted winning seasons in 14 of the 17 seasons since joining the 8^th Region in the 2005-6 season.

During those 17 seasons, SK has captured ten district titles, and finished as the district 32 runner-up five times.   Only twice – in 2017 and last year – has SK been kept from the region 8 tournament in New Castle.

Simon Kenton is 8-15 all-time in 8^th Region tournament play, and the Pioneers have been an exceptionally difficult “out.”  Of the 15 tournament losses, 10 have come by four points or less.

The Pioneers have reached the regional final three times, falling to Shelby (67-56) in 2006, to Oldham (63-57) in 2007, and to South Oldham (50-47 in OT) in 2014.

Outlook:   The Pioneers are looking to regain supremacy in the 32^nd, and return to the 8^th Region tournament, where they hope to improve their luck (SK has lost in the first round of the 8^th Region tournament 10 times in 15 trips).   

The December schedule is a murderer’s row selection of 8^th, 9^th, and 16^th Region powerhouses.   For SK to get through December with a winning record, the Pioneers will have to jell quickly and hit shots.   If the Pioneers are celebrating a winning record on New Year’s Day, that bodes extremely well for SK’s prospects over the rest of the season.     Even if they are below .500 on 1/1/23, this Pioneer team could well be sitting in New Castle come March, especially if they can find a “go to” offensive player between now and then.

 

9 - SOUTH OLDHAM DRAGONS  (11-16, lost round 1 of the 29^th District tournament, 62-34, to Oldham County)   It’s an extremely rare year when the folks in Crestwood are struggling for wins, but last year’s Dragon squad just never could quite find it’s groove.    South lost five of its first six games to start the year, and never quite made it to the .500 mark, before dropping 6 of its final 8 games and finishing at 11-16.

It was the first time in Steve Simpson’s phenomenol run at South Oldham that the Dragons posted back-to-back losing seasons and also the first time South missed the region tournament in two straight years.

Hard to believe that hard luck will continue to follow the Dragons, if for no other reason than head coach Steve Simpson’s impressive track record.   The South mentor enters his 23^rd season at the Crestwood school – the longest current tenure of any 8^th region coach – where he has won over 63% of his games, a total of 407 and counting.

Simpson has presided over South Oldham’s greatest run on the hardwood.   The school’s eight winningest seasons all came under his tenure, including all three of the Dragons’ Region 8 titles (2013, 2014, and 2016).   It wouldn’t be wise to count out a successful return to “Dragon basketball” this year.

Even during the last two years, the South offense has continued to produce.    After leading the region in scoring from 2016-2020, the Dragons were #3 two years ago and finished as the #2 scoring offense in Region 8 this last season, averaging 67.9 ppg.      Not surprisingly, the Dragons claimed some solid victories in last year’s up-and-down campaign, including a 71-66 victory over 18-win Grant County, and a win over one of the top teams in the Fifth Region, LaRue County (24-7).     

A lack of a “go-to” scorer, though, and inconsistency on the offensive end of the court doomed South in games that they appeared to be in position to win.   The team scored over 70 points on twelve occasions, with a high of 96 points on January 31^st against Carroll County – but tallied 56 or fewer points seven times.    (By comparison, the Dragons NEVER scored fewer than 59 points in the previous two non-COVID seasons, 2020 and 2019). 

South’s vaunted three-point attack even went a tad stale in 2021-2.   The Dragons hit 32.9% of their three point attempts – a respectable percentage, but well below their norm.    The last South team to shoot such a pedestrian percentage from beyond the arc was the 2015 team, which hit 32.3% of its shots.    In South’s perimeter-focused attack, the lower percentage has a huge impact.   (South went 11-17 in 2015).

Look for a strong re-focusing on re-building the South attack, which features a heavy dose of three pointers and dribble-drives to the rim when the opponent focuses too much on coming out on the shooters.   Simpson’s best teams have had extraordinary shooting percentages, in part because their superior ball movement has resulted in a lot of layups.    Simpson’s best teams have also been great free throw shooting teams.

The Dragons, as per their system, will try to score so much the opposition simply cannot keep up.   That said, Simpson will likely agree that the defense will need to show improvement in 2022-3 as well.   Last year’s unit gave up 66.1 ppg, 15^th-best in Region 8, giving the offense little margin for error.

South has usually been reasonably proficient over the years on defense, focusing on mixing things up and often changing defenses in the middle of a possession.   The South Oldham 1-3-1 defense – often used as a press – has been particularly effective over the years as many teams rarely, if ever, see the 1-3-1.  A reasonably effective defense is going to be needed in 2022-3, particularly in a difficult district.

Gone to graduation are six seniors, including five who were starters or at least sometime starters.   Ben Michel, the Dragons’ 6’6” power forward / center, departs with his team-leading scoring and rebounding averages of 14.4 ppg / 4.7 rebounds.   Michel, one of the region’s best shooters, hit an impressive 51.8% of his shots.    Also gone is the Dragons’ #2 scorer, Cole Davis (13.5 ppg), and Alex King, who hit a team-best 48 three pointers. 

What remains is a smallish lineup of guards – but that may be to Simpson’s liking as the South mentor tries to re-tool the “5-out” attack that has been so good to South, leading to three regional titles in the last ten seasons.

“(Offensively, we will…)….hopefully see a return to ball movement and player movement,” he said.  “(We want) the extra pass, an open three, or a layup if they overplay.”

Several new faces will have key roles.  

Only sharpshooting 6’2” junior guard Christian Veirs (10.5 ppg, 51.1% FG overall, 41.4% threes, 76.6% FT) and 5’10” sophomore guard Julian Miles (7.5 ppg) return to the starting lineup for South Oldham.    Those two will be joined by Nathan Tuoro, a 6’2” senior guard who played in 20 varsity games last season and averaged 4.2 ppg and Tate Holbrook, a 5’10” senior who played in almost every game (26 of 27) and who averaged 5.5 ppg, and who also earned a few starts at point.  

Rounding out the starting five will be a newcomer to the varsity, William Burnside, a sophomore center.

Among the players to watch are a pair of transfers; Lachlan VanderMeer (Seneca) and Jack Carmicle (Jeffersontown).   Neither comes to South with much in the way of varsity experience; VanderMeer appeared in two games last season for the Redhawks, averaging 5.5 points.   Carmicle did not play any on the varsity last year at Jtown.

Off the bench, 5’8” sophomore guard Jake Fithian is an athletic talent who will give South some experienced minutes; he played in 20 games as a freshman.   6’2” senior guard Ben Dunkle, a transfer from Oldham County two years ago, provides defensive talent.

Trivia:  During the five year stretch from the 2012-13 season through the 2016-17 season, nobody owned the Region like the Dragons, who won 112 games (average:  22.4 wins per season) and 3 regional titles.   Simpson’s 2015-16 team went 29-6 – the best record in South Oldham history – and advanced to the Sweet 16 Elite Eight.  

Outlook:  Never underestimate the drive of a future Hall of Fame coach who is hungry.   And Steve Simpson is hungry after two rare seasons under .500.    Look for a renewed energy from the Dragons this season and if South can re-discover its shooting touch from beyond the arc, exciting basketball will likely be back in Crestwood.    South has some shooters to lead this charge in Veirs and Miles, and Holbrook, Tuoro, and Fithian will all have the green light when they are on the floor.    Whether South can avoid being shut out from the region tournament for a third straight year will, as always, be a tall order in the challenging 29^th district, with preseason region favorite North Oldham and perennial power Oldham County in the way.  

 

10 - WALTON-VERONA BEARCATS (19-11, district 32 champions, lost round 1 region 8 tournament, 79-46, to North Oldham) – Mike Hester just continues his remarkable coaching job at Walton-Verona.   Entering his fourth season at the helm, Hester, a former star guard for the Simon Kenton Pioneers back in the mid-2000s, took over the Bearcat job in the 2019-20 season, the year following the Cats 8^th Region championship.

With virtually no leftovers from the region titleists, Hester unveiled a fast-paced, guard-oriented attack that averaged 67 ppg and kept the excitement going at W-V.   Though the team finished just 13-18 and lost in the first round of the district tourney, the stage was set for a new style of Bearcat basketball.

Hester has kept the needle moving up in the two seasons since.   His second team finished 15-15 and was runner-up in the 32^nd district.  And last year, the Bearcats finished 19-11 and regained the 32^nd district title, while averaging a whopping 74.6 ppg, tops in Region 8.

Launching a ton of three-pointers, the Bearcats made 271, the 11^th-most made threes in the state of KY.

After two years of getting knocked out in the opening round of the Region tournament, the Bearcats are looking for more in 2022-3, but W-V will have to do so with some new personnel.

“Right now, we are not really sure what to expect (in 2022-3) as we graduated a lot of guys that really carried the load for us,” Hester said recently.  “We had three seniors who started and played a majority of the minutes and had a huge role in the success we had the last couple of years.”

“We do know that we are going to play fast, and shoot a lot threes.   We want as many possessions as possible.”

Carter Krohman is a fourth-year starter; he will be counted upon to lead the team in many ways.   Krohman, the #3 scorer from last year at 12.0 ppg, is a superb outside shooter.   Krohman has increased his scoring average in each of the last three years; W-V needs him to take it up another notch this year.  He led the team with 90 made threes last season, hitting 39.1% from beyond the arc.  

“We believe he (Krohman) is the best shooter in the state,” said Hester.   He shot over 39% (beyond the arc) on 230 attempts.   He is a knockdown shooter.”

Krohman is joined by Julian Dixon, who returns as a starter one after playing significant varsity minutes as a freshman, and then starting all of last year.   Dixon is an incredible athlete, who averaged 8.4 points – fourth-best on the team.   Dixon hit 29 threes at a remarkable 46.0% rate, but what was perhaps most impressive was that the 6’1” junior led the team in rebounding by grabbing 7.1 boards per game.

“He has an all-around game and can score at all three levels,” Hester said.  “He is a physical guard who loves to rebound the ball.   Last year, as the point guard, he led us in rebounding with 7 a game.”

Landon Bach, a 5’8” junior, Max Montgomery, a 5’9” junior, and Aaron Gutman, a sophomore, round out the expected starting five.  

Bach, Montgomery, and Gutman all saw varsity time off the bench last year; Bach played in 21 games, Montgomery played in 29 games and averaged 4.7 ppg off the bench, and Gutman played in 25 varsity games.

Hester likes Montgomery’s versatility.

“Max Montgomery is a hard-nosed guard who likes to play physical,” Hester pointed out.  “He is a knock down shooter and can really defend all (five) positions (despite) being undersized.”

Hester hopes Gutman, who is a little bigger, can produce offensively after only averaging 1.7 ppg last year.

“Aaron is young, but very talented,” Hester said.  “He is another kid that has an all-around game, and can really score the ball.  He gives us some size our other guards to not have.”

With Dixon the only starter listed at over 6 feet, the team is practically composed exclusively of guards.   The two players expected to be the first off the bench are no different.    Look for Zach Smith (6’0” junior) and Connor Gregory (5’6” senior) to be the first subs.

Significant varsity experience is a concern.   Several players have played in a number of games, but not a significant amount of  minutes in those games.

“We are an older team,” Hester observed, “however, some of the guys have not played in big time varsity games.  Julian, Carter, and Max will be relied on early to be leaders and settle our young guys down.”

Offensively, look for the Bearcats to run, run, run.   The personnel kind of dictates it, but Hester loves running the 5-out offense, and he thinks he has the players to make it click this year.   If anything, Hester says, he wants the Bearcats to play even faster this year.  

In a very competitive 32^nd district, the Bearcats will have to shoot the ball well to be successful.

Trivia:   Walton-Verona’s 74.6 ppg average put the Bearcats at #1 in the region and at #14 in the state of Kentucky rankings.   Brant Smithers’ 21.3 ppg average ranked #5 in the region.

Outlook:  The Bearcats have to replace seven seniors gone to graduation, including their top two scorers, Brant Smithers – winner of the KABC 8^th Region Player of the Year award, who averaged 21.3 ppg – and Cam Christy (17.8 ppg), both of whom are now playing in college.    Those are big shoes to fill. 

With his usual (very) short team, Hester is going to be emphasizing team rebounding and aggressive defense.   The Bearcats will be outsized pretty much every night they take the court, so they will look to maximize possessions, and shoot good shots, quickly.  

Free throw shooting may also become a focal point.   Walton-Verona surprisingly shot a below-average figure at the line last season (63.0%), a percentage that may have played a role in some of their losses; W-V lost five games by 9 points or less last season. 

The 32^nd district isn’t going to be an easy place to win.   Simon Kenton looks poised for another district title run, Grant County’s starting five features size, experience, and shooting ability, and Williamstown’s team, though small like Walton-Verona’s, is a group of experienced veterans who have played together for a long time.    W-V will need to be able to force teams to play “their game” in order to be competitive.

 

11 - SHELBY COUNTY ROCKETS (11-18, lost semi-finals of District 30, 64-42, to Collins) – The Rockets struggled to their sixth consecutive losing season last year, and missed the 8^th Region tournament for the seventh straight year.   But all was not gloom and doom in Blake Traylor’s first season as head coach; the Rockets won 7 of their final 10 games of the season to bring a little optimism for the upcoming 2022-23 year. 

Although star guard Kyre Bishop (15.5 ppg / 7.0 rebounds – both team highs) transferred, Traylor has a wealth of varsity experience back, including two returning starters.     Leading the way is Omauri Downs, a senior who started at point guard last year.    Downs averaged 10.4 ppg on the season, but really came alive in the final stretch for Shelby, scoring in double figures in 9 of the Rockets’ final 11 games, including a 22 point outing versus North Bullitt.  

The other returning starter is Dillon Ritchey, who returns after also averaging double digits in scoring at 10.5 ppg.     Traylor thinks that Ritchey, who started at the shooting guard spot last year, is one of the premier shooters in the region.   Ritchey gives Shelby outside punch; he led the team with 65 made three pointers last year, while hitting 36.9% from beyond the arc.

The other starters:

Dallas Mercer is the tallest player on the Rockets’ roster at 6’4”; Mercer, a junior, played starter’s minutes off the bench last season, but averaged just 1.3 ppg. 

Maalik Stoner, a 5’8” senior guard and Michael Jones, a 5’7” junior guard, round out the starting lineup.

Shelby will be young off the bench, with two sophomores and a freshman the first players up, including sophomore forward Joel Thompson, sophomore forward Kobe Booker, and freshman guard Leeandre Cardwell.

Despite their youth, Traylor is excited by his “youth movement.”  

Regarding Booker, “He’s very versatile and has physical abilities that not many in our program have,” he said.  “He could develop into one of our best players by the end of the season.” 

Key for Shelby will be improving their shooting percentages this year.   Last year’s Rocket squad hit just 40.6% from the floor and only 64.1% at the line.   As a result, only four teams in the 8^th Region averaged fewer points than Shelby’s 59 points / game. 

The free throw percentage is likely to jump, as three of Shelby’s best free throw shooters return this year, including Ritchey (84.6%), Downs (75.6%), and Stoner (67.8%)  

With a roster that only shows four players over 6’0” in height, rebounding is the stat that is keeping Traylor up at night.   The team is not only short, nobody returns to the squad this season that averaged more than 3.4 rebounds a game last year.  

Trivia:   Shelby County is tied with Oldham County for the most region 8 titles won by a school (17).  The Rockets, however, last advanced to the state tournament in 2010.   It’s been a long, dry spell ever since for one of the region’s proudest traditions, as Shelby County has gone to the 8^th Region tournament only twice in the last twelve years, with an 0-2 mark in region tournament play.

Outlook:   Playing in one of the toughest districts in region 8, just getting to New Castle will be difficult, but Traylor remains optimistic.

“I expect us to be fun to watch,” he said.  “We lack size, but will be very fast and athletic.  If we rebound well, we will be able to compete with anyone in the district/region.”

“Like last year, there may be a learning curve early, but I expect us to be able to compete with anyone by the end of the year.”

 

12 - GALLATIN COUNTY WILDCATS  (17-13, 31^st district runner-up, lost in round 1 of the 8^th Region to Oldham County, 79-49)    Vance Sullivan starts his second season as the head coach in Gallatin County, and he’ll have a bit of a rebuilding job to do after 77% of the Wildcats’ scoring and 86% of their rebounding graduated at the end of last year.

The Wildcats have been a power in District 31 for some time now, a tradition established by former longtime coach Jon Jones, and continued by Sullivan.  In addition, the Cats typically are a contender for the 8^th Region All-A crown, and have been the only team from the 31^st district to reach the 8^th Region title game since the re-districting in 2006.   (Gallatin lost to Shelby County by a point in the 2008 region finals).   

This year, there will be a number of new faces in the lineup, though.

Junior Kellen Dossett is the only returning starter from last year’s 17-13 squad that finished as 8^th Region All-A runner-up (to Walton-Verona) and 31^st district runner-up (to Owen County).  Dossett will be asked to do a lot, especially early in the season as the newcomers get up to speed – but he looks up to the task after an impressive sophomore campaign that saw him average 12.3 ppg (second on the team) and 3.5 rebounds.   An excellent shooter, Dossett made 62 three pointers last season at nearly a 38% clip, the second-most on the team behind Drake Skidmore.    And at the line, Dossett was an excellent 73.2%, second-best on the team.   

Although Sullivan didn’t reveal his expected starters for opening day, we can make some guesses.   Sophomore transfer Matt Griffin started at Ludlow last year, and is a “…quick, shifty guard who can get to the rim and can see the floor very well.” – (Sullivan).   According to Sullivan, Griffin looks to be the Cats’ primary ballhandler this year.

Two other players likely to start – or at the very least, to see a lot of varsity minutes – are sophomore guard Kandyn Beckham and 6’3” sophomore swingman Jonah Brinker.

Beckham looks to be one of the Wildcats’ premier outside threats this year.    He played in 21 varsity games off the bench last year, and – while he averaged only 3.1 ppg, he displayed a solid stroke from the outside, hitting 37.0% of his threes.

Brinker played in nearly every game last year as a reserve, averaging 2 ppg.   Sullivan is excited about his versatility with the ball, as he feels that Brinker can score at all three levels.

That’s a really young lineup, with three sophomores and a junior.    Sullivan didn’t disclose who his likely fifth starter will be, but one name definitely comes to mind:   Tyller Ragio, a 5’10” senior guard, saw some action last year, and is noted for his physical defensive skills.  Ragio is one of just three seniors on the roster, and the only senior with any significant varsity experience.

At the very least, Sullivan indicated Ragio would definitely be one of the first guys off the bench.

Lack of experience and lack of size are issues that the Wildcats will have to face, and Sullivan doesn’t have the fall-back luxury of having a lot of seniors.

“We do not have the size that we had last year with Logan Riddle and Mason Arnold,” Sullivan said.  “We will be playing much more spread out on offense, allowing our guards to have more space to play with.”

“We also only have one senior right now in our top eight, whereas last year, 6 of our top 7 players were seniors.”

The biggest player listed on the Wildcats’ roster is junior forward Eli Newman, who is listed at 6’4”.

Not surprisingly, defense and rebounding are Sullivan’s biggest concerns coming into the season.   The Gallatin mentor goes into the season feeling pretty good about his shooters, but is concerned about the lack of size.

“I think we will be able to score against teams in our district,” he stated.  “…but if we can defend and rebound at the level we need to, I like our chances to return to New Castle.”

“We have 4-5 guys that I feel really comfortable with shooting the ball from the outside.   That has never been something that we have had since I’ve been here.”

Gallatin County Trivia:  Gallatin County continues to be one of the most successful programs in the 8^th region.    The Warsaw Cats have strung together six consecutive winning seasons now, including three seasons with 20+ wins, compiling an overall record of 121-65.   They’ve won four district titles during that stretch, and claimed one district runner-up finish.   (Their worst record during that stretch was a 14-10 mark during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season; that was also the only season they missed the region tournament.)  Three of those six years, they advanced to the Region 8 semi-finals in New Castle.

Outlook:  Coach Sullivan is going to throw his young squad into the fire early, as the Wildcats will go on the road for 6 of their first 9 games, heading into the Christmas break, when they’ll also go on the road for the Chain Rock Classic Tournament in Pineville, KY.   During December, they’ll face Region 8 powers Collins, Walton-Verona, and Owen County all on the road.  Development during the season will be key as this club tries to overcome its lack of size, but in a district where there is a definite favorite (Owen County) and no clear #2 team, a spot in New Castle would appear to be up for grabs.

 

13 - EMINENCE (14-13, lost District 31 semi-finals, 52-47, to Gallatin County)   Gary Tuell left as coach of the Warriors at the end of last season, but not until he had brought some life back into the once-proud Eminence Warrior basketball program.   A program that had won just 14 games over the preceding three seasons, Eminence matched that number in just one season.   The Warriors opened a shiny new gym last year, and celebrated it with a 7-1 start to the season, including a 30 point win on the road at district rival Trimble County and a 55-48 victory on the road at arch-rival Henry County.    They finished with the school’s first winning season (14-13) in years, and along the way, earned respect on the region’s hardwoods.

Taking over on the sidelines is Brandon Gabbard, who becomes the fifth head coach at Eminence in the last seven seasons.   Normally, that might be a concern, but Gabbard is no stranger to Warrior basketball, having served as an assistant the last three years under Tuell.   Furthermore, he looks to have enough pieces to the puzzle back to give Eminence a legitimate threat to return to the 8^th Region tournament for the first time since 2017.

Back for the Warriors are four seniors with extensive playing experience at the varsity level.   Josh Ruzanka, a 6’0” senior guard returns after leading the Warriors with 13.2 ppg last season.    Ruzanka is joined by Elijah League, a 6’2” senior who was #2 in scoring at 11.1 ppg and who led the team in rebounding at 8.7 boards a game.    6’4” senior forward Morgan Powers has been a mainstay on the varsity for the last two seasons; thought not a big scorer, Powers has consistently been a force on the glass, averaging over 5 rebounds a game during that time.   And Bladin Malone returns to the roster after being inactive last year; Malone led the Warriors in scoring two years ago at 11.8 ppg / 3.4 rebounds.

The four bring scoring, rebounding, and defensive skills to the lineup, and League (45 made threes, 39.5%) and Malone (44 made threes in 2021) offer legitimate outside shooting.

Those four seniors figure to comprise the core of the starting unit, but Gabbard has some solid choices to fill the fifth spot in Avery Holland, a 6’3” sophomore forward who saw varsity action as a freshman, Tanner Malone, a junior guard who has seen varsity action each of the last two seasons, and 6’3” junior Montay Moorman, a transfer from Collins.

The only negative news coming out of the Eminence camp has to do with Blaze Berry, a sophomore guard who was a mainstay in last year’s squad, playing all 27 games and averaging 4 ppg.   Berry will not play due to a football injury.

With so many veteran players returning, and a coach who – despite being new in the head coach’s role – knows the players and the system, Eminence looks to be very competitive in what looks to be a relatively wide-open 31^st district, where only Owen County appears to be a lock for one of the region tourney berths.

“We expect to be competitive in our district,” Gabbard said.  “Everybody is chasing Owen County this year.   We should be able to compete on a nightly basis.”

“Early in the season, we will be trying to get our football guys in with the basketball guys,” he continued.  “Figuring out roles and coming together as a team will be our biggest challenge.   Consistency will be something we are working towards.”

Warrior Trivia:  As the Warriors look to take a step up from last year breakthrough season, free throw shooting will have to be a focus.   The Warriors made just 55.6% of their free throws in 2021-2; only Ruzanka (76.5%) and League (62.5%), hit better than 50% from the line among the ten players who shot 8 or more free throws last season.  The shooting matches a trend at Eminence; the Warriors hit just 62% of their free throws in 2021, and 55.5% of their free throws in 2020.   In fact, the last time Eminence hit better than 62% at the line in a season was the 2016-17 season, when Eminence hit 71.0% of their freebies.

Outlook:   With Carroll County, Gallatin County, and Henry County all in rebuilding modes, the opportunity seems ripe for Eminence to climb up and claim one of the two berths for District 31 in the Region 8 tournament.   Owen County is clearly the front-runner, but the runner-up slot appears to be there for the asking.     We’ll learn a lot about where Eminence stands in the 31^st by mid-December, after the Warriors face Gallatin County on the road (December 9^th), then return home to face the Trimble County Raiders (12/13) and Henry County Wildcats (12/16).

Eminence has lost 15 straight games to Gallatin, but last season’s District 31 tournament game was decided by just 5 points.     Eminence has won three straight over the Raiders, all by double figures, and Henry County is, well, Henry County.  The Warriors’ arch-rivals split two games with Eminence last season, with both games decided by single digits.  

A 3-0 start in district play – even a 2-1 start – would bode well for the Warriors’ regional chances.   Both outcomes look very, very possible for the new-look Warriors.

 

14 - WILLIAMSTOWN DEMONS (15-15, lost in the first round of the 32^nd district tournament, 69-49, to Grant County) – Jacob Cheesman has done a remarkable job of changing the culture in Williamstown, and the Demons have been more competitive each of the three years he’s been at the helm.  Last year yielded a competitive 15-15 record, but it was “near miss” for Cheesman, whose #1 goal is to record a winning record, as Williamstown has only one winning record in the last 17 seasons.  

Last year, Cheesman outlined that as his first task, with task #2 being to win the 8^th Region All-A tournament, and task #3 being to improve in the district (advance to the region tournament).

All three boxes remain unchecked after last year, but the Demons are definitely making progress.

Only one player from last year’s squad – Joel McCain, one of four players averaging in double figures at 14.1 ppg and the team leader in rebounds at 6.8 / game – graduated, leaving Cheesman with a large group of experienced players.  Four starters return, and the fifth stater came off the bench as the “sixth man” last season.

6’3” junior guard Honore Yangoua and senior guard Gunner Feagan are the top returning scorers; they finished last season tied as the top scorers for the Demons at 14.6 ppg.   Junior guard Colton Feagan (13.1 ppg) and Malachi Donaldson, a 6’2” junior (3.1 ppg) also reprise their starting roles.

Lucas Masters, a 6’3” senior, moves from his “sixth man” role last year to a starting role.   He averaged 3.4 ppg off the bench last season.

Although all five starters have significant varsity experience, the core of the group are the three guards – Yangoua and the two Feagans.

“We are led by three guards who can all score,” said Cheesman.  “Gunner Feagan is at 920 points, and will surpass 1,000 points early this season.   He is a 38+% three point shooter who can score off the bounce and at the rim.”

“Honore Yangoua led the team in scoring last year; he has vastly improved his shooting from beyond the arc and he can score at all three levels.    Yangoua is dynamic going downhill and is tremendously effective in transition.”

“Colton Feagan has run the point guard spot now for the last two seasons,” he concluded.  “ He can shoot the three, has a dynamic floater, and is a solid passer.”

All three of those guards have been with Cheesman since he arrived on the Williamstown campus in the 2019-20 season.

Cheesman hopes to be 10-11 deep this year, and feels he has players on the bench who can fill all the spots.

Seniors Tennyson Spillman and Derek Meece look to spend time at guard.   Both played in 17-18 games last season.   Juniors Trevor Faulkner and Ayden Engelhardt will sub in for the forwards.   Freshman JaVonte Yangoua and junior Cole Milburn, back after a layoff, will be competing for time off the bench as well.

Trivia:    The Demons will need to be a solid shooting team to take the next step this season.   In Cheesman’s three seasons to date, the Demons have improved each year.   The team improved its overall shooting percentage from 39% in 2020 to 41% in 2021 to 45% last season.   Three point shooting improved from 30.6% in 2020 to 31% in 2021 to 34% last season.   And free throw shooting, sitting at a sub-par 61% in 2021, improved to 65% last season.    Another step up from an older, wiser, faster, stronger roster could be expected this season.

Outlook:  The current junior class at Williamstown won the NCKC 8^th grade tournament three years ago.  Cheesman is hoping that the class of 2024 will put the Demons on their backs and lift them to greater accomplishments over this season and the next.   Cheesman hopes the championship attitudes possessed by this class will carry over to the rest of the team.

Last season, Cheesman felt the team was competitive in most games, but had letdowns.

“Last year, we competed in every game except for one,” Cheesman said.  “We had shooting woes in some games that we couldn’t have shooting woes in.   We got outrebounded in games and that really cost us.”

“We didn’t do a great job of closing our second halves, and lost a handful of games were within a possession or two in the last quarter.”

Cheesman hopes to change all that with effort, experience, and improved work on the boards.

“This team has the most experience of any team I’ve had at WHS,” he pointed out.  “Of the top 10 or 11 guys, the majority got big minutes last year.”

“Last season it was common to force a team into 6-8 more turnovers than us, but still get outrebounded by 6-8,” he continued.  “We have to crash the boards and pursue rebounds with two hands.  We have to outplay opponents in the ‘effort’ category.”

“We want to lead the state in effort each night out.”

Williamstown will need every bit of effort to make noise in a very competitive 32^nd district.   Grant and Simon Kenton will have significant size advantages over the smaller Demons, and Walton-Verona will be difficult to outscore.   Still, all four teams have “warts” – the question is whether Williamstown can take advantage of them.  

Look for Williamstown to continue to press 84 feet for 32 minutes.   But this year, the Demons have more available personnel, which Cheesman expects will allow them to be more effective in the press, and overall more versatile defensively. 

 

 

15 - TRIMBLE COUNTY RAIDERS (7-22, lost round 1 District 31, 81-67, to Eminence) – Marcus Mumphrey’s third Raider team started the season with a lot of promise, but could never quite coalesce into the district contender many thought that they could be.

After the 2020-1 team ended the regular season on a six-game winning streak – the longest winning streak in Bedford in six seasons – hope certainly was warranted for a team returning with experience and talent.    The 2020-1 team – in the first year since moving from the 29^th district to the 31^st – had finished 6-5 in district 31 play after going 1-19 in district 29 the previous five years.    The stage appeared to be set for a breakout season.

But last year’s squad dropped 7 of its first 9 games, and the Raiders never really rallied from that start.

Poor shooting bedeviled the team (41.9% from the floor, 55.4% at the line), but the Raiders still managed a respectable 60.4 ppg.    It was ultimately the defense that sidelined the team, as Trimble surrendered 73.7 ppg on the season, the worst mark in the region.

First year head coach Brent Welty brings the top two scorers back from last season, including leading scorer James Thomas Wilcoxson (“J.T.”), a power forward who averaged 16.6 ppg and was number two on the team in rebounding with 7.2 a contest.   Wilcoxson, who broke into the varsity in his freshman year, also led the team in scoring two years ago, as a sophomore, at 14.7 ppg.

Ethan Horn, the number two scorer on last year’s squad, also returns, bringing his 12.3 ppg average, along with 4.4 boards a game.   Horn may be the premier returning outside threat; the junior guard hit 34.8% of his threes last year.   Horn, a point guard, should be a versatile perimeter performer who can also look to post up.

Beyond those two – the only returning starters and the only returning players with any significant varsity experience - Welty will have to find new players who can score as nobody else returns who averaged more than 1.1 ppg.   Gone to graduation are the 3-4-5 scorers, including double-digit machine Tate Ogburn (11.4 ppg / 10.8 rebounds), Hunter Kelly (11.2 ppg), and Dalton Penick (8.4), who hit 50 threes last season.

The starting five looks to be Wilcoxson and Horn, along with junior guard Coltin Humphreys, junior forward Charlie Liter, and 6’4”, 240 pound senior center Jerry Nevils.

Look for the Raiders to play more man to man defense this year, while mixing in traps and presses to try to control the pace of the game.   On the offensive end, Welty hopes to use an uptempo style of play to attack the post.

How long it takes this group to mature will be key to Trimble’s success; Nevils and 6’3” senior transfer Beau Bradley will be playing organized basketball for the first time but both figure prominently in the Raiders’ prospects for success.  Not surprisingly, Welty’s biggest concern heading into the season is rebounding as these two interior players get their feet wet.

Clearly, a rebuilding season is in store in Bedford, and Raider fans will likely need a little patience early in the year as this team is molded into a cohesive unit by their new head coach.   On the other hand, if Welty could only have two key returning players to build a team around, he’d be hard-pressed to ask for more than last year’s top two scorers, including a veteran point guard who can shoot and a versatile, mobile power forward.   You can work with that.

The Raiders have not been to the Region 8 tournament since they were District 31 runner-ups (to Carroll County) in 2000; currently the longest stretch without a region tournament berth in region 8.    We’ll know a lot more about the Raiders’ chances in District 31 in January.    Trimble will have had at least 13 games under their belts as they go into a January 2 – January 20 stretch that will feature games against all five of their district rivals, with four of the five games on the road.

Raider Trivia:   Trimble County last had a winning season in 2014-15, when the Raiders went 16-10 in head coach Johnny Leep’s last season at the school.   Michael Dunaway led a sharpshooting squad (48% from the field overall, 70% at the line) in scoring and rebounding at 16.6 ppg and 11.7 rebounds.    The Raiders got a rare win over South Oldham, 65-53, that season, but lost in the first round of the District 29 tournament, 77-31, to Oldham County.

Outlook:  Probably a slow start to the season can be expected, but it’s a long season, and time will tell what Welty can mold together by February.

 

16 - HENRY COUNTY WILDCATS  (11-18, lost in the semi-finals of the 31^st district tournament, 58-38, to Owen County)    The New Castle Wildcats broke in a new coach last year in Derek Tingle, and they gave their new coach a season full of highs and lows.

On the “up” side, the Wildcats defeated Anderson County, 72-66, to kickoff the season – the second year in a row that the Cats had beaten Anderson, after ending a decades-long drought the year before.  Kevin Wix was the “unstoppable force” on offense for the Cats, averaging 23.2 ppg, the third-best average in the region.    On the backboards, Sam Royalty was tops in the region, averaging a whopping 13.2 rebounds per contest.   Not only was Royalty #1 in Region 8, but the big center finished as the #2 rebounder in the state of Kentucky, just 0.3 behind Jay Milburn of Campbellsville.

It was the second year in a row that Henry County had a rebounder ranked in the state’s top 10, after Trevor Hardin had averaged 11.9 rebounds, ranking 6^th in the state, the previous year.

On the downside, the Cats never found a reliable third scorer after Wix and Royalty.     Peyton Amyx (6.4 ppg) and Jerred Slone (5.9) had their moments, but neither was able to be the consistent third option Henry County sought.   In addition, the Wildcats struggled from the floor, hitting just 40.2% of their shots overall and only 24.7% from beyond the arc (92 of 373).    Other than Royalty (45.8% FG), no other Cat who took more than 10 shots hit better than 41.3% from the floor.   7

After opening the season a respectable 3-3 – the Wildcats went 1-7 over the next eight games and never really recovered.

Tingle, a 2000 graduate of Henry County High School, is optimistic about his second squad.

“Our coaching staff has big expectations for this year’s team,” he said.  “We return some good varsity experience at the guard spot in Jerred Slone – a high motor guy who will be the leader of our tempo and defensive style this year.”

“Junior Quyentin Hardy had a huge offseason developing his body and his skill set.   Returning small forwards Luke Lyons and Jordan King will add lots of athleticism that can be used at multiple positions.”

“A really good young core could also develop into contributors by year’s end,” he concluded.

Tingle will have a veteran group.   Five seniors – Slone, Amyx, and Lyons, along with Grayson Clark, and Trenton Hardy – are not just older players, they combined to play in 127 games last season, with each of them playing in at least 22 games.   Lyons, Amyx, and Slone also played in 10 or more games two seasons ago.   Slone, in fact, has played in 52 games over the last two seasons, and could be poised for a huge year. 

What Tingle won’t have is the interior presence the Cats have had the last few years with Royalty, and before him, Trevor Hardin.

“We will look different this year in that we are missing a 6’6” interior presence that we have had over the last few years,” the coach said.  “Our pace will be quick and our exterior shooting has improved.  Over the offseason we spent a lot of time in the weight room and working on individual skills that will transfer to our intensity and style of play.”

 

Trivia:  For the second consecutive season, the Wildcats took one of the smallest percentages of their shots from beyond the arc of any team in the 8^th Region.   Henry took just 23.9% of their shots from beyond the three point line, but despite that fact, only Royalty shot better than 41.3% from the floor.  With a smaller front line this year, the most important number for predicting Wildcat success would appear to be the team shooting percentage.

Outlook:  Look for the Wildcats to press the pace this year on the defensive end in an attempt to create offense through defense, hopefully creating open, high-percentage shooting opportunities that will lead to a better field goal percentage than last year’s 40.2% mark.  Last year’s squad gave up 65.5 points per game – ranking them 14^th of 18 teams in the region – and that will need to improve if the Wildcats are to contend for a chance to go to the 8^th Region tournament on their home court.

How the Wildcats will handle some of the region’s premier big men inside will also be a question that has to be answered, as North Oldham, Simon Kenton, Grant County, Woodford County, and Owen County all have interior players that are experienced and much larger than the Cats’ two “bigs” – Jordan King and Grayson Clark – who are each listed on the roster at just 6’3”.

That said, the 31^st district is largely in a rebuilding mode this year – except for Owen County – which means that many expect the district race to be a mad dash for the runner-up spot and the district’s second berth in the 8^th Region tournament.   Size-wise, Henry County doesn’t look so small when compared to Carroll County, Gallatin County, Trimble County, and Eminence.

The schedule looks manageable.

 

17 - ANDERSON COUNTY BEARCATS (6-20, lost round 1 of the 30^th District tournament, 59-53, to Shelby County) – There aren’t too many stretches of “down time” in Lawrenceburg.   Anderson County has witnessed some of the best basketball in the boys’ 8^th Region over the decades, along the way winning their share of region titles, and boasting some of the most legendary names in the region’s history, such as Jimmy Dan Conner, C.J. Penny, and Cobe Penny.

But after back-to-back appearances in the region title game in 2016 (lost to South Oldham) and 2017 (lost to Collins after last second layup by Cobe Penny rolled off the rim), the Cats have hit some lean times.  Last year’s 6-win season marked the fewest wins in Lawrenceburg this century, and tied Carroll County for the fewest wins by an 8^th Region team last year.

Anderson opened the season in a competitive manner, starting 4-5, but then dropped 12 straight to see the season get away from them.    A loss to arch rival Shelby County in the first round of the District tournament, 59-53, ended the season, marking the third time Anderson has missed the region tournament in the last four seasons.

However, the sound you hear may be the sound of reinforcements arriving.

Coach Bryan Hyatt has been awaiting the incoming sophomore class for a couple of years.    Everyone in Lawrenceburg has been watching this group develop as youngsters and now they have arrived at the varsity level.   Fourteen sophomores are in the Anderson basketball program, and nine of them are likely to suit up for the varsity this season.

“Everyone knows we have been waiting on this sophomore class,” Hyatt said.  “We did suffer a blow when Will Powers tore his ACL, (but) with the addition of Frasure (a sophomore transfer), we definitely received a boost.”

“He (Frasure) will be fun to watch this year.  He can get as hot as any kid I have seen in a while.”

This year’s Anderson squad will definitely be different from last year’s squad; Hyatt feels his guard play should be the strength of the team, whether in regards to ballhandling, shooting, or defense.

“The team will run through (Carson) Sutherland, (Brady) White, (Joey) Frasure, and (Calvin) Ruble.   All four are nice offensive guards,” Hyatt noted.  “Obviously, two of them are sophomores and one has never played at this level.   Last year, our guard play was a real issue; our guards this year should be the strength of our team.”

“We are a team that can really shoot the ball,” he continued.  “It should be the best shooting club we have had in a while.   We will shoot it from all five positions.”

Having multiple shooters will help Anderson turn its fortunes around.   Last year’s team shot a very pedestrian 45.1% from the floor, and averaged just 53.9 ppg, 17^th out of 18 teams in the region.  Despite the fact that the defense was relatively solid, the offense couldn’t keep up.

Hyatt has two returning starters.   Brady White, a 6’0” junior guard, started every game last year and was the team’s sixth man during his freshman year.     Carson Sutherland, a 5’10” sophomore point guard, started on and off again last year as a freshman.  The Bearcats will lean heavily on these two early in the season.

Brady White continues a family tradition; his dad, Wayne, was a Bearcat basketballer in the 1990s.

A transfer, Joey Frasure, should fill the other guard spot.   A 6’2” senior, Frasure previously played for Lawrenceburg Christian Academy.   Hyatt is excited about the addition of Frasure, who he says is a “great shooter.”

On the front line, Bryce Cox, a 6’0” junior, who played in nine varsity games last year should start at one forward spot, along with 6’3” sophomore Lane Hockensmith.    Hockensmith, listed at 6’3”, 260 pounds, should be a strong force on the inside for the Bearcats.   This will be key for a team that only averaged 24 rebounds a game last year and lost its primary rebounder – Bryce Snellen (10.9 boards/game) – to graduation.   Nobody else returns who averaged more than 2.1 rebounds a game.

Hyatt looks to play at least ten a game, and three of the first five off the bench will be sophomores, including 5’9” Calvin Ruble, who Hyatt expects to be an offensive force off the bench, 6’2” Nathan Adkins and 5’8” Cam Higgins.

Seniors Taylor Hensley (6’1”) and Matt King (6’0”) will also be competing for minutes off the bench.

King also transferred from Lawrenceburg Christian Academy.   Hyatt describes him as a “phenomenal shooter.”

Trivia:  Since 1998, Anderson County is 59-60 against District 30 foes.   The Cats are 14-7 against Woodford County and 19-13 against Spencer County, but are 20-25 versus Shelby County and 6-15 against Collins.   The Bearcats had a rare year last year, going winless (0-5) versus their district rivals.

Outlook:  Playing in the incredibly tough 30^th district, Anderson County’s path back to New Castle is very difficult, with Woodford County, Spencer County, and Collins all standing in the way.  Somehow, the Cats have to muscle two of those powers out of the way to claim one of the District 30 tickets to the Region.  But Hyatt is optimistic about his team’s makeover, and what this young lineup can do.

“I believe our guards are good enough this year to cause some problems,” he said.  “Last year we had some issues handling pressure, which made us play faster at times than we wanted to.  I expect Sutherland and White to handle most of that.”

“For us to have a shot in this district, we have to take care of the ball, defend like crazy, and even out the rebounding.”

“I feel like we can score, which is a little different (from last year).”

Editor’s note:  This feels a little like last year’s preseason ranking of the Spencer County Bears, a team with a lot of players of unknown varsity quality heading into the season.   I ranked the Bears #17 last year, anticipating that they would eventually move up as their players matured.   Surprise, surprise – Spencer came out of the gates hot, revealing themselves to be one of the region’s better teams from Day One.

Similarly, Anderson County is composed of a lot of unknowns.   I have a lot of respect for Bryan Hyatt’s ability to assess players.    If he says this is a group of shooters, I tend to believe him.    For better or worse, though, I think the Bearcats are likely to take some lumps early on.

 

18 - CARROLL COUNTY PANTHERS  (6-24, lost in the first round of the 31^st District tournament, 82-52, to Henry County) – Roger Harden becomes the fourth coach in just five years in Carrollton, taking over the reins of the Carroll County Panthers, a squad that has won just 38 games during that stretch.

Last year went pretty much per expectations.   It was expected to be a rebuilding season.   Veteran coach Doug Oak came in for a one-year tour of duty to bring the Panthers back from the memories of a forgettable 1-13 season in 2021, when COVID held Carroll County to something barely resembling a full season.  The season started poorly for the Panthers, who lost their first 15 games while averaging just 42.1 ppg.  But the team improved, averaging 59.2 ppg over their final fourteen regular season games.  Oak guided the squad to an encouraging end to the season, when the reinvigorated squad won 5 of their last 7 regular season games, including a 72-67 win over Eminence (14-13), their lone victory over a team with a winning record.

The new season brings a new coach, and the black-and-gold faithful are counting on Harden to finish what Oak got started, and they hope he brought a little of his personal magic with him.   Harden was the 1982 Indiana Mr. Basketball, a Parade All-American, a McDonald’s All-American, and a Scholastic Coach All-American in high school.   He played for UK, where he earned third-team All-SEC honors in 1985-86.   He was then drafted in 1986 by the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.   No stranger to the 8^th Region, Harden spent five years recently as the head coach of the Williamstown Demons.

The cupboard isn’t exactly bare for Harden.   Eight of the 11 players who played in at least 20 games last season return, including leading scorer Landon Issacs, a 5’11” senior guard who averaged 9.9 ppg and 3.1 rebounds last year.    The #3 and #4 scorers also return, including 6’0” junior Braden Stephenson (8.8 ppg / 3.8 rebounds) and 5-10” senior forward Kenyion Mumphrey (8.0 ppg and a team-high 5.6 rebounds).

The team returns three of its top four scorers, the top three rebounders, and the two best shooters (Stephenson and Mumphrey) from last season. 

Size will be a concern, but perhaps not so much in the vertically-challenged 31^st district, where only Owen County has serious height.    Austin Hicks, a 6’2” senior forward, may be the tallest player on the court for Carroll this year.   Hicks, who played in all 30 games last season, may be a breakout candidate this year after doubling his season average during that final 7 game stretch of last season, when he averaged 6 ppg and hit nearly 50% of his shots (after averaging just 2.9 ppg and hitting 33.3% of his shots overall, for the season).

Other players to note may include junior guard Landon Groves (2.4 ppg), junior swingman Seth Franklin (2.3 ppg), 6’1” junior forward Aden Stephenson, and junior forward Cameron Butcher, all of whom appeared in 20-26 games last season with the varsity.

Trivia:  Somewhere, there’s a little black cloud hovering over Carrollton.  Carroll County’s current string of seasons without a region playoff berth is second only to Trimble County’s drought.   The Panthers last made it to the region tournament in 2006, when they lost in the first round to North Oldham.    The last regional tournament victory for the Panthers came back in 2000, when the 31^st district champion Panthers lost to Shelby County by just three points in the semi-final round.   Currently, the Panthers have gone 16 consecutive seasons without a regional berth.   It’s a stunning statistic, but in the last 22 seasons, Carroll has lost in the first round of the District 31 tournament 20 times.

Outlook:   Harden hasn’t divulged much about this squad or his plans for the season, but an infusion of confidence will be needed for a program that has struggled for so long.   The way last season ended is a positive the Panthers can build upon, and they have a lot of the building blocks back to do so.    A lot depends upon the three seniors’ (Issacs, Mumphrey, and Hicks) and the leadership that they can provide as the team transitions to Harden’s style of play.   But, although the 31^st has a clear favorite in Owen County, the battle for the second spot berth in the region tournament is wide-open, and come February, nobody will remember whether a rebuilding Carroll County team won a lot of games or lost a lot of games in December.   It will be interesting to see how this team evolves.    The 11 games from January 10^th to January 20^th may be revealing; Carroll plays four district foes during that time, including the four Eminence (1/13), vs. Trimble County (1/16), and at Henry County (1/20). 

 

Player of the Year:

A lot of players will deservedly get noticed this year as a possible player of the year, but the following candidates stand out in the preseason:

The pre-season favorites:

The following contenders have one thing in common; each can completely take over a game and win it for his team.   Interestingly, there is one player from each district within the region.

Teagan Moore, senior, Owen County – The reigning 8^th Region Player of the Year will be hard to unseat.   A 6’6” monster on the perimeter, Moore checks all the boxes.   He can score from anywhere, hits the boards hard, has solid post-up moves, and plays with energy for 32 minutes.  The leading scorer in the 8^th Region last year at 28.9 ppg, Moore will likely eclipse the 3,000 point mark sometime this season. 

Dallas Roberts, senior, North Oldham – Dallas Roberts, a 6’1” senior, is a scoring load, particularly on dribble-drives to the basket.    A strong team leader, Roberts frequently handles the point guard role at North, yet it doesn’t seem to inhibit his ability to score, as he has led North in scoring 3 of the past 4 seasons, including as an 8^th grader.   Roberts is a fifth-year starter for the defending 8^th Region champs, and sometime this season will almost certainly pass his coach, David Levitch, as the all-time scoring leader at North Oldham.

Dylan Hammonds, senior, Grant County -  An absolute double-double machine, Hammonds is a 6’4” power forward with a motor that never quits.   He plays like he’s 6’7”, and attacks the glass with a ferocity not seen since the days of Wes Unseld and Willis Reed.   Hammonds recorded a double-double in 25 of the 34 games he played in last year.  Hammonds will likely break the school scoring record before New Year’s, almost certainly scoring over 2,000 career points.   He likely will break the school rebounding record this season as well.

Jasper Johnson, sophomore, Woodford County – On the basis of pure athletic talent alone, Johnson may be in a class all his own.   A 6’4” point guard, he’s a matchup nightmare for your typical 6’0” high school guard, who he can outdribble, outjump, and outrun.    Johnson’s a threat to burst by defenders and get to the rim, or pull up and drain the three.   He can jump out of the gym, and on defense has exceptionally quick hands.  ESPN has him ranked 15^th in his class, nationally.  The only negative on Johnson may be his age; voters tend to favor the seniors and juniors for the POY award over the sophomores and freshmen.

 

Other Top Players in the 8^th Region to Watch:

Max Greene, junior, Oldham County – one of the region’s premier shooters, Greene is a threat from any spot on the floor, and very fluid with the basketball.    A tremendous leaper, he’s one of Oldham’s premier defenders.  Probably more dangerous as a “2” guard, Greene is a capable point.

Luke Erhardt, junior, Spencer County – emerged last season with a 22 ppg average, fourth best in the region – as a sophomore.   Hit 90 threes while shooting a 39.1% clip.

Carter Krohman, senior, Walton-Verona – like Erhardt, a deadly outside shooter, he had the identical stats from beyond the arc last season, making 90 at 39.1%.    A four year starter at W-V, Krohman has increased his scoring average each season, averaging in double digits each year.

Kenyon Goodin, senior, Collins – Has led the Titans in scoring two years in a row; averaged 18.7 ppg and 5.9 rebounds, both team highs, last season while hitting 51.3% of his shots from the floor.    Quick, aggressive defender who is excellent at applying pressure to the ballhandler.

Ian Higdon, senior, North Oldham – Arguably the most versatile big man in the 8^th Region, Higdon is productive at both ends of the court, averaging nearly a double-double and running the court like a guard.   A four-year starter.

 

[ColonelMike]

OK, weird.....I must've taken a break or gotten distracted while typing up the SK part....I see I barely mentioned Gabe Dynes when I was talking about the two returning starters for the Pioneers.

I think I inadvertently deleted the paragraph on Dynes when I was "cut-and-pasting" the article.

Dynes, the tallest player in the 8th region at 7'2", will be a key to SK's success this year.   Dynes proved himself as a defensive stopper last season - he's a huge reason the Pioneers' scoring defense improved so much last season.   The question will be whether his offense catches up with his defense.   If Dynes can be a threat to score night in and night out, SK will become exponentially better in a hurry....

It's mind-boggling to wrap your brain around this fact:   With the exception of 6'10" Brax Ward in Owen County, Gabe Dynes is nearly half a foot taller than the other elite bigs in the region this year, including 6'9" McCrear (Woodford), 6'8" Anderson (North), and 6'7" Higdon (North).  Think about it - then factor in the additional "wingspan" advantage....  

(And he's got a good four inches of height advantage on Ward.....)

 

[Nkybballfan23]

24 minutes ago, ColonelMike said:

OK, weird.....I must've taken a break or gotten distracted while typing up the SK part....I see I barely mentioned Gabe Dynes when I was talking about the two returning starters for the Pioneers.

I think I inadvertently deleted the paragraph on Dynes when I was "cut-and-pasting" the article.

Dynes, the tallest player in the 8th region at 7'2", will be a key to SK's success this year.   Dynes proved himself as a defensive stopper last season - he's a huge reason the Pioneers' scoring defense improved so much last season.   The question will be whether his offense catches up with his defense.   If Dynes can be a threat to score night in and night out, SK will become exponentially better in a hurry....

It's mind-boggling to wrap your brain around this fact:   With the exception of 6'10" Brax Ward in Owen County, Gabe Dynes is nearly half a foot taller than the other elite bigs in the region this year, including 6'9" McCrear (Woodford), 6'8" Anderson (North), and 6'7" Higdon (North).  Think about it - then factor in the additional "wingspan" advantage....  

(And he's got a good four inches of height advantage on Ward.....)

 

I know the difference isn’t that big but Dynes is actually 7’3 now.

[ColonelMike]

16 minutes ago, Nkybballfan23 said:

I know the difference isn’t that big but Dynes is actually 7’3 now.

Thanks - Sorry - I can only go by the roster I have, and it says 7'2".....  😞

Of course, when your head's that far above everyone else's.... LOL!!

Mike

[MaddenCurse44]

1 hour ago, ColonelMike said:

Thanks - Sorry - I can only go by the roster I have, and it says 7'2".....  😞

Of course, when your head's that far above everyone else's.... LOL!!

Mike

Also Pioneers Travis Krohman is 6'1 not 5'9 great write up your awesome for all the work you do.

[Nkybballfan23]

30 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

Also Pioneers Travis Krohman is 6'1 not 5'9 great write up your awesome for all the work you do.

I believe Logan Crisp is also 6’3 and not 6’1. 

[Smallhoops]

A wonderful, wonderful preview, as always from @ColonelMike.  Great work.

[ConverseAllStar]

Great preview!

Any chance we could start a separate thread identifying all the 8th Region players that have their height listed incorrectly on the official KHSAA rosters?!  Also, can we stipulate whether these measurements are barefoot, basketball shoes, running shoes, work boots, etc?!

[Hoopstars]

12 minutes ago, ConverseAllStar said:

Great preview!

Any chance we could start a separate thread identifying all the 8th Region players that have their height listed incorrectly on the official KHSAA rosters?!  Also, can we stipulate whether these measurements are barefoot, basketball shoes, running shoes, work boots, etc?!

Great idea!  It’s incredible that with all the detail and relevant basketball info people are singularly obsessed with height. As if a source of pride?

[deepthreejack]

Height is kind of a big deal in basketball.  I can name 50 kids that would’ve been really really good/D1 if they were 6’4” but unfortunately they were 5’10” and they ended up small college or nowhere. (I could name 10 this year but I don’t wanna hurt feelings!) That’s why the kids are all exaggerating their height by 1-2”.  

[cats94]

@ColonelMike Great write up as always!

Some takeaways:
Oldham County at the 5 spot seems like it’s the lowest pre-season ranking for them in a while. 

The 31st seems to be the weakest it has been in a long time, can any other team compete with Owen?

The 32nd could be the most fun district in the region. Walton and Grant are the obvious front runners IMO, but SK has some talent and could make some noise, but the sleeper is Williamstown. They have some athletes, and could make a couple of these district games tight.

Looking forward to a fun season!

[theguru]

20 hours ago, Hoopstars said:

Great idea!  It’s incredible that with all the detail and relevant basketball info people are singularly obsessed with height. As if a source of pride?

Welcome to BGP @Hoopstars!

[ColonelMike]

9 hours ago, cats94 said:

@ColonelMike Great write up as always!

Some takeaways:
Oldham County at the 5 spot seems like it’s the lowest pre-season ranking for them in a while. 

The 31st seems to be the weakest it has been in a long time, can any other team compete with Owen?

The 32nd could be the most fun district in the region. Walton and Grant are the obvious front runners IMO, but SK has some talent and could make some noise, but the sleeper is Williamstown. They have some athletes, and could make a couple of these district games tight.

Looking forward to a fun season!

I think Oldham - for the first time in a LONG while - has more question marks than usual.    Max Green is a known quantity - and should be even better this year - and Luke Amburgey is every coach's dream player in the sense that he lays it all on the line, every minute of every quarter of every game.   But the rest of the squad is unproven, there's a new coach in town, and things may take a while to settle...  Doesn't mean the Colonels won't be in New Castle - just means they have some questions to answer along the way, like most teams.   Would NOT surprise me AT ALL to have Oldham in the top 3 at the end of the year.

District 31 is clearly rebuilding.....the February version of the district may be MUCH better than what you see in December (as it should).    Opens the door for a very suspenseful district tournament.   At this point, I just don't see anyone threatening Owen at the top - but February is a long way off and there is talent on the other rosters.

The 32nd should be fun.   I really like Grant's starting five, but the other three will made their voices heard.    Don't sleep on Williamstown; that's a smallish team, but it has a lot of varsity experience, and if Cheesman can make his orchestra play together, a lot could be accomplished.   SK is the "constant" - they are always a contender, it seems.   And Mike Hester has done wonderful things at W-V.    They'll put up points.

[ColonelMike]

20 hours ago, Hoopstars said:

Great idea!  It’s incredible that with all the detail and relevant basketball info people are singularly obsessed with height. As if a source of pride?

It was explained to me this way....

The rosters on the KHSAA automatically pre-pop each year with the underclassmen from last year.   Online, it advances them each one grade level, but makes no other changes.   So - when the coaches enter their roster info for this year, if they don't touch the heights, the height from the previous year's roster carries over.

I'm finding a lot of coaches do not update the heights online, which is why I always ask the coaches for a team roster.....if I get one, I defer to it.   If the coach doesn't provide me with one, all I have to go by is what's on the KHSAA rosters.....and that may have been little Johnny's height from when he joined the varsity roster as an 8th grader four years ago....  LOL

CM

[ColonelMike]

Interesting 8th Region scores from Monday....

North Oldham with a solid win over Manual....

Anderson County makes up for two straight years of losses to Henry County with a blowout 71-41 victory over the Wildcats.....Coach Hyatt said this team will be a good shooting team.....

South Oldham 87 Thomas Nelson 30 .....this one figured to be lopsided, but it appears Steve Simpson's offense, at least after one game, may be back....

Spencer County 74, Campbellsville 52.....

Williamstown over Gallatin County by 7....

Walton-Verona knocks off Beechwood handily....

And Trimble County goes to 1-0 with a win over Frankfort Christian easily.

It's a nice start when the only 8th Region teams to lose....lost to other 8th Region teams!