16th Region Week 9 Review

Just one change in the weekly rankings with Greenup County and Fairfield switching spots just outside the top 10. Greenup County moves up to No. 11 on a knife's edge after defeating Fairview by just one at home in overtime. Elsewhere, Ashland Blazer remains on top. Boyd County stays at No. 2. Tough-scheduling Fleming County and streaking Russell remain stubbornly tied at No. 3. As stated previously, there are not many regional teams with a lot of wins against successful Kentucky teams. Let's take a glance at that this week while updating looks at regional and district records and seeing who's hot and who's not.

Regional Rankings:

1. Ashland Blazer (14-8): The Tomcats finished the week 1-1, beating Fairview 77-55 and losing to Covington Catholic, 83-57. Check out the team scoring against Fairview: Rheyce Deboard 18, Zander Carter 17, Asher Adkins 16, Tucker Conway 15. They had a more difficult time moving the ball against mighty CovCath. The four-time defending regional champions are 6-0 against regional teams, including a nine-point win at Boyd County and a 22-point win versus Fleming County. They are 3-0 versus 64th District opponents. They are 2-2 after a five-game winning streak with seven wins in nine games. They have beaten eight Kentucky teams with winning records, and had the guts to schedule Simon Kenton in the first round of their own tournament (they lost to the Pioneers). Three of their losses have come against some of the best in the state: CovCath, George Rogers Clark and Great Crossing, so they have not shied away from tough challenges.

2. Boyd County (15-4): The Lions went 2-0 for the week. They enjoyed an 87-61 win against Johnson Central with 40 points from Jacob Spurlock, and routed West Carter 101-50 with 23 from Spurlock. It was their fourth 100-point game of the season. The Lions have won four straight games after losing three of four. They have eight wins against state teams with winning records including quality wins against Pikeville, Eastern, Lawrence County and Campbell County. But they haven't played a lot locally as of yet. They are 4-1 against the region, the only loss coming against Ashland. They are 1-1 vs. the 64th District, the only loss to Ashland. They have a big game Tuesday at home vs. Russell. They are not scheduled to play Fleming County.

3. Fleming County (15-8): The Panthers went 2-0 with a 77-71 win against Montgomery County and a 35-29 defensive struggle against Rowan County. They now have six wins against Kentucky teams with winning records. They are 9-2 vs. the region and 4-1 vs. 61st District foes. They still don't have a loss to a bad team. Other previous results: Two losses to Mason County, one of them by five, and losses to Owensboro Catholic, Butler, Highlands, Ashland Blazer and Bath County. They beat Russell by 21 at home earlier this season. Have won eight of 10.

4. Russell (19-3): The Red Devils just keep on winning with a sixth straight unbeaten week on the strength of victories over 14-10 Lawrence County by 13 and Lewis County by four. The Lawrence County win is fine. They need to be beating Lewis County by a lot more than four points, but Lewis County seems to be playing them tough of late despite usually coming out on the losing end. Damon Charles had 24 points and 17 rebounds against Lawrence County. Gavin Carter had 22 against Lewis County but Charles took just four shots and scored one point. Charles did have 11 rebounds against Lewis County, showing he can help even when smothered by opposing defenses when he has the ball. The Red Devils are now 14-1 vs. the region, the loss coming against Fleming County. They have definitely taken care of the lower teams in the rankings. Three of their regional wins have come against West Carter, two against Lewis County. They have one each vs. Rose Hill Christian, Elliott County, Menifee County and Greenup County. They have also beaten teams just below them in the rankings: Morgan County, Bath County, East Carter and Raceland. I've emphasized that they haven't played as tough a schedule as Fleming County. However, they are 5-0 vs. the 63rd District and have six wins against Kentucky teams with winning records.

5. Morgan County (15-6): The Cougars had a 2-1 week with wins against Elliott County and Greenup County. Gatlin Griffith scored 26 points against Elliott County. They are 5-2 against the region including a 27-point win against Bath County, one of three wins against state teams with a winning record (also Magoffin County and Estill County). After a 4-4 stretch, they have won three of their last four games.

6. Rowan County (11-10): The Vikings went 1-1 last week, beating Menifee County and losing to Fleming County. They have won five of their last seven games but their only wins against state teams with winning records outside the region came against Montgomery County and Somerset. Moved to 7-4 vs. the region with wins against Bath County and East Carter for a total of four wins vs. winning KY teams. They are 3-2 vs. the 61st District.

7. Bath County (13-8): Finished the week 2-1 highlighted by a win vs. Menifee County. They lost to 11-11 Paris despite 36 points from Zack Otis. Beat Fleming County and East Carter very early in the season but has just one win against a Kentucky team with a winning record since Dec. 13 (Estill County). They have won three of four games but they are 5-7 since the 8-1 start. They are 7-5 against the region, 3-2 vs. 61st District foes.

8. East Carter (12-8): A 1-1 week for the Raiders with a win vs. West Carter. They are 6-2 over the last eight games but have just two wins against Kentucky teams with winning records (Bethlehem, Morgan County). They are 9-4 vs. the region and 4-0 against 62nd District opponents.

9. Raceland (11-10): The Rams went 1-1, beating West Carter. They are 1-5 over their last six games. They are 7-6 in the region with two wins each against Elliott County and Fairview, and 0-3 vs. the 63rd District. They have also beaten Menifee County and Rose Hill Christian but no wins vs. a Kentucky team with a winning record.

10. Menifee County (8-14): The Wildcats finished 1-2 for the week with a win vs. Fairview, snapping a five-game losing streak. The only victory against a Kentucky team with a winning record is vs. Raceland. They are 5-8 against the region and winless against the 61st District.

11. Greenup County (8-13): The Musketeers had a 1-1 week with a win against Fairview and a two-point loss to Morgan County, snapping a five-game winning streak. They are 5-6 vs. the region with other wins against Elliott County, West Carter, Lewis County and Menifee County, and 1-1 vs. 63rd District foes. But no wins vs. winning state teams.

12. Fairview (10-12): The Eagles finished 0-3 for the week including a loss to Greenup County while extending their losing streak to five. They dropped to 5-9 against the region. They are 1-3 vs. the 64th District. Still no wins against a KY team with a winning record. They have also beaten West Carter.

13. West Carter (4-16): The Comets went 0-3. They are 2-14 in the region with wins vs. Elliott County and Rose Hill Christian, and 1-3 vs. the 62nd District. They have lost nine of their last 11. No wins against a winning team.

14. Lewis County (4-14): The Lions went 1-2. They are 4-7 vs. the region with two wins against Elliott County and one against Rose Hill Christian, and 1-3 vs. 63rd District foes. They have lost eight of their last 10. The only win against a state team with a winning record is against Raceland. Nobody below them here has a win against a winning team.

15. Elliott County (2-19): The Lions finished 0-2 for the week, extending the losing streak to 13. They are 0-13 against the region and 0-4 vs. the 62nd District.

16. Rose Hill Christian (4-16): The Royals went 0-3. The losing streak stands at five. They are 0-7 in the region.

I've seen just enough of Russell to say they're a good team, but the schedule is far too suspect to say with any confidence that they'll be a threat in Morehead (not that they're a shoe-in to advance from the 63rd). They should continue adding to their win total in the coming weeks, but whether or not they'll be taken seriously as a region contender hinges on the trip to Summit to face Boyd County on 2/13.