9th Region Week 13 Review

By: Adrian Woj Burner 

 

A lot to keep up with this week! District Tournament Results, 9th Region Tournament Matchups/Preview. 

 

Region Tournament Week! 

 

District Tournament Results

District 33 Tournament  (At Cooper)

Champion: Cooper Jaguars

Runner-up: Conner Cougars

(59-55)

 

District 34 Tournament  (At St. Henry)

Champion: Lloyd Memorial Juggernauts

Runner-up: St. Henry Crusaders

(60-58)

 

District 35 Tournament  (At CovCath)

Champion: CovCath Colonels

Runner-up: Beechwood Tigers

(61-53)

 

District 36 Tournament  (At Highlands)

Champion: Newport Wildcats

Runner-up: Highlands BlueBirds

(72-61)

 

Region Rankings (ROAD TO RUPP!!!)

 

1 -  CovCath Colonels (District Champion) 

The Colonels come into the 9th region tournament the team to beat, and easily the favorites to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Led by Veteran Evan Ipsaro. However, the Colonels better hope Jr. Brady Hussey is good to go come game time. Any updates on his health?

 

2 - Conner Cougars (District Runner-up)

The Cougars are heading into the Region Tournament after being upset by Cooper. Let's hope they can put that past them when moving forward in their postseason. This team is led by Sr. Landon Hamilton. They have also shown they can beat ANYONE. 

 

3 - Newport Wildcats (District Champion)

This young squad is so talented! They are coming off their District Championship win vs Highlands. Marquez Miller was named MVP of the tournament. This team is one to watch for, and could definitely pave their road to Rupp!

 

4 - Lloyd Juggernauts (District Champion)

The Juggs are led by Sr. Jeremiah Israel, and big 2025 recruit E.J. Walker. They are coming off a district championship, where they fended off the St. Henry Crusaders. They are not the favorites, but they have the athleticism/talent to beat anyone. One of my personal sleepers….

 

5 - Cooper Jaguars (District Champion)

With the eligibility of Shaun Pouncey, Cooper has become a legit contender! In his only 2 games of the season, he is averaging 19.5 PPG, and 10 RPG. Also, bringing home a District Title, and upsetting the Conner Cougars. 

 

6 - Highlands Bluebirds (District Runner-up)

The BlueBirds have been trending in the wrong direction come postseason time. This is due to injuries, and the loss of Moeves for the rest of the season. However, look for the BlueBirds to figure things out. They may be the biggest threat to knock off a top team in this Tournament with their unreal 3pt shooting!

 

7 - St. Henry Crusaders (District Runner-up) 

The Crusaders have been competing well. They knocked off Holy Cross and Jacob Meyer last week, then they came into the District Tournament and almost knocked off the Juggs in the District Finals. They are definitely trending in the right direction after recovering some players from injuries. 

 

8 - Beechwood Tigers (District Runner-up)

The Tigers are coming into the Region after knocking Jacob Meyer and the Holy Cross Indians out of the District Tournament. Then, they competed with CovCath in the District FInals. Although I have them ranked last, they could come out and win some games at NKU!

 

Region Matchups/Preview (At Truist Arena)

 

Newport vs Beechwood (2/27, 6:30 pm)

The young Wildcats face the Tigers. The Tigers are competing very well right now, and may be able to find a way to beat this inexperienced team. I got Newport in this one, but I think it will be a VERY close game. 

 

Lloyd vs Conner (2/27, 8:00 pm)

Lloyd is coming off a District Championship win, right after the Conner Cougars got upset by Cooper. I got Lloyd in this one, as I think their size will give Conner fits. 

 

CovCath vs St. Henry (3/1, 6:30 pm)

CovCath is looking to make another run to Rupp! St. Henry has been heating up recently. However, I got CovCath in this one, as I think Ipsaro´s star power will be a little too much for them to handle. (As long as Hussey is playing)

 

Cooper vs Highlands (3/1, 8:00 pm)

Considering Highlands is trending downhill, and Cooper uphill, I got the Jags in this one. Especially after gaining Shaun Pouncey back, and Highlands losing a starter. However, the Birds 3pt shooting can knock off anyone!

Does anyone have any knowledge on live-streams of the regional games? It will be a GREAT tournament, but I will be majorly busy with the 8th so won't be able to attend in person. 

After doing some reading, live-streaming will not be allowed, just radio broadcasts only. @859Radio will be radio broadcasting the entire first round on 859 Sports Radio!

I know playing at NKU poses unique problems due to arena availability, but the schedules in recent years seem so disjointed.  Girls play round one and then don't play for nearly a week?  Guys play one set of Rd 1 games on Monday and the other set on Wednesday?  God bless NKU for allowing them to use the arena, but let them get some kind of flow.

According to @UKato91 in a post in the Beechwood score thread, and I always trust Him implicitly, Hussey turned an ankle in practice but should be good to go.

26 minutes ago, The Raven said:

I know playing at NKU poses unique problems due to arena availability, but the schedules in recent years seem so disjointed.  Girls play round one and then don't play for nearly a week?  Guys play one set of Rd 1 games on Monday and the other set on Wednesday?  God bless NKU for allowing them to use the arena, but let them get some kind of flow.

I wondered the same thing. The best idea would to get the girls bracket out of the way since they play the state tournament first, and then do the boys next. 

Here would be my schedule (granite I have no ruling, and that is with fair reasoning)

Girls quarterfinals (all 4 games): Feb 26

Girls semifinals (both games): Feb 27

Girls finals: March 1

 

Boys quarterfinals: March 3rd and 4th

Boys semifinals: March 5

Boys finals March 7

I enjoy NKU but I would like to see the 9th region tournament return to a high school gym. 

1 minute ago, PP1 said:

I enjoy NKU but I would like to see the 9th region tournament return to a high school gym. 

 Could not agree more….

35 minutes ago, PP1 said:

I enjoy NKU but I would like to see the 9th region tournament return to a high school gym. 

In my opinion, any region not on a high school gymnasium just is not the same. Those places are built for bigger crowds than high school basketball can bring (majority of the time), making the environment just meh. The atmosphere in the regional tournament in a high school gym is like no other. With the same amount of people, it is just wayyy louder with the gym being smaller. 

Thank goodness there is no alternative arena within the 8th Region to change the host of it!

39 minutes ago, PP1 said:

I enjoy NKU but I would like to see the 9th region tournament return to a high school gym. 

Would be tough to even fit tonight into a high school gym comfortably, it was packed for the first session of the tournament.

For fans, HS gyms are best.  For officials, media and players, the college arenas are better for the regionals.  Officials don't have fans chirping directly in their ear, media doesn't have over flowing crowd standing on the floor in their way, and players get that feel of being in a bigger environment, like they will feel at Rupp.  But for fans, they can feel disconnected from it all in the bigger showcases.

I believe that Holmes gym would be the best fit for a new location. 

@Adrian Woj BurnerYou called the Lloyd-Conner game. Good thinking. 

4 minutes ago, LLS10 said:

I believe that Holmes gym would be the best fit for a new location. 

Holmes, Conner, or Ryle are all fine locations for the Regional.   It's less about location and more who is administering the tourney.   If the people running it really care, it will be smooth and successful.   I used to see too many people treat it as an inconvenience instead of an opportunity.