Fleming to the top… Ashland gets "Crossed" up…. The 63rd is turned on its head for a night…. And sharing is caring for Morgan County

 

The next time Ashland and Boyd County see the 'Panther Den', it'll be too soon. 

Five days after besting region #2 at home, Fleming County toppled #1 to thumb its nose at the establishment. The Panthers are the first team to beat the Tomcats and Lions in the same season since 2018-19. 

Fleming ascends to the top of the region on the strength of those two wins, the most recent being the double digit, second half comeback over Boyd County. The stellar trio of Adam Hargett, Seth Hickerson, and Lucas Jolly combined for 62 points against the Lions, with Hargett sinking five threes and Hickerson securing a double-double with ten rebounds. 

They may be ascending the rankings, but the Panthers are backpedaling up the hill after getting blown off their home floor by border rival Mason County. The chance to consolidate their grip on the top ranking was in the palm of their hand. They hadn't lost in Flemingsburg in a couple of years and the Royals were recalibrating after the departure of the Reeds.

Instead, Mason erupted for 93 points behind Braeden Myrick's school record eleven threes.

The optics may not be ideal, but the Panthers have earned the #1 ranking the hard way. When you beat the region's premier bluebloods in back to back weeks, the only way is up.

 

In Other News...

Tomcats fall to white hot Warhawks | Ashland got a look at the state's top ranked team, as Great Crossing came to NEKY for the first time. Ashland acquitted itself well, but were outgunned by an opponent that shot 70% overall, including 67% from long distance. Even when they missed, Malachi Moreno and Co. kept the Tomcats off the glass, limiting Ashland to just 14 rebounds.

Highlights:

 

Just 63rd District things | To complete a regular season sweep of the district, Greenup County needed a win over Lewis County, a team still searching for its first district win and limping through a 1-9 skid coming in. But this is the 63rd District, folks. No one is safe. The eventual four-seed got the win behind 23 points from Julian Puente and a 15/13 double-double by Xavier Prater. They'll see one another again in the district tournament first round, where a 4 over 1 is obviously a distinct possibility. Some might even say, likely.

 

Cougars master the balancing act | Morgan County is as balanced - maybe more so - as any team in the region. Seven players average between 7 and 15 points per game and each of those seven has led the Cougars in scoring at least once this season. That balance was on display against Raceland last Thursday, as Morgan County placed six - Gatlin and Eli Griffith, Cameron Adams, Asher Gamble, Allen Justice, and Logan Spencer - in double figures ranging from 11 to 19 points. All six made at least five field goals. And all without the presence of Preston Hoskins, Morgan's leading scorer, who's missed the last two games.

 

Reason to roar for Lions | It's been a rough couple of years in Sandy Hook. Elliott County is 8-46 since the start of last season, but won back-to-back games last week for the first time since December of 2022. The wins over Robertson County and Ironton St. Joe's were their first this season over an opponent other than Rose Hill. Freshman guard Lake Adkins - as he has all season - led Elliott in scoring both games, averaging just under 20 ppg.

 

Sixteen For the 16th (Rankings)

Despite Lewis' win over Greenup, the order for the 63rd District teams remains the same. When factoring in the season long round robin results, this order feels right for those four.

Rowan stays ahead of Morgan for at least another week. They play tomorrow, so we'll let the head to head settle the order of their placement. 

 

1. Fleming County Panthers

Record: 20-8

Weekly Results: beat Boyd County (77-72) | lost to Mason County (72-93) 

 

2. Boyd County Lions

Record: 22-6

Weekly Results: lost to Fleming County (72-77) | lost to Harlan County (75-93)

 

3. Ashland Tomcats

Record: 19-9

Weekly Results: beat Rowan County (56-46) | beat Lawrence County (73-63) | lost to Great Crossing (59-72)

 

4. Rowan County Vikings

Record: 18-9

Weekly Results: lost to Ashland (46-56) | beat East Carter (55-42) 

 

5. Morgan County Cougars

Record: 18-6

Weekly Results: beat Menifee County (72-58) | beat Raceland (84-70) 

 

6. East Carter Raiders

Record: 15-11

Weekly Results: beat Lewis County (46-41) | lost to Rowan County (42-55)

 

7. Greenup County Musketeers

Record: 15-13

Weekly Results: beat Tolsia (WV) (71-60) | lost to Lewis County (56-53)

 

8. Russell Red Devils

Record: 16-9

Weekly Results: beat Fairview (77-61) | beat Bath County (76-69)

 

9. Raceland Rams

Record: 14-13

Weekly Results: beat West Carter (57-42) | lost to Morgan County (70-84) | beat Nicholas County (75-55)

 

10. Lewis County Lions

Record: 8-14

Weekly Results: lost to East Carter (41-46) | beat Greenup County (56-53) | beat Menifee County (68-55)

 

11. West Carter Comets

Record: 7-17

Weekly Results: lost to Raceland (42-57) 

 

12. Menifee County Wildcats

Record: 8-19

Weekly Results: lost to Morgan County (58-72) | lost to Lewis County (55-68)

 

13. Bath County Wildcats

Record: 6-19

Weekly Results: lost to Russell (69-76)

 

14. Fairview Eagles

Record: 7-19

Weekly Results: lost to Russell (61-77)

 

15. Elliott County Lions

Record: 5-21

Weekly Results: beat Robertson County (76-39) | beat St. Joseph Central (OH) (65-54)

 

16. Rose Hill Royals

Record: 7-14

Weekly Results: lost to Hannan (WV) (61-84) | beat Ignite (WV) (60-40)

 

Get To The Point (High Scorers For The Week)

Cole Hicks (Boyd County) - 34 against Harlan County 

Elijah Neel (Russell) - 29 against Bath County 

Christian Large (Raceland) - 26 against West Carter 

Julian Puente (Lewis County) - 23 against Greenup County 

Lake Adkins (Elliott County) - 22 against Ironton St. Joe's 

Brevon Ricker (Menifee County) - 22 against Morgan County 

Tough assignment to rank the top three. I believe Boyd has been a hair more consistent than the other two but I also believe Ashland may have the highest ceiling...and yet...Fleming has beaten both of them.  Based on what has happened lately I believe you're correct for the current week. But...I can't get past the past so I still believe the regional champion hails from the 64th district. Hard to remember when but I believe we have to go back to the Elliot County days to buck the current trend...