3rd Region Boys Basketball Preview

[ApolloFan98]

Is the 3^rd Region back?  That is the question entering the 2024-2025 season.  If you simply look at the talent across the area, you should certainly think so.  Even with the loss of a Western Kentucky commit in Lawson Rice due to injury, this region is still chalked full of high-level college talent.  Sure, the loss of Rice brings Butler County back to the pack a little bit, but the Bears are still loaded with talent and driven to return to Rupp Arena after coming up just short against Evangel Christian last season. 

 

Players like Jonathan Moss for Daviess County, Luke Beickman for Owensboro Catholic and Jack Logsdon for Grayson County give those programs a real chance to compete for a regional title.  You can never count out Coach Rod Drake and the Owensboro Red Devils, who are looking for a bounce back year after s tough season.  Apollo will field its best team in at least 6 years, as they are loaded with young talent ready to put their stamp on a historic program.  Muhlenberg County and Breckinridge County have enough firepower to give their fanbases hope that they too can compete with the top of the region.  This is as deep of a field of programs as we have seen in the 3^rd Region in quite some time.  One of these programs will be looking to erase a 9 year losing streak vs the field in the Sweet 16.  There is enough talent to have faith that the drought will come to an end in 2025.

 

1. Butler County Bears (23-9) – 3^rd Region Champs – Coach Calvin Dockery

                Fresh off their first ever 3^rd Region Championship, the Bears again find themselves as favorites to repeat as 3^rd Region Champions.  Even with the unfortunate injury to WKU commit Lawson Rice, Butler County features the regions most experienced rosters.  Back-to-back 3^rd Region player of the year Ty Price, returns and brings his 29 ppg average with him.  Ty recently committed to Tennessee Martin ahead of his senior season.  His work ethic has carried through the entire roster that also features lockdown defender Briar Griffin.  Griffin isn’t just a defender however, scoring 11.3 ppg last season.  Justin Castlen made a name for himself in front of the Rupp Arena crowd in the Sweet 16, knocking down 4-7 shots from beyond the arc en route to a 16-point performance.  Trevor and Clayton Deweese also return for Coach Dockery this season.  The Bears will play a fantastic schedule, being featured in several big tournaments and welcoming Great Crossing into the Bear Cave on January 3^rd. 

 

2.Daviess County Panthers (24-8) – 9^th District RUP – Coach Neil Hayden

                Daviess County is coming off a great season but may have a bad taste in their mouths after losing their final 2 contests of the 2024 season.  Owensboro Catholic shocked the Panthers in the district title game, and they followed that up by drawing Butler County in the first round of the regional tournament.  They battled the Bears in front a sold-out Owensboro Sportscenter but fell 10 points short.  Coach Hayden returns the bulk of the roster from last season, including all region point guard, Jonathan Moss.  Moss has several division 1 offers and is coming of a season where he averaged 17.1 ppg.  DeArron Watkins also returns his 12.4 ppg and 6.4 rpg.  Watkins is a game changer on defense as well, altering a many of shots around the rim.  The Panthers will need to replace guard Gage Phelps 15.7 ppg production but guys like Aydan Ayer and Jaxon Brown look to take another jump forward this season.  Ayer is also a high-level defender.  Daviess County has several high-profile games on its schedule like Henderson, Taylor County, Male, Butler County and Hopkinsville.  Those game should prepare them for what is going to be a much more competitive 9^th district from top to bottom.

 

3.Owensboro Catholic Aces (23-10) – Regional RUP & 9^th District Champs – Coach Tim Riley

                In true Tim Riley fashion, the Aces are coming off a somewhat surprising run to the 3^rd Region Championship game a year ago.  Luke Beickman took his game to a completely different level down the stretch last season, putting up 31 ppg in the district tournament.  Beickman used that success to garner division 1 level respect, eventually committing to Eastern Illinois.  The Aces lose Tutt Carrico and will need to find a reliable point guard to replace Kaiser Frick, but they do return key contributors in Waryn Ebelhar, Solly Smith, Vince Carrico and Dre Carothers.  Smith and Carothers have unbelievable athleticism and are expected to make a big jump forward this season.  As usual, you can expect Coach Riley to get the absolute most out of his roster.  The Aces will be battle tested with holiday tournaments at South Warren and Henderson.  The 9^th district will be a gauntlet, but Aces fan can lean on the fact that Coach Riley has never lost a 1^st round elimination game since becoming Owensboro Catholic Head Coach.

 

4.Grayson County Cougars (17-12) – Upset in 12^th District – Coach Travis Johnston

                The focus for the Cougars is to find a way to make it back to the Owensboro Sportscenter.  Grayson was upset at the hands of district rival Edmonson County to end a good season.  The roster is full of young talent, including super sophomores Jack Logsdon and Spencer Langdon.  Logsdon put up 19.4 ppg last season, while Langdon may be the region’s most underrated player at 16.5 ppg.  Brody Armstrong also returns coming off a season that saw him average double figure scoring at 12.2 ppg.  The Cougars had no seniors last season, so you can expect this team to be unified early this season.  Grayson will face mostly a 3^rd region schedule.  No matter if it is Whitesville Trinity or if its Edmonson County again, Coach Johnston and the Cougars will be heavily favored to return to the 3^rd region tournament field in 2025.

 

5.Owensboro Red Devils (13-13) – Lost in 9^th District – Coach Rod Drake

                The Red Devils are coming off an unusual disappointing season, just a year removed from being 3^rd Region Champions.  The Devils lost a tough district elimination game against Owensboro Catholic.  They will lose the services of Dayshaun Sanders, but you can expect sophomore guard Michael Acton to take a big step forward this year.  In the paint, big man Keaton Hughes returns and brings his 16.2 ppg, 10.3 rpg average with him.  Hughes is one of, if not the best, post players in the region.  Will Hume returns coming off a great finish to the year last season.  Hume put up nearly 10 ppg.  Guard Aaron Richardson has moved in from Madisonville and should provide another steady scoring option.  Coach Drake has said this team has a very high basketball IQ and will need to put that to work in a very tough 9^th district.  As usual, OHS plays a great schedule against teams like Warren Central, UHA, Bowling Green, Lyon Co, Evansville Harrison and Henderson County. 

 

6.Apollo Eagles (16-14) – Lost in 9^th District – Coach Ryne Tinsley

                Apollo is coming off its first winning season since 2018 and looking to improve on a 16-win campaign.  Seniors Like Jarboe and Kobe Kelly again will look to balance a very young roster.  Jarboe was great at times for the young Eagles, averaging 12.7 ppg.  Returning sophomores Tate Powers, Eli Williams, Landon Henning and Max Johnson will all return with another year of maturity.  Powers put up double figures at the point guard spot, while Landon Henning had a huge summer and expects to be one of the regions more dominate big men.  Coach Tinsley also expects Ehmadjai Badger to add a big lift to the rotation for the Eagles.  Apollo has a bit tougher schedule this season and will host their own holiday tournament with Russell County, Allen County and Webster County.  They will need to take a big step forward to find their way back to the regional tournament for the first time in 6 years.  That is the longest drought in school history.  That said, the progress of this program was evident last season and this core of young sophomores have a very bright future.

 

7.Muhlenberg County Mustangs (9-23) – Regional Semifinalists – Coach Aaron Morris

                The Mustangs struggled at times last season but finished strong, winning a game in the regional tournament.  They lost leading scorer Madox Jernigan to graduation, but Gunnar Revelett transferred into the program from Mclean County offsetting the loss.  Revelett scored 19.1 ppg last season.  Most every other role player returns for Muhlenberg this season.  Jace Sommers emerged as a consistent player through the season, as he will return with his 13.4 ppg.  Issac Coats also averaged double figures.  Kason Morris and Madix Brannon add production and experience to round out a solid rotation for Coach Morris.  There have been some rumors flying about a possible returning player to the program, but that has not happened yet.  It is something to watch for because any added talent to this already solid roster could make the Mustangs into a legit regional contender.  The Stangs scaled back their brutal schedule, but still face several tough teams that should have them ready for tournament time.  They will be a heavy favorite to win the 10^th district.

 

8.Breckinridge County Tigers (16-13) – 11^th District RUP – Coach Jeff LaGrange

                Breckinridge County really came on strong to finish last season.  They finished winning 10 of their final 13 games.  Combine that finish with the fact that they return their top 6 scorers, and you can see why the expectations are high this season.  Mercer Rogers returns as one of the best players in the region.  He averaged 15 ppg last year.  Lance Poole also returns as a double-digit scorer.  Jonah Miller, Chase Hardesty, and Braxton Taul are all contributors capable of leading Breck in scoring on any given night.  Braden Carmen gives Coach LaGrange an excellent post presence and brings a ton of physicality.  Carmen was one of the best rebounders in the region, pulling 7.2 boards per game.  The Tigers plan to get plenty of games inside the Sportscenter during the holiday season to better prepare for regional tournament action.  They will be heavy favorites to win the 11^th district.

 

9.Meade County Greenwave (16-16) – 11^th District Champion – Coach Jason Tripure

                The Waves enter the season, having to replace 4 of their top 5 scorers from last season.  Hayden Shouse returns, coming off a 13.1 ppg and 6.4 rpg average.  Cade Scott returns to the lineup this year after missing last season due to a football injury.  Scott averaged 12.8 ppg as a sophomore and will provide a big lift to the roster.  Coach Tripure will be depending on younger players to step forward this season while leaning on Scott and Shouse to carry the bulk of the scoring.  Even with the questions about overall team production, Meade should be right in the mix for another 11^th District Title.

 

10.Mclean County Cougars (16-12) – Lost in 10^th District – Coach Darren Lynam

                Coach Lynam has guided the Cougar program to its most successful stretch of seasons in school history.  That said, he will enter this season with his work cut out for him.  Top scorer Gunnar Revelett transferred to district rival Muhlenberg County.  The Cougars also lost double digit scorer Brodie Cline to graduation.  Even with those major losses, they still return 5 players who played in 28 varsity games last season.  Jax Lee leads that list, bringing back close to 8 ppg.  Camden Baird, Jaelin Groves, Zane Decker, Landon French and Braxton Floyd all logged key minutes last season.  Coach Lynam has a knack for maximizing his talent and this year should be no different.  The Cougars expect to compete for a regional tournament spot as well as a 10^th District Championship.

 

11.Ohio County Eagles (19-13) – 10^th District Champs & Regional RUP – Coach Matt Brigance

                No team in the region lost more production from last season than the Ohio County Eagles.  Elijah Decker has been playing varsity basketball for the Eagles for the past 6 seasons.  Carter Young and Bo Morse also graduated.  Paul Decker stepped down as Head Coach at the end of the season, leaving long-time assistant, Matt Brigance to take the helm.  Brigance added a former 3^rd Region Championship Coach, Steve Barker, to the staff to assist with the rebuild.  Ryan Durham will go from role player to leader for the Eagles.  Tate Abney and Alex Quisenberry will provide some returning experience as well.  The Eagles should still be in the mix for a spot in the regional tournament but will need some players with little varsity experience to step up and make an impact.

 

12.Hancock County Hornets (9-23) – Lost in 11^th District – Coach Josh Roberts

                The Hornets faced a bit of a rebuilding campaign last season, having to replace a large senior class that had a lot of success in the program.  Coach Roberts did an excellent job of securing 9 wins with a whole new cast.  He will look to build on that this year.  Big man Alex Madden returns off a 11.3 ppg and 9.3 rpg season.  Madden was a breakout player in the region last season.  Dylan Morris scored right at 10 ppg last year and expects to be a leader again this year.  Kegan Wilson and Dec Lewko return as key contributors from last year’s roster.  The Hornets should be right in the competition with Breck and Meade for a spot in the regional tournament.

 

13.Edmonson County Wildcats (14-16) – 12^th District RUP – Coach Brad Meredith

                The program coming into the season with the most questions would likely be Edmonson County.  The Wildcats not only lost their top 4 scorers but turned the page from Coach Trey Tinsley after just one season.  Coach Meredith takes over a program that features 3 seniors, led by Kolin Doyle.  Players like Tyler Wilson, Braden Wright and Blayne Deweese will look to take a step forward in a tough 12^th district.

 

14.Whitesville Trinity Raiders (2-28) – Lost in 12^th District – Coach Nathan West

                Since coming into the Raider program, Coach Nathan West has always gotten the most out of his roster.  Last season the Raiders had to replace years of production from a great senior class causing the program to take an expected step back.  This season, they will return almost all their production in Hayden Aull and Connor Hatfield.  Hatfield is coming off a knee injury but should be ready to start the year.  Expect the Raiders to take a step forward this season but could find tough sledding in a district with two top 5 programs in Grayson County and Butler County.

 

15.Cloverport Aces (4-22) – Lost in 11^th District – Coach Jason Hurst

                The Aces will face a rebuild this season after losing their top 2 producers in Cole Weatherholt and Dorcey Emery.  The roster is made up of all freshman and sophomores this year.

 

All Region First Team

Ty Price – Butler County – 29 ppg – Player of the Year

Jonathan Moss – Daviess County – 17.1 ppg

Luke Beickman – Owensboro Catholic – 20.6 ppg

Jack Logsdon – Grayson County – 19.4 ppg & 6.9 rpg

Keaton Hughes – Owensboro – 16.2 ppg & 10.3 rpg

Lawson Rice – Butler County – 18 ppg & 10.7 rpg (WKU Commit – out with injury)

 

2^nd Team

Gunnar Revelett – Muhlenberg County – 19.1 ppg

DeAaron Watkins – Daviess County – 12.4 ppg & 6.4 rpg

Briar Griffin – Butler County – 11.3 ppg & Defensive Player of the Year

Spencer Langdon – Grayson County – 16.5 ppg

Mercer Rogers – Breckinridge County – 15 ppg

 

Other top returning players

Michael Acton – Owensboro – 9.8 ppg

Brody Armstrong - Grayson Co - 12.2 ppg

Jace Sommers - Muhlenberg Co - 13.4 ppg

Luke Jarboe – Apollo – 12.7 ppg

Landon Henning – Apollo – 6.9 ppg & 7.3 rpg

Tate Powers - Apollo - 10.3 ppg

Solly Smith - Owensboro Catholic - 9.8 ppg

Hayden Shouse – Meade – 13.1 ppg & 6.4 rpg

Alex Madden – Hancock Co – 11.3 ppg & 9.3 rpg

[ApolloFan98]

Here is a link to our 3rd Region Media Day for anyone interested.  Most every school showed up to feature their program.

 

[Falcon Pride]

Good work Apollo Fan!

[theguru]

Bump.