16th Region: Week 3

[DevilMayCare]

16th Region Highlights… and a few lowlights…. okay, mostly lowlights because this was not a banner week for the region

• NEKY kingpin Ashland tested its mettle in the state's premier regular season tournament, the King of the Bluegrass. The Tomcats never got a sniff of the throne, dropping OT heartbreakers to Woodford County and Lloyd Memorial before being formally shown the door by Butler County by 15. Despite a winless week, Ashland firmly holds on to the region's top ranking. Six consecutive region titles and blowing out Boyd County by 28 earns you that respect. They return to the region this week to host the Ashland Invitational Tournament as the defending champions. 

• Boyd County ventured outside the area as well, traveling to Kingsport (TN) for the Alpha Invitational. The Lions won their opener against Winter Haven (FL) before dropping the next two, including a 115-104 banger to host Dobyns Bennett (TN). The numbers aren't in yet, but probably not a lot of rebounds to go around for either team.

• Fleming County began the week getting rocked at home by 10th Region heavyweight GRC. It was just the second home loss for the Panthers since January of 2022. They recovered to reach the finals of the Gateway Holiday Classic at Montgomery County, dropping the championship game to Graves County. Bradley Robinson and Seth Hickerson lit up Lou. Central and Seneca in the earlier rounds, both averaging in the 27-28 point range.

• Raceland is quietly getting it done in the win column, putting together a 4-0 week to raise their season record to a region best 8-1. The Rams allowed 50 ppg during last week's slate of games.

• Elliott County turned down the thermostat on the Red Devils, limiting Russell to 37 points on 37% shooting in a breakout win at ’The Marv’. The Lions have already surpassed last season's win total.

• Speak Of The Devils, and they shall appear. Wins completely disappeared last week, as Russell dropped all three of its games to solid competition - Elliott County, Fairland (OH), and Lawrence County. The 37 points they scored against Elliott were the fewest in almost five years. Nothing gets easier this week, as they prepare for the AIT.

• We'll wrap this on a high note…. every team in the region has now recorded a win after previously winless Fairview handled East Ridge by 17. The Eagles put up a season high in points, besting their season average by nearly 20.

Ranking The Region

1. Ashland (3-5) 🐾 

2. Fleming County (7-2) 🐾

3. Boyd County (4-5) 🦁

4. Lewis County (5-2) 🦁 

5. Raceland (8-1) 🐏 

6. Elliott County (6-2) 🦁 

7. Rowan County (4-4) 🇬🇫

8. Russell (3-4) 🔱

9. East Carter (3-5) 🇨🇵

10. Greenup County (2-5) 🇯🇲

11. Morgan County (3-7) 🇺🇦

12. Menifee County (2-7) 🇳🇬

13. West Carter (2-7) ☄️

14. Bath County (1-6) 🇵🇪

15. Fairview (1-8) 🦅

Player Of The Week 

Jacob Spurlock (Boyd County) - A week after scoring 44 against a defending state champ from Alabama and becoming the 16th Region's career leader in three point baskets, Spur put up 37 against Dobyns Bennett (TN) in the aforementioned Alpha Invitational. That outburst pushed him past 2,000 career points in a Lion's uniform. 

Courtesy of X.

[DevilMayCare]

18 hours ago, DevilMayCare said:

Player Of The Week 

Jacob Spurlock (Boyd County) - A week after scoring 44 against a defending state champ from Alabama and becoming the 16th Region's career leader in three point baskets, Spur put up 37 against Dobyns Bennett (TN) in the aforementioned Alpha Invitational. That outburst pushed him past 2,000 career points in a Lion's uniform. 

Courtesy of X.

By the time Spurlock is done in Cannonsburg, he'll put the region's three point mark out of sight and Boyd's career scoring record is well within reach. I don't know exactly how far he has to go, but I remember thinking the pace he was on through his sophomore year made it very attainable in the near future. 

For anyone not familiar with him, Spur is just a junior. He could obliterate these records.

[theguru]

Bump.