1) Warren Central (14-1) - 1/14 70-32 W #11 Franklin-Simpson, 1/17 62-51 W at #2 Bowling Green    
Previous Rank: 1    
This Week: 1/20 vs. Sikeston (MO) (at Murray State), 1/28 at #4 South Warren    
    
2) Bowling Green (13-4) - 1/14 71-61 W at #6 Barren County, 1/17 51-62 L #1 Warren Central, 1/18 66-54 W Kirkwood (TN) (at Greenwood)    
Previous Rank: 2    
This Week: 1/24 vs. #5 Greenwood    
    
3) Clinton County (19-0) - 1/14 57-54 W #8 Cumberland County, 1/17 49-42 W #15 Monroe County    
Previous Rank: 4    
This Week: 1/20 vs. #9 Russell County, 1/23 vs. Whitefield Academy (at Owensboro Sportscenter), 1/24 vs. TBA (at Owensboro Sportscenter)    
    
4) South Warren (12-5) - 1/14 78-53 W at #10 Glasgow, 1/17 78-67 W #3 Greenwood    
Previous Rank: 5    
This Week: 1/24 vs. #1 Warren Central    
    
5) Greenwood (13-5) - 1/14 79-27 W #17 Todd County Central, 1/17 67-78 L at #5 South Warren, 1/18 76-40 W Maplewood (TN)    
Previous Rank: 3    
This Week: 1/20 vs. Marian Catholic (IL), 1/21 at #12 Franklin-Simpson, 1/24 at #2 Bowling Green    
    
6) Barren County (9-9) - 1/13 66-44 W #15 Monroe County, 1/14 61-71 L #2 Bowling Green, 1/17 70-51 W #13 Allen County-Scottsville    
Previous Rank: 6    
This Week: 1/20 vs. Campbellsville, 1/21 at #16 Russellville, 1/24 vs. #11 Glasgow    
    
7) Warren East (10-7) - 1/17 48-60 L Christian Academy-Louisville (at Owensboro Sportscenter), 1/18 67-56 W #11 Franklin-Simpson    
Previous Rank: 7    
This Week: 1/21 vs. #11 Glasgow, 1/23 at #14 Metcalfe County    
    
8. Cumberland County (9-6) - 1/14 54-57 L at #4 Clinton County, 1/17 62-61 W at #14 Metcalfe County    
Previous Rank: 8    
This Week: 1/24 at #15 Monroe County, 1/25 at Apollo    
    
9) Russell County (11-6) - 1/14 85-63 W at Campbellsville, 1/17 79-57 W Southwestern    
Previous Rank: 9    
This Week: 1/20 at #3 Clinton County, 1/21 vs. #15 Monroe County    
    
10) Logan County (7-7) - 1/14 66-44 W #13 Allen County-Scottsville, 1/17 74-40 W at #17 Todd County Central    
Previous Rank: 12    
This Week: 1/20 at Hopkinsville, 1/21 at Ohio County, 1/24 vs. #12 Franklin-Simpson    
    
11) Glasgow (3-12) - 1/14 53-78 L #5 South Warren    
Previous Rank: 10    
This Week: 1/21 at #7 Warren East, 1/24 at #6 Barren County    
    
12) Franklin-Simpson (4-10) - 1/13 60-53 W #16 Russellville, 1/14 32-70 L at #1 Warren Central, 1/18 56-67 L at #7 Warren East    
Previous Rank: 11    
This Week: 1/21 vs. #5 Greenwood, 1/24 at #10 Logan County    
    
13) Allen County-Scottsville (6-11) - 1/14 44-66 L at #12 Logan County, 1/17 51-70 L at #6 Barren County, 1/18 78-56 W Owensboro Knights Christian    
Previous Rank: 13    
This Week: 1/24 vs. Macon County (TN), 1/25 at John Hardin    
    
14) Metcalfe County (5-10) - 1/14 66-75 L at Edmonson County, 1/17 61-62 L #8 Cumberland County    
Previous Rank: 14    
This Week: 1/20 at #15 Monroe County, 1/23 vs. #7 Warren East, 1/25 at Adair County    
    
15) Monroe County (7-9) - 1/13 44-66 L at #6 Barren County, 1/17 42-49 L at #4 Clinton County    
Previous Rank: 15    
This Week: 1/20 vs. #14 Metcalfe County, 1/21 at #9 Russell County, 1/24 vs. #8 Cumberland County, 1/25 vs. Somerset Christian    
    
16) Russellville (4-12) - 1/13 53-60 L at #11 Franklin-Simpson, 1/14 49-57 L Apollo    
Previous Rank: 16    
This Week: 1/21 vs. #6 Barren County, 1/24 vs. #17 Todd County Central    
    
17) Todd County Central (1-17) - 1/13 59-79 L at Hopkinsville, 1/14 27-79 L at #3 Greenwood, 1/17 40-74 L #12 Logan County    
Previous Rank: 17    
This Week: 1/21 vs. Edmonson County, 1/24 at #16 Russellville    
    
18) Foundation Christian Academy (11-4) - 1/14 68-35 W at Hendersonville Christian Academy (TN), 1/17 99-25 W Riverside Christian, 1/18 75-33 W Knoxville Christian (TN)    
Previous Rank: 18    
This Week: 1/21 vs. Hendersonville Christian Academy, 1/23 vs. Stem Prep Academy (TN), 1/24 at Clarksville Christian (TN)    

Notes:

-Round 1 of Bowling Green/Warren Central did not disappoint - talked about at more length here:

It was a four point game with 2:42 remaining, but what followed was the decisive sequence.  The Dragons beat the press to get up the floor, and Ant McAfee found a lane to get to the rim, where he was fouled.  He hit the first to extend the lead to five, and then after missing the free throw, the ball went out of bounds to Bowling Green.  But after the officials conferred, the call was changed to give the ball to Central (rightly, I felt, though I wondered if initially the call went as it did in one of those "give the other team the ball instead of calling a foul" types).  After a pass to the top of the key, then swung out to Hulbert on the wing, he found Kirk in the post who hit a layup, drew a foul on Hurt (his fifth), and then hit the free throw.  It was a four point trip, doubling the lead, fouled out the Purples' second leading scorer, and that was pretty much all she wrote - the lead never dipped under six again.

The win was the 10th straight overall for the Dragons, and they still have played only two games decided by single digits - their 9 point win over Owensboro in the season opener, and their 3 point loss to PRP.  The loss was just the third at home in district play in the last 42 district games for Bowling Green - their fourth home loss to a region opponent in the last 70 region games.  Bowling Green shot just 33% from the field in the matchup, going 13/39 from the floor.  They fared significantly better from outside (6/14) than they did inside (7/25).  Two things kept them in the game - free throw shooting where they were 19/24, and 9 steals as part of 16 turnovers (to only 10 committed).  All things considered, with how poorly they shot, the final would seem to indicate a lot of ways in which they could climb the mountain. 

-Across town on the same night came a top five matchup where the result I found much more surprising. Greenwood entered the week with three consecutive losses, but each were understandable.  There was a four point loss at home to Bowling Green, a six point loss to Calloway County at Bowling Green, and then a ten point loss on the road to Warren Central.  All three of those may be top 25 teams in the state.  After a tune up win over Todd County Central, the Gators visited South Warren, looking to keep themselves in position to perhaps snake the #1 seed if they could turn the tables later on the Dragons and Purples. A back and forth first quarter saw Greenwood leading 16-14, and after scoring on their opening possession of the second, the lead was 18-14.  Very little went right for them afterwards - the Spartans used a 13-2 run to take a lead they would never relinquish, and though Greenwood managed to stay in touch for much of the second, it was a 38-32 South Warren lead at the half.  The lead swelled as high as 16 in the quarter, and when Greenwood was looking to close in came two back breaking steals and baskets in the final minute of the quarter.  First, Clay Willis stole a pass, drove the length of the floor and slammed it home, and then the freshman Brandon Perkins stole a pass on the wing to get a breakaway layup and extend the lead to a 63-48 lead after three quarters.  The Gators cut the lead to six points midway through the fourth, continuing to display their resilience, but unlike their first two district matchups, they could not truly put the pressure all the way on, falling 78-67 having never possessed the ball with a chance even to cut it to a one possession game.  For South, it was a critical holding of serve on their home court, putting themselves in position to (in theory) be able to do what Greenwood was trying to do - knock off Warren Central and Bowling Green and perhaps have a shot at the top seed.  At the very least, they look like they may be able to play into the 2/3 game if they can repeat this win at Greenwood.  For Greenwood, it is the continuance of a frustrating trend.  This was their 19th consecutive district loss.  Their last district win came again a Warren East team that is no longer even in the district.  This streak began with their loss at Warren Central when they were looking to sew up a #1 seed and almost certain berth at region in 2022, and it has just been a prolonged slide ever since.  It doesn't get easier for them as they visit Bowling Green this week, and they have not won at Bowling Green in 16 years.  A hope for #1 is almost mathematically gone.

-Clinton County continued their unbeaten run, notching their 19th consecutive win to open the year, equaling the best start in team history, and longest ever winning streak for the program.  Weather permitting, they will attempt to break both those records when they host Russell County tomorrow.  It is fair to wonder if it is growing more difficult for them, or if familiarity is simply causing them problems.  Less than one week after besting Cumberland County and Monroe County both by double figures on a neutral court during the All A (and having beaten both on the road by double digits in December), the Bulldogs hosted each team again.  But this time, each game was tougher.  Firs was Cumberland County, who trailed only by one entering the fourth quarter, and fell by a 57-54 margin.  That was the first win of the entire year for Clinton County that was decided by fewer than 10 points.  Cumberland County shot 54.3% from the floor in the game, going 7/13 from three (53.8%) as well.  Noah Wood led the Panthers with 18 points on 8/9 shooting, including a perfect 7/7 inside the arc.  Clinton County didn't shoot as well percentage-wise and made the same amount of shots, but had four more attempts and managed 11/13 from the free throw line to nudge them over the line.  Cannon Young led four in double figures for Clinton County with 13 points.  They followed that effort with a 49-42 win over Monroe County, and with that win, essentially clinching the top seed in the 16th District, which they can make official with a win at home against Russell County tomorrow.  Still, those two games represented the first two games they've played decided by single digits, as well as their two lowest scoring outputs of the year.  It's extremely tough to go unbeaten, and it is also tough to beat a team four times.  There's a high likelihood they'll see one (or both) of Cumberland County and Monroe County in the district tournament - they'll likely have to beat one a fourth time to get to the region tournament.  This week they'll also participate in the All A State Tournament, where they'll face their toughest tests yet.  After a very winnable opener against Whitefield Academy, they'll meet the winner of Hazard and Green County.  Those two teams are a combined 31-2 entering the week, with Hazard unbeaten against Kentucky competition and Green County's sole defeat coming to Frederick Douglass.  If Clinton County can escape that, they may have a shot at the whole thing.

-Warren East made their second straight appearance in the Kentucky 2A State Championships, but for the second straight year, they were unable to advance past the first game, falling 60-48 to Christian Academy-Louisville.  The Centurions entered with an unimpressive 4-7 record, but Warren East struggled from the field in the game, shooting just 41%, and went 3/14 from three.  Brenden Bratcher led the Raiders with 12 points, but was just 1/7 from three.  The appearance at state caused the matchup between Warren East and Glasgow to be delayed until this Tuesday.  The Raiders must win that game to have any chance at the top seed in the district.

-Barren County continued their march to the top spot in District 15, with a 19 point home win against Allen County-Scottsville.  It was just the fourth time the Trojans posted 70+ this year, shooting 50.9% from the field, including 23/40 from inside the arc.  Gavin Nunn and Brey Bewley post posted 16 points to lead Barren County, while big man Joshua Decker added 13.  The Trojans are heating up, winning four of six and the only losses coming to Bowling Green and Warren Central.  The win over AC/S moves Barren County to 4-1 in district play, and only their matchup on Friday with Glasgow in between them and the #1 seed in the district tournament.  If Glasgow beats Warren East on Tuesday, it sets up a winner take all matchup for the top seed in that Friday matchup.

District Matchups:
--13th District - 1/24 #12 Franklin-Simpson at #10 Logan County, 1/24 #17 Todd County Central at #16 Russellville
--14th District - 1/24 #1 Warren Central at #4 South Warren, 1/24 #5 Greenwood at #2 Bowling Green
--15th District - 1/21 #11 Glasgow at #7 Warren East, 1/24 #11 Glasgow at #6 Barren County
--16th District - 1/20 #9 Russell County at #3 Clinton County, 1/20 #14 Metcalfe County at #15 Monroe County, 1/21 #15 Monroe County at #9 Russell County, 1/24 #8 Cumberland County at #15 Monroe County

Games to Watch:

-There's a lot of moving parts in the 16th District with a lot of consequence.  As mentioned, Clinton County is going for the best start and longest win streak in school history, and looking to clinch the #1 seed when they host Russell County.  Russell County is the only team that can catch the Bulldogs, and they would have to run off six straight district wins to make that happen (for the outright win), or at least sweep Clinton County while dropping no more than one of the others.  That begins on Monday.  If Metcalfe County or Monroe County have any illusions of staying out of the 4/5 game in the district tournament, they have to start winning, and that begins on Monday as well.  A loss there, and it's virtually certain they'll be in the "play-in" game.

-The 15th District games have also been described as well but are worth following.  If Glasgow sweeps the week, they're the top seed in the 15th with the formality of having to beat Allen County-Scottsville on February 7th.  If they fall to Warren East but beat Barren County, it almost certainly comes down to a three-way tiebreak among East, Barren, and Glasgow, decided by the fewest points allowed in those games.  If that scenario plays out, we'll know by next week who will be in what position among those - but again, requiring both East and Glasgow to finish off Allen County-Scottsville to cement that scenario.

-Franklin-Simpson and Logan County will be heavily expected to emerge from the 13th to make the region tournament, but whoever finishes as the top seed and draws Todd County Central in the district tournament will be considered a lock.  The first matchup between those two teams is on Friday, and the winner there will be heavily expected to be the #1.

Wow, great work @DragonFire!

@DragonFire. Coverage like this right here is one of the reasons I joined BGP. You've outdone yourself. Absolutely superb!

GREAT work @DragonFire!

Looking forward to the Greenwood at BG game.  Greenwood will play desperate, and BG hasn't been as solid as they could have been IMO.  So, I'd like to see them play with more confidence and shoot the ball batter.

Pulling for Clinton County to keep it going!

Pulling for Glasgow to create a winner take all game vs Barren County.  That is what High School Basketball is all about.