This game will take place at 1:30 on Wednesday March 26th at Rupp Arena and in my opinion is the best first round game of the state tournament.

St. X is (31-2) and been #1 all year and has not lost to a Kentucky team all season but this will not be a easy game for them by any means.

Jeffersontown is (26-6) and has been playing lights out since Camron McDaniels returned from prep school. He is averaging 22.3 ppg and makes them a very dangerous team. The Chargers have won 14 of last 15 and 7 in a row. They are battle tested against a tough schedule.

St. X                                                                      

Jeremiah Jackson 14.6 ppg                     

Chance Dillingham 13.9 ppg

Will Hanke 9.4 ppg                                   

Jermaine Cameron 9.0 ppg                     

Graham Krezmein 7.8 ppg                       

Josh Lindsey 7.5 ppg

Jeffersontown 

Camron McDaniels 22.3 ppg

Dayvonne Harrison 16.8 ppg

Prince Kahnplaye  15.4 ppg

Larron Westmoreland 8.5 ppg

Damere Clark  7.7 ppg

Breyonne Faulkner 6.0 ppg

I do like St. X here but I think it is a close game all the way to the wire.

X doesn't feel like the type of team to take anyone lightly regardless of record.

They likely name the score here, though. Outside of GC, they're the clear favorite for a reason.

J’Town has been known to make a run out of the 6th, but this is a steep hill to climb. 

They will not name the score I assure you. Me being from Louisville and covering the 6th and 7th region I'm telling you this Jeffersontown team is very good. I would argue behind St. X and Great Crossing they are the third best team in the state tournament. Be a big mistake to sleep on them and this game.

J-Town is no slouch. I'd argue this will be X’s toughest challenge until the title game, if they make it there.

12 hours ago, mcpapa said:

J’Town has been known to make a run out of the 6th, but this is a steep hill to climb. 

They typically play well in the region but lose close games at the state. Their last three appearances have seen a 6-point loss to Paintsville in 2008, a 4-point loss to Lincoln County in 2022, and a 3-point overtime loss to Woodford County in 2023. Their only Sweet 16 victories came in their run to the title in 2006.

Long layoff for both teams since winning the their respective regional tournaments, so we’ll see with team handled the layoff the best. Think the depth of St. X will carry them past JTown in a close first round matchup. 

J-town lost a 20-point scorer to injury, didn't they? He's only played 9 games for the year.

Just now, Cmurph06y said:

J-town lost a 20-point scorer to injury, didn't they? He's only played 9 games for the year.

I'm also not familiar with how they play very much. I'm a western KY guy primarily.

19 hours ago, LouHSJunkie said:

Jeffersontown is (26-6) and has been playing lights out since Camron McDaniels returned from prep school. He is averaging 22.3 ppg and makes them a very dangerous team.

 

12 minutes ago, Cmurph06y said:

J-town lost a 20-point scorer to injury, didn't they? He's only played 9 games for the year.

Didn't lose him, they gained him. Camron McDaniels had been at prep school but then transferred back to Jeffersontown a few weeks ago.

Does anyone know the status of Josh Lindsey?

2 hours ago, Xtiger69 said:

Does anyone know the status of Josh Lindsey?

He played in the dying minutes of the 7th region title game. Not sure how healthy he is to go full bore in the Sweet 16.

X has been the team to beat all year and ran through the seventh region. Clearly the favorite entering the Sweet 16 but I would not put it past the Charges to give the Tigers one heck of a battle or even pull of the upset. J-Town has been a different team since the return of McDaniels. Can match the style of play of X maybe as good as anyone. 

Series history, this will be the 19th meeting between St. Xavier and J-Town since 1997. Last meeting was in 2023 and yielded a 95-75 X win. 

I think St. X depth is the difference and Tigers win by 8.

Bump.