NKY Girls Basketball Top 10 Week #10 (2.9.26)

[The Double Deuce]

We have reached the penultimate week in the regular season, which in and of itself, is hard to believe.  Mother Nature has been a challenge for us on a couple of different occasions, but that doesn't look like it will be the case this week.

We have UNREAL games this week for our top teams, and again next week, so these teams will certainly be battle-tested before heading into the post-season.  While all of this week's games are listed below, I wanted to throw out some great ones you can get out and see this week.  Simon Kenton travels to Freddy D tonight, as well as Holy Cross visiting Ryle.  On the 11th, Cooper hosts Holy Cross.  On the 12th you get Ryle at Brossart. On the 13th you can get Simon Kenton at Sacred Heart.  Then, on Valentine's Day, Notre Dame travels to GRC.  I love that our area coaches are willing to test themselves, especially heading into the post-season.  

Our Top 10 is actually pretty clear as teams have sorted themselves out on the court to this point.  We have movement near the top, a little in the middle of the top 10, and then a fair amount in the others to watch.  I'm looking forward to seeing how our top teams do this week in some huge tests -- hope they get the support they deserve!  Thanks for following along this year, not sure I'll do this again next year, but I've enjoyed the conversations and thoughts from many of you throughout the year.

1.  Simon Kenton (23-2 / 1-1 last week / 9-1 in the last 10):  at Frederick Douglass (2/9) and at Sacred Heart (2/13)

2.  Campbell County (17-4 / 2-1 / 8-2):  vs Dixie and vs Montgomery County.

3.  Cooper (15-6 / 0-2 / 7-3 [3 straight losses]):  vs #4 Holy Cross (2/11), at Dixie, and at #9 NewCath.

4.  Holy Cross (20-3 / 1-1 / 9-1):  at #5 Ryle (2/9), at #3 Cooper (2/11), and vs Walton-Verona.

5.  Ryle (16-7 / 3-0 / 8-2 [7 straight wins]): vs #4 Holy Cross, and at #7 Brossart (2/12).

6.  Notre Dame (15-6 / 2-1 / 6-4):  vs Beechwood, at Holmes, vs #10 St. Henry, and at GRC (2/14).

7.  Bishop Brossart (22-3 / 1-1 / 8-2):  at #9 NewCath, vs #5 Ryle, and at Bracken County.

8.  Highlands (13-9 / 1-2 / 4-6):  at Scott, and at Conner.

9.  NewCath (17-7 / 3-1 / 8-2):  vs #7 Brossart, at Grant County, and vs #3 Cooper.

10. St. Henry (13-8 / 1-2 / 5-5):  vs Lloyd, at #6 Notre Dame.

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*  Walton-Verona (13-10 / 3-1 / 3-7):  at Nicholas Co., at #4 Holy Cross, and vs Oldham Co.

*  Dixie (9-13 / 3-0 / 6-4):  at #2 Campbell Co., and vs #3 Cooper (brutal week).

*  Scott (8-15 / 1-2 / 3-7):  vs #8 Highlands, and vs Conner.

*  Grant Co. (12-9 / 1-1 / 7-3):  vs Beechwood, vs #9 NewCath, and at Anderson Co.

*  Conner (4-17 / 1-1 / 3-7):  at Colerain (OH), at Scott, and vs #8 Highlands.

*  Beechwood (11-11 / 1-1 / 5-5):  at Grant Co., and at #6 Notre Dame.

*  Lloyd (10-12 / 0-2 / 4-6):  at #10 St. Henry, vs Trailblazers (OH), and at Trimble Co.

[The Double Deuce]

Some noise around Campbell County vs Cooper, and rightfully so, as I flipped them this week.  Mother Nature has prevented us from getting that game, so we are left with eye-ball test, common opponents, and best wins.  These two could absolutely flip back the other way, and I think we are splitting hairs either way as they are both terrific and in different regions, but here is some of what went into that decision.

*  Common Opponents will change when Cooper plays Holy Cross, but for now, versus common opponents, they are both 4-1 (with a loss to Simon Kenton).  

*  RPI Data, while flawed, has Campbell Co. #4 and Cooper #13.  Just mentioning it as a data point.

* Best wins per the RPI (again, flawed, but the state produces it, so I'm just referencing it):  Campbell County has beaten #3 Holy Cross twice, plus #7 Ashland and #8 Brossart.  Cooper has beaten #10 Sacred Heart (yes, we know, that is comically low for them).

*  Best wins vs this week's "Elite 16" from the Media:  Campbell County has beaten #9 Ashland, #13 North Laurel, #14 Holy Cross twice, and #16 Brossart.  So 5 wins versus the other 15 teams in the Elite 16.  Cooper has wins vs #1 Sacred Heart and #11 South Laurel.  Again, they play Holy Cross this week so that will be another data point.

I don't think it is decisive either way, but I leaned Camels this week, and may well go the other way next week after this week's games.

[Proudgrandpa]

Thanks Double Deuce for your thoughtful analysis of our local and state girl's basketball teams. Girls sometimes don't get the attention that the boys do, but we have some very good girl's teams that give us some exciting moments throughout the year. We'll have even more in the next two weeks for sure. Hope you will consider doing it again next year...no pressure here😊.

[The Double Deuce]

Huge game tonight with #4 Holy Cross, fresh off their double-digit win over #5 Ryle in Union, traveling back to Union to take on #3 Cooper -- hope they get a big crowd for that one!  Cooper is looking to snap their three-game losing streak, albeit all against top competition.

Also, while not a mega match-up like the above game, we do have a big game tonight in the 34th with Lloyd traveling to St. Henry.  St. Henry can wrap-up the #1 seed in the district with a win, having already beaten Dixie by 1 on January 16th.  

[The Double Deuce]

Sneaky good game tonight out on 27, as #5 Ryle visits #7 Bishop Brossart.  Ryle looking to bounce back from their home loss to Holy Cross, and Brossart looking to land their biggest win of the year in Coach Stamm's first season.  

[The Double Deuce]

Interesting week thus far, #3 beat #4, #4 beat #5, and #5 beat #7.  

The game of the night, tonight, without question, both for NKY as well as the entire state, is Simon Kenton visiting Sacred Heart.  Will definitely be worth watching!