1) Warren Central (21-3)
High Rank - 1, Low Rank - 1, Average Rank - 1

2) Clinton County (23-4)
High Rank - 2, Low Rank - 4, Average Rank - 2

3) Greenwood (23-7)
High Rank - 3, Low Rank - 10, Average Rank - 6

4) Bowling Green (19-11)
High Rank - 3, Low Rank - 10, Average Rank - 4

5) South Warren (16-9)
High Rank - 3, Low Rank - 6, Average Rank - 3

6) Logan County (18-10)
High Rank - 6, Low Rank - 13, Average Rank - 10

7) Monroe County (16-11)
High Rank - 3, Low Rank - 13, Average Rank - T-7

8. Glasgow (16-12)
High Rank - 4, Low Rank - 10, Average Rank - T-7

9) Barren County (17-12)
High Rank - 2, Low Rank - 9, Average Rank - 5

10) Russell County (15-11)
High Rank - 3, Low Rank - 11, Average Rank - 9

11) Russellville (18-9)
High Rank - 11, Low Rank - 16, Average Rank - 13

12) Allen County-Scottsville (11-16)
High Rank - 8, Low Rank - 13, Average Rank - 12

13) Franklin-Simpson (8-14)
High Rank - 7, Low Rank - 13, Average Rank - 11

14) Cumberland County (10-17)
High Rank - 11, Low Rank - 15, Average Rank - 14

15) Metcalfe County (9-18)
High Rank - 4, Low Rank - 15, Average Rank - 15

16) Todd County Central (7-23)
High Rank - 16, Low Rank - 17, Average Rank - 16

17) Foundation Christian Academy (15-8)
High Rank - 16, Low Rank - 18, Average Rank - 17

18) Warren East (1-25)
High Rank - 14, Low Rank - 18, Average Rank - 18

13th District (at Logan County)
The Favorite: Logan County - The Cougars went unbeaten in district play, the only team in the region to do so.  They won their district games by an average of 13 PPG, and have the additional advantage of hosting district at home (a recurring theme - every #1 seed in the region hosts this year). Junior guard Davis Switzer averaged 21.7 PPG for the Cougars, earning second team all-region honors. Their matchup with Todd County Central practically amounts to a bye.  They're probably second only to Glasgow in terms of level of certainty to advance.

The Dark Horse: Russellville - The Panthers had their best season in almost a decade, topping nine wins for the first time since 16/17, which was also their last year with a winning record. The Panthers took an incredibly surprising loss to Todd County Central on January 23rd by a 55-52 score, but they also are the only team in the district to truly push Logan County to the brink, leading them by nine at the half and never trailing until the game's final minute. Their two matchups with Franklin-Simpson were tight, with the last one decided by just a 61-58 score.  They may not even get a shot at Logan County. 

Predictions
Semifinal - Logan County 65 Todd County Central 41
Semifinal - Russellville 55 Franklin-Simpson 50
Final - Logan County 62 Russellville 51

14th District (at Warren Central)
The Favorite: Warren Central - The Dragons spent the whole year atop our rankings, but word of warning, it was the same way last year too, and that didn't end where they thought it would. Central averaged a 19.5 margin over their six district games, averaging 70 PPG in those games. Only one of those six games was decided by fewer than 14 points, it just so happened it was against the team they'll meet in the district semifinals, Bowling Green, who won 65-59 in overtime at home over Central. This is just the 11th time these two will meet in a district elimination game, only the second since seeding began, and first since 2013. Central is still a sizable favorite, but they'll need a better game than the last time they faced Bowling Green. The Dragons had two all-region selections, with Armani Byrd selected to the first team, and Kaleb Prince a member of the second team.

The Challenger: Greenwood - The Gators wildly exceeded the expectations for the team, posting their second highest win total (and counting) since their region champion season in 2008, and they need only two wins to match their highest win total since the Daymeon Fishback days. The Gators average 69.43 PPG, currently fifth highest in program history. Their success was honored with Will McCoy being named coach of the year, and Isiah Summers (15.3 PPG) being named co-player of the year for the region. Greenwood split their season series with district semi opponent South Warren, but most recently blew the doors off of them to the tune of a 78-55 victory a month ago. Their best path to a district crown probably includes Bowling Green upsetting Warren Central, but this is a very dangerous team that can make some noise if they can get to the region tournament.

The Dark Horse: Bowling Green - The Purples reached 19 wins in a down season, which is a testament to the strength of the program. The Purples found a knack for winning close games, and the talented youth in the program really stood out to try to keep the dream alive in extending their streak of 12 region title game appearances in a row. They enter the postseason on a hot streak, winners of eight of nine. They are a 4 seed for the first time in program history - since seeding began in 1999 they'd never been lower than a 3 seed, and that was pre-South Warren. Bowling Green is just the second 4 seed to enter postseason with a win over the 1 seed during the regular season - the other was Warren Central when they split with 1 seed Bowling Green back in 2008.  The obstacle in front of them is significant, beating Central on the road, where they have lost five of the last six meetings.  But they have also won an elimination game against Central before, that coming in 2008. They had one all-region selection, with freshman Anthony Davis (15.1 PPG) being named to the third team.

Predictions
Not Pictured - Foundation Christian Academy (Perhaps they'll make their postseason debut next year as members of the 13th District)
Semifinal - Warren Central 68 Bowling Green 54
Semifinal - Greenwood 58 South Warren 49
Final - Warren Central 72 Greenwood 56

15th District (at Glasgow)
The Favorite: Glasgow - I thought about a different designation for this, but despite stumbling against Allen County-Scottsville in their district finale, the Scotties still are the lead dog in the district, entering with a 5-1 district record.  They went 8-2 at home this year, losing only to Bowling Green and Adair County, with the last loss at home coming back on January 6th. They won those three district home contests by an average of 19 points. On top of everything else, they play a Warren East team that is looking to just end the misery of their worst season in program history, so they're going to sleepwalk into the title game. The Scotties won four in a row going into the postseason, and are led by two all-region selections - Jaylen Bradley (17.3 PPG) landed on the second team, with Jerrick Martin (12.4 PPG) a third team selection.  If they're not at region, it might legit be the biggest upset ever. 

The Challenger: Barren County - The Trojans are a team you just never count out.  This hasn't been their most sparkling season, entering at just 17-12, but they've made six straight region tournaments, and have missed only two since the start of 2012.  When it comes down to it, they find a way to get to the region tournament. The preceding week is emblematic of their year, as they hit a big high (Hardy hitting a game winning three at the buzzer to knock off #3 Greenwood), dropped a game they maybe could have won (2 point loss to Taylor County), and then won a gritty road game in close fashion (3 point win at Russell County). Barren County can play with the best in the region, or they can lose to ones very much in the middle or bottom half. They're a total team effort, with four players scoring between 8.6 and 13.9 per game. They didn't have anyone make all-region, but they are always a tough out. They fell in love with the three in both games against ACS, and didn't shoot particularly well in either, combining for 11/43 shooting from deep.  If they go that route again, it's hard to see them winning without it ticking up. They did just that against Greenwood, shooting 9/17. It'll take that type of effort. 

The Challenger 2: Allen County-Scottsville - The Patriots find themselves in almost the exact same situation they were a year ago.  They've won 11 games, they're facing off with Barren County for a chance to advance to region, coming in on a losing streak. Of course, the circumstances are quite different.  Last year ACS was winless in the district, going in on the road against top seeded Barren County.  This year they're the two seed, split with Barren County, and by and large the reason for their losing streak is the schedule. ACS played the teams ranked #1-#5 in our rankings in addition to a loss to Russellville the day after running against Warren Central.  Barren County got a one point win over ACS all the way back in mid-December, whereas ACS won their matchup earlier in February by six.  The Patriots will be led by co-player of the year Kyler Pedigo, who averages 18.5 PPG.  Pedigo dropped 18 and 29 points on Barren County this year - they will need him to be great.  Should they advance, they also had one of their best games of the season in taking down Glasgow back on February 6th, winning 90-75.  Pedigo dropped FORTY in that one. The Patriots have good depth, running 8-10 deep during games. Even though they're ranked lower in the region than both of Glasgow and Barren County, by no means would it be stunning for them to reach the region tournament.

Predictions
Semifinal - Glasgow 75 Warren East 41
Semifinal - Allen County-Scottsville 54 Barren County 52
Final - Glasgow 62 Allen County-Scottsville 51

16th District (at Clinton County)
The Favorite: Clinton County - Aside from their first district game and last district game, the Bulldogs ran roughshod over the district.  Their first district game was a stunning loss to Monroe County by ten, at home, in the third game of the year.  They wouldn't lose again for over a month, to anyone. Their last district game, they were running Russell County off the floor, but the Lakers battled back and took it to OT, where Clinton County pulled away for a seven point win. The other seven district games they played (including the All A finals) they won by an average of 15.43 PPG, with none of them coming by single digits. Their record isn't quite as good as last year, but at 23-4, with some games against solid competition like Caverna, they've proven they are a team to beat again and a legitimate threat for the region title. Their defense grinds you down - they have allowed just a hair over 48 points a game.  They placed two players on the second team all-region, with Will Beaty (18.7 PPG) joined by KABC POY (but not the all-region POY voted on by the region coaches) Jaxon Mason (17.3 PPG).  That neither got on the first team was frankly surprising, and I could see it being a chip on the shoulder for the team.  This Bulldog team goes deeper than previous years, playing eight once Cade Button joined the team, who has averaged 11.5 since joining. Clinton County will have to beat either Metcalfe County (who they've beaten three times) or that tougher Russell County squad, to get to region.  Still, it's hard to envision them not in the region finals as long as the draw cooperates, and they have a good chance to make it to state. 

The Challenger: Monroe County - The Falcons have been an odd team to watch, as they've had a couple of stretches where their play did not match their potential, but they've also proven capable of punching above their weight, with wins over Clinton County and South Warren on their resume.  They also have lost twice to their opponent Cumberland County, losing each by double digits.  That's 20% of the wins on the year for the Panther, who just seemed to have Monroe's number.  They say it's hard to beat a team three times, and I think it's doubly hard to beat a team that's better than you three times.  The Falcons have three players who average in double digits, led by Brison Nuckols (17.2 PPG), a third team all-region selection.  He's joined by Reece Bartley (12.1 PPG) and Branson Williams (12.0 PPG).  Monroe County is seeking their first region tournament appearance since 2023, and just their second since 2018.  Getting Williams going would seem to be a key need, as his last game against the Panthers was one of his worst for the season, going just 1/11 from the field. They need each of the big three playing to advance. As for if they make it to face Clinton County, they're the only team in the region who can say they took Clinton County down, and again, that was AT Clinton County. Who says they can't do it again?

The Dark Horse: Russell County - The Lakers enter the postseason in the midst of a strong stretch.  Despite losing their last game to Barren County, they won 7 of their last ten games, and all losses were by single digits, including the overtime loss to Clinton County.  A bit of poor luck put them into the 4/5 game, as apparently point differential among the head to head in their three way tiebreak with Cumberland County and Monroe County is what knocked them down, and even that came after initially everyone thought the RPI was the tiebreak.  The Lakers will first meet a Metcalfe County team they beat by 10 and 11 points this year, and one would expect that they will win by a similar margin again.  Russell County has won four in a row against Metcalfe, and the Hornets don't have Cade Button to ride in again. Maddox Shearer was a first team all-region selection for the Lakers, and he is averaging 20.4 PPG.  Dylan Stanelle has also been heavily relied on, scoring 19.5 PPG.  The Lakers are three point heavy, with almost 48% of their attempts coming from outside. They shot 10/25 from deep when they last met Clinton County, and Shearer (21 points) and Stanelle (14) led the way.  They'll need that effort and more to take down Clinton County, should they advance to that game.  If they can get past Clinton County, there's really no team other than Warren Central that they could not conceivably beat.  And if you get red hot from three, who knows what could be the outcome.

Predictions
Quarterfinal - Russell County 80 Metcalfe County 67
Semifinal - Clinton County 74 Russell County 56
Semifinal - Monroe County 64 Cumberland County 61
Final - Clinton County 55 Monroe County 58

Well.... 0/1 so far.  Metcalfe beats Russell County 66-55 to advance to face Clinton County.  Cade Button will have to play against his former team after all.

Winners

* The entire bottom of the bracket - Any team honest with themselves entered this tournament hoping for two things: to avoid Warren Central and Clinton County.  The entire bottom of the bracket gets to live that dream.  Our final rankings had these teams rated as #5-#8 overall, and the matchups pit #5 vs #6 and #7 vs #8.  South Warren couldn't have hoped for much better in their first trip to region, and suddenly is a slight favorite to make the region final.  But it's an opportunity for a moment in the sun for all of these teams.  South has never been, Monroe County has never made a region final, Logan County has not been in a final since 1997, and Glasgow hasn't been in a final since 2000.  Someone is getting a shot at the crown that is not accustomed to it. 

Losers

* Franklin-Simpson - The Wildcats have drawn the 14th District a little less recently, merely ust two times in their last three appearances, as opposed to the 8 of 10 that they had from 2007-2016 (and only 1 out of 5 in between), but still, they've got a reputation for drawing the district they departed in 1994.  That intersects with an even larger oddity that has seen Warren Central draw the 13th runner-up eight of the last nine times they were district champions.  This felt inevitable, and as the only team with a losing record, perhaps justified to play the top team in the region.  Still, how brutal.  Literally the toughest draw possible for them.

* Region Finals - With all respect to the bottom of the bracket, if the anticipated matchup between Warren Central and Clinton County occurs in the semifinals, that will likely be considered the true region final.  The draw mechanism is what it is, but you always hope that the top two teams (anticipated) might meet in the finals.  But that will not be the case.  

I'd label it neutral for Warren Central and Clinton County.  They're not cowed by anyone, so there isn't truly a "bad" draw for either. They got the two teams rated lowest in the field, so it works on that level too.  They just have to play in the semis, rather than the finals.

I don’t follow the Western part of the state that closely but it does seem odd to not see the Bowling Green Purples not in the 4th region tourney.

 

31 minutes ago, Falcon Pride said:

I don’t follow the Western part of the state that closely but it does seem odd to not see the Bowling Green Purples not in the 4th region tourney.

 

First time in 13 years. Only the fifth time in the last 29.

Ranking the Field
1. Warren Central
2. Clinton County
3. South Warren
4. Logan County
5. Monroe County
6. Glasgow
7. Barren County
8. Franklin-Simpson

Game 1: Warren Central (23-3) vs. Franklin-Simpson (9-15)
Series in 2025-26: First Meeting
Series Overall: Tied 50-50 (Warren Central has 8 straight wins, last loss in 2017)
Series in 4th Region Tournament: Warren Central leads 6-1 (6 straight wins, last meeting in 2023)

For the second straight year, Warren Central is in the tournament’s opening game.  This year they will open as a district tournament winner, their first district crown since 2023 and just their third since 2013, despite winning six region titles in that span. The Dragons enter this tournament as the strong favorite, being ranked first every single week.  They are consistently considered a top ten team in the state, and they suffered only a single loss in region play, that at the hands of archrival Bowling Green.  The most prominent driver of the Dragon success is defense, something they have flexed to great effect in the last four games and in particular the district tournament.  The Dragons allow 52.8 PPG this year, and each of their last four games have been under that mark, including allowing just 39 to Evangel Christian and 37 to Bowling Green.  With their tenacious pressure, both full court and half court, Central is a daunting matchup, even if their offense has a bit of a tendency to languish.  Central averages 65.7 PPG offensively, but they have failed to reach that average in five of their past six games.  Like many recent Central teams, they focus on balance – no one averages more than Kaleb Prince’s 12 PPG, and they have seven who average between 6 and 12 points.  Central will be eager to wipe away the pain of last year’s shocking first round exit, but they will also be looking to continue the offensive momentum they finally gained in the fourth quarter against South Warren.  Franklin-Simpson enters the tournament as the only team with a losing record, winning just four games since the calendar turned to 2026, and they weren’t a murderer’s row in that column – two wins over Todd County Central, another over Warren East, and then the critical win over Russellville in the district tournament.  Their 57.25 PPG scoring average would seem to steer right into the teeth of their opponent.  Nevertheless, they have shown themselves to be highly competitive at times.  They went to the wire with Barren County in a 51-50 home loss, battled with Logan County in the district final in addition to taking the Cougars to double overtime in January, and their marquee win of the season was a win over Bowling Green early on.  They have three players who average in double digits, led by senior Jakai Partinger, a third team all-region selection, who averages 13.7 PPG.  Brody McAlister (12.0 PPG) and Cole Sharer (10.9 PPG) also average in double digits for a squad that usually goes 8 deep, and occasionally as deep as ten, a relatively deep bench compared to the majority of the region.  They’re a size challenged team, with no player listed over 6’0”, which will see them struggle on the boards and with Central’s length.  Their game is to get inside, attempting only 26.9% of their shots from three, and shooting only 29.7% on those attempts.  Frankly, the outlook is bleak.  Central may win this one by a running clock.

Game 2: Clinton County (25-4) vs. Barren County (18-13)
Series in 2025-26: Clinton County leads 1-0 (59-49 W on 2/13/26)
Series Overall (since 1997/98): Barren County leads 20-14 (3 straight losses, last win in 2024)
Series in 4th Region Tournament: Barren County leads 3-2 (Lost last meeting in 2025, last win in 2016)

One of the most common non-district series in the region during the Riherds era will get a second matchup this year, as well as serving as a rematch of last year’s region semifinal matchup between the teams.  The first matchup saw Clinton County start hot, scoring the game's first 7 points and leading 17-4 before a three near the buzzer of the first quarter cut the lead to ten. The Trojans cut the lead to four relatively quickly, but the lead stayed generally between 7-10 points for much of the middle two quarters.  The deficit was cut to two and Barren County's Weston Shelton had a shot in the air for the lead, but it airballed, and the Bulldogs responded with a 14-4 run to put the game away.  KABC region POY Jaxon Mason was the leader in that game, scoring 28 against the Trojans on 11/18 shooting from the floor and going 6/7 from the line.  The 6’5” senior averages 17 points on the season, second on the team behind fellow senior William Beaty, who averages 18.5 PPG.  Both players were named members of the second team all-region, perhaps a “split the vote” scenario because it felt a bit egregious for no Clinton County player to make the first team.  They are two of eight seniors to see time this season, part of a rotation that goes eight deep, an improvement on last year’s depth.  Helping that depth was the addition of senior Cade Button, who has averaged 12.4 PPG since gaining eligibility in early February.  The Bulldogs get it done with the fundamentals of basketball.  They rebound very well – averaging just under 31 a game, and they rated as #35 in the state in that category as of the last stat release.  As is typical, they play incredibly good defense, holding opponents to 47.59 PPG, which is third in the state.  Only four opponents all season have reached 60 points against them, and only two have since the start of 2026.  They control tempo, and they don’t settle for threes – they only attempt 26.5% of their shots from outside and they shoot only 27.7% from deep.  Their style can make them vulnerable to difficulty if forced into comeback mode, but they absolutely make a habit of playing from ahead.  Their opponent is no stranger to the region tournament, making their seventh consecutive trip to Diddle Arena for the region tournament.  The Trojans have historically had great success against representatives from the 16th District, carrying a 14-5 all-time record in region tourney play.  They have, however, dropped their past two matchups, coming in the last two years.  They shot above average from three point land the first time these teams met, hitting 6/14 for a 42.9% clip, above their 31.5% rate for the year.  They shot much more poorly from inside the arc, going just 13/33 from that range, and they were just 5/11 from the foul line in the game.  They do not want to be forced into a situation to rely on the three, but it’s always tough to get open shots that aren’t threes against zone teams.  First team all-region selection Kade Hardy had only 8 points in the first contest, going 3/11 from the field.  He leads the team with 13.7 PPG, one of two double digit scorers along with sophomore Weston Shelton.  Cameron Pippen (8.4 PPG) actually led Barren County in that first matchup, with 14 on 5/9 shooting and going 2/2 from the line.  Barren County does shoot around 35% of their attempts from deep, and they also do very well on the boards, averaging 33.3 per game, good enough for 19th in the state.  Both teams had 30 rebounds in that first matchup.  Expect Clinton County to control the pace – they’re too proven that their style is going to win out.  That doesn’t favor Barren County who would prefer to get into a higher scoring contest.  Ultimately, expect that this will look very similar to the first matchup, with Clinton County controlling tempo, gaining a bit of a lead, and sustaining that to settle in for an 8-12 point victory.

Game 3: Logan County (20-10) vs. South Warren (17-10)
Series in 2025-26: First Meeting
Series Overall: South Warren leads 15-5 (9 straight wins, last loss in 2019)
Series in 4th Region Tournament: First Meeting

The postseason gave us what snow denied – a meeting between these two teams.  The winter storm knocked this game off the schedule, and it was going to be the first time in South Warren history the two teams did not meet, but the streak stays alive.  13th District champion Logan County is in the region field for their third year in a row, which matches the longest streak in program history.  The Cougars did not find much success the last two years, but this is also the first year they didn’t immediately draw a team considered to be in the region’s top two teams (merely #3).  The Cougars are 5-11 all-time against 14th District teams at the region tournament, losing their last six, with no wins since 1997.  Nevertheless, this season has been strong for the Cougars, reaching 20 wins for the first time since 2019/2020, and capturing the district title for the first time in two years, going undefeated in district play. Logan County ranks sixth in the region in points for (65.07 PPG), and points allowed (58.8 PPG), and third in margin (6.27 PPG).  The engine that drives the team is junior guard Davis Switzer.  A second team all-region selection, Switzer carries the highest scoring average of any player in the region, at 21.9 PPG.  No other Cougar averages in double figures – as he goes, so goes Logan.  He poured in 28 points against Todd County Central in an 85-48 district semifinal victory, shooting 11/14 from the field and 3/3 from the line.  He shoots 53.6% from the field on the year, and a healthy 38.5% from three.  He’s the only Cougar who has attempted more than 40 threes on the year to shoot better than 29% from deep.  The Cougars do go 8-9 deep in their rotation, so should be able to maintain fresh legs.  Their opponent, South Warren, only goes seven deep, and has spent much of the past month and a half with two of their most important players – Junior Perkins and Jaxen Decker – in ill health, straining that rotation.  South Warren managed to overcome that, and a 15 point third quarter deficit against Greenwood, to win their first district semifinal in program history and reach the region tournament.  They’ve never so much as played a regular season game at Diddle Arena, so it’ll be a very new experience.  Their loss in the district finals ended a four game winning streak, but that had been on the heels of a six game losing streak where they failed to top 60 points in a single game.  60 points is the magic number for South – they haven’t lost a single game where they hit that mark, going 12-0.  They’re just 5-10 when they are below that threshold.  They were willing to play a more deliberate game against their district foes this past week, but in general, they want to play a bit more uptempo and get into a race.  The Spartans are very balanced in their scoring, with six players of their primary rotation averaging from 6.3 to 12.4 PPG.  That high scorer is senior Owen Shively a third team all-region selection.  Perkins and Decker are probably their most important players.  Decker is their best three point shooter, hitting 43.1% from behind the arc, while Perkins is the distributor and energy player for the team.  His play against Greenwood sparked the team to their comeback.  And underrated standout for South Warren is Clay Willis, whose 67.1% field goal percentage is 17th in the state.  At 6’5”, the forward tends to hit his shots when he gets it in the post.  In general, expect a game that has a strong tempo, with each team wanting to push the score higher.  It’s a coin flip type of a game, and it’s equally likely for either team to lose as it is for them to reach the region finals.  Logan County hasn’t reached the title game since 1997 (1993 is their last at Diddle), and South obviously has never been.  My prediction is South Warren by 5, but it’s anyone’s game, truly.

Game 4: Glasgow (18-12) vs. Monroe County (17-12)
Series in 2025-26: Monroe County leads 1-0 (46-45 W on 2/10/26)
Series Overall (since 1997/98): Glasgow leads 43-24 (3 straight losses, last win in 2023)
Series in 4th Region Tournament: Glasgow leads 1-0 (Last meeting in 1989)

These two programs are very familiar with each other, as they were district foes from the 05/06 season until Monroe County moved back to the 16th District in 2022/23.  Their only meeting in the region tournament was nearly 40 years ago, a double overtime classic won by Glasgow at Barren County High School – they’ve never met at Diddle.  The first matchup for the teams was a very low scoring affair played at Monroe County.  Glasgow held a narrow lead entering the final quarter, before Monroe County moved in front with a 6-0 run.  Following back to back baskets for a Glasgow answer, the teams traded the lead six times, neither leading by more than one.  Hodges put Glasgow in front 43-42 with under a minute left, then was answered by Williams to put Monroe County up 44-43, then Jerrick Martin experienced both sides of the hero/goat combination in the span of three seconds.  First he put Glasgow ahead 45-44 with an off balance shot off the glass in the lane, that coming with just over 6 seconds left.  But as Williams brought it up the court for Monroe County, Martin committed a foul, sending Wiliams to the line where he hit both.  Glasgow drew up a fantastic play where Martin drove the lane after catching the inbound on the run, and dished it to Hodges on the block, who elected not to use the backboard, and saw his short attempt skip across the rim and off, sending Monroe County to a 46-45 win.  That is not the type of game Glasgow wants to be in.  They are 15-4 when they score 60 or more, and just 3-8 when they’re below that.  That shows up in their current six game win streak, where they topped 60 points the last four games and they exceeded 70 the last three.  Their 18 wins are their most under coach Brandon Stockton, and a high for the program since the 2018/19 season.  The Scotties placed two players on the all-region squad, with Jaylen Bradley receiving second team honors and Jerrick Martin reaching the third team.  Not coincidentally, they are the team’s highest scorers, with Jaylen Bradley averaging 17.1 per game and Jerrick Martin averaging 12.3.  Landon Minton also averages in double digits with 11.6 points.  The Scotties are heavily invested in getting to the rim and getting inside.  Martin and Minton very, very rarely shoot three pointers.  Bradley does lead the team in those attempts, but is also very effective driving the ball.  Glasgow shoots 28.4% from three as a team – they much prefer the high percentage shot.  Martin is their biggest matchup advantage in most games.  At 6’5” with strong physical presence, he is effective with the ball in his hands off the dribble, but can also effectively post.  They’ll want him to have a big game, and in general his size should be effective.  Monroe County gave them quite a lot of trouble the first game with a 1-3-1 zone, and seems likely to do that again.  That defensive approach is reflective of Monroe’s style of preferring a lower scoring game.  The Falcons are just 11th in the region for scoring average, but hold opponents to 54.38 PPG, good enough for fifth in the region.  They’re 16-2 when they hold opponents below 60 points, and have won only a single time (1-10) when they allow more.  The Falcons enter the postseason on a bit of a downbeat, dropping four of their last six.  They’ve run hot and cold all year, dropping surprising games while punching above their weight for wins such as their 58-48 road victory over Clinton County, which remains the only region loss for the Bulldogs.  So you know the Falcons are capable.  Third team all-region selection Brison Nuckols leads the team with 17.4 PPG, and impressively places 22nd in the state for free throw percentage, shooting 83.5% from the line.  At 6’3”, he’s one of the more imposing Falcons, and he has gotten to the line for over 100 attempts, and shoots 52.1% from the floor.  Reece Bartley (12.1 PPG) and Branson Williams (12.0 PPG) also average in double digits.  68.1% of all the scoring for Monroe County comes from those three players, for a rotation that only goes 6-7 deep, typically.  Like Clinton County, in a game of contrasting styles, it seems Monroe County typically gets their way in determining pace.  Expect a solidly low scoring game, which favors Monroe County.  Glasgow has the experience factor, competing in three region tournament games at Diddle in the past two seasons while Monroe County is making their first trip back since 2023.  Glasgow has a shot at working their way to their first region final since 2000 – Monroe County has never been, having the most region semifinal appearances in the region by a team that has never reached the final.  The prediction here is Glasgow by 4, but as with the previous game, this can go either way.

 

Quick predictions for later rounds:
Semifinal 1: Warren Central over Clinton County by 7
Semifinal 2: Glasgow over South Warren by 5
Finals: Warren Central over Glasgow by 17

I’ll be bold in my statements, which is a bit of a risk because I fell absolutely flat on my face last year when Warren Central did the same.  The real region final is in the semifinals if Warren Central and Clinton County meet.  If Barren County manages to upset Clinton County, then this region tournament is already over, because no one other than Clinton County is capable of beating this Warren Central team.  Since the loss to Bowling Green, the Dragons have rededicated themselves defensively, and the only team that has had success against them in that time was North Hardin, who has probably the best high school player they’ve seen this year, although they saw some that may be better at the next level.  They’re not going to see any player as good as Berry, so it will take a team effort to get them.  Clinton County has that type of team.  If they can handle Central’s pressure and speed, and knock down shots, they can do it.  And if they do, then Clinton County will likely take home their first region title in 66 years.  The bottom of the bracket will be extremely fun to watch as none of those teams have any type of recent region tournament success, two of them have never reached a region final, and you have to go back to 1984 to find Logan County’s only region title, and 1977 to find Glasgow’s last.  Given the right circumstances, one of those teams may just be able to upset Clinton County, if they get there.  But the pick is Warren Central.  In a season that they were the heavy frontrunner, they’ve only had the one blip, and otherwise have been fairly dominant in region play, and have played a schedule that will prepare them for these moments.  As a reminder, if a 14th District team wins, it’ll be the 25^th consecutive region title for the district.

 

 

 

 

WC’s to lose. Even when their shots aren’t falling, their defense is stifling. I think that’s the difference in them this year. It’s one of the best defenses I’ve seen at the high school level (especially around here).  Relentless. 

Bump.

With the quarterfinals over, three district runners-up have advanced.  South Warren, Barren County, and Monroe County, runners-up of the 14th, 15th, and 16th districts respectively, were able to reach the semis.  Warren Central is the lone district champion to advance, and their victory meant the 13th District is the only one all the way out.

I'm not sure exactly when the rules were changed requiring district champions and runners-up to be matched, but in the local region as recently as 1965 there was a year two runners-up were placed against each other, and as recently as 1967 there was a year that saw two teams from the same district able to be on the same side as each other.  Presumably it was sometime near after that where they were codified.  Since then, there have been eight instances were three of the four district runners-up advanced to the semifinals (there has never been an instance where all the district winners were out after round 1).  In those years, the lone district winner went on to win the region five times, and finished as at least runner-up an additional two times.  

1971 - Franklin-Simpson (winner)
1983 - Edmonson County (runner-up)
1986 - Warren East (winner)
1987 - Warren Central (winner)
1999 - Todd County Central (semis)
2006 - Warren Central (winner)
2009 - Franklin-Simpson (runner-up)
2012 - Bowling Green (winner)

Worth noting that each time the 14th District champ was the lone champion still alive, they won the region.

Bump.

On 3/5/2026 at 3:22 PM, DragonFire said:

Worth noting that each time the 14th District champ was the lone champion still alive, they won the region.

Don’t see this trend breaking this Spring either. Dragons by a lot, their defense is stifling and in Diddle I haven’t seen a team really get the ball in the hoop consistently. 

3 minutes ago, TheBallCoach said:

Don’t see this trend breaking this Spring either. Dragons by a lot, their defense is stifling and in Diddle I haven’t seen a team really get the ball in the hoop consistently. 

The Dragons will make some noise at Rupp also.

4 minutes ago, TheBallCoach said:

Don’t see this trend breaking this Spring either. Dragons by a lot, their defense is stifling and in Diddle I haven’t seen a team really get the ball in the hoop consistently. 

Defense is definitely carrying them.  The Dragon offense hasn't been where I'd like it to be for pretty much the entire back half of the season, but the defense is *chef's kiss*. 

Barren County has scored more than 58 against Central at Diddle only twice in ten meetings there, and one of those was 60.  Ironically, the times they scored 58 on the nose, are the two times they won. 

I bring that up because Warren Central has allowed 60 or less twenty times this year, and they are undefeated when they give up that amount.  Central has hit 61+ in 17 of their 27 games.  I consider that score a must for the Trojans.