Can it be? Is it really that time of the year? Formal practices for basketball season commenced, as they do every year, on October 15th and the start of the regular season is looming in the post-Thanksgiving future, the first official tip-offs happening on November 30th.

The 12th Region is at a transition point. So many familiar names have now graduated - Kole Grundy and Aedyn Absher of Somerset, Seth Farmer and Kendall Phillips of Wayne County, Leek Ateny and Ben Mikels of DCA, Carson Fraley of Pulaski, Walker Craig of Rockcastle, Zachary Hutchinson of Southwestern, Peyton Higginbothan of McCreary Central, Gavin Murphy of West Jessamine, Jack Baker of Somerset Christian, and Sawyer Robbins of Lincoln County, among others not mentioned here. Virtually every roster has seen one of their cornerstones removed and teams across the region will be faced with the challenge of filling missing shoes.

That lack of star power has caused things to be fairly quiet over the offseason and leading into this coming season. DCA was making waves on a statewide basis the last few years. There is no team in the 12th this year anywhere close to that status. There is no team that you look at and go, "HERE, here they are!"

Now, that's not to say it's all doom and gloom and the quality of basketball will be low. Lower than the last couple of years, maybe, and especially early, but this is still a super-competitive region with high quality coaching and some exceptional student-athletes. In particular, think of this year's theme as blue collar. The players who at the top of these rosters are going to be blue collar, insomuch that they do the little things right, that they work hard, and that they are fairly tough-nosed athletes. Last year we had Phillips, Ateny, and Craig. This year we have Brock Stevens and Guy Turner of Somerset, Cash Baird of Lincoln, Ryder Bell and Rylan Morgan of Wayne, Luk Tut of West Jessamine, Tyson Duke of East Jessamine, and more. But wow - think of those players. That is a ton of physicality and athleticism but maybe not so much on the pure scoring.

What does that mean? We already know this region has tended to be more low scoring and defensive minded, especially during the DCA rise to the top but even in the years before when we think about Lincoln, Boyle, West Jessamine, Wayne County and more. It is going to be even more intense in that way this year. I expect highly competitive games albeit ugly ones.

Give me grace on the rankings as it is called for. I am always open to missing transfers and injuries that don't appear online. Also, I expect the rankings this year to be incredibly fluid early as it really is that wide open. Like I opened with, this really is a big transition year for the region.

Rankings:

1. Pulaski County - The most significant loss for the Maroons from last year is the graduation of Carson Fraley. However, this group was asked to play without him for stretches throughout his career as he was often battling injury. Now having to do it without him permanently, Pulaski will feature a core of Tanner Absher, Kam Measel, Blake Fraley, and Kade Hargis. Absher, B. Fraley, and Hargis were all over forty percent from 3-point range last year while Kam Measel anchored the interior game, averaging six rebounds per game. Last year, the Maroons thundered out of the gate (as they have in recent history) , starting 9-2. But they cooled greatly at the end of the year, going just one game over .500 after February 1st and falling to Rockcastle County in the district tournament, failing to make the regional tournament. Though depth will be a serious question, they are poised to be the cream of the crop of the region, especially in the early part of the season as they hold a serious experience advantage over many teams.

2. Somerset - The Briar Jumpers were hit big by graduation as they lose Aedyn Absher and Kole Grundy. However, Guy Turner, football standout and transfer from Boyle County, is rumored to be joining the hardwood once the gridiron season is over. If so, he joins Brock Stevens and Josh Lewis as the main core for Somerset. Depth will certainly be a question, but it is hard to not take serious note of that trio. This means the top two teams in this ranking come from the same district. The Briar Jumpers fell to Boyle County in overtime in the first round of the regional last year.

3. Wayne County - Kendall Phillips is gone as is Seth Farmer. However, the Cardinals have Rylan Morgan, Ryder Bell, Kooper Gehring, and Brice Lafevers all coming back. That is a nice group to start with and includes some versatility. The Cardinals will have to makeup for the absence of Phillips' scoring but having a healthy Ryder Bell may go a far way there. The Cardinals fell to Somerset Christian in the district semifinals last year.

4. Lincoln County - This is a Patriot-squad that had a losing record last year and lost their leading scorer, Sawyer Robbins, to graduation. However, Cash Baird is probably the most versatile guard in the region and is a candidate for player of the year. He has a group of contributors from last year's team returning and everyone should know at this point that you can never sleep on Coach Jeff Jackson's Patriots.

5. Boyle County- Every year in this preview thread we have to do deal with the questions about who is actually going to be suiting up for the Rebels on the hardwood after their gridiron counterparts are finished for the year. This year is no different. All indications are that Oklahoma football commit Seneca Driver may be done with his basketball career. That would leave a core of Owen Wheeler, Harper Webb, Sawyer Pittman, and Collier Sexton plus whatever football athletes might jump into the fray alongside them. This recipe often leads to an up-and-down start to the season for the Rebels but usually results in them being in the mix down the stretch.

6. East Jessamine - The prolific Jason Seamands takes over the helm for the Jaguars this year. Tyson Duke and Cole Oram are the leading scorers among the returning players. Both averaged in double-digits last year. This was an East team that made some noise a few times throughout the year and hopes to continue their ascent through the regional ranks.

7. Danville Christian Academy - The reigning champs lose Leek Ateny, Ben Mikels, & Cole Dadisman to graduation but return Graham Domidion and Eli Perez. That means the Warriors will be looking at a whole front-court rebuild while having one of the better and already established backcourts in the region. It is a stretch that they will make it back to Rupp this year but it is not a stretch to say they will compete to make it to the regional tournament.

8. Southwestern - Zachary Hutchinson, Jarrett Simpson, and Wyatt Stevenson all depart for the Warriors but there is a good nucleus rising. Brady Henson and Aiden Webb were the best shooters on last year's squad and they return as does freshman center Landon Baldwin.

9. West Jessamine - Coach Steve Adams is back with Luk Tut anchoring his Colt squad after the losses of Gavin Murphy and others to graduation. This will be a rather large rebuild and it will be interesting to see where Coach Adams wants to put the focus in terms of style of play.

10. McCreary Central - Peyton Higginbotham is gone as is a decent chunk of last year's starting lineup. Look for senior guard Kolton Summers to be the leader here though and keep your eyes open for the now sophomore Jaxson Higginbotham.

11. Garrard County - Ryan Noe is the top scorer returning for Garrard as they not only lost their coach but their top three scorers. There are definitely some nice pieces coming up in the wings so be on the look out for a couple eye-popping wins from the Golden Lions as happens each year.

12. Rockcastle County - Xavier Leger, senior point guard, leads the Rockets heading into the season as they lost superstar Walker Craig to graduation. Kylar Goodin and Colton Cash are also in that senior class and will help represent that post-Craig core.

13. Casey County - The Rebels, even with 9 wins, made some big strides last year and star Owen Willoughby returns. This is the highest I have had them in the preseason in maybe my whole tenure covering this region and I really hope to see a new level of success.

14. Mercer County - Jackson Doughty and Gage Phillips are both graduated and Coach McRay is now in the top spot for the Titans. It will be an interesting year and though I am sure the Titan faithful are ready for this program to be back at the top, any forward movement is a good sign.

15. Danville - Coach Ford's Admirals lost their top two scorers to graduation. Like Mercer, the hopes are high but really any progress should be celebrated.

16. Somerset Christian - Jack Baker has graduated so it will be interesting to see if the Cougars can replicate any of their impressive victories without him. Isaiah Hensley and Adam Marcum also graduated and were double-digit scorers. Omarii Harvey will be a senior and is the only double-digit scorer returning.

17. Burgin - The Bulldogs have Hudson Taylor, last year's leading scorer, returning and they hope to build on some of the success they accomplished last year. The program is certainly moving in the right direction and it will be interesting to see if they can get Mercer County this year after almost doing it last year.

18. Trinity Christian - Lincoln Black, sophomore guard, is the Titans' player to watch. It will take a Herculean effort from him to get any traction go inside the region though.

19. Kentucky School for the Deaf - KSD features Dakota Cox, their leading scorer, back in the lineup this year as they look to improve off of their 2 wins from last year.

6'10 Landon Baldwin is gone for Southwestern as he moved out of state this past summer to Providence Christian Academy in TN.