silo11

Madisonville was up 22-5 to start the game.

Louisville announced they are no longer recruiting Harmon. I wonder if that will affect his focus this week.

Region 1 Tournament Preview – Murray State University At the beginning of the year all the hype was about two teams and two players. Zion Harmon with Marshall County and Jackson Sivills with McCracken County. It seemed that Marshall would be the favorite this season because they were going to have the one of the best players in the state and were playing a national schedule against some of the best teams in the country. Reality set in quickly that they were not ready for that type of schedule and McCracken defeating them on their on court. When they finally met a second time, Marshall had been playing their best ball of the season and it ended up the same. Two close games with the Mustangs coming out on top. In the meantime, some of the other teams in the region showed real improvement and what looked like only a two team race has turned into much more. This should be an exciting tournament and is definitely not a slam dunk for McCracken County like it seemed in mid January. The only thing that could make this tournament better, was if Murray was in it. It is sad to see such a successful season and team get knocked out in district play. Don’t count out Calloway County or Paducah Tilghman, either team could earn their ticket to Rupp given the right breaks and right circumstances. Should be a fantastic region 1 tournament again this year. McCracken County (27-5) The Mustangs proved all year they were the team to beat in Region 1 as they went undefeated in Region 1 play going 17-0. During that they had a number of close games which really shows how open this region really is. They beat Calloway County by 5 points, Marshall County twice, once by 4 points and once by 5 points. They beat Graves by only 6, and Paducah Tilghman by only 3. Any one of those game could have gone the other way, so McCracken will have their work cutout for them as they drew the toughest team they could have for the first round, Calloway County. If they defeat Calloway they most likely will face Mayfield, which they haven’t seen this year. After that it will most likely be either Marshall County for a third time or Paducah Tilghman for a 4th time. The Mustangs are led by region 1 Player of the Year Jackson Sivills. He is scoring almost 22 points per game and pulling down almost 8 rebounds per game. He is deadly from three point range hitting over 41% he attempts, which he took 194 of this season. He is also an 84% free throw shooter, and likes to take it to the basket when he isn’t draining threes, so he is very difficult to game plan for and guard. Noah Dumas is the other scoring threat for McCracken. He averages 13.4 ppg and can also shoot from the outside, but isn’t as accurate as Sivills. Overall the team averages 66 ppg while only giving up 50.5 ppg. Marshall County (21-10) Marshall was supposed to be the team to beat this year, and while they have been good, they haven’t been the best team, but most likely have been the second-best team. They spent much of the first half of the season playing a national schedule and piling up losses against teams that just outmatched them. After settling down and playing a Kentucky schedule, they started racking up wins and confidence, winning 14 of their last 15 games, with their only loss coming to Calloway County by 1 point, which they avenged in the district title game. The only other team in Western Kentucky they lost to was McCracken County, twice. Zion Harmon is a brilliant talent and is without doubt what makes this team go. He averages 25.4 ppg, and he is money from the free throw line (missed only 13 this year). He could improve from outside, but is respectable. The Marshalls are at their best when they don’t rely solely on Harmon, and they have talent to do that. Jonathan Stokes gets almost 15 ppg and 10 rpg. Tyler Powell adds almost 13 per game. This team defeated Calloway County without Harmon who had to sit out a game. Together they can put a game together that can take out McCracken if they should meet them in the finals. Paducah Tilghman (20-11) Tilghman has been a much more consistent team this year than in previous years and they have the talent and ability to win the region, albeit a long shot. They have played both McCracken and Marshall close they year, and easily defeated Calloway County twice. They did lose to their first round opponent Carlisle County, but it was the first game of the season, and this team is much better than it was then. Expect the Blue Tornado to win their first round game, and battle hard for a difficult win against Marshall County. They had trouble stopping the Harmon/Stokes combo in those games and will have to figure that out if they are going to win. Tilghman is led by Michael Laster with 17 ppg and 5.2 rpg, and Eli Brown adds 14.3 ppg. The Tornado average almost 67 ppg, but they give up almost 60 ppg defensively. The key for them to make it to Rupp, will be to get better at the free throw line, play stiffer defense, and get a few bounces and calls to go their way. Calloway County (18-13) It is really difficult to figure out this Laker team. One moment they are playing above their talent level and the next below it. As examples, they lose to Graves County by 22 points, and then defeat Marshall County. They get pummeled by Paducah Tilghman and then turn around and beat a very good Murray team to knock them out of the post season. This team can very well pull the big upset and take out McCracken in the first round. It would be a shock to many in the state, but to those following region 1 action, it is very plausible. Calloway is led by a trio of players. Chandler Steele leads the way with 15.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg. He is very good around the basket and can really frustrate teams inside on both ends. Cade Butler and Kade Mize take care of things in the front court averaging 11.6 ppg and 10.1 ppg respectively. Both have no problem shooting it from deep and when they get hot, Calloway is a very, very dangerous team. They only lost 3 games this season when they made more than 5 three pointers. This should be the best game to watch in the first round. Graves County (12-19) Graves record doesn’t seem like they belong in this tournament, but they have earned themselves some serious consideration as a Cinderella team. They have played the top teams in the region very well the last month of the season. They only lost at McCracken by 6, and backed that up by losing to Marshall by only 5. They did lose to both Mayfield and Carlisle at the end of the season which was a slight surprise because of how tough they played the top tier teams. So which team is going to show up in the first round of the region tournament will be crucial to their success. They will be a significant underdog to Harmon and Marshall County, but they have proven they can play with them on a given night. The Eagles will be led by Seth Thomas who is the teams leading scorer with 15.3 ppg. Grant Mason (6.8 ppg) stepped up big in both the Marshall and McCracken games, and will need to do so again if Graves is going to keep it close. Mayfield (20-9) Mayfield has been a consistent team in the middle of the pack of region 1 all year. They have won the games they were supposed to and lost games when they were underdogs. No significant upset win, but no real glaring loss either. They did play a lot of tight games against better teams, which could help with their confidence. Marshall County, Calloway County, and Paducah Tilghman all were games where the Cardinals lost by less than 5 points. One or two calls or bounces go their way and they do pull out an upset. That could happen this week. They should easily win their first round matchup with Fulton County, they are the weakest team left in the region and they just beat them by 24 two weeks ago. Second round game looms with either McCracken County or Calloway County, both would be heavy favorites. Mayfield have been without DeAngelo Brooks the last few games. He has averaged 14.4 ppg and it doesn’t look like he will be available for the region tournament. Kade Neely is the next in line to lead the team and he is averaging 13 ppg and has stepped up in Brooks’ absence. There are a variety of other role players that could play a part as there is a consistent rotation of these players. It is imperative that some of these guys step up in big ways if the Cardinals are going to move on to the finals. Carlisle County (20-10) The Comets had a strong finish to the regular season winning 11 of their last 13 games, with losses coming to McCracken County and Murray. The teams they faced were at the bottom of the region, although they did have a nice win against Graves County. The biggest win Carlisle has is against Paducah Tilghman in the first game of the season. However they will be significant underdogs this time versus the Blue Tornado. Carlisle is led by the tandem of Reese Anderson (15.6 ppg) and Elder Blake (14 ppg). They average 60 points a game on the season and don’t have any big strengths or glaring weaknesses in their stats or gameplay. The fact they will be the less talented team on the floor will be the biggest contributing factor to their success or lack thereof. Fulton County (14-15) Fulton County is coming out of one of the weakest districts in the state of Kentucky, and the closest game played against the remaining teams was a 9 point loss to Carlisle County in the district title game. They do not have much of a chance against Mayfield, as they lost big two times to the Cardinals in the last 3 weeks. They will be a major underdog in this first round game. The Pilots are led by Hayden Murphy (11 ppg) and Dylan Hammond (11.5 ppg). Colton Henderson and Jequan Warren also contribute 10 ppg for the Fulton.

Region 2 Preview: Region 2 has been about one particular team the entire season, Madisonville-North Central. They did not lose a single game in the region and were ranked in the BGP top 10 the whole year. That is not to say a few teams gave them a scare during the year. Henderson County played them to an 8 point game and Lyon County played them to a 7 point game, the closest score for them in the region. The tournament will no doubt be theirs to lose, and they have been playing extremely well over the past month. In fact they haven’t had a close game since the 7 point win at Lyon County. Their biggest competition most likely would have been Hopkinsville, but they lost on layup with 3 seconds left to Christian County. They were improving greatly and the tournament is being held on their own floor, but since they are not here, Henderson, Lyon, and Christian County are most likely their toughest competition. They will play Henderson in the opening round, and then could see Christian County in the second round. They would meet Lyon County in the finals if both teams make it that far. This will be the first time in 20 years that a 8th district team was not favored to win the 2nd region. Last year Madisonville pulled an upset on University Heights. They look to continue that success this year, and while there will be some good games in this tournament, it may not be as exciting as some of the other regions, and if anyone other than Madisonville advances, it would be considered a huge upset. Madisonville-North Hopkins (28-3) The Maroons are one of the best teams in the state and finished ranked #5 in the BGP end of season rankings. They have been very consistent all year long, with the only hiccup being against John Hardin mid year. They are 5-3 against teams that made an appearance in the top 20 this season, with two of those losses being in overtime by a total of 3 points. They are legitimate state contenders and much of the team have experience playing in Rupp last season when they lost to Warren Central in the 2nd Round. As a team they averaged 72.5 ppg while giving up 56.8 ppg. They are led by two outstanding big men in Ksuan Casey and Kenny White. White is the Region 2 player of the year and averages 18.4 ppg and 8.2 rpg. Casey averages 18.2 ppg and 10.3 ppg. Together they make one of the best down low tandems in the state, if not the best. Neither one of them shoot tremendously well from the outside, White can hit the three if left open. However they do shoot 36% from three point range, and main rely on Deljuan Johnson (11.0 ppg) and Keshawn Stone (8.3 ppg) to hit those from the outside. Coach Beshear usually runs a consistent 8 man rotation, but those 4 guys are on the floor for most of the game. Lyon County (22-9) The Lyons got about as good a draw as they could have hoped for in this tournament. They will have some tough games, but they avoided having to play Madisonville or Henderson in the first two rounds. They can only meet them in the finals. That said, they still will have tough games against Caldwell County and the winner of UHA and Webster. Lyon County has played the best ball in the region next to Madisonville, winning 12 of their last 13 games including a 9 point win against Caldwell County and a 5 point win at Webster County. If they reach the finals against Madisonville, they have confidence they can win, as they played them closer than anybody else in the region. Eighth grade phenom Travis Perry leads the Lyon with 26.8 ppg, that is second best in the entire state, and he hasn’t even hit high school yet. He hit 77 three pointers this season (37.4%) and pulls in a respectable 4.4 rebounds a game. While teams are focusing so much on Perry, sophomore Jackson Shoulders is a force around the basket. He is averaging 16.6 ppg and 11.5 rpg. Not very many teams in the region have had a successful game plan versus Lyon County, and they will be the favorites to make it to the finals from the bottom portion of the bracket. Webster County (25-5) Webster is one of the teams that have been difficult to judge all season as they play a very weak schedule as they have not played one team even being considered in the BGP Top 20. However, they have played well during their schedule, at one point winning 11 straight games. They struggled against Henderson County during the regular season but defeated them when it counted in the 6th district championship game, which saved them from playing Madisonville in the first round. Instead they will play University Heights, which they defeated by 1 point two weeks ago. This time it will be on a neutral floor and should be a great 1st round game. Webster has four players scoring in double digits this season, led by Tyler Camplin who is getting 17 ppg. Destin Allen is next with 13 ppg and then Hunter McNaughton at 12 ppg and Ayden Winn with 10 ppg. They balanced scoring is a good advantage for the Trojans. While they aren’t as strong on the glass as some other teams in the region, they are above average, getting almost 28 rebounds per game as a team. They shoot 33% from behind the arc and only give up 52 ppg, but remember their competition has not been on par with other top teams in the region. Henderson County (19-12) Henderson did not have a great start of the season, but they finished strong. They won 9 of their last 11 regular season games, but lost to Webster County in the district title game. They unfortunately drew Madisonville-North Hopkins in the first round. A team they desperately wanted to stay away from until the finals. They did play them close in the only game against them this season, which was at home. They lost by 8 points and held Madisonville to one of their lowest scoring games of the season, however, Casey did not play in that game, and he will be on the floor this time. The Colonels have two main scoring threats. Daymian Dixon averages just under 16 ppg and Noah Curry adds in 11.2 ppg. While others may not be huge scoring threats, what Henderson will do is throw many players at you and play relentless defense. They have a consistent rotation of 11 players, with 7 of them playing every single game this season. They are amazing from three point range at 31%, but they are good enough that you do not want to leave them open a lot. Their big weakness is the lack of big men compared to some of the other region teams, and against Madisonville in the opening round, it most likely prove to be detrimental to them advancing. Caldwell County (16-15) The Tigers had a true up and down season. They started off 0-5 before going on a 4 game winning streak. Then late January, they had another 5 game skid, but rebounded by winning 7 straight before getting pummeled in the district title game against Madisonville. They open play against Lyon County who they lost to twice during the regular season. Both games were close so they have the chance to pull the upset if they can figure out how to stop Perry and Shoulders. Caldwell has four main scoring threats, but none of them are elite like Perry or Shoulders. Adarius Riley leads the way with 12.7 ppg and Tripp Branch gets 12.7 ppg as well. Cayden Fraliex and JaMarius Blaine both contribute around 10 ppg. The Tigers do shoot just over 35% from three and are pretty good on the boards. They can be a surprise team in the bottom half of the bracket, but they would need two of their best games of the year to do so. Christian County (12-18) If there is a coach in the state of Kentucky that knows how to coach a team in the post season, it is Kerry Stovall. The Colonels had a horrendous end to the regular season losing 11 of 16 games, and they are the only team with a losing record in the tournament. They were struggling mightily in 2020, then they were lucky enough to host the district tournament and came back from 11 down in the 4th quarter to win on a layup with 3 seconds left against Hopkinsville. They turn around and demolish a UHA team they had lost to twice in the regular season. Now they will play Crittenden County, a team they have not faced this year. Christian County is led by Stephen Bussell (14.2 ppg), Damikeon Mathis (12.4 ppg), and Olajuwon White (10 ppg). They are average offensively and hit about 32% from three and 65% from the free throw line. A glaring weakness for Christian County is the frontcourt. They average the least amount of rebounds per game than any other team in the tournament. This will hurt them against better teams, and it will be up to Stovall to come up with the gameplan to take down each team. University Heights (15-13) The Blazers had a rough end of the season losing 3 of 4, all to region 2 teams. They did get a first round bye in the district play, but they lost big to Christian County in that game and will have to face Webster County now, a team they lost to by 1 on Feb 20. With this being on a neutral floor, the Blazers may be considered the favorite in this game. However they are not considered to be a big threat to win the region, or even make it to the finals. UHA is led by KJ Crump, who averages 20.8 ppg, Amani McGee adds 14.2 ppg, William Bryan gets 11 ppg, and DJ Quarles pours in 15.6 ppg. After these four, productions drops off a cliff with the next person getting 2.6 ppg. The Blazers are another team that really struggles inside and will find it difficult to matchup with the bigger teams. Crittenden County (16-16) The Rockets had a surprising season and moved up through the rankings as the year progressed. They ended the year with a .500 record and had some nice wins during the season including wins against Lyon County and Caldwell County, however their schedule has been weak and that will probably be a factor when going up against Christian County in the first round. While they haven’t played each other this season, the Colonels have played a much tougher schedule and play in a much tougher district. Crittenden is led by three major players, Gabe Mott (16 ppg), Eric O’Leary (15.2 ppg), and Preston Turley (14.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg). They shoot 32% from three and 64% from the free throw line. They have allowed more points than they have scored this year, and it could be a short stint in the tournament for them.

This was at Webster I believe. I am a little surprised by the win, but not shocked.

What is crazy about this game, is that Christian County had only won 4 games since the Holidays and had some serious blowout losses including by 27 to University Heights. Then they win the district.

Not surprised that John Hardin won, but I am by the margin of victory. They are so tough to beat at home.

It was a good game. Good for Marshall to have to play a tough game without Harmon, as they tend to rely too much on him at times. They have talent elsewhere on the court

Hoptown blew an 11 point lead by turning it over way too much in the second half.

He had 750 points this season, if he does that each of his final 4 years, he will have it. That is a lot of points every year though.

Murray is very good, McCracken needed overtime and some luck to beat them the final game of the season. I don't think the 1st is as much a lock as it was a month ago. Murray, McCracken, and Marshall all are legit contenders. You have to give the edge to McCracken here, but it would not surprise me at all if the other two win it.

Final Rankings and Review: 1. McCracken County – BGP #10 Season Record: 25-5 McCracken was able to hold off a determined Murray team in overtime to finish the season on a 4 game winning streak. They won 18 of their last 19 as well. They are led by region 1 Player of the Year Jackson Sivills who averaged 21.9 ppg and 7.9 rpg. Noah Dumas helps by getting almost 14 ppg. The Mustangs will be favored to win the Region championship, however things have tightened up lately with both Murray and Marshall improving as well as teams like Calloway and Graves. 2. Marshall County Season Record: 20-10 Marshall has won 13 of their last 14 games in closing out the regular season. The Marshalls have only lost 5 games to Kentucky schools, two of those were to McCracken County, both were close games. They will play either Murray or Calloway for the district 4 title, both of those teams are fully capable of beating Marshall. Calloway knows, because they recently did. 3. Murray Season Record: 23-6 The Tigers have been improving all year long and they are ripe to win a district and/or regional championship. They have lost only one game all year by more than 5 points, and that was to Marshall back in December. They could easily be 28-1 and the number one seed in the region. Yes they are that good, only allowing 50 pts/game on the year. They are led by freshman Grant Whitaker who averages 18.3 ppg and 5 rpg. Darius Duffy averages a double/double with 10 points and rebounds per game. The Tigers have been an underdog all season, don’t make that mistake going into the tournament. 4. Paducah Tilghman Season Record: 19-10 Tilghman had a very convincing win at Calloway County which solidified their spot as the number 4 team in the region. The Tornado have been a much more consistent team this year versus the past few. They will play St. Mary in the first round, which should be an easy win, before playing McCracken County for a third time this season in the title game. They are led by Micheal Laster with 17 ppg and Eli Brown with 14.4 ppg. 5. Calloway County Season Record: 17-12 The Lakers had an up and down season, but have improved. They are the only team beside McCracken who defeated Marshall County. They unfortunately play in the toughest district in the region, and therefore will play Murray in the opening round and must win in order to advance to region play. They are led by Chandler Steele (15.3 ppg) and Cade Butler (12 ppg). 6. Graves County Season Record:12-18 The Eagles don’t have the record as some of the other teams in this area of the rankings, but their gameplay has shown they deserve to be here. They defeated Mayfield and Calloway in the past month, and played McCracken and Marshall very close. They get a bye in the 3rd District tournament, and will most likely face Mayfield in the title game. They are led by Seth Thomas with 15.4 ppg. 7. Mayfield Season Record:18-9 Mayfield had a late start to the season, but slowly rose in the rankings as they improved. They have not lost a game by more than 10 points since early December, which shows they put themselves in a position to win every game. They should have and easy time with Ballard Memorial on Tuesday, and then a tough game for the district title versus Graves County. They are led by DeAngelo Brooks, who averages 14.8 ppg. 8. Carlisle County Season Record: 18-10 The Comets looked really good at the end the year winning 8 in a row before losing in a close one to Murray in the last game of the regular season. They will face Hickman County in the first round and should win that easily before facing the Fulton County/Fulton City winner. They should be in control of that game as well. They are led by Reese Anderson with 15.2 ppg and Blake Elder with 13.7 ppg. 9. St. Mary Season Record: 12-18 The Vikings did not close the season like they had hoped, losing 11 in a row and 13 of 14. At one point this season, St. Mary was 11-5, and looking good. They will play Paducah Tilghman in the first round of the 2nd district. This will most likely end the Vikings season as the last game versus Tilghman, St. Mary lost by almost 40. Colin Doss is the team’s leading scorer with 15 ppg. 10. Fulton County Season Record: 13-14 The Pilots almost got to the .500 mark for the season but fell one game short. They will play crosstown rival Fulton City in the first round of district play. The two teams split their regular season games. Fulton County has three players who average 10+ ppg: Hayden Murphy, Dylan Hammond, and Colton Henderson. 11. Fulton City Season Record: 11-13 Fulton City is another team who just missed the .500 mark for the year. They will play Fulton County in district play hoping to advance against Carlisle County. They have been led by Brennan Walker who is scoring 17.2 ppg and pulling down 10.7 boards per game. 12. Hickman County Season Record: 10-16 The Falcons finished the season much better than they started, going 6-4 over their last 10 games. They open against Carlisle County in the district tournament, which may prove too much for them. They are led by Jackson Midyett with 19.5 ppg. 13. Ballard Memorial Season Record: 4-26 The Bombers were able to pull off an upset of Trigg County from Region 2, but other than that, things have not been well, losing 13 of 14 to end the season. They will play Mayfield in the 3rd district opener. Dequin Donlow leads Ballard Memorial in scoring with 20.5 ppg. 14. Community Christian Season Record: 1-29 The Warriors do have one win this season, but haven’t been in very many games. They have a true David and Goliath matchup versus McCracken County in the first round of district play. Players to Watch – in no particular order Jackson Sivills – McCracken County Sivills is the Region 1 Player of the Year and Murray State commit. He averages almost 22 points per game while hitting over 40% from three point range and 82% from the free throw line. He also contributes almost 8 rebounds per game so he is active both on the inside and outside at both ends of the court. Micheal Laster – Paducah Tilghman Laster averages a tick over 17 points per game for the Tornado. He only shoots 45% from the field, but his low three points percentage is what brings that down. He is good around the basket, but shoots too many threes for such a low percentage (28%). Dequin Donlow – Ballard Memorial Just because you are on a bad team, doesn’t make you a bad player. Donlow is the third highest scorer in region 1 averaging 20.5 ppg. He his almost 40% from three, but his free throw shooting has a lot to be desired (53%). He is very active on the board averaging 7 rebounds per game. Jackson Midyett – Hickman County The fourth highest scorer in the region, Midyett gets 19.5 points per game and he a great free throw shooter hitting nearly 84% of those. He is not great from behind the three, but it doesn’t stop him from shooting from back there. Zion Harmon – Marshall County The most well known players of this group and the state. Has offers from multiple high D1 programs including LSU, Maryland, Kansas, and Louisville. He is averaging 25.4 points per game, but in reality can score from anywhere at will. He can take over a game himself as witnessed multiple times throughout his career. Could improve from three point range, but is almost money from the free throw line. Jonathan Stokes – Marshall County Stokes plays second fiddle after being the guy last year in Harmon’s absence. He averages 14.4 ppg and almost 10 rebounds per game. He is a good defender and is pretty slick around the basket. He can step out and hit the three, and a pretty good free throw shooter. Grant Whitaker – Murray The best freshman in region one and maybe in all of Western Kentucky. He averaged 18.3 ppg including a region leading 45% from three point range. He could use some better poise at the free throw line, but that will come hopefully. Very fun to watch. Chandler Steele – Calloway County Steele is the backbone of the gritty Lakers. He averages 15.3 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. He is very good within 12 feet of the basket and steps out about once a game to shoot the three, but that isn’t a strength at all. Seth Thomas – Graves County Thomas is the only player for the Eagles who can be relied upon to score regularly. He averages 15.4 points per and shoots 39% from three. He could work on his free throw shooting, especially as often as he handles the ball and ends up at the line. Reese Anderson – Carlisle County Anderson puts in 15.2 points per game for the Comets. He is not the best shooter from the outside, but he is decent from the free throw line. If he could improve from beyond the arc, Carlisle could be a real threat. Postseason District Tournaments District 1 – at Hickman County (2/24-2/25) Carlisle County has the advantage in this district. None of the teams are considered a threat for the region championship as this is the weakest of the four districts in region 1. Carlisle County vs Hickman County Fulton County vs Fulton City District 2 – at McCracken County (2/24-2/25) McCracken is the favorite to win the 2nd district and the Region 1 tournament. Paducah Tilghman could give them a run for their money, but that game wasn’t close at all last week. Both have an easy first round game. McCracken County vs Community Christian Academy Paducah Tilghman vs Hickman County District 3 – at Mayfield (2/25) Graves County is the number one seed in this district, however you can’t sleep on Mayfield, especially since they are hosting the tournament. Both teams are similar in talent and have had experience in the postseason the past few seasons. It should be a great game for the title. Mayfield vs Ballard Memorial Graves County vs Winner District 4 – at Marshall County (2/25) This is without a doubt the toughest district in region 1. It is a shame that one of these schools will not be playing in the region tournament as they all deserve to be. Marshall County is the favorite, but Murray is playing as good as anyone in this region and could take both the district and region. Calloway is good enough to play Cinderella as they have already defeated Marshall County just a while ago. Keep an eye out for this district. Murray vs Calloway County Marshall County vs Winner

Not sure about Reed, but Perry is 14, which means he would be 18 when a senior.

Travis Perry, referenced above, has 1388 pts before the postseason. Should be at least 3 more games this season. I really would like to see Reed play. Unbelievable these two have 1,000 before becoming freshman. Can anyone else in the state say that?

Final Rankings: 1. Madisonville North Hopkins – BGP #7 Season record: 26-3 Madisonville-North Hopkins finished the season with a 15 game winning streak dating back to Jan 4. They have been a powerhouse all season long and have been ranked in the BGP top ten then entire season. They are led by Kenny White, Region 2 Player of the Year, who averages 18.4 ppg and 8.1 rpg. Ksuan Casey is the other big man. He averages a double/double per game in 17.4 ppg and 10.1 rpg. Add in Deljuan Johnson (11.1 ppg), and the Maroons are a very difficult team to handle, and they are front runners for the region 2 title averaging a region best 71.8 ppg as a team. 2. Henderson County Season Record: 19-11 Henderson County found their groove after the holiday tournaments. Since the Middletown Holiday Classic, the Colonels are 11-4. They look to be the second best team in the region after defeating Webster County and a surging Hopkinsville. They are led by Daymian Dixon (15.8 ppg) and Noah Curry (11.0 ppg). They have a bye to the 6th district championship game against either Webster County or Union County. Either team will be a tough game as they went to overtime with both teams a few weeks ago. 3. Webster County Season Record: 23-5 Webster County rebounded nicely the last two game, defeating University Heights by 1 point at home. They won 4 of their last 5 games, but that loss came to Henderson County who they will play for the 6th District title if they defeat Union prior to. They are led by Tyler Camplin (16.7 ppg), Destin Allen (13.2 ppg), and Hunter McNaughton (12 ppg). They are averaging 69.7 ppg as a team. 4. Hopkinsville Season Record: 14-16 Hopkinsville has come on very strong at the end of the season. Much of that is due to Alijah Watts rejoining the team after a long absence. He has sparked the Tigers into being a completely different team than we have seen all season. With wins against Bowling Green and Paducah Tilghman, then an overtime loss at Henderson, shows the immense improvement the team has made. They still will have to beat Christian County in the first round of the 8th district to reach the region to have a chance to show their stuff. 5. University Heights Season Record:14-12 The Blazers struggled over their last 4 games, losing 3 of them, including to Caldwell County and Webster County. They should easily win their first round district game, which will advance them to the region tournament. They are led by KJ Crump, who averages almost 21 ppg. Amani McGee (14.1 ppg)and DJ Quarles (15.6 ppg) are also major contributors, although Quarles has not played in the month of February. 6. Lyon County Season Record: 20-9 The Lyons are another team that has been playing very well to end the season. They have won 10 of their last 11, including their last 6 games. They have shown they can play with anybody in the 2nd region, including Madisonville, who they only lost to by 7 points in late January. They are led by the region’s most prolific scorer in 8th grader Travis Perry, who averages almost 27 ppg. Sophomore big man Jackson Shoulders also averages 15.7 ppg and leads the region in rebounding at 11.5 rpg. Lyon should win the 5th district, and they will be a tough out in the region tournament. This team is going to be very good for years to come. 7. Caldwell County Season Record: 15-14 On February 10, the Tigers snapped a 5 game losing streak, since that game, Caldwell is 6-0 including a win over University Heights. They will play Hopkins County Central in the 7th district opener. They are led by the tandem of Adarius Riley (12.9 ppg) and Tripp Branch (12.7 ppg). While not at the level of the top teams in region 2, they could still cause some disruption in the region tournament. 8. Christian County Season Record: 10-18 Christian County has been in a downfall since the beginning of January. They have only won 4 games since the holiday tournaments finished. They have a very difficult first round game against Hopkinsville in the 8th district tournament. However the Colonels did defeat Hopkinsville both times they played them this year, but Hoptown is a different team, and the third time will be much more difficult. Stephen Bussell is their leading scorer with 14.2 ppg. 9. Crittenden County Season Record: 15-15 Crittenden has won 3 of their last 4 and hopes to carry that into the 5th district tournament. They will play Trigg County to start things off. They have 3 different players who can score. Gabe Mott at 16.2 ppg, Eric OLeary at 15.3 ppg, and Preston Turley at 14.4 ppg. After those guys, things drop significantly. 10. Hopkins County Central Season Record: 8-20 On January 7 of this year, we were wondering if the Storm would ever win a game this year as they were 0-13 and only two of those games were close. They were coming off a 30 point loss to Caldwell County, but then something clicked. They are 8-7 since that game and are much improved. They will face that same Caldwell County team in the 1st round of the 7th district. A team they only lost to by 9 a couple weeks ago. They have three players, Sam Almon, Johntize Miller, and Blasin Moore who average 10 ppg. 11. Union County Season Record: 9-20 Union County took a huge hit when they lost 3 starters including Kale Gaither, one of the best players in the region, back in January. Since then the Braves have struggled to get wins, although they pulled a huge upset of Henderson County on Feb 4. They will play Webster County in district play, a team that beat them by 35 points two weeks ago. 12. Dawson Springs Season Record: 13-17 The Panthers have had their ups and downs this year, and they finished the year off with a win versus Todd County Central. Unfortunately, they will have to play region 2 juggernaut Madisonville-North Hopkins in the first round of the 7th district tournament. Skyler Clark paces the team with 17.3 ppg. 13. Trigg County Season Record: 11-18 The Wildcats have only won 2 game since Jan 19, however they did win the last game of the regular season against Fort Campbell. They will play Crittenden County in the district tournament, a team they beat in overtime on Jan 27. They can redeem their season with another win against them on Tuesday. 14. Fort Campbell Season Record: 9-20 For the first time since 2008, the Falcons won both their first and last game of the regular season. The games in between those were not exactly what they wanted, but it is good to end the season on a high note. They play University Heights in the first round of district play. 15. Livingston Central Season Record: 3-27 The Cardinals had a rough season, not winning their first win until Jan 27. They will play Lyon County in district tournament play. They were led this year by Max Downey at 14.3 ppg. Players to Watch – in no particular order. Travis Perry, 8th grader, Lyon County Perry is only and 8th grader, but he the second leading scorer in the state at 26.8 ppg. He shoots almost 36% behind the arc, hitting 70 this season. He also is very good at going to the bucket and drawing contact, as he has been to the foul line 220 times this season, hitting 78% from the line. Jackson Shoulders, Sophomore, Lyon County Shoulders is 9th in the state in rebounding, pulling down 11.5 rebounds per game. He also adds almost 16 ppg for the Lyons to compliment Travis Perry. Kenny White, Senior, Madisonville-North Hopkins White was name the 2020 Region 2 Player of the Year. He is very exciting to watch, averaging 18.4 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. He shoots 61% from the field including the occasional three, which he is hitting at a 37% clip. He also leads the team in free throws made and attempted. White has committed to Tennesee Tech. Ksuan Casey, Senior, Madisonville-North Hopkins At 6’9”, Casey is one of the premier big men in Kentucky. He averaged a double/double for the season pulling down 10.1 rebounds and dishing out 17.4 points per game. He is not a threat outside of 12 feet, but inside that range, he is a beast. He currently has offers from multiple small D1 schools. KJ Crump, Senior, University Heights Academy Crump is the leader of UHA and is averaging almost 21 points per game. His 39% clip from three point range is a big part of his game, throwing up 145 shots this year from behind the arc. He is also shooting 82% from the free throw line. Don Victor, Senior, Hopkinsville Victor is leading the Tigers at 19.2 ppg. He is shooting almost 40% from three point range, however only 68% from the three point line. He also pulls down 6 rebounds a game, second on the team. Alijah Watts, Junior, Hopkinsville Watts has had some trouble staying on the floor the last two seasons. He joined the Tigers for their last 6 games, and he was a huge difference maker. He was averaged 14.5 ppg in that short time period, but more importantly, the Tigers got some big wins. Daymian Dixon, Senior, Henderson County Dixon is leading the Colonels in scoring and on the floor. He is scoring almost 16 points a game and shoots around 35% from three point range. He is a good defender and really stepped up the last half of the season. Tyler Camplin, Senior, Webster County Camplin is averaging 16.7 points per game while shooting 52% from the field. He will shoot from downtown, but not as often as his 36% rate says he should. He is very good from the free throw line hitting 80% and getting there often, 151 attempts this season. Stephen Bussell, Senior, Christian County Bussell is averaging 14.2 ppg and leads the Colonels. He pulls down a decent 4.6 rpg as well. He will shoot from three, but only hits about 30% and he also struggles from the free throw line, barely hitting 60%. POSTSEASON District 5 – games played at Lyon County (2/25) Lyon County will be the favorite in the 5th district tournament. They have one of the states best scorers and best rebounders. They have a chance to do some damage at the region level as well. Should be a preview of years to come. The Crittenden/Trigg game should favor Crittenden, but these teams went into overtime just a couple weeks ago, so it should be a good game. Lyon County vs Livingston Central Trigg County vs Crittenden County District 6 – at Webster County (2/24) Henderson will get the bye in the first round as the top seed. However, Webster County should easily defeat Union in the first round and then host Henderson in the championship. Being that it is at Webster, all advantages that Henderson has will be neutralized. This will be a very good game. Webster County vs Union County Winner vs Henderson County District 7 – at Madinsonville-North Hopkins (2/25) Madisonville-North Hopkins is the easy favorite for this district and for the region. Although Dawson Springs gave Madisonville a game earlier this year, don’t expect a repeat. Should be a convincing win for the Maroons. The Caldwell County/Hopkins County Central game looks like Caldwell should have the easy win, however Hopkins Central has improved quite a bit and it showed in their last meeting. Madisonville-North Hopkins vs Dawson Springs Caldwell County vs Hopkins County Central District 8 – at Christian County (2/25) For most of the year, University Heights looked like the team to beat in district 8. However, Hopkinsville has been very good lately and has a great chance to be top dog instead. First however, the Tigers will have to beat Christian County on their own floor. The Tigers lost twice already to the Colonels, but the third time will be different as the teams are heading in opposite directions. UHA should have an easy first round game. University Heights vs Fort Campbell Christian County vs Hopkinsville.

I am referring to 8th graders playing Varsity.

I was wondering who the top 8th graders to watch in the post season are. I know Lyon County in region 2 has Travis Perry who is averaging almost 28 ppg. He put up 26 against Madisonville. He is an excellent player for his age.

Hopkinsville has made a nice run since Watts has returned. They are 4-1 with him as a starter, and the one loss was by 2 at Henderson County. Wondering what kind of effect this will have on region 2.

:lol2: Sportscenter said "We're going to Cracker Barrel" after showing that highlight.

Not to mention that Collins has lost twice to teams outside the top BGP top 20, McCracken and Madisonville have not.

Sweet great job. Great Game.

Murray has been playing very well as of late, but I don't think it will be enough.

Week Eleven Review: Some clarity took place this week, and some thing became more murky. McCracken County will be the team to beat going into the region tournament. Marshall seemed like they had number two locked up, however Calloway tripped them up this week, and then Murray is still playing strong. Paducah Tilghman took a step back and did not look like a team that could compete against those top three, or even Calloway. Here are the week 11 rankings : 1. McCracken County – BGP #10 Season Record: 24-5 McCracken spent this week trying to put away any doubt they are the number one team in Region 1. They have had some close games lately and really made a statement this week. They defeated Calloway County by 19 points, St. Mary by 36 points, and Paducah Tilghman by 29 points. They have proven their case and have one more game to erase all doubt as they face off with Murray in their last regular season game. 2. Marshall County Season Record: 18-10 Marshall had their 10 game winning streak snapped in a loss to Calloway County 72-71, even though Zion Harmon dropped 50 points in the game. However they did defeat both Murray and Christian County, which were also tough games for the Marshalls. They will play Mayfield this week before heading out the Las Vegas for a end of season tournament. 3. Murray Season Record: 22-5 The Tigers have been playing great basketball this season but the game against Marshall County shows they are just shy of being considered in the top tier. They will have a chance again to prove themselves against McCracken County before heading to Carlisle County to end the season. 4. Paducah Tilghman Season Record: 18-9 The Blue Tornado were easily victorious against both Community Christian and Meridian (IL), however they were soundly defeated in the most important game of the week at McCracken County. However they were without their best player Micheal Laster, who was out sick. Not sure if he would have made that much of a difference though. They can’t dwell too long on it as they will go to Calloway County and Hopkinsville to end the season. 5. Calloway County Season Record: 16-11 The Lakers had a up and down week. They were handed a 19 point loss at home versus McCracken County, but they rebounded nicely with their biggest win of the season, as 72-71 win over Marshall County. This makes things interesting, as 3 of the top 5 teams are from the 4th district, and so 1 of them won’t make the region tournament. 6. Graves County Season Record:11-17 The Eagles record doesn’t seem like it should be ranked 6th, but they have been playing much better basketball of late. They haven’t been able to win a game against the top teams, but they are in the games. They are also taking care of teams in the middle and bottom, including a big win at Mayfield this week. They end the year at Carlisle and at home versus Fulton County. 7. Mayfield Season Record:16-8 Mayfield defeated Fulton County 82-63, but lost to an improved Graves County team 59-52. They will finish the season against Fulton County, Marshall County, and Hickman County. 8. Carlisle County Season Record: 17-9 The Comets find themselves in the midst of a seven game winning streak, feasting on the lower tier teams in the region, this week was no exception easily defeating Livingston Central and Ballard Memorial. The last two games will be much more difficult and will threaten the streak. They will host both Graves County and Murray. 9. St. Mary Season Record: 12-17 The Vikings is in a downward spiral, losing 10 in a row and 12 of 13. At one point this season, St. Mary was 11-5, and looking good. That has all changed since the All A Region Classic. They have only won one game since. They will play Lyon County to end the season, but they are playing great, and will be a tough game to win. 10. Fulton County Season Record: 12-12 The Pilots lost to Mayfield, but won against their crosstown rivals Fulton City, avenging a 4 point loss earlier in the season. They will play Mayfield, Ballard Memorial, and Graves County to finish out the year. 11. Fulton City Season Record: 10-12 Fulton City defeated Dresden (TN), but lost the rematch to Fulton County and to Graves County. They will play Community Christian and Christian Fellowship to end the year. 12. Hickman County Season Record: 9-15 The Falcons won against Christian Fellowship and Lake County (TN), but lost to South Fulton (TN). They play Livingston Central and Mayfield to finish up. 13. Ballard Memorial Season Record: 3-24 The Bombers have now lost 11 games after playing Graves, Carlisle, and Murray. They have upcoming games versus Trigg, Fulton County, and Calloway. 14. Community Christian Season Record: 1-27 The Warriors do have one win this season, but haven’t been in very many games. They will try for win number two in their last two games against Fulton City and Fort Campbell. Christian Fellowship* Season Record: 16-10 The Eagles split their games this week, beating Beth Haven, but losing to Hickman County. They finish against two Illinois teams and Fulton City. They do not play in the Region 1 tournament, but in a private school state tournament. *Does not compete in the Region 1 tournament.

Week Eleven Review: Madisonville-North Hopkins is a monster and they seem to be clicking on all cylinders. They are without a doubt a top 10 team in the state with a legit shot at winning it all. Henderson County has overtaken Webster as the number 2 team and Lyon County is making a case for being the number 3 team, but they are not quite there yet. Here are the week 11 rankings: 1. Madisonville North Hopkins – BGP #7 Season record: 24-3 Madisonville-North Hopkins had a very convincing win over University Heights, winning 73-58. They have two more games left in the regular season, both at home. First versus Apollo and then Ohio County. The Maroons have consistently stayed in the top 10 in the BGP rankings all season and have shown they are a legit contender for the state title. Kenny White won the region 2 Player of the Year award and will have an opportunity to win Mr. Basketball, although he isn’t a favorite. 2. Henderson County Season Record: 17-10 Henderson County has definitely found their groove and they have overtaken Webster County for the #2 ranking in the region. They defeated Webster for a second time in two weeks. This time they won 73-65. They also defeated Apollo. The Colonels have three games left in the regular season, at home versus Hancock County and Hopkinsville, and then at Owensboro. 3. Webster County Season Record: 19-5 Webster County lost their only game they played this week, but it was a big loss. The Trojans lost to Henderson County for the second time this season and in the process forfeited the second place ranking in the region. This was a spot they have held onto for quite some time. They will have a chance to rebound as they finish the season against Trinity (Whitesville), University Heights, and Union County. 4. University Heights Season Record:13-10 The Blazers won 2 of 3 this week, defeating Christian County in a close game and Fort Campbell in an easy game. They were overmatched once again in their game against Madisonville-North Hopkins. The Blazers still have four games on their schedule, all away: Owensboro Catholic, Caldwell County, Webster County, and Fort Campbell. 5. Lyon County Season Record: 18-9 The Lyons are on a tear to end the season. They have won 8 of 9 including games against Hopkins County Central and Union County this week. They will finish the season against St. Mary, Hopkins County Central, and Livingston Central. 6. Christian County Season Record: 9-18 Christian County was able to defeat Fort Campbell, but they lost to University Heights by 3 points and Marshall County by 6 point. They finish the season with a game at Union County. 7. Hopkinsville Season Record: 12-15 Hopkinsville had their first winning week in quite sometime as they defeated both Muhlenberg County and Union County. They will finish the season at Bowling Green, at Henderson County, and Paducah Tilghman at home. Tough way to close out the season. 8. Caldwell County Season Record: 13-14 The Tigers are on a nice little 4 game winning streak right now, including wins over Hopkins County Central, Crittenden County, Dawson Springs, and Trigg County. They finish out the year against University Heights and Livingston Central. 9. Crittenden County Season Record: 13-14 Crittenden split games with Caldwell County and St. Mary this week. Caldwell County defeated the Rockets 62-48. They will finish the season against Dawson Springs, Hopkins County Central, and McLean County. All 3 are games they can win. 10. Hopkins County Central Season Record: 7-18 The Storm momentum seems to have shifted as they have lost 3 in a row including losses to Caldwell County and Lyon County this week. The last 3 games are versus Todd County Central, Crittenden County, and Lyon County. 11. Union County Season Record: 9-18 Union County had a tough week this week and now own a 5 game losing streak. They lost to Webster, Owensboro Catholic, Lyon, and Hopkinsville. They have 3 games to finish out the season, will be underdogs in all 3. 12. Dawson Springs Season Record: 12-16 The Panthers defeated both Community Christian and Trigg County, however lost to McLean County and Caldwell County in a busy week. They finish with Crittenden County and Todd County Central. 13. Trigg County Season Record: 10-17 The Wildcats took losses to both Dawson Springs and Caldwell County and that puts their losing streak at 5 games heading into their last 2 games of the season. 14. Fort Campbell Season Record: 7-19 Fort Campbell lost to Christian County and University Heights this week. They will play Russellville, Trigg, and Community Christian to end the season. 15. Livingston Central Season Record: 3-24 The Cardinals couldn’t hang with either Carlisle County and Webster County this week, losing both. They finish with Hickman and Caldwell.

True...I guess I am not sold on Ashland as a top 5 team yet, but BGP does so I stand corrected.