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Week Three Review: McCracken County is flexing its muscles and continue to prove they are the cream of the crop. Marshall is busy playing outside the state, so it hard to determine how good they are against KY competition. Paducah Tilghman has been the biggest mover of the week after a 7 game winning streak, and Murray is hanging on to the 3rd spot. Here is what happened this past week in Region 1: 1. McCracken County Season Record: 7-3 McCracken continues to impress even in the loss they took this week at the King of the Bluegrass. The Mustangs took BGP#4 Male to the limit, but yielded to them in overtime 65-56. They did win their other games against LaRue County and Fairdale, and have a rematch against BGP#6 Madisonville-North Hopkins for 5th place. Sivills continues to lead the Mustangs with 21.3 ppg. 2. Marshall County Season Record: 3-6 Hard to justify why a 3-6 team is ranked 2nd in the region, and the answer is the schedule. Marshall County has played the toughest schedule in the region facing a lot of nationally recognized out of state teams. They are actually 3-2 in Kentucky, losing to two BGP top 10 teams in close games. They currently are in Florida playing in the national City of Palms classic where they lost to Ft. Myers in Overtime before being blasted by Roman Catholic (PA). The next KY team they play is Ballard, another top 10 team in KY, on Dec 28. 3. Murray Season Record: 7-2 The Tigers played 4 games this week and rolled off three wins, losing only to Marshall County 69-55. In the loss, it shows that the Tigers are quite ready to compete with Marshall or McCracken yet, but I feel they will before the end of the season. They defeated McLean County, Todd County Central, and Owensboro Catholic in the Hebrews 12 Christmas Classic. They will face off next week in a Holiday Classic in Russellville. 4. Paducah Tilghman Season Record: 7-2 The Blue Tornado have come on strong winning their 4 games this week and now own a 7 game winning streak. They defeated Henderson County, Cairo (IL), Calloway County, and University Heights. The biggest win would be against Calloway who at the time was ranked above them in the region. Eli Brown had 22 points and Michael Laster 14 points in the win. Tilghman will face a couple teams from Tennessee next week before facing off against Christian County after the new year. 5. Calloway County Season Record: 6-3 The Lakers won 3 of 4 this week, but they lost the big one against Paducah Tilghman. Calloway was making progress rising through the region 1 ranks until they met the Tornado, losing 61-52. The Lakers were able to defeat Graves County, University Heights, and Cairo (IL). They will play Murray Bank Tipoff Classic next week. 6. Carlisle County Season Record: 5-4 The Comets won two of three this week, defeating Livingston Central and Fulton City, but losing to Mayfield by 3. Carlisle will be playing in a Holiday tournament in Russellville next week and open against Hart County. 7. St. Mary Season Record: 6-3 The Vikings seem to struggle in back to back games for the first time this season losing handily to both Graves County and Mayfield. They were able to defeat Trigg County 61-52. They will go across the Ohio River to play in the Carbondale Holiday Classic. 8. Graves County Season Record:4-5 The Eagles opened the week with a 10 point loss to Calloway County, and then bounced back nicely winning their next three games. Graves was able to defeat Ballard Memorial, St. Mary, and Hancock County all quite easily. Seth Thomas (15.2 ppg) and Race Richards (12 ppg) are leading the way. They will travel to Gulf Breeze, Fl for a holiday tournament. 9. Mayfield Season Record:3-2 Mayfield is starting to get their feet under them after a late start to the season. The Cardinals played a formidable game against McCracken County, but just couldn’t keep up losing 67-46. They turned around and defeated both Carlisle County and Fort Campbell. They will play in the Murray Bank Tipoff Classic next week. 10. Fulton County Season Record: 3-3 The Pilots struggled against two teams from Tennessee losing by 9 and 6 points respectively. They will play in the Murray Bank Tipoff Classic next week. 11. Fulton City Season Record: 1-3 Fulton City lost their only game this week against Carlisle County 59-49. They will play in the Gibson County Christmas Classic next week. 12. Hickman County Season Record: 3-5 The Falcons were able to defeat Ballard Memorial 69-62, before losing all 3 games in the Hebrews 12 Coffee Christmas Classic to Butler County, Owensboro Catholic, and McLean County. They will play in the Gibson County Christmas Classic next. 13. Ballard Memorial Season Record: 2-8 The Bombers dropped three of their four games this week, defeating Dawson Springs 69-63 for their second win of the season. They play Lyon County on Dec 23 and then don’t play again until Jan 2. 14. Community Christian Season Record: 0-9 The Warriors lost their only game this week 76-49 to Hickman County. They will again after the new year. Player of the Week Michael Laster, Paducah Tilghman Senior Michael Laster scored 19 points against Cairo (IL), 14 points against Calloway County, and 20 points against University Heights, all 3 wins for PT.

Marshall County is 3-2 against KY teams losing to #6 and #8 in close games. Tough seeing them drop out after playing a national team schedule. That being said, I would not consider Tilghman a top 20 team, I don't even have them in the top 3 in region 1, and yes they have won 7 straight, but most of those team don't have a winning record and none of them would be considered even close to a top 20 team. I think Murray has played a tougher schedule and only lost to 1 KY team (Marshall Co). Webster County is an interesting team, however like Paducah Tilghman, have played a very weak schedule, and they don't play anyone of significance the entire season, so we really will never know how good they are. They literally could go undefeated this season and it wouldn't tell us anything. With that being said....Top 20 in KY is extremely difficult to do at this point of the year. I think BGP does a great job at getting as accurate a rating as they can.

Week Three Review: Webster County is the only undefeated team left in Region 2 since Madisonville suffered its first loss. Livingston Central and Hopkins County Central continue to remain winless, while Lyon County, Caldwell County, and Crittenden all had big weeks. Lots of teams playing in Holiday tournaments after Christmas. Here are the week 3 rankings: 1. Madisonville North Hopkins – BGP #6 Season record: 7-1 The Maroons continue to prove they are one of the best teams in Kentucky, even in losing their first game of the year at the King of the Bluegrass. Madisonville took a 71-70 loss to BGP#4 Collins in overtime in one of the best games of the tournament. The Maroons had a 12 point lead at the half, but could hold off the Titans. Both Casey and White had Double/Doubles for the game. White had 24/10 and Casey has 21/11. They will play McCracken County for the 5th place game. They defeated the Mustangs earlier this year by 5. 2. Webster County Season Record: 9-0 Webster County remains the only undefeated team in Region 2 after winning games against Davies County, Hopkinsville, Nelson County, and Livingston Central. They will play in the Martin Classic next week down in Panama City Beach, Florida. Their first matchup will be against Shelbyville Central (TN). The Trojans are being led this season by Tyler Camplin (18 ppg) and Destin Allen (14.3 ppg). 3. Lyon County Season Record: 6-2 The Lyons are coming on strong and continue to move up in the rankings. They picked up two more wins this week against Trigg County and Union County. Travis Perry is becoming a scoring monster for the Lyons. He had 29 in the win against Union, and backed that up with 31 against Trigg. He is averaging 21.4 ppg so far this year. Ballard Memorial and Campbellsville are next, both are very winnable games. 4. Christian County Season Record: 3-5 Christian County took two losses this week, one to Owensboro 59-56, and the other to Bowling Green 66-51. The Colonels have played a pretty tough schedule so far this season and hope to get some relief that the Ashland Invitational next week, but don’t count on it. Butler is the first game out of the gate, and should matchup well. 5. Henderson County Season Record: 4-4 Henderson were able to defeat Grayson County this week, however the Colonels took losses to both Paducah Tilghman and North Bullitt. Their next three games are winnable games, but Todd County Central and especially undefeated Ohio County will be close. 6. Union County Season Record: 4-3 Union took a step back this week losing two close region 2 games. In the first, the Braves lost to Lyon County 74-70 despite 29 points from Gaither. In the second loss, Caldwell County defeated Union 76-68. While the Braves will have a rematch with Lyon later in the year, they won’t see Caldwell again until the region tournament. 7. Hopkinsville Season Record: 4-5 Hopkinsville won their game against Nelson County, 53-48, however they dropped their next two games to Webster County 61-54 and to Daviess County 63-53. Great Crossing is next and then another holiday tournament at Logan County 8. University Heights Season Record:3-6 The Blazers are another region 2 team that won 1 and loss 2. They were able to defeat Cairo (IL), but loss to region 1 teams Calloway County and Paducah Tilghman. Somerset is next up for UHA in a rebuilding season. 9. Crittenden County Season Record: 6-3 Crittenden was one of the few region 2 teams that had a good week. The Rockets won all 4 games they played this week against Hardin County (IL), Christian Fellowship, Livingston Central, and Trinity (Whitesville). While these aren’t the strongest opponents, they played well. They will try to continue their win streak next week at the Stewart County Christmas Classic. 10. Caldwell County Season Record: 4-5 What a week for the Tigers! After starting the year off 0-5, something clicked and Caldwell now has a 4 game winning streak. They defeated Todd County Central, Dawson Springs, and Russellville in their first three games of the week. Then Caldwell pulled an upset against Union County, defeating them 76-68 at Union. They do not play again until after the new year, so hopefully this time away will not hurt their sudden success. 11. Trigg County Season Record: 3-6 Tough week for the Wildcats as they dropped all three games this week and are currently in a 4 game skid. They lost to Lyon County, Hancock County, and St. Mary. They will attempt to get back on track when they play in the Lions Club Classic next week in Martin, TN. 12. Dawson Springs Season Record: 3-6 The Panthers couldn’t continue the success from last week and lost to all three opponents this week. McLean County, Ballard Memorial, and Caldwell County all defeated Dawson Springs. Their next game will be Dec 30 against Apollo. 13. Fort Campbell Season Record: 5-3 Fort Campbell suffered its first losing week of the season dropping both games against University Heights and Mayfield. They will play in the Zaxby’s Holiday Tournament next week. 14. Hopkins County Central Season Record: 0-10 The Storm’s dreadful beginning to the season continue as they lost all four games at the Twin Lakes Classic. They are currently on a 12 game losing streak going back to last year. They play Livingston Central next week in hopes to break out of the funk. 15. Livingston Central Season Record: 0-9 The Cardinals also continue their terrible start to this season losing 3 more games and still winless. They play four games this week, and if the continue the way they’ve played, that Dec 30 game will break one of the 2 winless teams in region two streak. Player of the Week Travis Perry, Lyon County Perry scored 29 points in a big win over Union County, then he backed that up with a 31 point effort against Trigg County.

Week Two Review: Madisonville has continued its dominance and remains a top the rankings. Webster has shown even more why it’s the second best team in the region. Christian County is starting to separate itself from the others, while a host of mid tier teams battle it out for the 4-10 spots. Caldwell County has fallen off the face of the earth and still winless, and Fort Campbell and Lyon County continue to surprise. Here are week two’s rankings for region 2: 1. Madisonville North Hopkins – BGP #6 Season record: 4-0 The Maroons continued to beat up on their opponents in their only game this week. The Maroons defeated Christian County 77-54 led by 22 points from Deljuan Johnson. Zach Tow added 14 points showing the talent that surrounds White and Casey on the team. Hopkins County Central is a warm up game before opening round of the King of the Bluegrass against Clay County. 2. Webster County Season Record: 5-0 Webster County continues their impressive start by winning both games this week against Dawson Springs and Evansville Day (IN). Both games were won by more than 24 points. They hope to continue their hot start as they host their next 4 games against Livingston Central, Daviess County, Hopkinsville, and Nelson County. 3. Christian County Season Record: 3-3 Christian County is showing improvement each game as they did lose to Madisonville-North Hopkins before good wins against Hopkinsville by 10 and them an undefeated Simon Kenton team by 5. They will play Owensboro and Bowling Green, two tough opponents, next. 4. Henderson County Season Record: 3-2 The Colonels split their games this week against Apollo and Warren Central. They defeated Apollo by 2 points 60-58 in a close game, however they were clearly outmatched in their game against Warren Central, losing 78-41. They will try to pick things back up in games against Paducah Tilghman and North Bullitt. 5. Union County Season Record: 4-1 Union continues to play well after their opening season loss to Owensboro. They defeated University Heights in overtime 80-72, Bracken County 83-78, and Fleming County 66-41. Kate Gaither leads the way averaging 21.6 ppg. The Braves will play a tough matchup at Lyon County Monday before hosting Caldwell County on Saturday. 6. Lyon County Season Record: 4-2 After the Lyons 4 game week in week one where they split their games, they rebounded with two wins in two games this week. They defeated Crittenden County and Carlisle County which sets up a good game against Union County on Monday. They will then play Trigg County the next day before taking a week off. 7. Hopkinsville Season Record: 3-3 Hopkinsville had a better week, winning two out of three games, however the one loss came to cross town rival Christian County 71-61. The Tigers looked good against Northwest (TN) and Barren County. Nelson County, Webster County, and Daviess County are next up on the schedule. 8. University Heights Season Record:1-4 The Blazers got the winless monkey off their back in a win at home against Crittenden County 81-58. This followed an overtime loss to Union County. KJ Crump is averaging 24 ppg in the 5 games to start the season. Fort Campbell is up next followed by the Paducah Tilghman Christmas Tournament. 9. Trigg County Season Record: 3-2 The Wildcats continue a decent start winning two of three games this week. Wins at Fort Campbell and Livingston Central, and a loss against Wolfe County. Lyon County and Hancock County are up next. 10. Dawson Springs Season Record: 3-3 Another 3 game week for the Panthers, this time going 2-1 to even their season record. Wins against Livingston Central and Hopkins County Central move them up in the rankings. McLean County and Caldwell are next up along with Ballard Memorial. All winnable games it seems. 11. Crittenden County Season Record: 2-3 Crittenden had a good game against Caldwell, defeating them 65-62 led by Gabe Mott with 19 and Preston Turley with 17. They followed that with two away losses to Lyon County and University Heights. Hardin County (IL), Christian Fellowship, Livingston Central, and Trinity Whitesville are on this week’s busy schedule. 12. Caldwell County Season Record: 0-5 The Tigers are in a tailspin to start the season losing both games this week and still winless in 5 games. Two close games, a 3 point loss to Crittenden, and a 8 point loss to Muhlenberg. They will try and get out of their funk this week against Todd County Central, Dawson Springs, Russellville, and Union County. 13. Fort Campbell Season Record: 5-1 Fort Campbell is off to one of their best starts in 20 years. This week they suffered their first loss to Trigg County 59-46, however they defeated Community Christian and Christian Fellowship. University Heights and Mayfield are up next. 14. Hopkins County Central Season Record: 0-5 The Storm are another one of the region 2 teams trying to get their first win of the season. This week they dropped a close one to Dawson Springs and losing to Muhlenberg big. They play Madisonville-North Hopkins before the Twin Lakes Classic in Clinton County. 15. Livingston Central Season Record: 0-6 The Cardinals suffered 4 losses in this weeks schedule keeping them winless. The closest game was a 5 point loss to Fort Campbell. Carlisle County, Webster, and Crittenden County are up this week. Player of the Week Kale Gaither, Union County Gaither had 29 points and 10 boards in a big overtime win against University Heights Academy. He also scored 25 points versus Bracken County.

Week Two Review: Region One had a Number 1 vs Number 2 early in the season, and the game lived up to the hype with No. 2 McCracken County pulling out the win 63-59 in Marshall. The Mustangs take over the top spot moving Marshall to No. 2. Murray stays at number 3 and could move even higher if they continue to play as they have been. Here is week 2 rankings. 1. McCracken County Season Record: 3-2 Two big region 1 wins for the Mustangs place them atop the rankings this week. A 65-60 win over Calloway County and a 63-59 win over Marshall County. They did lose to out of state Mt. Vernon (IL) in a close match. Two easy games for the McCracken before the King of the Bluegrass opening round versus LaRue County. 2. Marshall County Season Record: 2-4 Things have not gone well for the Marshalls this week losing 3 of their last 4 games including an important game against McCracken County. Harmon continues to impress, but there has not been as much support as expected. Stokes has been the only other offensive threat for Marshall County. If they can’t get more players involved in the offense, then this season won’t go as planned. Lots of out of state opponents coming up including the City of Palms tournament. 3. Murray Season Record: 4-1 The Tigers continued to prove they belong near the top of the region 1 ranking with wins over Graves County 57-37, and Calloway County 63-47. They did lose their first game of the season against Christian Brothers (TN) by 5 points. Big game against Marshall County on Tuesday. 4. Calloway County Season Record: 3-2 The Lakers had a confusing week. They lost a very close game against McCracken County 65-60, but then were blown out by crosstown rival Murray 63-37. They also lost big to Carerville (IL) by 30 points. Graves County, University Heights, and Paducah Tilghman are up this week. 5. Carlisle County Season Record: 3-3 The Comets dropped two of three this sweek, the first, a blowout to Marshall County, and the second, a 11 point loss to Lyon County. They were able to easily defeat Hickman County 66-53. Livingston Central, Fulton City, and Mayfield on schedule this week. 6. Paducah Tilghman Season Record: 3-2 The Blue Tornado rebounded nicely from opening the season with two losses. They easily defeated St. Mary and Mayfield. Graves County gave them a very close game, but they were able to win by a single point. They will travel to Henderson County, before playing in the Paducah Tilghman Christmas Tournament. 7. St. Mary Season Record: 5-1 The Vikings couldn’t keep their undefeated season, but they did win 2 of 3 this week. The Viking defeated Ballard Memorial and Livingston Central, but couldn’t figure out Paducah Tilghman, showing they still have some work to do to keep a place in the top 5 region 1 rankings. Mayfield and Graves County are up next. 8. Graves County Season Record:1-4 The Eagles suffered two losses to region 1 teams ranked ahead of them. The first to Murray was a game the Eagles really didn’t compete well in, however they lost by 1 point to Paducah Tilghman 53-52. Calloway County, Ballard Memorial, and St. Mary this week. 9. Mayfield Season Record:0-1 Mayfield opened the season with a bad loss at Paducah Tilghman 72-48. DeAngelo Brooks and Alonzo Daniel led the Cardinals with 17 and 16 respectively. They face McCracken County, Carlisle County, and Fort Campbell this week. 10. Fulton County Season Record: 3-1 The Pilots easily defeated Community Christian 74-39 but lost to Cairo (IL) 81-79. They will play two teams from Tennessee, Cairo and Halls this week. 11. Fulton City Season Record: 1-2 Fulton City lost a close game to Halls (TN) 55-50, and then lost more significantly to South Fulton (TN) 80-57. They play Carlisle County next. 12. Hickman County Season Record: 1-2 The Falcons lost their only game this week to Carlisle County 66-53. They play Community Christian and Ballard Memorial next. 13. Ballard Memorial Season Record: 1-5 The Bombers dropped two more games before snapping their 5 game losing streak to Community Christian 57-56. McCracken County is up next. 14. Community Christian Season Record: 0-8 The Warriors had two very close losses this week. One to Fort Campbell by 4 and to Ballard Memorial by 1. Hickman County is their next chance for a win. Player of the Week Jackson Sivills, McCracken County Senior Jackson Sivills led the Mustangs with 22 points against Calloway and 25 against Marshall County, both big wins

Marshall County plays Briarcrest this Saturday.

Week One Review: Region One seemed like it would really be about 2 teams this season, Marshall County and McCracken County. However Murray is making a push that they may deserve to be in that conversation as they have wins without two major players right now. St Mary is the biggest mover of the week and look like a strong mid tier team at this point in the season. Here are this weeks rankings: 1. Marshall County Season Record: 1-2 The season started off well for the Marshalls as they breezed past Dawson Springs 90-55. They didn’t have quite the success against BGP#7 Madisonville-North Hopkins. Zion Harmon scored 37 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome White and Casey from the Maroons as the Marshalls lost by 10 at the Marshall County Hoopfest. It was much of the same against Prodigy Prep (Fla), losing 84-76. No panic from the Marshalls, its early and they played very good teams. This week they play Carlisle which should be a win, then a great game against McCracken Co, and then Briarcrest Christian, who defeated BGP#1 Male already this season. 2. McCracken County Season Record: 1-1 A very easy win for McCracken against Community Christian to start the year off, then they ran into region 2 Powerhouse Madisonville-North Hopkins who defeated the Marshalls 72-67 in a very competitive game. The Mustangs will play Calloway County before the big game against region 1 #1 Marshall County (BGP#8). Will decide who stays will be number one for the foreseeable future. 3. Murray Season Record: 2-0 The Tigers have looked really good in their first two games of the season. An opening win against University Heights 89-77. Grant Whitaker dropped 31 points to beat the Blazers. They also defeated Lyon County 73-55. They will play Graves County, Calloway County, and Christian Brothers (TN) this week before a big game against BGP#8 Marshall County next week. 4. Calloway County Season Record: 2-0 Two easy wins for the Calloway Lakers to start the season. A 72-33 win against Ballard Memorial, and a 67-39 win of Central from Murfreesboro, TN. Kade Mize and Chandler Steele are both pacing the Lakers with 16.5 ppg and Cade Butler is adding 13.5 ppg. We will see what Calloway is made of this week as they battle at McCracken County and Murray at home. 5. St. Mary Season Record: 2-0 The Vikings are the biggest surprise so far in the young season. The defeated Carlisle County 62-61 in a great opening game. They backed that up with a convincing 65-43 win at Hickman County. Four games on schedule this week, Community Christian, Paducah Tilghman, Ballard Memorial, and Livingston Central. They could still be undefeated at the end of this week. 6. Carlisle County Season Record: 2-1 The Comets dropped their opener to St. Mary, but rebounded nicely to defeat Paducah Tilghman and Community Christian. Blake Elder is pacing Carlisle with 16.3 ppg including 20 points in the loss to St. Mary. Marshall County, Hickman County, and Lyon County are on the schedule this week. Two of those games will be tough. 7. Paducah Tilghman Season Record: 0-2 The Blue Tornado has had a rough go of it early on this season. They lost to Carlisle County 52-49, and then Alton (IL) 71-66. Michael Laster led the team in both games with 11 points and 17 points respectively. While the games were close, they are still losses, but the team is getting used to a new coach and new players. They will face Mayfield, St. Mary, and Graves County this week. 8. Graves County Season Record:1-2 The Eagles easily defeated Livingston Central 62-25, but they struggled against two Illinois teams losing to Massac County 57-39 and Herrin 48-45. Seth Thomas had 20 in the win, as the team looked good. Graves plays Murray and Paducah Tilghman this week. 9. Mayfield Season Record:0-0 Mayfield will start its season under new head coach Peyton Croft this week against Paducah Tilghman. 10. Fulton County Season Record: 2-0 The Pilots are 2-0 for the first time since 2008. They defeated Halls (TN) and Christian Fellowship. Lets hope their fortune is better than that 2008 team which then went on to lose their next 8 games. They will face Community Christian and Cairo (IL) this week to see if they can stay undefeated. 11. Fulton City Season Record: 1-0 Brennon Walker scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in their win against Community Christian this week. They will face Halls (TN) and South Fulton (TN) this week. 12. Hickman County Season Record: 1-1 The Falcons defeated Gleason (TN) by 3 points 50-47 in their season opener, but the fell to St Mary 65-43 in the second game. They will play Carlisle County this week and try to get back to the win column. 13. Ballard Memorial Season Record: 0-3 The Bombers dropped their first three games of the season. Only their loss to Todd County Central (60-57) was competitive. They will play Christian Fellowship, St. Mary, and Community Christian this week looking for their first win. 14. Community Christian Season Record: 0-4 The Warriors dropped their first four games of the season, including a heartbreaking opening game to Agape Christian (IL) 55-54. They play another 4 games this week against St Mary, Fulton County, Ballard Memorial, and Fort Campbell. Player of the Week Grant Whitaker, Murray Tigers Freshman Grant Whitaker scored 31 points in Murray’s win over University Heights Academy. He also pulled down 8 rebounds and hit 2 big three pointers in the game. He also had 18 points against Lyon County

Everyone in that top 7 have been good so far this season. Madisonville has come out and been very impressive, especially with their opening schedule. We will see what they do at the King of the Bluegrass. Big game between John Hardin and Madisonville on Jan 4th. I know its far off, but that will be good.

Week One Review: It has been a while since the best record in District 8 belonged to Fort Campbell. While they are still at the bottom of the rankings in that district, it shows how far that district has fallen. Right now it is all about Madisonville-North Hopkins and their possible run to a state title. At the present moment, there is not a team in the 2nd region that can hang with the Maroons. Webster County has gotten off to a great start and look pretty impressive in doing so. They have jumped up to the second position in the rankings. There are a plethora of mid-tier teams that will be changing positions all year until someone emerges from the parity. Here are the first week’s rankings in region 2: 1. Madisonville North Hopkins – BGP #7 Season record: 3-0 The Maroons had the toughest 3 game opener of arguably anyone in Kentucky facing off against the BGP #8, 9, and 14. They were able to defeat all three. Against #14 Bowling Green Kenny White poured in 25 and Ksuan Casey added 23 in defeating the Purples 69-61. White also led Madisonville with 22 point in the win against #8 Marshall County, where they trailed by 8 at halftime. Casey added 16 points in that game. Casey then led the Maroons to a 72-67 victory over McCracken County with 18 points, followed by Keshuan Stone with 15 and White with 13. Madisonville looks very impressive so far this season and will be highly favored in its games against Christian County and rivals Hopkins County Central this week. 2. Webster County Season Record: 3-0 Webster County has come out playing some very good basketball and has surprised a lot of people. They blasted Hopkins County Central 73-34 in their opener. They then turned around and defeated Christian County 56-50 in Hopkinsville, and finally turned away Caldwell County 61-49 where Tyler Camplin scored 20 points followed by Destin Allen with 16 and Hunter McNaughton with 15. The Tigers have to play Dawson Springs and Livingston Central this week both winnable games. However they will have a tough match against Evansville Day on Dec 13. You can watch that game livestreamed here: Kentucky High School Basketball 3. Christian County Season Record: 1-2 Christian County had a great season opener defeating the favored Henderson County Colonels 66-53. Qua Chambers led the team with 18 points and Stephen Bussell and Olajuwon White both added 12 points. The Colonels weren’t quite as successful against their next two opponents dropping a tough loss at home to Webster County 56-50 before being embarrassed by John Hardin 76-29. The next few games will be tough going. Region 2’s top team Madisonville, then rival Hopkinsville, Simon Kenton, Owensboro, and Bowling Green. They may not get a win out of any of those if they play like they did against John Hardin. 4. Henderson County Season Record: 2-1 The Colonels opened the season with a loss to the Christian County Colonels 66-53. Henderson trailed by as much as 17 in the second half but rallied to within 2 in the 4th quarter, but couldn’t keep the momentum. Noah Curry led HC with 11 points. They were able to rebound in the next two games defeating Trinity (Whitesville) 53-50 in a closer than expected game, and Fairdale 61-51. While these two wins are good, they do not show the expectations of Henderson County preseason. Expect much improvement as the season continues. Tough stretch coming up as they play Apollo, Warren Central, and Paducah Tilghman. 5. Hopkinsville Season Record: 1-2 Hopkinsville led Kenwood, TN 42-32 just under halfway through the 3rd quarter, but ran out of gas and lost 69-58. Don Victor led the Tigers with 17 points. They rebounded with a tough overtime win against Caldwell County. Don Victor led Hopkinsville with 24 points and 11 rebounds while Arthur McKnight added 17 points. The Tigers dropped their final game of the week to Muhlenberg County 54-61. Arthur McKnight led the team with 20 points and Don Victor added 18. Hoptown will play Northwest, TN, Christian County, and Barren County this week. 6. Union County Season Record: 1-1 Union opened the season with a 90-68 loss to Owensboro. Not exactly the game plan, but the Red Devils held the region’s best scorer, Kale Gaither to only 13 points which is a big reason. Eli Wilkes led the team with 16. Gaither and the Braves responded with a 2 point win over Hopkins County Central. Gaither led the team with 25 points while Kaleb Kanipe added 15 and Eli Wilkes 14. Union will play University Heights, Bracken County and Fleming County this week. 7. Lyon County Season Record: 2-2 The Lyons had a busy first week of the season playing 4 games. They won their first two against Caldwell County and Livingston Central, but dropped their next two against Cobden, IL and then Murray. Travis Perry is leading the way so far this year averaging 22.5 ppg, Gunnar Bingham is adding 14.5 ppg, and Jackson Shoulders is close to a double/double getting 11.5 ppg and 9 rpg. Lyon County will face off against Crittenden County and Carlisle County this week, both are games the Lyons can win. 8. Caldwell County Season Record: 0-3 Not the way the Tigers wanted to begin the season. They had two games they could have won, a 59-57 loss to Lyon County, and an overtime loss to Hopkinsville. Webster County was the only game that got out of hand in a 12 point loss. Caldwell will look to get on track with their first win this week against Crittenden County, Muhlenberg County, and Todd County Central. 9. University Heights Season Record:0-3 Not the start University Heights Academy is accustomed to. Winless in their first three games against Murray, John Hardin, and Owensboro. However, they were not favored in any of those games and they played Murray and Owensboro down to the wire. John Hardin was just on a different level. KJ Crump has been leading the way in scoring for the Blazers so far. They will get some relief this week against Union County, Crittenden County and Fort Campbell. The Union game will be close, but they should win the other two. 10. Trigg County Season Record: 1-1 The Wildcats started off the season with an impressive 61-43 win over Crittenden County. They followed that up with a competitive game against Davies County. They play Fort Campbell, Livingston Central, and Wolfe County this week. 11. Crittenden County Season Record: 1-1 Crittenden easily defeated Ballard Memorial 71-45 with Eric Oleary leading the way with 20 points and Gabe Mott adding 16. They were not a efficient against Trigg County dropping that game 61-43. Mott led the Rockets with 19. Some region games this week will be a litmus test on where they really stand. Caldwell County, Lyon County, and University Heights all will be looking for much needed wins, so the Rockets better be ready to play. 12. Hopkins County Central Season Record: 0-3 The Storm loss big to Todd County Central and Webster County, however they played a very competitive game against Union County. No player is averaging more than 9 ppg a game so far, that will have to change if they want to win. They play Muhlenberg County and Dawson Springs this week. That latter game they have a good chance of winning. 13. Fort Campbell Season Record: 2-0 For the first time in quite sometime, the Falcons are 2-0 to start the season. They defeated Dawson Springs and Clarksville Christian. Cameron Pratt is leading the team averaging 20 ppg. They have some more winnable games this week against Livingston Central, Trigg County, Christian Fellowship, and Community Christian. 14. Dawson Springs Season Record: 1-2 Panthers had a good win against Christian Fellowship sandwiched between two losses. One to BGP#8 Marshall County and the other a surprise to Fort Campbell by 2. They will play Webster County, Livingston Central, and Hopkins County Central this week. 15. Livingston Central Season Record: 0-2 The Cardinals suffered losses in two games, neither of which they were competitive. Losses to Graves County and Lyon County. They will play Fort Campbell, Dawson Springs, and Trigg County this week. Player of the Week Kenny White, Madisonville-North Hopkins White led the Maroons with 25 points in the win over BGP#14 Bowling Green. He also scored in double digits in games against Marshall County and McCracken County.

i am sure we will see quite a bit of movement until after the holiday tournaments

Defending Region 2 Champions: Madisonville North-Hopkins Last Year was the first year in a very long time a team from District 8 didn’t win the Region 2 Championship. This will be the first time in a long time that a District 8 team didn’t sit a top the preseason standings. In fact, it has been a while since there was so much separation between first place and second place. Madisonville North-Hopkins is the team to beat hands down this year. If they do not win the Region 2 championship, it will be considered a big upset. After that it gets really tricky on the rankings. Some teams have quite a bit of experience, but they don’t have the talent to go with that experience. Other teams have a good deal of talent, but its raw and immature so there are a lot of unknowns to go with it. District 8 in particular has always been a powerhouse district, but this year there are no stand out players, no top 20 state teams, and quite frankly, not a lot of buzz like in the past. That being said, these rankings will most likely shift quite a bit throughout the season, but these seem to make the most sense at this time. 1. Madisonville North Hopkins - Coach Matt Beshear 2018-19 record: 30-6 Key Losses: Cade Cunningham, JD Gilbert Key Returners: Ksuan Casey, Kenny White Last year was an excellent year for the Maroons. They had one of the best seasons in Madisonville history winning 30 games, including 23 in a row. They also won the district and region championships and the opening round of the Sweet Sixteen. They were eventually topped by Warren Central 66-62 in the second round. This year they hope to continue their dominance from last year although they will be without two important pieces, guards Cade Cunningham and JD Gilbert. Both averaged more than 10 ppg last year and were an integral part in both the offense and defense. This year the Maroons will have one of the strongest frontcourts in the state with Casey and White. Both will be candidates for Region 2 Player of the Year. Casey at 6’9” and White at 6’6” should dominate the boards in region 2. Not many teams in Kentucky will be able to match up well in the front court. The backcourt is where the Maroons are inexperienced, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Coach Beshear expects Marquis Parker and Deljuan Johnson to step up and fill those roles. While they will not be able to replace Cunningham and Gilbert, they should be able to hold their own. Defense is where Madisonville hopes to focus their attention this year. The goal of Coach Beshear and the team is to be one of the best defensive teams in Kentucky. They believe if they can play great defense, they have the weapons on the offensive side of the ball to win games, win region, and advance deeper into the Sweet Sixteen than last year. 2. Henderson County - Tyler Smithhart 2018-19 record: 16-14 Key Losses: Corey Stewart Key Returners: Daymian Dixon, Myekel Sanners, Holden Raley Last year was a tough year for the Colonels as they were young and inexperienced. They found themselves in an unfamiliar position. They didn’t win the district championship for only the second time in 6 years. This year everyone has gotten older and they only lose one piece of the pie, but its significant. Corey Stewart has moved on, and while he is tough to replace, there is good news. Stewart only averaged 8 ppg his junior year, but being the leader in the system he averaged 17.5 ppg while setting the Henderson County three point record his senior year. Coach Smithhart is really good at getting the best out of his players. Lots of guys were able to get significant playing time last season while they were young. That will translate into better players this season. Look for Daymian Dixon to lead the charge for the Colonels. Last year he averaged almost 10 ppg and has the ability to increase that significantly. He should be the team’s most dangerous offensive player. Holden Raley will be the team’s best outside threat. He is the only player that hit a significant amount from behind the arc that is returning, however he will need to be more efficient than 30% this season. Myekel Sanners will also be relied upon to step up his offensive numbers this season. Last year Sanners got just over 9 ppg. Smithhart would like to see that increase at least 3 or 4 points per game. Edmund Brooks is someone to watch too. He shot 67% from the field last season while averaging 8 ppg. If he keeps that efficiency and gets more shots, watch out. Coach Smithhart knows that one player won’t replace Stewart, however he does believe that the group effort of improvement can more than overcome the loss on the offensive side of the ball. The focus through the preseason has been rebounding and getting to the free throw line, something they struggled with last season. 3. Christian County - Coach Kerry Stovall 2018-19 record: 15-17 Key Losses: Fred Tandy, Eric Brody Key Returners: Stephon Bussell, Damikeon Mathis It has been quite a few years since we have seen both Hopkinsville and Christian County struggle, but that is exactly where each program is at right now. The Colonels limped to a 15-17 season last year after losing a ton of talent the previous season. This year, they lose their top two scorers from last year in Tandy and Brody. Just like Hopkinsville, Christian County has a lot of raw talent and athleticism, but not much experience or maturity. There are two major contributors returning for CCHS. Stephon Bussell averaged 11.5 ppg and was second on the team in 3 pointers. However he shot under 30% from that range. He will need to be more efficient from behind the arc. Mathis averaged just under 10 ppg, but he to also shot less than 30% from three. Two big problems from last season was their awful free throw shooting (57%) and lack of rebounding. Not one Colonel averaged more than 5 rpg. Someone will have to step up and take control of the boards, and the they will have to get better from both three point land and the charity stripe if they want to have a chance at the region tournament. Good thing is this is most likely the worst district 8 as a whole in the 21st century, so whichever team improves the most, will likely win the district. 4. Hopkinsville - Coach Larry Miller 2018-19 record: 16-14 Key Losses: James Nicholas, Jamarion Sharp, Jacarius Burks Key Returners: Don Victor Last year Larry Miller took over a Hopkinsville team that was in disarray the previous season. He goal was to get things back on track and create a vision under his tenure. The Tigers had been on one of the most dominating runs in the state winning the region all but 2 years under Tim Haworth. Hopkinsville managed a winning season last year, but it still wasn’t the same powerhouse teams Hopkinsville had been known for. A lot of talent, especially underneath the basket, graduated last season. This is has left a void of leadership and experience. Talent, is one thing that District 8 teams seem to always have an abundance of. However, turning talent into winning on the court is another thing. Coach Miller will again have a lot of raw talent on this squad. It will be a very young team, so he has the chance to mold them into what he envisions. Don Victor will be the key this season. He can score from anywhere on the floor, but his biggest asset will be his leadership. If he can stay poised and lead the team, Hopkinsville has a fighting chance of being competitive and giving the top teams a run for their money. If he struggles to lead, and no one picks up that leadership, we may see the Tigers struggle. They have lost almost all their size, but they will be extremely quick and athletic and can cause havoc on defense. Their offense will have to progressively get better throughout the season. Look for Jamarcus Burks and Cabiness to play down low and McKnight and Rudd to fill out the backcourt. 5. Caldwell County - Coach Daniel Kukahiko 2018-19 record: 19-11 Key Losses: Derrin Boyd, John Davis Key Returners: Cayden Fraliex, Tripp Branch Add Caldwell County as another team who lost their top two scorers from last season. Derrin Boyd was one of the most prolific scorers in the region as he averaged 24 ppg and 7.3 rpg. He, like Tandy from UHA, will not be able to be replaced. Davis averaged 12.4 ppg and was one of the leaders on the floor. Cayden Fraliex at 11.5 ppg, will be the team’s top returning starter. He is a 44% three point shooter and a 84% free throw shooter. If he can keep up that efficiency, his ppg will soar as he will take a whole lot more shots this season. Boyd attempted 413 fg to Fraliex’s 224 fg last year. Add in Davis 145, and Fraliex will be looked upon to make up some of those. Tripp Branch will also be needed. He averaged 8 ppg last year and also hit 43% from deep and 82% from the stripe. It’s obvious these two can shoot, but they will now be team’s focus, so the Tigers will need others to step up. Coach Kukahiko is excited because many of those guys had significant minutes last year. He said his job is to help each of them defined their roles for this season. He is looking for Jamarius Blaine to handle the point while Cole Smiley crashes the boards. The Tigers strength will be their shooting and teamwork. If things click right, the Tigers can be in for a big season! 6. Union County - Coach Shane Smith 2018-19 record: 19-9 Key Losses: Elex Dunford, Cade Duncan Key Returners: Kale Gaither Union had a solid season last year almost winning 20 games and the 6th district championship. They did not lose their top scorer, however they did lose their second and third top scorers in Dunford and Duncan. Duncan was also the teams best big man and leading rebounder. Union’s season will depend on how Kale Gaither is surrounded. Gaither is arguably the most prolific scorer in region 2. He averaged 23 ppg last year as a sophomore on a new team. With a year under his belt with the Braves, look for him to increase that even more. Gaither is not a huge threat from three point range, although he will take it if you give it to him. He hit 30% from behind the arc. His specialty is driving into the lane and either finishing at the rim, or pulling up for a short jumper. He is quick, agile, and very athletic. He can’t do it on his own however, and how his teammates respond to helping will be the biggest factor in their success this season. Look for juniors Kaleb Kanipe, Iverson King, and Eli Wilkes to step up for Union. All three average about 6 ppg last season and all gained valuable experience at sophomores. They all should improve and contribute more on both sides of the ball. The glaring weakness now for the Braves is the lack of size and the inability to consistently knock down the three. Union plays a much more difficult schedule this season than they have in the past, which is good. Their out of region foes are Owensboro, Owensboro Catholic, Bracken County, Fleming County, Ashland, Paducah Tilghman, Apollo, and Davies County. Good prep for the region 2 tournament. 7. Webster County - Coach Jon Newton 2018-19 record: 16-14 Key Losses: Malachi Douglas Key Returners: Tyler Camplin, Hunter McNaughton Webster County didn’t have quite the season they hoped for last year, but this season looks very promising. The Trojans return two of their top three players from last season. Tyler Camplin led the team scoring almost 18 ppg and Hunter McNaughton averaged almost 13 ppg. They did lose their second best scorer and outside shooter in Douglas. Destin Allen will be called upon to step up and add to the 8 ppg he averaged last season. He is not the outside shooter Douglas was, so someone else will have to step up to hit from deep. The team doesn’t want to become one dimensional with Camplin only from the outside. Teams could focus on him and squeeze the middle and make everyone else shoot from an uncomfortable place, so getting better from the outside is very important. One of the big knocks about Webster over the years is the lack of a competitive schedule. This year proves much of the same. The only significant opponents outside region 2 is Davies County and McLean County, and both of those have not be as competitive lately. This makes it tough to know how good Webster really is. It will be tough for Webster to get the experience necessary when Union is learning about pressure playing the schedule they are. They will have to get their experience playing the better teams in Region 2. 8. Lyon County - Coach Jeff Embrey 2018-19 record: 21-10 Key Losses: Gabe Board Key Returners: Travis Perry, Jackson Shoulders, Kade Blackburn Lyon County surprised a lot of people last year with their 20 win season, especially their early wins against Caldwell, Webster, and Union Counties. While they could not keep up with the top tier teams, they proved to be one of the better mid-tier teams. They only lost Gabe Board and Gabe Defew from their starting lineup. Board was the leading scorer his junior year and second in scoring last season as a senior. Defew played a supporting role as the teams 5th best scorer. Travis Perry took over last year and became the teams leading scoring threat at almost 21 points per game. Look for that to continue this season. He can score from almost anywhere including from behind the arc. He led the team in threes and free throws. Jackson Shoulders shores up the glass. He averaged 12.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg. The was second in free throw attempts as well. Shoulders is really good within 12 feet of the basket, outside of that he is out of his comfort zone. The other outside threat for the Lyons is Kade Blackburn. He 40% of his threes last season and should continue to play that role this season. The level of competition in the 2nd region has increased because so much talent left last season, however, look for Lyon County to play a similar role as last season. They should be one of the better mid-tier teams, but won’t be able to hang with the top teams. 9. University Heights - Coach Grant Shouse 2018-19 record: 30-5 Key Losses: DeKeyvan (KyKy) Tandy, Drew McGowan, Taquan Hollowell Key Returners: KJ Crump Expectations were so high last year with Mr. Basketball candidate KyKy Tandy senior campaign and a cast that had played together for a few years. They were coming off a Region 2 championship and planning on another. Madisonville derailed that dream in defeated them in the region finals. Gone now are the Blazers top 3 scorers in Tandy, McGowan, and Hollowell. Between the 3 of them is 53 ppg that will have to be found somewhere this season. That is a tall order from a team that will not have a ton of experience returning. In fact all those returning combined averaged less than 20 ppg last season. KJ Crump, who is a junior, will step up to lead the Blazers this season. He averaged just over 8 ppg last season and will have to be in charge of a very young and inexperienced team. While UHA may not have the talent they had last year, they are young. Only two seniors on this team. Lots of freshman and sophomores will need time to allow them to grow and learn. This team should be much improved as the season progresses. They have enough talent where they still will be favorites to win the region 2 all A Classic and advance to the state. Depending on how things develop, they still may have a chance for the district 8 championship as well. 10. Crittenden County - Coach Denis Hodge 2018-19 record: 11-19 Key Losses: none Key Returners: Gabe Mott, Preston Turley, Hunter Boone Crittenden increased their season win total by 4 last year. A small but important improvement. This season could be Crittenden’s first winning season since the 2014-15 season when they went 16-12. The reason for the optimism is that the Rockets return almost their entire starting lineup. They lose Sawyer Towery, but return their top 3 scoring threats in Mott, Turley, and Boone. Gabe Mott led the team last year with 14.5 ppg. Preston Turley was second in scoring with 11.6 ppg and led the team in rebounding with 7.5 rpg. Hunter Boone was third in scoring with 8 ppg. Mott and Boone both were scoring threats from the outside, while Turley tended to stay around the basket. That trend will continue this season. All three guys are only juniors this year, so look for continued improvement as they mature further and become more comfortable in their roles. Crittenden is a team that could make some noise again in the 5th district. It should have some great competition with most of the teams returning a lot of starters. Big question for the Rockets will be can they get over the .500 mark this year. Looking at their schedule, it can happen, but they will have to improve their play from last year to accomplish it. 11. Hopkins County Central - Coach Michael Fraliex 2018-19 record: 12-15 Key Losses: Tylan Mann Key Returners: Blasin Moore, Adrian Stringer Hopkins County Central didn’t lose as many players to graduation as other teams, but the player they lost really hurts. Tylan Mann was the leading scorer on the team with 22 ppg, and second in rebounding at 6.5 rpg. While he will be missed, there are two players who have the opportunity to step up, and together, they may be able to make of some of that. Adrian Stringer averaged 10 ppg last year, but he led the team in rebounding at 8.2. The Storm will need a double/double out of him this season. Look for 13 ppg/10 rpg. Blasin Moore averaged 11.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Look for him to improve closer to 15 ppg/7 rpg. Neither Moore or Stringer are a great outside shot. They do most of their damage within 12 feet of the basket. They will need guys like Sam Almon to step up and hit more consistently from the outside to keep teams from crowding the middle. When talking to first year coach Michael Fraliex, he express how his focus is currently on working together as a team, and keeping the team focused on today. He already recognizes one of the strengths of this team is hard work. If they can continue to work hard and play together, things will work out, and that is the message he is trying to relay as he gets to know the team, and the team gets to know him. 12. Trigg County - Coach Chad Burgett 2018-19 record: 11-17 Key Losses: Kyron Grubbs Key Returners: Kendric Adams, JaKobe Bridges Trigg County is another district 5 team that is not losing much from last year and will return their starting 5 pretty much in tack. However the big change is at the top. Coach Croft left and went to Mayfield, and Chad Burgett has taken over for the Wildcats. The guys will have to learn a new system while continuing growth from last year. This is young talent here with their leading scorer Adams only being a sophomore. Kendric Adams led the team in scoring and rebounding as a freshman. He averaged 13 ppg and 7.5 rpg. He should continue to improve as he matures and gets more experience at the high school level. Trigg lost their second leading scorer in Kyron Grubbs, but JaKobe Bridges the teams third leading scorer last year hopes to pick up some of those numbers. The Wildcats will have some growing pains under a new coach, but there is some good base talent there to work with. The development of Adams will be key in the success this season. District 5 will be very competitive, full of good mid-tier teams. Trigg’s schedule isn’t anything super difficult, so they can come away with an above .500 season if things go their way. 13. Dawson Springs - Coach Chad Burgett 2018-19 record: 9-20 Key Losses: Ethan Huddleston Key Returners: Skyler Clark, Landon Pace, Dylan Dawson Dawson Springs had a rough season last year, but they also had a lot of room to grow because they were so young. So this year, they are ready to take on more challenges. They only lose one contributor on offense. Their top 2 scorers return. Senior Skyler Clark will lead the Panthers into year as last year’s leading scorer. He averaged over 18 ppg and can score off of driving or from deep. Dylan Dawson averaged 7 ppg but 9 rpg. He will need to improve his scoring for Dawson to be competitive. Landon Pace was the second leading scorer for the Pathers. He averaged 13 ppg and 5 rpg. If Dawson can come together and keep their poise and continue to improve this year, there is a good chance they get to .500. 14. Livingston Central - Coach Chris Green 2017-18 record: 15-14 Key Losses: Cameron Head, Kobe Ringstaff, Bryce Stein Key Returners: Max Downey A pretty good season last year for the Cardinals, although it didn’t meet expectations. The window for the district championship closed at the end of last season, without one. Now unlike all the other district 5 teams, Livingston Central loses almost everyone out of their starting lineup. This looks like it will be a tough year. Max Downey looks to be the only returning starter. He averaged 7 ppg and 4 rpg. He is the only person with any significant experience on the roster. And as of right now, there are only 8 listed on the roster. 15. Fort Campbell - Coach Stacey Harrell 2017-18 record: 5-21 It is tough to have a basketball program where not only do you lose player consistently to graduation, but also to families being transferred. As of right now, Ft. Campbell has 9 on their roster right now including a 7th grader. It is tough and almost unfair for this school to play in district 8, one of the most talented districts in the state. Top 10 Players to Watch 1. Ksuan Casey, Madisonville North-Hopkins Casey help lead Madisonville to the Region 2 championship, finally ridding district 8’s hold on it. He stand 6’9” and is the frontrunner for region 2 POY and has a great chance of playing at the next level. He averaged 15.3 ppg and 9.6 rpg. Both those numbers will go up this season, maybe even as high as 20/12. He is the premier big man in region 2, and one of the best in Ky 2. Kale Gaither, Union County (Guard), Junior Gaither average 15 ppg as a freshman, he increased that to 23 ppg as a sophomore. He maybe the most talented and athletic player in the region. He is the top player in the junior class. He still needs to get better at shooting from the outside, but he has an amazing knack at getting to the rim, and he is a great finisher. Look for more 25 ppg out of him this season. 3. Kenny White, Madisonville North-Hopkins White plays along side Casey and will be his competition of Region 2 POY. He averaged 14.2 ppg while pulling down 8.4 rpg. His numbers are expected to go up as well. He could see 16/10 this season or better. Imagine two guys averaging a double/double on the same team. 4. Travis Perry, Lyon County Perry is a huge part of why Lyon County has been successful. He averaged almost 21 ppg last season. He is dangerous from both inside and out, hitting 36% from three point range. He also is great from the foul line shooting 80%, which is big considering he took almost 200 free throws last year. 5. Tyler Camplin, Webster County Camplin averaged almost 18 ppg last season while shooting 48% from the field including 33% from three. He could improve on his free throw shooting since he took 200+ last season. He has nice touch, just needs better efficiency and needs not force the shot. 6. Don Victor, Hopkinsville Victor wasn’t the leading scorer on his team last year and only averaged 8.4 ppg. This ranking is more about potential and leadership. He has worked hard and will most likely vastly increase those numbers this season. He is smart, a hard worker, and very talented. 7. Stephon Bussell, Christian County Many things that can be said about Victor can also be said about Bussell. He is the new leader for the Colonels and a lot is expected of him. He averaged 11.5 ppg last season and his coach expects that to increase 3 or 4 ppg. He really needs to improve his outside shooting as he prefers to drive to the basket. 8. Skyler Clark, Dawson Springs Clark is a very good all around player with a weak surrounding cast. He still manages to score 18 ppg. He hit around 32% of his threes, but only 65% of his free throws. He will need to work on both of those to really open up his game. 9. Gabe Mott, Crittenden County Mott led the surprise that was Crittenden County last year. He averaged 14.5 ppg and hit 32% of his threes. He is another who struggles from the free throw line. He has been working to improve that this off season. 10 Kendric Adams, Trigg County Adams is the only sophomore on this list. He led the Trigg County Wildcats in scoring last season as a freshman. He poured in 13 ppg and pulling down 7.5 rpg. Look for both of these to improve as he matures and gets a better understanding of how to play the game. Very talented young man. Honorable Mention Myekel Sanners, Henderson County Holden Raley, Henderson County KJ Crump, University Heights Jackson Shoulders, Lyon County Cayden Fraliex, Caldwell County

He was number 11.

Noah Hupmann is a legit big man. He will help CovCath quite a bit. He is transferring from Day School in Evansville. He averaged 16.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 7.7 blocks per game as a junior, notching three triple-doubles. According to MaxPreps, Hupmann led the nation in blocks per game. He also was an IBCA Underclass Small School All-State selection. I believe Morehead State is recruiting him pretty hard.

He must have made some big improvements because he didn't impress at all at Tilghman. Maybe it wasn't the right fit for him. Either way, was surprised to see him on the top 10 list.

Defending Region 1 Champions: Mayfield Cardinals Region 1 last year had some very entertaining movement throughout the season. Lots of talent throughout the region made for some very exciting games. Mayfield was the preseason favorite but dropped games in the early going. McCracken showed they were a tremendous force and opened a lot of eyes on how quickly they can rebuild. Marshall County looked like it would have a great team, but Harmon was ruled ineligible and the season didn’t turn out like people had hoped. Graves County had one of their most talented teams and had a fantastic year, and Paducah Tilghman played Jekyll and Hyde, winning some big games, and losing some questionable ones. They fell out in overtime to eventual champion Mayfield. A whole lot of talent moved on from last season leaving many teams with so many questions for this year. Some teams lost almost their entire starting lineup. The teams that didn’t lose much will have a huge advantage going into the season. The question will be will they be able to hold that advantage through season’s end. 1. Marshall County - Terry Birdsong 2018-19 record: 13-19 Key Losses: none Key Returners: Tyler Stokes (15.1 ppg), Tyler Powell (14.5 ppg) Key Additions: Zion Harmon (33 ppg) The Marshalls went through quite a bit last season. From waiting on pins and needles to see if Zion Harmon would be eligible to play, then getting notice he wouldn’t be, and falling to a record below .500 on the season. They were competitive in most of their games, but did struggle against the more talented teams. However, the core group on this team were able to get a lot of playing time and therefore a lot of experience. This year the Marshals will have virtually the same team back with one exception, Zion Harmon will be leading the team. Harmon is consistently ranked as one of the best guards in the country. As a junior, he already has offers from Kansas, LSU, Maryland, Louisville, and Seton Hall along with others. He is a legit threat from anywhere on the floor. He already has one Kentucky State Championship with Bowling Green in 2016. Coach Birdsong is very excited about this year’s team. While Marshall County has been known to be a good defensive team, this season the offense should be significantly better. Coach feels that he has pieces in place that compliment Harmon very well. Tyler Stokes will keep things in check around the basket. Last year he averaged almost 10 rebounds a game while leading the team in scoring as well. He has taken steps to become more aggressive and confident throughout the off season, and Birdsong expects some big games out of him. Tyler Powell was the second leading scorer on the team last year and looks to continue to improve over last year. Jay Nimmo, the 2019 KHSAA State Golf Champion and “Mr. Golf”, is the defensive heart of the Marshals, and looks to continue his sharpshooting from behind the arc. His 43% from three last season was the best ever for a Marshall County player. Add all of these pieces together, and Marshall County has a legitimate chance at winning not only the 4th district, but the Region 1 championship. They will play one of the toughest schedules in the region, including some of the top teams in the country. They will play in the Marshall County Hoopfest, Memphis vs The World Shootout, City of Palms Classic, and Hooping on the Hill tournament. These unique opportunities should prepare them for what could be a run at Rupp Arena. 2. McCracken County - Coach Burlin Brower 2018-19 record: 31-4 Key Losses: Trevor Winsett Key Returners: Jackson Sivills (20 ppg), Noah Dumas (12.6 ppg) McCracken County is one of the teams that did not lose many players from last year’s 31 win team. They are prime and ready to compete for the region 1 championship and make it to Rupp once again. They will enter the season as one of the favorites to do just that. They have the experience, grit, and talent to make it happen. They lost one major contributor to last year’s team. Trevor Winsett was the team floor leader and third leading scorer averaging 9 ppg. Next to Harmon from Marshall County, Jackson Sivills is the most talented player in region 1 and has verbally committed to Murray State. He averaged 20 ppg last season and look for him to improve on that this season. He was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder last season, and should do the same this season. Sivills can score from anywhere on the floor and can take a game over. Noah Dumas will take over as floor leader, but it may take sometime for him to get comfortable in that role. He is a good shooter, especially off the dribble. Ramon Heard will be looked upon to help on the glass and defense down low. The Mustangs will also boast some good talent coming off the bench this season. Coach Brower is optimistic about the offense the Mustangs can produce this season, however he is concerned about the defense. McCracken has been known to be a defensive juggernaut, and this group hasn’t been able to reach that bar yet, but hopes to as the season progresses. The schedule can give good litmus test throughout the season as they play some tough games early on, then the King of the Bluegrass, Missouri power Poplar Bluff, and Warren Central late in the year. All of it put together to make a run in the region 1 tournament. 3. Murray -Coach Dior Curtis 2018-19 record: 16-13 Key Losses: RaVichael Strickland Key Returners: Hunter Utley (12 ppg), Grant Whitaker (9 ppg) Murray had a good year last year finishing with a winning record and a promising future. The Racers did lose their leading scorer in Strickland, and their third leading scorer in Lovins, but it is anticipated that Utley will step up and play a bigger role this year, and freshman Grant Whitaker will as well. The Racers didn’t lose near as much as some of the other teams from Region 1, and they can use this to their advantage, especially early on in the season. Hunter Utley averaged 13 ppg as a sophomore and 12 ppg as a junior. He should take over as the Racers leading scorer and look to see about 15 ppg from him. He is also the teams leading rebounder. Grant Whitaker averaged 9 ppg as an eight grader, so the Racers are counting on big improvement from him and hope he can contribute 12+ ppg. The bench looks stronger than last season as many of the players have some experience. While the Racers aren’t the cream of the crop in the region this year, they are a contender. If things gel well and fall into place right, they could find themselves playing a Cinderella role come tournament time. 4. Calloway County - Coach Brad Cleaver 2018-19 record: 11-18 Key Losses: none Key Returners: Chandler Steele, Cade Butler, Kade Mize Calloway will enter the 2019-20 season as one of the most experienced in the region. They will return all their starters from last year, and didn’t lose anyone of significance from the bench. They should be set to compete for the district this season. They had three specific guys who can score, and each one of them led the team in scoring last season at some point. Chandler Steele and Cade Butler both averaged over 13 ppg last year. Butler did most of his damage from behind the 3 pt line hitting 42% from beyond the arc. He is also the team’s best free throw shooter. Steele works in and around the basket. He is great around the rim and excellent and drawing contact as he shot 185 free throws last season. He also grabbed almost 9 rebounds a game. Look for Steele to average a solid double/double this season. Mize averaged 12 ppg last season and he was dangerous from both 3 point range and around the rim. He was second on the team on field goals made. The bench will be deep and experienced and the Lakers have a chance to be competitive in the district, unfortunately they will still most likely be the 3rd best team in the district. 5. Paducah Tilghman - Coach Greg Overstreet 2017-18 record: 16-12 Key Losses: Rodriguez Thomas, Avery Strayhorn, Tyus White Key Returners: Michael Laster Last year The Blue Tornado had high hopes for a region 1 title, unfortunately it was a very up and down season. They opened the season with a dominating performance against Hopkinsville, then dropped 3 of their first 4 region one games. They rebounded however, and it took overtime for eventual region 1 champion Mayfield to oust them in the semifinals. Much like Mayfield, the Tornado lost quite a bit this offseason, including their coach. Greg Overstreet left St. Mary’s and came across town to become Paducah Tilghman’s next head coach. He has one of the best players in the region to build around in Michael Laster. Laster is a four year starter who averaged almost 12 ppg last season and led the team in rebounds as well. He will be in the running for the Region 1 POY. After Laster, there is a wealth of inexperienced players. Coach Overstreet understands the uphill battle he will have with so much inexperience, but has already seen tremendous growth in some of his players. Eli Brown has really stepped up already this season and looks to play a big role in the newly defined Tornado team. Brown averaged almost 5 ppg last season, and looks to at least double that number for this season. The good news for Paducah Tilghman is a lot of teams lost a lot of talent and will be playing the same game they will be this season. Laster may give them the upper hand in winning many of those games. Everyone will be looking for him to deliver and lead this team. 6. Carlisle County - Coach Jon Dillard 2017-18 record: 18-14 Key Losses: Trey Wilson Key Returners: Reese Anderson, Blake Elder Carlisle had a nice season last year led by 1,000 point scorer Trey Wilson. However Wilson has moved on and turned over the reigns to last year’s leading scorer Reese Anderson. The senior averaged almost 16 ppg last year while hitting 77 threes. He has the chance to break the school three point record this season. He will need to do that and more to help replace Wilson’s 14 ppg the team lost. Blake Elder will have to step up his scoring effort as well. He put in 10 ppg last season and will need to add 3 or 4 ppg to that effort. He is the big man on the team at 6’5”. The Comets will return 4 starters and so they will have experience. What they will struggle with is size. They are a small team and so bigger teams could give them trouble, especially on the boards. Fortunately the region this year isn’t tremendously big, so they should be able to compete with the mid level teams, and maybe even pull and upset over the top tiered teams. 7. Graves County - Coach Joshua Frick 2018-19 record: 22-10 Key Losses: Ryan Mathis, Jordyn Noranjo, Jacob Savage Key Returners: Seth Thomas Graves County had another great season last year with 22 wins. The Eagles have not had a losing season in the 21st Century. They have been one of the most consistent teams in region 1 over the last 20 years. This year may be one of the most difficult to keep that streak going. Graves is one of many teams in region 1 that have lost almost their entire starting five. Mathis and Noranjo are Graves County career scoring leaders and averaged almost 33pg between them. Jacab Savage averaged 13.5 ppg and was the team’s leading rebounder. All three will be sorely missed and very difficult to replace. The only scoring threat from last year returning is Seth Thomas who averaged just 6.5 ppg. However, Graves should have a pretty good size advantage over most of their opponents this season, as they will be able to put a starting lineup with everyone over 6’1”. Coach Frick anticipates a lot of growth throughout the season, and expects the end product will look much different and much improved than the beginning product. Two players beside Thomas to watch this season is Kade Babb and Race Richards. Babb will take over in the front court and protecting the glass. He has worked hard on his scoring underneath and Frick believes he has double/double potential. Richards is the most athletic guy on the team and plays well above the rim. He will need to polish his game as the season progresses, but could play a huge part down the stretch. Expectations have always been high at Graves, and considering 20 straight years with a winning record, those expectations have always been met. Those expectations have not changed. Meeting them this year will be a difficult challenge, but don’t expect this team to shy away from that challenge. 8. Mayfield - Coach Payton Croft 2018-19 record: 31-4 Key Losses: Carson Guthrie, Connor Guthrie , Desean Jones Key Returners: Kade Neely The Cardinals had a great season last year. They were dominant in Region 1 last year going 19-2 during the regular season, they won region 1 All A Classic, won the Region 1 Championship, and finished in the final BGP Top 20. Through all that success, the Cardinals ended up stumbling come tournament time. They lost in the first round at Rupp, which was disappointing, but overall the season was quite the success. Unfortunately, the top four players from last year’s team have moved on, so has Coach Guhy. This year, the Cardinals will have a new look with a new coach. Payton Croft has moved from Trigg County to Mayfield. He will have the tough task of following a region championship without the stars that won that championship. No team has lost more in region 1 than Mayfield. They may have lost more than any team in the state. 7 of their top 8 scorers are not back this season. Only Kade Neely returns. Neely averaged almost 9 ppg last season, and will be looked upon to lead the team as the only experienced player. Coach Croft will have his work cut out for him, but he will have the opportunity to form the team around his vision and his goals. It may be a touch couple of years as even though this team is inexperienced, it still has 7 seniors. It may be a year of preparing to compete at a higher level next season. 9. Hickman County - Coach Wynn Harris 2018-19 record: 9-18 Key Losses: None Key Returners: Jackson Midyett, Dylan Hicks, JD McClannahan Hickman County lost quite a bit last year but still had expectations for a winning season. That did not happen as they struggled to win against stronger competition within the region. They only won back to back games once the entire season. This season, almost their entire starting lineup is in tack. This gives the Falcons hope that they can get at least back to the .500 mark on this season. They will lean heavily on last year’s leading scorer, junior Jackson Midyett. He averaged 14 ppg and almost 40% from 3 point range. The Falcons will also rely on Dylan Hicks who put in 8 ppg in 2018-19. If both of them make improvements this season, Hickman will be more competitive this season and could pull out a .500+ campaign. 10. St. Mary - Coach Wes Overstreet 2017-18 record: 12-18 Key Losses: none Key Returners: Colin Doss, Joey Eggemeyer The Vikings lose their coach to Paducah Tilghman, and so Wes Overstreet moves up to take his place. Vikings hope to improve on last year’s season as most of the starting 5 is back. Colin Doss over 14 ppg last season and Joey Eggemeyer added 11 ppg. With both of them returning with more experience, and their bench better this season, St. Mary should see improvement and could very well be over the .500 mark. Unfortunately being in district 2, handcuffs how far they will be able to go. It is a very young team however and lots of room for growth. The Vikings don't have a senior on the roster, and only four juniors. So there is hope that by the end of this season, they have built something to really compete next year. 11. Fulton County - Coach Jamie Madding 2018-19 record: 15-14 Key Losses: Kahari Miller, Camden Aldridge, George Scott Key Returners: Caleb Kimble (15 ppg) The Pilots had an exciting season last year just missing their second straight district championship by a single basket to Carlisle County. While they their leading scorer from last year returns, Fulton County loses three of their starters, including their next three scoring options. There is still enough experience returning that Coach Madding expects them to be just as competitive this season as last year. It all begins with Caleb Kimble, who surpassed 1,000 career points last season. He will be expected to carry a heavy scoring load with the team this season. 20 ppg may not be out of the question for the senior. The real question for the Pilots will be the improvement of the bench players from last year. Who will step up and fill the shoes vacated? Josh Cole looks to lead the team from the point, Hayden Murphy will keep defenses honest as a 3 point threat, and Dylan Hammond will give support around the rim on both ends of the floor. Coach Madding believes this team has what it takes to win the District 1 championship this season and advance to the regional tournament for the fourth year in a row. Their goal this year will be to win that first round game. 12. Fulton City - Coach Jon Dillard 2017-18 record: 7-23 Key Losses: Drew Malray Key Returners: Cameron Madding, Brennen Walker Fulton City has a wealth of return starters this year only losing one in Drew Malray. However he was the 3 point threat for the team and they really need some else to step up from the outside. Senior Cameron Madding will once again lead the Bulldogs in his final year. Madding averaged 12.5 ppg and he will need to get the other around him involved. Brennen Walker had an injury plague season last year and now he is healthy. He averaged just over 10 ppg in just 16 games last season. Coach Dillard will be focused on fundamentals and ball control. The team has dedicated this season to Coach Dillard’s wife, Gretchen, who was diagnosed last year with stage 4 colon cancer, which has moved to her liver. They all agree that she is the “toughest” person they all know. Things like this put this game into perspective. 13. Ballard Memorial - Coach Jimmie Holder 2018-19 record: 4-21 Key Losses: Drew Cox, Lucas Suiter Key Returners: Dequin Donlow (12 ppg) The Bombers had one of the worst seasons in recent memory last year only winning four games. They lost two of their top three scoring threats so this year doesn’t look like it is going to be much better. They do have a new coach as Jimmie Holder is taking over for Coach Cooper. Only time will tell if Ballard can make improvements over last year. 14. Community Christian Paducah - Coach Daniel Durrett 2018-19 record: 8-21 Key Losses: Ben Carter, Elijah Middleton Key Returners: none CCA went through a 63 game losing streak up till the end of the 17-18 season. Last year they were able to win 8 games which was quite the success. Unfortunately this team loses their two best players to graduation and it may be a tough season from the start. They may be able to squeak out a few wins this season. Top 10 Players to Watch in Region 1 1. Zion Harmon, Marshall County (Guard) - Junior Harmon is considered one the best point guards in America in his graduating class. He can do pretty much everything. He led Bowling Green to a state title as an 8th grader and led the state in scoring as a freshman. His ball handling skills are off the chart as his ability to get to the basket. He is quick, nimble and if you figure out how to stop him from driving, he will step back and drain it from the outside. There is reason for all the hype surrounding this young man. I hope that we can keep him in Kentucky so we can watch this talented young man continue to blossom. Zion Harmon DID WHAT??? #1 Freshman in the Country GOES OFF at NEO Youth Elite Camp - YouTube 2. Jackson Sivills, McCracken County, (Guard) Senior (POY Candidate) Sivills was part of a trio from McCracken County that made that offense go. The other two parts are gone, and now this team will be Sivills to push going forward. He is a good defender with long arms and good fundamentals. On the offensive side of the ball he can drive, but he is a better shooter from the outside hitting 40% from 3 point range. He needs to improve his free throw shooting (65%) because he will go to the line a lot more this year since team can focus on just him. Sivills currently has offers from Murray St, NKU, Rice, Samford, and a few others. Video - Game Highlights vs Paducah Tilghman - Jackson Sivills highlights - Hudl 3. Reese Anderson, Carlisle County – Senior Anderson led the Comets in scoring last season averaging almost 16 ppg. He can score from the inside and the outside. He hit 77 three pointers last season, best in the district. He has no problem putting it up from anywhere on the floor (210 three point attempts). He shoots 82 from the free through line and looks to get there through driving to the rim when he gets the chance. He was second on the team with 121 rebounds, although that could improve. Look to see Anderson push his scoring average up to 20 ppg, especially if he can add some efficiency on his 3 point shots. 4. Caleb Kimble, Fulton County – Senior Kimble doesn’t play for the best team or for a bigtime school, instead he plays for Fulton County, a small school of 160 students. Still he averaged 15 ppg last year and could very well improve that to close to 20 ppg. What makes it more impressive is that he is not surrounded by an experienced cast, so teams tend to focus on him and he still scores, but he is not a very efficient scorer due to the double teams. He can hit from deep or play around the rim. If he can’t get a decent team around him, he will be fun to watch. 5. Tyler Stokes, Marshall County - Senior Stokes is Marshall County’s big man, and he played that part very well last year. He should be even a bigger force this year with Harmon on the floor. Stokes averaged 15 ppg and just under 10 rpg. Stokes can hit from the outside shooting an decent 30% from three, not bad for a big man. However, he is at his best in the paint and dominating the boards. Stokes is probably the best big man in the region. 6. Tyler Powell, Marshall County - Senior Powell isn’t as good as his counterpart in the paint, but he is a little better in the backcourt. Powell averaged 14.5 ppg, but only 5 rpg. He shot 37% from three point range and was the teams best free throw shooter. He went the line more than any other Marshal, so it is a big part of his game. With Harmon playing on the floor with Powell, he could improve those numbers. 7. Hunter Utley, Murray – Senior Utley was the leading scorer on the Tigers team two years as a sophomore, and second last season so he still has a lot of room to grow and experience to gain. He is a good ball handler with good view of the floor. He shot almost 42% from 3 pt range last year so he can hit it from the outside, and he likes to shoot it from downtown (175 attempts). He is also good and driving and picking up the foul, to which he shoots 82% from the FT line. Being that Murray didn't lose much this offseason, that should boost Utley's numbers even more. 8. Michael Laster, Paducah Tilghman - Senior Laster has played behind some phenomenal talent during his high school career. This year, he is the leader. Laster only averaged 12 ppg last year, but did lead the team in rebounds at 5.2 per game. Laster attempts just over 1 three point shot per game, which is probably too much considering he only hit 18% of them. He also needs to improve his free throw shooting. He has the tools to be really good, it is his time to prove it. 9. Chandler Steele, Calloway County - Senior Steele is the foundation for the Lakers game. He is a fantastic inside player with good agility, however his game is limited to within 15 ft of the basket. He is pretty good in that 15 feet, but needs to work on his free throw shooting (63%) considering he is averaging 6 ft per game. 10. Jackson Midyett, Hickman County - Senior Midyett came on the seen last year with a passion to play. He only averaged 7 ppg the previous season, however he averaged 14 ppg, hitting 38% of his shots and 75% of his free throws. He is another play without a great supporting cast, but still gets the job done.

Yea its a pretty big thing. It should air on ESPN sometime this summer.

The 2019 VEX Robotics World Championships were held at the end of April at Freedom Hall and the Kentucky Exposition Center. Over 1000 middle school, high school, and college teams came together to crown this year's champion. There were 15 teams from Kentucky that were represented. Unfortunately no KY teams made the finals, however one team from Gateway Academy (8349A) in Hopkinsville made it to the semi-finals which in itself is quite the accomplishment. Here is a video of all the matches in the tournament, however I would recommend you watch the VEX Robotics Competition Ceremonies and Finals. Robot Events

You can have all the other things, but if you don't have talent, you won't go far. Talent is the most important, then depending on the talent, the other variables will be what takes the program to the next level.

USA Today All Kentucky Team 1st team: Isaiah Cozart – Madison Central David Johnson – Trinity Alex Matthews – John Hardin Korbin Spencer – Elliott County KyKy Tandy - University Heights 2nd team: Dontaie Allen – Pendleton County Jackson Harlan – Clinton County Reid Jolly – Campbell County Michael Moreno – Scott County J.J. Ramey – South Laurel 218-19 ALL-USA Kentucky Boys Basketball Team announced Player of the Year: KyKy Tandy, University Heights Coach of the Year: Mike Szabo, Trinity

Great Hire in my eyes. I really like Coach Croft when he was assistant under Tim Haworth at Hoptown, and while he coached at Trigg. Should have a better talent pool to pull from in Mayfield.

I was told he plans on coming back to Marshall County

Yes, here are some of the teams listed websites: Gateway Academy - TEAM 8349 - Home Central Hardin - 6135 Robotics | Elizabethtown | Central Hardin Vex Robotics 6135 North Hardin - Home | North Hardin Robotics Revelation Robotics - Revelation Robotics at VEX Robotics on Edco Jessamine County - JCTC Robotics I am sure that there are more, but I don't know what they are. There is quite a bit out there on youtube as well. The official website for the events is http://www.robotevents.com And here is the link to all the Kentucky Events - https://www.robotevents.com/robot-competitions/vex-robotics-competition?seasonId=&eventType=&name=&from_date=08%2F30%2F2018&to_date=&country_id=244&country_region_id=27&city=

Unfortunately a lot of people do not know about this amazing highly competitive program. There are over 300 high school and middle school teams in the state covering more than 1500 students. The state of Kentucky is considered one of the top competitive Robotics states in the US and the world. There are 18,000 teams worldwide and the VEX World Robotics Championship takes place at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, and in Freedom Hall. There were 26 scheduled tournaments in Kentucky this year, including one of the largest tournaments in the World at Martha Layne Collins in Shelbyville with over 100 teams attending. This year's State Champions are Team 8349B and 8349B from Gateway Academy in Hopkinsville, Ky, which is the CTE school of Hopkinsville and Christian County High Schools. Here is a link to this year's game: There were 9 teams that qualified for the World Championship on April 24-27. 8349B - Gateway Academy 8349E - Gateway Academy 1859S - Jessamine County 9257R - Covington Catholic 6135K - Central Hardin 6135H - Central Hardin 41091A - Revelation Robotics Club 2886A - John Hardin 4104A - North Hardin Bob Lind from Covington Catholic received the KY VEX Coach of the Year.

The drought is over in Region 2. Some team other than Christian County, Hopkinsville, or University Heights is the Region 2 Champion. That hasn’t happened since 2001 when Madisonville won. Now in 2019, the Maroons have done it again. Going into the season, Madisonville was ranked as the 2nd best team in the region, with quite a distance between them and number 1 ranked University Heights Academy. As the season went along, that gap began to close, though UHA still was considered the better team. Even after a 1 point loss to UHA in early December, the Maroons didn’t get the respect they deserve. They didn’t break into the Bluegrass Prep top 20 rankings until week 11 even though they hadn’t lost a game in 2019. That winning streak is still alive and sits at 22 games. In that time they have taken down good teams like Owensboro, Paducah Tilghman, Hopkinsville, Christian County, and University Heights. They have been on a tear and Coach Matt Beshear has them ready to compete on the biggest stage in Kentucky High School Basketball. Madisonville has a very balanced scoring attack. Ksuan Casey maybe one of the most underrated players in the state, and will be a front runner for Region 2 POY next season. He is very good around the basket, averaging 15.4 ppg and 9.5 rebounds per game. He has very soft hands and knows exactly where he is on the floor. He is not a danger to shoot from the outside, but opponents should do their best not to let him touch the ball anywhere near the basket. Junior Kenny White has come on strong this year and had a huge performance against University Heights in the Region 2 finals. White scored 27 points while pulling down 17 rebounds in a game that featured KyKy Tandy, one of the front runners for Mr. Basketball this year. White is averaging 13.7 ppg this year while also pulling down 8.4 rebounds. Between Casey and White, this team is hard on crashing the boards as they average almost 34 rpg. Senior Cade Cunningham is the driving force up top for this team. He is averaging 11.7 ppg, which is actually down from is 14 ppg last season. However his leadership was very important and I am sure he will sacrifice personal stats for this trip to Rupp. Cunningham is quick, sees the floor well, and is a above average ball handler. Point Guard JD Gilbert took a big leap this year averaging more than 3 points more a game than he did last year. This is getting 10.4 ppg and almost 4 rpg. His defense has improved as well as his ability to find open men and see the floor clearly. The Maroons have a couple important players who pull small but important roles. Keshawn Stone, Marquise Parker, and Jordan Vaughn are all part Madisonville’s rotation. This team will be a tough out for whoever plays them. They have well deserved confidence, have been in tough, tight games, and have great effort as a team. It would not surprise them make as far as the final four.

1 Walton-Verona 1 Campbell County 1 Owensboro 1 Trinity 1 Scott County 1 Butler 1 Madisonville-North Hopkins 1 Mayfield 2 Campbell County 2 Trinity 2 Scott County 2 Madisonville-North Hopkins 3 Trinity 3 Scott County 5 Scott County TB 130