Smallhoops

What I think is the first game of the season is underway at Kentucky Country Day, where the Bearcats lead the Brown Bears 43-15 at halftime.

Jason Frakes of the Courier-Journal is reporting that Ballard's Rashad Bishop, one of the Region's top returning players, will be out until January with a wrist injury.

Howard Fleming signed with Illinois State this week. Hope he recovers quickly and gets back on the floor.

You are right. Thanks for catching it.

The Butler Bears prevailed as the champions of the Sixth Region last season, putting an end to Fern Creek’s two-year streak as regional champion. With several key contributors returning, Coach K.C. Goodin is sure to have the Bears at or near the top of the region again this year. But Fern Creek’s outstanding trio of sophomores return as an outstanding trio of juniors. And they won’t be the only challengers for Sixth Region supremacy, as there are a number of teams that might end up at the top of the heap by season’s end. As has been the case the past several years, the competition in the Sixth Region will be fierce. TEAM RANKINGS 1. Fern Creek Tigers Last season’s 14-12 record and not reaching the Sixth Region tournament is not what Coach James Schooler has come to expect from the Tigers. Just three seasons ago, the Tigers went 35-2, won the Sixth Region, and advanced to the semi-finals of the state tournament. Two years ago, Fern Creek was 27-7, again won the Sixth Region, and made it to the state tournament quarterfinals. The Tigers may return to those lofty heights this season. Returning for Fern Creek are three of the best players in the region, all juniors, in Jaden Rogers (17.5 ppg), Darrius Washington (12.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg), and Zek Montgomery (11.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg). Rogers is a 6’0” guard who can score in a variety of ways. Washington is 6’8” and recently received his first Division I scholarship offer from Morehead. I suspect more will follow. At 6’6”, Montgomery adds size and athleticism to the Tigers’ frontcourt but can also score from the outside. A pair of sophomores, Andru Markham (5.3 ppg) and Darien Lewis, should see significant minutes for the Tigers. Coach Schooler also expects newcomer junior Ce’Arius Warren, who averaged 7.6 ppg and 8.3 rpg at Southern last year, to add energy and be a major contributor. I think we will see that last season’s 14-12 record was an aberration. Look for Coach Schooler to have the very talented Tigers back at the top of the region this year. 2. Butler Bears The Butler Bears are coming off two outstanding seasons. After finishing 27-4 in the 2017-18 season, the Bears went 26-8 last season, won the Sixth Region, and advanced to the second round of the state tournament before losing to Scott County. Veteran coach K.C. Goodin has got something good going at Butler. In trying to achieve a similar level of success this season, the Bears must deal with the loss of their top scorer Maurice Tolley (13 ppg). While Tolley definitely will be missed, Coach Goodin welcomes back the next three leading scorers from last year, seniors Trey Minter (10 ppg), Jordan Lamb (8.3 ppg), and Cameron Underwood (7.6 ppg). Underwood also was the leading rebounder at 5.5 rpg. Other returnees with substantial playing experience are seniors Yusef Chandler-Westbrooks (30 games last season) and Tom Dozier (32 games). Coach Goodin will look to juniors Tae Dozier, Mershon Dickerson, and Corey Mucker to see increased minutes and become important contributors. In addition, Turrell Cleaves is a talented sophomore who likely will see plenty of action for the Bears. While the loss of Maurice Tolley should not be downplayed, the Bears have a veteran coach, multiple returning starters, and additional talented players. That sounds like a recipe for success. Look for the Butler Bears to again compete for the Sixth Region championship. 3. Bullitt East Chargers Coming off a 20-13 season in which they advanced to the Sixth Region championship game against Butler, the Bullitt East Chargers look to have a similar season this year. Their ability to do so is enhanced by the presence of one of the best returning players in the region in 6’0” senior Zak Perdew. Perdew averaged 15.8 ppg last season and should again be one of the region’s leading scorers. The big question facing the Chargers is who will step up to fill the void created by the loss of their next three top scorers from last season. Junior Josiah Morris (6.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and senior Hunter Brogan (5.7 ppg) should see their offensive numbers increase. The Chargers ended last season winning eight of their last nine games, with most of those wins coming against Sixth Region opponents. With Zak Perdew leading the charge, Bullitt East could see similar stretches of success this season. 4. Pleasure Ridge Park Panthers First year head coach Larry Kihnley faces the impossible task of replacing Dale Mabry, who coached the Panthers for 38 years, amassed an overall record of 937-283 (second most wins in KHSAA history), and led PRP to the 1989 state championship. In his remarkable career, Coach Mabry also led the Panthers to two state runner-up finishes and six Louisville Invitational Tournament titles. But Coach Kihnley is no stranger to PRP basketball, having graduated from the school and serving as an assistant to Mabry since 1983. And he is intimately familiar with the substantial talent that returns for the Panthers. Leading the way for the Panthers will be senior point guard James Taylor Jr., who moved to PRP at the beginning of last season and played in 19 games, averaging 8.3 ppg. Taylor is very talented and is expected to have a tremendous senior season. Three additional seniors expected to contribute are Josh Williams ( 6’4”, 5.5 ppg), Jake Miller (5’10”, 6.6 ppg), and Antwan Lockhart (6’2”). Williams should lead the team in rebounding, while Miller was one of the city’s top shooters last season at 47% from 3-point range (61/131). 6’2” junior Nevin White is expected to be the fifth starter. The Panthers should have plenty of depth, including 5’7” freshman Zek McCown, who Coach Kihnley says is the best freshman to enter the PRP basketball program in the last nine seasons. 5. DeSales Colts DeSales lost its top two scorers from last year in Keegan Brewer (21.4 ppg) and Matthew Ruckriegle (19.3 ppg, 11 rpg), but Coach Damien Anderson welcomes back three seniors, including Logan Lautzenheiser (9.6 ppg) and starting point guard Antione Johnson (4.8 ppg). The Colts’ 2019-20 season got much more interesting when senior Eduardo Tostado and 6’10” junior Sekou Kalle decided they would stay at DeSales and play for the Colts this season. Tostado and Kalle attended DeSales last year while playing for Aspire Academy. The injection of two very talented players elevated DeSales into a regional contender. The Colts should get a quick sense of where they are when they open the season against the defending state champion Trinity Shamrocks. 6. Fairdale Bulldogs With four starters returning, Coach David Hicks is excited about the Bulldogs’ potential this season. The Bulldogs likely will again by led by seniors Ty Walter and Stephen Moore, each of whom averaged 15.1 ppg last season. Walter is 5’10” and hit almost 100 3’s last season, shooting them at a 36.6% clip. Moore is 6’2” and can both score and distribute. The other two returning starters are 6’2” senior Tristan Bertrand (7 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and 6’1” junior Isaac Tedford. The Bulldogs’ outlook for this season took an upward turn at the end of the school year when 6’5” Charles Ward transferred into the school when his family moved from Chicago. Ward will be a senior. Coach Hicks also believes there will be a number of freshmen who may end up being significant contributors. 7. Bullitt Central Cougars Coming off a 23-11 season that saw the Cougars advance to the semi-finals of the Sixth Region tournament where they lost to eventual champion Butler, the Cougars lost leading scorer Aiden Terry (13.6 ppg) to graduation but return their next two leading scorers and their top two rebounders in seniors Jacob Mann (13.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Chandler Ocasio (11 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Junior Gavin Hedges (2.2 ppg) and Senior Warren Coogle (1.5 ppg) are expected to see more minutes and provide increased offensive production. Bullitt Central has won at least 20 games in each of the past two seasons; it will be interesting to see if Coach Shane Popplewell can get the Cougars to a similar level this season. 8. North Bullitt Eagles Alex Young returns in his second year as head coach of the Eagles, and he brings back everyone from last year’s team that went 9-22 and had wins against teams like Bardstown, Doss, and South Oldham. Back for his fourth year as a starter is senior Logan Steinmacher, who averaged 16.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg. Steinmacher will again be the focus of the offense, but the returnees include plenty players who will again contribute significantly, including Ron Still (9.8 ppg, including 32 points in a win over Doss), Ethan Phillips (8.8 ppg), Brendan Hill (7.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg), Alec Blankenship (6.2 ppg), and Michael Richerson (6.2 ppg). With everyone back, the Eagles could have a very interesting season. Keep an eye on them. 9. Jeffersontown Chargers Jeffersontown won 18 games last season and advanced to the Sixth Region tournament, losing to eventual champion Butler in the opening round. The Chargers lost from that team two of their top three scorers, including leading scorer and rebounder Blake Butler (16.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg) and Chris Trigg (12.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg). The leading returner around whom the Chargers will build is sophomore Brandon Rayzer-Moore, who averaged an impressive 12.4 ppg as a freshman last year. Also returning are junior Sincere Owens (2.8 ppg) and senior Jacoby Johnson (2.2 ppg). A newcomer expected to contribute significantly is senior Quintin Anderson, who averaged 10.1 ppg last season at Moore. 10. Southern Trojans The Trojans look to build on last season’s winning record (13-12) and have several key performers returning from last year’s squad. Junior Camden Pfeister (8.8 ppg) will be joined by seniors Kaden Crawley (7.1 ppg), Ronyell May (4.4 ppg), and Quincy Murrell (4 ppg) to give Coach Shedrick Jones a number of experienced players with which to work. While the Trojans don’t shoot a lot of three’s, they hit a high percentage of them, with Crawley shooting 46.6% (34/73) and May shooting 41.7% (10/24) last year. It could be another good year for the Trojans. 11. Moore Mustangs The Mustangs had an impressive season last year, going from seven wins in 2017-18 to a 16-14 record last year. Coach Roy Sutton believes four year starter senior Rae Von Vaden (5.3 ppg, 4 rpg) and fellow senior Dowan Green (7.2 ppg) should lead the Mustangs this season. Junior Darius Carver (4.5 ppg) will be looked upon to step up. Additional help will come from newcomers Damontre Ellis, a senior transfer from Fairdale who should help on the offensive end, and juniors Gakary Thompson and Jarah Anderson, a transfer from New Albany, IN. 12. Holy Cross Cougars Holy Cross welcomes back to the sideline Coach Jody Thornsberry, who last coached the Cougars in the 2005-06 season before becoming the school’s Athletic Director. Coach Thornsberry is excited to be back at the helm of the Cougars, perhaps in part because of the return of Sam Bearden for his senior year. The 6’4” Bearden averaged 12.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg last season. Coach Thornsberry will need a new supporting crew for Bearden, as the next 3 leading scorers from last season were lost to graduation. Juniors Chaz Geraghty (4.8 ppg) and Chase Davis (3.8 ppg) return, as does senior Josh Minor (2.6 ppg). If they are able to provide some support for Bearden, the Crusaders may be able to end up with a winning record, which they just missed last year at 14-15. 13. Doss Dragons After a tremendous five-year run in which the Dragons compiled a 125-39 record, including finishing as the state runner-up in 2015-16, Doss dropped to 10-20 last season. The top three scorers from last season’s team were lost to graduation, including Jeremiah Boyd (11.8 ppg). A number of other contributors from last year return, including sophomores Innslee Carrol (4.2 ppg) and Kenye Green (4.1 ppg) plus juniors Tony Moss (4 ppg) and Chris Anderson (3.6 ppg). Coach Blake Stone will need some of those returnees to step up for the Dragons to improve on last year’s 10-win total. 14. Western Warriors The Warriors improved their win total from 4 wins in 2017-18 to 10 wins last season, including a noteworthy win over Bullitt Central in mid-January, under first year head coach Brandon Britt. Coach Britt returns and has the good fortune of getting back the two leading scorers from last season in seniors Neairon Finisson (14.8 ppg) and BAngelo Anderson (14.6 ppg). Also returning is senior Jaden Neal, who averaged 8.2 ppg in 12 games last season. With those top scorers having another year of experience under their belt, look for the Warriors to improve on their 10-win total from last season. 15. Valley Vikings The Vikings lost their top five scorers from last year’s 12-14 team, including 17.5 ppg scorer Cam Wilson. The leading returning scorer is K. J. Savage, who contributed 6.2 ppg last season. Coach DeJuan Wheat will seek to find increased contributions from seniors Javon Warren and William Vaughn plus junior Armani Carr. Valley will be challenged to match last season’s 12-win total. 16. Iroquois Raiders The Raiders face the upcoming season without Keshawn Dixon, who graduated after leading Iroquois in scoring last year at a 18.4 ppg pace. That is a big loss for veteran coach Jeff Morrow, but the good news is that there are a number of returnees with substantial playing experience, including seniors Derrick Goodloe (7.8 ppg), Antoine Butler (5.1 ppg), Dendheno Saunders (4.1 ppg), and Barry Abdoul (3.6 ppg). Juniors Jamontre Anderson (3.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Gary Morris (3 ppg, 3.7 rpg) will also be expected to contribute. The Raiders dropped from 20 wins in the 2017-18 season to 7 wins last year, and will need players to step up their production to improve on that win total this season. 17. Whitefield Academy Wildcats Whitefield welcomes back one of the region’s top scorers from last year in senior Trevor Nauert (17.4 ppg) and also returns its leading rebounder, Luke Wheatley (5.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg). Senior A. J. Bruckert (8.3 ppg) joins them to give the Wildcats a trio of experienced contributors. Coach Chris Vaughn returns for his fourth season with the Wildcats, who have hit double digits in victories in each of the past two seasons. Look for Whitefield to improve on last year’s 10-win total. 18. Beth Haven Bears While head coach Doug Phillips will be a new face on the sidelines for the Bears, the faces on the court largely will be familiar as Beth Haven lost only one player to graduation. Senior guards Isaiah Mahoney (15.3 ppg) and Austin Whitehouse (12 ppg) led the Bears in scoring last year and likely will do so again this season. Athletic junior Luke Easley (8.5 ppg) should once again be a significant contributor. Coach Phillips believes freshman Jordan Harris has the potential to be a special player. Look for the Bears to improve on the 6-win mark it has achieved in each of the last two years. 19. Evangel Christian Eagles The Eagles’ 12-19 record last season was a big step forward from the 3 wins the Eagles achieved the year before. Coach Jeremiah Hoagland returns for his second year with the Eagles and will look to senior Nick Cruse and freshman Markel Merriwether to lead this season’s squad. . PLAYER RANKINGS 1. Jaden Rogers, 6’0”, junior, Fern Creek Point guard who can score (17.5 ppg) will lead the Tigers once again. 2. Darrius Washington, 6’8”, junior, Fern Creek Averaged 12.2 ppg and 7.6 rpg last season and is beginning to receive Division I offers. 3. James Taylor, 6’1”, senior, Pleasure Ridge Park Standout point guard will benefit from playing full season with the Panthers. 4. Zek Montgomery, 6’6”, junior, Fern Creek Athletic wing player averaged 11.7 ppg and 6.9 rpg last season and will join with Jaden Rogers and Darrius Washington to give Fern Creek a powerful trio of juniors. 5. Zak Perdew, 6’0”, senior, Bullitt East Leading scorer (15.8 ppg) for last year’s regional runner-up returns for his senior season. 6. Sekou Kalle, 6’10”, junior, DeSales Big man with tremendous potential played at Aspire Academy last season. 7. Trey Minter, 6’0”, senior, Butler Leading returning scorer (10 ppg) for the defending regional champions. 8. Brandon Rayzer-Moore, 6’3”, sophomore, Jeffersontown Averaged an impressive 12.4 ppg last season as a freshman. 9. Sam Bearden, 6’4”, senior, Holy Cross Expected to again lead the Crusaders in both scoring and rebounding, as he did last season (12.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg). 10. Jacob Mann, 6’3”, senior, Bullitt Central Should increase his 13.8 ppg scoring clip for the Cougars this season.

Mekhi Smith is a very talented player. His development is one of the keys to St. X's success this season. I am looking forward to watching him play this year.

Thanks for that information. I had not heard that. That would be a loss for Central.

The 2018-19 season was a great one for the Seventh Region, capped by the Trinity Shamrocks winning their second state championship. It was the eighth straight year that either Trinity or Ballard represented the Seventh Region in the state tournament. That streak is in serious jeopardy. The Male Bulldogs beat both Trinity and Ballard in an 8-day stretch late in the season last year, serving notice that the 2019-20 season will be a whole new ballgame. Coached by the energetic Tim Haworth, Male is absolutely loaded and deserves to be ranked at the top of the Seventh Region. But anyone who counts out Ballard and Trinity before the season even begins does so at their own peril. One thing is for sure: it will be another great season in the Seventh Region. TEAM RANKINGS 1. Male Bulldogs Coach Tim Haworth enters his second year with the Bulldogs, who won 22 games last season before losing to eventual state champion Trinity in the Seventh Region tournament, with an absolutely loaded roster. 6’5” senior Howard Fleming, who was limited to 14 games last season because of injuries, is now healthy. Fleming averaged 12.3 ppg in that limited number of games last season and can score from both inside and outside. Fleming is attracting attention from a number of Division I schools. Notwithstanding how productive Fleming is expected to be this season, he likely will not be Male’s leading scorer. Tyren Moore is a 5’11” offensive machine, as suggested by his 17.9 ppg from last season. He is a deadly shooter, shooting 3’s at a 45.5% clip (100/220). I love watching him play. Moore recently committed to attend Lincoln Memorial University. Also expected to start for the Bulldogs are returnees Noah Courtney and Jake Evans. Courtney (6’5”) averaged 10 ppg and 7.1 rpg and is a strong inside presence. Evans (6’1”) is a steady point guard who can also score (8.9 ppg). Rounding out the starting five for the Bulldogs will be Kaleb Glenn, who some are touting as the best freshman in the Commonwealth. Glenn played for Ballard last season as an eighth grader and in fact started some games for the Bruins. An athletic 6’6” forward, Glenn’s addition makes the Bulldogs an even clearer favorite to win the Seventh Region. The talent for Male does not end with the starting five. Cam Pope and Trey Stone are junior guards who played quite a bit last season. Junior Dez Lindsay has grown to 6’6” and will join with Kobey Scott to provide quality depth in the frontcourt, although Lindsey can also play the guard position. Male will be the top pick not only for the Seventh Region but also for the entire Commonwealth. It has the talent and coaching to go down in history as one of Male’s greatest teams, which is saying a lot for a school with four prior state championships. 2. Ballard Bruins Ballard is not quite ready to hand the Seventh Region title to Male. The Bruins return four of their top five scorers and their top 3 rebounders from last year’s team that won 23 games before losing to eventual state champion Trinity in the Seventh Region final. Senior Rashad Bishop (6’6”, 10.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg) is the leading returning scorer and a quality inside presence. Fellow seniors Josh Minkins (6’3”, 6.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg), a University of Louisville football commit, and Terrence McDaniels (6’4”, 6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) will join with Bishop to give Ballard a frontcourt that will be difficult to handle. Sophomore Maker Barr (6’9”) will back up the three returning seniors in the frontcourt. Senior Lewis Richards (6’1”, 10.8 ppg, 4.2 apg) will again be the main outside presence. Coach Chris Renner, who is in his 22nd season as the Bruin’s head coach, anticipates freshmen Jake Edelen (5’9”) and Gabe Sisk (6’3”) to play significant minutes, along with 6’2” Keno Hayden. Newcomer senior Justin Buford (5’10”) played in 30 games at Male last season, averaging 3.3 ppg. While Male has deservedly received a lot of the preseason attention in the Seventh Region, Ballard should not be overlooked. Coach Renner, who has over 600 career victories and a state championship, expects the Bruins to get back to more full court and pressure defenses. Ballard led the Seventh Region in scoring last season at 67.5 ppg, but Coach Renner expects that to go up, perhaps significantly. With experienced size, shooting, rebounding, quality depth, and excellent coaching, Ballard will be a force in the Seventh Region again this season. 3. Trinity Shamrocks Last season’s state championship gave Coach Mike Szabo his second state championship as the Rocks’ head coach. Trinity has had a tremendous run, winning at least 24 games in each of the past 8 years and at least 29 in each of the last four years. The upcoming season will present some challenges to Trinity achieving the same level of success. Trinity lost all of their starters from last season, including Sweet Sixteen MVP David Johnson (now at the University of Louisville), and will be a young, inexperienced team. The leading returning player is 6’1” junior guard Ethan Hodge (6.6 ppg). While Hodge did not start last year, he played substantial minutes and a lot will be expected from him this year. Other returning players Coach Szabo welcomes back include 6’2” junior Zach Stahlman and 6’1” sophomore guard Miles Franklin, both of whom are expected to be significant contributors on the offensive end. Senior Andrew Brian (6’5”) and junior Jack Mitchell (6’3”) should see significant minutes in the frontcourt. Trinity’s success over the past eight years has been impressive. It will be a challenge to achieve the same level of success this year, but I am not yet ready to count out the Rocks. 4. Waggener Wildcats Waggener had the best season in its history last year, ending with a 29-4 record that included wins over Ballard (its first ever), Male, and Trinity. The Wildcats were a pleasure to watch. The bad news is that Waggener lost six of its top seven scorers from last year’s team. But Coach Bryan O’Neill is excited about the group of 11 seniors that return for the Wildcats. Leading the way will be returning starter senior Dallas Rufus (6’3” PG). Rufus had a solid season last year, averaging 7.5 ppg and shooting 35% from three. Coach O’Neill anticipates both of those numbers to increase this season. Additional returning seniors include Dezman White (6’1”), Deontae Scott (6’0”), DuWaine McCreary (6’1”), and Alix Berry (6’3”), all of whom will see substantial minutes for the Wildcats. Waggener also added two transfers who may have an impact, Richard White (6’5” senior) and Austin Chiles (6’1” junior). While it will be difficult to match last season’s 29-win total, Waggener again will be among the top teams in the Seventh Region. They will play at a fast pace and play very solid defense. It should be another good year for the Waggener Wildcats. 5. Eastern Eagles The Eastern Eagles are an intriguing team. The Eagles lost three starters from last season’s 16-16 squad, including leading scorers Jacob Robinson (14.6 ppg) and Trent Robinson (8.3 ppg), and will have no seniors on this year’s roster. Returning starters Ben Craig (8.2 ppg) and Zach Bird (5.4 ppg), both juniors, give the Eagles two solid players to build around. Sophomores James Jewell (3.6 ppg) and Christian Spaulding (4.8 ppg) both played and contributed last season and should take on more important roles this season. I expect Jewell in particular to have a breakout season. The Eagles return several other players who saw action last year and add sophomore Charlie Storm, a transfer from Fern Creek. Veteran coach David Henley, who won a state championship at Covington Holmes, likes his team’s coachability. While it would be easy to say that the Eagles are a year away, it should be interesting to see how they progress over the course of this season. 6. Central Yellowjackets Veteran coach Doug Bibby always produces a competitive team, and last year was no different, with the Yellowjackets finishing 18-9 and beating the Male Bulldogs early in the season. I anticipate another solid year for Central. While the Yellowjackets will miss the likes of Josh Watkins (13.4 ppg) and Eric Rice (9.9 ppg), Devin Perry (12 ppg) and Shane Bibby (8.6 ppg) return for their junior seasons and will lead the way. Both are effective outside shooters, with Bibby shooting 37% and Perry 35.5% from 3-point range. Size may be an issue, but Coach Bibby has dealt with that issue before. 7. St. Xavier Tigers The Tigers suffered a significant loss in the off-season when it learned that last year’s leading scorer, Sebian Dillard (16.8 ppg), would not be back this season (he is enrolled at Lexington Henry Clay this year). But Coach Kevin Klein will focus not on what left but on what he has to work with this season. The leading returning scorer is Nicholas Mosley, who averaged 8.5 ppg last season. Also returning are talented sophomore Mekhi Smith (5.9 ppg) and senior Kyle Bansbach (4.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg). Both should see their production increase. Look for Coach Klein, who is in his 12th season as the Tigers’ head coach, to again put a competitive, hard-working squad on the floor. 8. Dupont Manual Crimsons Manual returns almost its entire roster from last season’s squad that won ten games. Leading the returnees will be one of the top players in the region in 6’7” Eli Roberts, who averaged 13.6 ppg and 6 rpg last season. A strong inside presence with good mobility, Roberts should have a good senior year. And Roberts will have help. Returning sophomore JuWuan Northington, who is having an outstanding season on the football field, averaged 6.5 ppg and 5.2 rpg last year. Also returning are Aaron Smith (junior, 6.9 ppg), Lesther Perez-Garay (senior, 4.9 ppg), Brendan Shene (junior, 4.3 ppg), and Zach Recktenwald (senior, 4.2 ppg). With veteran coach James Just, who has over 500 career victories, at the helm, and with the so many contributors returning, including the talented and hard-working Roberts, it will be interesting to see the level of success the Crimsons might achieve this year. 9. Seneca Redhawks Before looking ahead to this year, let’s take a moment to recognize the truly wonderful season the Redhawks had last year, finishing 19-11 and beating the likes of PRP, Bullitt East, Ballard, Central, and Male. Losing the athletic Richard Ninamou (17.1 ppg and 9.6 rpg) and big man Carl Parker (14.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg), along with Timothy Gordon (13.1 ppg) and Phillip Armstrong (8.7 ppg), will make it hard for Seneca to achieve the same level of success this year. Coach Miquel Coleman will look to Marcel Railey, who played in 26 games last season and averaged 3.8 ppg, and Trenton Findley, who played in 28 games at Male last year, to lead the way this season. While I don’t expect the Redhawks to achieve the same level of success as last year, they once again should be competitive. 10. Christian Academy of Louisville Centurions Coach Bryce Hibberd, who previously won a state championship with the Eastern Eagles, comes back for his second year as coach of the Centurions, who saw their win total increase from 6 in 2017-18 to 13 in 2018-19. CAL returns four of its five top scorers from last season in junior Braydon Daniels (8.9 ppg) and seniors Jacob Sangalli (8.2 ppg), Tyler McDaniel (7.9 ppg), and Nate Saettel (6.4 ppg). Coach Hibberd expects juniors Tyler Lagestee and Stephen Wearsch, both of whom saw substantial action last season, to increase their productivity. With the veteran Hibberd at the helm and with so much returning, CAL should improve on its 13-win total from last season. 11. Louisville Collegiate Titans The Titans return virtually everyone from last year’s squad that went 13-14. Collegiate will once again be led by 6’5” Chez Moore, who last year as a junior led the Titans in both scoring (14.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg). Moore is an athletic post player who at times is dominant against other All A schools. Senior Joey Leachman (10.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg) will join with Moore to form a formidable frontcourt for Collegiate. Senior Drew Manning (6.7 ppg) and junior point guard Cole Thompson (5.5 ppg) also return for the Titans. The Titans enter the season as the favorite to win the Seventh Region All A title this season. 12. Shawnee Golden Eagles Shawnee’s 11 wins last season were the most victories for a Golden Eagles team since the 2008-09 season and was the continuation of a 2-year increase in victories since the 2016-17 season when Shawnee won just one game. Coach Dionte Mucker returns for his second year as head coach, and he will welcome back last year’s leading scorer Josiah Bivens (12.6 ppg). Keyonie Rutledge (4.8 ppg) returns for his sophomore year and should see his offensive production increase. I’m rooting for the Golden Eagles to continue their streak of increased wins and top their win total of 11 from last season. 13. Kentucky Country Day Bearcats The Bearcats just missed out on having a winning season last year, finishing 14-15 on the season. KCD won the All A regional tournament, beating Collegiate 52-47 in the All A regional final. A trio of returning seniors are expected to lead the way for the Bearcats: Michael Collis (13.2 ppg), Anthony O’Neal (12.8 ppg, including a 32-point game against the Brown Bears), and Jalen Mathis (7.9 ppg). KCD averaged over 65 ppg as a team last season, and I expect the Bearcats to score a lot of points again this season. Look for KCD to again compete for the All A regional title this season and perhaps achieve the winning record that narrowly evaded the Bearcats last season. 14. Portland Christian Eagles The Eagles, who had a winning season at 16-14 last season, will be without their long-time centerpiece Quincy Dye, who averaged 18.1 ppg and 9.6 rpg last season. Also gone will be Michael Merideth and his 12.7 ppg. But the cupboard will not be bare for Portland Christian, with two double figure scorers returning in juniors Alex Steen (12.7 ppg) and Mason Skees (10.6 ppg). Juniors Ethan Heid (4.5 ppg) and Spencer Sheen (2.2 ppg), plus senior Charlie Niestadt (1.4 ppg), also saw significant minutes and return. The Eagles will be smaller this season, but they return enough to remain competitive in the smaller school circuit. 15. St. Francis Wyverns The Wyverns lost 5 players who played substantial minutes last season, including significant contributors Ahmad Moore (16.6 ppg, 10.2 rpg), Noah Sparks (11.3 ppg), and T.J. Richardson. Leading the returners is 6’3” junior Darian Wade, who averaged 10.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg last season and has the potential to improve on those numbers. Also returning is 6’0” senior guard Connor Gorman (6.8 ppg), who figures to be the main outside threat, although sophomore Stevaun Butler is expected to increase his minutes and production. The Wyverns also will look for increased production from 6’2” senior forward Bruce Hamilton in their effort to not backslide from last season’s 13-14 record. 16. Atherton Rebels The Rebels lost their top five scorers from last year’s team that went 5-22. The top returning scorer for Atherton is junior Da Von Johnson (4 ppg). The Rebels’ ability to improve on last season’s win total will turn on Johnson taking advantage of increased playing time and seeing who else might step up for the Rebels. Coach Mark Tudor expects Micah Speaks and Aarion McGinnis to come back from injuries and be major contributors. Coach Tudor also likes his group of sophomores. 17. Brown Bears Jai’rus Bibb (22.1 ppg) has graduated and certainly will be missed. But his cousin, Josiah Bibb (17.4 ppg last season), returns for his junior season and will lead the way for the Brown Bears. Josiah is only 247 points away from reaching 1000 points for his career. Coach Jermil Bibb expects senior Victor Henderson, who will join Josiah in the backcourt, to have a good season. Junior D. J. Armstrong, a transfer from Doss, should also contribute. Even with Jai’rus gone, look for the Brown Bears to play a fast, up-tempo style that will be fun to watch. 18. Walden Wolverines Walden welcomes back most of its team from the most successful year in school history, a season that produced an 18-10 record. Isiah Cargill, who averaged almost 20 ppg for the games for which statistics were reported to the KHSAA, returns for his senior year and will be joined by juniors Van Clements (11.9 ppg) and Ty High (8.3 ppg). I am pleased to see that Walden will be playing more Seventh Region teams this season to allow a more accurate assessment as to how they stack up against the other small schools in the area. It should be another successful year for the Wolverines. PLAYER RANKINGS 1. Howard Fleming, 6’5”, senior, Male With injuries hopefully behind him, Fleming will be free to show his multiple talents. Holds multiple Division I offers. 2. Tyren Moore, 5’11”, senior, Male Best offensive player in the region. A 45.5% 3-point shooter last season. 3. Rashad Bishop, 6’6”, senior, Ballard Strong inside presence on both ends of the floor. Averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg last season. 4. Noah Courtney, 6’5”, senior, Male Best inside player for the Bulldogs who averaged 10 ppg and 7.1 rpg last season. 5. Eli Roberts, 6’7”, senior, Manual Athletic player with good size who can score from both inside and outside. Averaged 13.6 ppg last year. 6. Ethan Hodge, 6’1”, junior, Trinity Top returnee for the state champion Shamrocks whose 6.6 ppg average from last season will increase. Good athlete who also is a standout on the baseball field. . 7. Jake Evans, 6’1”, senior, Male Solid point guard who can also score (8.9 ppg last season) will run the show for the very talented Male Bulldogs. 8. Dallas Rufus, 6’2”, senior, Waggener Talented point guard who will lead the balanced Waggener attack. Should see his scoring rise from last season’s 7.5 ppg clip. 9. Chez Moore, 6’5”, senior, Collegiate Athletic post player got a lot done for the Titans last season, averaging 15.2 ppg and 8.3 rpg. 10. Lewis Richards, 6’1”, senior, Ballard The Bruins’ main outside threat who averaged 10.8 ppg and 4.2 apg last season.

Louisville Male's Tyren Moore has committed to attend Lincoln Memorial University. Moore shot 45.5% from 3-point range last season and averaged 17.9 ppg. He is an offensive machine, and a lot of fun to watch.

I will defer to others who are more knowledgeable about the 8th Region than I am, but it is hard for me to believe that North Oldham, with Justin Powell, will only be the sixth best team in the region.

I had heard that he might be transferring. Thanks for confirming that. That definitely is a big hit for St. X.

Male will definitely start the season as the team to beat. Coach Haworth will be in his second season with a very talented and deep roster. Tyren Moore and a healthy Howard Fleming will be fun to watch, although there will be many contributors for the Bulldogs in 2019-20. Trinity and Waggener both lost a lot of starters. But Coach Szabo and Coach O'Neill have built programs and I suspect both will once again be at the top of the region. Ethan Hodge will be a player to watch for Trinity. Ballard returns a lot, including Josh Minkins, who will play Division I football. As always, you can expect Ballard to be at the top of the Region. Central also will be competitive under Coach Bibby. Teams I expect to move forward from last year include St. X, with Sebian Dillard leading the way; Christian Academy, which returns most of its roster for Bryce Hibbard's second year as coach; Eastern, which played several young players last season; and Collegiate, which returns most of its significant contributors, including Chez Moore. But at this point, Male looks like it should be the best of the bunch.

He played for Ballard this past season as an 8th grader. I don't think he played for Ballard as a 7th grader.

Thanks for this news. A very talented player who joins a Male team with a senior class that already had it the likely no. 1 team in the Seventh Region.

Did Michael Moreno not try out?

Justin Powell played at Trinity last season as a sophomore, averaging 11.4 ppg and shooting 50.8% from 3-point range (64/126). He started this season at Monteverde but only played a few games before retuning to Kentucky and enrolling at North Oldham, his home school. He sat out the rest of the season but will be ready to go next season. Being recruited by high Division I schools. I believe he took an unofficial visit to UK last weekend.

Totally agree about North Oldham. Justin Powell is a high Division 1 college player. Put him together with the younger players North Oldham has coming back, and perhaps others, and North Oldham looks to be pretty good next year.

Male definitely should be at or near the top of the list, but I concur that Ballard should not be overlooked. Walter Johnson, Ballard's leading scorer, will be gone, but all of their other top scorers return. One key will be whether Kaleb Glenn, an 8th grader who saw quite a bit of playing time this season, will be at Ballard or elsewhere next year.

David Johnson of the state champion Trinity Shamrocks was named MVP of the Sweet Sixteen. I have had the pleasure of watching Johnson playing several times this year and have developed a tremendous respect for him and his game. He is a deserving champion and deserving MVP.

Congratulations to Trinity and Coach Szabo. Very deserving champions. I have enjoyed watching them this season.

Four different players have led Trinity in scoring the last 4 games.

Now in his 18th season, and with one state championship to his credit, Coach Mike Szabo has the Trinity Shamrocks back in the State Tournament for the second year in a row. Last year’s visit ended in the first round when Scott County beat Trinity 54-53. The Rocks hope, and expect, to be around Lexington longer this year. Trinity was the top-ranked team in the Seventh Region for the entire season and comes into the state tournament as one of the favorites. Led by University of Louisville signee David Johnson, Trinity won its first eight games this season before Johnson got hurt in a King of the Bluegrass game against Collins and fell to the Titans 60-58. Without Johnson, the Rocks dropped four out of their next six games, including a 56-53 loss to Scott County, who was playing without Michael Moreno. After Johnson’s return, Trinity went 16-3 the rest of the way, the three losses being to Henry Clay, Male, and Waggener. Trinity's record currently stands at 26-8. Trinity has played well in the post-season, avenging those losses to Male and Waggener on their way to once again facing the Ballard Bruins in the Seventh Region championship game. In beating the Bruins 59-37, Trinity showed it is ready for the state tournament. Those who will be seeing David Johnson in person for the first time are in for a treat. A 6’5” athletic point guard, Johnson led the Rocks in scoring (16.2 ppg), rebounding (7.2 rpg), and assists. A 36.4% 3-point shooter over the course of the season, Johnson can score from all over the floor while also getting everyone else on the team involved. Don’t be surprised to see Johnson lead Trinity deep into the tournament. But Trinity is far from a one-man team. Stan Turnier is a 6’4” wing player who averaged 11.9 ppg and is Trinity’s best outside shooter. Turnier, who has accepted a preferred walk-on spot with the University of Georgia for next season, is also a solid defender. Trinity has other players who can step up and have big offensive nights. For example, Kolton Rice is a 5’9” guard who averaged 7.7 ppg. Against Ballard in the Seventh Region championship game, Rice was 9 for 11 from the field, including 3 for 3 on 3-point shooting, and scored a total of 25 points. Jamil Hardaway is a 6’3” senior who averaged 8.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg (second highest on the team). Guard Kamari Kenemore (6’0”) averaged 5.4 ppg but had a season-high 21 points earlier in the season against Fern Creek. Sophomore Ethan Hodge, 6’1”, is usually the first player off the bench and averaged 6.8 ppg but scored 15 points or more 6 times this season. All that is fine and good, but Trinity does not try to win by simply scoring more points than you. Instead, Trinity tries to keep you from scoring. While averaging 61 ppg on the offensive end, Trinity is limiting the opposition to 46.6 ppg for the season. So Trinity comes into the state tournament as a well-coached, healthy, experienced team playing well both offensively and defensively, led by perhaps the best player in the state. I like their chances.

Yep. I have been to a lot of basketball games at a lot of levels, but I have never seen/heard an eruption like the one following that shot. As Trinity Alum reported, Trinity ended up winning that game in overtime. Trinity then beat St. X in the final.

I thought this year would be different. The Waggener Wildcats had their best season ever. They had only lost 3 times this season, an early season loss to St. X and two subsequent losses to Trinity. It had beaten Ballard 80-74 on December 4, the first time Waggener had ever beaten Ballard. Their collection of seniors, led by JJ Kalakon, is the best group of seniors in the Seventh Region. This was going to be the Wildcats’ year. If Waggener wants to see the Seventh Region championship game, they will need to stand in line and buy tickets to the game, just like every other non-participant. The Male Bulldogs were playing better than anyone else going into the post-season. Male’s junior class is considered the best in the state. Once Howard Fleming returned from off-season shoulder surgery, Male looked like the best team in the Seventh Region. Within a 7-day stretch late in the regular season, Male beat both Trinity and Ballard. The Bulldogs were the hottest team around. Perhaps Waggener will pick up some tickets for Male, because the Bulldogs also will need them to get into the Seventh Region championship game. So here we are, where we have been so many other times: Trinity v. Ballard for the Seventh Region championship. So who wins? Well, Ballard has won the Seventh Region championship in every odd-numbered year since 2013. Plus, Ballard beat Trinity 69-65 in the King of the Bluegrass tournament, although that was during the stretch when David Johnson was out with an injury. Both teams are extremely well-coached and will play tremendous defense. As to who might be able to generate more offense in the face of such defense, I give the edge to Trinity. A lot of the reason is David Johnson, who will be the best player on the floor. If he shoots from the outside as he did against Male and Eastern (a combined 6 for 12 on 3-point shooting), Trinity should win. Even if he does not shoot that well, his all-around game makes everyone around him better. For that reason, I think Trinity will win something like 58-50. But then again, it is an odd-numbered year . . . .

Yep. Sorry I did not catch that when I was proofreading my initial post.