15th Region

How many blocks with Cozart end his career with (rough estimate)? I read he is on pace to break all-time KY record, but unless he sets it real high will probably be short lived. Freshman Trey James of Sheldon Clark is averaging about 7 blocks a game and had quite a few last season as an 8th grader. I estimate Trey will be at 600 or higher by close of his career (Watched him get 12 or so more last night versus Betsy Layne). Just curious as I like to follow these records as players careers progress.

Overview: With just one week to go in the regular season, the 15th Region has seen Pikeville really slip since the loss of Byers, Johnson Central begin to peak at just the right time, Floyd Central continue to be competitive against the toughest schedule in the region, and Belfry remain red hot. This is the first week Pikeville has not been the top team in the region and the first week we have seen multiple buzzer beats decide games. Let’s check out the rankings and what happened in a wild week eleven! Rankings: 1. Shelby Valley (19-7) – The Wildcats continue to roll and after a 3-0 week eleven mark, move into the top spot in the region. Wins over Lawrence County (28 points), Jenkins (36 points) and the one of the hottest teams in the region on the road in Belfry (3 points) let us know this team will be a force in the regional tournament and are a true contender to cut down the nets at the EXPO center in a few weeks. Shelby Valley plays extremely hard and have key players in every position. Blake Burke is the straw that stirs the drink and Cody Potter can score and shoot the ball with anyone in the state. With the rest of the team being stars in their roles, it will be tough for anyone to beat the Wildcats. Shelby Valley has won five in a row and eight of their last nine. Looking to close the season strong, Valley will travel to Magoffin County and host Sheldon Clark to close out the regular season. 2. Pikeville (18-8) – The Panthers are not the same team without lynchpin Cade Byers (broke hand in All-A Championship), going 4-5 since the injury. Week eleven saw Pikeville go 1-2 with their worst “in-region” loss of the season to Johnson Central (51-68: never led in the game) and a loss to Pike Central on the last play of the game (52-54). The Pike Central game ended in dramatic fashion, Wyatt Battaile hit a 3FG with 3s left to play to tie the game. Following a timeout, Pike Central senior guard Seth Conn (also starting QB) threw a full court pass to the opposite block where it was caught and scored in one motion by Levard Missick as time expired. Pikeville was able to bounce back with a win at home against Madison Southern. In that game, Wyatt Battaile eclipsed the 2,000-point mark for his career. This team plays hard and Battaile is still the best player in the region (getting close to 30 points and 10 rebounds every night), but something is missing since Byers went down. Two quality opponents to close out the regular season give Pikeville a chance to make the necessary adjustments and rediscover themselves as they travel to Boyd County and close at home with Paintsville. 3. Floyd Central (15-11) – The Jaguars went 0-3 in week eleven but have played the toughest schedule of any team in the region. Losses to North Laurel (11 points: led by 10 at half), Frederick Douglas (13 points) and Scott County (25 points) all on the road are how this week went for Floyd Central. The slow pace prevents them from coming back when down, but on the flip side, makes them very difficult to beat when they have the lead late. A three game home stand will close out the regular season for the Jaguars as they welcome in Johnson Central, Belfry and Huntington St. Joseph before the district tournament. Only one team (Henry Clay) has been able to come into the new gym and beat Floyd Central as they look to close on a high note. 4. Johnson Central (14-12) – The Golden Eagles are rolling right now and went 2-0 in week eleven with a 17-point win over Pikeville and (68-51) and a 5-point win over cross town and 57th district rival Paintsville (60-55). This is coming off a 42-point win on the road at Sheldon Clark in week ten. In the Pikeville game JC put four players in double figures led by Jacob Rice with 20 points (Gabe Ferrel 17 points, Isaiah May 13 points, Cory VanHoose 12 points). Freshman Isaiah May owned the boards with a career high 12 rebounds. JC again saw balanced scoring in the Paintsville game as Jacob Rice paced the Golden Eagles with 21 points (Isaiah May 11 points, Dalton Collins 11 points and career high 10 rebounds). This team is very young, very talented and starting to peak at the perfect time. They have four players averaging double figures on the season and are now a real threat to win a wide open region. The final week of the season with see JC be tested yet again as they travel to Floyd Central, host Bath County then travel to Pike Central to close out the year. 5. Pike Central (22-7) – The Hawks went 2-2 in week eleven with losses to Belfry and Harlan County on the road by ten points and two points respectively and wins over Phelps (33 points) and Pikeville (2 points on final play of game). This team is led by senior transfer Christian Mounts (Phelps) and if he is on they are very difficult to beat. Mounts joined the 2,000 point club in the loss to Harlan County this week. The Pikeville game was one for the ages as QB Seth Conn made a full court pass with 3s to play to Levard Missick who caught and laid the ball in using one motion as time expired. It was the first time in nearly a decade that Pike Central has beaten Pikeville in boys’ basketball. The Belfry loss locked Pike Central into the two seed in the 60th District Tournament where they will face Phelps. Pike Central has one final test in week twelve as Johnson Central comes to town for senior night. Pike Central has split with Johnson Central in two contest on the season. 6. Belfry (15-10) – Belfry is one of the hottest teams in the 15th Region winning nine of their last eleven games including going 3-1 in week eleven with wins over Pike Central (10 points), Paintsville (2 points – Isiah Roblee hit buzzer beater in overtime), Betsy Layne (9 points) and a loss to Shelby Valley (3 points). The Paintsville game was incredible as the Pirates overcame a 37-point performance from Mason Moore to get an overtime win. Down by one point with just a few seconds to play, Belfry was able to go the length of the floor for a fade away corner 3FG from Roblee over multiple defenders (falling into his own bench) as time expired. Belfry is long, physical, athletic and will be very difficult to beat for anyone in the tournament. The Pirates close the season with East Ridge, Floyd Central and Tug Valley (all on the road) then Jenkins at home. 7. Paintsville (18-7) – The Tigers went 0-2 in week eleven with an overtime loss on the road to Belfry (75-77) on a miracle shot at the buzzer by Isiah Roblee and a loss to cross town rival Johnson Central (60-65). The Tigers played both games without their star and team leader Seth Williams (possible walking pneumonia) but still had a chance to win both contests. Mason Moore scored a career high in the Belfry game by dropping in 37 points (mostly on foul shots) and James Allen led the team in the Johnson Central game by scoring 14 points, Moore had 11. The Tigers have some time off as they don’t play until Friday of week twelve when the travel to Pikeville to close out the regular season. 8. Betsy Layne (11-14) – The Bobcats opened a four game home stand in week eleven, but went 0-3 in the games thus far. Losses to Leslie County, Belfry and Lynn Camp are not the way you want to close out the season, especially knowing your facing a hot Prestonsburg team in the first round of districts, but the games were all very close and competitive. Betsy Layne gets consistent post play and rebounding, but inconsistent shooting and ball handling. A great test of that post play will come in the form of Trey James and Sheldon Clark in week twelve as Betsy Layne closes out the regular season with the Cardinals and what will be a sure win in the form of Lee County. 9. Sheldon Clark (8-18) – The Cardinals have the most dominate post player in the region in Trey James, but are really struggling right now. Sheldon Clark went 0-2 in week eleven and have dropped nine of their last ten (2-11 since the new year). In a surprising upset, Sheldon Clark lost in overtime to Prestonsburg then followed it up with a 24-point loss at home to Knott Central. The guard play against pressure seems to be Sheldon Clark’s kryptonite. The good news is there are four more games to right the ship. In week twelve the Cardinals will become road warriors as they travel to Betsy Layne, Lawrence County, Shelby Valley and Huntington St. Joseph Prep. This will be a good chance to start playing better before they meet Johnson Central in the first round of districts. 10. Magoffin County (8-18) – Magoffin County is a scary team and getting better at the right time. They have won three of their last four including going 2-0 in week eleven. Dominate wins on the road versus Jenkins and Lawrence County show that the Hornets might be figuring things out at just the right time. They have been in a bunch of close games against really good teams all year, but found a way to lose. Perhaps now Brady Whitaker and company are finding a way to win! Magoffin County will close out the season at home with Shelby Valley and Prestonsburg then get ready for Paintsville in the opening round of districts. 11. Prestonsburg (11-16) – Prestonsburg had their best week of the year going 3-1. They picked up a huge win over Lawrence County to obtain the three seed in the 58th district tournament, but more importantly avoid Floyd Central in the first round, a win over Sheldon Clark in overtime and a win against Piarist. The Blackcats only loss came to East Ridge on the road. Prestonsburg will look to build on this momentum in the final week as they travel to June Buchanan, Magoffin County and Jenkins. They will have a chance to win all three games. 12. Lawrence County (8-20) – The Bulldogs went 0-4 in week eleven and are on a downward trend to near the end of the season losing eight of their last ten. This week they lost all four games by an average of over 15 points. The loss to Prestonsburg early in the week locked them into the four seed in the 58th district tournament and a date with Floyd Central at Floyd Central to open tournament play. This will almost certainly be the end of their season, but they do have a chance to close with a regular season win as they host Sheldon Clark in their only game of the final week of the season. 13. East Ridge (8-16) – The Warriors went 2-0 in week eleven with double digit wins over both Piarist and Prestonsburg in the first two games of a five game home stand to close out the season. Belfry, Phelps and Mountain Mission (VA) will close out the season for East Ridge as they look to begin playing well going into districts. They are still awaiting a coin flip between Pikeville and Shelby Valley to see who they play in the 59th District Tournament. 14. Phelps (9-20) – The Hornets went 1-2 in week eleven with two blow-out losses to Pike Central and Jackson County (both at home) and a win on the road versus Hurley, VA. The manner in how they lost at home (both by 20 plus points) does not bode well moving toward districts. They will face East Ridge on the road this week to close out the regular season. 15. Jenkins (0-23) – Two more losses in week eleven for the Cavaliers. The will have one more legitimate chance to get a win when June Buchanan comes to town this week (June Buchanan beat Jenkins 81-71 at home earlier in the season in a game that was tied half way through 4th). If they don’t get that game, expect a winless season. 16. Piarist (3-22) – Piarist knocked off Riverside Christian for the second time this season in week eleven. This will likely their last win of the season as they travel to Buckhorn, Rose Hill and Breathitt County in the final week of the regular season. They will face Belfry in the first round of the 60th district tournament when the post season begins. Last season they skipped the district tournament (forfeit) in order to go on a skiing trip.

Crazy shot to win it at the buzzer by Roblee (falling out of bounds and into his own bench over an athletic defender). Search "Belfry Basketball" on twitter if you would like to see the video

Overview: Ten weeks are in the books and district tournaments begin in just fourteen days across the state. At this point in the season sports fans usually have the regional winners narrowed down to two or maybe three favorites, but that’s not the case in the 15th. Seven teams have a legitimate shot at winning the region this season. Let’s see what happened after ten weeks of play. Rankings: 1. Pikeville (17-6) – The Panthers went 2-1 in week ten with wins over Jenkins and Harlan County (away and home respectively) and a loss on the road to Floyd Central 49-58. In the Floyd Central game, the Jaguars jumped out to an early 15-2 lead and never looked back. Pikeville has locked up a regular season share of the 59th district and pending a coin flip will play either East Ridge or Jenkins in the district tourney. Week eleven will see Pikeville travel to Johnson Central and Pike Central before hosting Madison Southern as they continue to reinvent themselves after the loss of Cade Byers to injury. 2. Floyd Central (15-8) – After the loss to Paintsville, Floyd Central seems to have found their stride going 3-0 in week ten and winning five of their last six games. In week ten, they defeated a Pikeville team 58-49 in a game they complete controlled from tip to final horn, then knocked off Lawrence County on the road by five and Huntington St. Joe Prep at home. The brutal schedule continues in week eleven as the Jaguars hit the road for four straight games as they travel to North Laurel, Magoffin County, Frederick Douglass and Scott County. This team is still a strong favorite to win the region regardless of what a brutal week eleven brings. 3. Shelby Valley (16-7) – The Wildcats went 3-1 in week ten with dominating wins over Phelps, East Ridge and Magoffin County and a loss on the road to Tug Valley, WV. The wins were against less than stellar competition and the loss was against one of West Virginia’s best in a difficult place for any opponent to win at. Lawrence County (home), Jenkins and Belfry (road) are on the docket in week eleven for Shelby Valley. They will be favored to win out the rest of the season and will all but certainly share a top seed in the 59th with Pikeville. 4. Paintsville (18-5) – The Tigers are rolling, going 2-0 in week ten with a huge home win over district rival Johnson Central and an absolute blow-out (45 points) of Greenup County. The win over Johnson Central locked up the district number one seed and a date with Magoffin County in the 57th tourney. In that game, Paintsville never led until late in the 4th and trailed by as many as eleven near the end of the 3rd quarter. The Tigers were led by Seth Williams and Nick Keeton (21 rebounds) as they took their first lead of the game with 2 minutes to play. They were able to fend off two underneath-out-of-bounds sets by JC in the final 20s to seal the victory. Paintsville will be on the road at Belfry and Johnson Central in week eleven. 5. Pike Central (20-5) – The Hawks went 1-1 in week eleven and have the most wins in the region against a suspect schedule. Their eight game win streak was snapped at home by district rival Belfry in a big way as they were dominated 50-73, but the Hawks bounced back with a 25-point win over Prestonsburg. Week eleven will see Pike Central play four games as they travel to Belfry and Phelps, host Pikeville, then travel to Harlan County. Despite Pike Central having only two quality wins in region (Paintsville at home: Johnson Central on the road – trailed by double digits in both games), they have the ability to beat anyone on a given night. 6. Johnson Central (12-12) – The Golden Eagles went 1-2 in week ten with losses to both Magoffin County and Paintsville on the road and a record setting win at Sheldon Clark. JC dropped two big district games in which they led by double figures late in the game (Led by 11 late in the 3rd at Paintsville, led by 18 late in the third at Magoffin County). In the Paintsville game, Coach McKenzie benched his regular starters, electing to go with the reserves. The move was designed to inspire his team and seemed to work as the starters entered with the lead 1-0 just two minutes into the game. JC was unable to keep key personnel out of foul trouble and unable to close as Paintsville battled back and eventually won. In the Magoffin County game, JC opened big, playing all 15 players in the first half and took a 14-point lead to the break. In the second half they quickly extended the lead to 18 before Magoffin County star Brady Whitaker caught fire scoring 39 second half points (7 made 3FG – game high 44 points). Magoffin took their first lead late in that ball game as well. After giving away two straight games, the Golden Eagles traveled to Sheldon Clark with a purpose and lead 62-32 at half (scored 87 points through three quarters) and ran away with the game. JC’s junior standout Jacob Rice eclipsed 1,000 points for his career in the game and the team broke the school record for most made 3FG (now at 17). Johnson Central is capable of winning the region if they can close out games. Week eleven will be big for them as they host Pikeville, Paintsville and Ashland. Three quality opponents to let us know if they are peaking and contenders or slumping and pretenders. 7. Belfry (12-9) – The Pirates went 3-1 in week ten with wins over Pike Central, Phelps (overtime) and Piarist. Their loss came on the road to North Laurel by 31 points. Belfry is physical, has shooting and don’t mind playing slow or fast. They are a sleeper in the region with ability to beat anyone. Week elevens with see them host Pike Central for the district top overall seed, host Paintsville, travel to Betsy Layne and host Shelby Valley in that order. Belfry could get rolling at just the right time with another good week. 8. Sheldon Clark (8-16) – The Cardinals knocked off Magoffin County at home then got blasted by 42 at the hands of Johnson Central (both games at home). Johnson Central is who Sheldon Clark will face in the district opener as the three seed. Trey James continues to be dominate in the post when they can get him the ball as triple doubles seem to come every other game. Sheldon Clark will look to right the ship in week eleven as they have Prestonsburg and Knott Central. 9. Betsy Layne (11-11) – The Bobcats had a perfect 3-0 week, pushing their record to .500 this late in the season for the first time in a long time. Wins over Phelps, Prestonsburg and Jackson City were not eye openers, but maybe exactly what this team needed at exactly the right time. They have solid post play and streaky shooting from deep and will look to develop that even more in week eleven open a four game home stand with Leslie County, Belfry and Lynn Camp. 10. Magoffin County (6-18) – The Hornets went 1-2 in week ten with losses to Sheldon Clark (by 24) and Shelby Valley (by 17) and the perhaps the biggest upset in regional play to Johnson Central 84-81. In the JC game standout Brady Whitaker scored 44 points to include 39 in the second half (7 made 3FG), bringing his team back from down 18 mid-way through the third quarter. In fact, Whitaker scored 39 in the second half and Johnson Central only scored 35. The win shows that Magoffin County still has a lot of fight to them and the ability to knock off anyone on a given night. Although the win was surprising, it probably shouldn’t be. They took Paintsville to the wire on the road before falling, took Perry Central to the wire before falling, and should have beat Morgan County but missed a lay-up under 5s. If they put four full quarters together they pull another upset in districts. They are the four seed in the 57th and will face Paintsville. 11. Lawrence County (8-16) – The Bulldogs went 2-1 in week ten with wins over Greenup County and Tolsia, WV and very close home loss to district foe Floyd Central to close out their four game home stand. They have a huge game with Prestonsburg in week eleven with the loser taking the four seed in district and getting Floyd Central in the first round. They also play Shelby Valley, Magoffin County and Paris during the week. This team is very scrappy and could find a way into the regional tournament. 12. Prestonsburg (8-15) – The Blackcats nearly knocked off Betsy Layne on the road in week ten, but ultimately went 0-2 on the week with another loss to Pike Central. It’s still unknown who will face Floyd Central in the first round of districts, but that will be determined by the outcome of their Lawrence County game in week ten. They also face Sheldon Clark, East Ridge and Piarist during the week. Needless to say, the Lawrence County game is huge for first year boy’s Head Coach Brandon Gearheart. 13. East Ridge (6-16) – The Warriors went 0-2 in week ten and have dropped four in a row. This young squad competes hard but just doesn’t have the fire power to play with better teams a full 32 minutes. Week eleven will see Piarist and Prestonsburg come to Lick Creek in two games that could get them rolling in the right direction. They will be the 3 seed in district play and face either Pikeville or Shelby Valley. 14. Phelps (8-18) – The Hornets went 1-3 in week ten with losses to Shelby Valley, Betsy Layne and Belfry and a win over Fairview. The Betsy Layne loss was by 5 points and the Belfry loss was in overtime after Trey Francis hit a 3FG at the buzzer after dribbling the length of the floor. Phelps is locked into the 3 seed in the 60th district and will face either Belfry or Pike Central in the tournament. For now they face Pike Central, Hurley, VA and Jackson County in week eleven. 15. Jenkins (0-21) – The long year continues for Jenkins as they dropped two more at home in less than competitive fashion. Pikeville and Bell County both held the Cavaliers under 40 points. The current nine game home stand rolls on in week eleven as Magoffin County, Jackson City, Shelby Valle, and Owsley County all come to town. Hopefully a win is in the future for Jenkins. 16. Piarist (2-20) – The Knights picked up their second win of the season in week ten by knocking off Riverside Christian 49-46. Both wins on the year have come over Riverside Christian and they still play each other one more time. Despite having two wins, Piarist would be double digit underdogs to Jenkins. Agree or Disagree?

Can't seed the state tournament without seeding entire state IMO. If its about getting the best teams to the final four and rewarding them for a great season why do they get eliminated at district or regional level when they would walk through 5 or more other regions easily. Don't stacked regions and districts eliminate teams early in the big tourney? Like Ballard, StX, and Trinty in 7th or Scott County and LCA and LexCath in the 11th. Can't seed just state tourney. Seed the whole thing or none of it from my perspective. Thoughts?

Overview: The top two teams in the region both fell to regional competition for the first time in the same week. Pikeville went down in the first round of the All-A State tournament and suffered a key injury to a player that may have regional title implications, Paintsville picked up a statement win on the eve of their biggest game of the year, Floyd Central has impressive athletes but plays an unimpressive style, and Pike Central knocked off Johnson Central for the first time in the Coach Whitaker era. Let’s see how the rankings have been shaken up after nine weeks of play. Rankings: 1. Pikeville (15-5) – The Panthers won the 15th Region All-A but went 1-2 in week nine. After knocking off Shelby Valley on Sunday (week eight) in the All-A final by 22, the two rivals met on Tuesday in a district seeded game at Shelby Valley (All-A did not have district implications). Pikeville lost by 12 without the services of Senior big man Cade Byers. Byers broke his hand on a poster dunk late in the All-A final Sunday (out 4-6 weeks – could miss remainder of season). Two days later Pikeville lost to Somerset in the first round of the All-A State tournament. The loss of Byers drastically changes the dynamic for Pikeville as he was a rim protector, post scorer, and great help defender for a team that primarily only played six. Pikeville was able to bounce back with an 82-41 win versus East Ridge later in week nine. The loss to Shelby Valley is unique, however, in that the first tie breaker for the #1 overall seed in the 59th district is point spread and both teams split, winning by the same margin of 12 points. This will likely result in a coin flip for the top overall seed if both Pikeville and Shelby Valley win out their district seeded games as expected. In week ten Pikeville will travel to Floyd Central and Jenkins before hosting Harlan County. The Floyd Central game will be interesting without Byers as they are big, strong and physical. 2. Shelby Valley (13-6) – The Wildcats jump up into the two spot after going 2-0 in week nine with wins over Pikeville and East Ridge in 59th seeded competition (coupled with a Floyd Central loss – see below). Shelby Valley continues to play hard despite reduced production from Sophomore standout Cody Potter. Blake Burke has emerged as one of the surprises of the season and typically leads Shelby Valley offensively night in and night out. This team plays hard and has shown the ability to beat the powers in the region albeit at home. Week ten will begin a four game home stand as the Wildcats welcome in Phelps, East Ridge and Magoffin County. They will be heavily favored in all three contest. 3. Floyd Central (12-8) – The Jaguars have played a brutal schedule and until this week firmly held the number two spot in the region behind Pikeville. Week nine saw them easily defeat 58th District rivals Betsy Layne and Lawrence County before falling to Paintsville on the road by 16. When watching the Paintsville game, it becomes clear that Floyd Central is somewhat of an enigma. They have superior athletes, depth, and plenty of size and seniors on the roster, but walk the ball up and down the floor and play a slow style. This backfired against a hot shooting Paintsville as the Jaguars shot poorly from beyond the three-point line and had no real way to get themselves back into the game without pressing or pushing pace. There are many ways to play basketball and if executed correctly, none better than the other depending on preference. Floyd Central’s style sometimes keeps teams in games but it is just one contest and Paintsville is much improved so no reason to throw up the white flag. Week ten gets no easier as they host Pikeville in a revenge game from earlier in the season, travel to Lawrence County, then host Huntington St. Joe’s Prep. The Pikeville game will be interesting the with Byer’s injury (see Pikeville content) and dominate inside play of Brady Conn. This team will be tough to beat come tournament time regardless of record. 4. Pike Central (19-4) – The Hawks went 4-0 in week nine, hold the current longest win streak in the region at eight games, and have more wins than anyone else in the 15th. Week nine saw them defeat Johnson Central, Piarist, Phelps and Tolsia, WV. The final three games were not competitive in the least, but the Johnson Central game was an excellent test. JC had defeated Pike Central earlier in the season by 11 (had them down 18 late in the 4th) and early in the game it seemed more of the same was coming, this time on JC’s home floor. Pike Central trailed most of the game and by as many as 10 with 7 minutes to play. But Christian Mounts got hot in the 3rd (17 points) to keep them close and 6’6’’ Senior Levard Missick had an amazing game with 16 points, 30 rebounds (not a typo), 5 blocks and 4 assists (Mounts led all scorers with 27). After Johnson Central scored the first six points of the 4th quarter, Pike Central answered in a big way, ending the game on a 21-6 run to win. Missick is the first player in the state to have 30 rebounds in a game since Justin Johnson of Perry Central (currently at WKU) accomplished the feat during the 2013-2014 season. Needless to say Pike Central is rolling right now and will finish out a five game home stand in week ten by hosting Belfry and Prestonsburg. This week will be the first time Belfry and Pike Central have met this season and there could be fireworks as both programs has strong disdain for one another. 5. Paintsville (16-5) – Paintsville has the second most wins in the region, have won six of their last seven, and went 2-0 in week nine with wins over Magoffin County and Floyd Central (both at home). The playmaking and great shooting of Seth Williams continues to fuel to Tigers as demonstrated in against Floyd Central where he hit 7 consecutive shots from between the 2nd and 3rd quarters against a set defensive (from driving, contested paint shots, to deep 3FG’s and pull up jumpers). The Tigers play hard and are quickly moving up the rankings showing the rest of the region they are a legitimate contender for the regional crown. Week ten will see district rival Johnson Central and Greenup County come to Bill Mike Runyon Court as the Tigers finish off their current four game home stand. The JC/Paintsville game will probably see 5,000 people try to fit in a 2,000-person arena as it is one of the best rivalries in the state year-in and year-out regardless of records. Paintsville and Johnson Central as both undefeated in district play and this game has huge implications on the coveted top overall seed in the 57th District. 6. Johnson Central (11-10) – Like Floyd Central and Pikeville, Johnson Central has played a very difficult schedule this season when compared to the rest of the region. Week nine saw them go 1-1 with a home loss to Pike Central and a win on the road at Buckhorn. The Pike Central loss was the first loss at home in nearly 3 seasons since Hawks beat the Golden Eagles in December of 2016. JC blew a double digit lead late with poor offensive execution and lack of discipline on defense. They were able to bounce back with a solid win in a hostile environment at Buckhorn where all five starters were able to score in double figures for the first time in nearly 5 years. JC will have three huge games in week ten. All district opponents, all on the road as they face Paintsville, Magoffin County, and Sheldon Clark in that order. If this young, extremely talented squad, can find their stride in the final three weeks of the regular season look for them to make a run at another trip to Rupp as they have the talent and coaching to beat anyone in the 15th. 7. Belfry (9-8) – The Pirates went 3-0 in week nine with wins at home over Prestonsburg and Phelps, followed by a heated win on the road at Sheldon Clark. The first two games were easy double digit wins, but the Sheldon Clark game featured a few technical fouls, a few intentional fouls, and a lot of fans ready to go at each other. It’s unclear what happened exactly, but social media paints a picture that suggests both sides of the stands showed less than stellar sportsmanship. Nonetheless the Pirates walked away with a win 69-63. Belfry will look to keep their momentum rolling as they face Pike Central, Phelps, Piarist and North Laurel in week ten. The Phelps and Piarist games should be easy victories, but when the go to Pike Central they will face the hottest team in the 15th in an environment where no one likes them. Follow that up with North Laurel on the road and anything above 2-2 will be an exceptional week for the Pirates. 8. Sheldon Clark (7-15) – The Cardinals have one of the best prospects in the class of 2021 in Trey James and solid guard play from 8th grader Brady Dingess, but it has not translated to wins as Coach James in looking at his second 20 loss season in his first three years as a Head Coach. Week nine saw Sheldon Clark go 0-3 with losses to Hazard by 29, Boyd County by 10 (both on the road) and Belfry by 6 (at home). The Belfry game was hotly contested (See Belfry above) with the Cardinals unable to get over the hump. Sheldon Clark has lost six in a row and eight of their last nine and it does not get any easier in week ten as they host Magoffin County, travel to the Huntington Invitational (opponent TBD) then host rival Johnson Central. Hopefully Coach James and the gang can get on the win train and snap their losing streak this week as they will be favored in at least the Magoffin County game. 9. Betsy Layne (8-11) – The Bobcats went 0-1 in week nine with a 23-point loss to Floyd Central, but Floyd Central has been doing that to everyone in the 58th district this season. This team has a real chance to make it to the regional tournament if they can get either the two or three seed in the 58th District Tournament and away from the Jaguars (locked up the top overall seed). Betsy Layne has Phelps, Prestonsburg, and Jackson City in week ten. If they win the Pburg game, they assure themselves either the two or three seed. This is a very important game for them at home. 10. Prestonsburg (8-13) – The Blackcats have been playing much better of late and had a good week nine going 2-1. They lost to Belfry, then defeated Jackson City and Lawrence County on the road to keep their hopes of getting into the 2/3 game in the 58th (and away from Floyd Central) alive. The current two game win streak is the longest of the season as they look to keep it rolling in a huge week ten that will see Prestonsburg travel to Betsy Layne and Pike Central, then host Lawrence County. If they can defeat Lawrence County or Betsy Layne, they will likely assure themselves the 2/3 game in the 58th and give themselves a realistic chance to make it to the regional tournament. 11. Lawrence County (6-15) – The Bulldogs went 0-2 in week nine and have dropped five or their last six games. This past week they lost to Floyd Central by 42 and Prestonsburg (at home) by 1 in a highly competitive game. This team is young and void of superior talent. They do play hard and are well coached so look for them to pick up at least one win in week ten as they have three home games versus Greenup County, Tolsia, WV, and Floyd Central in that order. This is a much different team from the Timmy Dalton lead squad last season. 12. Magoffin County (5-16) – The long season continues for the Hornets as they just can’t seem to put four quarters together in the same game. They went 1-1 with a win over winless Jenkins and a loss to Paintsville on the road by 12 in a game that was within 2 points heading the fourth. Magoffin seems to have that one quarter they lose big and it is the difference in the game. You are what your record is at this point in the season, but Magoffin seems to play much better than 5-16. Perhaps they can figure it out in week ten as they are on the road to Sheldon Clark and Shelby Valley and host Johnson Central. They are underdogs in all three games, but don’t be shocked if the scores are close or they even pull out a win. 13. East Ridge (6-14) – The Warriors faced district opponents Shelby Valley and Pikeville in week ten, with both games being played at home. The results were not good as Shelby Valley won by 25 and Pikeville won by 41. East Ridge is a young team that does not have the firepower to compete with the better teams in the region. The Warriors have Ambassador Christian, WV at home and Shelby Valley on the road in week ten. 14. Phelps (7-15) – The Hornets played three district opponents in week nine, going 1-2 and getting dominated in the losses. Phelps handled Piarist easily, then got thumped by both Belfry and Pike Central on the road. Week ten has four games on the docket for Phelps as they face Shelby Valley and Betsy Layne on the road then Belfry and Fairview at home. There is a chance they get a win over Fairview. 15. Jenkins (0-19) – Jenkins went 0-2 in week nine with road losses to Magoffin County and Letcher Central (both blowouts). The Cavaliers open a nine game home stand in week ten, beginning with Pikeville and Bell County. Hopefully a win is in the future, but it’s doubtful. 16. Piarist (1-18) – The Knights went 0-3 in week nine, scoring a combine 69 points in all three games. Don’t expect any more wins on the year for Piarist. Agree or Disagree?

Overview: Pikeville captured in the 15th Region All-A crown in dominating fashion, Johnson Central defeated two opponents in the same day, Shelby Valley defeated Paintsville for the second time this season, and the rankings stay the same after eight weeks of play. No need to visit the LHL or CJ for your 15th Region power index as some don’t take into account out of state games, injuries, etc. All you need is right here on Bluegrass Preps as we break down the updated rankings in the 15th Region. Rankings: 1. Pikeville (14-3) – The Panthers steam rolled the All-A Classic in week eight winning by an average margin of 23 points. They took care of Sheldon Clark, Prestonsburg and Shelby Valley behind the dominating play of Wyatt Battaile and company. The All-A win was Pikeville’s fifth in school history and first since 2013. They advance to play Region 12 All-A champion Somerset Thursday evening. They have only advanced out of the first round one time in school history when they made it all the way to the semi-finals in 1991. The All-A title reaffirms what we have known all season; Pikeville is the team to beat in the 15th. Prior to departing for the All-A, the Panthers will visit Shelby Valley in a 59th seeded game Tuesday night. Have defeated them twice already (by 22 on Sunday), expect a heated competition on the Wildcats home floor. 2. Floyd Central (10-7) – The Jaguars went 0-1 in week eight with a 53-65 loss at home to Henry Clay. It was the first home loss in the new school’s early history as game was much closer than the score indicated. This team is still big, physical and scary when compared to other 15th Region opponents. Week nine will see them host two 58th District seeded games as they welcome in Lawrence County and Betsy Layne before traveling to Paintsville to meet the up and coming Tigers. Floyd Central will be heavily favored in all three contest as they look to peak just before tournament time. 3. Shelby Valley (11-6) – The Wildcats went 2-1 in week eight, advancing to the All-A regional championship before falling to Pikeville. On the way to the championship, Shelby Valley defeated Piarist 91-11 in a contest that could have been much much worse, then knocked off Paintsville for the second time this season by a 78-68 margin (Blake Burke had a game high 30 points for Valley). Shelby Valley plays extremely hard and some might say were fatigued a bit before facing Pikeville, but they were unable to stop the Panthers from doing anything they wanted and had absolutely no answer for Wyatt Battaile on the perimeter or in the post on both sides of the ball. They will get another crack, rested and at home, against Pikeville in week nine as the district number 1 seed is likely on the line. Shelby Valley will then hit the road where they face East Ridge and Belfry to round out the week. Look for Cody Potter to get back on the track and score the ball more this week as he has been struggling somewhat in the mid-season. 4. Johnson Central (10-9) – The Golden Eagles played three games in a 24-hour span in week eight. First they played Mingo Central in Williamson, WV at 8PM Saturday night where they fell 46-66 in a contest they led most of the first half (two-point game at half – Mingo Central has Marshall Basketball signee Jeremy Dillon). Johnson Central returned home to play Ambassador Christian at noon the next morning, winning 86-78 (Gabe Ferrell was 9/10 from the field with career high 26 points). That evening Magoffin County came to JC for a heated 57th District rivalry game with seeding implications on the line. Cory VanHoose (23 points), Isaiah May (16 points), Jacob Rice (15 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) and Gabe Ferrell (15 points) led the tired Eagles to a blow-out 83-56 victory. With May and Rice in the backcourt leading the way and VanHoose and Ferrell scoring in transition and on the wings respectively, this team is very scary, very young, and very deep. Johnson Central will host Pike Central then travel to Buckhorn in week nine. Tommy McKenzie is known for getting his teams to peak late and this could be the beginning of the ascension toward yet another regional title. 5. Pike Central (15-4) – Being one of the few 15th Region teams not in the All-A, Pike Central picked up a win in their only contest of week eight. They defeated Hazard at home by a final of 56-53, pushing their win streak to four games. This athletic team is dangerous if they can figure out how to play together and will have to do just that in week nine as they travel to Johnson Central (lost by 12 earlier the season), then host Piarist, Phelps, and Tolsia, WV. They will be favored in every game other than JC as their less than impressive schedule continues. 6. Paintsville (14-5) – The Tigers competed in the All-A in week nine defeating East Ridge and Jenkins in blowout fashion before falling to Shelby Valley by double digits. It was the second time the Wildcats beat Paintsville on the season. Paintsville will begin a four game home stand that stretches across fourteen days the week as they host both Magoffin County and Floyd Central. Mason Moore and Seth Williams continue to lead and if you wanna beat them you must address their aggressive offensive play. 7. Belfry (6-8) – Belfry defeated Magoffin County and lost to a talented Logan, WV team in week eight. Super athlete and multi-sport star Devin Varney did not play in either game so take the results with a grain of salt as he takes the Pirates to another level in every phase of the game. Week nine will see Belfry begin a three game home stand as they face Prestonsburg, Phelps, and Shelby Valley before hitting the road against Sheldon Clark. The Pirates should be at or above .500 by the end of the week. 8. Sheldon Clark (7-12) – Trey James continues to be a force in the middle despite Sheldon Clark dropping three games in a row. In week eight the Cardinals lost to Pikeville, Scott, WV and Mingo Central, WV. Mingo and Pikeville was competitive (Pikeville’s only real test during All-A) while Scott, WV won by 33 hitting a 3FG at the buzzer. Eighth graders Ethan Colegrove and Brady Dingess continue to put up great numbers playing off the dominance of James. If the team can get consecutive stops in the half court and handle the press, they could be a force coming down the stretch. Week nine will see them play Hazard and Boyd County on the road then welcome in Belfry at home. This will be a difficult week for Sheldon Clark. 9. Betsy Layne (8-10) – The Bobcats went 1-1 in week eight picking up a win over Phelps in the All-A before falling to Prestonsburg 56-68. This team is solid in the post, but struggle with pressure and scoring in the half-court if they are not hitting shots. Week nine will be tough as they face Floyd Central on the road in their only game. 10. Lawrence County (6-13) – The Bulldogs did not play in week eight and have not played a game since a 21-point loss at home to Shelby Valley January 9th. Week nine will see Lawrence County travel to Floyd Central then host Prestonsburg. The Prestonsburg game could be the game of the week in the region as the district rivals are pretty evenly matched. 11. Magoffin County (4-15) – The Hornets went 0-2 in week eight with losses on the road to Belfry and Johnson Central. This team plays very hard and Brady Whitaker continues to show why he might be the most underrated player in the region from the guard position, but they can’t seem to put four quarters together. They will play close with their opponent and most of the time beat them for three of the four quarters, but seem to have that one frame where they falter tremendously and lose the game. If this team can figure out how to play for a full 32 minutes they could be the surprise in the region. Week nine will see them host Jenkins then travel to both Knott Central and Paintsville. Although outmatched, the last two games could be much closer than expected. 12. East Ridge (6-12) – The Warriors went 1-1 in week eight losing in the All-A to Paintsville by 17 and subsequently relinquishing their crown from last season, then winning against Tolsia, WV at Williamson, WV in triple overtime. East Ridge is showing slow improvement week by week and will host both Shelby Valley and Pikeville in week nine. They will most likely be the three seed in the 59th, but that’s why you play the game. 13. Phelps (6-13) – The Hornets went 1-2 in week eight with losses to Ambassador Christian (led by 10 at half) and Betsy Layne in the All-A. They picked up a win against Man, WV to close out the week. Trey Francis continues to show out as one of the top Sophomores in the region as teams are now starting to play no-help defense on the talented and athletic wing. Phelps will be on the road in week nine as they face Belfry and Pike Central before returning home to face Piarist (all three opponents are 60th district seeded games) 14. Prestonsburg (6-12) – Prestonsburg went 1-1 in week eight with a mild upset of Betsy Layne in the All-A Classic (district opponent, but the game does not count toward district seeding in the 58th) and a 40-point thumping at the hands of the red hot Pikeville Panthers. Prestonsburg is playing better of late as first year boys’ Head Coach Brandon Gearheart’s style seems to be taking hold. Week nine will see the Blackcats travel to Belfry, Jackson City and Lawrence County as they open a six game road trip. 15. Jenkins (0-17) – The Cavaliers went 0-2 in week eight and likely missed their only chance at a win this year falling to June Buchanan 71-81. Magoffin County and Letcher Central will both be on the road in week nine and should not be very competitive games. No one should lose them all, but this is a very realistic possibility this season for Jenkins against the schedule they have. 16. Piarist (1-15) – The Knights went 0-2 in week eight. Rose Hill, Pike Central and Phelps wait in week nine. Don’t expect any of the games to be close. Agree or Disagree?

Overview: Several games were cancelled due to weather in week seven as the top teams remain the same. The 15th Region heads into the All-A Classic with 3 teams seriously contending for the title in Pikeville, Paintsville and Shelby Valley. Let’s check out the rankings after seven weeks of play! Rankings: 1. Pikeville (11-3) – The Panthers continue to roll through the region as in week seven they defeated a senior led, athletic Belfry team 70-55 at home. Pikeville remains the only undefeated team to regional competition. Wyatt Battaile and company will open the All-A in week eight versus Sheldon Clark. They are the favorite to win the 15th Region All-A and have a fairly easy path to the finals where they should face the winner between Shelby Valley and Paintsville. 2. Floyd Central (10-6) – Floyd Central was one of few teams in the state to play this past Friday as the Commonwealth prepared for what many thought was snowmageddon. The Jag’s knocked off district rival Betsy Layne on the road 66-31 in a contest that wasn’t even that close. Week eight will have Floyd Central host Lexington’s Henry Clay. 3. Shelby Valley (9-5) – Like many other 15th Region teams, Shelby Valley was only able to get in one game in week seven. They defeated Lawrence County 87-66 on the road as Cody Potter and company continue to roll. Right now Shelby Valley is playing harder than any team in the region and are as serious contender to win the region is they can keep winning the effort game. Week eight will see them in the 15th Region All-A as they open with Piarist and should advance to play Paintsville in the semifinal. Valley defeated Paintsville at home 62-58 in early December. 4. Johnson Central (8-8) – The Golden Eagles had both scheduled games cancelled this week. The first game was to be at home versus Magoffin County but due to a tragic death in the faculty, the Hornets took time to honor their teacher and give their student body a chance to pay their respects. Applause to both administrations in a show of support. The Magoffin game is scheduled to be played on Tuesday of week eight. The second game of the week was on the road against cross town rival Paintsville. According to weather reports, a potentially dangerous cold front was moving in and the game was cancelled (no make-up date set). As it turns out, it simply rained until late into the evening Friday so in a sense it was the first time in the historic rivalry that a basketball contest got rained out. JC will face Magoffin at home, Mingo Central (WV) in the Hatfield McCoy shootout and Bath County at home in week eight. The Hall of Fame game this Saturday could also feature a different team as if Bath County advances to the 16th Region All-A championship (games moved back due to weather) that game could be cancelled as well. 5. Pike Central (14-4) – The Hawks have the most wins in the region and were 1-0 in week seven with an easy 88-21 win over Piarist. They are long an athletic and have played more in-region opponents than anyone else in the 15th (played 12 15th Region teams). Week eight will have Pike Central travel to Belfry in a heated rivalry game that could determine the 60th District top seed, then host Hazard. The Belfry contest is the most important game of the year thus far. 6. Paintsville (12-4) – Paintsville was 1-0 in week seven with a win over Letcher Central on the road 84-83. In the game the Tigers opened strong and had a commanding lead in the first half only to see Letcher come all the way back and take the lead late. The Tigers regained the lead and held off a baseline jumper at the buzzer to hold on. Their other game in week seven was a rain out (see JC summary) against their cross town rivalry in one of the most heated match-up’s in the state year in and year out (no make-up date scheduled). Paintsville opens the All-A in week eight with East Ridge in a game they will be heavily favored. 7. Belfry (5-7) – The Pirates have dropped three in a row after their week seven loss to Pikeville on the road 55-70. The game was close in the 2nd half, but a late third quarter run by the Panthers was never answered and Belfry never recovered. This team is long, athletic, senior laden and physical. They have the ability to beat anyone in the region on a given night. Week eight will see them host Pike Central (biggest game of the year so far as it could decide 60th district top seed) and Magoffin County before traveling across the river to face Logan, WV in the Hatfield McCoy at Williamson, WV. 8. Sheldon Clark (7-9) – The Cardinals won their only game in week seven in the form of a 67-57 win on the road at East Ridge. Freshman Trey James dominated with several dunks and blocked shots. Tough draw for Sheldon Clark in the All-A as they get Pikeville in the opening round. James will be a force as he always is. If the rest of the team can produce, it could be a game, but Pikeville is heavily favored on paper. 9. Betsy Layne (7-9) – Betsy Layne was 1-1 in week seven with a big district win over 58th rival Prestonsburg on the road, followed by a district loss to Floyd Central at home. The Prestonsburg game was close throughout (50-46) and the Floyd Central was a blowout from the tip (66-31). Betsy Layne opens the All-A with Phelps in week eight and could pull an upset with their post play. No other games are scheduled in week eight aside from the All-A. 10. Lawrence County (6-13) – The Bulldogs have played more games than anyone in the region thus far and lost their only game in week seven, falling to Shelby Valley at home by 21 points. This team is scrappy and could come out of the 58th district if they can work their way into the 2/3 match-up. Their week eight game on the road at Prestonsburg will determine this seeding. If they can win, they virtually assure themselves a district date with Betsy Layne. The Bulldogs will also host Tolsia, WV and Russell in the week eight as well. 11. Magoffin County (4-13) – Magoffin rightfully rescheduled its district game with Johnson Central following the tragic death of a beloved faculty member. In week seven they did host Morgan County, falling 59-63. In the Morgan game, the Hornets missed several key FT’s under 20s (two to tie and two to take the lead). A foul with 0.7s left made the final 4-point margin partially misleading. In week eight the Hornet’s will travel to both Johnson Central (rescheduled from week seven) and Belfry. 12. East Ridge (5-11) – East Ridge lost its only game in week seven in the form of a 57-67 loss to Sheldon Clark. The Warriors play hard and are gaining experience every week but just don’t have the fire power the top half of the region possesses. Week eight will see them open the All-A with Paintsville in a game they will be big underdogs in. They will also play Mountain Mission, VA and compete in the Hatfield McCoy at Williamson, WV during the week (subject to change should they advance in the All-A). 13. Phelps (5-11) – The Hornets went 1-1 in week seven with a win over Jenkins and a close loss to Letcher Central (both at home). In week eight the Hornets will face Betsy Layne in the All-A before traveling to Williamson, WV for the Hatfield McCoy shootout (opponent’s TBD – two games). Trey Francis is a fun player to watch if you get a chance to see the Hornets play! 14. Prestonsburg (5-11) – Prestonsburg went 1-1 in week seven with a win over Piarist and loss to Betsy Layne (both at home). The Piarist win was expected as they have never defeated any 15th Region opponent in Boys’ Basketball, but the loss to Betsy Layne puts the Blackcats at 0-3 and last in the 58th district. That’s not a good place to be as that position will almost certainly put you against Floyd Central and a likely one-and-done exit in the post-season. 15. Jenkins (0-15) – The Cavaliers went 0-2 in week seven but have a chance in week eight to get their first win of the season as they travel to June Buchanan. They got a bye in the All-A blind draw and will await their opponent in that tournament. Jenkins does not play Piarist this season, but would win by easily by double digits for those wondering the rankings. Hopefully Jenkins can get that win as there are few realistic opportunities left this season. 16. Piarist (1-13) – The Knights went 0-2 in week seven, scoring a combine 35 points in both losses. They will get hammered by Shelby Valley in the opening All-A game and then be big underdogs versus Burgin in week eight. They do have a win this season. Agree or Disagree?

From 15th Region: Isaiah May - Johnson Central Trey James - Sheldon Clark Cory VanHoose - Johnson Central Mason Moore - Paintsville Bryson Hackney - Johnson Central Keian Worrix - Shelby Valley All these are very good players in the class of 2021 and will make headlines moving forward. A few are in top 10 in the state and will likely stay there all the way until their senior seasons.

Overview: Pikeville reaffirmed its dominance in the region, Floyd Central flexed some muscle on a local 58th district opponent, and status quo was maintained in the rankings after six weeks of play. As we move closer to the All-A tournament and more and more teams play each other in region, district seeding is beginning to manifest what many predicted in the preseason. Check out this week’s rankings below. Rankings: 1. Pikeville (10-3) – Pikeville stands only as the only team in the 15th without a loss to an in-region opponent. In week six the Panthers went 3-0 with easy wins over East Ridge, Jenkins and Shelby Valley, giving them a commanding 3-0 record in 59th district seeded play. Their closest game during the week was a twelve-point win at home versus Shelby Valley. In week seven, Pikeville will finish up their five game home stand with contests against Belfry and South Laurel. Both games should be much closer then what was on last week’s docket. 2. Floyd Central (9-6) – The Jaguars had only one game in week six, dominating district rival Prestonsburg 75-33 on the road. After a loaded Holiday Schedule, Floyd Central continues their road ways in week seven with 58th district rival Betsy Layne followed by 13th region contender North Laurel. The Betsy Layne game should not be close, but the North Laurel game should be a war. Floyd Central is still talented and one of the favorites to come out of the 15th this March. 3. Shelby Valley (8-5) – Despite having a week to prepare, Shelby Valley fell to district rival Pikeville on the road 64-76. It was their first loss to an in-region team, dropping them to 2-4 on the road this season after opening the year with seven straight home games (went 6-1). The Wildcats will be on the road twice during week seven as they visit Lawrence County and East Ridge. They will be heavily favored in both games and should win easily. 4. Johnson Central (8-8) – The Golden Eagles went 2-1 in week six with a 57th district win over Sheldon Clark 91-61, a double overtime win over Belfry 80-78 and a loss to Simon Kenton 63-77 despite leading at the half. Jacob Rice, Isaiah May and Cory VanHoose all performed well during the week, averaging double figures. Jacob Rice recorded a career high 30 points and Isaiah May posted a career high 13 rebounds in the Belfry win. Cory VanHoose posted a career high 27 points in the Sheldon Clark win. Week seven is huge with respect to 57th District seeding for the Golden Eagles as they host Magoffin County (WYMT game of the week: streamed live) and then travel to Paintsville (will be a crazy environment with a packed house). 5. Pike Central (13-4) – After dropping two in a row, the Hawks bounced back by going 2-0 in week six (wins over Paintsville at home and Magoffin County on the road). The athletic team has yet to peak despite having the most wins of any team in the region. The Paintsville win was their first against a solid team and they will have a chance to pick up another against a very good Chapmanville, WV team in week seven. Chapmanville has two legitimate division one talents on their team this season. 6. Paintsville (11-4) – The Tigers went 1-1 in week six with a loss on the road to Pike Central 59-62 and a win on the road against 57th District rival Sheldon Clark 74-66 (Mason Moore recorded career high 16 rebounds per twitter reports). The Tigers are young and deep and play very hard. With Seth Williams and Mason Moore leading the way they have a good chance to defeat any 15th Region opponent on a given night. They will be tested in week seven as they travel to Letcher Central then host their biggest game of the year as Johnson Central comes to town. The Paintsville/JC game will bring one the best crowds all year and the two fan bases are separated by less than one mile. Should be a great atmosphere in a pivotal 57th seeded game. 7. Belfry (5-6) – In their only contest of the week, the athletic and physical Belfry squad lost a double overtime thriller at home to Johnson Central 78-80. In the game, senior sharp-shooter Isiah Roblee hit a 3FG to send the game into overtime, a 3FG to send the game into double overtime, and a 3FG to tie the game with less than 10s in double overtime before JC freshman Isaiah May hit the game winner. Roblee finished with a game high 33 points. It was the third consecutive overtime game for Belfry and fourth overtime game on the season (they are 1-3 in such games). This team is long, physical, deep with shooter everywhere, and well coached. Belfry is a scary team with ten seniors on their roster and will be a factor in the regional tournament. In week seven they travel to Pikeville then host Phelps and Jenkins. They should easily defeat Phelps and Jenkins and could give Pikeville problems with their size and athleticism. 8. Sheldon Clark (6-9) – The Cardinals lost to both Johnson Central and Paintsville (57th district seeded games) in week six and have dropped five of their last six contest. Trey James continues to put up huge numbers in the middle and has become a triple double machine. When Sheldon Clark can get him the ball inside ten feet, good things happen, but teams that press negate his dominate inside play. The Cardinals should get back on the win train in week seven as they travel to east ridge then host Magoffin County. 9. Betsy Layne (6-8) – The Bobcats dropped their only contest of week six in a 59-62 loss on the road at Lawrence County. It’s the fourth straight loss for Betsy Layne and likely locks them into a first round district matchup with Lawrence County. Week seven will see Betsy Layne travel to Prestonsburg, host Floyd Central, then travel to Jackson City. They will be favored in all but the Floyd Central game. 10. Lawrence County (6-12) – The Bulldogs have played more games than anyone in the region and are well over halfway through their season. Week six saw them go 1-1 with a 26-point loss to Raceland and a huge district win at home over Betsy Layne 62-59 (avenging an overtime loss to the Bobcats earlier in the year). The win over Betsy Layne will likely set up a Betsy Layne/Lawrence County district opener in the 58th, a game that could be the best first round game in the entire region. Week seven will see Lawrence host both Shelby Valley and Tolsia, WV. They will be favored in the Tolsia game. 11. Magoffin County (4-12) – The Hornets lost their only contest in week six at the hands of Pike Central by a final of 51-63. Junior Brady Whitaker continues his stellar play, averaging nearly 19 points per game against the what is usually the other team’s best defender. Magoffin is playing much better than their record indicates and are playing with or beating good teams through 2.5 to 3 full quarters. They just can’t seem to put a full game together as evident by the Pike Central game which they controlled most of the contest. Magoffin will face Johnson Central on the road, Morgan County at home and Sheldon Clark on the road in week seven. This week should determine their district placement and the Johnson Central game will be broadcast live on wymt.com as their game of the week. 12. East Ridge (5-10) – Randy McCoy gets more out of his team than most would think despite having lost ten games. Week six saw them go 1-1 with a win over Jenkins and a near 50-point loss to district rival Pikeville. Sheldon and Shelby Valley will come to Lick Creek in week seven and the Warriors should play them tough despite being large underdogs in both games. 13. Phelps (4-10) – The Hornets went 2-0 in week six with wins at home over Prestonsburg and district rival Piarist. Jenkins and Belfry wait in week seven. Phelps will be favored in the Jenkins contest and heavy underdogs in the Belfry game. One bright spot for the Hornets has been the wing play of sophomore Trey Francis. He is quickly emerging as one of the better sophomores in the region. 14. Prestonsburg (4-10) – Losses to Phelps and Floyd Central and a win at home versus June Buchanan is how week six went for the Blackcats. They struggle to score the ball against average or better teams and lack in both size and guard play to compete against a valid post presence or team that presses. With the outlook as currently constructed it will be a few years before Prestonsburg has a serious chance at top half of the region. 15. Jenkins (0-13) – The Cavaliers were defeated easily by both Pikeville and East Ridge this in week six. Their best chance for a win this season might be June Buchanan in week eight, but the possibility of a winless season may come to fruition. 16. Piarist (1-11) - Piarist lost its only game of the week to Phelps by 35 points. Their week seven contest with Pike Central has been cancelled but they will face both Heritage Academy and Covington Latin within the next seven days. Piarist will not be favored in either game, but they do have potential to be closer than previous contests. Agree or Disagree?

Incredible game. Isiah Roblee for Belfry hits 3FG to force OT, hits 3FG to force double OT, then hits 3FG to tie game in double OT before JC freshman Isaiah May hits floater to win game. Senior Isiah Roblee finishes with 33 points to led Belfry. Junior Jacob Rice finishes with career high 30 points for JC. Freshman Cory VanHoose finishes with 24 for JC. Freshman Isaiah May finishes with 14 points (to include game winner) and game high 13 rebounds for JC. Fun game to watch. Both teams will be tough out in regional tourney. Side note: JC was without senior PF and starter Dalton Collins (hand injury - JC's only senior). Every player Belfy played in the game was a senior except Sophomore Dezmon Roblee (starter) and Junior PF Ty May (limited minutes).

Overview: The top teams took some lumps in the Traditional Bank Holiday Classic, Pikeville proved their top in the region with a win over Floyd Central, Shelby Valley continues to impress, Pike Central seems to be a team in turmoil, and Magoffin County rises up the rankings. Lots of parody as we near the mid-point of the season in the 15th Region. Let’s take a look at the rankings as teams get into district and regional play in the new year! Rankings: 1. Pikeville (7-3) – The Panthers competed in the Traditional Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic in week five, going 1-2. Blowout losses to both Louisville Doss and Taylor County did not pose well, but Pikeville finished the week with a 71-63 win over regional number two Floyd Central, keeping them undefeated against regional competition. Wyatt Battaile is averaging nearly 24 ppg and 8 rpg to go along side Conner Roberts and his 15 ppg. The Panthers will begin a five game home stand in week six as they host East Ridge, Jenkins and Shelby Valley (all district opponents). They will be favored in all contest. 2. Floyd Central (8-6) – Like Pikeville, Floyd Central competed in the Traditional Bank Holiday Classic in week five. Like Pikeville, Floyd Central came away with one win (defeated Knott Central 65-55). Unlike Pikeville, the Jaguars came away with three losses (Skills Factory, GA, University Heights, Pikeville). Finishing the week 1-3, Floyd Central was competitive in every game, but seemed to falter down the stretch when the games were within reach. The Jaguars are still being led by J.R. Tackett at point and Brady Conn in the middle and will travel to Prestonsburg for a 58th district contest in their only game in week six. Don’t let the losses fool you as this team is deep, physical, and capable of winning the region. 3. Shelby Valley (8-4) – The Wildcats went 2-1 in week five with a win 63-57 win over Jackson County and a running clock win over Pike Central before falling to Perry Central 63-74 in a game they led by ten points at the half (all games at Belfry in the Mountain Schoolboy Classic). After opening the season with seven straight home games, Shelby Valley remains road warriors in week six, traveling to Magoffin County and Pikeville. They are playing very well right and play very hard as a team despite being undersized at almost every position. Cody Potter leads the way but the guard play of freshman Keian Worrix has been electrifying as of late. The Pikeville game this week could determine the top overall seed in the 59th District. 4. Johnson Central (6-7) – The Golden Eagles went 2-1 in week five with wins over Betsy Layne (running clock) and Pike Central 73-62 (led by 18 late in the fourth quarter). The loss came at the hands of Perry Central. JC is led by freshman Isaiah May and junior Jacob Rice as both are averaging over 17 ppg (Rice 6 apg: May 5 rpg). Week six opens with a critical district game at home versus Sheldon Clark followed by a true road game at Belfry and showdown with Simon Kenton at Russell in the Marvin Meredith Classic. The Sheldon Clark game will be on the 2nd home game for Johnson Central as they played twelve of their first thirteen on the road. As this team continues to mature, they will be scary later in the year and for years to come with such a plethora of young talent. It should be noted that starting PF Dalton Collins will be out 10-14 days as he suffered a laceration on his right hand diving on the floor versus Pike Central. This will make JC even more guard dominated for the next two weeks. 5. Pike Central (11-4) – The Hawks take the biggest fall this week after going 1-2 in week five. It’s not that Pike Central lost two games, but the fact it was against two regional opponents they were ranked ahead of and the fact both were not very competitive. Couple that with the confirmed news that three players quit the team in middle of week five and Pike Central seems to be in disarray as we begin the new year despite having the most wins in the region. Every average or better team they have played has defeated them thus far, despite the fact the Hawks have a ton of talent on their roster. They have a chance to right the ship in week six as they host Paintsville then will be heavy favorites against Piarist and Magoffin County. 6. Paintsville (10-3) – The Tigers went 2-0 in week five with blowout wins versus Phelps and Betsy Layne. Mason Moore (16.5 ppg) and Seth Williams (15.5 ppg) continue to led the young squad as they are making ripples early in the season. Paintsville will have two road games in week six (Pike Central and Sheldon Clark). If they continue their stellar play in both, they will solidify their ranking and could move up even more. 7. Belfry (5-5) – Belfry is long, athletic, and has shooters all over the floor. The Pirates went 2-1 in their own Mountain Schoolboy Classic with a lop sided win over East Ridge followed by and impressive OT win over Tug Valley. The Pirates did fall to Jackson County 63-65 in OT on a buzzer beating corner 3FG in which the timekeeper seemed to have a delayed start to the clock on the inbounds. With the surprise play Devin Varney to complement Isiah Roblee and Koleston Blankenship, don’t be surprised to see Belfry jump the rankings soon. Week six will see them host Johnson Central as they are in the middle of a nine out of ten game home stand. 8. Sheldon Clark (6-7) – The Cardinals went 1-2 in week five with double digit losses to both Knox Central and North Hardin and a win vs. Fleming County (All in the Cumberland Falls Invitational at Corbin). Big man Trey James recorded three consecutive triple doubles (points, rebounds, blocks) in the tournament to include at 17 block performance versus Fleming County (tied state record for most blocks in a game). The Cardinals will face Johnson Central on the road and Paintsville at home in week six. Both are seeded district games that should result in packed houses. 9. Betsy Layne (6-7) – After a nice start to the season, the Bobcats dropped three in a row in week five at the Mountain Schoolboy Classic at Belfry. All three losses were by a minimum of thirty points and not very remotely close at any point. Week six will see Betsy Layne travel to Lawrence County. They defeated the Bulldogs at home in overtime earlier in the season. This is a very important district game as no team in the 58th wants to finish fourth and face what will most likely be Floyd Central. 10. Magoffin County (4-11) – After a 1-10 start to the season, Magoffin County bounced back with a 3-1 record in week five. Wins over Lawrence County, East Ridge (overtime) and Phelps, coupled with a close loss to Perry Central (63-72) tells us the Hornets might have found their stride. The Hornets saw the biggest jump up the rankings this week and will have a chance to move up again as they host both Shelby Valley and Pike Central is week six. Can the Hornets keep taking steps forward, or will they take a step backwards? 11. Lawrence County (5-11) – The Bulldogs went 1-3 in week five with losses to Magoffin County, East Carter and Menifee County and a win against Jackson City. The young squad plays hard but sometimes lacks the ability to generate good offense when needed late in games. Week six will see Lawrence County travel to Raceland then host Betsy Layne is a pivotal 58th district seeded game. The Bulldogs lost in OT on the road at Betsy Layne just a few weeks earlier. 12. East Ridge (4-9) – Despite the nice play of sophomore Cameron Hess, East Ridge struggled in week five going 0-3 with losses to Belfry, Magoffin County (second time this season), and Ambassador Christian, WV. Two key district games wait in week six as the Warriors travel to Pikeville then host Jenkins. 13. Prestonsburg (3-8) – The Blackcats went 0-3 in the Stultz Pharmacy Holiday Classic at Greenup County in week five. Losses to Seneca, Greenup County and Russell County (closest game was 11 points) did not bode well for Prestonsburg as they have now lost five in a row and 6 of their last seven. Week six will see them host June Buchanan and Floyd Central while traveling to Phelps. They have a chance at two wins in JBS and Phelps, but should not be competitive versus Floyd Central in a district seeded game. 14. Phelps (2-10) – The Hornets went 0-3 in week five but had very close games with Ambassador Christian, WV 57-63 and Magoffin County 65-67. Trey Francis is a very nice player for Phelps and one of the best Sophomores in the region as he continues to give his team a chance each and every contest. Prestonsburg, Letcher Central and Piarist will all make the trip to Hornet Fieldhouse this week. 15. Jenkins (0-11) – Jenkins did not play a game in week five and will travel to both Pikeville and East Ridge in week six for two district games. It will be difficult for the Cavaliers to pick up a win this season as they continue to struggle scoring the ball. 16. Piarist (1-10) - Two more losses for the Knights in week five. Pike Central and Phelps wait in week six for what is almost certainly more of the same. Agree or Disagree?

Overview: Pikeville takes down the Prestonsburg Holiday Classic Championship, Floyd Central and Pike Central continue to play solid basketball, JC is hit with the flu bug in Gatlinburg, and Shelby Valley has not won since playing away from home. Lots of basketball action in the Holiday season with more to come post-Christmas. Let’s see the rankings after four weeks of play. Rankings: 1. Pikeville (6-1) – The Panthers went 4-0 in week four with a win at Harlan Independent followed by taking the championship in the Prestonsburg Holiday Classic (wins over Cordia, Pike Central, and Morgan County). Wyatt Battaile returned from an ankle sprain suffered in the Dunbar game and continued to put up monster numbers as the Panthers remain undefeated with him in the lineup (29, 25, 26 respectively in the three game tournament at Prestonsburg). Pikeville will be challenged in week five as they travel to Lexington Catholic for the Traditional Bank Holiday Classic where they open with Louisville Doss. 2. Floyd Central (7-3) – Floyd Central went 1-1 in week four with a 24 point loss to Madison Central and a narrow 55-52 win versus Letcher Central – both games in the Kentucky Bank Challenge at Rowan County. Brady Conn and J.R. Tackett continue to lead Floyd Central as they play a controlled, grind-it-out, pace Coach Spurlock in known for. The Jaguars travel to Lexington Catholic for the Traditional Bank Holiday Classic in week five. 3. Pike Central (10-2) – The Hawks went 3-1 in week four, but lost the only game versus a strong opponent. Wins over Jenkins, Lawrence County and Prestonsburg (all in blow out fashion) sandwiched around a close game versus Pikeville (lost 70-74) is how the week played out for Pike Central. They continue to play well and lead the region in wins with ten, but have lost both games to strong competition in form of Knott Central and Pikeville. We will know more about where Pike Central stacks up in the region after week five as they play Tolsia, WV then face both Johnson Central and Shelby Valley at Belfry. 4. Shelby Valley (6-3) – Shelby Valley opened the season with seven straight home games. Since they went on the road they have not won. Week four saw the Wildcats get blown out by both North Laurel and Madison Southern in the Kentucky Bank Challenge at Rowan County. If Cody Potter is face guarded and denied the ball, it becomes difficult for Shelby Valley to score. The schedule continues to challenge in week five as Valley faces Jackson County, Pike Central, and Perry Central at Belfry in the Mountain School Boy Classic. 5. Johnson Central (4-6) – The Golden Eagles have only played one game at home so far this season and went 1-2 in week four while at Gatlinburg. In the Gatlinburg tournament, JC opened strong with an 80-58 win over Central, VA (Isaiah May 21 points, 9 rebounds: Cory VanHoose 19 points 4 rebounds, Jacob Rice 17 points 3 rounds) then the flu bug hit. With half the team contracting stomach illness, JC faced Bath County down two starters (Isaiah May and Gabe Ferrell) and down four players overall with many playing sick. The result was a hard fought loss 59-62 despite having a chance to tie late. The young Eagles then faced an 8-2 Gallatin County team again down two starters (Gabe Ferrell and Dalton Collins) with others toughing it out and playing sick. Isaiah May led the Eagles with 15 points and Jacob Rice added 14 points. The result was a loss 49-50 in a wild game that saw Gallatin County hit a one-handed full court shot at the end of the third quarter and complete a 4-point play under 30s to take the lead. JC is young, has not been a home in a long time and very talented. Don’t let the record fool anyone as this team will be a threat come tournament time. Week five will see them travel to Belfry to face Betsy Layne, Perry Central and Pike Central is in the Mountain School Boy Classic. 6. Paintsville (8-3) – The Tigers went 1-1 in week four with a narrow 51-48 win over Covington Holmes followed by at 56-74 loss to Boyd County (both in the Kentucky Bank Challenge at Rowan County). Seth Williams and Mason Moore continue to lead Paintsville in scoring as Nick Keeton is shaping into an elite rebounder. The Tigers will be favored to pick up two wins in week five as they play Phelps and Betsy Layne in the Mountain School Boy Classic at Belfry. 7. Belfry (3-4) – Belfry went 1-2 in week four with a win over Lawrence County 79-70 and losses to Bourbon County and Pendleton County in competitive games in the Kentucky Bank Challenge at Rowan County. This team is up and coming with hard-nosed, physical players at every position. Week five will see them host the Mountain Schoolboy Classic where they face East Ridge, a very good Tug Valley, WV squad in a rivalry game, and a solid Jackson County team. 8. Sheldon Clark (5-5) – The Cardinals have one of the most dominate players in the region in Trey James but struggle when they cannot get him the ball in the half court set. Sheldon Clark went 1-2 in week four with losses to Montgomery County and West Carter in the Derby Classic and a win against Phelps. They got a tough draw in the Cumberland Falls Invitational in week five as they open with Knox Central then face North Hardin. 9. Betsy Layne (6-4) – The Bobcats have very good inside play and went 2-1 in week four with a loss to Kentucky Country Day followed by wins over Jackson City and Boyd-Buchanan, TN in the Smoky Mountain Classic in Gatlinburg, TN. Week five will let us know more about where they stand in the region as they travel to Belfry for the Mountain Schoolboy Classic where they face Johnson Central, Jackson County and Paintsville. If they can pick up a win against JC or Paintsville you could see them climb the rankings. 10. Lawrence County (4-8) – Belfry, Pike Central and Cordia all defeated the Bulldogs in week four and only the Belfry game was within single digits (nine points). This team is young and still looking for their footing post Timmy Dalton. Week five will see them travel to Bath County for the CSI Classic where they open with an East Carter team they defeated at home earlier in the year 57-52. 11. East Ridge (4-6) – The Warriors went 1-2 in week four with a revenge win over Magoffin County 79-61 (lost earlier in the year to the Hornets 41-49) and losses to Morgan County and Cordia. The Cordia loss was only by one point and shows the team is improving under veteran Coach Randy McCoy. East Ridge will face Belfry in the Mountain Schoolboy Classic at Belfry in week five. 12. Prestonsburg (3-5) – The Blackcats opened with a win in their Holiday Classic over Magoffin County then were beat handily by both Morgan County and Pike Central. If they can avoid the four seed in the 58th District, they will have a chance to get to the regional tournament. Week five will see them travel to Greenup County where they open with Seneca. 13. Magoffin County (1-10) – New coach, best player hurt during football, graduation of a once in a generation team. The aforementioned help explain what is going on in Magoffin County as they went 0-3 in week four. The bright spot has been Brady Whitaker who has multiple 30 point games this season. This could just be growing pains early in the season, as Magoffin is very young and is figuring things out. 14. Phelps (2-7) – The Hornets ended up going to the Raceland Derby Classic in week four and their closest game was a 28-point loss to Greenup County. The Hornets will be back in action versus Paintsville in week five in the Mountain Schoolboy Classic at Belfry. 15. Jenkins (0-11) – The Cavaliers struggle to score the ball, having only hit fifty points three times this season. Jenkins went 0-2 in week four with blow-out losses. The long year continues in week six (no games in week five) as they return to the court with Pikeville after the new year. 16. Piarist (1-8) - The Knights went 0-3 in week four and were not competitive despite playing in an all private school invitational at Rose Hill. Piarist has also cancelled with January 8th game at Pike Central. Agree or Disagree?

Overview: Shelby Valley’s Cody Potter goes for 42, Pikeville sees a star go down with injury and a new member breaks into the top four in the rankings. Read more below to catch up on 15th Region action after 3 weeks of play! Rankings: 1. Pikeville (2-1) – The Panthers went 1-1 in week three while hosting the Pikeville Invitational Tournament. In the opening round, Pikeville defeated Paul Laurence Dunbar 80-64. In the game Wyatt Battaile had 30 points in less than three quarters of play before an ankle injury required him to be carried off the court. In the Championship, Pikeville was only trailing Louisville Ballard by four points (without the region’s best player), but eventually fell 69-90. In week four, Pikeville will travel to Harlan before playing in the Prestonsburg Holiday Classic where they open with Cordia. 2. Floyd Central (6-2) – Week three saw the Jaguars open district play with a blow-out win versus Prestonsburg 80-65 then travel to Pike Central for the Buffalo Wild Wings Classic where they faced Chapmanville, WV (losing 60-74). In the Chapmanville game, Floyd Central actually played quite well, but Chapmanville is just that good with multiple D1 players. The schedule does not let up as in week four Floyd Central will play Madison Central and Letcher County in the Kentucky Bank Challenge at Rowan County 3. Pike Central (7-1) – Pike Central is playing well and has the most wins in the region behind the solid guard play of Christian Mounts and Seth Conn. In week three they defeated Jenkins, Louisville Eastern, and Breathitt County. The schedule is not the most challenging at this point, but will get tougher after Christmas. Week four will see the Hawks host Jenkins before opening the Prestonsburg Holiday Classic with Lawrence County. 4. Shelby Valley (6-1) – Shelby Valley has yet to play a game away from home and only have a few quality opponents on their entire schedule. They did go 1-1 against two of those opponents in week three with a win against Johnson Central 58-52 and a loss versus Tug Valley, WV 70-74. In the Tug Valley game, Shelby Valley trailed by as many as 17 before Cody Potter got hot from behind the line and the Wildcats got an 8- qpoint possession (Potter was fouled on shot attempt followed by double T’s on a player = 6 FT’s, Potter hit 5/6 and then hit a 3FG when they got the ball back). Potter finished with career high 42 points to go with 10 rebounds. Tyler May led Tug Valley with 20 points. 5. Johnson Central (3-4) – The young Golden Eagles went 1-2 in week three with losses at Shelby Valley 52-58 and to Knox Central 69-77 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Shootout at Pike Central. In the Shelby Valley game, JC led by five entering the fourth quarter but were only able to make 10-24 FT’s to include several missed front end’s and could not hold off Valley down the stretch. In the Knox Central game, JC got down 20 in the first quarter but came all the way back in the 4th and had the ball under 2min with a chance to take the lead. Freshman Isaiah May led JC in the Knox Central game with 27 points (Junior Jacob Rice had 21 points). The Golden Eagles did pick up a win vs. Louisville Eastern 61-49 in a game that was not even that close (led by 21 before subbing). Week four will see JC travel to Gatlinburg for the Smoky Mountain Classic where they open with Central (Norton), VA. 6. Paintsville (6-2) – The Tigers defeated three opponents in a 48-hour span in the week three as they knocked off Magoffin County at home then Menifee and Evangelical Christian in the same day in the Berea Invitational Tournament. In the third place game of the aforementioned tournament, Paintsville lost to Madison Central 57-88 in a game Madison Central opened 18-0 despite Paintsville starting with technical foul shots due to Madison Central touching the rims in warm-up’s (missed both). Paintsville also knocked off Sheldon Clark in district play in week three, putting the at 2-0 in the 57th. In week four, the Tigers will travel to Rowan County for the Kentucky Bank Challenge where they will face Holmes and Boyd County. 7. Belfry (2-2) – Belfry got wins at home versus Letcher Central and Piarist 65-56 and 76-15 respectively and took a close loss to Knott Central 49-52 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Classic at Pike Central. This team is very scrappy and if they are hitting shots are capable of knocking off anyone on a given night. In week four, Belfry will host Lawrence County then play Bourbon County and Pendleton County at Rowan County in the Kentucky Bank Challenge. 8. Sheldon Clark (4-3) – Sheldon Clark went 1-1 in week three with a blow-out loss to Paintsville on the road and blow-out win versus East Ridge at home. In the Paintsville game, the score was very close at halftime before the Tigers went to the press and put the game away, winning by 18. The Cardinals play in the Derby Classic in week four, opening with West Carter. 9. Betsy Layne (4-3) – Betsy Layne is steadily climbing the rankings, going 2-0 in week three with wins over East Ridge and Lawrence County. The Bobcats have physical play inside and solid guard play with average shooting. It will be interesting to see if they can keep it going as in week four they travel to the Smoky Mountain Classic where they open with Kentucky Country Day. 10. Lawrence County (4-5) – Lawrence County went 2-2 in week three with close wins against Magoffin County and Phelps (overtime) and losses to Lewis County and Betsy Layne. It will not get easier in week four as Lawrence travels to Belfry and then opens the Prestonsburg Holiday Classic with Pike Central. 11. Prestonsburg (2-3) – The Blackcats defeated Phelps by 12 and lost to Floyd Central by 15 in week three. Drake Nunnery and Austin Endicott have been carrying Prestonsburg as they look to get back on the win train in their own Holiday Classic in week four. They open the tournament with Magoffin County. 12. Magoffin County (1-7) – Magoffin County has dropped six in a row and despite excellent play from Junior guard Brady Whitaker, can’t seem to get consistent play for four quarters. They will play with or lead very good teams for two plus quarters, then get blown out over a four-minute stretch, unable to recover. This team will get better as the season progresses and be much tougher come district tournament time. 13. East Ridge (3-4) – The Warriors went 1-2 in week three with a slim five-point win at Jenkins and losses to Betsy Layne and Sheldon Clark (the Betsy Layne game was close). This squad has a few upper classmen, but most of the talent is younger and still developing. Week four will see East Ridge travel to play in the Prestonsburg Holiday Classic where they open with Morgan County. 14. Phelps (2-4) – Phelps was 0-2 in week three, but gave Prestonsburg and Lawrence County (lost in overtime) all they wanted. Phelps is not one of the better teams in the region, but it’s surprising how competitive they have been despite losing Christian Mounts to transfer. 15. Jenkins (0-9) – Jenkins went 0-3 in week three with all games being played at home. The Cavaliers were only competitive in the East Ridge game. The long season continues in week four as Jenkins travels to Middlesboro and Pike Central. 16. Piarist (1-5) - Piarist lost 15-76 versus Belfry in district play this week scoring only 9 points in the first half. They play in the Rose Hill All Private Invitational this week where they should be more competitive. Agree or Disagree?

Knox is a very good team.

Final from Buffalo Wild Wings Shootout at Pike County Central: Knox takes early 20 point lead in first quarter, but JC fights all the way back in fourth before Knox seals the deal with late FT's. JC Freshman Isaiah May leads all scorers in game with 27 pts (3 blocks, 3 steals, 2 rebounds, 1 assist). JC Junior Jacob Rice has 21 points, 7 assists, 3 steals, 1 rebound. JC Freshman Bryson Hackney has 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal. Knox Central led by Markelle Turner with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assist. Kevionte Turner 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block. Nick Martin 14 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks. Jaylen Adams 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal. Knox Central is very good, very deep and athletic and well coached. JC is very young and will be tough to beat in the 15th Region by seasons end (also well coached). Fun game to watch.

Good question. Three teams to include Pikeville, Belfry and Prestonsburg did not open until this week. Pikeville schedule is very back loaded with games this season.

Overview: Top rated Pikeville opened the season, Floyd Central had a strong showing at the WYMT Classic, and Johnson Central faced tough times in the 13th region with a young squad in week two. No major surprises in the 15th Region as we quickly approach full holiday tournament mode. Let’s see how the rankings have changed after two weeks of play. Rankings after two weeks of play: 1. Pikeville (1-0) – The Panthers opened the season with a blowout win versus Ambassador Christian (Williamson, WV) by a final of 84-51. Pikeville will be tested by in week three as they host one of the longest running tournaments in the state; the Pikeville Invitational. Their first opponent will be Paul Laurence Dunbar. This tournament will let us know just how good the defending champions are. 2. Floyd Central (5-1) – Floyd Central went 2-1 in week two as they traveled to the WYMT Mountain Classic at Knott Central High School. In the first game, the Jaguars opened with a 60-59 win over Leslie County, winning it on defense by holding off a potential game winning possession in the last 30s of play. J.R. Tackett led Floyd Central in scoring with 18 points, while Brady Conn posted a monster double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds. The semifinals of the tournament pitted Floyd Central against Clay County. Again, the Jaguars were able to come away with a 56-48 victory, hitting clutch FT’s down the stretch. Kyle Isaac led the team in scoring with 15 points while Cameron Nelson posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. In the championship, the Jaguars ran into the buzz saw that is Knox Central, losing in blowout fashion 53-78. The game only got marginally close once in the 3rd quarter when the Jaguars were able to cut the lead to 9. In week three, Floyd Central will host Prestonsburg and face Chapmanville, WV at Pike Central. This team is very deep and very talented and will be tough playing a controlled style. 3. Pike Central (4-1) – Pike Central continued to impress in week two and jump one spot in the rankings. Like Floyd Central, the Hawks also competed in the WYMT Mountain Classic in week two. Opening with a running clock loss to host Knott Central 40-67, Pike Central was able to bounce back with 80-60 win over Wolfe County. No stats were available at time of print. Week three will see the Hawks travel to Jenkins then host Piarist, Louisville Eastern and Breathitt County. They will be favored in all three contest. 4. Johnson Central (2-2) – The young Golden Eagles went 1-2 in week two with a running clock win at home over East Ridge 69-31 and two losses at Jackson County to 13th region foes in the PRTC Classic (North Laurel 67-79: Jackson County 86-102). Johnson Central is getting balanced scoring each night. In the East Ridge game JC was led in scoring by freshman Isaiah May with 16 points (junior Jacob Rice added 13 and freshman Cory VanHoose added 14). In the North Laurel game JC put 4 players in double figures with Jacob Rice scoring 17, Isaiah May and Braxton Bentley scoring 14 each, and Cory VanHoose dropping in 12. In the Jackson County game Gabe Ferrel led all scorers with 25 points, while Isaiah May had 23 and Jacob Rice had 21. In just four games, Johnson Central has seen four different players score at least 20 points. In what was expected to be a rebuilding year, the Golden Eagles are still a real threat to win the region as the young kids will only get better. 5. Shelby Valley (5-0) – The Wildcats went 3-0 in week two with wins over Betsy Layne 83-44, Paintsville 62-58 and Prestonsburg 78-47. The schedule has been soft early in the season and blowout have been plentiful thus we don’t really know just how good Shelby Valley is yet. They did pass a big test with a home win versus Paintsville and jumped one spot in the rankings. In the Paintsville game, Cody Potter had 32 points in a tightly contested affair that was won on FT’s down the stretch. Also in the Paintsville game Cameron Worrix was assessed two technical fouls after a brief altercation with Paintsville’s Mason Moore and ejected. Week three will let us know just how good Shelby Valley is as they host Johnson Central and Tug Valley, WV. Tug Valley is ranked #3 in West Virginia for their class and led by sharp shooter Tyler May. 6. Paintsville (2-1) – The Tigers went 1-1 in week two with a win on the road versus Powell County 57-53 and a loss on the road versus Shelby Valley 58-62. Both games were very close all the way through and decided late in each contest. Mason Moore and Seth Williams continue to lead a physical and deep Tiger squad. Week three has huge implications on district seeding as the Tigers host Sheldon Clark and then travel to Magoffin County. They close week three with the Berea Invitational where they open with Evangelical Christian (Cordova), TN. 7. Belfry (0-1) – The Pirates opened the season with a loss versus Tates Creek at Bourbon County 40-46 in the Kentucky Bank challenge. Belfry is a scary team with shooting from Isiah Roblee, inside play from Ryan Jessie, and slashing from Koleston Blankenship. Coach Thompson has lined up a great schedule for them and they will be tested come tournament time. Week three will Belfry host Letcher Central and Piarist before making the short drive to Pike Central where they will face Knott Central in the Buffalo Wild Wings Shootout. 8. Sheldon Clark (3-2) – The Cardinals went 2-1 in week two with wins over Lawrence County 76-62 and Buckhorn 53-45 and a bizarre, running clock, loss to East Carter 32-70. In the two wins, Cardinal big man Trey James posted back-to-back triple doubles (points, rebounds, blocks) to go along with his usual highlight dunks. If Trey can get some help from the supporting cast, this team could be scary as he is a huge difference maker on both ends of the floor. Week three will Sheldon Clark travel to Paintsville in a monster district game then host East Ridge. 9. Lawrence County (2-3) – Lawrence County is finding life without the Dalton’s difficult as they went 1-1 in week two. The young squad lost to Sheldon Clark 62-76 on the road before beating Tolsia, WV 93-70 (also on road). Give them credit, however, as the kids play hard and play together. Week three will see the Bulldogs travel to Magoffin County, host Lewis County, then travel to Betsy Layne and Phelps. Odds are they will be above .500 after week three. 10. Betsy Layne (2-3) – The Bobcats are better than last year and steadily improving. Week two saw losses to Shelby Valley 44-83 and Letcher Central 43-61 before picking up a win at Magoffin County 73-51. Betsy Layne has solid inside play and when they hit shots can be dangerous against the middle of pack teams in the region. Week three will see the Bobcats travel to East Ridge before hosting Lawrence County. 11. Prestonsburg (1-2) – Head Coach Brandon Gearheart went 1-2 in his opening week of play after moving over from the girls’ side of the house at Prestonsburg. The Blackcats opened with a 103-59 win at home over Jenkins, but then fell on the road to both Shelby Valley and Raceland by identical 47-78 scores. Drake Nunnery is a solid guard who can score the ball. He plays with a passion and fire that cannot be coached into a player. The question is whether or not Prestonsburg has enough around him to stay competitive with the top in the region. This question will be answered in week three as the Blackcats host Phelps then travel to newly hated rival Floyd Central. 12. Magoffin County (1-4) – The Hornets are struggling and after a close win versus East Ridge have not been remotely competitive with anyone else. Losing so much talent from last season and then losing one of the best players in the region to a football injury (Ryan Mullins) might be too much to overcome. Magoffin went 0-2 in week two and face Lawrence County, Paintsville and Harlan County in week three. This is the beginning of what could be a long year in Salyersville. 13. East Ridge (2-2) – The Warriors went 1-1 in week two with an overtime win at Ambassador Christian in Williamson, WV 59-58 and a running clock loss to Johnson Central on the road 31-69. They are young and rebuilding and Coach McCoy’s style will keep them competitive. Week three will see East Ridge host Betsy Layne, before traveling to both Jenkins and Sheldon Clark. They could go 2-1 this week! 14. Phelps (2-2) – Despite losing Christian Mounts to Pike Central (transfer), the Hornets were able to go 2-1 in week two with wins over Hurley, VA and Jenkins and a loss toe Rockcastle County. Phelps will travel to Prestonsburg then host Lawrence County in week three. This team still has Francis, who can compete with anyone in the region on a given night. 15. Jenkins (0-6) – The Cavaliers of the 15th region are not the Cavaliers of the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Going 0-3 in week two, Jenkins is struggling to be competitive against average teams. They are young and will improve, but more of the same is on the horizon in week three. 16. Piarist (1-4) - The Knights picked up their first win of the season versus Riverside Christian, but every other game has been a blowout loss. Expect more of the same as the season continues, but at least they will not be on any winless lists moving forward. Agree or Disagree?

Overview: The top teams in the 15th Region opened the season with wins against a few of the best regions 14 and 16 had to offer. No major surprises at the top of the rankings as our #1 through #6 are all still without a loss. With Holiday tournaments quickly approaching, we should find out more about each team as many will face tough competition this week to include a few important early district match-up’s. Team Rankings After Week 1: 1. Pikeville (0-0) – The Panthers remain the top overall team in the region despite not opening the season yet. They will do just that this coming Saturday in a game they will be heavily favored in as they travel to Ambassador Christian Academy in nearby Williamson, WV. Look for Wyatt Battaile and company to make quick work of their first opponent. 2. Floyd Central (3-0) – The Jaguars opened the season strong, going 3-0 with all games being played at home. Floyd Central blew out Magoffin County 76-40, defeated BGP 14th Region preseason #4 Perry Central 58-50, and then blew out Fleming County 79-50 all in a five-day span. The Jaguars have got balanced scoring in each of their first three games, putting at least four players into double figures in each contest (J.R. Tackett has been the leading scorer in each game, averaging just under 20 ppg). Week two will see Floyd Central compete in the WYMT Mountain Classic as they open with Leslie County on Wednesday night. In that tournament you could see a rematch with Perry Central in the semi-finals. 3. Johnson Central (1-0) – In their only contest of the week, the young Golden Eagles knocked off the top 16th Region team on the road (Per BGP preseason rankings) as they defeated Boyd County by a final of 84-76. Despite not having three major contributors (football players preparing for state championship), JC was able to put four players into double figures. Freshman Cory VanHoose led the way with 25 points, Jacob Rice added 23 points, Gabe Ferrell dropped in 18 points, and Freshman Isaiah May scored 14 points despite picking up two fouls in the first 30s of the game and thus seeing limited game time. Boyd County played well in the game, hitting 16 3FG’s on nearly 50% shooting, but coach McKenzie’s squad was able to answer every run with a flurry of their own. Johnson Central is very young, very talented and will only get better as the football kids get acclimated. Week 2 will see JC play three games in three nights as they host East Ridge Thursday night then travel to Jackson County to face North Laurel and Jackson County on back-to-back nights in the PRTC Classic. This will be a good test for a team with only one senior. 4. Pike Central (3-0) – The Hawks are long, athletic, and talented at every position. This was personified in the form of three wins in week one of the season. Pike Central defeated Betsy Layne 87-60, Ambassador Christian 104-68, and Magoffin County 83-60 all at home. The blow out wins were against less than stellar competition, but good teams are supposed to blow out inferior competition. The difficulty will pick up in week two as Pike Central travels to Knott Central for the WYMT Mountain Classic where they open with Knott Central on Tuesday. If big man Cameron Jones is available for the Patriots, this will be a great test of the Hawks. 5. Paintsville (1-0) – The Tigers have been young and upcoming for what seems like years, but this version is something different. They play with energy, can go ten deep, and create a hectic style of play for a full 32 minutes. This was seen in week one as Paintsville knocked off BGP 16th Region preseason #3 Elliott County by a final of 77-54 at home. After trailing by eleven in the first quarter, Paintsville dominated the rest of the game, putting three players into double figures (Seth Williams 22 points, Mason Moore 16 points, and Jaxson Watts 11 points). This team is better than expected, earlier than expected and could be a force by seasons end. Week two will see them play three games on the road vs. Powell County, Shelby Valley, and Harlan County. They will be favored in all three. 6. Shelby Valley (2-0) – The Wildcats picked up two wins to start the season defeating Jenkins 74-34 and Harlan 76-54 both at home. In fact, Shelby Valley plays their first seven games of the season at home. In week two they have Betsy Layne, Paintsville, and Prestonsburg. They should not be tested until the Paintsville game. 7. Belfry (0-0) – The Pirates have yet to open the season and don’t use their scrimmage results as indicators of how good this team can be (they did not have key players available due to football). Belfry has size, physicality, shooting and can go seven to nine deep on a given night. The Pirates open with Tates Creek (at Bourbon County) in the Kentucky Bank Shootout in week two. 8. Sheldon Clark (1-1) – The Cardinals opened the season with a home loss to Powell County 60-70 (led by ten at halftime) followed by a win against Buckhorn 53-45 (at Breathitt County in the Peggy Moore Memorial Classic). Big man Trey James continues to get at least one on a poster every night with a highlight dunk, playing well fifteen feet and in while patrolling the middle on defense and blocking shots. If Sheldon Clark can develop enough help to compliment James, you could see them climb the ranks. The Cardinals will host Lawrence County (defeated them easily two weeks ago in a scrimmage) and then take on Magoffin County on the road and East Carter at a neutral site. Sheldon Clark will be favorites in all three games. 9. Magoffin County (1-2) – The Hornets lost two generational players in Trenton Russell and Jaren Lovely (graduation) and one of the best overall players in the region this season in Ryan Mullins (ACL during football). It is very difficult to replace that kind of talent, not to mention introducing a new Head Coach in Scott Castle. Magoffin is playing fast and much different, but like others in the region, they are in rebuild mode. Blow out losses to Pike Central and Floyd Central on the road, with a close win against East Ridge sandwiched in between tell us Magoffin is good enough to play with the middle of the pack to bottom of the pack teams in the region, but not close to the same level of the top teams. A huge district game looms with Sheldon Clark in week two with district implications on the line. 10. Lawrence County (1-2) – It’s impossible to replace the nation’s leading scorer (Timmy Dalton – now averaging over 30 ppg for Alice Lloyd) as Lawrence County is finding out early. The Bulldogs defeated East Carter on the road, but blowout losses to Morgan County and Franklin County have fans worried in Louisa. This team has a good mix of upper and under classmen, but still need to learn how to play together. Week two will see them on the road at Sheldon Clark and Tolsia, WV (Sheldon Clark easily defeated them in a scrimmage just two weeks ago). 11. Prestonsburg (0-0) – The Blackcats have yet to open the season, but will this week as they host Jenkins, then travel to Shelby Valley and Raceland. This guard oriented team was very streaky in the summer, playing lights out for stretches and very poor for stretches. We will see how they have improved since then in week two under the direction of new Head Coach Brandon Gearheart. 12. Betsy Layne (1-1) – The Bobcats have length and size are a bit better than expected early in the season. They are not ready to take on the top five in the region as evident by their blow-out loss to Pike Central, but could move up to the middle of the pack by seasons end. Shelby Valley, Letcher Central, and Magoffin County in week two will let us know if they are true contenders in the 58th. 13. East Ridge (1-1) – Randy McCoy and the defending All-A Regional Champions are in full rebuild mode this season. A young and upcoming roster still needs to learn how to play and will only get better as the season progresses. Week one saw the Warriors blow out Piarist before losing a close one on the road to Magoffin County. Week two will see McCoy travel to Ambassador Christian in Williamson, WV and 15th Region power Johnson Central. Odds are it will be another 1-1 week for East Ridge. 14. Phelps (0-1) – Phelps lost scoring machine Christian Mounts to Pike Central (transferred) in what was expected to be a good year for them. Without Mounts services, the Hornets still played Betsy Layne close, losing 50-55. Despite losing several very good players to local schools over the past few years (to include Mounts), Phelps will still be competitive with the bottom half of the region. One can only ponder what could have been in that community this season had everyone stayed for their whole careers. 15. Jenkins (0-3) – New to the 15th Region, Jenkins went 0-3 in week one, only being competitive with Owsley County on the road. They are young and will take some lumps this season (no seniors), but look for Jenkins to make some noise next year and the year after that. 16. Piarist (0-2) - The Knights are better this year than last, but will still struggle to pick up wins. They were competitive with June Buchanan in week one but don’t expect them to pick up their first ever 15th Region win anytime soon. Agree or Disagree?

Golden Eagles pick up a nice win on the road to open the season despite not having their football players yet (3 major contributors and probable starters). Boyd County played well shooting nearly 50% from deep, making 15 triples. JC put 4 in double figures. Cory VanHoose 25, Jacob Rice 23, Gabe Ferrell 18 and Isaiah May 14. Boyd County put 3 in double figures. Taylor Smith 27, Blake Stewart 16 and Talbott Taylor 14. Fun game to watch between two good teams.

One big plus for FS this year is they are heading into the title game healthy. Last year our best D-Lineman got injured in the semifinal game and was not effective in the title game. Then our biggest lineman was injured and out of the game on the second play. Then it just snowballed from there. JC punched FS in the mouth and FS was not able to respond. At least this year FS comes in with a better idea of how good JC is. The offensive line returns only one starter but the young guys starting this year seem to be bigger and maybe better than last year. Collins line was huge on both sides but FS handled them well most of the night. We have lots of experience in the backfield with three 1000 yard rushers and a fourth who can take it to the house anytime he touches it. Lots of experience also in the linebackers. FS has done a good job in recent years of getting more different players on the field. Not many play both ways and FS has looked fresher late in games because of that. Not much has changed in our schemes offensively but the coaching staff is good at making adjustments when needed. FS has the ability to pass when needed but hasn't had to do much of it. I expect a closer game this year. I know most people are predicting a JC win by a smaller margin than last year. I can fully understand that prediction and if I were not a fan would probably feel the same way. I just think there is something special about this FS team. They are more battle-tested this year and have a no-quit attitude. I will predict the upset...FS by 3. Wonderful insight! Thank you for the information.

Trust me, Johnson Central knows the feeling. Wayne has a wonderful program.

Battle between two teams who like to run the ball. I give Johnson Central the edge on the ground. Franklin-Simpson will need to connect on a few passes against the Golden Eagles to keep them honest as their defense goes up against a very good run team every practice. I agree with the previous post that this game will be much more competitive, with JC pulling away late for a two score win. To the Franklin-Simpson fans, how different is this years team compared to last? JC has alot of new faces on both sides of the ball, but still plenty of returning experience (collectively still very young on both offense and defense). Does Franklin-Simpson return alot of experience from last years title game? Who are some play makers to watch for?

Final score was JC 43 Wayne County 24. Golden Eagles won the turnover battle 2-0. A pick six by Devin Johnson and muffed punt by Wayne County turned the momentum and the Cardinals could never recover. JC never trailed in the game after both teams exchanged opening punts. JC advances to 3rd straight state title game after defeating Wayne County in third straight state semifinal meeting between the two. Hats off to Wayne County seniors on remarkable careers. Congrats to Coach Matney and the Golden Eagles. Scary thing is they are still very young and will be even better the next two years.

Final: JC 43 Wayne County 24 JC advances to 3rd straight title game. Congrats to Wayne County on a wonderful season as their seniors have nothing to hang their heads about. Unbelievable careers.