ApolloFan98

1. Breckenridge County Tigers (12-2) SAME Breckenridge maintains its top spot for the 2nd straight week. They defeated Cloverport 93-21 in their lone game this week. Jon Whitworth and Joey Howell both scored 14 in the win. This week they travel to Daviess County before returning home against North Bullitt. 2. Owensboro Red Devils (9-6) SAME The Devils used a big 4th quarter to score another win over Owensboro Catholic on Friday. The Aces led for a majority of the game but OHS upped their defensive intensity to come from behind and win 59-51. Freshman Gavin Wimsatt was big, scoring 14. They used a similar formula to knock off Whitesville Trinity on Saturday, 62-47. It was just a 6 point game early in the 4th quarter, but Owensboro again turned up the heat to pull away. Darion Wimsatt led the way with 26. They will play host to Muhlenberg County on Friday in their lone game of the week. 3. Owensboro Catholic Aces (9-5) SAME The Aces took their lumps this week, dropping 2 games to Owensboro and John Hardin on Friday and Saturday. They were very competitive in each defeat, leading both games at the half. Drew Hartz led Catholic with 19 in the 72-63 loss to the Bulldogs. Coach Riley and the Aces will look to get back on track this week vs Whitesville Trinity on Tuesday and in the All-A 3rd Region Tournament this weekend. 4. Muhlenberg County Mustangs (9-5) SAME Tough week for the Mustangs, dropping 2 straight to solid competition in Henderson County and Bowling Green. Nash Divine led Muhlenberg with 11 in the loss to Henderson. They look to get back on track this week with 2 road games, at Mclean Tuesday and Owensboro on Friday. 5. Ohio County Eagles (10-7) SAME Ohio County stayed hot this week going 3-0 to run their win streak to 5. On Friday they scored a 10th district win over Mclean, 58-50. Manning led the Eagles with 14. Saturday, they knocked off Hopkins Central 81-62. Colby Vanover scored a double double with 19 points and 10 boards. Shane Frady led the Eagles in scoring with 20. They have 3 games this week, vs Grayson County Tuesday, vs Daviess County on Friday and Trigg County on Saturday. 6. Whitesville Trinity Raiders (8-5) UP 1 The Raiders opened their week with a big 12th district win over Edmonson 62-59. Trenton Morris and Ethan Howard had 17 each in the win. Saturday, they battled OHS before giving away in the 4th quarter. Trinity is at Owensboro Catholic on Tuesday before opening All-A regional tournament play this weekend. 7. Meade County Greenwave (7-7) UP 1 The Waves scored a nice win this week over Bullitt Central. They are a team to keep your eye on, as it appears they are starting to turn the corner. They hit the road vs Hancock County this week before returning home against Elizabethtown. 8. Daviess County Panthers (6-7) UP 1 Daviess County once again found themselves in a battle against district rival Apollo on Friday, but made some nice halftime adjustments in the come from behind win. Dakota Walden battled through a lot of defensive attention to finish with 19. The Panthers host Breckenridge on Tuesday, are at Ohio County on Friday and close the week with Warren East on Saturday. 9. Grayson County Cougars (6-10) UP 3 After 3 straight wins, it appears the Cougars are starting to bounce back after a rough couple of weeks. They opened their week with a big district win over Butler County, 52-36. Spencer Sharp had 23 in the win. On Saturday, they got one of the more impressive wins in the region this season by knocking off Henderson County 51-40. Nolan Shartzer scored 18, while Q’Darius McHenry put together an impressive stat line with 18 points, 13 boards and 5 assists. Grayson looks to stay hot this week at Ohio County and at Butler County. 10. Butler County Bears (8-6) DOWN 4 The Bears dropped a little this week after a 52-36 district loss to Grayson County. They look to get back to their winning ways this week with road games at Caverna and Cloverport before returning home to host Grayson County. 11. Edmonson County Wildcats (6-9) DOWN 1 Edmonson dropped their lone game this week, a 62-59 loss to Whitesville Trinity. Mason Pierce led the Cats with 16, while Chaz Wilson posted a double double with 10 points and 11 boards. They are at Thomas Nelson on Tuesday before opening All-A tournament play this weekend. 12. Mclean County Cougars (4-8) DOWN 1 On Friday, Mclean battled district foe Ohio County before falling 58-50. Logan Patterson led all scorers with 17. They continue district play on Tuesday, hosting Muhlenberg County on Tuesday before opening All-A play this weekend. 13. Apollo Eagles (1-15) SAME For about 3 quarters, Apollo looked as sharp as they had been all season against Daviess County. They led the Panthers by as many as 8 points late in the 3rd quarter before falling, 54-45. Cameron Frantz was impressive, scoring 15 and playing great shadow defense on Dakota Walden. Apollo will have the week off this week. 14. Hancock County Hornets (4-11) SAME The Hornets split a pair of games this week. They took one on the chin on Friday in Tell City, Indiana before bouncing back with a 89-47 win against Walden. They will host Meade County before hosting the All-A 3rd Region Tournament this weekend. 15. Cloverport Aces (0-13) SAME The Aces dropped 3 more games this week to Walden, Breckenridge County and Cannelton. They host Butler County in their lone game this week. 3rd REGION PLAYER OF THE WEEK - - Darrion Wimsatt - Owensboro Red Devils - 20 ppg average vs Owensboro Catholic & Whitesville Trinity and a 20 ppg average on the season. GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK: TUE - Breckenridge County at Daviess County, Muhlenberg County at Mclean County, Whitesville Trinity at Owensboro Catholic, Grayson County at Ohio County FRI - Muhlenberg County at Owensboro, Daviess County at Ohio County ALL WEEK - All-A 3rd Region Tournament at Hancock County

I nearly bumped Muhlenberg up to the 2 spot this week but it’s about quality wins and losses to me, at least thus far. No doubt it was a mistake to drop them 3 spots on that OT loss and I bumped them back up the next week. Tough to rank these teams without a legit standout. Any given night anyone in the top 8-9 teams could beat anyone or lose to anyone. Throw a blanket over them honestly. Should make for one heck of a tournament season. Love the debate though. Wish more people would interact with the Region conversation! What’s your top 5?

With the Holiday Tournament season in the books, this region looks as wide open as ever. While last weeks #1 Owensboro doesn't quite have the record of a top team, their strength of schedule is by far the toughest of any other team in the region. Middle of the pack teams like Muhlenberg, Butler County and Ohio County all had a very good holiday tournament season. Expect these rankings to continue to be fluid from week to week. 1. Breckenridge County Tigers (11-2) UP 2 The Tigers have now won 7 straight games and picked up 2 holiday tournament trophies along the way. This past week they went 3-0 in Daytona Beach, winning the Sunshine Classic. They scored wins over Letcher County Central, Sunland Baptist,FL and South Doyle, TN. Their schedule is setting up to go on a long run. Their lone game this week is vs Cloverport on Friday. 2. Owensboro Red Devils (7-6) DOWN 1 Owensboro only went 1-2 this week in Bowling Green, but scored the nicest win of any team in the region, with a 71-57 victory over Madisonville. Darrion Wimsatt scored 34 in the win. They did drop consecutive games to Bowling Green and Bullitt East to close out tournament play, but competed well in both defeats. The Devils look to get back on track this week at Owensboro Catholic on Friday and vs Whitesville Trinity on Saturday. 3. Owensboro Catholic Aces (9-3) DOWN 1 The Aces had a solid week, going 2-1 in Allen County and coming up just 1 point short of winning their tournament. They opened with a win against Franklin Simpson 68-64. John Parker led the Aces with 21 points and 8 boards. Catholic followed that up with a win over Greenwood 62-52 before falling in the championship to Allen County 72-71. Owensboro Catholic continues its tough stretch this week hosting a huge district contest vs Owensboro before traveling to John Hardin on Saturday. 4. Muhlenberg County Mustangs (9-3) SAME The Mustangs had a very successful week in LaRue County, winning 3 games in the Magnolia Classic. Looking at the stat lines for each win, it was a total team effort every night. Braydon Lovan scored 14 in each of the wins over Louisville Collegiate, Carlisle County and Bullitt Central. Thoughts go out to Mustang senior Trey Boggess, as he undergoes ACL surgery this week. Muhlenberg continues its run against tough teams this week as they take on Henderson County and Bowling Green on Friday and Saturday. 5. Ohio County Eagles (8-7) UP 2 It sure seems like Coach Tony Hopper is doing what Tony Hopper does right now in Ohio County. The Eagles are starting to get going, as they reeled off 3 straight wins against Russellville, Chattanooga School of the Arts and an impressive 73-69 win over Warren East in the Danny Annis Classic Championship. Trey Lewis went off for 35 in the championship. They have a big district game on Friday against Mclean County before hosting Hopkins Central on Saturday. 6. Butler County Bears (8-5) SAME The Bears stayed hot this week, picking up 2 more wins. They knocked off Portland Christian to start the week. Senior Justin Elms emerged, leading all scorers with 14. Butler followed that up with a double digit win over St Francis. Elms again led the way with 20. Hurt added 19 and Rice had 18. The Bears look to keep the momentum going this week in a big district game at Grayson County. 7. Whitesville Trinity Raiders (7-4) DOWN 2 After winning the Hancock County Christmas Tournament last week, the Raiders were upset by Mclean County in their lone game this week, 72-57. They will look to get back on track with a huge 12th district game against Edmonson County on Friday, before traveling to OHS on Saturday. 8. Meade County Greenwave (6-7) SAME The Waves had a nice run in the Nelson County Holiday Tournament, winning games against Boyle County, 54-42 and Nelson County 74-62. Chaney Weick led the Waves in both wins by scoring 19 against Boyle and 18 against Nelson. They fell in the title game to Logan County, 74-62. They have a tough game this week at Bullitt Central. 9. Daviess County Panthers (5-7) SAME The Panthers had a good week in Allen County, picking up wins over Todd County Central and Greenwood. Chase Luckett put up 20 points in the win over Todd County and hit the game winner against Greenwood in overtime. Dakota Walden continued his tear, scoring 25 against the Gators. They did sandwich a loss to host Allen County between the wins. The Panthers are back in action this week with a 9th district rivalry game against Apollo. 10. Edmonson County Wildcats (6-8) SAME The Wildcats scored 2 wins this past weeks. Both wins were total team efforts. They placed 5 players in double figures in wins over Cloverport and St Francis. Eli Booker led all scorers against St Francis, scoring 15. They host Whitesville Trinity on Friday in a 12th district showdown. 11. Mclean County Cougars (4-7) UP 1 Mclean County has competed well all season, but look like they may be turning the corner a little bit. They scored 2 wins this past week against Bethlehem and an impressive 72-57 win against Whitesville Trinity. Logan Patterson has been one of the regions most consistent players through the first half of the season and always gives Mclean a chance. They host district rival Ohio County on Friday. 12. Grayson County Cougars (4-10) DOWN 1 The Cougars dropped a pair of games to open tournament play in Campbellsville this past week before closing out with a 53-46 win over Green County. Grayson gets back home this week with a district game against Butler County on Friday and Henderson on Saturday. 13. Apollo Eagles (1-14) SAME Apollo continues to show improvement, even if the win column may not reflect it. They have competed much better over the last few weeks, even in losses to Valley, Hopkins Central and Marshall County. They look to break their 14 game losing streak this week at home against Daviess County. 14. Hancock County Hornets (3-10) SAME The Hornets took a major step up in competition this week, playing in the Tradition Bank Tournament at Lexington Catholic. They dropped games to Franklin County, Bardstown and Robertson County. They have winnable games this week against Tell City on Friday and Walden on Saturday. 15. Cloverport Aces (0-10) SAME The Aces dropped their lone game of the week against Edmonson County. They will look for their first win of the season this week with games against Walden, Breckenridge County and Cannelton, IN. 3rd REGION PLAYER OF THE WEEK - - Braydon Lovan - Muhlenberg County Mustangs - 14 ppg average in 3 wins in the Magnolia Bank Classic GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK: FRI - Owensboro at Owensboro Catholic, Henderson County at Muhlenberg County SAT - Owensboro Catholic at John Hardin, Muhlenberg County at Bowling Green, Whitesville Trinity at Owensboro

As Christmas arrives, the region is as wide open as everyone expected heading into the season. Owensboro Catholic started the season with 7 straight wins, but this week showed this region is wide open. Owensboro only has a 6-4 record, but they have played the toughest schedule in the region. As they continue to get their entire roster healthy and gel as a team, you can expect them to be a tough matchup for anyone. 1. Owensboro Red Devils (6-4) – UP 2 Owensboro went 3-1 this week, starting with a double overtime win over Ohio County. Freshman Gavin Wimsatt led the Devils, knocking down big free throws in the 2nd overtime. They fared well in the OIT, going 2-1. Their lone defeat came to Hopkinsville by 2. On Friday, they got a big 7 point win against previous #1, Owensboro Catholic. Owensboro closed tournament play with a 75-67 win over Monroe County. The Devils have no games listed this week. 2. Owensboro Catholic Aces (7-2) - DOWN 1 The Aces had their 7 game win streak to open the season come to an end in the OIT. They opened with a big win over Monroe County before falling to Owensboro, 76-69. Expect these 2 teams to clash several more times throughout the season. They closed tournament play with a loss to Hopkinsville. This week the Aces head to Allen County Scottsville vs Daviess County, Franklin Simpson, Greenwood and Sayre. 3. Breckenridge County Tigers (8-2) - DOWN 1 The Tigers bounced back this week, going 4-0. They opened the week with a big win over Grayson County. Grant Riley scored 16. They followed that up with by knocking off North Hardin, Ft Knox and Shawnee to win their Christmas tournament. Kobe Poole and Tanner Whitworth led the Tigers to the tournament championship. This week they head to Daytona Beach for the Sunshine Classic. 4. Muhlenberg County Mustangs (6-3) SAME The Mustangs went 2-1 in the Warren East Classic. They picked up 2 nice wins over Marion County and Bardstown before losing to Warren East in the championship. Nash Divine, Nolan Davis and Asher Carver led a balanced attack to defeat Marion. Divine followed that up with 23 points to help knock off Bardstown in overtime. The Mustangs head to the Magnolia Bank Tourney in LaRue County with Carlisle County and Bullitt Central. 5. Whitesville Trinity Raiders (7-3) SAME The Raiders had a nice week, going 3-0. They won the Aleris Christmas tournament in Hancock with wins over Providence, Crittenden and Hancock County in the championship. Ethan Howard had 20 in the championship game. Trinity takes on Mclean County on Saturday in their lone game this week. 6. Butler County Bears (6-5) UP 3 The Bears went 2-2 this week with wins over Evangelical Christian and Fulton City. They did drop games to a good Lyon County team and in overtime to a good Caldwell County team. Parker Rice and Jaden Hurt continue to be one of the regions best 1-2 combinations. Rice is averaging 21 points and 9 boards, while Hurt is putting up 16 a game with 6 boards. They have games this week against Portland Christian and St Francis. 7. Ohio County Eagles (5-7) DOWN 1 Ohio only went 1-2 this week, but showed well. They battled Owensboro before falling in double overtime. Dennis Manning had a big game for the Eagles. They bounced back with a win over Lloyd Memorial before losing to Grant County and South Oldham. The Eagles will host their own tourney this week vs Russellville, Chattanooga and Warren East. 8. Meade County Greenwave (5-7) SAME The Waves went 2-1 in Gatlinburg TN. They lost to Harlan County but defeated Glenwood Alabama and Berean Christian TN. This week, Meade heads to Nelson County vs Nelson, Boyle and Logan County. 9. Daviess County Panthers (3-6) - DOWN 2 The Panthers struggled a bit this week, going 1-2 in the OIT. They survived against Apollo, as Dakota Walden knocked down 2 free throws with .5 seconds left to give them a 52-51 win. DC dropped games to Bowling Green and John Hardin in tournament play. This week they will join Owensboro Catholic in Allen County vs Franklin Simpson, Greenwood and Sayre. 10. Edmonson County Wildcats (4-8) SAME The Wildcats went 1-2 in their Christmas tournament. In the win over Hart County, Chaz Wilson had a double double, scoring 22 points and pulling 11 boards. They dropped games to Green County and Metcalfe to wrap up tournament play. This week they have games against Cloverport and St Francis. 11. Grayson County Cougars (3-8) SAME The Cougars went 1-3 last week. They opened with a regional loss to Breckenridge County. They did score a win vs Metcalfe County in the Edmonson County holiday tournament. Spencer Sharp was big in the win, with a career high 28 points. They lost games to Green County and Greenwood. This week they head to the Campbellsville Holiday Tournament. 12. Mclean County Cougars (2-6) SAME McLean got a 59-55 win over Dawson Springs this past week. They go on the road this week for 3 road games against Bethlehem, St Francis and Whitesville Trinity. 13. Apollo Eagles (1-11) SAME Apollo dropped 3 more games this week in the OIT, but showed well against Daviess County. They held a 1 point lead vs the Panthers but free throws with .5 seconds left gave Daviess County the win. The Eagles head to the Marshall County holiday tournament this week. 14. Hancock County Hornets (3-7) SAME The Hornets went 1-2 this week. They got a win over Williamstown before falling to Whitesville Trinity in the title game of their Christmas tournament. This week the Hornets head to Lexington Catholic for the Tradition Bank tournament. 15. Cloverport Aces (0-9) SAME The Aces are still looking for their first win. They dropped 2 games in the Hancock County tournament. Cloverport hosts Edmonson County on Thursday. PLAYER OF THE WEEK Parker Rice - Butler County - 21 points / 9 rebounds thru the 1st 11 games

Heading into the holiday tournament season, Owensboro Catholic has established themselves as the clear front runners in this region. We should find out just how good they are this week, as they will be tested by 3 very good teams in OIT pool play. If they get through that, they'll have a difficult match up waiting for them in the finals with John Hardin and Bowling Green on the opposite side of the bracket. 1.Owensboro Catholic Aces (6-0) - SAME The Aces continued with their hot start, knocking off Daviess County in their lone game this week. John Parker led the Aces with 23, but it was Andrew Riney's huge 3rd quarter that put Catholic in front for good. He scored 8 straight in the quarter and finished with 19. They kickoff holiday tournament season this week in the OIT against Monroe County, Hoptown and Owensboro. 2. Breckenridge County Tigers (3-1) - SAME Breckenridge opened the week with an 81-53 win against Whitesville Trinity. The win was extra impressive on the road in a tough environment. Five Tigers reached double figures in the win, led by Kobe Poole's 16. On Friday, Breck was upset by Meade County in 11th district play. This week, they will host Grayson on Tuesday before hosting their own Holiday Tournament with the likes of Ft Knox, Bullitt East, North Hardin and Shawnee. 3. Owensboro Red Devils (3-3) - SAME Owensboro opened the week with a road loss in Christian County, 75-66. Issac Humphrey led the Devils with 21. On Friday, OHS knocked off 9th district rival Apollo, 72-44. Freshman Gavin Wimsatt led all scorers with 21, while Darrion Wimsatt poured in 20. The Devils are still feeling out their lineup but with more talent starting to get healthy, look for Owensboro to continue to improve. They play Ohio County tonight, before opening OIT play this week against Monroe County, Hoptown and Owensboro Catholic. 4. Muhlenberg County Mustangs (4-2) UP 2 The Mustangs are back up to the 3 spot after going 2-0 this week. Tuesday they got a big 10th district win over Ohio County 36-29. Nolan Davis had 14 points and 8 rebounds in the win. This weekend, they defeated Russellville 66-40. Davis again led the way with 16. Trey Lovell and Asher Carver chipped in 14 each while Nash Divine also reached double figures with 11. Coach Eades has been getting it done with different lineups early in the season. The Stangs will head to the Warren East holiday tournament this week against the likes of Marion County, Henderson, Bardstown, Caverna and Campbellsville. 5. Whitesville Trinity Raiders (4-3) DOWN 1 The week started off on the right foot for the Raiders. They knocked off Daviess County on Monday, 61-51. Trinity put 4 players in double figures led by Ethan Howard's 15. Cameron Wright and Brenden Wathen had 14, while Trenton Morris chipped in 13. On Tuesday, they couldn't keep the momentum alive, losing 81-53 to Breckenridge County. Then on Friday, they lost a tough road game in Union County, 68-33. The loss was the worst offensive effort of the season for Trinity. They will travel to the Hancock County Christmas Tournament this week with Cloverport, Eminence, Williamstown, Providence IN and host Hancock County. 6. Ohio County Eagles (4-4) UP 1 Even though the Eagles only went 1-2 this past week, they showed well against good competition. They battled Muhlenberg hard until falling 36-29. Dennis Manning led the Eagles with 9. Thursday, they led Henderson throughout the game before giving away in the 4th quarter. Shane Frady was strong off the bench and 8th grader Elijah Decker played some strong minutes in the loss. Ohio was able to get back on track on Saturday with a 68-54 win over Todd Central. Trey Lewis led the Eagles with 18. Shane Frady scored a double double with 10 points and 11 boards. They are at Owensboro tonight before traveling to Grant County to take on Lloyd Memorial later this week. 7. Daviess County Panthers (1-4) - DOWN 2 Daviess County feels like they are a lot better than the 7th team in this region, but they just haven't found a way to finish games. That's understandable with an entire new cast of players. They lost to Whitesville Trinity to open the week but bounced back with a strong showing against Owensboro Catholic. They led the Aces mid way through the 3rd quarter before running out of gas against Catholic's deep bench. Dakota Walden showed why he is a 3rd Region player of the year candidate, scoring 35 and setting a school record by going 8 for 8 beyond the arc. Walden is averaging 29 points per game through the first 5. DC hosts Hancock County on Tuesday before heading into the OIT against John Hardin, Bowling Green and Apollo. 8. Meade County Greenwave (2-5) UP 1 The Waves split a pair of games this week, losing to Shelby County 52-44 back on Tuesday. Friday night, Meade finally played up to their potential, upsetting 11th district rival Breck County in overtime. Chezney Wieck was huge, going for a double double with 21 points and 10 boards. His younger brother Chaney scored 16, while Peyton Cole also reached double figures with 10. With Armstead back in the lineup, you an expect this team to continue to climb up the rankings going forward. Meade travels to Gatlinburg this week where they will face Harlin County. 9. Butler County Bears (4-3) UP 2 It was a good week for the Bears, as they won 3 straight games. Tuesday they put together a big 4th quarter to knock off Apollo, 61-56. Parker Rice continued his hot start to the season, scoring 20. Jayden Hurt added 18. Rice and Hurt stayed hot on Friday, as they went for 19 and 24 respectively in their 75-63 win over Edmonson County. On Saturday, they beat Walden 69-38. The Bears have another busy week, heading to Evangel Christian tonight before hosting their own Christmas tourney against Lyon County, Caldwell County and Fulton City. 10. Edmonson County Wildcats (2-4) SAME Edmonson dropped a pair of games to Barren and Butler County before bouncing back with a 69-60 win over Hancock County. Chaz Wilson is putting up big numbers through the first 6 games, averaging 16 points and 10 boards. The Cats host their own Christmas tournament this week against Hart, Green and Metcalfe County. 11. Grayson County Cougars (2-5) DOWN 3 After a hot start, Grayson County has dropped 4 straight games. They played an extremely difficult schedule this past week with losses coming against Elizabethtown and Central Hardin. The Cougars will travel to Breckenridge County this week before heading to the Edmonson County Christmas tournament. 12. Mclean County Cougars (1-5) SAME Mclean dropped another close game this week, 78-76 to Russelville. Logan Patterson scored 30 and pulled down 10 boards in defeat. On Friday, the Cougars lost to Webster County 61-50. They will look to turn things around on the road, with games against Hopkins Central and Dawson Springs this week. 13. Apollo Eagles (1-8) - SAME Things continue to snow ball on the young Apollo Eagles. They dropped 2 more games this week to Owensboro and Butler County. The Eagles led Butler County most of the way before coming up short in the 4th quarter. Dylon Talbott and Harrison Bowman scored 13 each. They open OIT pool play this week against John Hardin, Bowling Green and Daviess County. 14. Hancock County Hornets (2-5) SAME The Hornets split a pair of games this past week. They knocked off Lighthouse Christian, Indiana on Friday. Saturday Edmonson County defeated Hancock 69-60. They will travel to Daviess County tonight before hosting their own Christmas tournament with Whitesville Trinity, Cloverport, Eminence, Williamstown, and Providence Indiana. 15. Cloverport Aces (0-5) SAME Cloverport fell in their only action this week, 86-28 to Louisville Iroqouis. They will look for their first win this week at home againt Burgin this Wednesday before heading to the Hancock County Christmas tournament.

I really like this Muhlenberg team. Probably penalized them to much for a OT loss, but i think these rankings(especially in the top 6-7) are going to be pretty fluid all season. Apologies to Nash Divine for the misspelling of his name. He's to good of a player to get that incorrect. That's what I get for typing this up at 1 am while trying to watch Kurt Russell play Santa on Netflix!

It's really hard to explain. With such a productive senior class last year, you would expect them to hit a rebuilding season, but not like this. Normally there is always that next group of kids who eat sleep and breathe basketball but that doesn't seem to be the case this year. Most all of the kids who are varsity level players are freshman and inexperienced sophomores. Add in the fact that 2 of the guys they were going to depend on as leaders are currently ineligible and its a bad combination. I do like that Sargent is back coaching the JV and helping Barker on the bench. Apollo has a solid staff and I would expect them to work their way out of it eventually, but baring a transfer or transfers its going to be at least a couple of years before they can compete with the top of the region again.

Last week kicked off with a battle between #1 and #2 in Breckenridge County and Owensboro Catholic. The game lived up to the hype, as both teams battled it out until the very end. I came away with the impression that this region may not be as down as previously thought. Tim Riley has the Aces looking like a version of his old Warren Central teams, early on. They pressure the ball non stop and play at a very high tempo that is fun to watch. Speaking of Warren Central, Owensboro played the Dragons very well. The Devils actually led them heading into the 4th quarter before giving away late. As they get healthy, keep your eye on Owensboro. There are a lot of teams in the middle of the pack that you can expect to improve greatly as the season wears along. 1.Owensboro Catholic Aces (5-0) - UP 1 The Aces continued their hot start this week, knocking off 3 more 3rd region opponents. They started the week with a 79-73 win over previously top ranked Breckenridge County. Catholic put 4 players in double figures and brought a swarming defense to knock off the Tigers. On Tuesday, Catholic pulled away from Grayson County to get a 57-39 win. Again, the Aces placed 4 players in double figures in a total team win. Catholic rounded out the week with a dominate 60-31 win over Apollo. John Parker put up 16. Between the depth, balance and total team defense, Aces fans have to be excited with the expectations of this team. The only game for Catholic this week is a big district matchup at Daviess County on Friday. 2. Breckenridge County Tigers (3-1) - DOWN 1 The Fighting Tigers slip a spot this week after losing a hard fought game on the road at Owensboro Catholic. Breck showed a ton of heart in the loss, battling back from a double digit first half deficit to take the lead in the 4th quarter. A late technical foul took away their chance to steal one at the Sportscenter. Kobe Poole poured in 29, while Tanner Whitworth knocked down 5 3’s to finish with 20. They bounced back on Friday with a 70-50 win over Hancock County. Poole went for 28 more, while Whitworth again knocked down 5 3’s. He finished with 17. The Tigers have 2 interesting road games this week, at Whitesville Trinity Tuesday and Meade on Friday. 3. Owensboro Red Devils (2-2) - UP 3 Owensboro has played the toughest schedule of any team in the region this far, with losses coming to Central Hardin and Warren Central. They battled Central on Tuesday, until a late 15-0 run by the Dragons put them away. The Devils bounced back on Friday with a win against Daviess County 69-62. Darrion Wimsatt scored 28, while Greathouse added 14. The Devils should be getting some guys healthy soon, in the form of Brennan Williams and Tyren Hayden. That should add a lift to an already competitive team. Owensboro has 2 road games this week at Christian County and Apollo. 4. Whitesville Trinity Raiders (3-1) UP 4 Early in the season, the Raiders are showing they are more than just a good story. Their only loss came to a Henderson team that is undefeated thus far. Trinity had their game against Edmonson County snowed out on Tuesday. However, they did pick up a district win on Friday against Butler County, 54-44. Trenton Morris led a balanced attack with 12 points. Trinity has shown that they have 4-5 players that could lead them in scoring on any given night. They will have a chance to prove they are for real this week, with home games against Daviess County and Breck County. They’re on the road Friday, at Union County. 5. Daviess County Panthers (1-2) - DOWN 1 While the Panthers lost their only game this week, and hold a losing record, they have competed against great competition. They lost to Owensboro 69-62 but battled them until the end. Dakota Walden continues to show that he is one of the best players in the region, as he scored 29. As the role players continue to settle into their spots, Daviess County is only going to get better. They travel to Whitesville tonight before returning home for a huge district game against Owensboro Catholic. 6. Muhlenberg County Mustangs (2-2) DOWN 3 In their only game this week, the Mustangs lost a heartbreaker to Caldwell County, in overtime. It was a back and forth game throughout, but the Mustangs came up just short. Nolan Davis scored 19 and Nash Devine finished with 15. Results aside, Muhlenberg is showing to be a balanced team. Expect them to continue to improve every time out. They open district play at home on Tuesday against Ohio County. The #1 seed in the 10th district is huge because a 1st round bye will be on the line. The Mustangs close the week at home against Russellville on Friday. 7. Ohio County Eagles (3-2) SAME The Eagles opened the week with a tough 59-41 loss to Logan County. No Eagle reached double figures in scoring. It shows early on, Coach Hopper’s group is still looking to find their identity. The good news is they bounced back with a big district win on Friday, knocking off Mclean County 68-53. Trey Lewis led the Eagles in a big performance. This week, they’re at Muhlenberg County, host undefeated Henderson team and close the week in Muhlenberg against Todd County. 8. Grayson County Cougars (2-3) DOWN 3 It was a bit of a rough week for Grayson County, going 0-2. On Tuesday they battled Owensboro Catholic until giving away in the 4th quarter. McHenry was impressive in defeat, scoring 20. The Cougars we unable to put that loss behind them, suffering a tough district loss to Edmonson County. After 3 straight road games, Grayson returns home this week for 2 tough games against Elizabethtown and Central Hardin. 9. Meade County Greenwave (1-4) SAME While the Waves did pickup their first win of the season this week against Cloverport, they couldn’t keep the momentum alive. On Friday, they let another lead slip away in a road loss to Campbellsville, 76-72. Meade has been banged up to start the season, so expect this team to get better as the season wears along. The talent is there for this to be a top 5 team in the region but right now they are still working to put it together. They are at Shelby County on Tuesday before returning home for a huge district game against Breckenridge County. 10. Edmonson County Wildcats (2-4) UP 4 Edmonson County was a bit of an unknown heading into the season, but Coach McClintic is getting the most out of his team early. They make the jump from 14 to 9 this week because they have 2 impressive wins over Warren East, and then against Grayson County this past Friday. Mason Pierce led the Cats with 13 while Dalton Decker chipped in 12. They did drop a game to South Warren on Saturday but based on wins alone, Edmonson deserved a boost in the rankings. They have games this week against Barren County, Butler County and Hancock County. 11. Butler County Bears (1-3) DOWN 1 The Bears battled Whitesville until falling by 10 on Friday. Butler County has one of the best front courts in the region but are still transitioning from losing their 2 top scoring guards. Through 4 games, Parker Rice is averaging 23 points per game and 9 rebounds. Jaden Hurt is putting up 18 and 8 through the first 4. They host Apollo and Edmonson County this week before traveling to Walden on Saturday. 12. Mclean County Cougars (1-3) UP 1 The Cougars got their first win of the season on Monday, beating Hancock County 61-52. Logan Patterson scored 28 in the win. Friday, they dropped a district game to Ohio County, 68-53. Patterson gives the Cougars a chance to compete on any night. This week they have 3 straight road games against Russellville, Webster County and Hopkins Central. 13. Apollo Eagles (1-6) - DOWN 2 Since opening the season with a road win in Hancock County, the Eagles have lost 6 straight. The alarming part is, they haven’t been competitive in the defeats. They got behind early in losses to Webster, Owensboro Catholic and Warren East this past week. Right now, they just need to find out who is going to step up and lead this team. They will try to right the ship at Butler County on Tuesday before returning home against Owensboro on Friday. 14. Hancock County Hornets (1-4) DOWN 1 The Hornets scored their first win of the season on Tuesday, with a 76-30 win over Cloverport. Jaxson Gray scored 15 in the win. Hancock dropped games against Mclean County and Breckenridge County this week. Right now, it is a work in progress for Coach Mike Orr. They have games this week against Lighthouse Christian Indiana, Edmonson County and Daviess County. 15. Cloverport Aces (0-5) SAME Cloverport continued to struggle this week, losing games to Hancock, Meade and Birgin. Their lone game this week is at Louisville Irqouis. GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK: MONDAY - Daviess County at Whitesville Trinity TUESDAY - Breckenridge County at Whitesville Trinity, Ohio County at Muhlenberg County FRIDAY - Breckenridge County vs Meade County, Owensboro Catholic at Daviess County,

Breckenridge travels to Owensboro Catholic tonight. Early season battle between 2 of the top teams in the region. Both teams got to 2-0 pretty handily. Breck has outscored their opponents 183-81, while Catholic has outscored their's 184-77. The winner should take the top spot in the early season rankings.

With all of the turnover in the rosters, it was interesting to watch the results come in from the first week of action. A few things really jumped out. Owensboro Catholic was expected to be pretty talented but they may be even better than anyone had thought. They have enough talent to maybe make a dent in the Bluegrass Preps top 20 if they can play to their potential. Daviess County turned some heads, pushing a very good Madisonville team late into the 4th quarter before falling short. Lastly, Whitesville Trinity may have one of its most talented rosters in school history. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders can continue to climb up these rankings as the season moves along. 1. Breckenridge County Tigers (2-0) - SAME The Tigers handed their business in week 1, winning both games easily. Early last week they knocked off Edmonson County 75-47. Tanner Whitworth knocked down 4 3 pointers and finished with 18. Kobe Poole chipped in 14 of his own. On Friday, they picked up their first 11th district win with a 108-34 victory over Cloverport. Breckenridge wastes no time in taking on challenges this week as they head to Owensboro to take on Catholic tonight before heading to Hancock County on Friday. 2. Owensboro Catholic Aces (2-0) - SAME Coach Tim Riley and the Aces turned a lot of heads in the opening week of the season. They opened on the road with a 103-36 win over South Spencer. They set a number of school records in the process. Most points in a game and biggest margin of victory records fell, as well as Andrew Riney setting the mark for the most steals in a game, with 7. Drew Hartz led the Aces in scoring with 15. Friday, they smashed Meade County 81-41. Catholic took a total team approach in the win. John Parker finished with 26 to lead the way. This Catholic team resembles one that you might have seen Riley coach at Warren Central in the mid 2000's. They bring aggressive defense and attack the rim. They will look to continue the onslaught this week with home games against Breckenridge, Grayson and Apollo. 3. Muhlenberg County Mustangs (2-1) - SAME The Mustangs opened the season with a 53-48 win against Marshall County. Nash Devine led the way with 18 and Issac Rose chipped in 11 points and 6 boards. Thursday, the Stangs stormed from behind to steal one on the road in Grayson County. Landon Gunterman scored the final 5 points, including the game winner to finish with 15. Saturday, Madisonville got the better of them by a final of 73-58. Muhlenberg is obviously still a work in progress, but you can see that the team has several guys who can produce on any given night. This week they travel to Hopkins Central before returning home to take on Caldwell County. 4. Daviess County Panthers (1-1) - UP 4 The Panthers make a big jump this week, after an impressive start to the season. They opened the season with an impressive showing against Madisonville. They led the Maroons right up until the end before falling 70-64. Dakota Walden had a monster game, putting up 36 points. They came back on Saturday and convincingly defeated Mclean County 75-56. This week, DC has a pair of interesting matchups, at Butler on Tuesday and home against Owensboro on Friday. 5. Grayson County Cougars (2-1) - SAME The Cougars had some last minute changes to their roster but it looks like the current group is settling in nicely. They opened the season getting a big 66-45 win at Apollo. McHenry scored 24 and senior Spencer Sharp put up 21. Thursday, the Cougars let one slip away with a turnover in the final seconds that cost them against Muhlenberg County. Nolan Shartzer scored 19 in the loss. Grayson bounced back on Saturday with a nice 12 point win over Fairdale. Shartzer was big once again, scoring 33 and pulling 9 boards. The Cougars have a pair of road games this week at Owensboro Catholic and Edmonson next week. 6. Owensboro Red Devils (1-1) - SAME The Devils had an up and down opening week, but flashed some serious potential. On Tuesday, they scored an impressive road win at Union County, 72-56. Darrion Wimsatt had a monster game with 31. Issac Humphrey also hit double figures with 13. Saturday, Central Hardin took it to the Devils, winning 67-47. The size of the Bruins caused a lot of problems for the much smaller Devils. Coach Drake has some players nicked up to start the year, but should get them back within the next couple of weeks. Owensboro has a tough week ahead as they host Warren Central on Tuesday before traveling to Daviess County on Friday. 7. Ohio County Eagles (2-1) - SAME Coach Tony Hopper and the Eagles got their season off to a strong start with a big win over Meade County, 63-56. They carried that momentum into a 44-37 victory over Hancock County on Thursday. On Saturday, the Eagles fell to a very good Graves County team, 70-42. This team is still finding its way early on, but they have a very solid rotation of guys that are contributing. They host Logan County on Tuesday before opening 10th district play on Friday at home against Mclean County. 8. Whitesville Trinity Raiders (2-1) - UP 1 The Raiders opened up the season with quite an impression. They got a 70-32 win over Cloverport to open the season but the biggest impressions of the week would come against Henderson and Apollo. On Tuesday, they battled the Colonels and nearly pulled the upset, losing 64-60. Brown finished with 16. Morris chipped in 14 and Wright was also in double figures with 12. Saturday, the Raiders got a huge 64-50 win over Apollo. I believe that is the first time in school history that Trinity has defeated Apollo. It was a total team effort as the Raiders used suffocating defense to generate their offense. They return home this week for 2 huge 12th district games against Edmonson and Butler County. 9. Meade County Greenwave (0-2) - DOWN 5 While the Waves are battling some injuries to open the season, they took a couple of really tough losses this week. After leading at halftime, they let one slip away against Ohio County to open the season. Then on Friday, the expected showdown with Catholic got ugly, as the Waves lost by 40. In their defense, a short bench really hurt them against Catholic who brought an intense full court defense for the entire game, while going about 10-11 players deep. Expect Meade to show better this season, than they did in the first week. They'll look to bounce back on the road against Providence, IN before returning home to open district play against Cloverport. They will close out the week at Campbellsville on Friday. 10. Butler County Bears (1-2) - UP 3 While Butler struggled a little to start the season with losses to Metcalfe and Glasgow, they bounced back with an impressive win at Lyon County on Friday. Parker Rice had a monster game with 29 points. He was 5 of 5 from beyond the arc and pulled down 12 boards. Jaden Hurt led the Bears in scoring with 31 points and 9 boards. Butler will look to stay hot as they host Daviess County on Tuesday before opening district play at Trinity on Friday. 11. Apollo Eagles (1-3) - SAME While Apollo is in serious rebuild mode, they were able to go on the road and open the season with a 61-56 win at Hancock County. Cameron Frantz & Nathan Mewes had 15 points each in the win. The rest of the week was rough for the Eagles. They lost by double digits to Grayson County, Warren Central and Trinity. Thus far, Apollo is without its only player from last season with any varsity minutes in Malik Wilson. Its going to be a process for Coach Steve Barker and the Eagles this season. They have a tough week ahead at Webster County, Owensboro Catholic and Warren East. 12. Hancock County Hornets (0-2) - DOWN 2 The Hornets had a bit of a disappointing start to the season, dropping 2 winnable games last week. They opened with a loss to Apollo, 61-56. On Thursday, they fell to Ohio County 44-37. Coach Mike Orr is just looking for guys who can step up around team leader Jaxson Gray. They have a 3 game home stand this week against Mclean, Cloverport and Breckenridge County. 13. Mclean County Cougars (0-2) - DOWN 1 Mclean lost a heart breaker to open the season against Hopkins Central, 64-63. Logan Patterson had a monster night, with 29 points and 7 boards. Brady Dame added a double double with 10 points and 11 boards. Mclean will look for its first win of the season on the road this week, at Hancock and Ohio County. 14. Edmonson County Wildcats (1-3) - SAME Edmonson opened the season with a couple of tough losses to Thomas Nelson and #1 Breckenridge County. They were able to break through on Friday against Warren East, 59-56. On Saturday Cumberland County knocked off the Cats, 73-62. The Wildcats have competed well considering the turnover in their roster. They open 12th district play at Trinity on Tuesday, before returning home Friday against Grayson. They close the week at South Warren. 15. Cloverport Aces (0-2) - SAME The Aces had a tough week dropping games to Trinity and Breckenridge County. Both losses were by double digits. They have 3 straight road games this week against Hancock, Meade and Birgin.

Catholic was up 26-0 to start the game. Not sure what happened here. I didn’t think this one would be close. Tough way to go out for the Aces seniors.

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I was wrong. It was 13 going into the season. Its 14 now. That’s playoff and regular season going back to OHS’s last win in 2008.

Im shocked there arent more folks talking about this one. I think is lining up to be one of the better round 2 games in the state. While you think of OHS and BG as big rivals, is hard to be a rivalry when its been so one sided lately. Owensboro hasnt beat Bowling Green in 10 years(13 straight meetings i believe). I do however, think the streak comes to an end of Friday. I believe that the Devils have gotten better since the first time these 2 hooked up and im not sure that Bowling Green has. OHS's defense has been very good since the Owensboro Catholic defeat that forced them to change up their personnel. I look for the Devils DL to have a big impact on this game. On the offensive side, Owensboro brings a dangerous balance into this game. Tre Green has been the guy to bring that balance. If you try to focus to much on Owsley, Green has been able to make teams pay. Mix in Warren at QB, and i just think Owensboro will be to tough to stop this time around. The Devils biggest obstacle will be themselves. If they cant avoid the mental hurdle that is Bowling Green and make mistakes, thats the only way i see them losing this game. Owensboro 27 Bowling Green 14

This is a sneaky game to keep an eye on. I do think Catholic wins it but it wouldnt shock me if its close. Murray has some dudes and outside a meaningless game against South Warren in the final week of the season, its been a while since the Aces have been physically challenged. I will say, i think this is the most complete Owensboro Catholic team in quite some time. They have the potential to come out and put a running clock on Murray. I will be interested to see how this one plays out. Catholic 42 Murray 20

The game was moved to Warren Central this morning. Id think Grayson would rather play it on as sloppy of a track as possible. While i don't think it will effect the final outcome, keep in mind that McHenry didnt play the first time around. I think South Warren still wins this by about 3 scores but McHenry makes a huge difference for the Cougars.

I dont know if anyone in the area, Mclean fans included, expect Mclean to pull of the upset here. I think a lot of people are just hoping that the Cougars will be able to compete in the game. That would be a huge step for their program. For them to even be able to compete they will have to stay ahead of the chains on the ground and limit big plays. If they fall behind early, it will be a bad recipe. In the Catholic game they competed very well out of the gate defensively but allowed a couple of 4th down conversions that put them behind and effectively ended their hopes.

I couldn’t agree more. It’s always tough to determine which guys have taken that massive step forward. Last year Matthews was that guy. The year before Zach Hopewell was that guy. I think it could be any number of guys this year. The player rankings are really based upon what I’ve seen from them already and what steps I’m expecting them to take. It’s much more important to be on the postseason all region team than the preseason lists. Looking forward to a fun season.

Ranking the 3rd Region in the preseason is a tall task. Outside Breckenridge County, every team that had winning seasons last year, lost nearly all of its offensive production to graduation or transfer. Also, these rankings are dependent on the kids that have transferred within the region getting eligible. Odds are they will be able to play. All of the other uncertainty should make for an exciting regular season. It will be interesting to see which players take the next step in bigger roles for their teams this season. 1. Breckenridge County Tigers - Coach Patrick Critchelow Last Season (15-13) - 11th Dist. Runner-up - Lost to Owensboro Catholic Region 1st round Key Losses - Colin Bland - 7ppg/4 rpg - lost 2 Seniors Roster - Breckenridge returns nearly everyone from a team that was middle of the pack last year in the 3rd. They are led by 3rd region player of the year frontrunner, Kobe Poole (24ppg). Poole is a 4 year starter and is easily the most explosive player in the region. He will have help in 3 point marksman Tanner Whitworth. Whitworth averaged right at 10 points per game a year ago, shooting 43% beyond the arc. Jon Whitworth, Joey Howell and Kaveon Mitchell logged several varsity minutes last season. Defensive specialist Brock Lucas came on strong late last season, while big man Trey Irwin is a player to watch off the bench for the Tigers. Outlook - There is no doubt that Breck County returns the most experienced roster in the region. They also feature the best player in the 3rd. This puts them as heavy preseason favorites to make a trip to Rupp Arena in March. Outside the region, they play a pretty light schedule which should give them a very impressive overall record. With their football team coming off a much improved season & their baseball program growing into one of the region’s best, it’s an exciting time to be a Tiger fan! 2. Owensboro Catholic Aces - Coach Tim Riley Last Season (23-10) - 9th District Champs - 3rd Region runner-up to Apollo Key Losses - The Aces lost 7 seniors, including leading scorers Luke Hayden & JD Marshall Roster - The Aces are going to have to replace a good chunk of their production after losing 7 players who accounted for over 50 points and 23 rebounds per game. Peyton Survant returns as one of the best 3 point shooters in the region. Ty Vincent also logged key minutes off the bench last season and returns to give Catholic a physical presence in the paint. Ohio County's John Parker moved over to Catholic in the summer. He will be a huge addition to this lineup. Andrew Riney and Drew Hartz will look to take a step forward with more varsity minutes this season. Keep your eyes on freshman Brian Griffith and Jai Webb. Both have immense talent and should get plenty of varsity minutes. Outlook - Sure Owensboro Catholic lost a large portion of the guys who fans have come to know over the past 3 years. That core led Catholic to its first ever Sweet 16 appearance, so you instantly think there is going to be a major drop off….but not so fast. Coach Tim Riley has plenty of talent to mold on this roster. With Parker joining up with Survant and Vincent, they will have plenty of leadership to go along with some very nice freshmen. They will look different no doubt, but expect the outcomes to mirror what we've seen from this program over the past few years. 3. Muhlenberg County Mustangs - Coach Kyle Eades Last Season (12-16) - 10th district runner-up - lost in regional semi's to Catholic Key Losses - Will Noffsinger (24ppg) & Alex Van Hook (7ppg/6rpg) Roster - There are some unknowns when talking about the Mustangs roster this season, but overall, they return a lot of varsity experience. First things first, they are going to have to prove they can win without Noffsinger's 24 points a night. Expect them to take a team approach to finding that production. It starts with seniors Nolan Davis & Trey Boggess. They combined for an average of 15 points and 8 boards last year. Look for Sophomore Nash Devine to take a big step forward this year. He was very impressive, logging several minutes as a freshman a year ago. Role players Landon Guntterman and Noah Phillips return and could provide big games on any given night. Outlook - With a lot of the region losing their core players, the Mustangs bring back as much varsity experience as anyone. Coach Eades did a great job with a group of new faces last year and will build on that this season. Their overall schedule will feature early games against Marshall County and Madisonville, while playing in competitive holiday tournaments at Warren East and LaRue County. Expect more of a team approach for the Mustangs this year, with several players who can contribute night in and night out. 4. Meade County Greenwave - Coach Jason Tripure Last Season (16-10) - 11th District Champions - Lost to Apollo in Round 1 of Regional Key Losses - Aiden Matthews (19ppg/8rpg), Noah Schwartz (8ppg), Matt Collard Roster - Since taking over as Meade County Head Coach, Jason Tripure has had the Greenwave in the mix for a regional title every year. Expect that trend to continue this season. They will have to find a way to replace, Aiden Matthews, who was one of the best players in the region a year ago. That should start with Chezney Weick (11ppg/6ppg). Chezney played a huge role in the Waves 2016 regional championship. He should have no problem stepping into the teams leadership role. He won’t have to look far to find some help. His younger brother Chaney was impressive as an 8th grader last season and should take a step forward this season. Senior Chris Armstead brings an athletic presence to the guard spot, while fellow senior Kobe Nikolaou will bring the physical presence in the paint. The Crump brothers Carson & Cooper will also log minutes, returning from last season. Outlook - Before last season's first round exit, Coach Tripure had made 3 straight trips to the 3rd region championship game, winning the title in 2017. It would not be a surprise to see them back in that position again this season. They return a great leader in Weick, and have a very solid supporting cast around him. They play in 2 very solid holiday tournaments in Gatlinburg & Nelson County. Due to their location, they also play a very tough 5th region schedule. Come tournament time, they will be battle tested and will be expecting a shot at a regional title. 5. Grayson County Cougars - Coach Travis Johnston Last Season (13-17) - 12th District Champions - Lost to Muhlenberg in round 1 of Regional Key Losses: Bailey Logsdon (13ppg/5rpg) Roster - Coach Johnston took the reigns’ of this Cougar program last year and improved them every step of the way, much like he did as a player. He will have the benefit of only having to replace 1 senior from a district championship team last year. Logsdon was the offensive leader, no question, but they return a core of guys who will bring more balance to the roster this season. Seniors Caleb Ray & Logan Majors both averaged right at 9 points per game last year, while junior Nolan Shartzer put up 8 a game. Senior Josh Embry will also be expected to take a step forward. Lastly, QDaryius McHenry has moved over from Ohio County. Mchenry is an athletic freak and has already gotten looks from Coach Stansbury at WKU. Expect him to be a major difference maker for the Cougars on the hardwood, much like he has been on the gridiron! Outlook - This is a dangerous Grayson County team on paper. You virtually have the same team as last year, only replacing Logsdon with McHenry. If he can emerge as the player expected, and the role players take steps forward in their 2nd year under Johnston, there is reason to believe the Cougars will contend for a 3rd region title. 6. Owensboro Red Devils - Coach Rod Drake Last Season (19-8) - Upset by Apollo in the 9th district tourney Key Losses - 3rd Region POY, Cory Gardner (18ppg), Deonte Douglas (12ppg), Jeron Tinsley (11ppg) Roster - Like a lot of teams across the region, the Devils lost a good portion of their varsity production to graduation. The returning players will surely have a bad taste in their mouth after being the regional favorite for most of the year, and falling short in the district tournament. The Devils will have to replace over 65 points and 26 boards per game in production. That will start with returning guard Darrion Wimsatt (7ppg). He was electric at times last season in limited minutes and is a sure breakout candidate this season. Coach Drake will look to Monte Owsley, Issac Humphrey, Jaiden Greathouse and Areon Phillips to take steps forward with more varsity minutes this year. Adante Greer is a returning senior that could contribute, as well as freshman Gavin Wimsatt. Wimsatt was the leader of a very explosive OMS team last season. Outlook - Much like every other team in the region, the Devils have a lot of unknowns heading into the season. While this will be a new cast of players, they will still feature a ton of athletic ability across the board. Their athleticism should help them until they are able to find their offensive footing. As usual, Coach Drake has set up a formidable schedule for his inexperienced Devils. The OHS faithful know that they haven’t reached regional tournament since hanging the state championship banner in the Devil's Den in 2015. Roster turnover or not, they will expect to see their Devil's playing in the Sportscenter come March, this season. 7. Ohio County Eagles - Coach Tony Hopper Last Season (16-14) - 10th District Champions - Lost to Apollo in the Regional Semi's Key Losses - Logan Sandefur (12ppg), John Parker (14ppg), Dylan Decker (8ppg), Heath Simmons (8ppg/6rpg) Roster - The top of the Eagles roster was hit hard by graduation and transfers. Logan Sandefur, John Parker and QDarrius McHenry are all gone from the midseason roster last year. That said, Coach Tony Hopper ran a lot of guys in and out last season, getting many valuable varsity minutes. Sharpshooting Junior Trey Lewis is the teams top returning scorer (8ppg), shooting a stunning 51% from beyond the arc. Dennis Manning, Shane Frady & Hunter Pharis adds to the impressive class of juniors for the Eagles. Seniors Parker Shrewsbury & Colby Vanover will also add key minutes for Coach Hopper. Outlook - Had Parker and McHenry stayed at Ohio County, they may very well be the favorite to win the region. They will have to find a way to replace that lost production on a consistent basis. The good news for Eagles fans is they have one of the best coaches in the state in Tony Hopper. He has shown the ability to get the absolute most out of his rosters in the past and the cupboard is far from bare. He will have a lot of guys to work with. As usual, he has scheduled very strong outside the region with the likes of Graves and Henderson County on the schedule. Expect the Eagles to bring a total team approach this season. 8. Daviess County Panthers - Coach Neil Hayden Last Season (19-11) - Lost in district to Owensboro Catholic Key Losses - Blake Boswell (16ppg), Jay Owen (11ppg), Caden Coomes (11ppg), Seth Fenwick (9ppg/6rpg) Roster - Daviess County, like every team in the 9th district, lost a huge core of seniors to graduation. The Panthers had their hearts broken on a last second tip in that ended their season in the district tournament last year. Replacing 4 of 5 starters will not be an easy task, but Coach Hayden does return some talent. It starts with senior Dakota Walden. Walden logged several minutes as a sophomore and took a big step forward as a junior with several double digit scoring nights. He averaged right at 10 points per game last year. Senior Gavin Ray will man the paint to help with scoring and rebounding. Junior forward Logan Hillard & senior forward Mason Payne should see plenty of action. Lasty, Chase Luckett, a senior guard, is expected to be the teams best defender. Outlook - Anytime you lose the kind of production and leadership that the Panthers did, there are going to be a lot of uncertainty. Coach Hayden though, is starting to get a reputation of developing players and finding a way to keep the Panthers among the top teams in the region year in and year out. If Walden can take hold as the leader and increase his production while defenses are bring more attention his way, Daviess County is going to surprise people this year. Of course a lot will depend on the supporting cast, but you can’t help but think that this talented coaching staff is going to find a way to keep the Panthers in the mix. 9. Whitesville Trinity Raiders - Coach Nathan West Last Season (16-15) - lost in district to Edmonson County Key Losses - Dalton Crisp (7ppg), Zack Roberts (7ppg) Roster - The Raiders return their top 2 scorers in Cameron Wright (16ppg/9rpg) & Trenton Morris (9ppg/5rpg). Wright proved to be one of the more versatile players in the region last year, with the ability to play on the block or shoot the jump shot. On most nights, he will give Trinity the best player on the floor. They will have to replace steady point guard Dalton Crisp, but Coach West returns a nice core of players. Outlook - Trinity has a very solid 1-2 punch in Wright and Morris. They play a favorable schedule and will have a solid chance of winning the Hancock County Holiday tournament. On paper they have a good chance to return to the 3rd region tournament. 10. Hancock County Hornets - Coach Mike Orr Last Season (14-16) - Eliminated in District by Breck County Key Losses - Jacob White (15ppg/6rpg), Lathan Lamar (7ppg/4rpg), John Fox (9ppg/4rpg) Roster - Over the past 2 season, the Hornets have graduated very talented senior classes. Coach Mike Orr takes over a program that is just 2 years removed from their winningest season in school history. The Hornets success will start with hot shooting guard Jaxson Gray. He averaged 16ppg and improved every time he stepped on the floor a year ago. The question for the Hornets will be the rest of the roster. Football athletes Spencer Harpenau and Darian Clay are listed on the preseason roster but they do not return much other experience. They will be looking to Gray to carry the load while everyone else catches up. Outlook - It’s good to have Coach Mike Orr back in the 3rd Region. He had a lot of success in the early 2000's at Owensboro Catholic. The Hornets will have an uphill battle to close the gap in a very strong 11th district. Jaxson Gray will be one of the better players in the region but will need help. Hancock will host their own holiday tournament and should be competitive against their schedule. An above .500 season will be within reach. 11. Apollo Eagles - Coach Steve Barker Last Season (16-16) - 9th District runner-up - 3rd Region Champions Key Losses - Nathan Boyle (15ppg), Alex Gray (13ppg/8rpg), Hayden Shelton (13ppg), James Graham (9ppg/9rpg) & Angel Saldana (9ppg) Roster - Apollo emerged late in the season and won a 3rd region title on the backs of their senior leadership. No team in the region lost more production than Apollo. The only returning player that logged key varsity minutes is defensive specialist Malik Wilson. Ryan Ash played sparingly and will have a much bigger role this season. Coach Barker will turn to highly touted freshman Jaden Kelly to run the offense from the point guard spot. Junior Colton Wethington is a player that has turned some heads in the offseason and can shoot the ball. Lastly, newcomer Dan St Claire is a 6-5, 250lb big man who is playing his first year of organized basketball. He has shown a lot of raw ability heading into the season. Outlook - The Eagles are hitting the reset button after 2 years of being at the top of the region. They lost virtually 100% of their production from last years regional championship team. Coach Barker will be looking to mold this new core of guys into the next group of champions. It’s going to be a process for the Eagles. 12. Mclean County Cougars - Coach Alex Embry Last Season (7-21) - lost in District to Ohio County Key Losses - Keenan Smith (17ppg), Austin Blades, Dylan McMahon Roster - Coach Alex Embry takes over for Greg Stevens in Calhoun this season. He will inherit a roster that lost 6 seniors, led by Keenan Smith. Smith tragically lost his life in a car accident in the offseason. The team will be looking to rally for their fallen teammate. The production will start with junior Logan Patterson (17ppg/10rpg). Patterson is the regions only returning player that averaged a double double last season and will be the backbone for Mclean County. He will have help in fellow juniors Jacob Clark (8ppg) & Brayden Bishop. Outlook - The Cougars will have their work cut out for them in a difficult 10th district, but it certainly helps to have a player like Logan Patterson. A solid attainable goal for Mclean would be to improve on their 7 win season a year ago. If the role players can step up around Patterson, there is no reason they can’t double their win total. 13. Butler County Bears - Coach Calvin Dockery Last Season (11-14) - lost in District to Grayson County Key Losses - Will Moore (22ppg), Brennan Grubb (12ppg), Caleb Beasley (12ppg) Roster - The Bears will be looking to replace a senior class that was one of the top scoring trio's in the entire region. Will Moore was a scoring machine and powered the Bears offense most nights. Coach Dockery does have the benefit of returning some good size. 6-6 junior Parker Rice is a very athletic big man who averaged 9 points and 8 boards last year. 6-4 senior Jayden Hurt also returns after averaging 8 points and 6 boards per game. Senior guard Justin Elms has flashed during the offseason and should get big minutes. It will be interesting if athletic freshmen Jagger Henderson and Issac Dockery see varsity action. Outlook - Coach Dockery will have a good mix of size and youth this season. With Moore and Grubb no longer in the mix, you can expect more of a half court game with the Bears trying to get the game into the paint. Rice and Hurt will give Butler one of the better front courts in the region. The biggest question will be their ball handling. After losing their steady guard play, Coach Dockery will be forced to go young or inexperienced at the guard spot. With a favorable schedule, if they can limit turnovers, the Bears will have a chance to contend in the 12th district. 14. Edmonson County Wildcats - Coach Michael McClintic Last Season (10-22) - 12th District Runner-up - 1st round loss to Ohio Co at Regional Key Losses - Logan Lindsey (12ppg), Cole Tucker (9ppg), Logan Minton Roster - After losing the core of their roster, the Wildcats will turn to the next crop of guys to develop. Coach McClintic has done a great job of getting Edmonson to the regional tournament quite often over the past few years. This seasons roster will be led by juniors Dalton Decker & Mason Pierce and sophomore Chaz Wilson. Outlook - While this could probably be considered a rebuilding season for Edmonson County, they will have a shot inside the 12th district. Trinity and Grayson County are the best teams on paper, but Coach McClintic has had a lot of success inside the district. 15. Cloverport Aces - Coach Scott Bradley Last Season (2-26) - Lost to Meade in District Key Losses - Dylan Simmons (13ppg) Roster - Coach Bradley and the Aces will be looking to improve off a rough 2017-2018. Do everything guard Dylan Simmons was lost to graduation. The Aces will turn to junior Xander Jennings. He averaged 7 points and 7 boards a game last season. Outlook - With only 2 seniors on the roster, Cloverport will turn to a younger roster to try to improve on their 2 win season last year. Outside the region, they will have a shot to put some wins on the board. Much like the overall team rankings, the player rankings is a difficult task. A lot of players on this list and just outside this list will be taking on much bigger roles this season. A lot of kids will have more opportunity to break out with more varsity minutes than they have ever had in their careers. 1. Kobe Poole -Breckenridge County - G (24ppg) - Poole is one of the most explosive players in Western Kentucky. He can beat you from beyond the arc but is at his best when he is driving the lane. He gets to the rim better than anyone in the region. The 4 year starter will be looking to lead his Tigers to Rupp Arena. 2. John Parker - Owensboro Catholic- G/F (14ppg) - Parker moves from Ohio County to Catholic this year. Consistency will be the key. There were times last year that Parker carried Ohio County as a junior. Look for him to take another step forward under Tim Riley. 3. Dakota Walden – Daviess County – G (9ppg) – Walden flashed several times over the past 2 years but was one of several offensive threats for the Panthers. Now, he will have to prove he can take a step forward as the teams number 1 option. He has the talent to take on this role and be the leader for Coach Hayden. 4. Cameron Wright - Whitesville Trinity – F (16ppg/9rpg) - Wright will be one of the most versatile players in the region. Last year, he proved that he could match up against anyone, putting up nice games against Owensboro Catholic. If he continues to improve, he could be in the mix for 3rd region player of the year. 5.Chezney Weick – Meade County – F (11ppg/6rpg) - 2 years removed from helping to lead his Waves to the regional title as a sophomore, Weick is in position to do the same as a senior. He battled injuries last year and didn’t find his footing until late in the season. Look for him to take on the role of team leader this season. 6. Logan Patterson – Mclean County – F (17ppg/10rpg) - Patterson is the only returning player in the region to average a double double. Look for him to lead the Cougars to an improved record this year. 7. Jaxson Gray – Hancock County – G (16ppg) - Gray came on strong last season and improved throughout the year. He started the year as a 3 point specialist and ended as a kid who could score from anywhere, all while playing very solid defense. This year, he will step into the role as the Hornets number 1 option. 8. Darrion Wimsatt – Owensboro – G (7ppg) - Wimsatt had to share a lot of minutes last season, but is in a position to break out this year. He will be featured and should have the ball in his hands on nearly every trip as the Red Devils PG. 9. Ty Vincent - Owensboro Catholic - F (8ppg/4rpg) - Vincent will have an opportunity to break out this season in the Aces starting lineup. Ty has a non-stop motor and should be one of the best frontcourt players in the region. 10. Q'Daryius McHenry - Grayson County – G - McHenry came into last season with a lot of AAU chatter. He even took a preseason visit to WKU. Q had some flashes with Ohio County before moving to Grayson County in the middle of the season. He should continue to improve as a sophomore this year. 11. Payton Survant - Owensboro Catholic – G - Survant already has knocked down plenty of big shots for the Aces. Coming off the bench, you have to defend him as soon as he crosses mid-court. Look for him to take on a bigger role as a starter for the Aces this season. 12. Trey Lewis - Ohio County – G - Trey is one of the best shooters in the region. He shot a blistering 51% from beyond the arc last season. Look for much of the same this year under Coach Hopper who loves to shoot the 3 and play tough team defense. 13. Tanner Whitworth - Breckenridge County – G - Whitworth has the school record for most 3 pointers made in a game. With Kobe Poole driving the lane, Whitworth will get a ton of good looks from beyond the arc. 14. Parker Rice - Butler County – F - Rice showed flashed last year for the Bears. His athletic ability at his size should make him one of the better front court players in the region. 15. Trey Boggess & Nash Devine – G’s - Muhlenberg County - Both players really came on strong late last season. Expect both to help Muhlenberg contend for a 3rd region title.

McHenry is a BEAST as a sophomore. I figured he would go off and he did to the tune of 350 rush yards and 6 touchdowns. Great season for Grayson!

To many mistakes this season for Apollo. They were in position to beat Catholic, Graves and Christian County and couldn't get it done. 4 turnovers vs Daviess County in a game that was much more competitive than the final score showed. This will be remembered as a season of missed opportunity for the Eagles. South Warren is just a different animal.

Give me Grayson County. Graves cant stop the run and QDaryius McHenry is one of the states best sophomores.

Just doesnt make sense to me to force a 5th place team to play a powerhouse year in and year out. I assume this will change next season with the re districting but this game is completely unnecessary and useless.

Bowling Green in a running clock. BG 42 Christian Co 6