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TDC

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  1. One division for pool play, then top two teams in each pool went to Championship Bracket and everyone else to the Gold / Consolation bracket. Mason and Harlan Co. were in Gold, Bourbon Co. won Championship finals over Henry Clay.
  2. The TC game was actually a forfeit, Male decided to not play today. KBC enters a 45-30 score for forfeits.
  3. I've been at KBC both Friday and Saturday, don't know who is missing what players but best KY teams I have seen have been Male, Henry Clay, and Lex Cath, probably in that order. Pulaski, Bourbon Co., Tates Creek and Douglass playing well also. Henry Clay adding Dillard (St. X) now has to be one of the 11th Region favorites. Lex Cath showing they have more than Johnson, who rolled his ankle late Saturday and may not play today; if so they will struggle to beat Bourbon Co. A Male-Henry Clay matchup would have been my prediction for the finals, would've been great - but I believe Male (and Scott in the consolation bracket) have decided to not return today for the remainder of the tournament.
  4. It’s Region Tournament week, time for prognostications sure to go wrong. The only predictable thing with this Region Tournament, much like the regular season and District play, is the unpredictability of the outcome. Below is a ranking and preview of the teams in the tournament along with some likely inaccurate predictions. 1. Danville (27-5): Despite dropping the District Championship game to Lincoln County, the Admirals went 17-2 in the Region this year and should be considered the tournament favorite. The Admirals are prone to occasional scoring droughts which are often self-inflicted by questionable shot selection. When they need buckets in crunch time, however, they have been successful in relying upon their strength and athleticism in the paint; many of their key baskets come off of penetrate-and-dump off or offensive rebounds, and there is no team in the Region who can match their physicality when it comes to battling for a game-winning rebound or hard-fought bucket inside. Danville leverages their athleticism even better on the defensive end of the floor. They are the best trapping team in the Region, particularly in the second half of games, and if the Admirals are getting easy scores off of this they are tough to beat. With referees coming from outside the Region (8th Region), physical play is likely to be more tolerated and this favors Danville. If the Admirals can survive a difficult first-round matchup against a surging West Jessamine team, look for them to cut down the nets on Saturday night. 2. Lincoln County (20-12): The Patriots have endured an up-and-down season, but the 45th District Tournament was definitely on the ‘up’ side. Can they sustain the momentum from winning one of the most difficult District Tournaments in the state? District Champions have gone 2-2 in the opening round of the 12th Region Tournament in each of the past four years, so recent history indicates otherwise. Matchups drawn are the better indicator of success, however, and Lincoln County has comfortably defeated their first-round opponent Mercer County twice this season. Freshman Guard Jaxon Smith has elevated his game to new heights in recent weeks, Junior Forward Riley Bodner had his best game of the season in the District semifinals against Boyle County, and Senior Guard Blake Smith hit the game-winner in the District finals and has provided consistency in the backcourt all season long, so Lincoln appears to be peaking at the right time. The Patriots may have the best perimeter defense in the Region, whether playing man or zone they are adept at breaking up an opponent’s rhythm and coercing them into hurrying, poor decision-making, and forced shots. If the ‘good’ Patriots show up this week, look for a rematch with the Admirals in the finals. 3. Wayne County (23-8): The Cardinals survived a 52-50 nail-biter against McCreary Central in the District finals and may not be playing their best basketball of the season as they enter Regional play. Wayne County has the offensive firepower to beat anyone, on any given night either Weaver, Gehring or Spencer is going to have the hot hand; and when all three are clicking, Wayne is very difficult to defend. Physical play, whether in the paint or on the perimeter, has given the Cardinals some trouble this season, and McCreary was almost able to pull off the upset by patiently and physically attacking the rim and making Wayne’s less physical players have to defend in the paint. The Cardinals went 15-2 in the Region, undefeated against the teams on their side of the Regional bracket, and while they should get past a young Somerset team in the opening round they may struggle with a Lincoln County team that is much stronger than when Wayne defeated them back on December 4. The Cardinals do not have a lot of depth, so even if they survive Somerset and the Lincoln-Mercer winner it would be a tough task to win on back-to-back nights Friday and Saturday. 4. West Jessamine (16-12): Much like the Southwestern Warriors towards the end of last season, the Colts seem to have come out of a deep season slump at just the right time. The 46th District championship was impressive, particularly their domination of a solid Mercer County team who had just defeated them a few weeks earlier. In a game featuring 50+ fouls, West jumped out to a huge early lead, but Mercer came storming back in the 2nd quarter and cut a 20-point deficit down to four; the entire starting five for the Colts each picked up their second foul during the Mercer run, putting the Colts in danger of entering halftime with a difficult deficit to overcome. The Colts are one of the deepest overall team in the Region, however, they go nine or ten deep and don’t really lose anything when they rotate players, and this is not only what enabled them to maintain the lead over Mercer through halftime despite the furious Titans rally, it is a differentiating strength in a Region where most teams drop off quite a bit after their top six or seven. This advantage shows up best in high-scoring, fast-paced games, the Colts thrive when play gets a bit sloppy and frenetic and their opponents try to keep up. First-round opponent Danville is obviously a formidable challenge, and can put forward similar depth, but if the Colts can drive chaos and freneticism into the game and avoid a trap-induced Danville run, they have a chance to upset the Admirals, and as possibly the hottest team coming into the tournament they would have a good chance of cutting down the nets Saturday. If the Colts encounter a low-scoring, half-court physical game, however, West will have a hard time winning. 5. Mercer County (18-11): The Titans drew into a very difficult matchup, they lost twice this season to Lincoln County and both times by comfortable margins. The Patriots have run hot and cold this season, and Mercer County is absolutely capable of winning the game, particularly if they can cut down on the turnovers that have plagued them in previous matchups against Lincoln and they can get a balanced scoring attack to take some burden off of Senior Guard Carter Baughman. West Jessamine essentially face-guarded Baughman in the second half of the District Championship, and other teams may follow suit. Mercer County doesn’t really have a signature win on the season, they have yet to defeat a higher-ranked team, but catching Lincoln County off an emotional District Championship may be the perfect opportunity to get one. The formula they will need to follow is not complex, the Titans will need to take care of the ball and knock down open shots (including free throws, Mercer gets to the FT line a lot but have multiple scorers with percentages in the 50’s and 60’s). With Baughman on the floor as a perpetual threat, open shots and opportunities to get to the FT line will be there, the Titans will need to convert the opportunities efficiently if they are to beat Lincoln County. 6. Pulaski County (19-11): Pulaski County comes in as District Champion, but they almost were a one-and-done casualty as Rockcastle County took them to overtime in the opening round before falling 72-70. The Maroons have shown the ability to take down the Region’s top teams this season as they own victories over both Wayne County and Lincoln County, and if they can repeat those performances they should be considered a dark horse candidate to win this week’s tournament. The opening round game against McCreary Central shouldn’t be considered a bye, as the Raiders played very well in the District tournament, but Pulaski should be able to advance to meet the winner of the Danville-West Jessamine game. The Maroons could catch the winner of that game looking ahead, or in a hangover from what should be a hard-fought opening game, and may have the ideal opportunity for the upset. Any team with a strong point guard is a threat at tournament time, and Junior Guard Colton Fraley fits that mold. Pulaski executes well in the half-court, they attack the basket and get to the FT line often, and they can match up physically inside with Junior Forward Grant Oaks. The Maroons have a nice draw and potential path to the finals. 7. Somerset (16-14): The Briar Jumpers have been one of the most improved teams down the stretch, they can certainly score the ball and have been a bit better defensively in recent weeks. If Senior Guard Chase Walker and Sophomore Guard Kade Grundy are both knocking down shots and Sophomore Guard Dylan Burton is getting into the paint and drawing fouls, Somerset has a perimeter attack that will cause any team problems. Sheron, Bruner and Acey provide physicality in the paint and can at times dominate the boards, and they can at the very least neutralize some of the athleticism of strong inside teams like Danville. In the last matchup against Wayne County, however, the Cardinals dominated the rebounding; they were just quicker to the ball. The Briar Jumpers can match up with the Cardinals on the perimeter athletically, but not in experience, and they will need to attack and make Wayne County guard them physically and all the way to the rim if they are going to pull off the upset. Somerset may be able to take down Wayne County in the first round, but it will be very difficult for this young team to win three straight games this week. Next year will be a different story, the Briar Jumpers will be one of the preseason favorites. 8. McCreary Central (9-23): The Raiders played their best basketball of the season down the stretch, upsetting Southwestern and nearly taking down Wayne County in the District Tournament last week. In both games, McCreary demonstrated a balanced scoring attack and successfully controlled the pace of the game, and if they can repeat that formula then an upset of Pulaski is possible. It will be a tall order, however, for a team who went 2-14 in the Region to advance very far in this tournament. 12th REGIONAL TOURNAMENT BRACKET (all games played at Lincoln County High School): MONDAY: 6:30 PM – West Jessamine vs. Danville 8:00 PM – Pulaski County vs. McCreary Central TUESDAY: 6:30 PM – Wayne County vs. Somerset 8:00 PM – Lincoln County vs. Mercer County FRIDAY: 6:30 PM – Semifinal #1 8:00 PM – Semifinal #2 SATURDAY 7:00 PM - Championship
  5. When it was 31-30 LexCath, I think 27 of LCA's points had come from the 3-point line. I'm not sure they had more than one 2-point basket until midway through the 4th Quarter.
  6. 2018 - Trevon Faulkner - Mercer County 2017 - Peyton Gover - Southwestern 2016 - Trey Blevins – Wayne Co. 2015 - Hagen Tyler - Boyle Co. 2014 - Daulton Peters - West Jessamine 2013 - Taylor Gover - Pulaski Co. 2012 - Cody Collins - East Jessamine 2011 - Gavin Dunagin - Wayne Co. 2010 - Aaron Watts - McCreary Central 2009 - Ethan Spurlin - Lincoln County
  7. District-by-District Preview and Predictions 45th District: Why Danville will win– Depth, athleticism and defense, they were 6-0 in the District giving them a possible mental edge over the District opponents. Sophomore Guard Dante Hayden has NBA range, opening up driving lanes for Thornton and post scoring opportunities for St. Martin and Wood. Quite simply, they have the best overall roster of players and should be the favorite to win both the 45th District and 12th Region Tournaments. Why Danville will lose – Stretches of poor shot selection sometimes show up under pressure, and they have shown an inability to guard Garrard County (Sebastian in particular). The Admirals gave up 80 points only twice all season, both were to Garrard (albeit one was in double OT), the Golden Lions may be their Achilles heel. Why Lincoln County will win – An excellent defensive team, particularly when the play zone, their lightning-quick perimeter defense makes them very difficult to move the ball against, they are very effective at forcing teams out of rhythm. And they have quietly become a much improved three-point shooting team, if they choose to they can put five players on the floor who can all knock down shots from deep. Why Lincoln County will lose – The Patriots occasionally have inexplicable lapses of effort and focus, there have been some head-scratching losses this season. Strong rebounding teams can sometimes own the boards over Lincoln, after Bodner they are a diminutive team; physical rebounding teams like Danville can cause issues. Why Boyle County will win – Opponents have no answer for Reese Smith, either on stopping him from getting to the rim or keeping him off the boards. The Imfeld brothers can catch fire from the perimeter, opening things up for Smith, making the Rebels very difficult to contain. They are consistently strong defensively and can negate an opponent’s top scorer better than anyone. Why Boyle County will lose – The Rebels seemed destined to be a top tier contender, but losing Slone (transfer) then Hotchkiss (after only five games) during the season keeps them in the second tier and facing a very difficult opening District game. They beat the Patriots with Hotchkiss on the floor, then lost to them after he was back out, the District elimination game will likely look more like the latter game. The Rebels may be a seasoned point guard away from advancing. Why Garrard County will win - Braden Sebastian is nearly unstoppable once he gets going, and supporting players like Jones and Burkhart have been stepping up with consistent support down the stretch. Big games can be won with big time players; Sebastian is a difference-maker and just seems to have what it takes in big games. The Golden Lions are hungry and have a lot to prove, this gives them the energy required to take home the District crown. Why Garrard County will lose – They do not play defense consistently on a high enough level to win the tournament, they have periods of time where they tend to trade baskets and rest a bit on the defensive end of the floor. They also have had a tendency to surrender turnover-generated big runs by their opponent, one big run given up in an elimination game can mean – well, elimination. BOLD PREDICTION: District Champion – Danville, Runner-Up – Lincoln County. 46th District: Why Mercer County will win – The Titans are coming in hot, winning 8 of 10 games down the stretch. 12th Region Player of the Year Carter Baughman is a difference-maker, he will almost always have a stretch of the game where he scores at will. If the officials are calling the game tightly then Baughman, Lewis and Drakeford will live at the FT line and Mercer will outscore most opponents. When the Titans settle in to a comfortable pace and knock down perimeter shots, they are very difficult to defend. Why Mercer County will lose – Rebounding can be a problem, but the Titans have won games while being outrebounded several times this season. Disruption of their offensive flow, whether by a zone requiring offensive patience (e.g. Lincoln County) or a general sloppy pace to the game (e.g. Bourbon or Casey) can occasionally cause Mercer to force things, resulting in turnovers or rushed shots. Why West Jessamine will win – The Colts have the talent and depth to win, and much like with Southwestern last season they are coming out of a slump just before tournament time. When this team causes havoc on the defensive end, the energy level skyrockets, and when their energy gets flowing they can really score the ball. They have the depth and athleticism necessary to actively generate mayhem, and when the game pace becomes chaotic the Colts are one of the top teams in the Region. They defeated LCA, and nearly Madison Central, with this style. Tournament play certainly can get chaotic, particularly in a small gym like at Burgin, perfectly suiting West’s best style of play. Why West Jessamine will lose – When the Colts sit back and attempt to out-execute or outthink opponents, they often struggle. Help side defense becomes a problem as off-ball defenders spectate, on-ball defenders get stuck on their heels knowing that they are on an island, and opponents become the attacker and can dominate game flow and comfortably run their half-court sets. This translates to a slower pace on the offensive end, where the Colts tend to fall into 1-on-1 mode and become easy to guard, and eventually Bruner and Stepp begin forcing shots and team morale erodes. Why East Jessamine will win – Sophomore Guard Ben McNew has been shooting near 50% from the three-point arc over the last month, including a 7-9 effort against crosstown rival West Jessamine in their last matchup. With McNew lighting it up, this opens up penetration opportunities for Senior Guard Kenzel Wadkins, giving East an often unstoppable guard combination. Senior Forward and double-double machine Tyler Pitney anchors the middle to give the Jaguars some balance, and Sophomore Wing Zion Thomas brings energy with rebounding and grabbing 50/50 balls. With a little bit of everything to offer, East has the potential to take the District crown. Why East Jessamine will lose – With limited depth inside, the Jags get in trouble when Pitney picks up too many fouls, which can occur often. East also tends to get out of control with the ball, they can turn it over against pressure and will often fall into a ‘drive and hope’ mindset; if their opponent doesn’t bail them out with a foul they tend to toss up some questionable shots. The Jags often rely upon individual offensive skills in the half-court, so a good help-oriented defensive team or a team who forces their guards to expend energy beating pressure will give them trouble. Why Burgin will win– Third winning season since 1943, Coach Don Irvine retiring at the end of the season, hosting the District Tournament – the magical season can culminate with a historic District win. Why Burgin will lose – Mercer County just has too much for the Bulldogs. BOLD PREDICTION: District Champion – West Jessamine, Runner-Up – Mercer County. 47th District: Why Somerset will win – The Briar Jumpers own two wins over their biggest District competition, Pulaski County, and have played a challenging schedule which should have helped prepare them for the rigors of District and Regional Tournament play. Somerset has a knockdown 3-point shooter in Senior Chase Walker, an athletic playmaker who can create his own shot in a pressure situation with Sophomore Kade Grundy, and some physicality and rebounding with Bruner, Acey and Burton. The Briar Jumpers have been competitive in every 12th Region game, they are a young team who have matured and are a threat to not only win the District but to advance deep in the Regional Tournament. Why Somerset will lose – Aside from the two wins over Pulaski and an exciting upset of Madison Central, the Briar Jumpers have struggled to win their close games. Free throw shooting in the tight games has been a minor issue, but the key things needed to make a key play down the stretch – a defensive stop, offensive patience required to get a good shot, making savvy and veteran decisions – have been missing at times. At some point in tournament play, Somerset will need to win a close game and they don’t have a good history of doing so this season. Why Pulaski County will win – Because of a balanced attack, the Maroons have a number of players who can score, and in a variety of ways. Junior Guard Colton Fraley is still their primary scoring option, but as probably the best truepoint guard in the Region he can also distribute and involve his teammates just as effectively as he can score. Pulaski is not a great shooting team, but when they are clicking they get really good shots on most possessions, and having a top tier point guard is always an advantage during tournament play. The Maroons will have the flexibility to beat opponents in a variety of different ways. Why Pulaski County will lose – A cold-shooting night can end the season for the Maroons, and they have had several this season, Lincoln County in particular gave them fits with their active 2-3 zone. Pulaski has also had some trouble defending teams with athletic perimeter players, Lincoln and Mercer and recently Christian County caused some problems with active perimeter attacks that were able to get to the rim and create kick-out opportunities for open three-pointers. Why Casey County will win – Senior Guard Maximo Reyes is one of the best all-around players in the Region, he is a difference-maker who can impact the way a close game finishes. When the pace is active, Reyes can get on a roll scoring, dishing, creating plays. His teammates can then feed. Sophomore Forward Spencer Baird has improved his decision-making as the season has progressed and now gives the Rebels a solid secondary threat that helps open things up for Reyes. Casey is a hot team that gained a lot of confidence in an impressive road win at Mercer, and although they have lost to Somerset twice this season, they are playing much better now than at the time of those losses. Why Casey County will lose – The Rebels lack depth and just don’t have a consistently strong scoring threat beyond Reyes, Baird and Junior Guard Micah Pendelton. After those three, Casey is not a good shooting team and they can often struggle getting points in the paint. Why Rockcastle County will win – The Rockets love the three-pointer and they shoot it quite well, on any given night if their shooters are hitting then they are a threat to upset anyone. Why Rockcastle County will lose – Rockcastle struggles on the boards and is usually outrebounded, they just don’t have the size or physicality to make a deep run in the tournament. BOLD PREDICTION: District Champion – Pulaski County, Runner-Up - Somerset. 48th District: Why Wayne County will win– In a three-team District lacking any strong competition for them, the Cardinals should win their lone game comfortably. Wayne County is one of the best offensive teams in the Region, when they can move the ball without a lot of pressure in the half-court they are fun to watch and can score proficiently. Weaver just makes plays, Gehring knocks down shots, Spencer can at times be un-guardable in mid-range; if the remaining players play their roles, the Cardinals could be considered the favorite to win the 12th Region Tournament. Why Wayne County will lose– The Cardinals do not like ball pressure, and they do not fare well against athletic, physical teams. If McCreary Central or Southwestern can morph into a team with these characteristics this week, Wayne County would be challenged. Why Southwestern will win – The Warriors own two victories over McCreary Central and played Wayne County tough in both matchups, losing 64-63 and 66-55. As the defending 12th Region Champions, Southwestern does not have a Senior on the roster but has shown the potential to knock off Region contenders (the road win over Lincoln County being most impressive). If the Warriors match one of those performances, they have the capability of knocking off both 48th District opponents and could return to the 12th Region Tournament to defend their crown. Why Southwestern will lose – Southwestern narrowly escaped both games with McCreary Central this season and have to face the Raiders on their home court to open District play. If Sims gets in any foul trouble, the Rebels may struggle on the boards and they are not a good enough shooting team to overcome such diversity. Why McCreary Central will win – Home court advantage for the District Tournament may be helpful, particularly considering how close the Raiders have been in all four District games this season. If Senior Guard Nick Longmire and Junior Guard Alex Heath are making three’s, McCreary can beat either one of their District opponents on a given night, and it only takes one good night to advance to the Regional Tournament. Why McCreary Central will lose – The Raiders struggle with size and rebounding, and both Wayne and Southwestern have an advantage over them in the paint. Braden Sims for Southwestern is a particularly tough matchup for McCreary and could be the catalyst for an end to the Raider’s season. BOLD PREDICTION: District Champion – Wayne County, Runner-Up – Southwestern.
  8. The regular season is behind us; the slate is now clean and every 12th Region team is essentially 0-0 with a chance to advance to the Region Tournament. The District Tournament preview and predictions can be found in a separate article. Here is a look at the Week 12 results, rankings, regular season and Region and District won/loss records, and Week 13 District match-ups: 1. Danville (26-4, 16-1, 6-0) –The Admirals ended the regular season with three comfortable victories, winning 60-46 at Russell County on Tuesday, 67-59 at home against Somerset on Thursday, and 73-65 at East Jessamine on Friday. Danville dropped only one Region game all year, a 51-40 loss to Wayne County on a neutral court in December, and went undefeated in the loaded 45th District. Danville faces the winner of the Garrard County-KSD on Wednesday in a 45th District semifinal elimination game. 2. Wayne County (22-8, 14-2, 4-0) – The Cardinals defeated Boyle County 74-60 this past Tuesday, ending regular season Region play with only two blemishes – back-to-back mid-December losses to Pulaski and Danville. Wayne traveled to Lexington Catholic on Friday, where the Cardinals struggled against the Knights’ press and getting open looks against the 3-2 zone, and had no answer defensively for the Lexington Catholic beef inside, losing 58-49 to close out the regular season. Wayne County has a bye to the 48th District finals where they will face the winner of Southwestern-McCreary Central on Friday this week. 3. Lincoln County (18-13, 13-6, 3-3) – The Patriots had a nice tournament warm-up week, going 2-0 starting with a thrilling 64-61 overtime win over Lexington Catholic on Tuesday night which featured a late-game comeback by Lincoln and a game-tying 3-pointer by Sophomore Guard Baylor Mattingly in the final seconds to force the overtime. Lincoln County then traveled to play an improving Casey County team on Friday, surviving a cold shooting night to prevail 65-55. The Patriots play Boyle County on Wednesday in the 45th District Tournament, the teams split games during the regular season. 4. Mercer County(17-10, 9-6, 4-1)– This past week the Titans played only one game, winning 79-75 at Madison Southern on Monday where Senior Guard and 12th Region Player of the Year Carter Baughman celebrated his award by dropping 30 points on the Eagles. Mercer County has won 8 of 10 games down the stretch and enters the 46th District as one of the hotter teams, they play Burgin on Monday to kick off the District Tournament. 5. Boyle County (9-16, 7-7, 2-4) – Boyle County had a challenging tournament preparation week, dropping two games to end the regular season on a three-game losing streak. The Rebels lost 74-60 at Region #2 Wayne County on Tuesday, and at Oldham County on Thursday. Boyle County has a very challenging 45th District game against Region #3 Lincoln County on Wednesday, an elimination game which will send one very good team home early. 6. West Jessamine (14-12, 3-6, 2-2) – West Jessamine closed out the regular season with a 73-69 home win over Paul Laurence Dunbar on Tuesday, a team they also defeated back in December and which turned around three days later and shocked the state with an upset of Scott County. The Colts play crosstown rival East Jessamine on Tuesday in a 46th District elimination game. 7. Somerset (15-13, 8-6, 6-0) – The Briar Jumpers defeated Garrard County 79-61 at home on Tuesday, then lost 67-59 at Region #1 Danville on Thursday. Somerset plays Casey County on Monday in an elimination game in the 47th District Tournament opener, the Rebels are a team the Briar Jumpers have defeated twice this season but has been playing well down the stretch. 8. Pulaski County (17-11, 10-5, 4-2) – It was a rough final week for the Maroons, losing 79-69 at Corbin on Tuesday and dropping a 67-65 home game against an athletic Christian County team on Thursday. Pulaski hosts District play starting on Monday against Rockcastle County, whom they have defeated twice this season, both times by comfortable margins. 9. Garrard County (12-14, 5-9, 1-5) – The Golden Lions played two games without 12th Region leading scorer Braden Sebastian this week, but he is expected to be ready to go for the District Tournament. Garrard lost 79-61 at Somerset on Tuesday this week, then squeezed out a season-closing home win against Western Hills 56-55 on Thursday. The Golden Lions should be able to handle KSD on Monday in the kick off of the 45th District Tournament, before facing Danville in what would be an elimination game on Wednesday. 10. Casey County (14-16, 6-11, 1-5) – Casey played three games at home this week, winning Monday 81-71 against McCreary Central, losing 85-71 on Thursday to Taylor County and 65-55 on Friday to Lincoln County. The Rebels have improved during the season and have a chance to advance to the 12th Region Tournament if they can defeat Somerset in 47th District play on Monday. 11. East Jessamine (11-17, 3-8, 1-3) – This week the Jaguars defeated Bluegrass United (homeschool) 80-65 on Tuesday, then dropped a 73-65 home game to Region #1 Danville on Friday. East played toe-to-toe with the Region’s #1 team for most of the game, as Sophomore Guard Ben McNew continued to scorch the nets from behind the 3-point arc, going 5 for 9 from deep to keep the Jaguars in the game against the Admirals. The Jaguars play West Jessamine on Tuesday in the 46th District, the teams split games during the regular season. 12. Southwestern (13-16, 4-8, 2-2) – The Warriors had one of their better wins of the season in a 61-51 victory over a solid Perry County Central team at home on Tuesday this week, then traveled East to play Cordia on Friday, a team they had defeated 77-73 at home a few weeks back, but lost 73-68 to close out the regular season. The Warriors will face McCreary Central on their home court Monday to open 48th District play, they own two victories over the Raiders this season but both games were tight and this elimination game looks to be one that could go either way. 13. McCreary Central (8-22, 1-13, 0-4) – The Raiders lost 81-71 at Casey County on Monday, defeated Cumberland Home School 75-33 at home on Tuesday, and finished the regular season at home against Barbourville on Friday with a 68-60 loss. McCreary hosts the 48th District Tournament and plays Southwestern in the opening round on Monday. 14. Burgin (20-8, 1-1, 0-1) – The Bulldogs finished a very successful regular season with a 3-0 week, defeating Evangel Christian 63-53, Danville Christian 64-40, and Jackson City 79-72 to hit the 20-win milestone for only the third time since 1943. Burgin is hosting the 46th District Tournament at Jack Coleman Sr. Gymnasium and gets Mercer County in the first round on Monday. 15. Rockcastle County (5-24, 1-12, 0-5) – The Rockets dropped three games this past week, 58-54 at home to Whitley, 68-48 at home to South Laurel, and 63-58 on the road against Russell County. The Rockets will face Pulaski County on their home floor in 47th District Tournament play on Monday. 16. Danville Christian - Danville Christian lost 64-40 to Burgin this past week, defeated Covington Latin 64-40 in the opening round of the KCAC tournament, then completed their season with a 73-46 loss to Calvary Christian in the KCAC semifinals. 17. Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) (0-21, 0-1, 0-0) – KSD lost 49-23 to the Danville Homeschool team on Tuesday, then lost 62-43 at Oneida Baptist on Thursday. The Colonels play Garrard County in the opening game of the 45th District Tournament on Monday. Key 12th Region Games of the Week: Monday, February 18 45th District (played at Garrard Middle School): Garrard County vs. KSD, 8:00 p.m. 46th District (played at Burgin): Mercer County vs. Burgin, 6:30 p.m. 47th District (played at Pulaski County): Casey County vs. Somerset, 6:00 p.m. Pulaski County vs. Rockcastle County, 7:30 p.m. 48th District (played at McCreary Central): Southwestern vs. McCreary Central, 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 19 46th District (played at Burgin): East Jessamine vs. West Jessamine, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 20 45th District (played at Garrard Middle School): Lincoln County vs. Boyle County, 6:00 p.m. Danville vs. KSD-Garrard winner, 7:30 p.m. 47th District (played at Pulaski County): District Championship, 7:00 p.m. Thursday, February 21 46th District (played at Burgin): District Championship, 6:30 p.m. 48th District (played at McCreary Central): District Championship - Wayne County vs. Southwestern-McCreary Central winner, 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 22 45th District (played at Garrard Middle School): District Championship, 7:45 p.m.
  9. 5 - Bowling Green 3 - Lexington Catholic 3 - Owensboro Catholic 1 - Knox Central 1 - North Hardin 1 - Covington Holy Cross 1 - Paintsville 1 - Pike County Central 1 - Russell 1 - Montgomery County TB - 100
  10. The final week of the regular season is upon us, and the 12th Region has lived up to the preseason billing of being wide open and having several teams with legitimate shots at taking the Region crown. Despite each enduring a down week where they looked imminently beatable, both Danville and Wayne County have demonstrated the most consistent performance and currently deserve to be considered Region tournament co-favorites. District play comes first, of course, and the Cardinals have a much easier path (they’re already in) to the Region Tournament than the Admirals, who will have to survive a nervy semifinal game to advance. If Lincoln County plays their ‘A’ game, they are squarely in a second tier behind the first two, and are potentially alone there. If the Patriots have one of their off nights, which has occurred more often this season than any team would be comfortable with, they might not survive their District much less be able to win three consecutive games in the Region Tournament. Having home court for the Region Tournament may or may not help the Patriots, historically it is debatable whether or not it is a real advantage. For the next six teams, maybe seven now that Casey County is playing so well, you can almost put them together into a large third tier, each capable of making deep run in the Region Tournament and each at risk for an early exit. Next week’s District Tournament Preview will include an analysis of the tournaments and a few predictions, but for now here are a couple of preliminary thoughts: · The 46th District Tournament will have to turn away people who want to attend, Burgin’s gym is simply not big enough. The East-West Jessamine regular season games regularly draws far more than Burgin’s capacity, and they will be playing each other in an elimination game on the 19th. Hundreds of fans that want to go may not be able to get in. · The 45th will be one of the top few toughest District Tournaments in the state to advance through to the Region Tournament (with respect to the 43rd, 27th, others). Here is a look at the Week 11 results, rankings, and Week 12 key match-ups: 1. Danville –The Admirals hit a rough patch on the road this past week, losing two games in a row for the first time all season as they lost 62-55 (in OT) to Franklin County on Monday and 58-56 at Frankfort on Tuesday. The loss at Frankfort was not a big surprise, they have been one of the 11th Region’s strongest teams this season, can match Danville’s athleticism, and sport an impressive 22-5 record. In the Franklin County game, the Admirals sometimes struggled with shot selection and occasionally let their emotion get the best of them, something that has plagued Danville periodically this season and could put them at risk for an early tournament elimination if it shows up again. Danville bounced back from these two losses nicely, however, defeating District rival Lincoln County 68-62 on Friday. In the first half against Lincoln they once again looked like the team to beat in the District and Region, taking a commanding lead early then holding off a Patriots rally down the stretch. Despite the two losses, as the deepest and most physically talented team in the Region Danville retains the #1 spot but it is very nearly a 1 and 1A with Wayne County at this point. The Admirals play at Russell County on Tuesday this week, at home against Somerset Thursday, and at East Jessamine Friday. 2. Wayne County – Wayne County hit the road this past week, winning 60-52 at Somerset on Tuesday and at 77-69 at West Jessamine on Friday. On Saturday, the Cardinals returned home and lost 67-56 to Warren Central, ending their 6-game winning streak and taking their first loss since the 0-3 meltdown in the Toyota Classic a few weeks ago. Wayne has struggled a bit with the more physical and athletic teams, particularly those that can apply ball pressure, force them out of their offense and requiring the three scorers (Weaver, Gehring, Spencer) to create their own shots, but if they settle into an offensive rhythm that allows them to move the ball comfortably they can score the ball better than anyone in the Region. Boyle County defends physically and is good at disrupting half-court sets, so this coming Tuesdays home game against the Rebels should be a good tournament preparation test for the Cardinals. Wayne also plays at Lexington Catholic on Friday to close out the regular season. 3. Lincoln County – The Patriots won impressively this past Tuesday in a 68-46 win at home against Mercer County, then lost 68-62 at District rival Danville on Friday. Despite a 16-12 record on the season, Lincoln County has shown moments of Region-winning capability, so they hold down the #3 spot as ‘best of the rest’ after the top two. The Patriots have also shown moments of mediocrity with some head-scratching losses. Senior guard Blake Smith has performed consistently all season, the younger players around him have been a bit more up-and-down. Defense is the key for Lincoln, their perimeter quickness can give any team trouble and they need easy buckets from it on those nights when they are not hitting on all cylinders offensively. The Patriots have a nice tournament warm-up week, playing at home against Lexington Catholic on Tuesday then traveling to play an improving Casey County team on Friday. 4. Mercer County– Mercer had a busy week, beating Russell County 61-45 on Monday, having their 6-game winning streak snapped 68-46 at Lincoln County on Tuesday, dropping a surprising 73-60 game at home against Casey County on Friday, then defeating Adair County 67-31 on Saturday. Lincoln County’s perimeter defenders gave Mercer some trouble on Tuesday, as the Titans struggled with turnovers and were held to 27% shooting in a game that was really never in doubt. The Patriots are not a team Mercer wants to be matched up with in the Region Tournament, they have been beaten soundly by them both times this season. The Titans don’t really have an inside scoring threat and rely heavily both on three-point shooting and perimeter players creating their own shot, so teams that can defend the individual skills of good perimeter players will have some success against Mercer. This week the Titans play only one game, at Madison Southern on Monday. 5. Boyle County – The Rebels opened the week with an impressive 64-42 road win at Southwestern where they shot 8-15 from behind the three-point arc. Boyle returned home to play Casey County on Thursday, grinding out a 77-70 victory in a game featuring over 50 fouls and a lot of time watching free throws being shot. The Rebels then dropped a surprising game at home to a struggling Bryan Station team on Friday, losing 67-49. Boyle County has a strong test and tournament preparation week ahead, playing at Region #2 Wayne County on Tuesday and at Oldham County on Thursday. 6. West Jessamine – The Colts faced two challenging opponents at home this week but dropped both games, losing 74-49 to 11th Region power Woodford County and 77-69 to Region #2 Wayne County. West played well at times against the Cardinals, taking a small lead into the 4thquarter, but Wayne County’s shooters got free for open shots on a couple of key possessions late and was able to pull away from the Colts. West has now lost six of seven games and seem to be in a downward spiral, although they have been going through a very difficult portion of the schedule. The Colts have the talent to make a strong tournament run, but they continue to struggle with a ‘my turn’ offensive mindset and a no-help approach to defense that allows opponents to comfortably isolate defenders. This combination makes them a high risk for an early tournament exit. West Jessamine will play a single game this week to close out the regular season, hosting a Paul Laurence Dunbar team on Tuesday they defeated back in December. 7. Somerset – Somerset lost two home games this past week, 93-69 to 13th Region power Knox Central on Monday and 60-52 to Region #2 Wayne County on Tuesday. Somerset also traveled to play Green County on Saturday, coming away with a 75-63 victory. The Briar Jumpers continue to knock on the door of the Region elite, they have a strong group of young perimeter scores and multiple ways of scoring, but they occasionally struggle on the defensive side of the ball which could potentially be the cause of an early tournament exit. Despite two wins over District rival Pulaski County this season, Somerset drew the more difficult matchup in the 47th as they will have to face an up-and-coming Casey County team. This week will be a challenge and an excellent tournament warmup as the Briar Jumpers host Garrard County on Tuesday and play at Danville on Thursday. 8. Pulaski County – Pulaski had two solid home wins this week, beating Estill County 87-49 on Tuesday and Southwestern 73-61 on Friday. Since their 30-point beat down at Lincoln County on January 8, the Maroons have played solid basketball, they are two single-possession losses away from being winners of ten straight and look to be one of the hot teams coming into tournament play. Pulaski prepares for District play this week with a game at Corbin on Tuesday, followed by a home game against an athletic Christian County team on Thursday. 9. Garrard County – Garrard beat an improving Casey County team at home 79-66 on Tuesday this past week, lost 84-61 at North Laurel on Thursday, and then won a 98-95 double OT thriller at Rockcastle County on Friday. Garrard played the latter two games without Senior Guard Brice Burkhart, his presence on the court is important as a three-point threat to help open things up for double-double machine Braden Sebastian (26.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG). The Golden Lions play at Somerset on Tuesday this week, then host Western Hills on Thursday to close out the regular season. 10. Casey County – The Rebels had a difficult road trip this week and only went 1-2, but they proved to the Region that they are a force to be reckoned with and they have become a threat to get past Somerset in District play and into the Region Tournament. Casey lost 79-66 Tuesday at Garrard, dropped a hard-fought 77-70 foul-fest Thursday night at Boyle County, then walked away with an impressive 73-60 victory on Friday over Region #4 Mercer. Casey plays three games at home this week, Monday against McCreary Central, Thursday against Taylor County and Friday vs. Lincoln County. 11. Southwestern – The Warriors had two tough home games this week and dropped them both, 64-42 to Boyle County on Tuesday and 73-61 to Pulaski County on Friday. The Warriors play Perry County Central at home on Tuesday this week, then travel to play Cordia on Friday to close out the regular season. 12. East Jessamine – East followed up their big win over West Jessamine with a busy road week, winning 61-59 at Western Hills on Monday, losing 87-68 at Bourbon County on Wednesday, then winning 71-56 at McCreary Central on Friday in a game where Senior Forward Tyler Pitney contributed 21 points and 15 rebounds. This week the Jaguars play Bluegrass United (homeschool) on Tuesday and host Region #1 Danville on Friday. 13. Rockcastle County – Rockcastle lost two very close games this past week, on Tuesday at Jackson County 84-82, and then 98-95 in double OT on Friday against Garrard County. The Rockets host Whitley County on Tuesday this week, South Laurel on Thursday, then complete the regular season on the road against Russell County on Friday. 14. McCreary Central – The Raiders lost 55-48 at Clinton County on Monday, and lost 71-56 to East Jessamine on Friday. This week they play at Casey County on Monday, host Cumberland Home School on Tuesday, and finish the regular season at home against Barbourville on Friday. 15. Burgin – Burgin defeated Kentucky School for the Deaf 57-20, and Cumberland Home School 71-31 this week, then lost 68-60 at Portland Christian on Saturday. The Bulldogs host Danville Christian on Tuesday this week and Jackson City on Thursday. 16. Danville Christian – The Warriors lost 81-78 to Cumberland Home School Monday, defeated Lee County 77-72 on Tuesday and lost 93-56 to Portland Christian on Friday. The Warriors also played at Heritage Academy on Saturday, coming away with a 64-62 victory. Danville Christian plays at Burgin this week, on Tuesday night. 17. Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) – KSD lost 57-20 to Burgin on Tuesday, then lost 50-26 to Georgia School for the Deaf in the KSD Homecoming Classic on Friday, 55-24 to Ohio School for the Deaf and 41-24 to North Carolina School for the Deaf on Saturday. KSD hosts the Danville Homeschool team on Tuesday this week, then plays at Oneida Baptist on Thursday. Key 12th Region Games of the Week: Monday, February 11 Mercer County at Madison Southern, 7:30 p.m. McCreary Central at Casey County, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 12 Boyle County at Wayne County, 7:30 p.m. Lexington Catholic at Lincoln County, 7:30 p.m. Paul Laurence Dunbar at West Jessamine, 7:30 p.m. Garrard County at Somerset, 7:30 p.m. Pulaski County at Corbin, 7:30 p.m. Perry County Central at Southwestern, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 14 Somerset at Danville, 7:30 p.m. Boyle County at Oldham County, 7:30 p.m. Christian County at Pulaski County, 7:30 p.m. Taylor County at Casey County, 7:30 p.m. Western Hills at Garrard County, 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 15 Danville at East Jessamine, 7:30 p.m. Wayne County at Lexington Catholic, 7:30 p.m. Lincoln County at Casey County, 7:30 p.m. Southwestern at Cordia, 7:30 p.m.
  11. 5 - Ballard 3 – Central 3 – Wayne County 1 - Campbell County 1 - Walton-Verona 1 - Mayfield 1 - Lexington Christian 1 - Hazard 1 - Lewis County 1 - North Laurel TB -100
  12. I think so, yes. Every team through #11 except Casey has either beaten, or come within a single possession of beating, a team in the top 3 at the time they played. And come tournament time, I believe the top 9 teams are all capable of advancing to the Region final while probably 5 or 6 of them could potentially lose in the District semifinal and not even make the Region tournament. Of course 4 of those are in the 45th.
  13. Week 10 reminded us of just how wide open the 12th Region is. While Danville and Wayne County continue to maintain a consistent hold on the top two spots, teams from #3 to #12 have defeated teams ahead of them in the rankings and most have shown the potential to beat either one of the top two on any given night. The gap between the top two teams and the next ten teams below them seems to be closing. Despite it being a weekly statement, it bears repeating: the 45th District Tournament is going to be epic. It is also going to end two good team’s seasons early. Top 12 teams who are … Holding Fairly Steady: Danville, Wayne County, Boyle County, Somerset, Pulaski County, Garrard County, East Jessamine. On the Rise: Mercer County, Casey County Sliding a Bit: Lincoln County, West Jessamine Here is a look at the Week 10 results, rankings, and Week 11 key match-ups: 1. Danville – Danville won two District games this past week, a hard-fought 87-83 double OT victory over Garrard County and a 54-46 win at home over Boyle County, followed by a 75-34 win over Rockcastle County. The matchup with Garrard will go down as one of the best games of the year, it had a little bit of everything, and the Admirals had to recover from a 6-point deficit in the final two minutes just to force the first overtime. On Friday night against Boyle, Danville followed a familiar pattern and played their best basketball in the second half, overcoming a 20-15 halftime deficit to win by eight. Despite being #1 in the Region for most of the season, the Admirals are no lock to make the Region Tournament, the semifinal elimination games looks to be one of Danville’s most difficult challenges of the year. The Admirals play at Franklin County Monday this week, have a very challenging game at Frankfort on Tuesday, and host District rival Lincoln County on Friday. 2. Wayne County – Wayne County defeated an improving Casey County team 86-74 on Tuesday this past week, then survived an ice-cold shooting night in a 54-43 over McCreary Central on Friday. The Cardinals also played Cordia on Saturday, coasting to an easy 90-54 win. Wayne County hits the road this week, traveling to play at Somerset Tuesday and at West Jessamine on Friday, then on Saturday hosts a good Warren Central team who has won six of seven games and just defeated top-20 Collins. 3. Mercer County – The Titans opened the week with a 57-46 District win at East Jessamine, a victory that ultimately clinched their #1 seed in the 46th District Tournament. Mercer County then survived 73-71 at home against Pulaski County on Tuesday, and coasted to an easy 78-33 win at Burgin on Thursday night. The Titans have now won five in a row and ten of eleven, and are one of the hottest teams in the Region as we hit February. Shooting has improved dramatically in recent weeks (including a 14-25 performance from beyond the 3-point arc against Pulaski) and the Titans seem to be peaking at just the right time. Mercer has a busy week ahead, hosting Russell County on Monday this week, facing a difficult matchup at Lincoln County Tuesday, then hosting Casey County and Adair County on Friday and Saturday. 4. Lincoln County – The Patriots took a surprising loss at home to Southwestern this past Tuesday, missing some key free throws down the stretch and losing 56-55. Lincoln bounced back with a 54-42 at Garrard County on Friday, then traveled to Pulaski County on Saturday and lost another close one, 86-83. Lincoln County has been a model of inconsistency this season, winning some big games in impressive fashion while dropping some games that they should have won, they are talented enough to win the 45th District Tournament but it will depend on which Patriots team shows up. The Patriots have a challenging week ahead, hosting Mercer County on Tuesday then playing at District rival Danville on Friday. 5. Boyle County – Boyle cruised to an easy 81-58 win over West Jessamine on Tuesday that included a dominating performance by Reese Smith (37 points and 8 rebounds), then led 20-15 at halftime at #1 Danville before succumbing to the standard second half Danville spurt in a 54-46 District loss on Friday night. Both games were played without Junior point guard Grant Hotchkiss, who remains out with an injury. Like Danville, Garrard, and Lincoln, Boyle County can win the 45th District Tournament or they can be eliminated in their first game, this will be the case with or without Hotchkiss (although his presence would certainly help). The Rebels play at Southwestern on Tuesday this week in a game that may be a preview of next season’s top 12th Region teams, then hosts Casey County on Thursday and Bryan Station on Friday. 6. West Jessamine – After a long flu-induced layoff, the Colts traveled to Boyle County this past Tuesday night and looked like a team that hadn’t played or practiced, losing 81-58 in a game that was never close. West then played 46th District rival East Jessamine on Friday, losing 67-63 in a game they led comfortably in the first half, their first loss to their crosstown rival since 2014. The loss secures the District top seed for Mercer County, West will have to play East once again in the first round. The Colts then played in the Gary Moore Classic at Franklin County on Saturday afternoon, winning 65-58 against Western Hills to snap their four-game losing streak. Perhaps it was the layoff, but the Colts looked more like a team resigned to playing for the future than a Region contender this week. There is ample time to right the ship before tournament time, starting with two very difficult matchups at home this week against 11th Region power Woodford County and 12th Region #2 Wayne County. 7. Somerset – Somerset had a tough three-game road trip this past week, losing 64-63 to Madison Southern on Monday, 75-66 in overtime at North Laurel on Tuesday, before completing a regular season sweep of District rival Pulaski County in a 64-62 victory on Friday. Despite their 13-10 overall record, the Briar Jumpers are a threat to make a deep run in the 12th Region Tournament, they have been competitive in every game this season and have been in several close finishes against strong competition. It’s not surprising for a young team, but they have lost most of those close games, but as they gain experience they are capable of flipping those close losses into wins and will be a serious threat at tournament time if they do. Somerset has two more opportunities to do this in the coming week, with back-to-back games at home against 13th Region power Knox Central on Monday and Region #2 Wayne County on Tuesday. Somerset also travels to play Green County on Saturday. 8. Pulaski County – The Maroons entered the week with a five-game winning streak, but lost 73-71 at Mercer County on Tuesday and 64-62 to District rival at Somerset on Friday. They bounced back nicely on Saturday, avenging a 30-point loss from a few weeks ago to Lincoln County with 86-83 win at home on Saturday over the Patriots. Like District rival Somerset, the Maroons have the potential to make noise in the 12th Region Tournament, they own impressive wins this season over Wayne County and Lincoln County and almost took down a hot Mercer County team this past week. Pulaski hosts Estill County on Tuesday this coming week then plays at Southwestern on Friday. 9. Garrard County – Despite a 47-point effort by Junior Braden Sebastian this past Tuesday night, the Golden Lions lost 87-83 in double overtime to District foe and Region #1 Danville. In both matchups against the Admirals this season, Garrard has played toe-to-toe with them, and if the ball had bounced the other way a couple of times could have won either game. With a player like Sebastian the Golden Lions present some matchup issues for most teams, but Danville in particular has trouble stopping the Garrard attack. Even though Danville is #1 in the Region and a formidable opponent for anyone, Garrard is a team they probably do not want to play in the 45th District Tournament. Garrard followed up this emotionally draining loss with a 52-42 loss to Lincoln County, then bounced back nicely with a 70-51 win on Saturday against 13th Region power Corbin. Even though they are ranked 9thin the Region, the Golden Lions absolutely have the capability of coming out of the 45th and advancing deep in the Region Tournament. Garrard hosts Casey County on Tuesday this week, plays at North Laurel on Thursday, and at Rockcastle County on Friday. 10. Casey County – The Rebels are another middle-of-the-pack team who is starting to make some noise, now winners of four out of five games. Casey lost 86-74 to #2 Wayne County on Tuesday this past week, then traveled to play District rival Southwestern and took home an impressive 75-66 victory to complete the season sweep of the Warriors. Tuesday at Garrard, Thursday at Boyle, Friday at Mercer. 11. Southwestern – The Warriors kicked off the week with an impressive 56-55 win at Lincoln County on Tuesday, then returned home and lost 75-66 to an improving Casey County team on Thursday, and won 53-47 at Western Hills on Friday. Southwestern almost got their signature win earlier this season against #2 Wayne County, but winning on the road at Lincoln County lets the rest of the Region know that the Warriors are a threat. They slip a spot in the rankings this week due to being swept by Casey County, and the other mid-pack teams ahead of them are all playing well. A big week is ahead and there is a good opportunity to move up the rankings if they can win over another team ahead of them, the Warriors host Boyle County on Tuesday and Pulaski County on Friday. 12. East Jessamine – The Jaguars started the week by extending their losing streak to eight games, losing 57-46 at home to Mercer County on Monday and 77-70 at home to Madison Southern on Tuesday. Friday night’s game changed the week’s outlook completely, however, as East ended a couple of losing streaks in their 67-63 defeat of crosstown rival West Jessamine. Not only did the win end their current eight-game losing streak, it ended a thirteen-game losing streak to West Jessamine that dates back to 2014. Senior guard Kenzell Wadkins had 22 points for the Jaguars, but the story of the night was Sophomore Guard Ben McNew going 7-for-11 from behind the 3-point arc to lead East with 24 points. The Jaguars will play West again in the 46th District Tournament and have broken the losing streak, so perhaps there is a changing of the guard coming in Nicholasville. East hits the road this week, playing at Western Hills on Monday, at Bourbon County on Wednesday, and at McCreary Central on Friday. 13. McCreary Central – The Raiders won 80-46 at Lynn Camp and lost 54-43 to #2 Wayne County this past week, this coming week they travel to Clinton County on Monday and host East Jessamine on Friday. 14. Rockcastle County – The Rockets lost 56-33 at Richmond Model on Tuesday this past week, lost 53-49 to Williamsburg on Thursday, then took a 75-34 drubbing to #1 Danville at home on Saturday. Rockcastle plays Tuesday this week at Jackson County, and on Friday host Garrard County. 15. Burgin – The Bulldogs opened the week with a 77-59 win over Frankfort Christian, then lost 78-33 to Mercer at home and won 76-33 over Piarist. Burgin hosts Kentucky School for the Deaf and Cumberland Home School this week, then play at Portland Christian on Saturday. 16. Danville Christian – The Warriors had only one game on the slate for this week, they lost 78-56 in a Friday night trip to Owsley County. They have a game at Cumberland Home School Monday, host Lee County Tuesday and Portland Christian on Friday, then play at Heritage Academy on Saturday. 17. Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) – There were no games played this past week, the Oneida Baptist game was postponed and moved to February 14. KSD plays at Burgin on Tuesday, then hosts the KSD Homecoming Classic on Friday and Saturday. Key 12th Region Games of the Week: Monday, February 4 Danville at Franklin County, 7:30 p.m. Russell County at Mercer County, 7:30 p.m. Knox Central at Somerset, 7:30 p.m. East Jessamine at Western Hills, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 5 Woodford County at West Jessamine, 7:30 p.m. Danville at Frankfort, 7:30 p.m. Lincoln County at Mercer County, 7:30 p.m. Wayne County at Somerset, 7:30 p.m. Casey County at Garrard County, 7:30 p.m. Boyle County at Southwestern, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 6 East Jessamine at Bourbon County, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 7 Casey County at Boyle County, 7:30 p.m. Garrard County at North Laurel, 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 8 Wayne County at West Jessamine, 7:30 p.m. Lincoln County at Danville, 7:30 p.m. Casey County at Mercer County, 7:30 p.m. Garrard County at Rockcastle County, 7:30 p.m. Pulaski County at Southwestern, 7:30 p.m. Bryan Station at Boyle County, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 9 Warren Central at Wayne County, 5:00 p.m. Adair County at Mercer County, 3:30 p.m. Somerset at Green County, 6:30 p.m.
  14. This game was very intense. Played in the old gym where the noise reverberates ... it was SO loud. You could barely hear the ref's whistle. Fan was thrown out of the game in the 2nd Quarter, multiple player technicals, bodies on the floor seemingly on every possession, multiple players fouling out. And so on. Lafayette didn't score a basket until the final minute of the 1st Quarter. Lexington Catholic didn't score a single point in the 3rd Quarter. Neither team held the ball or delayed, it was just very physical defense. Open shots were rarely found. Lots of fouls, some were actually called. Refs really let them play, especially in the first half. In other words, typical district game. LexCath really struggled against Lafayette's man defense in the 2nd half. Evan Dreux and Javen Hardin made some big plays down the stretch for Lafayette, physical finishes at the rim and some key free throws, to seal this win.
  15. Wow, domination by Smith (and Boyle). Very impressive. I see where Bruner only played 8 minutes for West, none in the second half, anyone know the story there?
  16. 5 - Collins 3 – Pleasure Ridge Park 3 - Waggener 1 - John Hardin 1 - Campbell County 1 - Perry County Central 1 - Taylor County 1 - Paintsville 1 - Boyd County 1 - South Warren TB - 120
  17. Just when it appeared that the dust was settling in the Region and the rankings were solidifying, Week 9 happened. We had different types of breakouts – flu in Jessamine County, three-point shooting in Mercer and Lincoln Counties – along with another week where some potential chinks in the armor were revealed with the Region #1 team, and unfortunately new injuries popped up that could have a big impact going forward. Cumulatively, these things not only shook up the rankings a bit this week but may represent a pivot in the direction this Region is headed. Week 10 is a big one for a lot of teams, and many questions could get answered, such as: 1) Can Danville bounce back from a disappointing exit from the All “A” State Tournament and demonstrate their dominance in the 45th District this week? 2) With the recent underwhelming performances by the two teams alternating in the #1 spot all season, Danville and Wayne, have teams outside the 12th figured out a formula to beat these teams which can be mimicked effectively by teams within the Region? 3) There has been inconsistency all season in the next tier of teams below Danville and Wayne. Which of these teams is best suited to put together three consecutive tough tournament wins? Will one of these teams be revealed this week? Here is a look at the Week 9 results, rankings, and Week 10 key match-ups: 1. Danville –This was a big week for the Admirals as they competed in the All “A” State Tournament at EKU in Richmond. Danville opened with 16th Region favorite Elliott County. The Admirals trailed throughout the first half and were behind 37-32 midway through the 3rdQuarter when they forced turnovers on 4 consecutive possessions during a 10-0 run, on their way to a 64-49 win. Game two was against Shelby Valley and sharpshooting Junior Cody Potter, where Danville took a frustrating 47-30 loss. The Admirals struggled on both ends of the floor in this one. They shot 11 for 48 from the field and missed several open layups, struggling to find any sort of offensive rhythm as Shelby Valley’s defense seemed to force Danville into 1-on-1 mode. The Admirals typically rely upon their defense to generate a lot of their offense, but Shelby Valley committed very few turnovers so Danville got very few looks out of transition. If time of possession was tracked, Shelby Valley would have dominated it; the Admirals applied good defensive pressure at the beginning of each possession but seemed to ease up after Shelby Valley reversed the ball a couple of times, often leading to open back cuts or easy looks at the rim. Danville has another big week ahead with two District games, Tuesday at Garrard County and Friday at home against Lincoln County, followed by a Saturday matchup at Rockcastle County. 2. Wayne County – Only one game for the Cardinals this week as they end their three-game losing streak with a 66-55 District home win over Southwestern. Wayne County hosts Casey County on Tuesday this week then plays at McCreary Central on Friday. 3. Lincoln County – The Patriots went 2-0 this week, starting with a 67-45 home win over McCreary Central on Tuesday night. On Friday, Lincoln prevailed in a big District game over Boyle County, 68-56, gaining a measure of revenge for their 51-46 loss to the Rebels just two weeks ago. In this 45thDistrict matchup, the Patriots got hot from deep in the 3rd Quarter and broke open a tight game, then held off a rally by the Rebels and pulled away for the comfortable victory, finishing 7 for 13 from behind the three-point arc. After losing three of the last four games going into this week, Lincoln appears to have righted the ship as District Tournament time approaches. The Patriots have three games this week, a home game against Southwestern on Tuesday followed by road trips to Garrard County and Pulaski County on Friday and Saturday. 4. West Jessamine – Influenza shut down Jessamine County schools for a few days this past week, and per county policy all games and practices were cancelled. It remains to be seen what kind of impact this might have on the Colts, who were just starting to hit their stride in recent weeks, as they will go eleven days between games and only be able to get in one practice before their game at Boyle County on Tuesday. West also plays on Friday at crosstown rival East Jessamine, then on Saturday against Western Hills in the Gary Moore Classic at Franklin County. 5. Mercer County– The Titans only had one game this past week as their Friday game against East Jessamine was a casualty of the flu epidemic, but it was a big one. Mercer traveled to Boyle County on Tuesday night and came away with a convincing 77-60 win. The Titans exploded offensively against the Rebels, going 11 for 21 from behind the three-point arc. Mercer County and East Jessamine have rescheduled their game in Nicholasville for this coming Monday night, the Titans also have a home game with Pulaski County on Tuesday and travel to play Burgin on Thursday night. 6. Boyle County – It is difficult to know where to rank the Rebels. While playing at full strength, two weeks they looked like a Region contender. This past week they lost two games at home, 77-60 to Mercer County and 68-56 to District rival Lincoln County. Against the Patriots, Junior Guard Grant Hotchkiss, who had just returned from injury a couple of weeks ago, sat out the second half of the game with a shoulder injury (no word on severity) and Boyle struggled handling the ball without him. Lincoln was on shooting lights out in the game, so it may not have made a difference, but going forward the Rebels will struggle without a healthy Hotchkiss. Reese Smith is a difference maker and Boyle can beat anyone on a given night with him on the floor, but they will need both players if they are going to make a serious run at the Region title. Boyle has another big week ahead, a winnable Tuesday night game against a West Jessamine team that has been off for a couple of weeks, and a huge District battle at #1 Danville on Friday night. 7. Somerset – The Briar Jumpers played one game this past week, a 64-52 victory at Barbourville where their good perimeter shooting continued, going 6 for 11 from deep. Somerset has a tough three-game road trip this week, playing at Madison Southern on Monday, at North Laurel on Tuesday and a District game on Friday at Pulaski County. 8. Pulaski County – Two comfortable wins for the Maroons this week, 56-45 at Russell County on Tuesday and 81-54 at Rockcastle County on Friday. This coming week is a big one for Pulaski and a chance to see where they currently stack up in the Region as they travel to play Mercer County on Tuesday, host District rival Somerset on Friday, then play Region #3 Lincoln County at home on Saturday. 9. Garrard County – Having dropped five of six games coming in to the week, the Golden Lions needed a recovery week and they got it, going 2-0 with victories over Richmond Model and Bluegrass United (homeschool). Garrard’s home stand continues this week but the competition gets much tougher, they host District foe and Region #1 Danville on Tuesday, have another District battle on Friday as they host Lincoln County, followed by another home game on Saturday against 13th Region power Corbin. Big week for the Golden Lions. 10. Southwestern – The Warriors defeated visiting Cordia 77-73 on Tuesday this past week where Junior Forward Braden Sims had a huge game, going for 37 points and 14 rebounds. Southwestern also traveled to Wayne County where they played well against the Region’s #2 team, falling 66-55. The Warriors play at Lincoln County on Tuesday, host Casey County on Thursday, and travel to play Western Hills on Friday this week. 11. Casey County – Three home wins for the Rebels this week, 82-44 over Danville Christian, 53-48 over Adair County, and 63-54 over Russell County (avenging an earlier 68-65 loss from two weeks back). Casey has a tough road trip to Wayne County on Tuesday this week, then travels to play at District rival Southwestern in what should be a close matchup. 12. East Jessamine – The Jaguars have now dropped six straight, losing this past week on the road to Rockcastle County, 38-36. The Jessamine County flu epidemic postponed their scheduled District game against Mercer County, it will now be played on Monday night at East Jessamine. East also hosts Madison Southern on Tuesday, then hosts their biggest game of the season against crosstown rival West Jessamine on Friday. Until Senior Forward Tyler Pitney returns to the lineup, however, the Jaguars may continue to struggle. 13. McCreary Central – The Raiders dropped two games this past week, 67-45 at Lincoln County and 67-64 at Cumberland County. McCreary is off until Friday this week when they play host to #2 Wayne County. 14. Rockcastle County – The Rockets went 2-1 on the week, opening with a nice home win over East Jessamine, 38-36. Rockcastle also defeated Oneida Baptist 84-50 before bowing to Pulaski County on Friday, 81-54. The Rockets play at Richmond Model on Tuesday this week, host Williamsburg on Thursday, then play #1 Danville at home on Saturday. 15. Burgin – It was a very busy and notable week for the Bulldogs. Senior Guard Cameron Hurst reached the 1,000-point milestone, and Coach Don Irvine announced that after 18 years with Burgin he will be retiring at the conclusion of the season. Burgin defeated Eminence and Walden, and dropped games to Evangel Christian and White Academy (TN), and are now 13-6 on the season. 16. Danville Christian – The Warriors went 0-3 this past week, losing to Casey County, Evangel Christian and Berea. One game is on the slate for this week, a Friday night trip to Owsley County. 17. Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) – A road trip to Mississippi for the Mason-Dixon Tournament resulted in two losses, to South Carolina School for the Deaf and Tennessee School for the Deaf. A lone game awaits this week, at Oneida Baptist on Wednesday night. Key 12th Region Games of the Week: Monday, Januay 28 Mercer County at East Jessamine, 7:30 p.m. Somerset at Madison Southern, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 29 Danville at Garrard County, 7:30 p.m. Pulaski County at Mercer County, 7:30 p.m. West Jessamine at Boyle County, 7:30 p.m. Southwestern at Lincoln County, 7:30 p.m. Casey County at Wayne County, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 31 Casey County at Southwestern, 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 1 Boyle County at Danville, 7:30 p.m. West Jessamine at East Jessamine, 7:30 p.m. Lincoln County at Garrard County, 7:30 p.m. Wayne County at McCreary Central, 7:30 p.m. Somerset at Pulaski County, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 2 West Jessamine vs. Western Hills, 2:30 p.m. (played at Franklin County) Corbin at Garrard County, 3:30 p.m. Lincoln County at Pulaski County, 7:30 p.m.
  18. This summarizes it nicely. Shot selection was often poor, as was layup percentage when they did get a good look inside. Danville missed shot after shot at the rim, many were unchallenged, and it seemed to be contagious. Shelby Valley's Cody Potter (#10) picked up two fouls early and Danville wisely went at him inside, and Potter was essentially conceding layups, but Danville failed to convert many of them and you could see the tension starting to mount. Ended up 11-48 from the field. Potter has to be one of the top Juniors in the state. He is really good. Shelby Valley's Guard's (Worrix brothers) quickness gave Danville some trouble also. A much smaller Shelby Valley out rebounded the Admirals 37-21, they were quicker to the ball all night long and deserved this win. #12 for Danville is Sophomore Dante Hayden and he is around 40% from the 3-point line for the season, but he is streaky and last night he went stone cold after two early makes.
  19. I think Danville is the better team and would win 8 out of 10 games vs. Elliott. But Spencer stopped handling the ball as much after his injury and Danville got at least 10 easy points off of turnovers as a result. I believe it would have been a closer game if Spencer was 100% throughout, regardless of his scoring. Not saying it made a difference in the outcome, but I think it would have been a closer game to the end. I believe Danville will comfortably move to the semifinals and has the defense to beat UHA, and has the overall talent to win the All A. They've been a 2nd half team all season and they'll need to be careful about getting off to a slow start and falling too far behind a good team, but I like their chances.
  20. I was really surprised he played. Looked like more of a cast than a brace. Hope he's ok and able to play down the stretch.
  21. one of the best defense and rebounding teams in the state
  22. Danville played a lot of zone in the first half and Elliott County was comfortable. They went nothing but man in the second half and Elliott struggled a bit at first, but Spencer is hard to guard 1-on-1 and Danville assigned Zach Thornton to guard him. The Thornton-Spencer matchup was going to be epic, and for a few possessions it was - Thornton got a block, then Spencer got a 3-point play at the rim, back and forth, and Elliott led by 2. Midway though 3rd Quarter Spencer penetrated off a ball screen and got fouled, but rolled his ankle on the fall. He stayed in the game but never looked the same after that, he noticeably limped and was just a step slower than usual. He missed several shots after that, partly because of Thornton's defense and partly because he wasn't 100%. Danville slowly pulled away, they capitalized on several turnovers as Spencer surrendered the ball handling responsibility and the other Elliott County guards struggled a bit. Spencer played until around 3 minutes left in the game but wasn't the player he was in the first half or first few minutes of the second half. Danville may have won anyway, their change to straight man defense at halftime certainly made a difference, but I think this game was headed to a tight finish if Spencer had been 100%. Spencer vs. Thornton was great for a few possessions, two good athletes who were in full compete mode. Danville is really strong defensively and will be a tough out in the All A. And they have a different scorer to worry about every game. Elliott looked very good before the injury and has to be a favorite out of the 16th.
  23. Titans come out on fire, hit six three-pointers in the 1st Quarter and never look back. Mercer finishes 11-21 from the three-point line, Boyle 4-21. Carter Baughman with 22 points for the Titans, Kaelin Drakeford with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Grant Hotchkiss leads Boyle with 23, Reese Smith adds 16.
  24. 5 - Ballard 3 - Boyle County 3- John Hardin Newport Woodford County McCracken County Central Hardin Glasgow Henry Clay Webster County Tiebreaker: 101
  25. I consider POY to be a Mr. Basketball finalist, so Seniors only. If it were open for non-Seniors, Hayden and a few others would certainly be mentioned.
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