WKY

LOL so much for this parody I've been talking about all season right? All district champions advance and the top 2 teams in the region play in the championship with the defending champs moving on to state in a close one. Any upset specials that you could foresee busting your bracket?

Region Tournament Who's Who Most Experienced Team: Madisonville-North Hopkins (4 seniors and 3 juniors in their 7 player rotation that have made it to the last 3 region semifinals) Most Big Game Experience: Henderson County (3-time defending region champs that return several key players from last year's state tournament quarterfinalist team) Best Size: Hopkinsville (4 players at or over the 6-foot mark creates a matchup problem for most other 2nd Region teams) Most Athletic Team: Hopkins County Central (although undersized up front they have the most athletic backcourt and frontcourt in the region) Best Shooting Team: Webster County (everyone on their roster can shoot it and shoot it well) Best Halfcourt Defense: Lyon County (ranked #2 in the state in Team Defense) Best Fullcourt Defense: Hopkins County Central (in your face for 84-feet from the tipoff until the final buzzer) 2nd Region Tournament Power Rankings (based on record, strength of schedule, roster talent and performance vs. other region tournament teams) 1. Henderson County 2. Madisonville-North Hopkins 3. Hopkinsville 4. Hopkins County Central 5. Lyon County 6. Webster County 7. Christian County 8. Crittenden County Lyon County Lady Lyons Overall Record: 22-7 Region Record: 18-4 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 5-3 The Lady Lyons are lead by senior point guard Rebecca Somers (15.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG), senior center Melanie PPool (10.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG) and freshman guard/forward Allison Murphy (8.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG). Somers is one of the most well-rounded players in the region and PPool is a load inside that can also shoot the 3 ball. Fundamental halfcourt man defense and good shooting has been the calling card for many Jeff Doom coached team and this one is no different. Ranked #2 in the state in Team Defense only giving up 35.5 PPG, the Lady Lyons give up very few lanes to the hoop and force teams to outshoot them from outside the lane. As their record indicates, not many teams have been able to do so. Their 1st round matchup pits them against a Hopkins County Central team that beat them 54-48 just over a week. Hopkins County Central Lady Storm Overall Record: 17-14 Region Record: 11-6 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 4-5 The Lady Storm are lead by senior shooting guard MaKayla Campbell (15.7 PPG), junior forward Talana Hardy (11.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG) and senior point guard Lyric Campbell (11.7 PPG). MaKayla Campbell ranks top 20 in the state for made 3-pointers per game (2.5) and has unbelievable range from deep. Lyric Campbell is the region's most athletic player and can really hurt you in the open court. Since Todd Webb took over the reigns this team has been known for their fullcourt man pressure defense that would definitely rank in the top 20 in the state for steals if that statistic were kept. The Lady Storm have been playing great basketball lately but has their tough out of region schedule prepared them to advance farther than the semifinals this year? Their 1st round matchup is against a Lyon County team that they beat 54-48 just over a week ago. Henderson County Lady Colonels Overall Record: 15-9 Region Record: 6-2 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 3-2 The Lady Colonels are lead by junior forward Alisha Owens (12.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG), junior forward Emma Lander (11.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG), senior forward Mikayla Gilbert (8.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG) and senior point guard Samantha Carter (6.6 PPG). Owens, a physical inside presence that stands 6'0, may be the toughest 1 on 1 matchup in the region and is receiving attention from some NCAA Division I programs. Lander is the team's best outside shooter and really improved during Carter's absence. Gilbert is a high energy player that puts in work on both ends. Perhaps the team's most important player is Samantha Carter. The Lady Colonels are 6-0 when Carter scores 10 or more points. A typical Jeff Haile team, this Henderson County squad is armed with a variety of defensive schemes in both the halfcourt and fullcourt. The Lady Colonels are finally back to full strength and appear to be the favorite to return to the Sweet 16 since their only region losses came when they were missing Owens or both Carter and Owens. Henderson County plays the toughest schedule in the region and it usually proves valuable at this point in the season. Their 1st round matchup pits them against a youthful Christian County team. Christian County Lady Colonels Overall Record: 12-15 Region Record: 7-6 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 1-6 The Lady Colonels are lead by freshman shooting guard Aaliyah Hampton (13.9 PPG), sophomore point guard Laderia Gold (10.1 PPG) and sophomore power forward Trinitee Jackson (8.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG). Hampton is a promising young prospect that scores in a variety of ways, and Gold is an undersized guard that can beat you both going to the hoop and shooting the 3 ball. Post presence 6'2 Trinitee Jackson is a big question mark heading into the region tournament. Jackson has not played since February 6th against McCracken County with what has been rumored to be a minor knee injury. They have played well in her absence but you would have to think Coach Anthony Hickey would feel much better about his chances with her on the court. Whether or not she plays, the Lady Colonels are big underdogs against the back-to-back-to-back region champs. Christian County, a team with no seniors, will gain valuable postseason experience to make a run next season. Madisonville-North Hopkins Lady Maroons Overall Record: 22-4 Region Record: 12-1 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 6-1 The Lady Maroons are lead by senior guard/forward Adarian Gray (14.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG), junior center Molly Stone (9.0 PPG, 11.2 RPG) and senior guard Shaniya Whitsell (10.7 PPG). Gray was recently named the KABC Region 2 Player of the Year. Rightfully so since she has been the focal point of the offense for the Cat's Pause preseason favorite Lady Maroons. If the 2nd Region had a comeback player of the year award it would go to Molly Stone. She has been crucial to the success of the Lady Maroons this season with her relentless pursuit of rebounds on both sides of the ball. Coach Brent Gibson's teams play through their defense and this team is no different. Ranked #5 in Team Defense giving up only 37.6 PPG, in order to beat the Lady Maroons you must be able to handle their zone pressure in both the halfcourt and fullcourt. The biggest question looming over the Lady Maroons is whether or not they can handle a full strength Henderson County should the two meet in the finals. Madisonville-North Hopkins lost all 3 of their major tests outside of the region by large margins and their other loss came at the hands of a Henderson County team without point guard Samantha Carter. The Lady Maroons received the most favorable draw of all teams in the tournament. Their 1st round matchup pits them against 5th District runner-up Crittenden County. Crittenden County Lady Rockets Overall Record: 15-15 Region Record: 12-11 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 0-9 The youthful Lady Rockets are lead by junior guard Cassidy Moss (16.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG). Moss has been the leading scorer in the region for the majority of the season and can score both shooting the basketball and getting to the hoop. No team depends on one player more than the Lady Rockets depend on Moss. A typical Shannon Hodge coached team, the Lady Rockets play fundamental man defense and play with a lot of guts. Unfortunately it looks like the Lady Rockets will have another short stay in the postseason unless they can pull over the biggest upset in the 2nd Region. Much like Christian County, Crittenden County will hope to gain valuable experience for next season as they will bring back their entire team. Hopkinsville Lady Tigers Overall Record: 20-10 Region Record: 15-2 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 8-1 The Lady Tigers are lead by late season transfer junior forward Janiya Davis (16.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG), senior center Farisia Hodge (12.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG) and senior guard JaEricka Grubbs (10.2 PPG). Davis may be the region's best prospect for the next level, standing 5'11 with a long wingspan and a well-rounded offensive game. Since ruled eligible, the Lady Tigers have lost only 2 games. Hodge is the #5 ranked rebounder in the state and is a matchup nightmare for teams that do not have the size to compete with her 6'2 frame. Grubbs is the team's biggest outside shooting threat and attacks the hoop well. Coach Anthony Babb has the biggest lineup in the region and he gets the most out of that length with their halfcourt zone defense. In order to beat the Lady Tigers, you must take good shots because there won't be many offensive rebound opportunities with the size they have from top to bottom. Their 1st round matchup is a rematch from the 1st game of the season against Webster County. A game that the Lady Tigers won 82-74 without the services of Janiya Davis. Webster County Lady Trojans Overall Record: 20-9 Region Record: 9-5 Record vs. Other Region Tournament Teams: 5-5 The Lady Trojans are lead by junior point guard Kaylee Duncan (14.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG), senior forward Hallie Gibson (11.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG) and freshman guard/forward Karlie Keeney (10.5 PPG). Duncan is the most physical guard in the region and can score attacking the hoop or shooting the 3 ball. Gibson is the lone senior on the team and may be the team's most lethal outside shooter when you look at her percentage (46.8%). Keeney has been one of the biggest surprises in the region and at times has looked like the Lady Trojans most talented player. They haven't been quite the same team since losing sophomore point guard Kelsey Payne to a knee injury, but Coach Parker McCalister gets the most out of his blue collar team despite how young they are. If you plan to beat Webster County you better be ready for a war. They may not look like the best athletes, but the Lady Trojans aren't afraid to play tight pressure defense and play very smart halfcourt offense. They play hard and aggressive and shoot the basketball better than any other team in the region (34.9 3PT% - ranked #10 in the state). Their 1st round matchup is a rematch from the 1st game of the season against a Hopkinsville team that did not have the services of Janiya Davis, while the Lady Trojans still had floor general Kelsey Payne.

My 2nd Region Tournament Team Previews will be posted later tonight. For now how about some bracketology. Lyon County (5th District Champion) vs. Hopkins County Central (7th District Runner-Up) Henderson County (6th District Champion) vs. Christian County (8th District Runner-Up) Madisonville-North Hopkins (7th District Champion) vs. Crittenden County (5th District Runner-Up) Hopkinsville (8th District Champion) vs. Webster County (6th District Runner-Up) The games are listed in the same order as they appear on the bracket (per Chris Jung on Twitter). Predictions for 1st round and beyond?

Christian County had this game in the bag. Up 1 with your best free throw shooter at the line with 11 seconds to go? My money would have been on Laderia to make those free throws and seal the deal. A great comeback by the Lady Colonels. They didn't lose. They ran out of time.

Have we already forgotten why this is a bad idea? Riverdale, Smyrna girls deliberately try to lose game, get kicked out of playoffs

I got it. Stats are good but I'd like to provide a look into style of play as well. In most cases stats don't tell the whole story. For example Madisonville-North Hopkins has the best record in the region but their stats don't look that great because they keep it low scoring. I'd really like to get as much info on each team's style, go to players, strengths and weaknesses for the preview.

6 of the 8 region tournament teams have now been determined. Webster County already had the automatic bid by winning the 6th district regular season. Joining them after winning tonight is Christian County, Hopkinsville, Henderson County, Madisonville-North Hopkins and Hopkins County Central. No upsets of any kind so far.

I plan on doing a region tournament preview article. I have seen most of the teams in the region play and can do a fair assessment of everyone that should make the tournament. However if some of you closer to the programs can give me a little more insight to write a better preview that would be great. Please PM me with whatever you want to share. Cols, I expect a detailed report on the Lady Colonels. LOL!

Even though he will not win I have to show some hometown love to Tyrik Edwards of Christian County. The young man has lead the resurgence of the program and hopefully another state championship.

He is not the best player in the state but I do believe he will win. Faulkner and Goodin should be the top 2 but they will steal votes from each other. I actually favor Faulkner over Goodin but I've only seen them play a handful of times.

2nd region could be won by 4 or 5 different teams. It really is wide open this year. If I had to chose a favorite though it would be Henderson County. They already defeated Madisonville-North Hopkins at the Lady Maroons gym without Samantha Carter. The Lady Colonels lead all but about 1 minute of that game and lead by more than 10 for a good portion of the game. Now that she is back I think that makes the gap between the 2 teams larger.

Good. That will make for an exciting region tournament this year.

Will she be able to come back this week?

Wish I could see that game but I can't make the trip tonight.

Hopkins County Central got a 54-48 win over Lyon County last night. Madisonville-North Hopkins got a narrow 49-48 victory over Apollo. The Lady Trojans of Webster County got back to playing good basketball with a 65-54 win over Christian County. The Hopkinsville Lady Tigers took a big loss 70-37 at the hands of powerful South Warren. This region tournament is shaping up to be a good one. It could be there for the taking for any of the top 6.

Hopkinsville wins a close, low scoring game with Lyon County and lost to Union County earlier in the season. It seems like the Lady Tigers struggle against teams that slow the game down and make them play half court basketball.

PtownDude, I saw that Hopkins County Central won pretty big in the girl game tonight. How did they look? Did they play that well or did the Lady Tigers just have an off night?

My rankings at the moment. 1. Christian County 2. Hopkinsville 3. University Heights 4. Madisonville 5. Webster County 6. Trigg County 7. Henderson County 8. Caldwell County 9. Union County 10. Lyon County 11. Dawson Springs 12. Livingston Central 13. Hopkins County Central 14. Crittenden County 15. Fort Campbell

Rankings update?

The KHSAA Scoreboard updated today. I think that makes Trigg County #15 by themselves now.

He should have been thrown out when he charged the court after the buzzer beater was waived off. The shot wasn't even close and the ref that originally ruled it good was on the other end of the court. The ref closest to the play had to call them all in and overrule the call. Haworth's antics were at an all-time high. My belief is he is having trouble coming to terms with the fact that Hoptown can't beat County. They are far superior in every way especially in coaching. Hoptown can fool everybody by beating up on teams that can't handle their press but they will get exposed every time against fundamentally sound teams like the Colonels.

I think you are a little confused sir. They lost to Trigg County 2 days ago and have lost 3 of their last 4. https://scoreboard.12dt.com/scoreboard/khsaa/kygbk15/47527

It has been a wild February so far. We have a new #1 and the rankings have been shuffled from top to bottom. The region tournament looks more wide open than I can ever remember. It should be a very exciting month ahead. #1 Henderson County (12-8, 4-2) UP 2 The Lady Colonels reclaimed the #1 spot after narrowly defeating former #1 Madisonville-North Hopkins. The Lady Colonels lead all but about 1 minute of the game and lead by as much as 11 early in the game. The Lady Maroons didn't seem to have an answer for Alisha Owens inside. Despite being without point guard Samantha Carter, whom they desperately miss when facing pressure, and the game being an ugly foulfest, the Lady Colonels proved to be the better team. Even though this is not the same Henderson County that we are used to seeing, when fully healthy they are still the team to beat if you want to advance to the Sweet 16. #2 Madisonville-North Hopkins (19-3, 10-1) DOWN 1 The Lady Maroons took advantage of the foul trouble in the Lady Colonels frontcourt late in the 2nd and 4th quarters but just couldn't seem to close the deal. They even positioned themselves to take it to overtime before committing a silly foul in the final second of the game. I don't know if Coach Gibson told them to pressure the ball or the player simply made a bad decision to reach in for the ball but that foul had to be called by the officials and decided their fate that night. If the Lady Maroons intend on unseating the defending champs, they must make better decisions at the end of games. #3 Hopkinsville (17-9, 12-2) UP 1 It would have been nice to see the Lady Tigers play #2 Madisonville-North Hopkins with Janiya Davis in the lineup and it would have been nice to see them play #1 Henderson County with a healthy roster for the Lady Colonels. For now we'll just have to speculate and leave the Lady Tigers at #3. Speculation tells me that the Lady Tigers wouldn't have defeated a full Henderson County roster. Speculation also tells me that Janiya Davis wouldn't have made a 35 point difference in the game against Madisonville-North Hopkins. The Lady Tigers are definitely a better team now than they were a month ago, no matter how controversial the eligibility of Janiya Davis is. #4 Lyon County (19-5, 16-2) UP 2 I hesitantly moved the Lady Lyons up to the #4 spot. It was more about the poor play of Webster County and Hopkins County Central than the good play of Lyon County. Their style of play made a competitive game against #2 Madisonville-North Hopkins and helped them knock off #6 Webster County. However their schedule is still lacking the necessary competition to warrant them being the #4 team in the region. They will play their last 2 games against #3 Hopkinsville and #5 Hopkins County Central. When the postseason starts we will know for sure if Lyon County's record accurately reflects their threat as for the region championship. #5 Hopkins County Central (13-13, 8-5) DOWN 3 The rollercoaster ride that has been the Lady Storm basketball season is almost over. Will they finish on a high like we saw in late December and January, where they defeated the likes of Daviess County, #6 Webster County, and took #2 Madisonville-North Hopkins to the wire? Or will we see the Lady Storm of the past 2 games that lost to #8 Union County and never showed up for the game against #3 Hopkinsville? The Lady Storm are still a threat to win it all. They may be the best team in the region when their pressure defense is clicking but don't be surprised if they make an early exit in the region tournament either. #6 Webster County (17-8, 7-4) DOWN 1 As I can only judge by scores, the Lady Trojans look lost without point guard Kelsey Payne (torn ACL). Although her stats don't jump off the paper at you she was obviously the glue that held this team together. Kaylee Duncan has been the only consistency for the Lady Trojans lately as Karlie Keeney seems to be going through her freshman growing pains. They have been fortunate enough to secure the #1 spot in the 6th district and guarantee a spot in the region tournament. I expect the Lady Trojans to rediscover their identity before then and be a tough out for anyone that faces them in the 2nd region tournament. #7 Christian County (10-13, 6-4) SAME If I have said it once I am sure that I have said it 10 times. The Lady Colonels are still a year away from contending for a region championship. They have upset potential in the opening round of the region tournament but nothing more than that this year. They appear to have the clear edge on University Heights and will likely advance to the 2nd region tournament without much of a fight. I don't see them stealing a district championship from #3 Hopkinsville. #8 Union County (11-15, 5-7) UP 2 The Bravettes style of play will keep them in games. They proved this theory true by keeping the score low against #3 Hopkinsville and coming away with a victory. They did the same against #5 Hopkins County Central in both games and were able to steal away 1 of them. They even kept #1 Henderson County close in their 1st matchup with the Lady Colonels. However the rebuilding roster of the Bravettes comes into clear view when they face a team of similar style like #4 Lyon County and #10 Livingston Central. With the Bravettes having the honor of playing #1 Henderson County in the opening round of the postseason, don't expect them to hang around long. #9 Crittenden County (12-14, 9-10) DOWN 1 This has been a traditional Shannon Hodge team - hardworking overachievers. The Lady Rockets appear to have #10 Livingston Central's number and will likely advance to the 2nd region tournament again this year. Cassidy Moss has made herself a darkhorse for region player of the year and gives the Lady Rockets a chance in most games they take the floor. However the thin roster shows up from time to time with losses to #8 Union County and #12 Caldwell County as good examples. #10 Livingston Central (11-13, 6-8) DOWN 1 The only thing keeps the Lady Cardinals from being at #8 instead of #10 is their inability to take down #9 Crittenden County. They have wins that warrant being higher in the rankings - an All-A region title over #4 Lyon County and a close win over #8 Union County. However until they prove they can beat the Lady Rockets to the region tournament field, they are firmly in place at #10 in the rankings. #11 University Heights (6-16, 4-7) SAME The Lady Blazers continue to struggle as they have only 1 win in 2016. I don't expect any miraculous turnarounds for the Lady Blazers and I don't forsee any more wins given their schedule to finish the season. #12 Caldwell County (5-20, 5-13) SAME Just when it looked like the young Lady Tigers were starting to figure things out they drop a game where they were the clear favorites at home against #14 Trigg County. Wins over Dawson Springs and a big early season victory over Trigg County keep them at #12. #13 Dawson Springs (10-14, 3-13) SAME The Lady Panthers maintain their #13 ranking because of Trigg County's loss to #14 Fort Campbell and their convincing early season victory over Trigg County. The Lady Panthers have recorded 3 region wins this but all 3 were against #14 Trigg County and Fort Campbell. #14 Trigg County (10-13, 2-10) SAME The Lady Cats share the #14 spot with Fort Campbell despite losing to them head to head because of their last 2 victories over #13 Dawson Springs and #12 Caldwell County. Had they won their game against the Lady Falcons, they would've been the new #12 in my rankings but that loss cannot be ignored. #14 Fort Campbell (3-18, 1-10) UP 1 The Lady Falcons recorded their 1st win in region play this season against #14 Trigg County. They now share the #14 spot with the Lady Cats and will get to play them again in the final game of the season.

Some region scores have still not been reported and it would be better to let the Friday scores come in too. New rankings coming Saturday with a lot of movement.

Henderson County over Madisonville-North Hopkins tonight in Madisonville. No Samantha Carter for the Lady Colonels and they really miss her. It was a wild game to say the least. Both team dealt with foul trouble the whole game and 3 technical fouls were called - 1 on Alisha Owens, 1 on a Madisonville player but don't remember who and 1 on the Lady Maroon coach. The game was poorly officiated both ways. There were way too many touch fouls called but I did agree with the last call that decided the game. Officials should never decide the outcome of a game but that one had to be called. A tie game with almost 4 seconds left with a full court ahead of the Lady Colonels and a Madisonville player #15 reaches on the dribbler to send her to the line and win the game with a little more than 2 seconds left. Henderson County would have won by 10 or more if they had a proven ballhandler like Samantha Carter tonight. I've seen Madisonville 3 times now - Christian County, Hopkins County Central and Henderson County. They have looked sloppy offensively in every game. They have to drop in the next rankings which I may put out tonight if I have time.