DevilMayCare

☘️ | The defending state champs are loaded again. Trinity baseball is starting to resemble the football program. The Rocks have several players either already committed to the next level or they're being courted by DI schools. It's easy to see why they're receiving Top 10 attention in national polls and heavily favored to repeat as kings of Kentucky. • Grayson Willoughby (P/3B, UK commit) • Nolan Hosking (1B, UofL commit). • Zach Floyd (OF/2B, UofL commit) • Max Phillips (OF/P, Wake Forest commit) • Gray Davis (P/SS, Clemson commit) • Hudson Meredith (P/OF, Virginia commit). Those last three rank among the state's top five junior class prospects according to PBR.

Top 25 ⚾ 1. Trinity ☘️ 2. Saint Xavier 🐯 3. McCracken County 🐎 4. Sayre ⚔️ 5. Pleasure Ridge Park 🐈‍⬛ 6. Whitley County 🇾🇪 7. Lexington Catholic 🛡️ 8. Taylor County 🇾🇪 9. Boyd County 🦁 10. Owensboro Catholic ♠️ 11. Frederick Douglass 🐎 12. LaRue County 🇳🇮 13. Beechwood 🐯 14. South Warren ⚔️ 15. Madison Central 🏹 16. University Heights 🇨🇮 17. Christian County 🐯 18. Breckinridge County 🐯 19. Greenwood 🐊 20. Bowling Green 👾 21. Boyle County 🌓 22. Highlands 🐦 23. North Oldham 🐎 24. South Oldham 🐉 25. Henry Clay 🔱

Another great opening round game in the shadow of X/CovCath. Both of these programs have taken up residence at Rupp Arena. I like the contrast of WC's balance versus Reece Davidson. I look for the Dragons to contain Davidson well enough to force the other Jags to beat them. Give me Warren Central in a nip and tuck battle from start to finish.

CovCath is running away with the poll - currently 41-18 in favor of the Colonels. Personally, I'm leaning X right now. I've praised their ability to generate offense in a variety of ways all season. I think their transition game plays a deciding factor in the outcome here.

Grayson County 🟠⚪ (26-5, KSR #25) vs. Taylor County 🔴⚫ (26-9) 🗞️ High scoring Grayson County ran the table within the 3rd Region behind an offense averaging nearly 80 points per game. They defeated region favorite - and state #2 - Daviess County twice, including in the region semifinals. Four Cougars average in double figures: Jack Logsdon (20.5), Brody Armstrong (15.1), Jagger Mardis (14.5), and Spencer Langdon (12.3). Taylor County doesn't quite have the offensive punch that Grayson does, but the Cardinals get after you on the defensive end. They're allowing just 43 ppg over the last month, including 35 to ranked Caverna during a suffocating run through the 5th Region tournament. When buckets are needed, Taylor turns to the sophomore tandem of Cooper Stone (21 ppg) and Bryce Vernon (14.7 ppg). Grayson County is seeking to scratch the itch of a state tournament win for the first time since 2009, while Taylor is looking for its first in ten years. Tip-off: Wednesday, March 18th at 6:00pm

Boyd County 🦁 (29-6, State #15) vs. Marshall County 🟠🔵 (24-8) 🗞️ Boyd’s perseverance finally paid off… after coming up short against Ashland time and time again, the Lions got the upper hand on their bitter rival to end the Tomcats’ seven year stranglehold on the 16th Region. Jacob Spurlock, one of the state's most prolific scorers and three point marksmen, leads Boyd back to Rupp Arena for the first time since 2018. He carries hefty averages of 27 points and 9 rebounds per game into the Sweet 16. Malachi Payne (17 ppg) and Gunnar Woods (11 ppg) help supplement Spurlock to power the state's highest scoring offense (82.5 ppg). Matching Spur bucket for bucket is Marshall County star Matthew Langhi, a 6’7” DI prospect who also averages 27 a night. He roasted Paducah Tilghman for 38 in the 1st Region final. Joining Langhi with double figure averages are Neyland Jezik (12 ppg) and Ryan Stokes (10 ppg). The Marshals have recent experience to draw from, having made the state tournament two seasons ago. Can they use that to their advantage? Langhi, Jezik, and Stokes have been here before. Boyd's Gunnar Woods was here a year ago with Lawrence County, but the rest of the Lions will be taking the floor at Rupp for the first time. Tip-off: Thursday, March 19th at 1:30pm

Covington Catholic 🇫🇮 (31-2, State #1) vs. Saint Xavier 🐯 (27-7, State #3) 🗞️ In a gathering worthy of the pomp, circumstance, and grandeur of a state final, the champions of Northern Kentucky and Louisville will convene on the hallowed hardwood of Rupp Arena. It's a premature battle to survive and advance for the tournaments perceived two best teams, brought about by the luck of the draw, or more appropriately, lack thereof. CovCath set fire to the 9th Region, winning all fifteen games against local competition by at least eighteen points. The flames spread throughout the schedule, as the Colonels led the state with a whopping 31 point average margin of victory. Both losses came against teams ranked #1 in the state at the time - Male and Madison Central. St. Xavier's path to Rupp involved a little more resilience in a loaded 7th Region. The state's preseason #1 stepped on a few landmines along the way, falling to Male, Ballard, and CAL before ultimately outpacing them all in the end. The Tigers can hit you from all angles, with ball handlers and capable shooters all over the floor. Josh Lindsay’s (14.3 ppg) above the rim antics can steal the show, but the inside-out versatility of Mr. Basketball candidate Jeremiah Jackson (16.5 ppg/7 rpg) has been a bedrock of X’s success this season. Their skill set and competitive edge will be challenged by CovCath’s backcourt tandem of fellow Mr. Basketball hopeful Athens McGillis (22.8 ppg) and Braeden Myrick (17 ppg). McGillis can score from anywhere on the floor, as evidenced by his 2,000+ career points and Myrick can fill it up from behind the arc with 102 threes this season, connecting at a 46% clip. Additional valuable contributors include Chief Cameron, a vital component for the Tigers at both ends of the floor as a point guard and disruptive defender, and Donovan Bradshaw, CovCath's interior muscle who may be tasked with denying Jackson and Lindsay at the rim. The ultimate goal for both teams is a state championship - CovCath's third in twelve years, X's first since 1962 - but it all starts with one of the biggest opening round matchups in recent memory. Tip-off: Wednesday, March 18th at 11:00am

Congrats to the Lions. Ashland's reign of terror has been halted, at least temporarily. For the first time since 2018, someone other than the Tomcats will represent the 16th Region at Rupp.

Jayden Johnson closed out his career at Trinity as the program's all-time leading scorer.

Semifinal Results St. Xavier 61 Trinity 46 - Josh Lindsay scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to drop the curtain on T's season. X's options are plentiful. The Tigers beat the Rocks by 15 with region player of the year Jeremiah Jackson only scoring six points. Ballard 75 Manual 55 - The Crimsons took Ballard to the wire on January 12th. There was no drama this some around, with the Bruins running away with the victory. Cole Edelen went on a scoring spree in the second half, tallying fifteen straight points for Ballard.

It was nice to see Male showing some fight at the end of the season. They went from state #1 to losing 8 of 10 after injuries to Hillerich and Mitchell. The Dawgs will be a force to be reckoned with for the next couple of years.

First Round Results St. Xavier 105 Central 50 - As expected, X rolls. Twelve different Tigers got their name in the score sheet. Trinity 64 Eastern 63 - The Rocks rallied from a twelve point 4Q deficit to clip the Eagles. Jayden Johnson and Garrison Gilvin combined for 51 of T's 64 points. Ballard 78 Male 76 - Qyntin Woods scored the game winner with three seconds remaining in overtime in a game of the year contender. Jordan Mitchell went out on his shield with 41 points for Male. Manual 60 Waggener 51 - Dario Harper scored 22, while Ahmad Shelton dominated the glass with 14 rebounds. The Crimsons were efficient behind the arc, connecting on 7/11 threes.

♈ | Waggener hung tough, but the Crimsons advance behind Dario Harper's 22 points.

First Round Matchups (all games on 3/3 at 7pm) St. Xavier vs. Central - The closest we have to a formality in the opening round. This one should be all X, all the time. The Tigers beat the Jackets by 49 in last year's first round. Trinity vs. Eastern - The Shamrocks are playing their best at the most opportune time, but Eastern has length that could slow T's momentum. The Eagles haven't beaten the Rocks in seventeen years. Ballard vs. Male - The marquee game of the first round, featuring Cole Edelen against the school where he built his name and Jordan Mitchell is currently making his own. The wheels started coming off for Male down the stretch, but the close loss to X in the district final showed that the Dawgs may still have some bite. Manual vs. Waggener - The Wildcats are a scrappy bunch that shouldn't be taken lightly, but Manual possesses a balanced and diverse line-up. The Crimsons rank third in the state in three point percentage and second in rebounding. Plus, they'll have the best player on the floor in Ahmad Shelton.

28th District Championship 🏆 Ballard 91 Eastern 62 Edelen was vintage, scoring a game high 33 as the Bruins won their second straight district crown.