Valhalla

Find it really hard to fathom that CC could in any way disrespect GRC in Regionals. GRC was the team that made the dance last year vs CC. Extremely obvious that CC has been having the better year vs GRC. Enough of a better year to discount GRC? No way. On other hand, this is a crazy time of year and crazy things happen. CC can be filled to the brim with the correct amount of respect for GRC, but then the ol nerves kick in and suddenly you have a ballgame. Really doubt that happens either though. CC on a mission this year ...

Agreed re the likely loud, passionate prayers by KHSAA @ BB&T Rap!! LOL Recall 2 years ago when CC made it and the monster crowd they brought. Really impressive and terrific for the venue ... unless you had to play against them! LOL CC gonna have to take care of business vs GRC though. Think they will but for sure the GRC now versus earlier this year is a bit different.

A GRC vs CC battle in region is inevitable. They are clearly the best 2 teams in the region -- they will meet in semi's or finals. Earlier this year felt CC would easily coast through the season (which they did) and then through the regional tourney. However, while not a complete surprise, GRC is playing much better which could make things a bit interesting. CC will still win the region though making the KHSAA brass jump for joy via their total domination of fans in the seats @ BB&T Arena!

Clos should absolutely be way in the conversation for Miss Basketball! Hanging 29 on SHA @ SHA has to be one of the better performances of the year by any player. Re the top teams in the state, there isn't any doubt it has to be SHA/Mercer/CC in a level by themselves. Their records vs others and with one another bear that out. Would be awesome if it panned out to see some great hi-lite match-ups based on this kind of discussion. Again, it just hardly ever pans out that way. Keep referring to last year's (powerful) Butler team to illustrate my point. I would have bet decent money by taking Butler versus anyone in the field -- they were that strong in my opinion. But, March does funny things which is the special sauce that makes all this great fun! Congrats to CC for almost pulling off the W in very hostile territory!

That would be a dream of a Final 4 ... whether it is KHSAA or NCAA it just rarely ever pans out that way. Have commented couple other times that VERY few would have guessed Butler to lose last year. Good gosh, they were strong & deep! However, Murray came with a great game plan and maybe played the game of their lives -- know all of those kids won't ever forget that game! SHA is the undisputed #1 team ... but Male will absolutely give them all they want in their region. Can't think of too many teams that want to get to the Sweet Sixteen through Male! Good grief! Mercer, Campbell & Butler will have their work cut out for themselves getting out of their respective regions as well.

Pretty good job on these. Would say the SK faithful will likely have issue with the Anderson pick. Unless Niece decided to jump in the mix possibly? Haven't heard that she is or isn't but would think if she were she would have been spot playing by this stage of season. These are all pretty solid picks ... but we all know in March some crazy things happen!

Hilarious Blueto! If there is any poster that has a complex re any/all things CC I think it is most likely the dude you see in the mirror. Why would we need the rest of the week for a "clearer picture" when CC is "right where they need to be"? Keep it closer than 35? Would imagine CC should be FAVORED by 35!?! LOL

Congrats on the CC win vs Holmes. C'mon Blueto ... right where they (Camels) need to be? This would have been CC's 2nd loss to an UNRANKED team in the last 2 weeks. Kudo's to CC for grinding it out regardless as a W is still a W. Sounds like CC is struggling with every team gunning for them as highly ranked as they are. I would have thought this game would have been (way) over by the 3rd qtr. Right where they need to be? Hmmm ...

Hard to argue with this top 20 in my opinion. Again, nice job JJ! Looks like CC climbed a tad to the chagrin of Male it would appear. Male is the certainly the real deal and playing great basketball. Mercer was just crazy red hot in that game kind of like SHA was all weekend. Only a few teams I am not too familiar with via South Warren & Scott County. Hear great things about both though. Murray also appears to be back in same great form as last year. Looks like GRC is coming back to life? They had really nice win over higher ranked Lincoln ... but then had (what I consider) a bad loss vs Manual in the LIT. My opinion (like a number of other posters here) is that SHA & Mercer are the top 2 teams via the blood, schedule, carnage, record, tradition, etc to prove it. On the other hand, would have imagined VERY FEW would have guessed Mercer to win the Big Dance last year. This year is even CRAZIER than last year. No offense to SHA, but (I think) Butler was MUCH the heavier favorite last year than either SHA or Mercer are this year. This year's tourney is SO WIDE OPEN ... whomever wants to jump up and grab it will bring home the hardware!

PTB! Nice comments. Winning every tournament a team plays is certainly an obvious goal. Ultimately, whatever a team can do to prepare for the State Title is undoubtedly the main target as you state. The Mercer coach (and lots of others) sets up a schedule with this in mind. Making a state run is stressful in so many ways and how your team performs under stress is something your kids and staff had better become familiar with. To steal a line from the golfing great Seve Ballesteros ... "Anyone can play when it is 75 & sunny." Hard to think SHA will NOT be in the mix in March. Given the status between SHA & Mercer is 1-1 a rubber match in the Finals would be crazy (at least for their fans). It rarely happens that way though. There was Z-E-R-O way I thought any team had what it took to take down the mighty team from Butler ... but Murray showed up and said "we can play too". Awesome stuff ... looking forward to March!

At risk of taking anything away from the TOTAL performance by SHA -- which is not my intent -- the fact this was Mercer's 4th game in 3 days was certainly some factor in this result. (Had forgotten Mercer played Franklin Thurs before the Butler game Fri). Kinda doubt SHA would have been as smooth had they have played Butler and then Male the prior 2 games. Would SHA have lost? Who knows -- probably not. Would it have been the one sided game like last nite -- doubtful. Nobody ever likes to hear 'I told ya so' ... but congrats to SHA in JJ's upcoming Week #8 Poll as SHA will be the new #1 Queen of the Castle!

Think some may have seen my (frequent) comments on this forum re there was just going to be little way for the Mercer team to bring it after navigating #4 Butler - close game; #5 Male - close game until the 4th qtr ... and then play #2 SHA? Would easily NOT have been a surprise had Mercer lost to either Male or Butler also. Hear the brackets are made up by some formula vs blind draw? Have to say, if so, that is just crazy. How are 3 of the top 5 teams on one side and SHA on the other? SHA's varsity played little of the 2nd half in either of their quarter/semi final games. Whomever or however this tourney was drawn up SHA needs to give them a big kiss on the mouth! Kudo's to the SHA Coach & kids though. They looked like a well oiled machine.

PTB! As mentioned earlier, SHA cruised easily to the championship game. A tad surprised Manual didn't put up more of fight than they did in the semi's? Manual absolutely got smacked -- yikes! Running clock for most of the 4th Qtr. Mercer's game last nite vs Butler was MUCH closer than the score (61-51) indicated. Mercer also had a tough game with Male this morning and pulled away in the 4th qtr winning 66-50. Nice crowd today for the morning games! Both Mercer & SHA were R-E-D hot from the 3 point line! Will see if my LIT eventual (week 8) #1 prediction comes true re SHA. Hard to see how Mercer can hang in this game? Particularly due to the prior 2 games and then on the road. SHA had their reserves/JV in much of the 2nd half in the Manual game. SHA also looked very smooth and ready for post season.

CC is having a great year -- enjoy the ride as you see it.

EE ... you may not be a Camel fan but to say CC's schedule is tougher than Male's? Please. The CC loss to a team like Highlands is what it is and (easily) trumps the 5 quality losses by Male. Via this weeks BG Preps Poll ... I ain't the only guy that thinks the same.

LOL Ouch -- careful Dave!

LOL The post is in the correct position relative to the response to uplaylikeupractice. Perhaps you should be directing your vitriol toward uplaylikeupractice? Perhaps maybe YOU are lost? My shot missed by missed by a mile? LOL Could it be that a poster touched a nerve? Hmmm. Agreed your post did not state specifically CC was #1 ... but it does align with the Shakespearean thought ... "Methinks thou protests too much." Think about it.

C'mon C-dad ... not that hard to see the drop to 6th particularly when you bring Male into the conversation. A-L-L 5 losses for Male are to teams either ranked in the TOP 20 in the State of KY or Nationally Ranked via Westlake of Atlanta and Riverdale, Tenn which has been ranked #1 in the country at times ... and Male gave them a ***Word Filter Violation - Edit Your Post******Word Filter Violation - Edit Your Post******Word Filter Violation - Edit Your Post******Word Filter Violation - Edit Your Post******Word Filter Violation - Edit Your Post******Word Filter Violation - Edit Your Post******Word Filter Violation - Edit Your Post*** game last week! CC has only 2 losses and to some teams that have been ranked nationally -- good job! Unfortunately, Highlands is one of those "bad" losses that is a ding to a team's "body of work" as the NCAA likes to state. Highlands has a nice team and came with a great game plan and got a "W" at home which (arguably) M-A-D-E their year. Only reason I mention "bad" loss is Highlands isn't ranked in any poll that I have seen. Before you get too upset ... the record will demonstrate I have been cheering for the Camels all year. Still gonna try and check out the CC @ SHA game schedule permitting. If the Camels learned nothing else in the Highlands game the lesson they had better grasp is that what comes with flirting with #1 ... is a big, loud, colorful BULLSEYE on your back! Go Camels!

LOL Apologies Rap -- my post was in response to the one prior from uplaylikeupractice. Apologies also for possibly hurting your feelings re an extremely wayward thought (or left turn?) that CC may not be #1 team in the state at the moment.

As it stands now re the LIT, hard to think how SHA does not walk away with the title with relative ease. Have commented on this on other threads but SHA's draw is pretty nice. Manual & Nelson is about as tough as it gets for them before the championship game. The other side appears to be pretty brutal --- Butler, Male & Mercer in the same bracket? Whoa! 3 of the top 5 teams in the state on the same side? After that bloodbath the "winner" gets to play SHA in the finals with whatever they have left in the tank. Write it down ... SHA will win the LIT and be #1 Queen of the Castle by next week.

Pretty significant surprise win for GRC in this one! Could GRC be getting their game back together ... and in a timely manner as well!

Hey JJ! What ya got on tap for rankings after this weekend!?! Think you have your work cut out for you this time! As Keith Jackson (RIP) used to say ... "Whoa Nellie!" Thanks again for what you do for this forum!

Sacred Heart lost last nite as well in the Raatz Fence Tourney @ Mercy to Incarnate Word Academy of St Louis, Mo. Think record here shows I have been a pretty big fan of SHA this year but last nite was not their nite -- shots were not falling as they usually do. Doubt this loss affects their ranking though as IWA is a really nice team. Male lost last nite as well to Riverdale, Tenn but no shame in this loss given Riverdale has at various times been ranked #1 Nationally. Heard Male was only down 1 heading into the 4th Qtr! Wow! GRC also got a big win vs #8 Lincoln County! Could the Cards be on the comeback trail as well? I think I smell March around the corner ...

Have posted on this issue before on another thread, I do feel CC winning out through end of the regular season is certainly a possibility ... if it were not for the AWAY game @ SHA in early February. CC is without question having a special season but it will be an etched-in-stone special season ***IF*** they are able to beat SHA @ SHA. ***I WILL BE PULLING FOR THE CAMELS BIG TIME!!*** Unfortunately, I just do not see that happening. In fact, it is my thought CC will have to play their socks off just to keep this from being a (big) double digit loss. Think about a game late last year when Butler was ROLLING and they rolled into SHA and, of course, LOST to SHA. Butler was BY FAR the team to beat last year given they had ALL THE TOOLS ... but sill lost to SHA @ SHA. One tough place to steal a W out of. Go Camels!

Whoa! Camels trailed most of game? Thought CC would have crushed Conner in this game given their ranking in Litkenhouse? Interesting. Good comeback for CC.