The Double Deuce

This game would have been worthy of a Kentucky Final Four matchup at Rupp in the Sweet 16, but alas, we get it as a 9th Region Semifinal at Truist Arena at NKU on a Friday night. While Holy Cross has the longest current winning streak in the Bluegrass, I fear that will come to an end this Friday night. Holy Cross has a great team, they are tenacious defensively, and they have an outstanding "big" in the middle. They have several players who can get hot from the perimeter, but they also have been victim to extended cold streaks against great defensive teams from the arc. Mix in a college arena with less than ideal sightlines as compared to HS gyms, plus Cooper's fantastic ball-pressure, and I think Holy Cross struggles from the perimeter on Friday night and that will be one of the key determining factors in the outcome. You also can't overstate the importance of "having been there before", and while no one on Holy Cross has been past this level, all of Cooper's key contributors have played beyond this point many times, and I think that inner-confidence is a key factor. Multiple D1 players is certainly impactful as well, as much as I love how Holy Cross plays, sometimes "Billys and Joes" are part of the story. Give me Cooper: 47-36 -- although I love a great underdog / small school story, so I'm hoping like crazy that I'm wrong.

I've always really liked Todd Smart the person, he is a genuinely kind and good man, and I'm sure he has impacted a lot of lives that he has coached by how he carries himself and what he expects of them. Talked to him recently and this definitely wasn't sewn into the conversation, but I'm not surprised he had his poker face on. Good luck, Coach!

No one better than Bob Jackson!!

Marissa with a clutch jumper!! Love it.

Wow! What a game.

Let's go, Owls!

Did they do that bracket on an Etch-A-Sketch?

So even without their PG, Pete's girls will make the final, right? Will play the winner of Ashland and Russell?

You're lucky we are friends IRL. Heck, who am I kidding, I'm the one who is lucky.

Try the filet. I just flew in from Detroit, my arms are killing me.

Well, Dixie had a ball in the air to win at the horn, so I'd say "almost backfired" is a fair description. Lloyd took zero shots in the 4th Quarter. Riveting from the Juggs. Insert eye-roll here.

Semis are Friday night at 6:00 and 7:45. Championship Game is Saturday at 7:00.

Games at Bourbon County, so drink in some basketball action. Monday at 6:00 -- GRC vs Scott Monday at 7:45 -- Nicholas Co. Vs Mason Co. Tuesday at 6:00 -- Bracken Co. Vs Pendleton Co. Tuesday at 7:45 -- Campbell Co. Vs MoCo

Hmmm....36 points is suboptimal for a team ranked in the Top 10 and with very high aspirations for March. Hoping they and the Lady Neers match up in the 8th Region Finals.

Holy Cross was always going to have to beat Ryle and Cooper to win the 9th, you just have to do it in reverse order. Good luck to your Indians.

Unfortunately for the neutrals, KY #2 Cooper and #4 Holy Cross will meet in the semis and not the finals. Stinks. Sunday at NKU: 1:00 Highlands vs Notre Dame 2:30 Dixie vs Ryle 6:30 Holy Cross vs St Henry 8:00 Cooper vs Bellevue

Heard on the broadcast that Gibson had 24. That is incredibly impressive going against Julia, and when your teammates only tallied 15 collectively. HC rolls on with the state's longest winning streak.

If Brossart started Greylee Kramer, and they usually do, she is a Freshman. Maybe she didn't start that night for some reason, but yes, both teams are very, very young.

Pete has done the best he can, and Biggs and Jordan are really nice, but as everyone else mentioned, you lose your engine and everything else is just too hard. Such a shame.

How good are the 33rd and 35th District Championship Games? Using the final Statewide Media Poll: 33rd -- #2 in KY vs #9 35th -- #4 in KY vs #16 (highest others receiving votes) The 9th is blessed this year, hope everyone has enjoyed it. A shame they are being played at the exact same time on Thursday at 7:00. Conner and Holmes should each have really good crowds in the building for those two games.

Welcome to the GRC Invitational.

Well coached and hard-nosed team. Had a good run at All A, and will likely make the "Elite 8" of the Sweet 16 at Rupp. Another great year at Pike High for Coach Orem and her young ladies.

Ryle wins on Conner's home floor ending Conner's season and Anna Hamilton's amazing career. Cooper & Ryle on Thursday night!

Outstanding call!

NewCath had won twice by 20 and 13. You just never know.