Carl Spackler

I'm not surprised with the South Oldham win. But the margin of victory is surprising. I thought the pace that South Oldham plays with, and the way that they spread teams out made them a tough matchup for DCA. The Warriors wanted the game in the 40s or 50s. They aren't really built to outscore teams if it gets above that.

4 conferences is the least amount of conferences represented in the Sweet Sixteen since seeding began. In fact, the previous record for fewest conferences represented in the Sweet Sixteen was 7. Also, this is the first tournament since 2007 that a team seeded 11th, or lower, has not made the Sweet Sixteen. It would seem that with NIL, and the transfer portal, that Cinderella has left the building.

And that, right there, is your ballgame.

Interesting stat from the game. Illinois had 14 turnovers. Kentucky had 14 steals. Every turnover by Illinois was a live ball turnover. I'm not sure what the points off turnovers was for the game, but that many live ball turnovers is a big boost to an offense. That helped Kentucky get off 6 more shots than the Illini in spite of being outrebounded by 8.

Great Crossing is 26-1 against in-state competition this season, and 56-2 over the past 2 seasons. They are definitely the favorite in this one. However, they have been tested a few times this season outside of the St. Xavier game. The last 2 games of the 11th Region Tournament were on possession games against Bryan Station and Frederick Douglass. In both of those games the Warhawks were held to 59 points. South Laurel also played Great Crossing to a one possession game back on Valentine's Day, at Great Crossing. And finally, Male came up just short 60-58 in the Dan Cummins Shootout at Scott County. In other words, there are teams outside of St. X that can play with, and defeat the Warhawks. The common denominator in those games, as well as in their 4 losses, has been keeping the score in the 50s-60s. Daviess County is surrendering 55.9 points per game on the season. If they can keep this game in the 50s-60s they have a chance. If it gets above that, it will be tough to overcome the Warhawks, who are 24-1 when they score over 70 points in a game. The teams have one common opponent this season: Male. The Panthers fell to Male 73-56, while the Warhawks squeaked by the Bulldogs 60-58 as previously mentioned. The guess here is that Great Crossing's experience against big time competition, familiarity with playing in the Sweet Sixteen, and of course Malachi Moreno, will be a little bit too much for the Panthers to overcome. I like Great Crossing to advance to the quarterfinals 75-62.

On paper this looks like a tough matchup for DCA. Somerset was able to get by DCA in the regional tournament last season, and push them to the brink in the first round of the region this season with a 3 point focused attack. If South Oldham can take care of the basketball, and knock down their open looks, it will force DCA into playing a game that they aren't comfortable playing. Should be a fun matchup with the clash of styles.

Very deserving. I hope he has a great career at UK.

That's why I said that "give the amount of time he had to work with". He had 10 days to assemble a staff and team. Other teams had 29 days just to work the portal. 10 vs 29 is a big difference, especially given that he didn't have a coaching staff in place.

And also 0-4 against the 2 teams that lost in the semi-finals. Sometimes college basketball just doesn't make sense.

Oh, I understand the landscape of college basketball now. However, Pope was named UK coach on April 12th. The transfer portal opened on March 24th and closed on April 22nd. Most teams would have had 29 days to fill their rosters from the portal. Pope had 10 days to assemble his staff, and try to put an entire roster together from the portal. Most teams had an almost 3 week head start on him.

I love your optimism. But winning 2 games would have to be viewed as a success, anything beyond that would be extraordinary. They've had a great season, especially given the amount of time Pope had to assemble a team, and the injuries that they have suffered. I'm not going to be disappointed if they can get out of the first round.

I'm not sure how much style points matter in wins and losses, especially in the postseason. At the end of the day, Great Crossing went 32-0 in the 11th Region the past 2 seasons, and they're currently 56-2 against Kentucky competition in that timeframe.

We're at the end of the road for 11th Region action this season. And we got the matchup that has been looming all season. Number 1 Great Crossing will take on Number 2 Frederick Douglass with a trip to Rupp Arena on the line. In the semifinals Frederick Douglass rode a stellar defensive performance to a 49-38 win over a red hot Lexington Catholic team. Meanwhile, Great Crossing survived a potential game-tying three pointer from Taeshawn Adams at the buzzer to get by Bryan Station 59-56. Malachi Moreno stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks in the victory, while Vince Dawson added 14 points and 5 assists, and LJ Holman also reached double figures with 11 points. The Warhawks have now won 22 games in a row. These two teams met way back on December 13th in the Billy Hicks Classic. In that game, Great Crossing picked up a 78-70 win behind a balanced attack that featured 4 Warhawks in double figures. Moreno led the way with 27 points and 15 rebounds, Dawson poured in 17, Holman added 13 and Gage Richardson 12. The Broncos were led by Juante Jenkins with 24 points and DeMarcus Surratt with 23. This is the matchup that most have been anticipating all season. Who do you have advancing?

My high school coach always stressed that it wasn't the last shot that you had to worry about, it was a putback after the shot. Very true statement. Sounds like a fun game to watch.

But only 44-41, with no wins in the regional tournament the past 3 seasons, in spite of being one of the most athletic teams in the region. The Rebels, barring an infusion of transfers, should be down a bit next season. But this could be a really good job for the right coach.

I believe the starting quarterback on the 8th grade team last season was actually a 7th grader. Rising sophomore Jacob Estep was the backup last season. It would not surprise me, however, to see Kris Hughes move from running back to quarterback.

The second semifinal of the day in the 11th Region has the potential to be every bit as intriguing as the first. The Broncos and Knights are scheduled to tip off at 330pm with a trip to the finals against Bryan Station or Great Crossing on the line. Frederick Douglass comes into the game at 24-4, and 14-3 against 11th Region foes. Meanwhile, Lexington Catholic's record stands at 23-9, but 14-1 against 11th Region teams. Their lone loss to a team from the 11th Region was way back on December 28th when they dropped 60-52 decision to Bryan Station. They have been on an absolute heater for the past 2 months. The Knights have won 9 games in a row, and 16 of their last 17. Who moves on to the finals?

This showdown of top 10 teams goes down, appropriately at high noon on Saturday, March 8th at Paul Laurence Dunbar. This will be the only meeting between the two teams this season. Bryan Station comes in at 25-6 overall, and 16-3 against 11th Region teams. All 3 of those losses were to Frederick Douglass, who they were able to defeat in the district finals. Great Crossing is 29-4 overall, 13-0 against 11th Region teams, and 24-1 against teams from Kentucky. Great matchup that would be a regional final or Sweet Sixteen matchup in most cases. Who moves on to take on Lexington Catholic or Frederick Douglass for the trip to Rupp?

More likely, one of you is a fan of one of the team, and one was simply watching the game. Easy to tell which is which.

In the 11th Region Preview and Prediction thread, I had Frederick Douglass by 10. Hit that one dead on.

It's a blind draw.

To be fair, it was mainly one poster trying desperately to be able to play the "no one respects us card." And other posters pointing out that they did not say some of the things used to infer disrespect.

The District Tournaments are in the books, and we've arrived at the Regional Tournament. There were no major upsets in the District Tournaments. Probably the biggest surprise was a 10-20 Western Hills team getting by Franklin County and into the Regional Tournament. But Franklin County came in at 11-13 and it was a rivalry game. Bryan Station's win over Frederick Douglass could also be seen as an upset, given that the Broncos had already beaten the Defenders 3 times this season. But every game in that series was closer than the previous one, so the Station win was not a shocker. Every game is an elimination game now, with a trip to Rupp Arena and the Sweet Sixteen the prize. All 4 first round games will be played on Tuesday, at the home of the 4 District Champions. The semifinals and finals will be played on March 8th and 11th at Paul Laurence Dunbar. With all 4 opening round games being played on the same night, and the spacing between the rounds, it would seem that preparation time and fatigue should not be a factor in the tournament. Let's take a look at how the teams rank going into the tournament and preview the opening round. Rankings 1. Great Crossing 28-4 (12-0 in the region) 2. Frederick Douglass 23-4 (13-3 in the region) 3. Bryan Station 14-6 (15-3 in the region) 4. Lexington Catholic 22-9 (13-1 in the region) 5. Madison Central 20-11 (9-5 in the region) 6. Lexington Christian 15-17 (10-9 in the region) 7. Western Hill 10-20 (6-11 in the region) 8. Berea 14-16 (3-8 in the region) Game 1: Lexington Christian at Great Crossing March 4th 700pm The Warhawks are undefeated in the region, and only have one loss to a Kentucky school all season--to top ranked St. Xavier back on December 15th. They are led by Mr. Basketball favorite, and UK signee Malachi Moreno. Moreno averages 21.8 points and 14.7 rebounds per game. He shoots a ridiculous 71.7% from the floor. He is far from the only arrow in Coach Steve Page's quiver. Fellow senior Vince Dawson averages 18.0 points per game and sophomore LJ Holman is also in double figures with 11.5 points per game. Lexington Christian Academy comes in the game at only 1-3 in their last 4 games. That lone win, however, came over Lafayette 53-52 in the district semifinals, to punch their ticket to the 11th Region Tournament. The Eagles are led by senior Saxton Howard, who averages 25.9 points per game. He is joined in double figures by Andrew Maggard and Caleb Marshall, who average 12.5 and 10.8 points respectively. LCA shoots a lot of three pointers, averaging 23.7 attempts per game. They are very streaky, however, and only connect on them at a 34.8% rate. They will have to be hot to have any chance against the Warhawks. Prediction: It is hard to see this game as anything but a blowout in favor of Great Crossing. For LCA to stay in this game they will have to be on fire from deep, and find a way to slow down Moreno and Dawson. If they can stay in the game, and make it close at the end, they might have a chance to exploit the one soft spot in the Warhawks armor: free throws. Great Crossing comes into the game shooting on 64.9% from the line on the year. The guess here is that the Eagles won't be able to keep it close enough for that to make a difference. I'm taking the Warhawks in a blowout in this one. Game 2: Berea at Bryan Station March 4th 700pm Bryan Station has only 6 losses on the season. Three of those are to Frederick Douglass. The Defenders, however, were able to put those 3 losses behind them and get revenge on the Broncos in the 42nd District Finals with a 59-56 win. Station is led in scoring by a pair of juniors. Amari Owens (22.4) and Taeshawn Adams (13.8) are the only Defenders to average in double figures. Senior Rashaad Faulkner is just shy of that mark with 9.8 points per game. Berea comes into the tournament at 14-16, but with wins in 3 of their last 4 contests. The Pirates were the beneficiary of the 44th District being the only district to use to blind draw system to determine the matchups. Berea's 60-42 win over Model was their only win against a district foe all season, but it was enough to get them to the regional tournament. The Pirates are led in scoring by Jack Hemenway at 15.1 points per game. Joining him in double figures are Finley Blevins and Tommie Banderman, who both average 11.2 points per game. Banderman also pulls down 9.2 rebounds per contest to average just shy of a double/double. Prediction: As with game one, this one appears to be a mismatch. The Pirates went only 3-8 against regional opponents this season and 2 of those wins were against hapless Paul Laurence Dunbar and Frankfort Christian. I just don't see this one being close. My pick is the Defenders in a blowout to set up a matchup with Great Crossing in the semifinals. Game 3: Western Hills at Lexington Catholic March 4th 700pm Lexington Catholic comes into the 11th Region Tournament on a real heater, winners of 8 in a row, and 15 of their last 16. The Knights feature a very balanced attack on offense, as 4 players average in double figures. That quarter is led by Max Meagher at 12.7 points per game, right behind him is Ryan Harward at 12.2, Hank Woodall at 10.9m and Jacob Holland with 10.0. The Knights had to replace 9 seniors from last year's 32-3 Region Runner-Up team, and started off slowly at 6-4, but have it going now. This is a very dangerous team and could push any of the "Big 3" of Great Crossing, Frederick Douglass and Bryan Station. Western Hills at 10-20 is the team that it is most surprising to see in the regional tournament. The Wolverines top player is senior Javeon Campbell, who averages 19.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Fellow senior Elijah is Western Hills only other double digit scorer with 14.7 points per game. The wild card in this game might be a couple of players that don't average in double figures for the Wolverines, however. Senior Cole McDonald shoots 38.7% on three pointers, and has made 60 on the season. Meanwhile freshman Preston Clouse is at 37.3% on 44 makes from deep. They will need those 2 to get hot and it 10-12 threes between them to stay in the game. Prediction: This one looks like another one-sided affair. It's hard to see the Wolverines pushing the Knights deep into this game. My pick is another blowout in favor of the home team. Game 4: Frederick Douglass at Madison Central March 4th 700pm The Indians experienced a complete turnaround from last season's uncharacteristic 10-23 struggle, as they finished 20-11. Seemingly the biggest factor in this turnaround was the addition of Jake Feldhaus, who transferred from Mason County to play for his uncle at Central. The junior has been simply outstanding for the Indians this season as he has poured in 22.1 points and pulled down 11.3 rebounds per game. Fellow junior Luke Asher adds 15.5 points per game, while senior Cody Morrison also averages in double figures at 10.2 points per game. The Indians have scuffled a bit over the last month as they are only 5-5 in their last 10 games after a 15-6 start. Frederick Douglass has had a great season so far, with a sparkling 26-4 worksheet. One of those losses, however, came in the finals of the 42nd District, where Bryan Station was able to squeak by them 59-56 on their 4th attempt this season. That loss however, could end up being a blessing in disguise. The 11th Region draw put Great Crossing and Bryan Station in the opposite side of the bracket. The Broncos have a very deep roster, with 7 players averaging between 4.5 and 15.9 points per game. DeMarcus Surratt leads the attack with 15.9 points per game. He is joined in double figures by Juante Jenkins at 14.8. Tate Robinson, and midseason addition Aveion Chenault both check in at 9.1 points per game. This is not your typical district runner-up. Prediction: On paper this would appear to be the best matchup in the first round. The teams have met once this season, with the Broncos taking an 80-63 decision at home. This time the Indians have the home court advantage. In the first game Jake Feldhaus scored 35 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. However, he was the only Central player in double figures. He will have to have more help this time if the Indians are to advance. In the end, I think the Broncos are just too strong for the Indians this season and move on to the semifinals by, say 10 points. There you have it: the matchups and my predictions. How do you see it working out?

Who is out for Madison Central?

I was wondering whether Frederick Douglass or Bryan Station would get on the side of the bracket with Great Crossing. Looks like Station will get first shot at them.