Bballjunkie

Yea I probably should have added Armelo to the argument. If South finishes with the best overall record in the region and Julian is averaging over 22ppg, I would think he would have to be in the discussion . Wouldn’t he ?

Everyone in the 8th is in the meat of their schedule. There were some great games last week. A big congrats to Walton Verona for winning the 8th region All “A”. They beat Owen County in the championship game by 10 points. Aaron Gutman was named the tournament MVP. The big time rivalry Oldham/South Oldham game was Friday night. It was a packed house and it was a great game. Oldham pushed South harder than they expected. At the end though, South was too much and won by 6. Julian Miles was unstoppable. He scored at game high 37pts. Collins had a huge win at home vs a really good Spencer County team on Friday but only scored 35 points on Wednesday night vs Anderson. District 30 is WILD this year. We have another week coming up full of some exciting games. Get your popcorn ready, its going to be FUN. Updated Rankings: 1. South Oldham (15-3) The Dragons are playing at a high level. Even though Oldham County is down this year, the boys from Crestwood went into enemy territory and got a huge win. Julian Miles is making a strong case for Region Player of the Year. The kid is special, he plays hard every night. THIS WEEK: South only has one game this week- Hosting Spencer County on Tuesday. 2. North Oldham (12-6) The Mustangs had 3 wins last week by large margins. They beat three Louisville teams. North is a tough team to prepare against because they have so many ballhandlers and shooters. They will not overpower you athletically, but they are so skilled it doesn’t matter. THIS WEEK: Vs CAL on Tuesday …. Big time rivalry game vs Oldham County 3. Woodford County (9-6) It seems a bit silly that Woodford is ranked in the top 15 in most of the state polls and I have them as the 3rd best team in the region. Well, its really hard when they don’t play any region opponents other than in their district. They have the most talent in the region without a doubt but can they play a complete game on both ends to cut down the nets in March.?!?!? THIS WEEK: at Dunbar on Tuesday and Friday night host Collins in a big district showdown. 4. Walton Verona (11-6) The Walton boys won the ALL A REGION in convincing fashion winning all their games by 10plus. Aaron Gutman is playing at a high level. Is the Region Player of Year a two man race now? Both, Aaron and Julian, deserve it so far this year. Good luck to Coach Hestor and the players in the ALL A Classic this week. We know you will represent the 8th Region well THIS WEEK: vs Ballard Memorial in the ALL A CLASSIC 5. Simon Kenton (11-5) The boys from NKY had 3 big region wins last week against Williamstown, Grant County and Collins. I have said since day one this group is good enough to cut down the nets come regional tourney time. They are a tough veteran group. THIS WEEK: vs Lloyd on Tuesday and at Gallatin on Friday. 6. Anderson County (9-6) It may have been the best defensive performance of the year when the Bearcats held Collins to 35 points last week. That was a huge win for this team. A few nights they had a 1 point lost to Walton Verona in a game that could have went either way. Huge matchup coming this week with Spencer. THIS WEEK: at Western Hills on Tuesday and hosting Spencer County on Friday. 7. Collins (10-7) What an up and down season for the Titans. They beat South Oldham earlier in the year and last week beat Spencer County. Those are two teams that could win the Region. However, they have had losses to Walton , Simon, and they only scored 35 against Anderson. We have definitely learned this is a dangerous team come tourney time. THIS WEEK: only one game this week and it’s a big one. They play at Woodford on Friday. 8. Spencer County (11-6) Spencer has moved up and down the rankings more than any other team. They are good enough to beat anyone but they also have nights when anyone can beat them. I guess that is normal when you are in District 30. These teams are just beaten up on each other. I am sure that it is stressful on the coaches but its pretty exciting for basketball fans to watch. Spencer has a chance to play South Oldham again this week who easily beat them over the holiday break. I think this time could be a different story. THIS WEEK: at South Oldham on Tuesday, at Anderson County on Friday and at Shelby County on Saturday. 9. Owen County (11-3) Coach Duvall’s group performed very well in the ALL A region tourney. They beat a good Gallatin team in the Semifinals by one point. They battled hard in the championship game but Walton was too good in the end. This teams still has it eyes on getting to the Regional tourney in March. THIS WEEK: Mon at Grant County, Wed at Eminence , Friday vs Walton Verona 10. Gallatin County (10-6) The Wildcats lost a heartbreaker to Owen in the ALL A. I think they could have matched up better with Walton in championship but it just wasn’t their year. They too want to get to Henry County come tourney time and it is definitely in their reach. THIS WEEK: at home vs Carroll on Monday, at Henry County on Tuesday, at Simon Kenton on Friday. 11. Oldham County (5-11) They have won 3 out of their last 4 games for a team that was needed some wins badly. They battled South hard on Friday night losing by only 6 points. Looks like they have an 8th grader leading the team in scoring, Ty Bryant. This has to give the fans in Buckner something to be excited about. THIS WEEK: Coach Renner makes his homecoming on Tuesday at Ballard. Then another big rival game at North Oldham on Friday. 12. Grant County (6-11) The Braves have lost 4 in a row. They looked to get back in the winning column this week. THIS WEEK: Monday vs Owen, Tuesday vs Holmes, Friday at Williamstown 13. Henry County (9-8) Last week Coach Tingle’s group had a blow out win vs Trimble and suffered a 25 point lost to South Oldham. They will be ready for the District Tourney in late February. I think they might surprise some teams ahead of them in the rankings. THIS WEEK: Wed vs Gallatin , Friday vs Beechwood and Sat at Williamstown 14. Eminence (9-6) Eminence has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. They have 9 wins and we are still in January. Last week they got put out early of the All A to the eventual champions. The boys are working each day to get better and it shows. THIS WEEK: Mon vs Fort Knox, Wed vs Owen, Thursday at Cornerstone Christian and Friday vs Highland Latins 15. Shelby County (1-13) The boys from Shelbyville have had a rough year but they have been competitive in many of their losses. THIS WEEK: Tues at Iroquois, Thur at Moore, Saturday hosting Spencer County. 16. Carroll County (3-9) They have only had 1 game in the last month and it was a 30 point loss to Eminence. THIS WEEK: Monday at Carroll County, Tuesday at Gallatin County , Fri at Shawe Memorial, Sat vs Bellevue 17. Williamstown (2-12) The last 3 games have been rough for the boys but they are not giving up and are hungry for some wins. THIS WEEK: Mon at Carroll County, Wed vs Villa Madonna, Friday vs Grant County , Sat vs Henry County 18. Trimble County (4-12) Last 3 games were lopsided losses for the Raiders. They are ready to get back in the winning circle. THIS WEEK: Tuesday at Cornerstone Christian

Last night Walton won big over Trimble and Oldham County has a big road win at Grant County.

I am going to try my best to go to them. Love a good in county rivalry game

Thanks for that…. Wish I could go experience all the atmosphere. High school basketball is alot of fun, especially when the gyms are packed.

Week 6 Rankings: South Oldham North Oldham Spencer County Woodford County Walton Verona Simon Kenton Collins Anderson County Grant County Gallatin County Owen County Oldham County Henry County Eminence Shelby County Carroll County Williamstown Trimble County

Well the snow is gone (I HOPE). Let’s get back to basketball. Unless I missed a game, Simon Kenton last night vs Dixie Heights was the only game in the entire region last week. So the rankings will stay the same for this week. A lot of BIG games this week. We could possibly call this a mini-rivalry week with some big district matchups. Also the Class A tourney will heat up. It will be interesting to see who represents the 8th region in the Class A. Should be some great games Below are some highlighted regional matchups this week. I will pick my winner for each, feel free to throw out your prediction as well. let's GOOOOOO!!!! (with all the canceled games and rescheduled games I am sure I missed some) Monday: Oldham County at Grant County: the Braves will win this one by 10 Trimble County vs Walton Verona (Class A): easy win for Walton Owen County vs Eminence (Class A): Owen wins by 15 Carroll County vs Gallatin County (Class A): Gallatin with an easy win Wednesday Collins at Anderson County : gonna be a great game. I got Collins in a close one Friday Woodford County at Shelby County: running clock win for the Yellowjackets South Oldham at Oldham County: South just had too much . They win this one by 20 Spencer County at Collins: Gonna be a great game. Spencer wins in a close one. Grant County at Simon Kenton : Simon wins this one by 15 Gallatin County at Henry County: this will be a great game. I have Henry in a close one Saturday Shelby County at Gallatin County: Gallatin will win this one by 10

There is a good chance there will be a ton of folks that will disagree with the rankings. To be honest I redid them 8 times. But this is the order I settled on. We are at point in the season where everyone has beaten everyone. So head to head is important but I am ranking the teams by who is the hottest team as of today and also I am taking into account the "eye test". I really think any of the top 7 could be in the top slot. I am sure it will change a ton more before the season is over, which is awesome. Spencer County beating Woodford by 15 points this past week has flipped the region upset down. The region is wide open and there are seriously about 6 or 7 teams that could cut down the nets at Henry County in March. This week could be interesting because I am sure there will be a ton of games canceled because of the snow. HERE WE GO!!!! 1. South Oldham (12-3) - they are a team that has won 10 out of their last 11. Even though they got beat by Collins and Simon a few weeks ago , I think they deserve the number #1 ranking. They have 5 guys avg double figures in points with Miles avg 21. The Dragons can flat out score. This week- they only have one game this week at Shelby County but I am sure it will be moved to another date. 2. North Oldham (9-6)- The Mustangs could easily be in the number 1 spot as well. Their performance in the King of the Bluegrass proved they can beat anyone on any given night. Their overall record is not as good as South so that is why I am putting them in the 2 spot. North plays a Rick Pitino type defense that their head coach, Levitch, knows very well. They play a great matchup zone and trap out of it sometimes. Very hard to get comfortable in. This week- the Trinity game on Tuesday will definitely be moved but they also Friday at home vs Seneca. 3. Spencer County (9-5) - The boys from Spencer shook up the region with a HUGE win over Woodford. They have lost to Walton and South but they are a team that is playing some good basketball. They have won 6 out of their last 7. They are well coached and they are pretty deep with a ton of kids that can help in some way on the court. They might have one of the best home court advantages in the Region, their gym is a tough place to win. This week- their Fern Creek game will be moved more than likely but they play at Shelby County on Thursday in a big District matchup. 4. Woodford County (8-6)– Is it unfair to drop them to the 4th spot? Probably, but I wanted to reward Spencer for a huge 15pt win. Woodford is dealing with an injury or two but they are still good enough to win it all and I think most would agree with that. They have lost 6 games this season but they have also played the hardest schedule so far in the region. This Week- they have a really cool opportunity to play in the Joe B Hall & Denny Crum Classic on Saturday vs a really good George Rogers Clark team that they have already beat once this year. 5. Walton County (7-5) The Bearcats could easily be considered in the conversation as one of the best teams in the region. They have beaten North Oldham and Spencer County this year so if someone says they should be in the top 3 , I wouldn’t disagree. I put them at the 5 spot for now because I have watched all of the top 6 teams in person and the eye test for me is the reason. I just feel that they should be in the 5 spot. There is still a ton of the season left to prove me wrong. This Week- todays game with Trimble is already canceled . Their only other game this week is on Sunday vs Newport at Thomas More University. 6. Simon Kenton-(8-4) The Pioneers beat a very weak Oldham County team on a last second three last week. That was a very surprising score. I hear that Jay Bilton, their leading scorer, didn’t play. Not sure if he was sick, suspended or hurt. But with their experience and talent they should have beaten Oldham by double digits. However, they are high school kiddos and every team has off nights. They have won 6 in a row which is impressive. This week: Williamstown on Tuesday (possibly could be moved), Fri vs Grant and Sat vs Collins. 7. Collins(9-5)- probably the most disrespected team on the list. I mean they beat the number 1 team and I have them at 7. Again, it goes back to the eye test. I think they are an extremely well coached team but when I watch them, I just don’t think they are better than the 6 teams ahead of them. But with that said, on any given night they could beat any of them. Which makes this ranking system very hard. This Week: Like everyone else their Tuesday game vs Bardstown will probably be moved but this week they have 2 really big games. Friday at District rival Anderson County and Sat vs Grant. 8. Anderson County (9-5)- the Bearcats have won 6 out of their last 7. They deserve to stay in the top 10 of the region. Three kids avg in double figures makes them a tough team to prepare for night in and night out. This week- Tues at Bullitt Central (look for it to be canceled) and Friday hosting Collins. Huge game for them. 9. Grant County (6-3) After winning 2 games in Florida, they come back to cold, snowy Kentucky. Grant is a team that could make some noise in 2025. I was really looking forward to the matchup vs Oldham County tonight but that has been canceled. This week: 2 aways games this weekend Henry County and Collins. 10. Gallatin County(8-5)- Matthew Griffin wants to be in talks with a few more for Region player of the year. The Senior is avg 21ppg but he is not their whole team. They have 3 other guys in double figures which is why Gallatin County is in the top 10 in the region. The Warsaw boys have their hopes on a District Title. This week-Their Alll A opener is canceled with no other game on the schedule. 11. Owen County- (9-2) Having 9 wins this early in the season is impressive for the boys from Owen. They too have their eyes on the District Title and are working towards that goal. This week-Their Alll A opener is canceled with no other game on the schedule. 12. Oldham County – (2-10) Quiet possibly could be the worse start to the season for the Colonels in school history. However, as bad as it is in Buckner, the boys almost beat a good Simon Kenton team and led late vs a really athletic Sayre team. Its going to be interesting to see if they can compete with the other 2 Oldham schools. This week- Grant county game is canceled. Head to Trinity on Thursday and Madison Central on Saturday. 13. Henry County(8-7)- Baylor Nolin is leading the region is scoring with 27ppg. WOW! He is putting up some points. Will he get some votes for Region MVP? This week- hosting Grant County on Friday. 14. Eminence (8-5)- The Warriors are enjoying a 6 game winning streak. Can they keep it going in the All A tourney. We shall see. This week- they play Shelby County on Saturday. Should be a good one. 15. Shelby County(1-10)- the boys from Shelbyville have only 1 win this year but I still think they are going to get a few before the season is done. This Saturday is a great opportunity to get into the winning circle vs Eminence. Unfortunately, before that they play South Oldham and Spencer County. 16. Carroll County (3-8)- The Panthers have tasted victory a few times this year and they want more of it. This week: Tues at Boone and Sat Williamstown 17. Williamstown(2-9)- Owen Taylor is having a great season for the Demons. The senior is averaging 18ppg. He needs some help if they are going to get back in the winning circle. Their ALL A matchup is canceled for tonight but look like they have a big game vs Carroll on Saturday. 18. Trimble County(4-9)- the Raiders have won 4 games this year so they might deserve to be higher but their competition has been a little low compared to others. They got a big win vs Valley last week This week-Their Alll A opener is canceled with no other game on the schedule.

Any idea how long Jointer is out?

This seems like it’s going to be a cool event. Would love to see it. Anyone know if it will be streamed?

Didn’t think this was going to be a close game at all. Details anyone?

WOW WOW WOW!!! Spencer made a statement tonight. 8th is WIDE open.

Possibly the biggest game so far this season in the region. Can Spencer compete with Woodford ? The game is at Spencer County so I think it’s a game that can go either way. I am going to say Woodford County pulls it out late. anyone else have a prediction ?

This is one example of why this region is so fun and is up for grabs: Spencer County beat DeSales by 20 points. The next day DeSales Beats North Oldham by 2. WOW!!!! Its really hard to start moving the rankings around too much until they start playing each other within the region. The new year is upon us and there is going to be some great matchups coming in the near future. 2025 is gonna be FUN!!!! 1. Woodford County (7-5) Even with 5 losses , I am keeping Woodford at first in the region. They beat a really good Cooper team and a really really good George Roger Clark team. I heard Green County played a box 1 on Mr Boone and took them out of their game. Green County got a huge 73 to 63 win vs the Yellowjackets. It will be interesting to see Friday night when they travel to Taylorsville to take on Spencer County. Two of the better teams in the Region. Gonna be a great game. Woodford finishes the week off vs Bowling Green. 2. North Oldham (8-4) Keeping the boys from Goshen at the 2 spot. They went 2-1 in the Henry County tourney. The lone loss was a surprise vs DeSales. This week they play two Jefferson County teams Butler and Waggener. With the way they spread the floor and shoot the 3 ball, I believe they will win both of those matchups. 3. Simon Kenton (7-4) The Pioneers ended 2024 with a bang. They went 3-0 in the Central Bank Rose Classic. They are playing good team ball. They beat a good Seven Hills School out of Ohio by 22 points. SK only game this week is vs Oldham County. They travel to Buckner on Friday night to play a team that is really struggling. Should be an easy win for them. 4. South Oldham (10-3) Maybe the hottest team in the region. The Dragons absolutely dominated the Campbellsburg holiday tourney. They went 3-0 and won each game by double digits. South can flat out score and they can score in waves before you see it coming. They play the same teams as North Oldham this week just flip it, Waggener on Friday then Butler on Saturday 5. Walton Verona (7-5) The Bearcats went 1-2 in the Ashland Invitational playing against some high level competition. Still keeping them at the 5 spot because of the way they started the season. The Walton boys have only one game this week and it will be an easy one. They travel to Carrollton on Thursday to ring in the new year with a win 6. Spencer County (8-5) Spencer went 2-1 in the Campbellsville holiday tourney. They lost to South Oldham by 15. They got down early and never could catch up. They however came back the next day and beat a good Mercer County team. The Bears are a team that is good enough to beat anyone. I feel they are a team that is going to get much better between now and March. They have a pretty huge test on Friday when Woodford comes to town. 7. Collins- (8-5) The Titans went 2-1 in the Henry County invitational beating Graves County and Meade County. Their loss came to a good and athletic Butler team. It was a competitive game though. Coach Gaither is taking off this week from playing games.. They are in the gym getting ready for the grind of January. 8. Anderson County- (5-5) The Bearcats of Lawrenceburg went 2-0 last week. Beating Danville and John Hardin was a big confidence booster for the boys and put them at a .500 record. I know they want to have a winning record and get to the region. Neither will be easy but I think they are up for the task. Anderson should get two wins this week if they come to play they host Trimble and Shelby, both of which are struggling this season. 9. Grant County (5-3)- The Braves are soaking up the sun in Florida as we speak. They finish up today with a game vs Lennard, FL. They are 1-1 in Florida with a win over St Pius X out of Houston TX. They get a week off when they get back. Their first game back will be Jan 6 vs Oldham County. 10. Oldham County- (2-8) Their record indicates they shouldn’t be in the top 10 of the region. I guess I am keeping them there for now because of their name and tradition. In the coming weeks I see them dropping in the rankings. They have lost 5 in a row and only 1 of them was a close game. They got their big man back, Marcum, for a few games but my sources say he is out again with an injury. The Colonels will be tested this week when they host Simon Kenton. Then they go to Sayre on Saturday. 11. Gallatin County (8-4) Went 1-1 in the BSN Borderline Classic in Whitley County. They got a good win over Barbourville. Matthew Griffin has really been scoring the ball well. He is avg 21 ppg but more impressively he is shooting 42% behind the arc. WOW! The Wildcats have a week to prepare for the All A Tournament. They open up with Cornerstone Christian at Owen County on Jan 6. 12. Owen County (8-2)- The Rebels went 2-0 in the Mason County Invitational with big wins vs Menifee County and Bracken County. Owen is also taking a week off like Gallatin county to prepare for the ALL A Tournament. They host Williamstown on Jan 6. 13. Henry County- (8-6) The Wildcats went 1-2 in their own tourney. After beating Meade County 61-55, they lose to Butler by 30 and to North Oldham by 20. Baylor Nolin can score with the best of them and is a Super Sophomore. He needs some help if they want to get to the regionals in March. They have 1 game this week vs Bourbon County. 14. Eminence (6-5) Ending 2024 with a winning record is a huge accomplishment for this group. They are playing some great team basketball. They take on Fort Knot and Dayton to start the new year this week 15. Shelby County (1-9) Even though they have only 1 win , I am keeping them at 15th spot over a few teams. They had a close loss to DeSales who beat North Oldham. Shelby County just needs to correct a few things and they will start to get in the wins column more. They have a tough game to start the new year off with traveling to Anderson on Friday. 16. Carroll County (3-8) The Panthers ended 2024 with a win over Columbus Christian School. They have two games this week vs Walton-Verona and Ludlow. 17. Williamstown (1-8) The Demons had a close loss to Eminence. That was a game they could have definitely won if the ball would have bounced their way. They play Harrison County and Dayton this week 18. Trimble (3-8) Even though they have more wins than Williamstown , the Raiders lost to them a couple weeks ago. They have 2 games this week vs Anderson and Valley.

This region continues to surprise me. A lot of good basketball is coming in January. Most are playing or will play in some holiday tournaments. These tournaments are a great chance to let the coaches work on different rotations, different defenses and who to have in the game when it is late and the score is tight. The teams will get in the heart of their schedule in January and the cream will rise to the top. The King of the Bluegrass just ended and Region 8 represented well. Woodford and North Oldham played some high level competition in the most prestigious tournament in the state. Below is the updated rankings. 1. Woodford County- the Yellowjackets are good. Amelo Boone is averaging 20ppg and is the real deal. He runs the show to not only get his buckets but also sets up easy shots for his teammates. Woodford lost to St X in the first round of the King of the Bluegrass by 5 pts. If you have seen St X play you know how impressive that is to only lose by 5pts. Woodford is the team to beat in the 8th region. Woodford only has one game this week; Friday vs Green County at Lex Catholic (this is a tournament so I would assume they would play Saturday too) 2. North Oldham- if you can make it to the Semi finals of the King of the Bluegrass.. YOU ARE GOOD. The Mustangs don’t look like much in warmups when it comes to size and athleticism but when the game starts they have a bunch of dudes that can play. They move the ball well and everyone is ready to shoot. They have been led in scoring by freshman, Austin Sears. He has been a bucket since 2nd grade in the AAU circuit. He is avg 16ppg a game. However, they have 5-6 guys that are legit scoring threats. The Mustangs play in a Henry County tourney this weekend. They are starting off playing against Graves County who is coached by former Henry and Oldham County, Jason Holland. 3. Simon Kenton- went 2-1 in the Scott Winter Classic. Jay Bilton is leading the team in scoring with 15ppg. The Pioneers are led by a group of Seniors that have their sights on the ultimate goal. Coach Steiner knows what he is doing. This is not his first rodeo. His boys are working hard and are ready for the meat of their schedule coming up in January. The boys from NKY are heading to a weekend at Lex Christian. 4. South Oldham- the Dragons have won 5 out of their last 6. They are rolling. I know this is no surprise to anyone but Julian Miles is leading the charge. The Senior guard is avg 21ppg. They have two other guys having 10ppg a piece, Jake Fithian and William Burnside. The Dragons are a tough team to guard similar to North. A lot of guys can score. Most would expect for Steve Simpson to hang it up in the near future. So you know he wants to get back to Rupp and this team can get him there. This Week the boys from Crestwood are heading to Campbellsville for a tourney. They open up with Elizabethtown. 5. Walton Verona- the Bearcats had a huge road win vs Collins. I heard it was a great game 74-71. I would have loved to see it. Aaron Gutman is still looking like the best player in the region. He is currently avg 28ppg. His length just makes it hard for anyone to guard him and he is a willing passer as well to set his teammates up for buckets. WV is heading east to play in a tournament in Ashland, KY. They are taking on the host team in the opener. 6. Collins- I hated to drop Collins from 2 to 6. But losing 2 of their last 3 and one of those was against Walton Verona. They also only scored 25 points in a loss to Franklin. Its high school basketball so some nights those things just happen. Chris Gaither is one of the best coaches around so we will get the boys ready. They will be a team that no one wants to play come tournament time. They are also heading over to the Henry County tournament. They open vs an athletic Butler team. 7. Spencer County- the Bears could easily be in the top 5. I think they will be by the end of the year but it’s still a young season and I just couldn’t put them higher than 7. Talking about a tough team to plan to guard, spencer county has the most balance scoring in the entire region with Sam Seawright 14ppg, Jack Armstrong 14ppg, Jackson Combs 12ppg, Chris Armstrong 10ppg, Brady Smith 9ppg. WOW. That is a why they are fun team to watch. Watch out for the Bears, they are coming. Spencer is heading to Campbellsville for a tournament . They are starting off with Monroe County. 8. Anderson County- the Bearcats have lost 4 of their last 5 games but I am still keeping them in the top 8. They have had a brutal schedule as of late. This is a team that can get hot in January and could possibly win 7-8 games in the month. The Bearcats are heading to a tournament in Bardstown. They open with Danville. 9. Grant County- The Braves from Grant County are 4-2 in the season. They are similar to Spencer in that they have 4 guys avg in double figures. Ben Bosse19ppg, Nathanael Hamm 12ppg, Wyatt Hucker 11ppg and Brennen Gordon 10ppg. This team is tough on both ends of the court. I am very jealous of these teenagers currently because they are in the Sunshine State playing basketball. That is the life!!!!! 10. Oldham County- a comment was made on BGP after the Greenwood loss that this is the worse Oldham County team in years. The Colonels have the most regional titles than anyone in the history of the 8th region but this team has a long way to go. They are struggling. It will be interesting to see what Coach Renner can do to get these boys to being a competitive team OC goes to Henderson County for a weekend tourney . 11. Gallatin County- winners of their last 3, one of which was a big win on the road vs Owen who was ranked high. This is the reason why I put Gallatin at 11. They deserve it. They are heading to Whitley County for a tourney 12. Owen County- the Rebels are a solid team that has their sights on the regional tournament. It’s a long season so I am thinking they have a great shot at getting into the top 10 by February. OC is heading to Mason County for a tourney 13. Henry County - the Wildcats have already gotten 7 wins this season. They are on pace for a winning record and I know how bad these boys want to play in their own gym in the regionals. Baylor Nolin scored 49 points vs Carroll. This I heard could be the score record. Impressive!! HC will be staying at home and playing in their own tourney 14. Eminence - they made the biggest jump of the week because of their wins vs Trimble and Williamstown. The Warriors play in a tourney in Trimble County. 15. Shelby County- even though they only have 1 win on the season there is some talent on this team. I have a feeling they will get it going in January. 16. Carroll County- the boys got a good win vs Casey County last week. This week they stay close to home and are playing in the Trimble County tourney. 17. Williamstown- Last week the Demons got their first win vs Trimble County. They are off this week. 18. Trimble County- starting the season off 1-7 is not fun but they continue to fight to get better each night. They are staying home and hosting their first tourney. Look for them to get a couple wins.

Its not a three horse race anymore folks. I really thought Simon, Woodford, and South were in a league of their own. But it looks like there are some teams that felt disrespected and came out swinging last week. Collins beating South and North going to NKY to beat Simon really flipped the region on its head a bit. Its going to be a fun, wide open next 2 months of basketball. Woodford seems to be on top but they haven't played a regional game so who knows. I can't wait to see some of the matchups in early 2025. Updated Rankings: 1. Woodford- going to keep them on top until they lose a regional game. Still not sure if their schedule is accurate on Khsaa website. This past weekend they beat a really good Ballard team by 10. However, they lost to a REALLY good team, Male, by only 8. The YellowJackets are gearing up for the King of the Bluegrass where they will meet some of the best teams in the state. Should be fun to see how they represent Region 8- first game is Thursday vs Ashland at 9pm. 2. Collins- huge surprise so far. Three straight region wins with one of those being vs South. Are they the second best team in the region? Probably not but they deserve it in week 2. Collins has a really busy week with games vs Central, Franklin County , Scott County and they finish the week with a huge game vs Walton Verona on Saturday. 3. North - another huge surprise. They have beaten some really good teams. Their win at Simon Kenton was really impressive. They can really shoot the ball and will be a threat to beat anyone on any given night. They are being led by freshman guard, Austin Sears, who can fill it up. The Mustangs are also heading down to South Louisville to play in the King of The Bluegrass. Their first game is Wed at 430pm vs Adair County. 4. Simon Kenton - I still think this team is top 3 in the region but I had to bump them down. It’s a long season so I am sure they will be there in March when it counts. Losing to North on their home court was a shocker. I am sure they are ready to bounce back this week vs Cov Catholic and Holy Cross (Covington). 5. South - sounds like they had a terrible shooting night at Collins. Sometimes that happens. They bounced back and got a big win vs Walton a couple nights later. Senior Guard, Julian Miles is leading the team in scoring with 21ppg. They are a tough matchup for teams. This week they take on CAL and Marshall County. 6. Walton- after losing to South they had a huge win vs Spencer. There is a lot of pressure on their star. He has a lot on him night in and night out for them to win. Aaron Gutman is avg 26ppg. Very impression taking into account who they have played so far this season. It doesn’t get any easier for the Bearcats who play Scott, St X and Collins this week. 7. Spencer- they have lost 3 of their last 4 but are playing some really stiff competition. The Walton loss is the reason for the spot at 7. 4 games next week and none are regional games. Jeffersontown, Western, Lewis County and Ballard Memorial 8. Anderson – Big wins last week vs Gallatin and Grant shows that they belong in the top 8. The Bearcats has some nice balance scoring so far with 3 players avg double digit in points. A light week games wise with Cal on Monday and Fern Creek on Saturday. 9. Oldham County- the injury bug keeps hurting the Colonels. A couple kids out last couple games with concussions. Once they get all the players on the floor it will be interesting to see if they can compete with the top half of the region. This week they have Highlands on Monday and travel to a holiday tourney in Rowan County. 10. Grant – Grant had a couple big wins vs Owen and Williamstown but lost a close one to Anderson. Looks like they just have 2 games this week and then a big break until the first of the year. 11. Owen – The Rebels are 4-1 on the season. They are so close to getting into the top 10. They got big wins last week over Henry and Shelby but fell to Grant only by 3 pts. This week they play Gallatin and Carroll before traveling to Rowan County and play in the same classic at Oldham County 12. Henry – Starting the year off is solid with a record of 4-2. The two losses are the reason for the 12 spot. Owen and Oldham both went to New Castle and got wins on the Wildcats home floor. They have 3 games they should win this week with Carroll , Eminence, and Evansville Day School. 13. Gallatin – the Wildcats took a stumble in the rankings after going 1-3 in their last 4 games. Walton , Collins and Anderson beat them by double digits. Really busy week with games vs Owen, Beechwood, Trimble, Somerset Christian, Barbourville, and Whitley County. WOW. No rush for the weary. 14. Shelby- starting the year off 1-4 is not ideal but they have played some strong competition. The Rockets have 3 games this week: Bethlehem, Meade County and Martin County. 15. Carroll -Panthers got a huge win vs Trimble last week to keep them out of the bottom 3. They have the opportunity to move up the rankings this week if they can get a win against Henry or Owen. They are traveling to Marion County over the weekend to take on Trinity (Whitesville) and Casey County. 16. Trimble -Trimble is 1-4 this season but they have their sights set on getting their first region win this week vs Eminence, Williamstown, or Gallatin 17. Williamstown – The Demons of Williamstown has started their season 0-6. There is a lot of basketball to be played and they are ready to taste victory this week against Trimble, Eminence, or Heritage Academy. 18. Eminence – The Warriors got their first win last week vs Cornerstown Chrisitan. They want to have that feeling again this week vs Trimble, Henry, or Williamstown.

Fun game to watch online. The stud from Walton, Aaron G, got some early fouls and seemed frustrated all night. However he had 20 plus points. WV coach got ejected . Not sure what he did. It was a much closer game than the score would indicate…. WV was down 1 at half and 3 at end of third. Two teams that could meet again at the Roy in the regionals

You could be right. Only time will tell. They lost by 11 last night at Walton . Which is not a bad loss. They play Collins and Anderson this weekend so it will def show what type of team they are early on in the season.

THanks for Info.... Walton has had some quality wins early in the season. Tomorrow night will be a big one vs South Oldham

Thanks for the info.... Sounded like a great game Was someone out sick, suspended, or hurt for Anderson?

Pretty big upset in the 8th. South’s second region loss. Collins is well coached and must of played their butts off.. congrats Titans Basketball

I am new to this and I totally left them off by accident. They are obviously top 8. I apologize and have no idea how I did this because they were in my notes I made in my word document. Once I copied and pasted , I screwed it up. My apology to North Oldham fan base. It will not happen again!

The 8th region is off and running. And although I think it will be a three horse race there are definitely some schools that look like they are going to to try to get into the top tier. The season belongs to Woodford, South, or Simon. They are the most talented teams and have the most experience. However, after the first week of the season Walton Verona and Spencer County might have some say in joining and making it a 5 horse race. Only time will tell. A lot of young inexperience teams in the region will improve throughout the season. Football season is officially over so let's get those popcorn machines fired up and get ready for an AWESOME season in Region 8. 1. Woodford County- they were my preseason number 1 team and there is no reason to drop them. The Yellowjackets went 1-0 last week (I am not 100% sure. Their schedule doesn’t look completely updated on KHSAA site). Woodford is the most talented team in the region but talent doesn’t always win. I am leaving them at Number 1 until someone proves they are better. This week is a big week for the Yellowjackets as they take On Covington Catholic on Wed and they travel to Louisville to play against Male on Sunday (at St X’s gym). Playing against Male will give the Yellowjackets an idea of how good they are and what they need to work on because Male is goooooooooooooood. 2. Simon Kenton- I thought about moving them up to number 1 but I just can't do it yet. Simon had a very impressive first week which should be of no surprise to anyone . They are a talented, veteran team who has a coach that has been there and done that for a while. They are organized, they play hard and they play together. They went 2-0 in the first week of the season beating two really good teams. Connor is always a force in the 9th region. On Friday night, they beat South Oldham by 12 but I heard it was much closer of a game than that. Those two teams could meet again in March. This week Simon Kenton has another tough week. They play Cooper on Tuesday and North Oldham on Friday. The match-up with the Mustangs will be an interesting one. 3. South Oldham- although they loss to Simon Kenton I am still keeping the Dragons in the top tier and in the 3 spot. They are a veteran team that knows how to win. They are a typical Steve Simpson team that shoots a TON of threes every game. Against Simon one of the best shooters had an off night. So sometimes you live and die by the 3. South Oldham will definitely have a chance to cut down the nets in March. This Week- another challenging week for the Dragons with Collins away on Tuesday and Walton home on Thursday. Saturday they will travel to Henry to play in an Underarmour Classic vs Cooper 4. Walton Verona- moved up 3 spots from my preseason poll mainly because of a huge road win at North Oldham. The Bearcats went into a gym that has 25 plus wins the last two season and took down the Mustangs. Aaron Gutman is the real deal and is got his eyes on helping his team make it as far as they can this year along with winning Region player of the year. This week the Bearcats have the biggest week of any team in the region. They have 3 region opponents match up. They host Gallatin on Tuesday night but traveling to Crestwood to take on the South Oldham Dragons on Thursday. They finish the week out at home on Friday night vs Spencer. Wow, what a week and a tough schedule. 5. Spencer County- another jump in the rankings. Spencer didn’t like being all the way down at the 7th spot. They got back to back wins at Seneca and at home vs Oldham County. They went 2-1 for the week. They got beat by 30 to St X but that is a top 3 team in the entire state they lost to so who cares. Spencer is here to stay. Their shooting, length and a great culture is going to keep them in the conservation all season. This week- playing three away games this week : an athletic Eastern team on Tuesday night, a talented Walton Verona team on Friday night and playing DeSales at the Underamour Classic in Henry County. Another team with a tough week. 6. Collins- went 1-2 for the week but didn’t play a regional opponent so its hard to know how good they are in Regional ranking terms. They did beat Madison which is a good win and lost to LaRue County who won 23 games last year. This week they have 2 region games coming up. This week- Gaither’s group will battle some region competition this week and I know they are excited about the test. Tuesday they play a very good South team at home, Friday they play their county rivals at Shelby County and they are also going to Henry County on Saturday and will play a good Gallatin Team. A big week for the Titans. 7. North Oldham - the Mustangs started the season off with a record of 1-2. Losing their top 2 scorers from last year will be an adjustment for the Mustangs. However, they have the pieces to make run in March. The opening loss to Walton was a great game I heard. The week - three away game for North Oldham this week. Tuesday going to Dixie Heights, Friday a HUGE matchup vs Simon Kenton and ending the week at Henry County vs Ryle. 8. Gallatin County- the Wildcats also jumped up in the rankings with their 3-0 start to the season. They are putting a lot of points on the board and have their eyes set on get to the regional tournament in March and getting a big upset win to get to the semifinals. This week- Big matchup on Tues when they travel to Walton, Home game vs Eminence which should be an easy win, and heading to Henry County to take on Collins. 9. Oldham County- keeping the Colonels at the 8th spot. They started the season 1-2 with a couple close loses. Sounding like OC has some young talent and are even starting an 8th grader. With their injuries the Colonels are trying to find their identity sounds like. This weeks- only playing on the weekend this week with a game at home vs Western on Friday night and Saturday heading to Henry County to play the host team of the Classic at 8pm 10. Henry County- the Wildcats from New Castles started this season with a bang by beating Anderson on a last second shot (or so I hear). HCHS started the season 3-0. They will have a big game to end the week to see if they can climb higher. This week- away game at Highlands Latin on Tuesday and two homes games this week with Owen on Friday and Oldham on Saturday. 11. Anderson County- probably a little unfair to drop them so far but I just couldn’t put them ahead of Henry on the second poll of the year. I still think Anderson has the talent to work themselves back up the poll as the season goes on. One game doesn’t define your season. After losing to Henry they took their frustration out on Washington County and won by 30 plus. This week- big week ahead to see if they can move up the poll of week two with a win over Gallatin who they play on Friday but first they will have to tackle a Grant County team who is really good at home. They travel there on Tues which is about a 8 hour trip from Lawrenceburg. 12. Grant County- the Braves started this season off with a 1-1 record. Lost to a good Beechwood team and got a good win vs St Henry. Grant has a big week with 3 regional games. If they want to crack the top 10 a win vs Anderson County would ensure it. This week- game vs Anderson on Tuesday and vs Williamstown on Thursday. Finishing the week traveling Owen County on Saturday. 13. Owen County- moved up in the ranking after their 2-0 start. They had a convincing win vs Williamstown. A huge week for Owen if they want to break into the top 10. This week- Away game at Shelby on Tuesday and Henry on Friday. Saturday they Grant County at 7:30pm 14. Shelby County- the Rockets had a tough start to their season going 0-2. They are planning on bouncing back this week. This week- all three games are home . Tuesday vs Owen, Friday vs Collins and Saturday vs Collegiate. 15. Owen County- started the season off going 2-0. Three huge games this week to show they are an opponent everyone should fear on any given night. This week- away at Shelby and Henry on Tue and Friday nights. On Saturday they take on Grant at Home. 16. Williamstown- rough start to the season going 0-3 last week. They are looking to get in the wins column this week. This week- away game at Ludlow tonight and Grant county on Thursday. Saturday they will be traveling to Villa Madonna. 17. Trimble- even though Trimble started off 0-3 , I think they can get back to back wins this week This week- Tuesday is home vs Frankfort Chr and Thursday is home vs Carroll. 18. Carroll County – The Panthers of Carrollton started the year off 0-2. They are ready to get into the win column this week vs Trimble County on Thursday. This is their only game of the week 19. Eminence – started the season off 0-3. The Warriors are working hard to earn a win this week.This week- home vs Cornerstone Christian on Tuesday and traveling to Gallatin to face a good Wildcats team on Thursday.

Both teams are good enough to cut down the nets. These two might see each other again in March. Simon has proven they hungry and wanting to get back to that championship game in Henry County.

Look like there was a good game in Taylorsville tonight Spencer beats Oldham 53 to 51