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1. North Laurel (14-0, 6-0)The Jaguars remain unbeaten and have defeated some of the best teams in the state, yet continue to overlooked by many despite beating the likes of Covington Catholic.North Laurel doesn’t seem to mind, though. The Jaguars continue to work hard and is off to a program-best 14-0 mark. Teams have tried to run and slow it down against Nate Valentine’s squad but neither seem to work.The Jaguars dominated Harlan County on the road this past week while surviving South Laurel’s deliberate style of play Saturday with a 64-49 win.Reed Sheppard continues to play well, averaging a team-best 33.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game. Ryan Davidson is averaging 22.8 and 6.4 points per game while Clay Sizemore (14.1) and Brody Brock (11.5) are also scoring threats. 2. Knox Central (7-3, 3-1)The Panthers suffered a disappointing 77-72 loss at home to Corbin on Wednesday but responded in a big way against Clay County, beating the Tigers, 74-45. They also defeated Harlan County, 74-70, last Sunday to capture the WYMT-Food City Mountain Basketball Classic championship. Jevonte Turner leads Knox Central with a 22.1 scoring average while Isaac Mills is turning 15.7 points per game.3. South Laurel (10-4, 8-3)Coach Jeff Davis continues to do a fantastic job with a Cardinal squad that many thought would be lucky to win 10 games this season.Davis has molded a South Laurel squad that gives 110 percent and plays some of the best defense in the state.They led North Laurel, 26-24, at halftime of Saturday’s game and again at 34-33 with five minutes remaining in the third quarter before seeing the Jaguars roll to a 64-49 victory.Despite the loss, the Cardinals continue to show they're a team you can’t overlook. 4. Harlan (8-2, 6-1)It’s been an interesting week and a half for the Green Dragons. They're 2-2 during the stretch which included a 67-64 loss to Lynn Camp on Monday but the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic champions quickly turned things around and snapped a 29-game losing skid to Harlan County and defeated their 52nd District rivals, 74-50.Senior Jordan Akal continues to dominate. He is averaging a team-best 27.4 points per game while Jaedyn Gist continues to average a double-double (14.7, 11.7).5. Harlan County (12-4, 4-3)It was not a good week for the Harlan County Black Bears. Not only did they go 0-3 but all three losses were to region teams.Mike Jones’ squad dropped a 74-70 decision to Knox Central before losing to North Laurel at home, 96-75. Add Harlan’s 74-50 win over Harlan County and now, the Black Bears are desperately needing a win.Trent Noah (21.1, 9.9) and Tyler Cole (15.4) continue to be Harlan County’s main scoring threats. 6. Corbin (6-6, 6-4)Just when you think the Redhounds can be counted out as a regional contender for the season, Tony Pietrowski’s squad turns things around, and now look like they’re beginning to hit stride.Corbin was sitting at 3-6 last week when the Redhounds began to catch fire. They defeated Knox Central (77-72), Whitley County (78-57) and Pineville (88-53) this past week.Hayden Llewellyn continues to lead the Redhounds with 25.1 scoring average while Josh Hibbits (14.1) and Carter Stewart (13.2) are also two big scoring threats.7. Clay County (8-3, 5-2)The Tigers fall all the way to the No. 7 spot after dropping a 72-71 overtime loss at home to Pulaski County while following up with a disappointing 74-45 blowout loss to No. 2 Knox Central.Connor Robinson, who leads the team with a 29.8 scoring average, scored 30 points against the Panthers but Raven Abner and Connor Farmer were limited to nine points combined, 21 points under their combing scoring averages.8. Lynn Camp (7-4, 4-3)The Wildcats are another hard team to figure out. Of course, they’ve got the talent to compete with the top teams in the region but they struggle at times, too.Case in point, they dropped games against Barbourville (52-49) and Barbourville (62-54) but responded with a 67-64 win over No. 4 Harlan.The duo of Michal Engle (22.4, 7.3) and Gavin Allen (11.7, 7.3) continue to lead the way for Lynn Camp but players such as Luke Ledington (6.5), Jace Boggs (7.7) and Spencer Gilbert (5.7) have played big roles as well. 9. Barbourville (7-6, 5-5)The Tigers have been heard to read this season. They’ve lost three of their last four games but the win was against No. 8 Lynn Camp. Barbourville led throughout during the contest and defeated the Wildcats on the road, 62-54.Matthew Gray, who leads the Tigers with a 23.2 scoring average continues to be one of the top offensive players in the 13th Region.10. Bell County (7-8, 2-5)Brad Sizemore’s Bobcats are rolling, winning five of their last seven games. They did drop a 76-66 loss to 52nd District for Harlan last week.Cameron Burnett is beginning to catch fire, he’s recorded consecutive double-doubles and leads the team with a 16.6 scoring average and a 7.5 rebounding average.11. Pineville (5-6, 2-4)The Mountain Lions have lost five of their last seven games, including a 88-53 setback to Corbin on Saturday.Pineville continues to be led by Keean Fuson (16.7) and Sean Phipps (11.8).12. Middlesboro (5-9, 4-9)Coach Lewis Morris continues to turn things around this season at Middlesboro. Many thought the 2021 campaign would be a rebuilding year for the Yellow Jackets but they are improving.Middlesboro owns wins over Barbourville and Bell County during their current three-game win streak.Jay West leads the Yellow Jackets in both points scored per game (9.5) and rebounds per game (7.8).13. Whitley County (3-7, 2-7)It’s been a rebuild year for first-year coach Mark White but the Colonels, at times, have looked impressive despite riding a seven-game losing skid. Whitley County lost a couple of players to transferring but White continues to get the best out of his team. 14. Jackson County (4-8, 3-4)The Generals have struggled so far this season but have recorded regional wins over Williamsburg, Middlesboro and Red Bird.Clay Akemon continues to put together an impressive season, leading the team with a 17.4 scoring average and a 5.9 rebounding average.15. Williamsburg (6-5, 2-5)The Yellow Jackets have two region wins, both against Red Bird, while dropping Region contests to Barbourville, Jackson County, Corbin and South Laurel (twice).16. Red Bird (0-8, 0-6)It’s been a rebuilding year for Coach Ronnie Johnson. He has had some bright spots, though. Jujuandre Bynum leads the team with an 8.0 scoring average while Jean-Claude Nyembo leads the Cardinals with a 4.8 scoring average.

1. North Laurel (12-0 overall, 4-0 vs. 13th Region opponents) The Jaguars remain unbeaten after holding off Corbin, 98-90, while going in the road the next day to beat Lincoln County, 89-74. Sophomore Reed Sheppard turned in a 54-point effort against Corbin and followed with 36 points against Lincoln County. Scoring 90 points in less than 24 hours is a pretty nice feat. Sheppard leads the team with a 34.9, and 7.8 scoring and rebounding averages while sophomore Ryan Davidson is averaging 22-1 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. Sharp shooters Clay Sizemore (13.7) and Brody Brock (11.2) are also averaging double figures in scoring. North Laurel has two touchdowns games this week with a Tuesday road matchup against South Laurel and another road matchup against South Laurel on Friday. 2. Harlan County (12-1, 4-0) The Black Bears continue to win with hopes of capturing the WYMT Mountain Classic championship on Monday. Harlan County defeated Knott Central (74-79) and Hazard (69-65) this past week with hopes of extending its win streak to six games on Monday. 3. South Laurel (8-3, 6-2) Jeff Davis’ Cardinals quietly continues to put together one heck of a season. South Laurel has won two in a road and defeated Whitley County on the road, 59-33. Parker Payne leads the Cardinals with a 12.7 scoring average while Micah Anders is averaging 12.6 point per game. 4. Knox Central (5-2, 1-0) Tony Patterson’s Panthers are looking good capture their third straight WYMT Mountain Classic championship on Monday against no. 2 Harlan County. The defending two-time regional champion picked up wins over Betsy Layne (82-49) and Wolfe County (81-74). Jevonte Turner continues to lead the way for Knox Central with 20.4 and 8.6 scoring and rebounding averages while Isaac Mills is averaging 15 points per game and a team-best 9.2 rebounds per game. 5. Clay County (8-1, 5-1) The Tigers are winners of five straight after picking up wins over Barbourville (88-64) and Whitley County (62-55) this past week. Connor Robinson leads Clay County with a 29.1 scoring average and a 7.9 rebounding average. Connor Farmer and Raven Abner are averaging 17.1 points apiece. 6. Corbin (3-5, 3-3) The Redhounds’ record might not be as pretty as some other teams but they continue to improve and will be a tough out once postseason play. Corbin dropped a 96-60 decision to Madison Southern before falling to North Laurel, 98-90. Hayden Llewellyn is averaging a team-best 26.2 points per game while Carter Stewart is averaging 14.4 points per game 7. Harlan (6-1, 4-0) The Green Dragons posted a 3-1 record this past week with wins over Barbourville (59-58), Middlesboro (65-42), and Leslie County (82-55) but dropped an 89-77 decision to Pike Central. Harlan’s win over Barbourville allowed the Green Dragons to capture their second straight 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic championship. Jordan Akal leads Harlan with a 30.4 scoring average. 8. Barbourville (7-5, 5-4) The Tigers moved up a spot after upending Lynn Camp with ease, 62-54. They led throughout the game by double digits as Matt Gray led Barbourville with 19 points, Dylan Moore added 17 points and Matt Warren had 15 points. 9. Lynn Camp (6-3, 3-3) The Wildcats were rising high after Micah Engle’s last-second shot led to a 50-47 win over McCreary Central. Lynn Camp also handed Pineville a 60-57 loss before falling to Barbourville, 62-54, on Saturday. Engle continues to lead the Wildcats with a 21.5 scoring average. He is also averaging 7.0 rebounds per game. Gavin Allen continues to average a double-double (12.9, 10.6) for Lynn Camp. 10. Pineville (5-5, 2-3) The Mountain Lions are winners of two of their last three games with victories over Middlesboro (61-59) and Burgin (78-47). Keean Fuson leads Pineville with a 15.9 scoring average while Sean Phipps is tossing in 12.9 points per game. 11. Bell County (5-7, 1-4) The Bobcats just can’t get On track. They suffered a 49-47 setback to Middlesboro this past week. 12. Whitley County (3-5, 2-5) The Colonels have hit some tough spots lately but showed signs of being a postseason threat by hanging close with Clay County on Saturday before falling, 62-55. 13. Middlesboro (3-9, 2-9) The Yellow Jackets snapped a seven-game losing skid by surprising Bell County with a 49-47 last-second win. 14. Williamsburg (5-4, 1-4) Eric Swords’ Yellow Jackets haven’t been able to play since Jan. 30 due to being quarantined. They hope to be back in action Feb. 12 against Douth Laurel. 15. Jackson County (4-6, 3-4) The Generals are winners of three of their last four games. Clay Akemon leads his team with 17.4 and 5.9, scoring and rebounding averages, respectively. 16. Red Bird (0-5, 0-4) The Cardinals’ struggles continue and they’ve not played since Jan. 26 but coach Ronnie Johnson will get Red Bird on the right track down the road

1. North Laurel (10-0 overall, 3-0 vs. 13th Region opponents) The Jaguars continue to make a strong case for being the state’s No. 1 ranked team after running their record to a program-best 10-0. North Laurel recorded wins over Madison Southern (82-58), South Laurel (84-77) and Madison Central (91-73). Sophomore Reed Sheppard continues to shine after turning in another impressive week of action. He finished with 17 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds against Madison Southern before totaling 50 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds against South Laurel. He added 30 points against Madison Central along with nine rebounds and eight assists. The Jaguars are far from a one-man show, though. Sheppard’s cousin, Ryan Davidson, who is also a sophomore had a heck of a week as well. He had 15 points and 11 rebounds against Madison Southern, 27 points and seven rebounds against South Laurel on 12-of-14 shooting, and 26 points and seven rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting against Madison Central. 2. Harlan County (10-1, 4-0) The Black Bears are another team that has shown they should be receiving Top 20 consideration in the state. Harlan County continues to roll past opponents, Knocking off South Laurel 53-45 this past week along with Middlesboro (69-49) and Pikeville (83-63). Freshman Trent Noah continues to show he might very well the best freshmen in the state. He scored 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds against South Laurel before finishing with 21 points and seven rebounds against Middlesboro. He poured in 29 points against Pikeville and finished with eight boards. Daniel Carmichael is also coming on strong. He only had eight points and two rebounds against South Laurel before scoring 17 points against Middlesboro and 24 points against Pikeville. 3. South Laurel (7-3, 4-2) The Cardinals might have been handed two losses this past week but Jeff Davis’s squad showed they belong near the top of the region rankings after hanging tough with No. 1 North Laurel and No. 2 Harlan County. The Cardinals dropped a 53-45 decision to the Black Bears before falling, 84-77, to North Laurel. They responded with a 73-35 win over Middlesboro on Saturday. The trio of Eli Gover, Parker Payne and Brayden Reed have stepped up their play as of late, and has shown that South Laurel is a team to keep an eye on. Giver went off for a career-best 24 points against Middlesboro while Payne, along with Micah Anders have been the most consistent players for Davis. Payne scored in double digits in both losses this past week while Reed continues to show signs of being a consistent double-figure scorer. 4. Clay County (6-1, 3-1) The Tigers have put together an impressive three-game win streak after falling to North Laurel last week. Clay County picked up wins over Leslie County (70-68) Jackson County (85-58) and Perry Central (79-65). Senior Connor Farmer turned in an impressive week, scoring 34 points against Leslie County, 22 points against Perry Central and 24 points against Jackson County. Senior Conner Robinson continues to shine as well after putting up scoring totals of 19, 25, and 22, respectively, this past week. Senior Raven Abner also continues his impressive play, scoring a total of 42 points this past week. 5. Knox Central (3-2, 1-0) The two-time defending region champions have gotten off to a slow start but they have a good chance to pick up some steam this week when they participate in the WYMT Mountain Classic. The Panthers suffered a 77-72 setback to Rockcastle County before rolling past Prestonsburg, 74-46. Senior Javonte Turner put up impressive numbers during this past week, scoring 20 points and finishing with seven rebounds against Rockcastle County before finishing with a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds) against Prestonsburg. Isaac Mills and Gavin Chadwell continue to play well, with Mills scoring 24 points against Rockcastle County while finishing with nine rebounds. He had 13 points and five rebounds against Prestonsburg. Chadwell scored 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds this past week. 6. Corbin (3-3, 3-2) The Redhounds won their only game of the week, a 79-62 victory over Williamsburg. Sophomore Hayden Llewellyn scored 25 points in the win while Josh Hibbits added 19 points. Corbin will be testes this week with games against No. 1 North Laurel, No. 3 South Laurel and No. 5 Knox Central coming up. 7. Harlan (3-0, 2-0) The Green Dragons haven’t played a game due to COVID-19 restrictions since Jan. 12. They are scheduled to play Barbourville today in the 13th Region All A Classic title game. Jordan Akal leads Harlan with a 31.7 scoring average while Jaedyn Gist is averaging 13.3 points per game. 8. Lynn Camp (4-2, 2-2) The Wildcats haven’t played a game since Jan. 23 due to COVId-19 restrictions. They are expected to travel to Jellico, Tenn. on Tuesday. Micah Engle leads Lynn Camp with a 22.8 scoring average while pulling down 6.5 rebounds per game. Gavin Allen is averaging a double-double, scoring 13.7 points per game while leading the team with a 10.8 rebounding average. 9. Barbourville (6-3, 3-2) Coach Cody Messer has done another fantastic job this season with the Tigers. They’re one win away from capturing the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic Tournament championship and could accomplish the feat with a win over Harlan today. Barbourville picked up a 68-50 win over Pineville this past week while defeating Somerset Christian, 76-53. The Tigers continue to receive impressive play from Matthew Gray, Matthew Warren and Dylan Moore. Gray leads the team with a 22-point scoring average while Warren (17.6 points per game) and Warren (17.0 points per game( follows. 10. Bell County (5-6, 1-3) Brad Sizemore’s Bobcats are beginning to hit stride. They posted a 3-0 record this past week and are now riding a season-best three-game win streak. Bell County defeated Ligon COGO (83-21), Russell County (57-38) and Wash urn, Tenn. (76-21). The Bobcats are led in scoring by Cameron Burnett and Dawson Woolum. Both players are averaging 16.4 points per game. 11. Pineville (3-4, 1-2) The Mountain Lions has setbacks to Rockcastle County (58-52), and Barbourville (68-50) this past week. 12. Whitley County (3-3, 3-3) The Colonels haven’t played since Jan. 22 due to COVID-19 restrictions. 13. Jackson County (3-6, 3-4) The Generals saw their two-game win streak get snapped after falling to Clay County this past week, 85-58. 14. Williamsburg (5-4, 1-3) The Yellow Jackets suffered a 79-62 loss to Corbin this past week but managed to beat Lee County, 75-64. 15. Middlesboro (2-7, 1-7) The Yellow Jackets are now losers of five straight games since beating Red Bird on Jan. 18. 16. Red Bird (0-5, 0-3) The Cardinals are still searching for their first win after posing an 0-2 record this past week.

This is by far the best the 13th has been in a long, long time. A lot of good talent and almost all of its young talent.

1. North Laurel (7-0 overall, 2-0 vs. 13th Region competition) Nate Valentine’s Jaguars continue to dominate after picking up road wins over both Clay County (99-74) and Knott Central (101-79) in consecutive days. North Laurel accomplished a rare feat by scoring 200 points in less than 24 hours. The Jaguars are now averaging a state-best 97.1 points while being led by sophomore Reed Sheppard’s 33.1 scoring average. He’s also pulling down a team-best 7.7 rebounds per game and more than 10 assists per game. Sophomore Ryan Davidson is averaging 21.1 points and close to six rebounds per game while Clay Sizemore is averaging 17.5 points per game, including hitting 33-of-68 shot attempts from 3-point range. Brody Brock is tossing in 12.2 points per game. Another impressive stat is North Laurel’s 3-point shooting percentage. The Jaguars have hit 83-of-185 shot attempts from 3-point range for a 44.8 percent shooting average. 2. Harlan County (7-1, 2-0) The Black Bears Posted a 2-1 mark this past week with wins over Middlesboro (67-39), and West Jessamine (69-67) while falling to Scott (62-56). Harlan continues to receive solid play from Freshman Trent Noah and senior Tyler Cole. Cole is averaging 20 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while Noah is averaging a double-double with a 17.9 scoring average and a 10.0 rebounding average. 3. Clay County (3-1, 2-1) The Tigers move up a spot despite taking a loss this week. Clay County picked up a win over Jackson County (75-59) before falling at home to North Laurel (99-74). The Tigers continue to be led by senior Connor Robinson, who continues to be one of the top offensive players in the state. Robinson leads Clay County with a 35.8 scoring average and a 7.8 rebounding average while Raven Abner continues to shine with an 18-point scoring average. He has hit 19-of-39 shot attempts from behind the arc. Connor Farmer is tossing in 10.8 points per game. 4. Knox Central (2-1, 1-0) The Panthers were able to play their first game since Jan. 7 but it wasn’t the outcome they wanted this past Saturday. They dropped a 68-56 decision to Wayne County but were without the services of Jevonte Turner. Turner leads Knox Central with a 17.5 scoring average. Andrew Sizemore is averaging 12.5 points per game while Isaac Mills is tossing in 11.7 points per game. 5. South Laurel (6-1, 3-0) The Cardinals continue to surprise and have moved up four spots since the beginning of the season. South Laurel dominated Corbin at home this past week with an 83-64 win while following that up with a 78-41 blowout win over Williamsburg. South Laurel has a big road game Friday against No. 1 North Laurel. The Cardinals are led in scoring by Micah Anders (14.0) while Parker Payne (13.3) and Rhys England (10.5) each are scoring in double figures. 6. Corbin (2-3, 2-2) The Redhounds suffered two losses this past week against South Laurel (83-64) and Boyle County (71-68) but managed to upend Barbourville with an 88-68 victory. Corbin continues to improve as the season progresses and will be a tough out in postseason play. Sophomore Hayden Llewellyn continues to lead the Redhounds in scoring with a 28-point scoring average while Carter Stewart is tossing in 16.5 points per game and Josh Hibbits follows with a 12.5 scoring average. 7. Harlan (3-0, 2-0) The Green Dragons haven’t played since Jan. 12 due to COVID-19 protocols. They are scheduled to play Pikeville at home on Jan. 30. 8. Lynn Camp (4-2, 3-2) The Wildcats reeled off three straight wins this past week after defeating Southwestern (86-81), Red Bird (57-23), and Whitley County (60-40). Micah Engle continues his impressive play and leads Lynn Camp with 22.8 scoring average. He’s also grabbing 6.5 rebounds per game. The Ginger Giant, Gavin Allen, is averaging a double-double with a 13.7 scoring average and a 10.8 rebounding average. 9. Barbourville (4-3, 3-2) Cody Messer’s Tigers continue to improve. They posted a 2-1 Mark this past week after defeating both Jellico, Tenn. (88-69) and Whitley County (80-70). Their loss was an 88-68 setback to Corbin. Matthew Grey leads Barbourville with a 22.3 scoring average and a 7.4 rebounding average. Matthew Warren is averaging 18.4 points per game while Dylan Moore is tossing in 16 points per game. 10. Pineville (3-1, 1-1) The Mountain Lions hadn’t played since Jan. 12 due to COVID-19 protocols but did play on Saturday and defeated Thomas Walker, Va., 81-48. Keean Fuson leads Pineville with an 18.2 scoring average while Dylan Honeycutt is averaging 14 points per game. Sean Phipps is also averaging in double figures, tossing in 12.8 points per game. 11. Bell County (2-6, 1-3) The Bobcats’ struggles continue after going 1-1 this past week. They were able to get past Middlesboro but fell to Perry Central, 41-40. 12. Whitley County (3-3, 2-3) The Colonels started the season with three straight wins before dropping three straight games. Whitley County suffered setbacks to Barbourville (80-70), and Lynn Camp (60-40) this past week. 13. Jackson County (1-5, 1-3) The Generals are losers of four straight since beating Williamsburg on Jan. 9. They lost to Clay County (75-59) and Clinton County (69-54) last week. 14. Williamsburg (4-3, 1-3) The Yellow Jackets are 3-1 during their past four games and picked up a 77-40 win over L.I.G.H.T. This past week but also dropped a 78-41 decision to South Laurel. 15. Middlesboro (2-4, 1-4) The Yellow Jackets suffered losses to both Harlan County (67-39) and Bell County (61-49) last week. 16. Red Bird (0-3, 0-3) The Cardinals are slowly progressing despite losses to Williamsburg (72-34) and Lynn Camp (57-23).

1. North Laurel (5-0) Wins last week: Covington Catholic (89-87), Jackson County (97-59), Estill County (89-59) Losses last week: none The scoop: Super Sophomore Reed Sheppard continues to shine, scoring 47 points and pulling down 12 rebounds against Cov. Cath while adding 37 points against Jackson County. Sheppard only took 11 shots against Estill County but recorded 14 points, and 16 assists against Estill County. Sophomore Ryan Davidson scored 18 points against Cov. Cath while adding 25 points against Estill County. Clay Sizemore added 16 points against Cov. Cath and also hit two key 3s to secure the win. Brody Brock his six 3-pointers and scored 23 points against Estill County. 2. Harlan County (5-0) Wins last week: Bell County (77-46), Lafayette (66-62) Losses last week: none The scoop: The Black Bears continue to roll. They picked up a huge 31-point district win over Bell County with Daniel Carmical scoring 23 points while freshman Trent Noah followed with 20 points and Tyler Cole recorded a double-double, scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 boards. Noah and Maddux Huff each scored 16 apiece against Lafayette while Cole finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. 3. Knox Central (2-0) Wins last week: none Losses last week: none The scoop: The Panthers have been off due to COVID-19 protocols. They are expected to play Wayne County on the road Saturday, Jan. 23. 4. Clay County (2-0) Wins last week: Leslie County (81-69), Corbin (89-82) Losses last week: none The scoop: Clay County came up with two big wins as senior Connor Robinson scored 46 points against Leslie County while Connor Farmer added 13 points. Both Robinson and Raven Abner scores 29 apiece against Corbin with Abner knocking down eight 3-pointers. Farmer added 11 points in the win while Cole Garrison added 10 points. 5. Corbin (1-1) Wins last week: Bell County (79-78 OT) Losses last week: Clay County (89-82) The scoop: Corbin held on to beat Bell County in an overtime thriller on Log Mountain with transfer Hayden Llewellyn scoring 30 points in the win while Carter Stewart followed with 27 points. Llewellyn continued to shine against Clay County, scoring 35 points while hitting five 3-pointers. Brody Wells hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points while Carter Stewart added 11 points. 6. South Laurel (4-1) Wins this week: Madison Southern (73-61) Losses this week: Madison Central (58-45) The scoop: Many expected Jeff Davis’ Cardinals to be in rebuild mode, but South Laurel has surprised so far this season. The Cardinals received a big win last week on the road against Trinity and beat Madison Southern this week behind Rhys England’s 18 points and Parker Payne’s 17 points. South Laurel came up short against Madison Central but looks to get back on track this week with an important 50th District game against Corbin. 7. Harlan (3-0) Wins last week: Lynn Camp (66-61) Losses last week: none The scoop: The Green Dragons advanced to the Finals of the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic Tournament but wasn’t able to play Barbourville due to COVID-19 protocols. Against Lynn Camp, Harlan’s Jordan Akal scored 27 points while Kaleb McLendin added 14 points. Jaedyn Gist followed with 10 points and 15 rebounds. 8. Pineville (2-1) Wins this week: Whitley County (56-47) Losses this week: none The scoop: The Mountain Lions were able to get back on track after a loss to Harlan by defeating Whitley County at home. Keean Fuson scores 23 points against the Colonels while Sean Phipps added 13 points. 9. Whitley County (3-1) Wins last week: none Losses last week: Harlan (66-61) The scoop: The Colonels were able to get one game in before finding out they would have to quarantine due to COVID-19 protocols. Against Pineville, Whitley County strugglers to get on track with Jamie Fuson’s 16-point scoring effort leading the way. 10. Lynn Camp (1-2) Wins this week: none Losses last week: Harlan (66-61) The scoop: The Wildcats lost a heartbreaker to Harlan during semifinal action play of the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic Tournament. Gavin Allen and Micah Engle each scored 18 points apiece while Allen also finished with nine rebounds. Spencer Gilbert followed with a 12-point scoring effort. The best of the rest ... 11. Bell County (1-5) The Bobcats just can’t seem to get over the hump after falling to Harlan County, Corbin and Garrard County. 12. Barbourville (2-2) The Tigers were able to advance to the finals of the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic Tournament after beating Jackson County, 76-59. 13. Jackson County (1-3) The Generals have dropped two straight since beating Williamsburg. 14. Williamsburg (2-2) The Yellow Jackets losses have come against two 13th Region teams — Barbourville and Jackson County. 15. Middlesboro (1-2) The Yellow Jackets got their first win of the season by defeating Burgin last week, 64-45. 16. Red Bird (0-0) The Cardinals will play their first game of the today at home against Middlesboro.

I’ve watched him play his entire varsity career. The kid is legit, and is quite arguably the best player in the state. I’d say the Cov. Cath assistant coach knows what he’s talking about.

That was me that sent my buddy this stat sheet to give you guys.

I’ve been telling folks not to sleep on North. They’re more than a one-man team.

South is probably the sixth best team in the 13th Region this year. The 13th Region is a whole lot better than people realize this year. I’d take Reed Sheppard, Trent Noah, Hayden Lewellyn, Javonte Turner, Jordan Akal, Robinson kid at Clay and Ryan Davidson over many players in the state.

13th Region Rankings 1. North Laurel (2-0) The Jaguars have gotten off to a fast start, scoring at least 100 points in each of its First two games. North Laurel defeated Pikeville last week, 100-77, with sophomore sensation Reed Sheppard tallying 37 points and 14 assists while Clay Sizemore added 23 points while knocking down seven 3-pointers. Sheppard continued his impressive play during North Laurel’s 104-62 win over Cov. Holy Cross by turning in a career-high 48 points while Sizemore added 26 points while knocking down eight 3-pointers. 2. Knox Central (2-0) The two-time defending region champions has left the gate strong winning both games with ease. Knox Central knocked off Perry Central, 62-37, while Jevonte Turner scored more than 20 points and the Panthers added a 70-37 win under their belts by defeating Middlesboro. Turner continues to dominate scoring 20-plus points to begin the season and continues to make a case for himself as the region’s top player. 3. Harlan County (3-0) The Black Bears are off and running with wins over Barren County (63-51), Martin County (65-47) and Letcher Central (55-35). Tyler Cole is averaging 24 points and 8.7 rebounds per game after the first three games while freshman Trent Noah is averaging 14.3 points per game. 4. Clay County (0-0) The Tigers haven’t been able to play due to COVID-19 restrictions. They are hoping to get back in action this week. 5. Corbin (0-0, 0-0) The Redhounds haven’t been able to play due to COVID-19 restrictions. They are hoping to get back in action this week. 6. South Laurel (3-0) The Cardinals have been the surprise team of the region so far after picking up wins over Middlesboro (63-15), Bell County (56-42) and Louisville Trinity (62-61). The Cardinals had Trinity down by as many as 23 points during their win but had to hold off a late rally by the Shamrocks as Micah Anders knocked down a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Anders leads South Laurel with a 16-point scoring average while Parker Payne is averaging 12.7 points per game. 7. Harlan (2-0) The Green Dragons are rolling after cruising to wins over both Elliott County (62-48) and Pineville (63-50). Jordan Akal has been dominating during the two games, scoring 38, and 30 points, respectively. He leads Harlan with a 34-point scoring average while averaging 7.5 boards per game. Jaedyn Gist has been a pleasant surprise, averaging 15.5 points and a team-best 11.5 boards per game. 8. Whitley County (3-0) The Colonels have been another surprise team of the region after getting off to a 3-0 start under first-year coach Mark White. Whitley County defeated Lynn Camp (61-58), Barbourville (63-61) and Model (67-61) this past week. Ethan Keene hit the game-winning shot against Barbourville and currently leads the team with a 20-point scoring average. Jamie Fuson is averaging 17.5 points per game while Brayden Mahan is tossing in 15 points per game. 9. Bell County (0-2) The Bobcats have been without two starters and not having both have them played a big part In their losses to South Laurel (56-42) and Wolfe County (72-62). Cameron Burnett has been a bright spot for coach Brad Sizemore’s squad. He leads the team with a 26.5 scoring average and a 6.0 rebounding average. 10. Lynn Camp (1-1) The Wildcats dropped a heartbreaking 61-58 loss to Whitley County but bounced back with a 55-49 win o er Bluegrass United. Micah Engle leads Lynn Camp with a 19-point scoring average while grabbing 8.5 rebounds per game. Gavin Allen is a averaging 15.5 points and 8.5 boards per game. 11. Barbourville (1-2) The Tigers lone win this past week came against Williamsburg (78-68). They dropped games to both Berea (73-60) and Whitley County (63-61). 12. Jackson County (1-1) Clay Akemon has been a bright spot for the Generals. He leads the team with a 24.5 scoring average. Andrew Madden is averaging 15.5 points per game. 13. Williamsburg (1-2) Eric Swords’ Yellow Jackets have struggled, but Micah Steely has put on a show. He leads the team with a 26.3 scoring average and a 7.3 rebounding average. 14. Pineville (1-1) The Mountain Lions picked up a 63-60 win over Perry Central as Keean Fuson leads the team with an 18.5 scoring average. Sean Phipps is t far behind with a 16-point scoring average. 15. Red Bird (0-0) The Cardinals haven’t played yet and is scheduled to top things off until Jan. 18. 16. Middlesboro (0-2) The Yellow Jackets are in rebuilding mode. They’ve opened the season with losses to both South Laurel (63-15) and Knox Central (70-37).

The 13th Region should be interesting once again with up to five teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the 13th Region championship. The region is loaded with young and old talent with North Laurel sophomore Reed Sheppard leading the way as the region’s top rated player. 1. North Laurel (22-10 overall, 12-6 vs. 13th Region competition) The Jaguars just couldn’t get on track during their first year under coach Nate Valentine but look for things to change this upcoming season. North Laurel returns what many believe is the region’s best one-two punch in sophomores Reed Sheppard and Ryan Davidson but the Jaguars do have some holes to fill due to graduation. You can’t forget about the play of Clay Sizemore either. He’s one of the best long-range shooters in the region. The key to North Laurel’s success will be who steps up to fill the void left by the five seniors that graduated. Sheppard became the first 2023 player in the state to receive a DI offer and expect even more in the near future as the region’s top player had one heck of a summer, turning up on social media with his impressive play. The big question will be if he can guide North Laurel to a region crown this season. 2. Knox Central (25-8, 12-3) I was pretty close to putting the Panthers at the top spot. Knox Central has dominated 13th Region action the past few years, and deserve the respect that comes its way. Tony Patterson’s squad has won a 13th Region-best 109 games during the past four years while posting an impressive 55-11 record against 13th Region teams. The Panthers have also won consecutive region titles the past two years and four straight 51st District crowns, so the big questions is if they can 3-peat? They return one of the region’s top players in Jevonte Turner along with a solid nucleus of players that include Isaac Mills, Andrew Sizemore, and Abram Brock. Transfer Matthew Gray is also a huge pick up for the Panthers. 3. Harlan County (24-11, 14-5) Mike Jones has done a fantastic job with the Black Bears since taking over as head coach. He guided Harlan County to the regional title game last season and will be expected to contend once again this upcoming season. Leading scorer Taylor Spurlock has graduated but Tyler Cole, Trent Noah, and Jackson Huff return to give the Black Bears a solid trio of scorers. This team has enough returning talent to win the region. Noah is tagged as one of if not the best player in the state’s 2024 class, and after a successful summer looks to be ready to lead the Black Bears to success once again. 4. Clay County (23-10, 16-3) This could be the make it or break it season for the Tigers with seven seniors on their upcoming roster. Clay County has been slated as one of the teams to beat the past two years but just can’t get over the hump. Things could be different this season as Connor Robinson, Raven Abner, Connor Farmer, Tate Farmer, and Colby Sams returns. The Tigers are another team that returns a lot of talented players and will be right in the thick of the 13th Region title chase when all is said and done. 5. Corbin (16-14, 8-9) The Redhounds crack the top five after returning a roster that is loaded with young talent. This team could surprise this upcoming season under veteran coach Tony Pietrowski. Keep an eye on players such as transfer Hayden Lewellyn, who averaged close to 30 points per game last season for Jellico, Tenn. Abe Barnes, Josh Hibbits, and Carter Stewart will be expected to carry the load as well. This could be their time to shine. 6. Harlan (13-17, 8-11) The Green Dragons return one of the state’s top players in Jordan Akal but will need some players to step up to help turn Harlan into a regional contender. Harlan does have the talent in place. Akal has established himself as one of the state’s top players while Jaedyn Gist will also be expected to contribute. 7. Bell County (12-18, 7-10) Look for Brad Sizemore’s second year as head coach at Bell County to be a good one. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the Bobcats end up playing for the regional crown, especially with Cameron Burnett and Dawson Woolum returning. 8. Whitley County (12-19, 4-10) First-year coach Mark White takes over a young and talented Colonel squad that could surprise this season. Whitley County could be making a trip to the 13th Region Tournament for the first time since 2011. The key to the Colonels’ success could depend on its talented junior and sophomore class stepping up. Garrett McNealey, Jackson Estes and Grayson Estes return for their junior seasons, along with junior forward Trevor Downs. 9. South Laurel (28-5, 19-3) The Cardinals could be in rebuild mode after graduating an abundance of talent the past few seasons which includes last year’s 13th Region Player of the Year, Matt Cromer. The cupboard isn’t bare at South Laurel but coach Jeff Davis is going to have to have a lot of players step their game up this upcoming season. Micah Anders, Caden Jones, Parker Payne, and Weslyn Wright brings experience to the table for the Cardinals. 10. Lynn Camp Wildcats (13-15, 5-10) New coach Rodney Clarke is excited to get the season started and rightfully, so. The first year coach will be replying former coach Dinky Phipps, who retired this past season with hopes of leading Lynn Camp to success in both the 51st District and 13th Region. Clarke’s squad will he led by Mason Praiter, who averaged 15.1 points per game last season along with transfers Gavin Allen and Micah Engle. Both Allen and Engle came over from Corbin and will be Expected to contribute right off the bat. Senior forward Spencer Gilbert and sophomore guard Jace Boggs also return. 11. Williamsburg (17-13, 9-10) Eric Swords has returned to his alma mater to become head coach with hopes of returning the Yellow Jackets to their winning ways. Williamsburg graduates it’s top two leading scorers but returns Micah Steely, who could turn out to be one of the surprise players in the region. 12. Barbourville (13-16, 8-12) Coach Cody Messer’s Tigers are ready to make more noise this season after reaching the 13th Region Tournament last season. The Tigers return Jordan Collins, David Collett, and a solid nucleus of young talent that should contend for the 51st District title by season’s end. 13. Pineville (10-17, 2-14) The Mountain Lions return senior forward Sean Phipps and senior guard Keann Fuson which will make them a team to keep an eye on this season. 14.Jackson County (13-17, 6-13) The Generals could surprise a bit this season with Clay Akemon, Jude Lakes Garrett Roark, and Andrew Madden returning. 15. Middlesboro (20-10, 13-7) Four starters graduated from last season but I still expect the Yellow Jackets to be a team to watch out for. Seniors Eric Helton and Bryson Barnard are expected to lead the way along with Jay West and Ethan Barton. 16. Red Bird (8-21, 3-16) Dalton Asher is the lone starter returning for a Cardinal squad that graduated a lot of talent from last year’s roster. Bryce Helton and Hunter Gray will return for Red Bird with hopes of leading the Cardinals to a surprise seasons Note: Oneida Baptist will not have a team this season. 13th Region’s Top 10 players 1. Reed Sheppard, Sophomore, North Laurel Sheppard has one heck of a summer, improving his outside shot while showing off his offensive and defensive skills during the process. The state’s top 2023 players is expected to lead North Laurel this season. 2. Javonte Turner, Senior, Knox Central Turner has played a big role in leading the Panthers to consecutive region titles, and is looking to make it three in a row during his senior season. 3. Jordan Akal, Junior, Harlan Akal can do it all both offensively and defensively. He returns as one of the top scorers in the region. 4. Connor Robinson, Senior, Clay County Robinson returns as one of the region’s top scorers. He’s dangerous from the outside and can also hurt teams with his driving ability. 5. Trent Noah, Freshman, Harlan County Noah is considered as the state’s top 2024 player and deservedly so. He turned in one heck of an eighth grade campaign, and is expected to do even better this season after turning in one heck of a summer. 6. Ryan Davidson, Sophomore, North Laurel Davidson is another player that can hurt teams from the outside or in the paint. His mid-range jumper is one of the best in the region. 7. Cameron Burnett, Junior, Bell County Burnett has one heck of a sophomore season for the Bobcats, establishing himself as one of the top players in the region. He’s another versatile player that can score in many ways. 8. Connor Farmer, Senior, Clay County Farmer is a dangerous outside shooter for the Tigers and will play a big role their success this season. 9. Tyler Cole, Senior, Harlan County Cole could be one of the more underrated players in the region. All he does is hit key shot after key shot. 10. Sean Phipps, Senior, Pineville Phipps is another underrated player in the region. Averaged 17.9 points per game while pulling down close to nine rebounds a game as a junior.

1. South Laurel (25-4 overall, 16-2 vs. 13th Region opponents) The Cardinals are winners of 14 straight and haven’t lost Jan. 11. They’re semifinal opponent in the 50th District Tournament on Tuesday will be a much-improved Whitley County squad the Cardinals defeated the Colonels twice this season, 72-61 and 51-38. 2. Clay County (20-9, 13-2) The Tigers were 7-3 during their last 10 games and have hopes of getting junior Connor Robinson back into the lineup after being sidelined with an injury. Clay County will play the winner of Red Bird and OBI on Wednesday during semifinal action of the 49th District Tournament. The top-seeded Tigers posted a perfect 4-0 record against the two teams this season. 3. North Laurel (21-8, 11-4) The Jaguars finished regular season play strong with a five-game win streak which included wins over Corbin, Hazard, Harlan and Knox Central. They’ll open 49th District Tournament semifinal play against No. 3 seed Jackson County. North Laurel posted a 2-0 mark (82-34, 69-36) against the Generals this season. 4. Harlan County (20-10, 10-4) The Black Bears snapped a three-game losing skid by defeating Whitley County, 78-46. Harlan County faces Bell County during semifinal action of the 52nd District Tournament on Tuesday. The Black Bears recorded wins of 65-59 and 62-57 over the Bobcats this season. 5. Knox Central (20-8, 7-3) The Panthers are 6-4 during their last 10 games with losses against South Laurel, Clay County and North Laurel during the stretch. Knox Central faces off against Pineville on Tuesday during semifinal play of the 51st District Tournament. The Panthers defeated the Mountain Lions 75-64 during the two teams’ only meeting of the season. 6. Middlesboro (20-9, 13-6) The Yellow Jackets are winners of four straight and eight of their last 10 games heading into their 52nd District Tournament semifinal matchup with Harlan on Tuesday. Middlesboro is 1-2 against the Green Dragons this season. The Yellow Jackets won the last meeting between the two teams, 49-47. 7. Corbin (15-12, 7-7) The Redhounds have been playing .500 (8-8) ball since Jan. 1. They’re hoping their fortunes will change during Tuesday’s 50th District Tournament semifinal matchup with Williamsburg. The two teams have split a pair of games against each other with Corbin winning, 84-74, while the Yellow Jackets came away with a 73-72 victory about three weeks ago. 8. Williamsburg (17-12, 9-9) Nick Napier’s squad has been playing some top-notch basketball lately. They’re 10-2 during their last 12 games entering Tuesday’s 50th District semifinal contest against Corbin. The two teams have split a pair of games against each other with Corbin winning, 84-74, while the Yellow Jackets came away with a 73-72 victory about three weeks ago. 9. Harlan (12-15, 7-9) The Green Dragons are limping into postseason play with a 2-5 mark during their past seven games, but they are 2-1 against Middlesboro, their semifinal opponent in Tuesday’s 52nd District Tournament. The Yellow Jackets won the last meeting between the two teams, 49-47. 10. Bell County (12-17, 7-9) Brad Sizemore’s Bobcats never could get on track during the regular season, but Monday begins a new season. Bell County will face-off against Harlan County during semifinal action of the 52nd District Tournament. The Black Bears recorded wins of 65-59 and 62-57 over the Bobcats this season. 11. Barbourville (12-14, 7-10) The Tigers have been a team that’s been hard to figure out this season. They’ll have a tough semifinal matchup with Lynn Camp on Wednesday during the 51st District Tournament. The Wildcats are the host team and barely lost to the Tigers during the two teams’ line meeting. Barbourville was able to pull out a 63-60 victory. 12. Lynn Camp (13-14, 5-9) The Wildcats suffered a big blow this past week after losing Maison Prater to an injury. Lynn Camp will play Barbourville during semifinal action of Wednesday’s 51st District Tournament. The Wildcats are 0-1 against the Tigers this season, dropping a 63-60 decision to Barbourville during the two teams’ only meeting. 13. Whitley County (12-18, 4-9) The Colonels picked up a big win over Bell County last week but then dropped a loss to Harlan County a few days later. Whitley County will need to bring its ‘A’ game when it hosts South Laurel during semifinal action of Tuesday’s 50th District Tournament. The Colonels are 0-2 against the Cardinals this season. 14. Jackson County (13-16, 6-12) The Generals will host North Laurel during Tuesday’s 49th District semifinal matchup but they haven’t fared well against the Jaguars, losing both games to them this season. 15. Oneida Baptist (11-18, 9-12) The Mountaineers will try to get back on track against Brad Marsee’s Cardinals during Monday’s 49th District Tournament first Round matchup. Oneida Baptist fell to Red Bird just last week, losing 69-67, and recorded a 75-46 win over the Cardinals way back in December. 16. Pineville (10-16, 2-13) The Mountain Lions have struggled throughout the season but can turn things around if they could find a way to upset top-seeded Knox Central during Wednesday’s semifinal action of the 51st District Tournament. 17. Red Bird (7-20, 2-15) The Cardinals are hoping to record their second win in a row over Oneida Baptist during Monday’s 49th District Tournament first round matchup. The two teams have split a pair of games this season.

1. South Laurel (23-4 overall, 16-2 vs. 13th Region opponents) The Cardinals are winners of 12 straight. Just look who they have beaten during the 12-game run: Wayne County, Harlan (twice), Bell County, Corbin, Williamsburg Harlan County, North Laurel, Pikeville and Knox Central. Also senior Matt Cromer was named a finalist for Mr. Basketball and was also named KABC 13th Region Player of the Year this past week. 2. Clay County (19-8, 13-2) The Tigers rebounded from their loss to Bell County and have now won three games in a row after beating Knox Central (88-76), Jackson County (84-70) and Red Bird (81-59). 3. North Laurel (19-8, 9-4) The Jaguars seem to have turned things around and have now won six out of their last seven games. North Laurel picked up an impressive 85-77 road win over Corbin before beating 14th Region’s Hazard Bulldogs at home on Saturday, 63-60. 4. Harlan County (19-9, 9-4) I didn’t drop the Black Bears in the rankings, but they sure aren’t playing good. Harlan County saw its three-game win streak come to an end after a 74-60 loss to Madison Southern before falling to Richmond Model 55-51. 5. Williamsburg (15-11, 8-8) The only team hotter than Williamsburg currently is South Laurel. Nick Napier’s squad are winners of four straight, which includes victories over Corbin, Whitley County and Bell County. Senior Slaht Hunter averaged 21.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg this past week. He knocked down the game winning 4-point play with under a minute left down one to beat Bell County. 6. Knox Central (18-7, 6-2) The defending 13th Region champion is struggling at the wrong time. The Panthers are 5-5 during their last 10 games and suffered regional losses at home to both Clay County and South Laurel last week. 7. Middlesboro (18-9, 11-6) The Yellow Jackets are 9-2 during their past 11 games but did suffer a 61-60 setback at home this past week to OBI. 8. Corbin (14-11, 6-7) The Redhounds are now 7-7 since Christmas Break with losses against Knox Central, Harlan County, South Laurel, Williamsburg and North Laurel during the stretch. 9. Bell County (10-15, 6-8) A win over Clay County last week had me thinking the Bobcats have finally gotten over the hump, but they proceeded to two of their next three games which included losses to both Middlesboro and Williamsburg. 10. Harlan (12-14, 7-8) The Green Dragons’ inconsistent play carried over into this past week. They are 2-4 during their last six games. 11. Oneida Baptist (11-15, 9-10) The Mountaineers are getting healthy at the right time. They’ve won three of their last four games which lincluded wins over Middlesboro and Lynn Camp. 12. Lynn Camp (13-12, 5-7) Dinky Phipps’ Wildcats continue to be inconsistent. After putting together a three-game win streak last week, they’ve now lost two in a row. Senior Max Burd has played well, though. He had a great week, scoring 21 points against OBI then following with a 34-point effort against Harlan and 24 points against OBI as he averaged 26.3 points this past week. 13. Barbourville (10-13, 6-9) The Tigers are another team that has been tough to figure out. They’re losers of four straight, but have received consistent play from senior Shawn Vaughn, who is averaging 16.5 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game — both are team beats. 14. Jackson County (12-15, 6-11) Logan Rose seems to be at 100 percent now and is a threat to score 20 any time he steps on the court. Jackson County is still struggling. The Generals are 1-4 during their past five games. 15. Whitley County (11-17, 3-8) The Colonels are struggling at the wrong time. They’ve three in a row and eight of their last 10 games. 16. Pineville (9-15, 1-12) The Mountain Lions are 3-7 in their last 10 games but Sean Phipps has been outstanding. In four games this past week, he averaged 20.8 points, 9 rebounds & 4.8 blocks. 17. Red Bird (6-19, 1-14) The Cardinals are limping into the final week of regular season play. They’ve lost four in a row and 10 of their last 13 games.

1. South Laurel (21-4 overall, 14-2 vs. 13the Region opponents) The Cardinals are the hottest team in the region as they ride a 10-game win streak into this week. South Laurel had quite a week the last seven days, picking up wins over Harlan County (64-57), North Laurel (72-60) and Pikeville (67-65 in overtime). Senior Matt Cromer continues to dominated, but players such as Brett Norvell and Micah Anders have stepped up their play. 2. Clay County (16-7, 10-1) The Tigers were able to get in one game last week and that was an easy 83-59 win over Barbourville. Clay County will be busy this week with four games scheduled. They Tigers will host Bell County Monday before traveling to play Knox Central and Jackson County. They’ll wrap-up this week’s action with a home game against Rrd Bird on Friday. 3. Knox Central (16-5, 5-0) The defending 13th Region champion continues to fly under the radar. They haven’t lost a game to a regional team and they’re coming off an 88-69 win over Jackson County. 4. Harlan County (16-7, 6-4) The Black Bears are hoping guard Trent Noah can recover from and injury. He’s a big key to Harlan County’s success. Mike Jones’ lone game this past week was a 64-57 loss to South Laurel. 5. North Laurel (16-8, 8-4) The Jaguars just can’t seem to put anything together lately. They’re 3-4 (all road games) during their last seven games and are coming off a disappointing, 72-60, loss to South Laurel. 6. Middlesboro (16-8, 9-5) The Yellow Jackets continue to impress and have now won seven of their last eight games after defeating Aharon, 49-47. Coach Lewis Morris has done a fantastic job with Middlesboro this season as Trey Brock and Jabari Kyle averaging more than 15 points per game. 7. Harlan (11-11, 6-6) The Green Dragons are 10-5 since Christmas Break and remain a dangerous team. Jordan Akal is averaging 33 points per game during the past three games, including a 43-point scoring effort during Harlan’s 75-57 win over Perry Central. 8. Corbin (13-10, 6-6) The Redhounds were able to snap a five-game their five-game losing skid by winning two fo three games this past week. Corbin defeated Mercer County, 68-56, before handing Whitley County a 67-44 loss. 9. Bell County (8-13, 5-6) The Bobcats were able to snap their four-game losing skid after defeating Barbourville this past week, 55-50. Bell County has eight more games remaining before postseason play. Look for Brad Sizemore’s Bobcats to hit stride during the next two weeks. 10. Williamsburg (12-11, 6-8) The Yellow Jackets are winners of five of their last six games, including last week’s 73-72 win over Corbin. Keep an eye on Williamsburg, this team can make some noise once postseason play begins. 11. Barbourville (10-11, 6-7) The Tigers saw their three-game win streak come to an end after dropping consecutive games to Clay County (83-59) and Bell County (55-50) this past week. 12. Lynn Camp (12-10, 4-5) The Wildcats seem to be hitting stride after picking up consecutive wins over Thomas Walker (76-36) and Red Bird (90-60). Maison Prater averaged 24 points during the two-game stretch. 13. Whitley County (11-14, 3-6) The Colonels are 2-1 during their last three games, but suffered a big 50th District loss to Corbin (67-44) that basically solidified them as the No. 4 seed. 14. Jackson County (11-12, 5-10) The Generals are 4-3 during their last seven games and have shown signs of improvement. They were able to pick up a big 39th District win over Oneida Baptist (63-61), but fell 88-69 during their following game against Knox Central. 15. Oneida Baptist (8-14, 6-9) The Mountain Lions are losers of six straight and what once looked like a promising season has turned into a season of struggles since Christmas Break. Oneida Baptist is 2-8 after starting the season with a 6-6 mark. 16. Pineville (8-12, 1-10) The Mountain Lions are winners of two straight after dropping four in a row. Pineville was able to beat Jackson City, 76-66, before rolling past Rockcastle County, 56-53. Sean Phipps continues to turn in a solid season, averaging team bests in points scored (17.8) and rebounding (8.4). 17. Red Bird (6-17, 1-12) The Cardinals dropped two straight this week after falling to both Lynn Camp (90-60) and Whitley County (61-51). Red Bird will try to get back on track, but it won’t be easy with road games against Barbourville, Harlan County and Clay County coming up.

Good hire for Corbin. Folks, if you weren’t expecting Greer to be hired as head coach, then you’ve been sleeping under a rock the past few weeks. He will do just fine.

1. South Laurel (18-4 overall, 12-2 vs. 13th Region opponents) The Cardinals continued their winning ways this past week by defeating Corbin, 66-41, on the road while handling Williamsburg at home, 59-46. South Laurel has now won seven in a row thanks to a stingy defense that is allowing only 52.2 points per game. 2. Clay County (15-7, 9-1) The Tigers wrapped up the 49th District’s top seed by defeating North Laurel at home last week, 76-67. Clay County followed the win with a hard fought, 70-66, loss to Henry Clay, snapping their three-game win streak during the process. 3. North Laurel (15-7, 8-3) After 76-67 decision to Clay County this past week (the Jaguars’ second defeat this season from the hands of the Tigers), North Laurel responded with a 69-36 dominating win over Jackson County. 4. Harlan County (16-6, 6-3) The Black Bears saw their eight-game win streak come to an end last week after a surprising, 59-55, loss to district foe Middlesboro. They were able to respond with a 74-34 decision over Owlsey County. 5. Knox Central (15-5, 4-0) The Panthers have been off for a week and look to get back on track Tuesday at home against Jackson County. 6. Middlesboro (15-8, 8-5) The Yellow Jackets recently have garnered two big wins over both North Laurel and Harlan County, but saw their six-game win streak come to an end this past week with a 57-44 loss to Wayne County. 7. Corbin (12-9, 5-5) The Redhounds needed a win in a big way and got it over Mercer County Saturday by upending the Titans, 68-56. The 12-point victory allowed Corbin to snap a five-game losing streak. 8. Harlan (9-10, 6-5) The Green Dragons picked up a big 64-55 win over Bell County last week, snapping a three-game losing streak during the process. Harlan is now 7-3 during its last 10 games. 9. Bell County (7-13, 4-6) Brad Sizemore’s Bobcats just can’t seem to get over the hump. They’re playing teams close, but just can’t get the win. Bell County has now lost four games in a row after falling to Harlan, 64-55, last week. 10. Williamsburg (11-11, 5-8) The Yellow Jackets are a threat in the 50th District despite their 59-46 loss to South Laurel last Friday. The game was at 34 apiece with two minutes remaining in the third quarter before an 11-0 run by Cardinals out the game away while snapping Williamsburg’s four-game win streak during the process. 11. Barbourville (10-9, 6-5) After a tough 1-6 stretch, the Tigers have turned things around by winning three games in a row witch victories over Pineville (64-55), Oneida Baptist (51-48) and Jellico, Tenn. (76-74). 12. Oneida Baptist (8-12, 6-8) After starting the season with a promising 6-3 mark, the Mountaineers are 2-9 since. They are currently riding a four-game losing skid. 13. Lynn Camp (11-10, 3-5) Dinky Phipps’ Wildcats were able to get back over the .500 mark while snapping a two-game losing skid during the progress by defeating Thomas Walker, Va., 76-36. 14. Whitley County (9-13, 2-5) Just when it had looked as if the Colonels had gotten over the hump with a two-game win streak, they go on a four-game losing skid with losses to South Laurel (51-38), Jellico, Tennessee. (98-86), Williamsburg (81-65) and Adair County (47-38). 15. Jackson County (10-11, 4-9) The Generals had won three out of their last four games before dropping a 69-36 decision to North Laurel. 16. Pineville (7-12, 1-10) The Mountain Lions snapped a four-game losing skid by defeating Jackson City, 76-66. 17. Red Bird (6-15, 1-10) The Cardinals are hitting a nice little stride after winning two of their last three games.

1. South Laurel (16-4 overall, 10-2 vs. 13th Region opponents) Defense. That word sums up just how the Cardinals are getting things done this season. South Laurel possesses the best defensive play in the region and it showed during its wins over Harlan (74-60), Whitley County (51-38) and Bell County (57-52) this past week. 2. Clay County (12-6, 6-1) After capping off an impressive three-game stretch with wins over Jackson County, North Laurel and South Laurel, the Tigers followed suit with a 78-73 road loss to Pulaski County. 3. Knox Central (15-4, 4-0) The defending 13th Region champions are the lone team that hasn’t lost to a regional team. Knox Central snapped a two-game losing streak after defeating Lynn Camp last week, 65-58. The Panthers have some big games coming up and it’s going to be interesting to see how they fare. 4. Harlan County (15-5, 6-2) The Black Bears are in the midst of a eight-game win streak and could move on up the rankings with wins against upcoming opponents Middlesboro, South Laurel, and Harlan. 5. North Laurel (14-6, 7-2) The Jaguars have hit a couple of bumps in the road the past week or so. North Laurel suffered a setback to Perry Central last week before losing to Middlesboro, 73-68, on the road on Friday. Nate Valentine’s squad are in the middle of a seven-game road trip with upcoming matchups against Clay County, Jackson County and South Laurel. 6. Corbin (11-8, 5-4) The Redhounds are losers of four straight, but get a chance to turn things around Tuesday at home against No. 1 South Laurel. This is a game Coach Tony Pietrowski will have his Redhounds ready to play. A win over the Cardinals will keep Corbin’s hope for the district’s top seed alive. 7. Harlan (8-10, 5-5) The Green Dragons were riding a season-best six-game win streak heading into this week, but have now lost three in a row after setbacks to Harlan County (79-71), South Laurel (74-60) and Paintsville (67-60). 8. Bell County (7-11, 4-5) The Bobcats just can’t seem to gain any traction. They’re playing a lot of good teams close, but just can’t seem to get over the hump. They’re 1-4 during their past five games and have only won consecutive games once this season. 9. Middlesboro (13-7, 6-5) Lewis Morris’ Yellow Jackets had a big week by upending North Laurel at home, 73-68. Jabari Kyle has a big game during the win, scoring 34 points while TJ Patterson added 14 points. Middlesboro has now won four games in a row. 10. Williamsburg (10-10, 4-7) The Yellow Jackets are winners of three straight and look to be peaking at the right time. Slaht Hunter scores 26 points while Caleb Rose added 19 points and 15 rebounds during last week’s 86-52 win over Wellspring Guardians Home School. 11. Oneida Baptist (8-10, 6-6) The Mountaineers hung tough at home against North Laurel before falling, 77-64, on Saturday. Oneida Baptist is talented and can surprise, but is only 2-7 during its last nine games. 12. Lynn Camp (10-9, 3-5) The Wildcats hung tough against Knox Central before losing, 65-58, during last week’s 51st District battle. Lynn Camp has now lost six of their last nine games. 13. Barbourville (8-9, 5-5) The Tigers snapped a three-game losing skid after defeating Pineville, 64-55, this past week. Four players scored in double figures in the win as Jordan Collins led the way with 15 points. 14. Whitley County (9-11, 2-4) The Colonels were riding a two-game win streak entering the week, but now find themselves riding a two-game losing skid after losses to South Laurel (51-38) and Jellico, Tennessee. (98-86). 15. Jackson County (8-10, 3-8) The Generals were able to snap a five-game losing skid with a 68-31 win over Red Bird, but followed with a 70-50 loss to Harlan County. 16. Red Bird (5-14, 1-9) After knocking off Jackson County, 70-69, just a week before, the Cardinals fell to the Generals this past week, 68-31. They did manage to respond with a 71-35 victory over June Buchanan. 17. Pineville (6-10, 1-8) The Mountain Lions has a chance to make some noise, but dropped two regional games to both Whitley County (67-53) and Barbourville (64-55).

1. Clay County (12-5, 6-1) The Tigers are winners of four of their last five games and the wins are impressive. They’ve beaten Scott County, North Laurel, Jackson County and South Laurel. Clay County has another tough stretch of games coming up, and if the Tigers get through those without any losses, they’ll for sure be the team to beat heading into postseason play. 2. North Laurel (13-5, 6-1) Freshman Reed Sheppard turned in a quadruple-double (24 points, 14 assists, 10 rebounds and 10 steals) during the Jaguars’ 82-34 win over Jackson County while freshman Ryan Davidson continues to shine with 15.6 scoring average. If North Laurel can improve some on the defensive side, the Jaguars will be dangerous. 3. South Laurel (13-4, 7-2) Senior Matt Cromer continues to dominate for the Cardinals, who are hands down the best defensive team in the region. Cromer leads South Laurel with a 24.9 scoring averages and 7.9 rebounding average. 4. Knox Central (14-4, 3-0) The Panthers saw their 11-game win streak come to an end after falling to Warren Central, 83-59, during the Class 2A State Tournament. Despite the loss, Knox Central continues to show they’re a major threat to repeat as 13th Region champs. 5. Harlan County (12-5, 3-2) The Black Bears are heating up at the right time. They’re winners of five straight and are led in scoring by Taylor Spurlock’s 18.4 scoring average. 6. Corbin (11-6, 5-3) The Redhounds are losers of two straight and things don’t get much easier this week when they host Knoxville Catholic on Tuesday. 7. Harlan (8-8, 5-4) The Green Dragons are a team to keep your eye on. After starting the season 1-6, they’re 7-2 since and are also the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic Boys champions after beating Middlesboro in the finals, 81-65. Jordan Akal is the real deal and if his teammates are hitting from the outside, they’re a threat to beat anyone in the region. 8. Bell County (6-8, 3-3) The Bobcats are winners of three out of their past five games, but missed a chance to make some noise at home during last week’s Class 2A Sectional after falling to Knox Central, 66-61. 9. Williamsburg (8-10, 4-7) Nick Napier’s Yellow Jackets are talented but just can get over the jump. They’ve won two-of-three which included wins over Oneida Baptist and Jackson County. Williamsburg has a tough stretch of games coming up including games against Whitley County, South Laurel and Corbin. 10. Middlesboro (10-7, 5-5) The Yellow Jackets have caught fire the past five games, going 4-1, while advancing to the finals of the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic Boys Tournament. They dropped an 81-65 decision to Harlan in the finals, but showed they are a dangerous team. 11. Barbourville (7-8, 4-5) The Tigers are another team that’s hard to figure out. They’re 3-7 during their past 10 games but hung close on the road against South Laurel before losing, 70-60. 12. Oneida Baptist (8-8, 6-4) The Mountaineers picked up a 79-65 win over Wolfe County that shows they are a dangerous team despite going 2-5 during their past seven games. 13. Lynn Camp (10-8, 3-4) It’s hard to really figure out where to gauge Dinky Phipps’ Wildcats this season. I feel like they should be a few spots higher, but they just can’t seem to get anything going. They’re 2-4 during their past six games, but could surprise down the stretch. 14. Whitley County (8-9, 1-3) The Colonels continue to quietly put together a solid campaign despite only winning consecutive games twice this season. 15. Red Bird (4-13, 1-8) The Cardinals are playing better and have posted a 3-4 record during their past seven games. They were also able to surprise and reach the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic Boys Tournament semifinals before bowing out to Middlesboro, 79-63. 16. Pineville (6-8, 1-6) The Mountain Lions were able to snap a five-game losing skid by picking up wins over both White Academy (85-73) and Thomas Walker (84-73). Sean Phipps lead the Mountain Lions with a 19.1 scoring average. 17. Jackson County (7-8, 2-7) The Generals are loser’s of course straight and are coming off a 48-point loss to North Laurel and a 23-point loss to Williamsburg. Despite the Generals’ struggles, Clay Akemon and Logan Rose continue to shine. Akemon leads the team with a 16.9 scoring average while Logan Rose is tossing in 11.9 points per game.

1. Clay County (12-5 overall, 6-1 vs. 13th Region Opponents) The Tigers are back at the top spot after picking up two impressive wins in back-to-back days over both North Laurel and South Laurel. Evan Langdon knocked down a shot with three seconds remaining as Clay County defeated the Jaguars on the road, 75-73, while Jacob Curry hit a last-second shot to defeat the Cardinals, 59-58. 2. North Laurel (11-4, 5-1) The Jaguars dropped a 75-73 home heartbreaker to 49th District rival Clay County despite seeing freshman Reed Sheppard score 30 points and finish with eight rebounds. North Laurel fought a break during its 65-64 win over Southwestern on Saturday as freshman Ryan Davidson was fouled with 0.7 seconds remaining. He knocked down both free throw attempts to give his team the one-point win. Davidson scored 18 points in the win while Sheppard turned in a 39-point scoring effort. Sheppard scores 18 of the Jaguars’ final 20 points. 3. South Laurel (11-4, 6-2) The Cardinals shook off some rust and almost defeated Clay County for the second time in one week. Senior Matt Cromer hit a 3-pointer to give his team a 58-57 lead with seconds remaining before seeing Clay County’s Jacob Curry hit a last second shot to give his team the win. Cromer finished with a game-High 32 points while Brett Norvell recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds. 4. Knox Central (14-2, 3-0) The Panthers are headed back to the Class 2A State Tournament for the second straight season after defeating both Bell County (66-61) and Corbin (75-70). The Panthers trailed the Redhounds by double digits before rallying to knock off Corbin by five points. Jevonte Turner continues his solid play along with his brother Kevionte Turner and Zach Patterson. 5. Harlan County (11-5, 2-2) The Black Bears opened some eyes during Saturday’s Bobby Keith Classic by defeating Montgomery County, 71-67. Taylor Spurlock continued his solid play by scoring 26 points while Jacob Wilson scored 16 points and finished with eight rebounds. 6. Corbin (11-5, 5-3) The Redhounds came close to knocking off Knox Central in the Class 2A Sectional title game. Corbin led by double digits, but couldn’t hold on, losing to the Panthers, 75-70. 7. Bell County (6-8, 3-3) The Bobcats had a chance to make noise in the Class 2A Sectional Tournament, but couldn’t overcome a slow start and fell to Knox Central, 66-61. 8. Middlesboro (8-6, 3-4) The Yellow Jackets will be facing Red Bird today (Monday) in semifinal action of the 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament. They survived a scare from Lynn Camp during second round action and won, 51-48. They’ll now face-off against Red Bird at 7:30 p.m. 9. Williamsburg (7-9, 3-6) Nick Napier’s Yellow Jackets were able to get some revenge from an earlier loss to OBI by defeating the Mountaineers, 88-78, during second round action of the 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament. Williamsburg will host Harlan today (Monday) at 6 p.m. in semifinal action. 10. Barbourville (7-7, 4-4) The Tigers suffered a 71-65 setback to Harlan during second round action of the 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament on Saturday. Many thought Barbourville had a chance to make some noise, but the Tigers couldn’t get past the Green Dragons. 11. Whitley County (7-9, 1-3) The Colonels’ inconsistent ply continued on Saturday after they suffered a 72-52 loss to East Jessamine. 12. Lynn Camp (9-8, 2-4) The Wildcats led most of their game against Middlesboro before falling to Middlesboro, 51-48, during second round action of the 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament. 13. Harlan (5-7, 3-3) The Green Dragons are beginning to heat up and will face host Williamsburg today (Monday) during semifinal action of the 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament after defeating Barbourville, 71-65. 14. Oneida Baptist (7-7, 6-3) The Mountaineers had hopes of making a deep run into this year’s 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament, but they dropped a 88-78 decision to Williamsburg during Saturday’s second round action. 15. Red Bird (4–12, 1-7) The Cardinals picked up a huge win in second round action of the 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament by defeating Jackson County, 70-69 Red Bird will play Middlesboro today (Monday) during semifinal action. 16. Jackson County (7-7, 2-5) The Generals’ return to the 13th Region All A Classic Boys Tournament didn’t turn out how they would have liked. Jackson County fell to Red Bird, 70-69, during second round action. 17. Pineville (5-7, 1-5) The Mountain Lions were able to snap a five-game losing skid by defeating White Academy, 85-73.

1. North Laurel (9-4, 4-0) The Jaguars came back from their trip to Florida by turning in what many believe was their best performance of the young season. North Laurel handed Pulaski County an 82-67 loss as freshman Ryan Davidson led the way with 22 points. Freshman Reed Sheppard added 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the win. 2. South Laurel (11-3, 6-1) The Cardinals will get to enjoy a week off after knocking off Clay County on Saturday, 56-55. Senior Matt Cromer continues to dominate, scoring 15 points during the win. South Laurel will be back in action on the road on Saturday against, yep you fussed it, Clay County. 3. Clay County (10-5, 4-1) The Tigers picked up their first-ever win over Scott County last Friday with a 75-64 victory but dropped a 56-45 decision to South Laurel on Saturday. The Tigers managed to get back on track Monday with an impressive 79-45 win over Jackson County. 4. Knox Central (12-2, 1-0) The Panthers are heating up at the right time. They managed to escape with a 74-66 win over Rockcastle County this past Saturday before defeating Perry Central on Monday, 73-67. Keep an eye on junior Jevonte Turner, he’s easily one of the top players in the region. 5. Harlan County (9-5, 2-2) The Black Bears avenged last week’s 70-59 loss to Knox Central by picking up wins over both Rye Cove, Va. (82-37) and Letcher Central (55-50). 6. Corbin (8-4, 3-2) The Redhounds were able to snap a two-game losing skid on Saturday as Matthew Taylor’s 25-point performance helped Corbin hand Cordia an 88-63 loss. 7. Bell County (5-7, 2-1) Brad Sizemore’s Bobcats picked up a huge win against Middlesboro last week. Bell County rallied from 14 points down with four minutes remaining in the game as London Stephney’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave his team a 46-43 win. 8. Oneida Baptist (6-6, 6-2) The Mountaineers will finally be back in action Friday after being off since Dec. 21, 2019. 9. Middlesboro (6-6, 1-4) The Yellow Jackets saw a 14-point lead with four minutes remaining against Bell County turn into a disappointing 46-43 last-second loss. They have now lost two games in a row. 10. Williamsburg (6-8, 2-5) The Yellow Jackets are losers of two straight, which includes a 77-49 loss at home to South Laurel last week. 11. Whitley County (6-7, 1-2) The Colonels are beginning to heat up at the right time. They recorded big wins over Pike Central (54-39) and Whitley County (46-44) last week. 12. Barbourville (6-5, 3-2) The Tigers’ inconsistent ways continued last week after falling to Whitley County, 46-44. 13. Lynn Camp (9-6, 2-2) Dinky Phipps’ Wildcats snapped a two-game slid after upending Jellico, Tenn. last week, 80-58. 14. Jackson County (7-5, 2-4) The Generals saw their four-game win streak come to an end on Monday after dropping a 79-45 decision to Clay County. 15. Harlan (3-7, 1-3) The return of Jordan Akal from an ankle injury will soon have the Green Dragons moving up in the rankings. 16. Pineville (4-6, 1-4) After a hot start, the Mountain Lions are losers of four straight and six of their last eight. 17. Red Bird (3-10, 0-5) First-year coach Brad Marsee seems to be having the Cardinals heading in the right direction after they won two of three games last week.

1. North Laurel (8-3 overall, 4-0 vs. 13th Region opponents) The Jaguars’ trio to Florida didn’t turn out the way they would have liked. After coming off wins over both South Laurel and Great Crossing, North Laurel posted a 1-2 record during this past week’s Rock Holiday Classic. Nate Valentine’s team will be teated Saturday against Pulaski County when the Jaguars compete against the Maroons in South Laurel’s Raymond Reed Classic. 2. Clay County (8-3, 3-0) After dropping three straight games last week, the Tigers have responded with three straight wins this past week. They’ll be playing John Hardin in today’s Cumberland Falls Invitational after picking up wins over Williamsburg and Knoxville Catholic. Clay County suffered a loss, though, after an injury to Raven Abner has sidelined one of the best defensive players in the 13th Region for at least four weeks. 3. South Laurel (9-3, 4-1) After dropping g two straight games with losses to both North Laurel and Lexington Christian, the Cardinals responded with three wins in its own Legacy Nissan Dribble Drive Challenge. South Laurel defeated Lynn Camp and Owen County before upending St. X, 67-56, in the title game. 4. Knox Central (8-2, 0-0) The defending 13th Region champions are winners of five straight after winning the Panther Holiday Classic this past week. Knox Central recorded wins over Halls, Tenn. and Louisville Western before defeating Gallatin County, 73-68, in the title game. 5. Harlan County (7-4, 2-1) The Black Bears dropped consecutive games to Lafayette (70-55) and Henry Clay (77-45) before defeating Leslie County (78-43) and East Ridge (63-49) in the Hyden Citizen Bank Classic. 6. Corbin (7-3, 3-2) The Redhounds are a much-improved team since their season-opening loss to Clay County. Corbin posted a 2-0 record in last week’s Big H BBQ Christmas Bash while defeating South Carolina’s Broome High School, 73-38, in its first game of the Cumberland Falls a Invitational. Tony Pietrowski’s squad fell to John Hardin, 67-66, and was scheduled to play Knoxville Catholic in their final game of the Cumberland Falls Invitational. 7. Bell County (4-6, 1-2) After getting off to a slow start, the Bobcats are beginning to show why many believe they’re going to be contenders for the 13th Region championship. After going 1-2 in the Smoky Mountain Classic, Bell County responded with an impressive 2-1 mark in South Laurel’s Legacy Nissan Dribble Drive Challenge. Brad Sizemore’s squad defeated Barren County, 67-61, and Owen County, 73-61, and dropped a close decision to St. X (61-57). 8. Oneida Baptist (6-6, 6-2) The Mountaineers have been off two weeks since posting an 0-3 record in the Smoky Mountain Classic. 9. Middlesboro (6-5, 1-3) The Yellow Jackets righted their ship by going 3-0 during last week’s M&W Shootout, but could t keep their three game win streak in tact after posting a 1-2 mark in the RW Baird Holiday Hoop Classic. 10. Barbourville (6-4, 3-1) The Tigers are winners of two of their last three games after upending Oneida, Tenn., 58-50 on Monday. Barbourville has a key road game Friday against Whitley County. 11. Williamsburg (5-6, 2-4) After starting the season 5-2, the Yellow Jackets are now loser’s of four straight games. They did turn in a stellar effort to Clay County a few days ago before losing, 74-70. 12. Lynn Camp (8-6, 2-2) The Wildcats followed a 2-2 effort in the Arby’s/KFC Holiday Classic by going 1-2 during this week’s Legacy Nissan Dribble Drive Classic. 13. Whitley County (5-7, 0-2) The Colonels’ inconsistent play continued during the Mountain Schoolboy Classic. Whitley County went 1-2 during its stay while recording its only win against Pike Central. 14. Jackson County (6-4, 1-3) The haven’t played since winning three straight games during last week’s Berea All ‘A’ Holiday Classic. 15. Pineville (4-5, 1-3) The Mountain Lions are losers of three straight, but they are much-improved from last season. Three of their losses have been by four points or less. 16. Harlan (2-7, 1-3) The Green Dragons were able to snap a three-game losing skid last week with a win and added another victory a few days ago. The big key is they’ve been able to regain the services of sophomore Jordan Akal, who has missed most of the season due to an injury. 17. Red Bird (1-8, 0-5) The Cardinals posted an 0-3 mark in the Berea All ‘A’ Classic.

1. North Laurel (7-1 overall, 4-0 vs. 13th Region opponents) The Jaguars have been rolling along since it’s season-opening loss to Collins. North Laurel has won seven games in a row, including a 73-63 win over South Laurel and a 75-63 victory over Great Crossing. Freshmen and cousin duo Reed Sheppard and Ryan Davidson turned in big efforts during The Jaguars’ win over the Cardinals. Sheppard had 21 points in the win while Davidson added 20 points. 2. Clay County (6-3, 2-0) The Tigers snapped a three-game losing skid by defeating Palmetto, Fla., 75-64. The win Clay County to post a 1-2 mark during its stay in the King if the Bluegrass. The Tigers’ losses came against Madisonville-North Hopkins (83-57), and Louisville Trinity (60-58). Clay County has had balanced scoring so far this season with Connor Robinson leading the way with 17.4 points per game while Jacob Curry is adding 16 points per game. 3. South Laurel (6-3, 3-1) The Cardinals have dropped consecutive contests for the first time in 52 games after falling to both North Laurel (73-63) and Lexington Christian (55-53) this past week. South Laurel hung tough in both games despite senior Matt Cromer still battling an ankle injury while Micah Anders missed the Lexington Christian game due to an injury. Even with the losses, Jeff Davis’ squad showed they will be a team to reckon with in the region this season. 4. Harlan County (5-4, 2-1) The Black Bears are struggling a bit after dropping two straight matchups (Henry Clay and Lafayette) in the Henry Clay Holiday Invitational, but did manage to beat Shelby County, 77-48. Harlan County drooped a 77-45 decision to Henry Clay and fell 70-55 to Shelby County. 5. Knox Central (5-2, 0-0) The Panthers were able to turn in a 2-1 effort in the Derby Classic by getting wins over Elliott County (80-47) and East Ridge (70-32). Sophomore Javonte Turner continues to lead the way for Knox Central, scoring more than 22 points per game. 6. Corbin (6-2, 3-2) Tony Pietrowski’s Redhounds continue to impress and reeled off two wins in the Big H BBQ Christmas Bash. Corbin handed West Greene a 66-42 loss and defeated Hancock County a 77-38 defeat. The Redhounds will try to unseat Clay County as champions of the Cumberland Falls Invitational this week. 7. Bell County (2-5, 1-2) The Bobcats are beginning to get in the groove after getting their football players back. Bell County recorded a 60-41 victory over Whitefield Academy while falling to Johnson Central, 64-61. 8. Oneida Baptist (6-6, 6-2) The Mountaineers entered this past week rolling along after getting wins over both Pineville and Williamsburg, but dropped three straight during their stay in the Smokey Mountain Classic. Oneida Baptist will now be off until Jan. 10 when the Mountaineers will play Jenkins at home. 9. Barbourville (4-3, 3-1) The Tigers are another team that got off to a fast start (4-1), but now they’re riding a two-game Laing skid after losses to both Madison Southern (79-61) and Frankfort (61-58). Barbourville will try to get back on track this week during its stay in the South Fork Physical Therapy Christmas Classic. 10. Middlesboro (5-3, 1-3) The Yellow Jackets are a hard team to gauge. They’ve already went through a stretch where they dropped three of four games, but now they’re winners of three straight with wins over Campbellsville (58-39), Southwestern (53-51) and Casey County (70-60). The three wins allowed Middlesboro to post an impressive 3-0 record during their stay in the M&W Shootout. 11. Lynn Camp (6-3, 2-1) Dinky Phipps’ Wildcats have the talent to make noise this season, but remain inconsistent after dropping games to both McCreary Central (85-72) and Wayne County (93-60) this past week. They did manage to knock off Garrard County, 68-62, to go 1-2 during the Arby’s/KFC Holiday Classic. 12. Williamsburg (5-4, 2-3) The Yellow Jackets have hit a couple of bumps in the road recently, going 1-3 during their last four games, which included losses to Oneida Baptist (72-69), Lynn Camp (60-55) and Wayne County (62-58). 13. Whitley County (4-5, 0-2) The Colonels are quietly putting together a pretty impressive run that has saw them go 3-1 during their last four games. 14. Jackson County (6-4, 1-3) The Generals are beginning to catch stride, posting a perfect 3-0 mark in the Berea All A Holiday Classic. Once Logan Rose gets back from an injury, Jackson County will be even tougher to beat. 15. Pineville (4-4, 1-3) The Mountain Lions are a much-improved team and have already surprised. They started the season with two wins, but are 2-4 since. 16. Harlan (1-6, 1-3) The Green Dragons continue to struggle to find a win since star player Jordan Akal went down with an injury. 17. Red Bird (1-8, 0-5) The Cardinals’ struggles continue, and now have dropped four games in a row.

I do know Bowling Green was 16-of-22 from the free-throw line and South Laurel was 17-of-21.

1. North Laurel (4-1 overall, 2-0 vs. 13th Region competition) The Jaguars are winners of four straight since their loss to Collins to open the season. North Laurel moves into the top spot after seeing Clay County fall to Hazard on Saturday. I expect to see these two teams switch places a handful of times throughout the season. Freshmen Reed Sheppard and Ryan Davidson have been playing well along with senior Cole Kelley and sophomore Eli Sizemore. Sheppard has been flirting with a triple-double the past few games while Davidson and Kelley have provided scoring and rebounding for North Laurel. Sizemore has been key with the Isaiah Alexander out due to a back injury. Sizemore’s 3-point shooting has been spot-on for the Jaguars. North Laurel has a big test this week against South Laurel. 2. Clay County (5-1, 2-0) The Tigers looked as if they were going to cruise to another WYMT Mountain Classic championship, but Hazard managed to snap Clay County’s five-game win streak and knock off the Tigers, 57-43. The 43 points were the lowest scoring output of the season for Clay County. Things don’t get any easier this week for the Tigers with the King of the Bluegrass coming up. Clay County will face-off Madisonville-North Hopkins to begin the tournament. 3. South Laurel (5-1, 2-0) The Cardinals also saw their five-game win streak snapped after falling to 12th Region power Lincoln County on Saturday, 54-40. The 40 points were the lowest offensive output of the season by South Laurel, as Matt Cromer led the way with 19 points. He scored 34 points during the Cardinals’ win over Bowling Green on Friday. South Laurel has two tests this week with games against Corbin and North Laurel. 4. Harlan County (3-2, 1-1) The Black Bears split a pair of games this past week by surviving an overtime thriller against 52nd District foe Bell County (65-59) before falling to Pulaski County (74-69) on Saturday. Harlan County has all of the ingredients to make a push for the 13th Region championship and the key to its success could depend on Taylor Spurlock, who leads the team with a 24-point scoring average. 5. Knox Central (2-1, 0-0) The Panthers posted a 1-1 mark during the WYMT Mountain Classic, but our on a show during their 71-58 win over Pike Central. Jevonte Turner scores 30 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and recorded six assists during the 13-point win. Knox Central will be tested again with some more tournaments coming up and won’t play their first 13th Region battle until Jan. 2 against Harlan County. 6. Corbin (3-1, 2-1) The Redhounds are 3-0 since their season-opening loss to Clay County. The trip of Josh Hibbitts, Matt Taylor and Cole Hicks have been hrs to stop during Corbin’s three-game win streak. Coach Tony Pietrowski recorded his 400th career win during the Redhounds’ 55-44 victory over Middlesboro this past week. The Redhounds also picked up a huge 84-74 50th District win over Williamsburg at home a few days ago that saw Corbin fight back from a late-game five point deficit. A lot of folks counted the Redhounds out after their loss to Clay County, but like I’ve said, you can never count out a Tony Pietrowski-coached team. 7. Williamsburg (4-1, 2-1) The Yellow Jackets lost a heartbreaker on Friday after dropping an 84-74 decision to 50th District for Corbin. It was a game Williamsburg led throughout Friday’s contest, but the Yellow Jackets just couldn’t hold on. Nick Napier’s squad responded well on Saturday by upending Leslie County with ease, 81-55. 8. Barbourville (4-1, 3-1) The Tigers continue their impressive play after picking up wins over McCreary Central and Red Bird, but dropped a 79-61 decision to Madison Southern on Saturday. 9. Bell County (0-3, 0-2) The Bobcats are probably ranked a tad bit too low, but until they get a win, I can’t move them up any spots. Bell County almost pulled off a victory over Harlan County, but dropped a 65-59 overtime decision to their 52nd District counterparts. They followed the loss with a 57-55 setback on the road to Estill County. 10. Middlesboro (2-2, 1-2) The Yellow Jackets has a chance to move up, but dropped a 55-44 decision at home to Corbin, but did respond with a 55-44 win over an improved Pineville squad. 11. Oneida Baptist (4-3, 4-2) The Mountaineers are edging closer to the Top 10, but took one on the chin Saturday when they fell to North Laurel, 79-46. They do have regional wins over Red Bird, Jackson County, Pineville and Lynn Camp. 12. Lynn Camp (4-1, 1-1) Dinky Phipps’ squad saw their four-game win streak get snapped after falling on the road to OBI, 66-62. The Wildcats have a chance to get back o track this week with a home game against Williamsburg. 13. Whitley County (2-4, 0-2) The young Colonels are quietly getting better. They snapped a four-game losing skid with a 76-72 win over White Academy, Tenn. this past week. 14. Pineville (3-2, 1-2) The Mountain Lions are much-improves from lat season, thanks to the play of Sean Phipps, who is averaging 18.6 this season. 15. Jackson County (3-2, 1-2) The Generals are getting better each time they step into the court. They’re currently riding a two-game win streak after beating both Powell County (97-76) and Owsley County (67-61)z 16. Harlan (1-5, 1-3) The Green Dragons are struggling. Losing the services of Jordan Akal has been a big blow to Harlan. 17. Red Bird (1-4, 0-4) The Cardinals almost knocked off Barbourville before losing 64-61, but did pick up a 65-45 win over June Buchanan.