CAL4ALL

Sigh...comments like "gotta sell papers" only increase the mistaken idea that Litkenhous uses local sportswriters/voters to rank the teams like a poll. Litkenhous ratings for sports (starting with college football) have been around since 1934. Although the C-J bought the rights and the formula has been tweaked over the years between seasons, the ratings are still computer-generated. Any argument should focus on the formula involving win-loss records, strength of schedule, score differential, etc. To say the formula favors Louisville teams may appear true one season and not the next. Rowan County may well be the top team in the state, but they don't fit the formula as well for this rating system at this point. The good news is they'll have the chance to prove it on the court.

This one was tight throughout. CAL's biggest lead was about 5 points and I don't believe Mercy ever led by more than 3, the same as the final score. At crunch time in the final minute, CAL led 55-54 and was at the free-throw line for 1+1. A miss, a foul, and Mercy's ability to close out by making the final four free throws provided the difference. As expected, it was a physical game, but each team respected the other. They'll probably meet again at least once more at the LIT or regional tournament. The Lady Jaguars continue to improve their offensive chemistry.

Could we clarify the "Christian" in the thread? Notre Dame beat Lexington "Christian" Academy (LCA) by 20-plus points, but "Christian" Academy of Louisville (CAL) beat Notre Dame by 19 points, 51-32 (incorrectly reported as 54-32 on the KHSAA site). In regard to the Litkenhous, aka Litratings, they have existed for decades for a variety of sports and likely will continue along with the debates. However, misunderstanding could be lessened if fans would read the statement the Courier-Journal publishes about the Litratings' formula: "The Litratings are a computerized power ranking of each team in Kentucky based on a formula that includes records, strength of schedule and margin of victory. Games against out-of-state opponents are not included." Link: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090109/SPORTS05/901090498/1031 --Head-to-head games count no more, no less, than other games. --Manual's rating of 99.8 is so slight over Rowan County's 99.1 that it could change on a weekly basis, even if neither team loses, based on strength of schedule. --Perhaps most important, the only true ranking will be determined during the post-season district, regional, and state tournaments.

It's worth noting that he listed Rowan County at #10 even before their big win over Manual.

Yes, congrats to Rowan County on two big wins in a row. I think they deserve a high ranking. Perhaps Jason Frakes of the Courier-Journal deserves some credit for putting them at #10 even before last night's game. I don't think it diminishes Rowan's victory at all to say the game meant more to them. Should it have meant as much to Manual? Of course. However, the reality is that a non-ranked or lower-ranked team often has more desire to prove themselves, a worthy motivation. The challenge for the higher-ranked team is to remain hungry every game. On a related note, I wouldn't take offense if someone said that CAL's recent wins over top ten-ranked Elizabethtown and Montgomery County were because they were "bigger games" for CAL than the other teams.

Although officials do try to make sure players line up properly, I would agree with KSCTU's statement concerning the rule. It is ultimately the player's responsibility to make sure he/she is in the right position.

I could then see a foul on the defensive player doing the pulling. However, I think we are missing specific details to make a clear decision. Yes, the official missed the original check. Even so, an offensive player should also know not to take the position closest to the basket instead of leaving it up to the official to change.

I agree that the administering official should have stopped it. However, it was not stopped, leaving questions. The way the "play is described" does not specify if the offensive player did not adhere to the new NFHS (of which KHSAA is a member) revision for 2008-09 with the free throw lane spots nearest the endline vacant, something current coaches, players (and possibly even officials) need to be more cognizant of. If anything, it sounds like she took the now-prohibited spot. You're right, the "pulled" player's violation had nothing to do with her leaving her spot, though it's obvious for the other player. Unfortunate for the shooting team, but too many question marks for the "no way this is a double violation" statement, so with the known info, I'd still have to side with the official at the game.

Violation #1: The marked lane space closest to the basket must be occupied by a defensive player. Just because a defensive player does not take that space does not mean an offensive player may do so, though many people seem to have an old-school "but it's an open spot" view of this. There was also a NFHS rule revision for 2008-09 stating that the marked lane spaces closest to the end line are to remain vacant, moving players up a space in order to reduce the amount of "rough play" potential. I'm not sure if this was true in the situation you described, but I don't think it would change anything. Also, as usual, no more than two players on offense are allowed to be in the lane spots, though I've also seen this overlooked. Violation #2: No player may step out of the marked lane area early (after the free-throw shooter is preparing to shoot). At the officials' discretion, a double violation results in a possession as called. I guess it's possible, but unlikely, that an intentional foul could have resulted. As strange as it may seem, it appears the correct call was made according to the rules.

End of 1st Qtr.: CAL 16, Manual 11 Halftime: CAL 30, Manual End of 3rd Qtr.: CAL 41, Manual 37 Final: Manual 62 CAL 57 Scoring: Manual: Wilson 18, Jones 11, Wright 9, Guess 8, Klein 5, Harbison 4, Hester 3, Martin 2, Wright 2 CAL: Slaughter 23, Buchanan 14, Karst 10, Bowman 6, Walden 4 Shooting: Manual: Total FG 22/55 (40%), 3-pt. 6/14 (42.9%), FT 12/17 (70.6%) CAL: Total FG 15/38 (39.5%), 3-pt. 5/10 (50%), FT 22/30 (73.3%) Summary: 1st quarter: After an early injury scare for Avery Jones of Manual, the Lady Crimsons took an early lead by creating some CAL turnovers. CAL responded with a surge of its own, breaking the press for an easy bucket by Bowman and forcing Manual to foul to stop additional run-outs. Karst scored on one lay-up and went 5 of 6 from the free-throw line for a 16-11 margin in favor of CAL. 2nd quarter: It was Avery Jones' turn to shine in the 2nd period, scoring 9 points with some nice moves in the paint. CAL also worked it inside to Slaughter for 6 and Bowman for 4 before she got into some foul trouble trying to slow down Jones. A basket just before halftime cut CAL's lead to one at 30-29 and provided some momentum for Manual. 3rd quarter: Both coaches must have made some frontcourt defensive adjustments because the scoring moved to the perimeter, especially for CAL with Buchanan knocking down two 3-pointers and Slaughter finding the range on a third. Manual found an open Guess as their go-to shooter for 6 points but still trailed 41-37. 4th quarter: Where there's a "Wil"son, there's a way. Slaughter scored 12 of her 23 in the 4th quarter, but Wilson scored 13 to turn a 4-point deficit of 55-51 into a 62-57 win with three 3-pointers and 4/4 from the charity stripe. The five-point margin was the largest lead of the game for Manual after she hit the free throws to overcome the Lady Centurions. Key to the game: Beforehand, I thought the difference might be turnovers and free throws similar to CAL's morning semifinal game against Mercy, but the turnovers were nearly a draw and CAL shot free throws well at 73%. In this game, second-chance points determined the outcome, allowing Wilson to have extra shots when it mattered most. The teams tied at 20 on defensive rebounds, but the Lady Crimsons corralled a 9-rebound advantage on the offensive end leading to 13 points on 2nd-chance shots. Buchanan collected 10 rebounds for CAL as part of her double-double, but with Bowman's playing time limited due to foul trouble, others were unable to make up the gap. Records: Manual: 9-0 CAL: 10-1 Final thoughts: With 3 of the final 4 squads belonging to the 7th region in this top-notch annual tournament of 28 teams, it's easy to believe the words of the official scorer sitting next to me. In the game's closing moments, he stated, "The 7th region will be a war this year." Manual, CAL, Mercy, Sacred Heart, Assumption are all still scheduled to play each other at least one more time during the regular season, possibly again in the LIT, and potentially in districts/regionals. Only one will survive to reach the Sweet 16 where other powers await.

Top-5 ranked Manual overcame a four-point deficit in the final minutes to defeat CAL in the championship game of the Republic Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic. The game remained close throughout with eight lead changes before Manual's April Wilson came alive in the 4th quarter with 13 points. Summary and stats to follow...

Yes, I believe Caldwell Co. is in the Lady Rocket Invitational. Campbell Co. won the Mt. Dew Shootout at Mason Co. and will compete in the Queen of the Bluegrass after Christmas.

Yes, coupled with their win over Boone County, the Lady Vikings should be ranked. Does anyone know why khsaa.org is reporting the score as a 60-55 win for Notre Dame and as a loss for Rowan County? Did they play each other more than once today?

Yes, it is difficult to win with a low shooting percentage. This has been true of every team CAL has played, indicating some of it must be due to the defensive effort/strategy; however, sometimes it's just one of those days where the ball won't fall in the basket. For example, CAL's Buchanan only scored three points today, way below her double-digit average as she and Slaughter usually share scoring honors. The Lady Indians did a superb defensive job on her. Fortunately for CAL, she knows that means Slaughter or Karst often have more space to work, and the one 3-pointer she finally hit in the 4th quarter was perfect timing. 1st quarter: As I anticipated, CAL got off to a sluggish start while Montgomery Co. looked sharp. Their fan support appeared to energize them and Jehlik and Webb kept it rolling with some nice interior passing for an 18-9 first quarter lead. CAL was a step slow, causing them to pick up some fouls and generate little offense other than Slaughter. 2nd quarter: A renewed defensive effort and slight changes to slow Jehlik allowed CAL to creep back into it by halftime at 21-20. Hart and Bowman can often score in or around the paint when teams focus too much on Slaughter and Buchanan. 3rd quarter: The Lady Indians were on the attack again to begin the 2nd half, extending their lead to a few baskets. 4th quarter: CAL patiently worked to erase Montgomery County's lead, limiting their turnovers while creating some for the Lady Indians. Buchanan's three-pointer, Slaughter's agility, and Bowman's free throws sealed the deal in a tight game. Records: CAL: 9-0 Montgomery Co.: 6-1 Both teams have tough match-ups on Tuesday as CAL faces the relentless pressure of an improving Mercy squad and Montgomery County goes up against a talented Butler team. I'm not sure if CAL will be the sole survivor to go to Diddle, but I think Montgomery County will be among the Sweet 16.

I believe that CAL, Notre Dame, and Simon Kenton should all be ranked and that Boone County, Franklin County, Rowan County, and Central Hardin should also receive a ranking or serious consideration. Of course, the "snub" of CAL wasn't intentional, simply a lack of awareness outside of Louisville and Lexington. The Courier-Journal and the Herald-Leader included CAL in their preseason rankings. Even then, the C-J preview had a discrepancy. CAL was identified in the article by local 7th region coaches as co-favorite with Manual and with Mercy as a dark horse candidate. However, in the poll of coaches across the state, Manual, Mercy, and Sacred Heart were all ranked ahead of CAL at #21. It's tough to get to Diddle when other teams aren't exactly easy wins on any given night: Assumption, J-town, Eastern, etc. I realize this is also true of some other regions. BluegrassPreps girls' basketball preview stated that six teams in the 7th region could be ranked among the top 25 in the state, yet the actual BGP poll included only one 7th region team, Manual. That seems odd. Perhaps this is because one person writes and sbumits the preview while many are involved in creating the weekly ranking? Especially in preseason, three factors probably weigh heavily in rankings: last year's record/performance, a traditional powerhouse reputation, and subjectivity that understandably favors teams in one's own area. Fortunately, tournaments such as the Republic Bank (Lexington Catholic) Holiday Classic tend to provide some clarification, at least for the moment. There's a long way to go.

CAL's Lady Centurions rallied in the 2nd and 4th quarters to pull out a victory over the top-10 ranked Montgomery Co. Lady Indians and advance to the semifinals of the Republic Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic.

I hope the Lady Centurions got some rest today before Monday morning's 9:00 a.m. tipoff, their fourth game in five days. They were tired by the 4th quarter against E-town, so they could be sluggish tomorrow when they need to be sharp. If both teams are energetic, it should be a good one. Even the loser goes on to play top-notch competition on Tuesday afternoon, Butler or Mercy.

The winner of Sunday's game between Manual and Wayne Co.

You must put a lot of stock in CAL. According to the BluegrassPreps rankings, E-town is ranked #4 and CAL is currently unranked. However, the C-J and Herald-Leader both rank CAL in the lower half of the top 25.

End of 1st Qtr.: CAL 16, E-town 11 Halftime: CAL 30, E-town 22 End of 3rd Qtr.: CAL 41, E-town 30 End of regulation: CAL 43, E-town 43 End of overtime: CAL 50, E-town 47 Scoring: CAL: Slaughter 21, Buchanan 15, Karst 8, Bowman 3, Hart 3 E-town: Greenwell 27, Jones 11, Downs 6, Gilpin 3 Shooting: CAL: Total FG 16/37 (42.3%), 3-pt. 9/19 (47.4%), FT 9/19 (47.4%) E-town: Total FG 11/37 (29.7%), 3-pt. 4/11 (36.4%), FT 21/25 (84%) Summary: Although CAL never trailed during the game, it took the extra four minutes for the Lady Centurions to upset the top-5 ranked Lady Panthers. As the linescore indicates, both relied heavily on their starters with only nine players scoring all of the points. The victory belongs to CAL, but the MVP may belong to E-town's Natalie Greenwell who shot a perfect 18/18 from the charity stripe and added nine more points from the field. Although sloppy for both teams at times due to presses and traps (each team with just over 20 turnovers), CAL appeared to be in control for in the first half, hitting 8/13 three-pointers to forge their largest lead at 28-16 midway though the 2nd quarter. However, E-town kept it close in the 3rd quater and limited CAL to two points in the 4th quarter. With no players in foul trouble (except for Downs), Coach Mudd must have instructed his girls to get more aggressive. The strategy was effective for at least three reasons: intensive effort for E-town, weary 4th-quarter legs for CAL playing their third game in three days, and CAL's poor free-throw shooting until overtime. Greenwell tied the game at 43 on another of her impressive driving lay-ups. However, CAL had just enough energy to cage the Lady Panthers in the overtime period with Allison Karst hitting the final free throws. Records: CAL: 8-0 E-town: 5-1 After a brief, much-needed Sunday rest, CAL plays a tough Montgomery Co. squad (after their win over Lexington Christian) on Monday mornning at 9:00 a.m.

This one went to overtime before CAL pulled out the victory in a 2nd round game of the Republic Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic. Stats/details to follow.

Yes, CAL has enough experience to prepare and adapt defensive strategies for each opponent. Of course, it takes intensity to make it happen on the floor. Last week they held Notre Dame to 32 after the Pandas had scored over 80 points against Lexington Christian. Even so, CAL doesn't usually play a slow tempo, except for when leading at the end of a half and in 4th-quarter situations to control the clock. Preparation may prove more difficult in a tournament format like the Republic Bank Holiday Classic with minimal prep time and top-notch/highy-ranked competition. Tomorrow afternoon's game against E-town will be a major test on both ends of the court.

In the opening round of the Republic Bank Holiday Classic, the Lady Centurions jumped out to a 15-3 in the 1st quarter, led the Lady Tigers 30-13 at the half, and managed the clock in the 2nd half for a 48-30 victory. Leading scorers: CAL: Clair Buchanan - 18, Antonita Slaughter - 8, Hannah Bowman - 8 Clay Co.: Whitney Jackson - 12, Danielle Fox - 10

Sorry about the win over LexCath reference...I glitched and was thinking about how LCA beat LexCath. Yes, it was "one of those nights" for the Pandas. CAL played good defense and NDA missed open shots as well. With 12 fouls called on CAL in the first half, the Pandas failed to capitalize on opportunities from the line.

Game played as part of Henry Co. Classic tournament. CAL jumped out to a 10-0 lead. The Pandas came out flat and could only get it going in spurts. Antonita Slaughter and Clair Buchanan scored in double digits. It was a nice win for CAL and perhaps a wake-up call for Notre Dame after big victories over Lexington Christian and Lexington Catholic. Current records: CAL is 5-0. Notre Dame is 3-1.