The Professor

I’d like to see her in a Wildcat uniform but I realize that will never happen. By the way, what’s the latest on UK’s search for a coaching replacement?

I agree. Northern Kentucky has grown in population like crazy over the past few decades. I have quite a few Appalachia relatives that moved up there for jobs over the past 50 years.

Where is the feeling by people who know her where Zakiyah Johnson is leaning towards in her recruitment. The junior is gonna be a nice addition to some lucky team’s roster.

I knew something was wrong because he was point blank angle to an easy shot and missed badly.

Unless it’s the two Jefferson County regions that are from the most populous metropolitan area in Kentucky (stretching into surrounding counties) it is ludricrous to have teams in the same county in different regions, in my opinion. The KHSAA has some odd alignments around the state. Another that stands out to me is North and South Laurel were put in separate districts in the 13th region. Those two schools aren’t but about 3 miles apart.

Great Crossing by 20+.

Frieze missed a gimmie point blank shot late in the game from a nice pass for Ashland and I think the score was tied or a 1 point game. Players are going to miss makable shots, it’s just part of the game. But the timing on that one with not much time left in the game magnified it. By the way, two teams won’t be much farther apart in location in Kentucky that these two….345 miles!

I haven’t posted yet on the game but I want to say that people around the state don’t really grasp the meaning and importance to the Owsley County community for this opportunity to play in the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. No Owsley County team sport such as basketball, baseball/softball, volleyball, etc, had ever been to the state tournament. The boys and girls basketball had come close in the past, boys losing in the region championship game in 1983 and 1985, and the girls losing in the finals in 1988 and in overtime on a last second shot in 2022. Baseball was region runner up in 1980. But this 2024 Lady Owls team finally did it. Although they came up 2 points short of winning the opening round vs Bowling Green they battled to the end. Owsley Countians far and wide will always celebrate this team. To see the words “Owsley” on that big scoreboard jumbo screen over center court still gives me goosebumps thinking about it. Our fans were so excited and when I looked in their sections from the press row table (I was helping broadcast an audio stream for Bluegrass Sports Nation) I could see the jubilation on their faces. The maroon clad fans were sitting in three different sections and there were quite a few of them and they were loud and cheering like crazy. Owsley County at 4,000 is 119th population rank of the state’s 120 counties. Owsley County’s school district has 650 students grades K-12. The high school has 187 enrollment. It is a huge challenge to overcome those numbers to make it to Rupp and is one of the reasons they have never been until this year. And this celebration will continue into next season with a raising of the 14th Regional Championship banner in “The Palace”, the nickname for Owsley’s 1200 capacity gymnasium. Coach Travis Smith is to be commended, along with his staff of coaches—Kyle Bobrowski, Brent Lynch and Donnie Edwards—for a great and successful 26-10 season. The team won their 5th consecutive 56th district championship and 19th in school history. And Coach Smith’s daughter, Carly, was named Player of the Year in the 14th Region. These coaches and girls have taken our community on a magical ride this season!

Yes. I hadn’t thought of that.

Central was also runner up in the KHSAA tournament in 2009, losing in double overtime to Covington Holmes. And what makes that interesting is Central came into the tournament that year as the only team in it with a losing record.

Great Crossing should win this game easily. By the way, is this the first Sweet 16 for both these schools?

I agree with Reno. This game will be closer than many think. Ashland has been there and done that…..like five straight times and this year makes six. Zander Carter is a D-1 commit and is surrounded by a good supporting cast. And as mentioned they have played a tough schedule. I think Lyon County will win but if it is in a romp I’ll be surprised. However, I understand that Lyon County has also played a difficult schedule and their 20 point win at Lexington Catholic keeps reminding me that when their whole squad is healthy they can be an awesome machine with Mr Basketball and Kentucky commit Travis Perry leading the way.

My experiences with the capacity seating that gyms have posted on their walls or in media guides is that they are inflated.

I’ll take Perry Central by 4. Most thought this game would be Hazard vs Pikeville but they don’t call it March Madness for no reason.

I believe they could beat quite a few small colleges in Kentucky. Their entire team from the last sub to the starters will most likely play college basketball, and several will be high D1.

I know Lyon County has a lot of firepower but how in the world did a future regional champ lose by 50 to them??? Going by that number it sounds like Marshall County shouldn’t have much trouble with Adair.

Zander Carter is a heck of a player. Liberty is getting a good addition to their program. Ashland’s Colin Porter is a sophomore in his second season as a starter for the Flames.

Sacred Heart looks like a college team. I don’t see anyone in this tournament giving them any problems.

Thank you ASB! Yes, it means a lot to our county. There was a long possession of vehicles with police and emergency vehicles escorting the Lady Owls into Booneville last night. I saw a lot of tears and celebrations.

Well, this loss and the 3rd region loss by Daviess County has pretty much sunk my Sweet 16 picks in a contest I entered.

Owsley County (25-9) advances to the championship game for the second time in three years. They will play regional tournament host Estill County (16-18) Saturday at 7:00. The all-56th championship will be the first trip to the Sweet 16 in history for a 56th District team.

Owsley County used a 22-13 scoring advantage over Knott Central in the second quarter of the first quarterfinal game of the 14th region tournament and never trailed thereafter. The Lady Owls (24-9) led by double digits the rest of the game and went on to defeat Knott Central (20-13) by a score of 59-43.

14th Region (boys and girls) will be carried on Bluegrass Sports Nation (BSN).

The Lady Owls got a tough draw. They will have to run the gauntlet of Knott Central, Perry Central and Letcher Central to earn a trip to play in Rupp. Similar scenario in 2022. Drew Knott Central and had to play Leslie Co in the semis. Made it to the championship and lost a heartbreaker by 1 point to Letcher Central on a buzzer beater in overtime.

Boyd’s loss of their PG Taylor Bartrum midway through the season to injury was a big blow to the Lady Lions. They were never the same as they were earlier. I saw them at the PRTC Classic in McKee in early December and they were really clicking on all cylinders. And at the time were rated in the top 20.