Master of the Hardwood

The 14th always has a lot of talk about this and that. Not really a lot of talk this year yet, but a couple that people have already been talking about are: 1. Coach Hatcher, PCC, always wanting to get closer to his family, this makes the Pike Central job a good choice for him. I'm sure things will heat up after the Regional tourney next week or after the state tourney, if PCC can get by Hazard or Knott. 2. Speaking of Knott, I believe that if Knott doesn't win this year, they will be looking for someone to grab the reigns and run, even if they do get to Rupp, the super still may want a change. Stamper and Cox coming back next year would help any coach say yes to this job. Possibilities: John High, Al Holland, Cavanaugh Trent Have all been mentioned in conversations. 3. Coach Justice, Letcher Central, they have had some talented teams and haven't proved it to the region the last couple of years and have lost some big games this year as well. Coach Justice I'm sure is feeling the pressure going into the regional tourney. May need to pull a couple upsets to cool off the hot seat. This would be a nice job for a lot of people. No names have been mentioned though. 4. Coach Creech, Wolfe County, I have heard this may be his last regional tourney. They have been making changes there for the last couple years and I'm afraid he is the next one to be asked to step down. Updates on these to follow after the regional tourney I'm sure!

This would mean there were no upsets and the Pre-Season top 4 schools end up the final 4 in the end! That doesn't happen much and I don't see it happening here either. Yes it all depends on the draw, but don't see it coming out this pretty! But I do see the trip to Rupp coming from the 54th! Too much talent for Hazard and too much Defense from Perry for any one to upset them! A Hazard/Perry final in the Region will be a great way to finish the year.:dancingpa

Just nice to see a lot of different people get an opportunity to go. Not fair seeing the same old faces every year. There is not a very big difference in the top 3 most of the time and it's good for everyone to get a chance to go to the big show!

Rumor has it: 1.Heard John High was interested in coming back to the mountains, maybe at Knott Central? Don't know for sure, but that is the talk! 2. Also, Perry Central's Randy Napier is being talked to about coming west about an hour. 3. Coach Melton at Cordia will probably be hanging up the whistle after this year too. 4. Coach Fannin at Hazard I believe may be retiring. 5. Coach Jones at Powell I believe will be stepping down as well. These are just the changes that people are talking about around the region. I'm sure the final decisions haven't been made yet and may take a little while, people always change their minds when it comes to these things.

When Knott, Cordia, or JBS hold the district, they use Knott County Central, so 3 out of 5 years it will be there! The other two will be at Letcher and Jenkins for now. Rumor has it, one of these 5 teams will be out of this district to help with the super district in the 15 next year. Don't know who, but logically and geographically it should be Jenkins. Only time will tell.

Don't forget to add that the 12th and 14th also drew each other to play the first round of the state tourney too! That will make it interesting! Now that is a conflict of interest!

That is why they use the coaches ratings 80% and the assignor's 20% to see who goes where, LRCW gets 0%!:thumb:

14th Mike Melton, First state tourney appearance for him.

With the way the ratings are done right now, it's just simply a popularity contest and highly political. There has never really been a fair way to do the ratings of officials and I really don't know how they can change it to make it better, but there is something that definitely needs to be done, because it's all a big joke the way it's done right now! Congrats to all the guys who are going to the dance, make your regions proud!

Either way, win or lose, Hazard and Perry will be in opposite brackets and can only face each other in the regional finals. So depending on which half of the bracket Knott gets put in, will determine who has the advantage. One of them would have to play Knott one night and then come back the next night and play the finals. So barring any upsets, whoever is opposite of Knott has the advantage and has a great shot at winning the region. With all the travel and playing late on the night before the finals, it will take a lot of toll out on these teams.

Knott has the best atmosphere and stadium seating, only thing wrong with Knott is that there is only one way in and one way out. Makes for a hard time getting in and out on busy nights. But the gym is perfect. Perry has 2nd best seating and has great parking, in and out is very easy from several different directions. Letcher is a nice place, but not nearly big enough for the number of kids they have in their school. They can barely put all the students in it. Also Parking lot is big enough, but again only one way in and out, makes for long lines when exiting afterwards. Hazard don't have nearly enough seats and unless you know someone you have to park at the bottom of the hill and walk up about 1/2 a mile, totally ridiculous. They have enough room over at their high school, they need to build a new one with more parking. Breathitt's is nice but doesn't have enough seats or enough parking. Powell has the parking, but is not really a nice place to play. Other than those, none of the other gyms have enought seats to talk about. But if you like really small gyms for games, we have several of those and makes for a great atmosphere when they are standing all over the place to watch a big district game.

Everyone has their ups and downs, I guess after this year, it will be someone else's turn!

That is why I said Lincoln would come out! As for why, the 12th doesn't have as many refs as the 10th and 11th does. Geographically it's impossible for someone in the 12th to not have a conflict of interest in this region. In the 10th and 11th, there are over 100 officials that can call and they can find people to work in other areas than where they live. Lots of the other regions always switch out, they used to even switch out in the districts and I believe the whole state according to Mr. Tackett may be looking at this in the future.

I don't understand why the Region is only held at 2 sites every other year? They all agree to this??? I know they are probably the ones that hold the most or whatever, but it gives these teams such a big advantage when they get to host the thing every other year. Could they just not play a game and then clear the gym and play the 2nd one like others do sometimes just to be able to play the region somewhere else. I'm sure they could work it out if they tried. How far to all the teams have to travel to even get to Lincoln County, is it in the middle of the region? It would make more sense I guess if it was.

Always said I would rather be lucky than good. But we all know Elliott is good, so if you throw a little luck their way, they will be raising the trophy on Saturday night.

I did hear from the 14th that Melton(would be his first) or Richie(who went last year) for the girls, and Napier has been for three years in a row with 2 State Finals, so I think they have went with someone else this year from what I hear. Brian Cook or Steve Thomas was the names I have heard. Should be finding out soon.

I know they are young men and shouldn't get tired, but with the late games on friday and the early semi's on Saturday, I think it will be the team that recovers the quickest and has a little help off the bench that will come to the top on Saturday night! A lot of teams don't go through this much, so are not used to the quick playing time turn around from Friday night to Saturday morning. Could take it's toll on some. Always fun to watch.

With Lincoln being at home and the 14th coming over to ref, I'm going with Lincoln to win it and go to Rupp!

Elliott is a great team but has a terrible draw to win the state tourney. They will have to get through the first round without a slip up, then probably have a tough rematch with Shelby Valley in Quarters on Friday, then have to probably face a great Scott or Holmes team, whoever comes out of that one Friday, to play on Saturday Morning. Then in the finals, who knows. All I know is it's going to be some great basketball, Friday night will be sold out. They have as good a shot as anyone else. Good luck to them.

Looks like the Professor has got it locked up!

7 Buckhorn 5 Clay County 3 Shelby Valley 2 Estill County 1 Ashland Blazer TB: Estill

These rankings are as bad as the BCS that football uses! Doesn't mean anything, don't know why people argue about what a computer says, it can't watch the games and compare match ups and so on. We all know that Scott County is the definite #1 team in Kentucky. Elliott didn't even win the All A, they should not be #1. Top 5 Should be something like, Scott county #1, Holmes #2, Eastern #3, Shelby Valley #4, Elliott #5, but of course this is just my opinion though. Doesn't mean much though, the players still have to play the games. Good luck to all of them.

Region 1 Paducah Tilghman Region 2 Christian County Region 3 Owensboro Region 4 Warren Central Region 5 North Hardin Region 6 Pleasure Ridge Park Region 7 Eastern Region 8 Anderson County Region 9 Holmes Region 10 GRC Region 11 Scott County Region 12 Lincoln County Region 13 Corbin Region 14 Knott Central Region 15 Shelby Valley Region 16 Elliott County 1st TB : 7th Region 2nd TB : 16th Region

Knott 86 Lafayette 72 this game was played at Hazard on Saturday night. Knott hit 11 of 14 3's.

Wow a 17 point play!! Officials license should be taken for not knowing the rules!