Sixth Region Preview

Preseason Rankings...
1. Doss
2. Pleasure Ridge Park
3. DeSales
4. Central
5. Bullitt East
6. Butler
7. Fairdale
8. Bullitt Central
9. Western
10. Valley
11. Brown
12. Iroquois
13. Beth Haven
14. Shawnee
15. Holy Cross
16. North Bullitt
17. Southern
18. Portland Christian
19. Evangel
20. St. Francis

Three Things To Watch...
--Doss has not visited the Sweet Sixteen since 1987, but the Dragons have a wonderful opportunity this season to return to Rupp Arena. With Jeff Brooks in the paint and Davin Anderson patrolling the perimeter, Doss has a 1-2 punch that will rival any team's dynamic duo in the state. While Doss would be in good shape in most of the state's regions, the Dragons will have to go through PRP for the regional title. The defending regional champions are looking for their fourth straight regional title, and Doss looks to be the only team at preseason that could prevent them from returning to Rupp.

--DeSales, which advanced to the regional championship last season under coach Chris Stobaugh, will have a new man patrolling the sidelines this season. After Stobaugh resigned, the Colts hired Lance Hammond, a national champion at NCAA Division II Fort Hayes State in 1996. Hammond previously coached at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, so it will be interesting to see what Hammond can bring to the table for the Colts, a program that has established itself as one of the 6th region's elite.

--With Jeffersontown's state championship, the 7th Region grabbed their third state title in the last ten years. It's been 12 seasons since the 6th region won the state championship (Fairdale won in 1994 along with 1990 and 1991), and 11 since the 6th region sent a team to the state championship game (PRP in 1995). The 7th region appears to have retaken the lead in Louisville high school basketball. PRP was four points away last season from a state final appearance against Jeffersontown. Both the Panthers and the Dragons seemed poised for a state tournament run if they should return to Rupp.

Five Early Games I'd Watch...
--November 28th: Doss @ Manual
--November 29th: DeSales @ Male
--December 1st: Pleasure Ridge Park @ DeSales
--December 1st: Fairdale @ Central
--December 5th: Doss @ Pleasure Ridge Park

Last Year...
Regional Champion: Pleasure Ridge Park
Regional Runner-Up: DeSales
Regional Semifinalists: Western, Doss