Let's talk about this weekend

Friday
--Perhaps the line of seperation in the 7th region isn't as wide as we thought, as Eastern fought valiantly against Ballard but dropped a 71-64 decision. The Bruins haven't lost a regional game yet this season.

--The luster of Tates Creek's magical start is fading quickly, as the Commodores were ripped by Bryan Station 67-49. The Defenders may be the best bet to unseat Scott County from the 11th region perch, but Tates Creek shouldn't dismissed yet.

--Well, when the 9th region was looking at its worst, Covington Catholic marches back and takes another big win from a state power, this one being Male by a 66-56 count. If they can escape the regional tournament, the Colonels may bear watching in the underrated(?) 9th region.

--A good effort from Elizabethtown, but it wasn't enough to defeat Doss. The Dragons took down the Panthers 74-68 in a close battle.

--A sleeper in the 3rd region has established itself, as the Grayson County Cougars have come from nowhere to basically take over the region. Grayson County sits at 13-1 in region play, and after huge road win at Muhlenberg North, the Cougars may be a team to watch against the likes of Owensboro and Apollo.

--And to the northwest, Hopkinsville let out a roar after its beatdown to the hands of Caldwell County, as the Tigers upset Henderson County in Henderson 43-42. The 2nd region gets messier by the day, and both of these teams contribute to that mess.

--And so much for any parity in the 10th region, as Mason County dusted off Montgomery County 73-51. Looks like the Royals will be taking their party back to Rupp Arena for another state tournament appearance.

--But if you want parity, head to the wild and wacky 12th region, where McCreary Central is beating Southwestern 65-60 in double overtime. This is the same Southwestern team that had beaten the same McCreary Central team by 17 points some two weeks earlier.

--In their test against tough competition, Shelby Valley didn't win but it sure passed a test with a solid loss to Dunbar, 82-72. With this exposure to top-tier teams, the Valley will be ready to battle Paintsville in the 15th region. But wait until you see who they played Saturday night, and what they almost pulled...

--Scott County = GOOD. Ask George Rogers Clark, who was beat down 94-59 by the Cardinals. Can anyone stay within any working margin of the best team in the state?

--Simon Kenton picked up a nice win for the 8th region as it defeated a fizzling Lafayette team 61-54. Even though the Generals are 8-12, you cannot dismiss them for the postseason; they've played arguably the best schedule in the state, much like DeSales in the 6th region.

--And in the old 4th region, it's more of the same for Warren Central. The Dragons stomped rival Bowling Green 87-52 in what was a rematch of a Purple upset a year ago. Central hasn't even been challenged in regional play, but they haven't seen Franklin-Simpson or Allen County-Scottsville yet.

Saturday
--Bryan Station is on a roll. After beating Tates Creek soundly, the Defenders took on Doss and took them down hard, 76-56. I'd like to see the Defenders have another shot at Scott County, and we'll see that shot next Tuesday.

--The final of the 14th Region All 'A' Classic was particulary revealing, as Hazard beat June Buchanan 51-35. The Crusaders have been hyped as a team that can challenge for a regional championship, but with performances like this, I don't think they can.

--Madison Central, which once again has slid through this season relatively unnoticed in the insane 11th region, slid past Lincoln County 55-48 in Richmond. Even with the loss, the Patriots prove they can play with the best of them, and they'll be a tough out in the 12th region tournament.

--It was a good bounceback win for Male, as they defeated George Rogers Clark (for the second time this season) by a score of 71-64. Bad weekend for the Cardinals, which failed to garner any positive momentum for its impending clash with Mason County.

--Wow, close but not quite for Covington Catholic, as the Colonels just fell short of overrunning Scott County. Despite the 63-58 setback, it was nearly a perfect weekend for Covington Catholic. Not only does the 9th region get some credibility now, but the state knows that if Catholic makes it to Rupp, they will be a tough team indeed.

--Another near upset: Warren Central hung on to defeat Shelby Valley 63-60. No team has been that close to the Dragons in the 4th region, so few figured the Valley would challenge in this game. But this contest does move Valley to the top of the 15th region, and may give hope to other 4th region teams.