Midpoint

Any upsets last night?

--St. Mary d. Graves County 49-32
--Frankfort d. Franklin County 64-59
--Boyd County d. Rose Hill Christian 54-43

Unexpectingly impressive large wins by...

--Henderson County...by 89!
--Allen County-Scottsville...by 42!
--Covington Catholic...by 59!

And now tonight, the top semifinal games...

D10: Muhlenberg South vs. Ohio County
D14: Greenwood vs. Bowling Green
D31: Gallatin County vs. Owen County
D43: Tates Creek vs. Paul Dunbar

And now the District Championships on tap...

D8: Christian County vs. Hopkinsville
D25: Male vs. Manual

The Games Continue

Winners from last night which claimed a position in their respective regional tournaments include...

R1: Fulton County, Mayfield
R2: Madisonville-North Hopkins, Christian County, Hopkinsville
R3: Muhlenberg North
R4: Russellville, Russell County
R5: NO GAMES PLAYED
R6: NO TEAMS
R7: Male, Manual
R8: Simon Kenton
R9: Lloyd Memorial
R10: Harrison County, Augusta
R11: NO TEAMS
R12: NO TEAMS
R13: South Laurel
R14: NO TEAMS
R15: Belfry
R16: Elliott County, Lewis County

Tonight's semifinal games of note:

D3: Graves County vs. St. Mary
D4: Murray vs. Marshall County
D7: Hopkins County Central vs. Caldwell County
D17: Fort Knox vs. North Hardin
D22: Doss vs. Iroquois
D35: Covington Catholic vs. Beechwood
D35: Holmes vs. Covington Holy Cross
D42: Scott County vs. Henry Clay
D43: Lexington Catholic vs. Lafayette
D43: Tates Creek vs. Dunbar
D57: Paintsville vs. Johnson Central
D64: Rose Hill Christian vs. Boyd County

UPSET PICK(S): Covington Holy Cross over Holmes, Lafayette over Lexington Catholic

OK, forget what happened this weekend

Cause the fun starts tonight...

1st Region
D1 Fulton County @ Carlisle County
Prediction: Fulton County 61-53
D2 Community Christian @ Reidland
Prediction: Reidland 71-56
D3 Mayfield @ Ballard Memorial
Prediction: Mayfield 80-49

2nd Region
D7 Dawson Springs vs. Madisonville-North Hopkins
Prediction: Madisonville-North Hopkins 87-56
D8 University Heights @ Christian County
Prediction: Christian County 76-71
D8 Hopkinsville vs. Fort Campbell
Prediction: Hopkinsville 56-50

3rd Region
D10 Muhlenberg North vs. McLean County
Prediction: Muhlenberg North 76-60

4th Region
D13 Russellville @ Todd County Central
Prediction: Russellville 59-51
D16 Russell County vs. Cumberland County
Prediction: Russell County 71-58

5th Region
NO GAMES

6th Region
D21 Beth Haven vs. Valley
Prediction: Beth Haven 67-66
D22 Evangel Christian vs. Iroquois
Prediction: Iroquois 80-68
D24 North Bullitt vs. Bullitt Central
Prediction: Bullitt Central 58-43

7th Region
D25 St. Xavier @ Manual
UPSET Prediction: St. Xavier 65-63 (OT)
D25 Male vs. Collegiate
Prediction: Male 89-55

8th Region
D32 Williamstown @ Simon Kenton
Prediction: Simon Kenton 77-61

9th Region
D33 Conner vs. Heritage Academy
Prediction: Conner 64-42
D34 Ludlow @ Lloyd Memorial
Prediction: Lloyd Memorial 60-54
D36 Newport @ Dayton
Prediction: Newport 71-67

10th Region
D37 Silver Grove vs. Calvary Christian
Prediction: Silver Grove 55-42
D38 Pendleton County @ Harrison County
Prediction: Pendleton County 55-52
D39 St. Patrick vs. Augusta
Prediction: Augusta 78-68

11th Region
D43 Dunbar vs. Lexington Christian
Prediction: Dunbar 101-75

12th Region
D45 Kentucky School f/t Deaf vs. Danville
Prediction: Danville 65-43

13th Region
D49 North Laurel vs. Jackson County
Prediction: Jackson County 54-47
D50 Williamsburg @ South Laurel
Prediction: South Laurel 88-55

14th Region
D53 Cordia @ Jenkins
Prediction: Cordia 66-45

15th Region
D57 Johnson Central @ Sheldon Clark
Prediction: Johnson Central 65-50
D60 Belfry vs. Piarist School
Prediction: Belfry 60-41

16th Region
D62 Elliott County @ West Carter
Prediction: Elliott County 76-52
D63 Greenup County @ Lewis County
Prediction: Greenup County 77-63

Last Friday

First of all, some of last night's highlights: Eastern picked up a nice road win at South Oldham...Harrison County upset Montgomery County in the 10th region...Hazard escaped Prestonsburg in overtime...Oldham County ran away and hid from Gallatin County...South Laurel inches by Bell County by one point...

And now tonight, the top ten games...

10 Mercer County @ Southwestern
9 St. Xavier @ Shelby County
8 Scott @ Covington Holy Cross
7 Christian County @ Muhlenberg North
6 Owensboro @ Henderson County
5 Elizabethtown @ Holmes
4 Russell @ Ashland Blazer
3 Central Hardin @ Meade County
2 Bishop Brossart @ Covington Catholic
1 Madison Central @ Scott County

District tournaments start on Monday!!!

Looking Ahead to Thursday

As for last night, Mason County defeated Bishop Brossart by 14 points, and well that's about it. Thursday's a little more exciting...

--South Laurel @ Bell County
The two best teams square off here in the 13th region. We'll see just how good Bell County is and how vulnerable South Laurel might be.

--Oldham County @ Gallatin County
In the wacky 8th region, every game means something, and this one is no exception. Gallatin County owns the best overall record, but Oldham County has three less regional losses (granted Gallatin County has five more wins, but still).

--Eastern @ South Oldham
Another 8th region team that can do damage will face a stiff test from a 7th region power. Don't be surprised if the home team holds serve here.

Friday will be even better.

Crunch Time

Notable things from Tuesday...

--Bell County continues to roll in the 13th region, as the Bobcats smoked Barbourville 77-56.

--Also rolling is Covington Catholic. The Colonels extend their winning ways with a nice home win over Simon Kenton, 53-49.

--In a battle of 7th region sleepers, Eastern held serve at home with a 64-55 win over Trinity.

--Lincoln County seems to be the one to beat in the 12th region. The Patriots stepped out of regional play and stepped into the state radar screen with a 68-67 win over Dunbar.

--Once again, 2 > 3. Madisonville-North Hopkins beats Apollo. But yet there's hope for the third, as Owensboro nipped Hopkinsville 67-63.

--Mason County is proving their status as a state championship contender, as the Royals smashed dangerous Lafayette 82-62.

--Want yet another team to watch in the 8th region? Try Owen County. They beat a solid South Oldham team last night 86-78 to 20-5 on the season, with 17 of those wins coming in 8th region play.

--The favorite in the 16th region? It's Russell, as the Red Devils dispatched Elliott County 66-56.

--And in the 4th region, it was Warren Central using a strong second half to pull away from Allen County-Scottsville, 81-67. It was a two-point game at halftime, but no team has a chokehold on their region like Central does, and the Dragons proved as much last night in Scottsville.

And tonight? Well, a clash in the 10th region...

Bishop Brossart (24-3, 10-2) @ Mason County (22-2, 10-0)
Much like the 4th region, the contenders have lined up to take on the Royals, but there's been no such luck. Brossart, who has already lost to Mason County this season by 23, will try to topple the tenth's juggernaut.

The Last Tuesday

Yeah, this is the last week of the regular season. Sorta hard to believe, isn't it?

From last night...

--Christian County continued its dominance over all in Western Kentucky with a solid 73-58 win over Marshall County.

--Henry Clay picked off a nice win for the 11th region as the Blue Devils defeated the Boone County Rebels in a tight battle, 69-66.

--Franklin-Simpson has now lost six of eight, but the dagger came last night with a surprising loss at home to Monroe County 52-45. What many believed to be Warren Central's chief threat in the 4th region doesn't look to be a lock for the regional tournament these days.

And tonight's action...

--All eyes in the 4th region will be on Scottsville tonight, as the Patriots welcome region kingpin Warren Central for senior night. A little perspective: two years ago, ACS was trounced by Central at home, only to come within three points of defeating them at region two-and-a-half weeks later.

--Don't look now, but Bell County has the best record in the 13th region. The Bobcats head to Barbourville tonight for a stiff regional test.

--The 8th and 9th region collide tonight as Simon Kenton heads to Covington Catholic for a huge Northern Kentucky battle. Catholic is on an absolute roll, as the Colonels have won 13 of 14 (the lone loss: a five-pointer to Scott County).

--Two 7th region sleepers battle tonight on the east side, as Trinity invades Eastern. The Rocks are coming off a nice win over Jeffersontown.

--Two city schools from Western Kentucky take the court tonight in Hoptown, as the Tigers welcome Owensboro to town. A Hoptown win only emphasizes the absurd advantage the 2nd region has over the first and the third.

--Well Lafayette looked alive with a win over George Rogers Clark...the vitals will really be pumping with a win tonight over Mason County.

--Lincoln County has made waves in the 12th region here in the later parts of the season. Can the Patriots really define themselves legit with a road win at Dunbar?

--Arguably the two best teams in the 16th region will play each other tonight, as Elliott County looks to topple the Red Devils of Russell. A win by Russell makes them the predominant favorite for postseason play in the sixteenth.

Hey, how about this weekend?

How about it?

Friday
--Allen County-Scottsville picked up a key road win at Franklin-Simpson. The win gives the Patriots some momentum heading into tomorrow night's showdown against Warren Central, as someone (please, anyone) tries to stay on the same court with the Dragons.

--Belfry looked very impressive at Allen Central, winning 70-57. Shelby Valley still seems to be the team to beat, but both of these teams should play a factor in the 15th region tournament.

--Bryan Station kept their mark as the #2 team in the 11th region with a key 65-59 win over Tates Creek. The Commodores have lost four of nine since starting the season so wonderfully.

--Make it three straight losses for George Rogers Clark. Losses to Mason County and Lexington Catholic are quite understandable, but a one-point loss at home to a 9-15 Lafayette team isn't what the Cardinals needed heading into tourney time.

--After a twenty-six point loss to Ballard, Male bounced back with a nice 50-42 win over Eastern. Eastern has now lost four of seven. Another top challenger to Ballard, Jeffersontown, wasn't so lucky. The Chargers fell at Trinity 65-57.

--More intrigue in the 3rd region: Meade County stuffed Apollo 43-31. Has anyone noticed that the Waves are 18-6 and 11-0 in the third? Well I didn't. They are currently on a nine-game winning streak, but Central Hardin looms large on their schedule.

--Now it seems Pulaski County is appearing as a definitive candidate in the 12th region. They extended their winning streak to seven games with a tight 68-66 win over Southwestern. Also in the 12th, Somerset came out of nowhere to stun regional power McCreary Central 55-43. There's not more wide open region in the state than the twelfth.

--And in the game I told you to watch, South Laurel, which has looked somewhat vulnerable in the 13th region, scored a solid victory over 14th region favorite Hazard 57-42. The Cards maybe the best team in Eastern Kentucky, but I don't see them challenging for a state crown.

Saturday
--Not a blowout by any means for Scott County, as the Cardinals defeated Lexington Catholic 74-65 at Catholic. To me, only Bryan Station and Lexington Catholic (and maybe Madison Central) have a shot at Scott County in the 11th region.

As for Monday's top action...

--Henry Clay @ Boone County
--Marshall County @ Christian County

Well it's been a while

My immense load of work has passed for the time being, so let's review what went down in the last week of high school basketball...

Last Friday
--Shelby County 58 Simon Kenton 54
Shelby County recovers from a couple tough losses to get a big win over a top regional foe.
--South Oldham 89 Gallatin County 79
But the 8th region is still wide open, as surging Gallatin County ran into a roadblock against South Oldham.
--Warren Central 54 Greenwood 42
It was played to the Gators' pace, but it was still not enough to touch Central.
--Calloway County 54 Graves County 50
--Christian County 80 Owensboro 68
2nd Region > 3rd Region
--Jeffersonton 67 Manual 56
--Larue County 81 Green County 78 (4 OT!)

Saturday
--Elliott County 83 Ashland Blazer 75
My pick for the 16th region seems to be a strong one, as Elliott County proves itself closer to its first regional championship.
--Mason County 62 George Rogers Clark 54
I have a feeling we will see these two meet up again sometime soon. GRC could be a trendy pick to make a Cinderella run to state.

Monday
--Holmes 55 Boone County 47
Here comes Holmes, now winners of six straight games.

Tuesday
--Ballard 78 Male 52
Ouch. Looks like Ballard is the definitive favorite in the 7th region, and then some.
--Christian County 70 Hopkinsville 63
Despite losing here, keep an eye on Hopkinsville, not only in the 2nd regional tournament, but the 8th district tournament as well.
--Greenwood 50 Allen County-Scottsville 45
Greenwood kept the score down again and this time toppled the other 4th region team without a region loss. The Gators needed a signiture win after some struggles.
--Lexington Catholic 69 George Rogers Clark 45
Not the way GRC wanted to respond after a near-miss against Mason County. Has there ever been less chatter about Catholic in 11th region basketball?
--Lincoln County 66 Southwestern 51
The Patriots show their strength inside the 12th region. What was once a wide-open region now seems to be Lincoln County's to lose.
--Mayfield 46 Graves County 43
Mayfield sweeps Graves County and thus extends the Eagles' slide here as of late.
--PRP 55 Fairdale 49
Two teams from the 6th region that I would not be surprised to see at Rupp.

Wednesday
--Central Hardin 64 Fort Knox 62
Well, if this has any indication on what to expect at the 17th district tournament, watch out.
--Eastern 66 Manual 53
The Crimsons have lost three of four and fall below .500 in 7th region play.

Thursday
--Huntington (WV) 67 Scott County 63
No sweep of the #1 team...in the nation...for the Cardinals, who lose only their second game of the season.
--Madison Central 67 Henry Clay 63 (OT)
Which is it: a sign of life from Henry Clay or a sign of weakness from Madison Central? I'll take the former.
--Shelby Valley 60 Pikeville 50
Has anyone noticed that Shelby Valley is darn good? And yes, they haven't beaten many contenders, but a three-point loss to Warren Central raises eyebrows.
--Warren Central 94 Franklin-Simpson 71
Speaking of, the Dragons upped the tempo and upped the hurt on the Wildcats. It's gotten to the point where I don't entertain any thoughts of a crazy upset in that region anymore.

And now for the top ten games to watch on Friday night...

10 Ashland Blazer @ Pikeville
9 Lafayette @ George Rogers Clark
8 Pulaski County @ Southwestern
7 Graves County @ Christian County
6 Allen County-Scottsville @ Franklin-Simpson
5 Tates Creek @ Bryan Station
4 Male @ Eastern
3 Marshall County @ Mayfield
2 Belfry @ Allen Central
1 South Laurel @ Hazard

Hey Team

Due to a lot of school stuff I have this week, I won't be able to make daily posts. I'll update when I can.

Two scores

Aha! Maybe I was a fool to pick Elizabethtown to win the state championship back in November, but as regional champion, well we'll have to see about that! The Panthers upset Central Hardin last night 63-49 in Cecilia, handing the Bruins their second loss of the season. How things change quickly in Kentucky high school basketball...

Also, Scott County survived a huge test at home against Bryan Station as the Cards snuck out with a 69-65 win. I'm saying we'll see these two again in a district championship and perhaps a regional championship in the near future (although Madison Central, Tates Creek, et. al. would argue about that...)

Now, here's a top ten list of Friday's important games...

10 Lee County @ Breathitt County
9 Newport Central Catholic @ Covington Catholic
8 Gallatin County @ South Oldham
7 Grayson County @ John Hardin
6 Scott County @ Henry Clay
5 Christian County @ Owensboro
4 Jeffersontown @ Manual
3 Calloway County @ Graves County
2 Simon Kenton @ Shelby County
1 Greenwood @ Warren Central

Something's "Bruin"

Last night, Ballard did what South Carolina did not--win after making a furious comeback. The Bruins rallied from 22 points down at halftime ON THE ROAD to defeat the defending state champion Jeffersontown Chargers by a 79-72 count. This shows us two things: Ballard is not a sure thing in the 7th region, but it's gonna be really hard to knock the Bruins out of the picture.

Several games on tonight's schedule catch my eye...

--Elizabethtown @ Central Hardin
Sure, E-Town can beat John Hardin, but Central Hardin is the best team in the 5th region. The Bruins are an incredible 21-1 on the season, having not lost since December 14th! With the win, count E-Town in Central's league.

--Bowling Green @ Franklin-Simpson
Two teams reeling off disappointing losses on Tuesday night (albeit is any loss to Warren Central disappointing?) face off tonight in Franklin. The Wildcats need this win more, as another upset loss would demote them from top-challenger-of-Central status in the fourth.

--Bryan Station @ Scott County
It was to be played on Tuesday, but now it will be Thursday. Probably the best two teams in the 11th region will be showcased in this game.

--Dunbar @ Tates Creek
Of course, Tates Creek would take offense to that preceding statement, but the Commodores have struggled as of late. A win against Dunbar tonight is critical for them to get back on track as we near tourney time.

Weather Problems

Indeed, Mother Nature won on Tuesday and most of us lost. But there were some games played, especially in the southern and western sides of the state. Consider these results...

--Apollo picked up another solid victory, as the Eagles defeated another bunch of Eagles (Ohio County) by a 48-38 count. It seems Apollo is beginning to distance itself from everyone in this region, except for Owensboro. But speaking of the Red Devils, they fell at home last night to Muhlenberg North, 70-66. What a win for the Stars, who had been struggling mightily of late.

--Elizabethtown sweeps John Hardin, as the Panthers won at home last night 51-44. Can E-Town muster enough support to help Stephon Pettigrew in order to take a shot at Central Hardin? We'll find out Thursday.

--Graves County got their revenge on Marshall County, as the Eagles took down the Marshals 46-38. Graves County's regional record of 14-2 makes them one of the primary favorites for the wide-open first region. It looked like Paducah Tilghman was building steam to reach favorite status, but the Blue Tornado lost their mojo last night in a home loss to Heath.

--Henderson County got back on track with a nice 74-70 win over Madisonville-North Hopkins. Expect both these teams to challenge Christian County for the regional championship.

--In the fourth region, Russellville pulled a mild upset over district rival Franklin-Simpson. Keep in mind that the Wildcats had slaughtered the Panthers by 29 points last month in Franklin, but Russellville rallied this time for the impressive five-point win. This is just another indication that there's only one sure thing in the 4th region, and that's Warren Central, who held off Bowling Green 70-64.

So these games will be played tonight as a make-up game from last night...

--Cawood @ Cumberland
--Iroquois @ DeSales
--Western @ Pleasure Ridge Park
--Ballard @ Jeffersontown
--Southwestern @ Wayne County

If it weren't snowing...

Here would be the games to watch for tonight...

10 Iroquois @ DeSales
DeSales is starting to gain some momentum in the 6th region, and they should be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason. A win over Iroquois would only enhance their march.

9 Henry Clay @ Madison Central
Henry Clay bought a life with a narrow win over Lafayette, but the Blue Devils can really build some steam with a road win in Richmond.

8 Bowling Green @ Warren Central
One of these days, Warren Central is gonna have an off game in the 4th region. The Purples would like for it to be tonight.

7 Madisonville-North Hopkins @ Henderson County
Quietly, the Maroons have put together six wins in a row, and 12 of their last 13 games have resulted in wins. A trip to Henderson will test this team's chances of winning the region.

6 Marshall County @ Graves County
Both teams are solid contenders for the 1st region title. Graves County is looking for some payback after an ugly 34-30 loss to the Marshalls on January 23rd.

5 John Hardin @ Elizabethtown
To be sure, it's been a disappointing season for both the Bulldogs and the Panthers. And while Central Hardin has taken the lead in the 17th and the 5th, this battle will be for second place.

4 Muhlenberg North @ Owensboro
Muhlenberg North is seeing its Star fall from the sky, as the Stars have dropped four of five. After losing to Apollo last weekend, North needs a big win over a tough regional opponent, and the Red Devils would fill that role nicely.

3 Ashland Blazer @ Elliott County
Elliott County is gunning for its first trip to the state tournament, and after a rough start to the season, they've been strong by winning 10 of 12. A win over Ashland Blazer would put them in position to gun after the regional favorite--Russell.

2 Bryan Station @ Scott County
One would figure that Scott County would obliterate Bryan Station, what with the Cardinals fresh off an upset of the #1 team in the nation. But that's the exact reason why this game may be a close one; Bryan Station has a lot to play for in this game, and they'll come to play focused.

1 Ballard @ Jeffersontown
The Chargers would like the chance to defend their state title this season in Rupp, but the Ballard Bruins look very imposing in the 7th region. If there's a team that J-Town will have to beat, it's gonna be Ballard. This one may be a preview of the 7th region championship game.

Ten Most Important Results from This Weekend

10 Doss d. Iroquois 71-64
The Dragons upstage the Raiders again and firmly imprint their name as the 6th region favorites.

9 Jeffersontown d. Eastern 45-41
This wasn't exactly the dominant performance the Chargers needed against a solid team to throw their hat in the ring with Ballard.

8 Male d. Manual 74-62
Manual is having a solid year, but the Crimsons are still not quite to the level of Male, Ballard, etc.

7 Apollo d. Muhlenberg North 58-50
Even though teams like North and Grayson County are having good seasons in the 3rd, the regional championship will still run through Owensboro.

6 Tates Creek d. Henry Clay 55-53
Another narrol loss for the Blue Devils and a good win for the Commodores, but Tates Creek doesn't look near as good as it did a month ago.

5 Central Hardin d. North Hardin 73-66
If the 17th District wasn't crazy enough, the Trojans came within seven points of E-Town and now seven of the regional titan Bruins. That district tournament may bear watching.

4 Bishop Brossart d. Bardstown 56-48 (All A Classic)
Mason County needs another opponent in the 10th region, and this state championship of sorts will give Brossart some positive momentum to shoot for the Royals.

3 Oldham County d. Shelby County 59-50
What was a two-horse race in the 8th region is no longer, as the Rockets drop their first regional game of the season.

2 Mason County d. Madison Central 66-58
This solid win gives Mason County another to boast about when arguing its case for the second best team in the state, next to...

1 Scott County d. Huntington (WV) 72-68
"This one is for Kentucky" is what the headlines read, and so it was for the Scott County Cardinals. Billy Hicks's crew fought hard against the #1 team in the, wait for it, nation and was rewarded with the huge win. After a couple years of negative publicity, Kentucky high school basketball can only look great after this huge win.

Welcome To February

The big attraction this weekend is the Touchstone Energy All 'A' Classic in Richmond. Here's a list of the eight first round games today...

Bishop Brossart vs. Newport Central Catholic
Gallatin County vs. Lexington Christian
Bardstown vs. Shawnee
Clinton County vs. Kentucky Country Day
Cumberland vs. Owensboro Catholic
Hazard vs. Somerset
Heath vs. University Heights
Paintsville vs. Elliott County

If I had to pick a winner, I'd go with Hazard, but keep an eye on Gallatin County, Paintsville, and Clinton County.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to update tomorrow or Saturday, so here's a list of Friday games that bear watching...

--George Rogers Clark @ Ashland Blazer
--Dunbar @ Bryan Station
--Russell @ Greenup County
--Doss @ Iroquois
--Eastern @ Jeffersontown
--Manual @ Male
--Apollo @ Muhlenberg North
--Shelby County @ Oldham County
--Grayson County @ Owensboro
--Christian County @ Paducah Tilghman
--Henry Clay @ Tates Creek

and...

--Huntington (WV) vs. Scott County