After a bevy of close games in the regionals, the games at State have generally been one-sided. I'm not that surprised that E-Town and Highlands both won, but I am surprised that they had such an easy time of it:
(4) Elizabethtown 69, (5) Lou. Ballard 53
Ft. Thomas Highlands 66, (10) Ashland Blazer 50
When people talk about a single-class tournament, they always focus on the unfairness of making a school the size of E-Town go up against a school the size of Ballard. That's not the point. Heath was never as big as Tilghman, but I always thought we should get our chance. These days Tilghman's not as big as McCracken County, but my guess is that the folks at Tilghman want their chance. Beating the bigger school 10 or 20 percent of the time is a lot better than never getting to play them at all.
So for the final we have two of the best and richest high school sports traditions in the State. E-Town is 3A in football. Highlands is 5A in football. But after tonight, one of them will be the only State Champion of Kentucky:
Saturday, April 3:
7 P.M. Central: (4) Elizabethtown Panthers (22-2) v. Ft. Thomas Highlands (29-4)
With 3:21 left in the first quarter, Highlands leads 14-4. Four of the five starters on E-Town lost in the 3A finals in football back in December. Will they also be runners-up in basketball?
ReplyDeleteElizabethtown 6 - 14 Highlands (2:46 left in 1st quarter)
ReplyDeleteHighlands leads 23-13. Highlands is generally taller and likes to shoot more from the outside. E-Town is generally quicker and likes to attack the rim. But Cameron Mills thinks that E-Town has underestimated Highlands, and the Panthers are making too many turnovers -- which quickly become easy baskets for the Bluebirds.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see if E-Town has an adjustment here.
ReplyDeleteElizabethtown 20 - 35 Highlands (2:46 left in 2d Quarter)
ReplyDeleteBasically, here's the way to think about it. E-Town plays like a group of really great football players. They're really quick, they get out on the break, and they attack the basket. They beat Ballard because they were basically playing the same game as Ballard -- but were quicker. Highlands, however, is a classic basketball team. Their guys are slightly taller than the E-Town guys, so they are getting rebounds. Their guys are better ball-handlers, so they have the turnover advantage. And they are better outside shooters, so they keep making three's. E-Town is faster than Highlands, but no one can run faster than the ball can be thrown.
Elizabethtown 26 - 47 Highlands (Halftime)
ReplyDeleteFor reasons that I will never understand, E-Town's big idea was to try a zone defense. Highlands buried it under a barrage of three-point shots, and completely blew the game open.
In retrospect, this tournament was settled in the Regional Semi-Finals, when St. Henry -- coming off of a 61-60 victory over Covington Catholic -- lost 74-68 to Highlands. That was the last time Highlands was in real danger.
ReplyDeleteThe best approach to dealing with this Highlands team was the McCracken County approach of putting defense first and not letting Highlands get its offense going. That approach allowed the Mustangs to stay close for most of the way. But E-Town didn't know what it was in for -- I'm sure they thought (like I did) that beating Ballard would do the job. In the first half, E-Town looked like an SEC team from the early 1990's watching Pitino's UK team bury them with one three-point shot after another.
ReplyDeleteBut all credit to Highlands. They play a beautiful style of basketball. They can really pass and shoot. And they don't make mistakes. It has been a joy to watch them.
ReplyDeleteThere haven't been that many close games -- or, really, any close games in this tournament. But I haven't gotten to spend this much time watching KHSAA basketball in about four or five years, and I have really enjoyed it. I like E-Town, I liked Ballard's team, and I like Highlands. I'm already looking forward to next year's football season. GO KHSAA!
ReplyDeleteMe, too. But I do want to find out what the deal is that they apparently aren't granting free credentials to participating schools' student-run media.
DeleteWith 10:55 left in the first half, UCLA leads Gonzaga 19-15.
ReplyDeleteWith one quarter left, Highlands leads E-Town 66-45, and I'm calling the State Championship for the Bluebirds.
ReplyDeleteThis is Highlands's first state championship in basketball. That's a bit surprising, but it's very hard to win their Region.
ReplyDeleteI think it's always satisfying when the best-shooting basketball team wins a basketball tournament, and I can't imagine that Highlands was not this tournament's best-shooting team.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you should check back in on that Gonzaga-UCLA game. I've got a feeling it's going to end up being a close one.