A collection of mismatches at the Sweet 16 today, as three top-10 teams put on a show. Madison Central, which beat two top-10 teams in the 11th Region, could not handle Ballard today. And Friday's game between Ballard and Bowling Green should be a doozy:
(4) Elizabethtown 87, Knott Co. Cent. 59
George Rogers Clark 54, Oldham Co. 47
(5) Lou. Ballard 70, Madison Cent. 61
(8) Bowling Green 85, University Heights 57
Bowling Green had a pretty easy time in the Fourth Region, and had a pretty easy time today. Ballard crushed everyone in the Seventh Region -- which isn't easy -- and handled Madison Central without too much trouble today. That will be a very big game. Bowling Green is on a 12-game winning streak -- but the last team to beat the Purples was Ballard, who beat them 61-45 back on February 26. It will be interesting to see what BGHS has learned since then.
The winner won't be out of the woods, because Elizabethtown -- which beat Bowling Green 64-36 back on February 13 -- will probably be waiting in the semi-finals. The Panthers have only lost two games all year, and only one since January 12. They will probably be too much for GRC on Friday, and their game with Ballard or Bowling Green on Saturday morning will probably decide the title.
Thursday, April 1:
ReplyDelete4 P.M.: Boyle Co. Rebels (21-4) v. Paintsville Tigers (15-8)
7 P.M.: Knox Cent. Panthers (18-5) v. (10) Ashland Blazer Tomcats (20-4)
1 P.M.: Bullitt East Chargers (15-8) v. McCracken Co. Mustangs (22-6)
10 A.M.: Muhlenberg Co. Mustangs (19-1) v. Ft. Thomas Highlands Bluebirds (26-4)
Go, County 'Stangs, County 'Stangs, Paintsville and AshBlaze!
ReplyDeleteAt the half, Highlands lead Muhlenberg County 46-30. Highlands has made 7-11 from three-point range.
ReplyDeleteHighlands wins 88-60. Check out these shooting numbers for Highlands:
ReplyDelete2-point shooting: 18-30
3-point shooting: 12-18
Free throws: 16-23
That's how you get 88 points in only 32 minutes.
Tom Leach is calling the McCracken County game. He is fantastic. Kentucky is really lucky to have him.
ReplyDeleteAnd how cool for the McCracken County kids to have a tape of Tom Leach calling their game. If things had worked out so that Cawood Ledford had called a Heath game when I was in high school, I would have the tape of that broadcast to this day.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point. I'm so glad that McCracken County won.
DeleteFor the first time since 2016, the First Region Champion is moving on to the quarter-finals. McCracken County beats Bullitt East 68-55, as the First Region gets a rare victory over the Sixth Region. McCracken County is now 27-6.
ReplyDeleteSorry: it was 68-56.
DeleteSorry again: McCracken County is now 23-6. That makes more sense; the TV feed was wrong.
DeleteSixty-eight is the most points scored by the First Region Champ in a Sweet 16 game since 2014, when McCracken County beat Wayne County 81-74. That team lost to Bowling Green in the quarter-finals.
ReplyDeleteNo team from the First Region has made it to the semi-finals since 2006, when Graves County beat Russell and South Laurel, before losing to Jeffersontown.
ReplyDeleteBoyle County leads Paintsville 53-46 with 4:11 left in the 4th quarter. Paintsville led 33-22 at one point, but the Rebels have now taken control.
ReplyDeletePaintsville got to within 54-51, but Boyle County spread the floor and got an easy basket. The Rebels lead 56-51 with about 2 1/2 minutes left, but Paintsville will be going to the line.
ReplyDeleteI really like the rules in high school basketball. 32 minutes, no time clock, and an easier three-point line. Makes for a very exciting game for high schoolers.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree.
DeleteIn the college game, I would take the shot clock back up to 45 seconds. That's enough to prevent the four corners, but not enough to encourage teams like UVA to hold the ball for the entire shot clock every time.
ReplyDeletePaintsville makes 1-2 FTs, to make it 56-52 Boyle. But then Boyle makes 2-2 FTs, and the Rebels lead 58-52.
ReplyDeletePaintsville was the 1A football champion, while Boyle County was the 4A football champion.
ReplyDeleteBoyle makes four more FT's, and they lead 62-52 with 1:49 left. That should do it.
ReplyDeleteBoyle County outscores Paintsville 30-15 in the last quarter, and wins going away by the score of 70-56. This game is the first one in the tournament where the leader at halftime failed to win the game.
ReplyDeleteLast game of the first round: Knox Central v. Ashland. We have Tom Leach and (I think) Cameron Mills.
ReplyDeleteCameron Mills tells us that most people think that Final game will be Ballard v. Ashland. I believe the Ballard part.
ReplyDeleteTom Leach points out that Knox Central has become the modern Clay County -- they've won the 13th Region three years in a row.
ReplyDeleteCameron Mills says he doesn't understand the point of token pressure in the back court. Either go after the ball or not. I agree. Tom Leach points out that in college, at least you make them use up some time.
ReplyDeleteAshland leads 6-0 with 4:25 left in the first, and Knox Central calls time.
ReplyDeleteAshland leads 10-2 at the end of the first quarter. Knox Central only has two free throws so far. I don't think either of these teams is going to the final. In fact, I don't think either team is getting past Boyle County.
ReplyDeleteAshland is up 21-6 with about 2 1/2 minutes before the half. I have no idea how Knox Central won the 13th region.
ReplyDeleteAshland leads 30-10 at the half. I don't think Ashland will beat Boyle County in the next round, but it's hard to say. Knox Central has been so bad that it's impossible to make a fair judgment about Ashland.
ReplyDelete