The boys' basketball regular season is over, and District Play has begun. There are over 270 high schools in Kentucky, and every one of them that fields a boys' basketball team will have the chance to win the State Championship.
Here are the top 20 schools in the Commonwealth, according to MaxPreps. We will use these rankings for the rest of the season:
1. Great Crossing: 29-1 (Champion of the King of the Bluegrass Tournament)
2. Lex. Catholic: 27-2 (Champion of the Kentucky 2A Tournament)
3. Newport: 27-3 (Champion of the All A State Tournament)
4. Lou. St. Xavier: 25-3 (Champion of the Louisville Invitational Tournament)
5. Lou. Trinity: 21-6
6. Lyon Co: 26-3 (Champion of the White, Greer & Maggard Holiday Classic)
7. Cov. Catholic: 21-5
8. N. Oldham: 23-44
9. Harlan Co: 26-5
10. Bowling Green: 24-5
11. George Rogers Clark: 27-2
12. Lou. Evangel Christian: 22-5
13. Lou. Manual: 21-4
14. Woodford Co: 22-5
15. Cooper: 19-8
16. Lou. Male: 20-9
17. Boyd Co: 23-6
18. Ashland Blazer: 19-9
19. Henderson Co: 23-6
20. Lou. DeSales: 19-9
Great Crossing's only loss was to Bishop O'Connell H.S. of Arlington, Va. at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S. Carolina.
Here are the top three teams in the First Region:
30. McCracken Co: 21-7
45. Marshall Co: 20-7
58. Calloway Co: 17-9
I foresee bad feelings between the Mustangs and the Marshalls before the First Region Tournament is settled.
Of course, the big story in our end of the Commonwealth is Lyon County, whose senior class (including UK recruit Travis Perry) is trying to go to Rupp Arena for the third year in a row. Lyon County has only three losses:
12/09/23: Father Tolton of Colombia, Mo. beat Lyon Co. 71-54 in Columbia, Mo.
01/27/24: Newport beat Lyon Co. 50-48 in the All A Semi-Finals.
01/30/24: Henderson Co. beat Lyon Co. 78-73 in Eddyville.
On the other hand, the Lyons have beaten Lex. Catholic, Bowling Green, and Lou. DeSales.
Girls’ districts started Saturday, with Belfry beating Phelps, 55-27, at Pike County Central in the 60th District. So the 16-14 Lady Hornets become the first team in the state to see its 2023-24 season end, and I hope everyone back at Phelps High—on Ky. 632, really closer to Coleman than downtown Phelps, and almost due west of Jamboree—is saying nice things to the girls back in classes this morning.
ReplyDeleteSeventh District tonight at 6 Central at Madisonville-North Hopkins: 4-15 Dawson Springs at the 14-12 Lady Maroons, coached by one of my neighbors. Here’s hoping our girls will shine tonight--or that at least our pep band has a ball.
Tonight, the Phelps boys lost 61 to 51 to Belfry.
DeleteWhen I was growing up, there were almost no private schools for Protestants in Kentucky. Now, looking at the scores tonight, you can see how things have changed. So far tonight, I've seen scores for Whitefield Academy (24th District), Heritage Academy (33d District), and Calvary Christian (37th District). Later tonight, Community Christian of Paducah will be playing in the Second District, Heritage Christian will be playing in the 8th District, and Portland Christian will be playing in the 25th District.
ReplyDeleteMost of these schools are relatively small and don't have much of an impact on sports. But both Lexington Christian and Christian Academy of Louisville have built powerhouses in football, and Evangel Christian has a very strong basketball team.
DeleteI just noticed there's also Christian Fellowship in the Fourth District.
DeleteI love public school.
DeleteDayton H.S., which was coached by John Wooden in the 1933 and 1934 seasons, was eliminated tonight by Bellevue, 68 to 52 in the 36th District.
ReplyDeleteIn 1932-33, Wooden and the Dayton Green Devils went 6-11. But the next year, 1933-34, they went 15-3. Ironically, they were eliminated by Bellevue 33 to 27 in the first round of the 39th District Tournament. Bellevue then beat Newport and Highlands to win the 39th District.
ReplyDeleteIn 1934, they played the 10th Region Tournament at Dayton. Bellevue beat Florence 41 to 14, but then lost to Highlands 22 to 17 in the Regional semi-finals.
ReplyDeleteJohn Wooden left Dayton and took a job at South Bend Central H.S. in Indiana, where he stayed for nine seasons. Years later, in 1975, he coached his final game against the University of Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteI listened to an unusually calm interview with Bobby Knight the other day in which he explained why he had no respect for John Wooden (all about the Sam booster dude at UCLA whose last name I can't remember offhand).
DeleteUp 3 with 8 seconds to go, UNC fouled a player for Miami (Fla.). He makes the first FT. Then he misses the second one, and UNC grabs the rebound with 3.7 seconds left. Now to me, that all makes more sense that letting Miami (Fla.) shoot a three-pointer.
ReplyDeleteUNC wins 75 to 71 without going to overtime. See, it's really not that hard to win a game where you have a 3-point lead and less than 10 seconds left.
DeleteHere are UK's recent games that were decided by one point:
Delete02/21/24: LSU 75 - 74 Kentucky
03/11/21: Mississippi St. 74 - 73 Kentucky (SEC Tournament)
02/09/21: Kentucky 80 - 81 Arkansas
01/20/21: Georgia 63 - 62 Kentucky
12/12/20: Kentucky 63 - 64 Notre Dame
03/07/20: Florida 70 - 71 Kentucky
So the Cats have lose five 1-point games in a row. The last time they won a 1-point game, the NCAA cancelled the rest of the season due to COVID.
In the Second District, McCracken County beats Community Christian 66 to 23.
ReplyDeleteHurrah!
DeleteIn the Eighth District, Heritage Christian of Hopkinsville beats Fort Campbell 54 to 38.
ReplyDeleteIn the First District, Carlisle County beat Fulton City 72 to 37. In the Fourth District, Murray beat Christian Fellowship 106 to 59. That completes tonight's action from the First and Second Regions.
ReplyDeleteIn the 45th District, Boyle County beat Kentucky School For the Deaf 85 to 29. The Kentucky School for the Deaf finishes with a record of 0-14.
ReplyDeleteIn the Fifth District, Lyon County beats Crittenden County 88 to 44.
ReplyDeleteIn the Fifth District, Trigg Co. beats Livingston Central 73 to 48.
ReplyDeleteIn the Seventh District, Madisonville-N. Hopkins beats Hopkins Co. Central 74 to 46.
ReplyDeleteOn Feb. 5, the Storm had beaten the Maroons at North, so the place was packed for Tuesday night's game. Glad our boys shined.
DeleteIn the Second District, Paducah Tilghman beats St. Mary 68 to 61. In the Third District, Mayfield beats Ballard Memorial 63 to 44. In the Fourth District, Marshall County beats Calloway County 63 to 59.
ReplyDeleteI always expect St. Mary's to be a big basketball power.
DeleteIn the First District, Fulton Co. beat Hickman Co. 44 to 41. In the Sixth District, Union Co. beat Webster Co. 63 to 56. In the 7th District, Caldwell Co. beat Dawson Springs 63 to 56.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that Caldwell-Dawson game was pretty hot stuff with a trip to the regions on the line. They are both pretty good--Caldwell now 19-12, Dawson now done at 18-13--and challenged Madisonville-North Hopkins in a couple of losses to the Maroons this season.
DeleteSo the District Finals are set for Districts 1 through 7:
ReplyDelete1: Carlisle Co. v. Fulton Co.
2: McCracken Co. v. Paducah Tilghman
3: Mayfield v. Graves Co.
4: Murray v. Marshall Co.
5: Lyon Co. v. Trigg Co.
6: Union Co. v. Henderson Co.
7: Madisonville-N. Hopkins v. Caldwell Co.
Go, Pilots, West Paducah Mustangs, Cardinals, Tigers, Lyons, Braves and Maroons!
DeleteTonight will see the semi-finals in the Eighth District:
ReplyDeleteChristian Co. v. Hopkinsville
Heritage Christian v. University Heights
University Heights pounds Heritage Christian 74 to 42.
ReplyDeleteChristian Co. beats Hoptown 60 to 45. So County will play University Heights for the Eighth District Title.
DeleteOwensboro is out. The Red Devils lose 47 to 41 to Owensboro Catholic in the 9th District semi-finals.
ReplyDeleteGo, Colonels and Panthers.
ReplyDeleteIt's 18-13 Lady Storm at 15-12 Lady Maroons at 6 p.m. Central today for the Seventh District girls' championship, with the North pep band ready to rock the house. I'm excited to be delivering two flutists and a clarinetist to the affair, and I'm especially excited to learn which drive-through we will be going through first for supper (the flutists and clarinetist are in negotiations). As of this hour, I am rooting in reverse order for ...
ReplyDelete5. McDonald's
4. Arby's
3. Silver Star (burgers and chicken, locally owned)
2. Captain D's
1. Taco John's
There are other possibilities in town. But these are the five on the north side up here by us and the high school, and I hope we stay in the vicinity in order to conserve time. Plus, all five are delicious!
Wendy's. I should've guessed. Here's a sexist statement that I've found to be pretty reliable guidance: Young women freaking love Wendy's.
DeleteIn the Fourth District championship, Marshall County comes back from 7 points down in regulation to send the game to OT. Murray was called for fouling a three-point shooter with 2.4 seconds left, and the shooter made all three foul shots. The Marshals win in overtime: 62 to 59. I can feel the anger from the Murray H.S. fans all the way here.
ReplyDeleteSt. X beats Male 77 to 66 to win the 26th District.
ReplyDeleteTrinity beats Seneca 82 to 71 to win the 27th District.
Boyd Co. beats Ashland Blazer 56 to 55 to win the 64th District.
These District Final games are amazing. Local rivalries are the best rivalries. In the District Final, you get the fun of the rivalry with the joy of knowing both teams are going to Regionals anyway.
DeleteYes!
DeleteIn the Sixth District final, Henderson Co. drills Union Co. 72 to 33.
ReplyDeleteIn the Second District Final, McCracken Co. beats Paducah Tilghman 58 to 53.
ReplyDeleteSTANGS!
DeleteIn the Seventh District Final, Caldwell Co. and Madisonville-N. Hopkins are tied at 37-all after three quarters.
ReplyDeleteToday is the last day for district play -- we're wrapping it all up tonight.
ReplyDeleteIn the Fifth District final, in the last official game Travis Perry will ever play at Lyon County High School, the Lyons hammered Trigg Co. 100 to 50. I can only imagine how pumped up they are in Eddyville these days.
ReplyDeleteAnd environs. When the Lyons came to Madisonville a couple of weeks ago, there were all of these announcements that went out to parents earlier in the week about parking possibilities because of the huge crowd they expected that evening for the game.
DeleteIn the 36th District final, Newport beats Ft. Thomas Highlands 63 to 48.
ReplyDeleteIn the First District final, Carlisle Co. crushed Fulton Co. 91 to 56.
ReplyDeleteIn the Third District final, Mayfield beat Graves Co. 54 to 38.
In the Seventh District final, Madisonville-N. Hopkins beat Caldwell Co. 55 to 46.
In the Eighth District final, University Heights edged Christian Co. 82 to 81. What a game that must have been.
I think next year--finally--University Heights is going to have to deal with the consolidated Christian County/Hopkinsville high school, and I'm sure they will have their successes. Still, I'll bet some of the UH crowd was pretty relieved to get in this jab while they could.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Hoptown beat Christian County by 60 to 58 in overtime in the Eighth District girls' championship at Christian County on Friday night, and that must've been a freaking brawl.
DeleteMeanwhile, Scott Co. built a new high school -- Great Crossing -- and now that high school has the number one basketball team in the Commonwealth.
DeleteAlso, I really like the fact that there was a Great Crossing H.S. that played in the KHSAA from 1924 until 1955, when it merged with Oxford, Sadieville, and Stamping Ground to form Scott Co. So when they needed a new high school in Scott Co., they just brought back the old name. That's how you do it.
DeleteI was at an event last night, by the way, where someone from McLean County said some of his friends has a really hot basketball player about to advance into high school. The parents were apparently leaning toward moving into the Owensboro school district in order to put her into play for the Lady Devils. But then they went to Ninth District championship at Apollo on Thursday night and saw how hard the parents of the Owensboro players were on their coach after the Lady Devils' 73-72 overtime loss to Owensboro Catholic, and the whole scene had them leaning now toward keeping their kid in the McLean County system. The Lady Cougars were 9-18 this season.
DeleteAll of this sounded a little like the Elena Delle Donne Delaware/UConn deal, and it has made me hope this girl is really, really fantastic and that she has a Travis Perry turn in Calhoun.
That is very cool about Great Crossing--I did not know that.
DeleteWhat the heck is going on out in the 15th Region that they had play-in games for the regional tournament on Thursday?
ReplyDeleteI think they adopted a new format in which everyone qualifies for the Regionals.
Delete