Monday, March 10, 2014

54 Teams Left

Four big games yesterday, which set up the finals in the 7th and 9th regions.  Newport Central Catholic is the first team from the AP's Top 10 to be eliminated:

Seventh Region Semi-Finals (at Lou. Valley):
(2) Lou. Ballard 77, Lou. Male 53
(6) Lou. Trinity 62, Lou. Manual 45

Ninth Region Semi-Finals (at Bank of Kentucky Center):
(4) Cov. Catholic 51, (5) Newport Cent. Catholic 43
(7) Cov. Holmes 54, Dixie Heights 51

Tonight we will get three regional champions:

6th Region:  (8) Lou. Pleasure Ridge Park (25-7) v. Bullitt East (26-7)
9th Region:  (4) Cov. Catholic (28-2) v. (7) Cov. Holmes (28-5)
13th Region:   Clay Co. (22-8) v. Corbin (22-10)

Also, Eric's Mustangs (22-8) take on Graves Co. (27-4) in the First Region Semi-Finals.

98 comments:

  1. I should give credit to Eric, who already posted all of this information in some prior comments.

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  2. I should also mention that Madisonville-N. Hopkins is due for its annual battle against the best team in Christian County. This battle, which usually ends Madisonville's season, is set for tonight at Madisonville, as the Maroons take on Hopkinsville in the Second Region Semi-Finals. Here's how Madisonville's last three seasons have ended:

    2013 Regional Semi-Finals: Hopkinsville 63, Madisonville-N. Hopkins 62
    2012 Regional Final: Hopkinsville 65, Madisonville-N. Hopkins 54
    2011 Regional Final: Christian Co. 76, Madisonville-N. Hopkins 67

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  3. Jason Frakes reports that PRP's Lamontray Harris, the Sixth Region's Player of the Year, was ejected for receiving two technical fouls in PRP's 64-63 over Doss in the 6th Region Semi-Finals. Under KHSAA rules, Harris is thus ineligible for PRP's next TWO games. That means he will not be participating in tonight's Sixth Region final.

    Given that Harris averages 20.8 points and 10 rebounds per game, this is a huge blow to PRP.

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  4. In the First Region, Graves County tried an old Ray Mears/UT ploy by putting the wrong free throw shooter at the line. They finally got it straightened out and then the correct shooter made both free throws.

    McCHS leads GCHS 52-51 with 1:17 left.

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  5. The 6th Region Final has just tipped off at Louisville Valley High School.

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  6. Jason Frakes, reporting from Valley, states that PRP is up 4-2 halfway through the first quarter.

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  7. I stopped reporting on the McCHS game because I didn't want Eric to worry about the live-blogging jinx -- although it wouldn't apply here, because I wasn't rooting for McCHS.

    Anyway, the Mustangs PULLED A HUGE UPSET, beating Graves 58-51 to advance to the First Region final.

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  8. McCHS will next play the winner of Marshall County vs. Mayfield.

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  9. Meanwhile, I am trying to listen to the 9th Region Final between Holmes and Cov Cath. These are two of the best teams in the state, but -- just as I remember from last year in the 9th Region -- the radio broadcast is not easy to understand. They just told us that the score is 24-16 halfway through the second quarter, but they didn't tell us us was in the lead.

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    1. Now it's 26-16, but I still don't know who's winning.

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    2. Now it's 28-16 and they went to break. The crowd is going wild. Someone has 14 points already. But I still don't know who's in the lead.

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  10. Meanwhile, Jason Frakes reports that PRP leads Bullitt East 14-12 after one quarter.

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  11. CovCath is in the lead in the 9th region. According to Twitter, CovCath was up 19-10 after one quarter, and they now lead 28-16.

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  12. We're six minutes from tip-off in the 13th Region Final between Clay Co. and Corbin.

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  13. Several folks on Twitter are reporting that there's a huge crowd at the 9th Region Championship, and the crowd sounds very loud on the radio.

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  14. CovCath leads 28-20 with 1:05 left in the 2d Quarter.

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  15. To recap McCHS's victory: Graves County had gone 27-4 before tonight's game, which was by far the best record in the First Region. But McCracken County had beaten Graves twice in the regular season, and the Mustangs beat them again tonight. So Graves finished with a record of 27-5, and three of those losses were to McCHS. What an odd year.

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    1. Graves was also the defending regional champion.

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    2. And the region's top-rated team in the Litkenhous. Our Mustangs--coached by Burlin Brower, formerly of Heath--have won 12 of their last 14.

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  16. CovCath leads Holmes 28-20 at the half. Holmes went 0-10 from three-point range in the first half, which has greatly improved the effectiveness of the CovCath zone.

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  17. PRP and Bullitt East are tied at 20 with 2:42 left in the 2d Quarter.

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  18. Jason Frakes reports that Bullitt East leads PRP 28-26 at half time in the 6th Region.

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  19. So we are concentrating on the finals in the 6th, 9th, and 13th Regions, but there are also semi-final games taking place in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 15th, and 16th Regions. (The 7th Region Final will be Ballard v. Trinity; the 11th Region Final will be Scott Co. v. Henry Clay.)

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  20. 5th Region Semis: E-Town 64, Taylor Co. 60 (Final)
    10th Region Semis: Campbell Co. 63, Harrison Co. 53 (Final)

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    1. First time since 2001 that Campbell County has reached the regional final.

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  21. Mike Fields reports that Clay County and Corbin are tied at 5 with 3 minutes to go in the first quarter.

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  22. Holmes is fighting back. Early in the 3d Quarter, CovCath's lead is now 30-25.

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  23. In the 8th Region Semi-Finals, Shelbyville Collins and South Oldham are tied at 57 after regulation, so they are going to OT.

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  24. Jamie McCracken reports that Clay County leads Corbin 11-10 after one quarter.

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  25. Holmes finally hits a three. It was very timely, as it ties the game at 33 with 4:10 left in the 3d quarter. CovCath had an 8-point lead at the half, and that lead is now gone.

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  26. 16th Region Semifinal: Fleming Co. 66, Lewis Co. 58 (Final).
    15th Region Semifinal: Johnson Cent. 92, Prestonsburg 40 (Final) (ouch!)

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  27. In the 6th Region, PRP and Bullitt East are tied at 35 with 1:41 left in the 3d Quarter.

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  28. The 9th Region announcers are complaining that no one can hear the officials because the officials aren't blowing their whistles loud enough. The 9th Region final sounds like it's taking place in a madhouse.

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  29. Holmes had taken a 35-33 lead, but CovCath responds with a huge three-pointer. CovCath leads 36-35 with 1:42 left in the third.

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  30. In the 9th Region, Holmes leads 37-36 with one quarter to go. "8 minutes to Rupp!" say the guys on Tri-State Internet Sports Radio.

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  31. At the end of the third quarter, PRP and Bullitt East are tied at 38. "8 MINUTES TO RUPP!"

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  32. CovCath opens the fourth quarter by getting fouled on a three-point shot. They make all three free throws to go up 39-37. But then Holmes responds with a bucket, so it's all tied at 39.

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  33. 8th Region Semi-Final: S. Oldham 63, Collins 62 (OT) (Final)

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  34. At halftime in the 13th Region Final, Clay County leads Corbin 22-18.

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  35. Good night! This is exciting:

    6th Region: PRP leads Bullitt East 46-45 with 5:10 left
    9th Region: CovCath leads Holmes 44-42 with 6:13 left

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  36. They think there are about 7,500 people at the 9th Region final. It is a very loud and intense crowd.

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  37. CovCath's crowd has some chant that they do when the other team is shooting free throws. I can't make out the words, but it's very catchy. Anyway. Holmes misses two free throws, CovCath scores at the other end, and the Colonels extend their lead to 46-42 with 5 minutes to go.

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  38. Jason Frakes reports that he's nervous just watching the 6th Region final, and he doesn't even care who wins.

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  39. 6th Region: PRP and Bullitt East are tied at 49 with 3:25 to go
    9th Region: CovCath leads 48-42 with about 3 and a half minutes to go.

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    1. Correction: there are 3 minutes and 56 seconds to go in the 4th Quarter of the 9th Region Final.

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  40. Jason Frakes reports that PRP leads Bullitt East 50-49 with 2:18 left.

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  41. With three minutes to go, CovCath leads 48-44. Holmes ball.

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  42. Jason Frakes reports that PRP leads Bullitt East 52-49 with 1:07 left.

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  43. Holmes keeps shooting three's, and keeps missing. But CovCath keeps taking quick shots and giving the ball back. The 9th Region announcers are getting frustrated. CovCath leads 48-44 with 1:57 to go.

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  44. Jason Frakes reports that PRP leads Bullitt East 54-49 with 53.6 seconds to go.

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  45. Jason Frakes reports that Bullitt East makes a three-pointer. PRP now leads 54-52 with 37.5 seconds left.

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  46. CovCath makes two FT's to take a 50-44 lead with about 1 1/2 minutes to go.

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  47. CovCath has the ball and a six point lead. 50-44 with 1 minute left.

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  48. 10th Region Semi: Augusta leads heavily favored Montgomery Co. 18-14 after one quarter.

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  49. CovCath makes two FT's, and they lead 52-44 with 56.4 seconds left.

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  50. Jason Frakes reports that PRP leads 57-53 with 7.8 seconds left.

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  51. Bullitt East hits three free throws. PRP leads 57-56 with 6.5 seconds to go. PRP heading to the line.

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  52. Holmes finally hits a three. CovCath leads 52-48 with 38.1 seconds to go.

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  53. CovCath makes one FT, and then Holmes hits another three. Now CovCath's lead is only 53-51 with 23.5 seconds to go.

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  54. 3d Region Semis: Owensboro 76, Ohio Co. 56 (Final)

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  55. In the 13th Region, Clay Co. leads Corbin 32-18 with 3:53 left in the 3d Quarter.

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  56. Jason Frakes reports that PRP makes two free throws, and Bullitt East misses a three pointer at the buzzer. PRP WINS THE SIXTH REGION WITHOUT THEIR BEST PLAYER. THE FINAL SCORE: PRP 59, BULLITT EAST 56.

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  57. In the 9th Region, Holmes can't make any more three's, and CovCath prevails by the score of 56 to 51. CovCath is going to the State Tournament for the first time since 2006.

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  58. In the Second Region semis, University Heights and Henderson are tied at 81 with 26 seconds to go in overtime. We've switched over to WHOP to hear the end of this game.

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  59. Henderson County calls time with 4 seconds to go. Still tied at 81. "Holy Moses! What a game this has been!" says the announcer on WHOP.

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  60. Henderson can't score and we're going to DOUBLE overtime. "Holy Moses!" says the WHOP announcer again.

    I love WHOP.

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    1. If at any point, somebody gets ahead by five points and the announcer says it's a "nickel lead," then it's definitely WKU Todd.

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  61. 10th Region Semi: Augusta leads Montgomery Co. 28-27. That would be an epic upset if Augusta pulled it off.

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    1. Augusta got its first regional win since 1950 in the first round of this tournament.

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  62. In the First (and best) Region, Marshall leads Mayfield 37-34 with 5:17 left in the game.

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  63. Henderson leads UHA 87-85 with about 2 minutes left in double OT.

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  64. Henderson now up 90-85 with 1:15 left in double OT.

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  65. In the 13th Region, Clay County leads Corbin 41-31 with one quarter left.

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  66. With 45 seconds left in double overtime, Henderson leads University Heights 92-87. Henderson ball.

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  67. Suddenly, Corbin has clawed its way back into the 13th Region championship. Clay County's lead is only 41-36 with 7:24 left in the game.

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  68. "One thing about it: these two teams have gotten up and down the floor tonight," says the WHOP announcer. It's hard to disagree with that. Henderson leads 98-90 with 3 seconds to go.

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  69. And that's your game: Henderson 98, University Heights 92 (double OT) (Final).

    Good night!

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  70. In the First Region, by contrast, we go at a statelier pace. With 1:22 left, Marshall leads Mayfield 44-39.

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    1. And that is now a final: Marshall beats Mayfield 50-42.

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  71. In the 13th Region, Clay County leads Corbin 47-43 with 5:30 to go.

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  72. Corbin continues to charge. Clay County's lead is now 53-51 with 3:09 remaining.

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  73. Clay Count now leads 55-51 with 2:17 left.

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  74. Mike Fields reports that Clay County is now up 60-51 with 1:20 left. So they appear to have survived that storm.

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  75. In the 10th region semis, with one quarter to go, Montgomery Co. leads Augusta 45-42.

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  76. On WHOP, UHA's coach says that his team was really hoping for another shot at Hopkinsville. "Nothing against Madisonville; they have a great team. But we really wanted to play Hopkinsville again."

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  77. Clay County wraps up the 13th Region title, beating Corbin 68-54.

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  78. So here's where the regions stand:

    1st Region: McCracken Co. v. Marshall Co.
    2d Region: Henderson Co. v. Hoptown / Madisonville N. Hopkins
    3d Region: Owensboro v. Grayson / Muhlenburg
    4th Region: Bowling Green v. Warren Central / Monroe Co.
    5th Region: E-Town v. John Hardin / Bardstown
    6th Region: Lou. Pleasure Ridge Park
    7th Region: Lou. Ballard v. Lou. Trinity
    8th Region: S. Oldham v. Simon Kenton / Oldham Co.
    9th Region: Covington Catholic
    10th Region: Campbell Co. v. Montgomery Co / Augusta
    11th Region: Scott Co. v. Lex. Henry Clay
    12th Region: Southwestern v. Boyle Co. / Wayne Co.
    13th Region: Clay Co.
    14th Region: Knott Co. Cent. v. Hazard / Wolfe Co.
    15th Region: Johnson Cent. v. Lawrence Co. / Shelby Valley
    16th Region: Fleming Co. v. Greenup Co. / Ashland Blazer

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  79. Montgomery Co. beats a game Augusta squad, and MontCo advances to the 10th Region Final.

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  80. That's all for tonight. I'm going home.

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  81. Great stuff, Go Heath! Great, great stuff!

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