Yesterday was Sunday, so only four games on the schedule:
9th Region Semi-Finals (at BB & T Arena):
(3) Cov. Catholic 71, Erlanger Lloyd 52
Dixie Heights 65, Cov. Holy Cross 57
14th Region Semi-Finals (at Breathitt Co.):
Estill Co. 93, Cordia 87
Perry Co. Cent. 57, Breathitt Co. 48
Huge game tonight in Louisville: (2) Male v. (4) Ballard for the 7th Region Title. First matchup of top five teams since the playoffs began.
ReplyDeleteSo great! I don't know who won, so now I'm going to read your comments chronologically. On the HP home page, I saw your closing comment that JFrakes said the game was great, so this is going to be fun.
DeleteAt the half, number-1 George Rogers Clark leads Mason County 25 to 24.
ReplyDeleteGo, Mason County! And thanks again for everything, Darius Miller.
DeleteAfter three quarters, GRC leads Mason 39-30.
ReplyDeleteGRC beats Mason 57-45, will play Campbell or Bracken for the regional title.
ReplyDeleteGood try, Mason County.
DeleteBallard leads Male 15-14 after one quarter. Male hasn't played in the State Tournament since 2002 -- the Bulldogs won the Seventh Region in 2020, but the Tournament was cancelled. Since 2002, Ballard has been to the State Tournament eight times, and has reached the final three times, but has not won it all.
ReplyDeleteI'm stunned by both of these historical notes. I would've guessed wrong on both a thousand times before I got close to being right.
DeleteBallard's last state title was in 1999. Male's last title was in 1975.
ReplyDeleteI seriously would've guessed offhand that Male has won six times since 1975. All of the Louisville schools are basically one school in my head, Louisville Balcenalestern.
DeleteBallard leads Male 36-28 at the half.
ReplyDeleteAt the half, North Laurel leads Knox Central 32-26 in the 13th Region Final.
ReplyDeleteWith 2:58 left in the game, Ballard leads Male 57-55. In Region 4, Bowling Green pounds Clinton County 78-47.
ReplyDeleteOK, here we go in the Seventh ...
DeleteI've always loved Clinton County.
But Male has come back! The Bulldogs hit a 3 to go up 61-59, and then get a turnover to go up 63-59 with 8.9 seconds left.
ReplyDeleteIt's over.
DeleteIn the 8th Region, North Oldham beats Collins 48-41.
ReplyDeletemarch madness.
DeleteIn the 11th Region Final, Henry Clay leads Douglass 32-25 after three quarters. By the way, we are seeing huge crowds at Regional games all over the Commonwealth.
ReplyDeleteGreat!
DeleteMeanwhile, Male is hit with a technical foul! Ballard gets two free throws to make it 63-61, and now the Bruins have the ball with 8.9 seconds left.
ReplyDeleteIt's not over!
DeleteBallard scores to tie the game at 63, and we are going to overtime! Jason Frakes says that the technical foul will be debated for the rest of time.
ReplyDeleteI love Jason Frakes.
DeleteEnormous crowd at Valley High School for the Seventh Region Final. Really great to see. And apparently, they are seeing one of the games of the year.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, over in the 13th Region, North Laurel leads Knox Central 47-43 with one quarter to go.
ReplyDeleteAfter the first OT, Male and Ballard were tied at 70. After the second OT, Male and Ballard were tied at 76. Now the Bulldogs and Bruins are going to a THIRD OVERTIME. Amazing stuff!
ReplyDeleteOH, MY GOSH!
DeleteNorth Laurel beats Knox Central 69-56 to win the 13th Region for the first time since 2012.
ReplyDeleteI should point out that North Laurel is led by UK recruit Reed Sheppard, who is the son of legendary UK hero Jeff Sheppard, one of the most beloved Wildcats ever. So North Laurel will have a lot of fans in Lexington.
DeleteKnox Central had won the 13th Region in each of the last three years.
DeleteSo North Laurel is in, along with Murray and Lyon County. Wouldn't it be great if this turns out to be one of the all-time-legendary Sweet 16s, like 1976 or the Paul Andrews year?
DeleteIn triple overtime, Ballard leads Male 80-78 with 1:37 left.
ReplyDeleteNow tied at 80 with 41.1 seconds left after Male gets a steal and two free throws.
ReplyDeleteOh, my word!
DeleteUp 51-48 in the finals of the Southern Conference Tournament, Chattanooga decided not to foul Furman, and the Paladins hit a three to tie the game. Overtime.
ReplyDeleteMale hits a shot at the buzzer, and the Bulldogs win 82-80 in TRIPLE OVERTIME! Thanks to Jason Frakes for his excellent tweets. Male going to State for the first time since 2002 -- assuming that we have the tournament this time.
ReplyDeleteMarch Madness!
DeleteIn the 11th Region, Henry Clay beats Douglass 41-36, and they will play Murray in the first round of the State Tournament.
ReplyDeleteHenry Clay hasn't been to State since 2005.
DeleteStunned by this fact also.
DeleteIn the 15th Region, Pikeville beats Pike County Central 63-42. Pikeville will play North Laurel in the first round.
ReplyDeletePikeville's first trip to State since 2018.
DeleteChattanooga hits a 40-footer at the buzzer to beat Furman 64-63, so apparently the gods of basketball decided to forgive them.
ReplyDeleteIn the 4th Region, Warren Central leads Barren County 40-15 at the half, so we will have another Warren Central/Bowling Green final tomorrow night.
ReplyDeleteWarren Central advances 70-37.
DeleteSo far, McCracken County is the only top 10 team that has lost to an unranked team. Greenwood lost to Bowling Green, and Ballard lost to Male.
ReplyDeleteIn the other 10th Region semi-final, Bracken County beats Campbell County 71-69 in overtime. The Polar Bears will take on GRC for the regional crown.
ReplyDeleteGO, BRACKEN COUNTY POLAR BEARS!
DeleteJason Frakes says that many folks are calling the Seventh Region Final the best game they've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteTotally satisfying post. Hurrah! Thanks.
ReplyDelete