Monday, March 7, 2016

49 Games Left

OK, now it's time to get serious.  By the end of tomorrow night, only 16 boys' basketball teams in Kentucky will still be playing.  Here's what happened yesterday:

9th Region Semi-Final (at BB&T Arena):
(4) Cov. Catholic 64, Conner 55
Newport Cent. Catholic 62, Cov. Holy Cross 37

So in both the Ninth Region and the Seventh Region, both regional finalists are Catholic schools.

Here are tonight's games.  As you see, we have a crowded lineup:

1st Region Semi-Finals (at Murray St. U.):
Graves Co. (23-9) v. McCracken Co. (23-9)
Murray (27-5) v. Paducah Tilghman (27-4)

Usually, at least one team with a weak record makes it into the First Region semi-finals.  Not this year.

2d Region Final (at Hopkins Co. Cent.):
(1) Christian Co. (28-2) v. Hopkinsville (20-12)

Hoptown is going for its fifth consecutive regional title.  On the other hand, when County won the Region in 2011, the Colonels went all the way to the State Championship.

4th Region Semi-Finals (at W. Kentucky U.):
Barren Co. (27-5) v. Warren Cent. (19-12)
(5) Bowling Green (28-2) v. Russell Co. (20-8)

5th Region Semi-Finals (at Nelson Co.):
Taylor Co. (22-8) v. N. Hardin (26-7)
Bardstown (25-7) v. Cent. Hardin (22-6)

6th Region Final (at Lou. Valley):
(10) Bullitt East (27-5) v. Lou. Doss (26-5)

8th Region Semi-Finals (at Henry Co.):
Martha Layne Collins (15-17) v. S. Oldham (26-5)
Oldham Co. (23-8) v. Anderson Co. (17-13)

9th Region Final (at BB&T Arena):
(4) Cov. Catholic (28-6) v. Newport Cent. Catholic (27-4)

10th Region Semi-Finals (at Montgomery Co.):
Mason Co. (21-10) v. Paris (24-5)
Montgomery Co. (21-11) v. Augusta (23-6)

11th Region Final (at E. Kentucky U.):
(3) Scott Co. (29-5) v. Lex. Dunbar (28-6)

12th Region Semi-Finals (at Pulaski Co.):
Southwestern (24-6) v. (2) Mercer Co. (31-1)
Casey Co. (15-17) v. Boyle Co. (15-11)

13th Region Final (at Corbin Arena):
S. Laurel (26-6) v. Clay Co. (25-7)

14th Region Semi-Finals (at Knott Co. Cent.):
Perry Co. Cent. (24-4) v. June Buchanan (20-9)
Breathitt Co. (20-13) v. Buckhorn (17-15)

15th Region Semi-Finals (at E. Kentucky Expo Center):
E. Ridge (22-10) v. Johnson Cent. (18-12)
Magoffin Co. (22-8) v. Lawrence Co. (27-4)

16th Region Semi-Finals (at Morehead St. U.):
Elliott Co. (20-7) v. Lewis Co. (18-12)
Rowan Co. (20-11) v. Boyd Co. (20-12)

77 comments:

  1. Early finals:

    5th Region Semis: Taylor Co. 69, N. Hardin 49
    15th Region Semis: Johnson Cent. 59, E. Ridge 45

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  2. At the half, Lex. Dunbar leads Scott Co. 25 to 16.

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  3. 16th Region Semis: Elliott Co. 59, Lewis Co. 49

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  4. OK, we've dialed in to WHOP-AM in Hopkinsville. County leads Hoptown 17-11 after one quarter.

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  5. This is the fourth time these two ancient rivals have met this season. Here are the prior results:

    1/30: CCHS 77, HHS 67
    2/13: CCHS 75, HHS 62
    2/26: CCHS 70, HHS 65

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  6. County has a "nickel lead" at 19 to 14.

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    1. Oh, good ... it was Todd Hamilton on the call.

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  7. In the Fourth Region, with 39 seconds to go, Barren County LEADS Warren Central 55 to 50.

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  8. In the 13th Region Final, South Laurel leads Clay Co. 27-18 at the half.

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  9. County now has a "dime" lead: 24-14.

    I made up that whole "dime" thing. The guy on WHOP didn't actually say that.

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  10. It's all over in the 4th Region, and Warren Central has lost! Barren County 58, Warren Central 53. Only the second time in the last 24 tries that a team from the 14th District has lost in the regional semi-finals.

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  11. In the 6th Region Final, Louisville Doss has beaten number-10 Bullitt East, 58 to 54.

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  12. With one quarter to go in Richmond, Lexington Dunbar leads Scott County 34 to 32 in the 11th Region Finals.

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  13. Doss is the first team to qualify for this year's state tournament. The Dragons await the winner of the Fifteenth Region.

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  14. In the First Region, McCracken County and Graves County are going to OVERTIME after their game finished in a 44-44 tie.

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  15. County is rolling, up 30 to 18 in the second quarter.

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  16. OK, so I've switched over to WPAD-FM - 99.5 on your dial. They are now known as "The Fan."

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    1. That'd be Eric Chumbler on the call. I think he was probably a Heath guy.

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  17. McCracken leads 46-45 with 2:40 left in the game. Mustangs ball.

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  18. Another top 10 team goes down, as number-4 Covington Catholic LOSES the Ninth Region Final to Newport Central Catholic. Final score: 52 to 47. NCC will go to State for the first time since 2000.

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  19. With 1:44 left, McCracken and Graves are tied at 47.

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  20. The guys on the Fan tell us that "everyone at the CFSB is standing." I bet that's true.

    Graves County is holding for the last shot.

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  21. Less than a minute to go. Graves still holding for the last shot.

    McCracken County had the lead, but they kept shooting.

    Wait, Graves missed a layup! McCracken gets the ball -- but the Mustangs shoot again! And miss.

    Graves has the ball with 25 seconds to go. The folks on WPAD are really fed up with McCHS. Why are they in such a hurry to shoot?

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  22. Barren County makes the Fourth Region final for the first time since 2004.

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  23. OK, Graves has called time. Still tied at 47 with 15 seconds left.

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  24. McCracken County blocks Graves's shot with 1.2 seconds left. Graves had one more shot, but couldn't score.

    DOUBLE OVERTIME. McCracken Co. 47, Graves Co. 47

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  25. "Our blood pressure is sky high," say the folks on WPAD.

    It makes me happy that Paducah has WPAD and Hopkinsville has WHOP.

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  26. Still 47-all with 3:29 left in the second overtime at Murray.

    Mustang ball. The guys on WPAD pleading with McCracken County to run a play.

    And they do. And they make a layup. McCHS leads 49-47 with 3:19 left.

    And now Graves has committed an offensive foul! McCHS ball.

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  27. WPAD announcers having to shout to be heard over the crowd.

    And now McCracken County has a four-point lead: 51-47.

    Graves County's shot is blocked. Mustangs ball with 2:11 to go. Time out.

    The guys on WPAD want to slow the ball down.

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  28. Over at Hopkinsville, they want to play fast and aggressive. In the First Region, everyone is a coach. I feel this myself -- if I were a McCracken County fan, I would want them to run out the clock.

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  29. Another top-5 team on the ropes: Scott County trails Dunbar 44 to 36 with 1:25 left.

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  30. Meanwhile, McCracken County just missed two free throws. So much for strategy. Graves has the ball with less than two minutes to go.

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  31. Graves is fouled -- makes two free throws. McCHS leads 51 to 49 with 106 seconds to go.

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  32. The WPAD announcers remind us that the Mustangs can hold the ball as long as they want. But then the ball is knocked out of bounds and the ball is awarded to Graves. "A terrible call," says WPAD.

    But soon thereafter, Graves makes a layup. All tied at 51.

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  33. McCracken County is fouled, and makes two FT's. One minute to go, and the Mustangs lead 53-51.

    Graves County misses, and McCHS gets a runout! 55 to 51.

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  34. Graves County misses, McCHS gets the rebound -- and is fouled!

    "Mustang Nation is on their feet!" says WPAD.

    34 seconds to go, McCHS at the line.

    First FT: Good!
    Second FT: No Good!

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  35. But Graves County commits a turnover with 24 seconds to go! McCHS has the lead (56-51) and the ball.

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  36. After only two seconds, McCHS is called for traveling.

    But Graves misses a three-pointer, and McCHS grabs another rebound. The Mustangs have been getting all the rebounds down the stretch.

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  37. McCHS makes two more FT's, and the Mustangs lead 58-51 with only 15 seconds to go.

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  38. And that's your final. McCracken County 58, Graves County 51. Double overtime. Mustangs will face either Tilghman or Murray in the final.

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  39. In the 10th region semis, Mason Co. beats Paris 67-63.

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  40. In the 11th Region, Lex. Dunbar knocks out Scott County, 51 to 39. First trip to the Sweet 16 for Dunbar since 1997.

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  41. This is the first time any public school from Fayette County has reached the Sweet 16 since Henry Clay did it in 2005. Since then, we've had a lot of Lexington Catholic, Scott County, and Madison Central.

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  42. They're running a car wash commercial on WPAD. I can honestly say I've never known people anywhere who care more about having clean cars than the people in McCracken County.

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  43. So three teams have reached the State Tournament: Louisville Doss, Newport Central Catholic, and Lexington Dunbar.

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  44. In the 13th Region, South Laurel leads Clay Co. 44-29 with one quarter to go.

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  45. The folks on WPAD tell us that the teams in the second game -- Tilghman and Murray -- were pre-season 1 and 2 in the First Region.

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  46. After three quarters, County leads Hoptown 57 to 41.

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  47. On WPAD, the announcers ask the McCracken County coach whether he wanted the team to slow the ball down when they were in the lead. He assures them that he did. He also complains about the same bad call in double overtime that the announcers had complained about.

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  48. That's all for me tonight. Congrats to all the winners, and condolences to all the losers.

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  49. Getting excited to the big night of regional championships.

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  50. 30 minutes before tipoff of the First Region championship, and 99.5 The Fan is interviewing Scott Sivilis, the McCracken County girls' basketball coach and father of two boys on the varsity boys' team. "I could throw up my Pizza Inn food right now," he says of his anxiety.

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  51. McCracken County vs. Murray at Murray State University for the First Region title is one of 10 boys’ finals tonight. The others:

    — Owensboro Catholic vs.Meade County at Owensboro Sportscaster, Third Region

    — Barren County vs. Bowling Green at Western Kentucky University, Fourth Region

    — Taylor County vs. Bardstown at Nelson County High, Fifth Region

    — Trinity vs. Saint Xavier at Louisville Valley, Seventh Region

    — South Oldham vs. Anderson County at Henry County High, Eighth Region

    — Mason County vs. Augusta at Montgomery County High, 10th Region

    — Mercer County vs. Casey County at Pulaski County High, 12th Region

    — Perry County Central vs. Buckhorn at Knott County Central High, 14th Region

    — Johnson Central vs. Lawrence County at East Kentucky Expo Center, 15th Region

    — Elliott County vs. Boyd County at Morehead State University, 16th Region

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  52. Mason County's up, 24-19, at half against Augusta.

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  53. Trinity's up, 24-23, on St. X at the half.

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  54. Half: Bowling Green 18, Barren County 17.

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  55. Half: Buckhorn 28, Perry County Central 22.

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  56. Half: Elliott County 32, Boyd County 19.

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  57. Half: South Oldham 45, Anderson County 21.

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  58. Half: Mercer County 35, Casey County 23.

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  59. Winners: Bowling Green, Mercer County and Buckhorn (in overtime!).

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  60. Winners: Mason County and Trinity.

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  61. Mike Stunson ‏@Mike_Stunson
    After three quarters of the First Region Boys Championship, Murray leads McCracken County 36-27. Bryant Foster big 3 at the buzzer.
    7:54 PM - 8 Mar 2016

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  62. Oscar Combs @wildcatnews
    If someone had told me in 1962 Buckhorn would still have a high school 53 years later (let alone winning 14th Region) I would have laughed.
    7:55 PM - 8 Mar 2016

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  63. There's about a minute to go, and Murray is going to beat McCracken County.

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  64. Mike Stunson @Mike_Stunson
    It's not over yet. After a steal, Hayden connects in the post and is fouled. He can cut it to 6. 33 seconds left.
    8:19 PM - 8 Mar 2016

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  65. Winner: Owensboro Catholic (first time ever to the Sweet Sixteen).

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  66. It's over: Murray 55, McCracken County 47.

    Pretty interesting ... the McCracken girls coach who's the dad of two of the boys' team said in his radio interview before the game that the first team to 55 points would win this championship.

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  67. That said, he also predicted that McCracken would win by about four points.

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