Tuesday, March 10, 2020

27 Teams Left

Lots of action last night in the boys' basketball regionals:

2d Region Semi-Finals (at Hopkinsville):
(3) Madisonville-N. Hopkins 64, Christian Co. 61
Webster Co. 79, Lyon Co. 67

No team from Christian County will be in the Second Region Final.  That doesn't happen very often.  Some might be concerned that Madisonville had such a hard time with a 13-19 Christian County team.  But not me.  Winning on the road in Christian County is like winning in Tennessee -- you take whatever you can get.

4th Region Semi-Finals (at W. Kentucky Univ.):
Bowling Green 64, Logan Co. 52
Warren Cent. 58, Clinton Co. 47

Same-old same-old in the Fourth Region.  Bowling Green beat Warren Central 57 to 51 in the 14th District Final on February 28.

6th Region Final (at Lou. Valley):
Lou. Fern Creek 48, Lou. Jeffersontown 43

8th Region Semi-Finals (at Henry Co.):
Collins 81, S. Oldham 67
Oldham Co. 53, Grant Co. 50

I really wish that Collins would use the name "Shelbyville," which has a lot of basketball history.  Similarly, if they ever build a new high school in West Paducah, I want it to be called "Heath."

9th Region Semi-Finals (at N. Kentucky Univ.):
(6) Cov. Catholic 74, St. Henry 51
Ft. Thomas Highlands 66, Conner 49

10th Region Semi-Finals (at George Rogers Clark):
Montgomery Co. 76, Campbell Co. 59
George Rogers Clark 58, Bishop Brossart 45

12th Region Semi-Finals (at Pulaski Co.):
Danville 66, Somerset 64
W. Jessamine 82, Pulaski Co. 68

13th Region Final (at Corbin Arena):
Knox Central 72, Harlan Co. 68

15th Region Final (at Appalachian Wireless Arena):
Martin Co. 65, Lawrence Co. 61

Martin County High School is the former Sheldon Clark High School, which was named after the Martin County Schools Superintendent back in 1972, when Warfield High School was consolidated with Inez High School.  A few years ago, damage to the Sheldon Clark building led to the building of a new high school, which took the name Martin County.  Now Martin County is on its way to the State Tournament.

16th Region Semi-Finals (at Morehead St. Univ.):
(2) Ashland Blazer 67, Rowan Co. 30
Lewis Co. 70, Boyd Co. 65

Ashland Blazer is 32-0, and is trying to become the first team since Brewers in 1948 to finish a Kentucky high school boys' basketball season without suffering any defeats.

70 comments:

  1. Here's what the state tournament looks like now:

    Wednesday, March 18:
    Elizabethtown or Bardstown v. Ashland Blazer or Lewis Co.
    Madisonville or Webster Co. v. Warren Cent. or Bowling Green
    Knox Central v. Scott Co.
    McCracken Co. v. Montgomery Co. or George Rogers Clark

    Thursday, March 19
    Owensboro or Owensboro Catholic v. Martin Co.
    Lou. Male or Lou. Ballard v. Collins or Oldham Co.
    Lou. Fern Creek v. Hazard or Wolfe Co.
    Cov. Catholic or Ft. Thomas Highlands v. Danville or W. Jessamine

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  2. The remaining 11 regional finals will all be played tonight.

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  3. I feel the same way about playing in Christian County. North's best player and another starter were both fouled out for the last several minutes of the game, so I was thrilled they survived at all.

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    Replies
    1. That's exactly what I would have expected. They don't mess around down there.

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  4. Male leads Ballard 55-44 with one quarter to go.

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  5. Final from the 10th Region: George Rogers Clark 43, Montgomery County 40

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  6. In the 8th region, Collins leads Oldham 50-47 with 4:30 left.

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  7. In the 2d Region, we have a 12-12 tie after one.

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  8. In the 9th region, Cov Cath leads Highland 28-17 at the half.

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  9. In the 4th Region, Warren Central beats Bowling Green 53-42. The Dragons are going to State for the third year in a row.

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    Replies
    1. I sure didn't see this WC run coming four or five years ago.

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  10. In the 16th Region, Blazer remains undefeated. They beat Lewis County 84-60 and are only four wins from a perfect season. They are now 33-0.

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  11. In the 5th Region, E-Town leads Bardstown 65-59 with 2:27 left.

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    1. I would normally be rooting for Bardstown here, but there's a pretty good chance I'm going to be in Elizabethtown on Saturday, and I would enjoy seeing how that town turns out for a state-tournament team. So I'm excited to read how this one turns out, and I'm rooting for E-Town.

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  12. In the 7th Region, Male leads Ballard 57-49 with 5:31 left.

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  13. Male now leads 59-49 with 3:51 left.

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  14. Male hits a 3 and now leads 62-49 with 3:22 left.

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  15. Winners tonight so far:

    4th: Warren Central
    10th: George Rogers Clark
    16th: Ashland Blazer

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  16. In the 5th, E-Town leads 67-61 with 1:25 left.

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  17. In the 8th, Collins (Shelbyville) beats Oldham County 61-53.

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  18. Updated list of winners:

    4th: Warren Central
    8th: Collins
    10th: George Rogers Clark
    16th: (2) Ashland Blazer

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    1. After Madisonville-North Hopkins and McCracken County and maybe E-Town, I'm rooting for Ashland Blazer to win the whole thing. I don't think I've ever rooted for them to win anything.

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  19. In the 14th Region, Hazard and Wolfe County were tied 45-all after four quarters -- they are headed to overtime.

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  20. In the 12th Region, West Jessamine leads Danville 33-27 at the half.

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    Replies
    1. I know almost nothing of the Jesses. I have zero sense of those two schools.

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  21. It's getting close in the 5th, where E-Town leads 69-67.

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  22. Madisonville finally starting to roll. The Maroons lead 30-18 with 22 seconds left in the first half.

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    Replies
    1. I caught only the postgame of this on the radio, and, given the mood, I was surprised to read this was tied even after a quarter.

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  23. In the 3d Region, Owensboro Catholic leads Owensboro 19-8 after one quarter.

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  24. Catholic now leads Owensboro 27-16 with 2:43 left in the second quarter.

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  25. Down 72-69, Bardstown went to the line for two free throws with 8.9 seconds left. They missed the first, then missed the second on purpose. E-Town got the rebound and was fouled.

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  26. E-Town has won the 5th Region 74 to 72.

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  27. Updated list of winners:

    4th: Warren Central
    5th: (8) Elizabethtown
    8th: Collins
    10th: George Rogers Clark
    16th: (2) Ashland Blazer

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  28. Final in the Seventh Region: Male 71, Ballard 61. Male wins the Seventh Region for the first time since 2002.

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    1. Good! Two of my best college friends were Male boys, and one of them wrote one of my favorite things I've ever read about basketball. I'm pretty sure he called it, "A Basketball Goal Stands in Lyndon," but I can't find it anywhere. It was really great.

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  29. Here's a more complete list of winners that includes regions decided before tonight:

    1st: McCracken Co.
    4th: Warren Central
    5th: (8) Elizabethtown
    6th: Lou. Fern Creek
    7th: (1) Lou. Male
    8th: Collins
    10th: George Rogers Clark
    11th: Scott Co.
    13th: Knox Central
    15th: Martin Co.
    16th: (2) Ashland Blazer

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    Replies
    1. I will also root for the Creek. Two of my other best WKU friends were Creekers.

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  30. In the 3d Region, Catholic leads Owensboro 30-17 at the half.

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  31. In overtime in the 14th, Hazard leads Wolfe 54-49 with 30 seconds left.

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  32. In the 12th, West Jessamine leads Danville 47-42 with 2:21 left in the third.

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  33. Hazard beats Wolfe County 57-51 in overtime to win the 14th Region. The only regions still playing are the 2d, 3d, 9th, and 12th.

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  34. In the 2d Region, Madisonville leads Webster 35-18 with 6:58 left in the third.

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  35. In the 9th, CovCath leads Highlands 42-33 with one quarter to go.

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  36. Murray State lost in heartbreaking fashion to Belmont in the finals of the OVC Tournament, but Northern Kentucky leads Illinois-Chicago 55-40 with 5:35 left in 2d half of the Horizon League Championship.

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    1. The Murray State loss was, indeed, heartbreaking. And I watched about two-thirds of NKU's semi against Green Bay, and I'm really surprised--spoiler alert!--they ended up winning this thing.

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  37. In the 12th, West Jessamine leads 54-47 with one quarter left.

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  38. I had the wrong score in the 10th Region: George Rogers Clark won 53-50, not 43-40.

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  39. Cov Cath leads Highlands 48-42 with 3:42 left in the fourth quarter.

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  40. Cov Cath has built quite a program. They won the State Tournament in 2014, then won it again in 2018. Now they are probably going back. They lead Highlands 53-47 with 2 1/2 minutes left.

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  41. Male has won the State Tournament four times: 1945, 1970, 1971, and 1975.

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  42. Blazer also has four titles: 1928, 1933, 1934, 1961.

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  43. Hold the phone -- Highlands hits a three to make the score Cov Cath 54, Highlands 52 with 1:15 left.

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  44. Scott County has two titles: 1998 and 2007. Hazard also has two titles: 1932 and 1955.

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  45. Cov Cath leads 56-54 with 26 seconds left. They also have the ball.

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  46. Inez won the state championship in 1941 and 1954, but no one from Martin County has been to the state tournament since Sheldon Clark made it in 1983.

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    1. Martin County is going to be a darling of the tournament.

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  47. Cov Cath is going to state -- they made their free throws and Highlands missed a three. Cov Cath ball with 7 seconds left.

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  48. Cov Cath wins the 9th Region for the third time in a row, beating Highlands 59 to 54.

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  49. West Jessamine wins the 12th Region with an easy 78-64 win over Danville. That just leaves the teams from the Central Time Zone in Owensboro and Hoptown.

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  50. Madisonville has beaten Webster County 73-58 to win the Second Region.

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    1. MAROONS!

      Madisonville is the only town I know where two different local radio stations do live broadcasts of one team's games.

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  51. Owensboro Catholic still has a solid lead in the 3d Region. So assuming that they win, the State Tournament will look like this:

    Wednesday, March 18:
    (8) Elizabethtown v. (2) Ashland Blazer
    (3) Madisonville v. Warren Central
    Knox Central v. Scott Co.
    McCracken Co. v. George Rogers Clark

    Thursday, March 19:
    Owensboro Catholic v. Martin Co.
    (1) Lou. Male v. Collins
    Lou. Fern Creek v. Hazard
    (6) Cov. Catholic v. W. Jessamine

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    1. This looks like a pretty exciting tournament to me. Plus, I like it when the First Region has a chance to win a game.

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    2. OK, here's my hope: E-Town over Blazer (unless Saturday turns out differently than I hope), Madisonville over Warren Central, Knox Central over Scott County, McCracken over GRC, Martin over OweCath, Collins over Male (the son of my Male/Lyndon peep goes to Collins), Creek over Hazard and West Jess over CovCath. Ultimately, I'm rooting for North over whoever survives the Eric's WKU Connections side of the bracket.

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  52. Northern Kentucky -- with former Western coach Darrin Horn -- wins the Horizon Championship 71 to 62.

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  53. Very happy for Darrin Horn and the Norse.

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    1. He's one of only two coaches to take two different Kentucky schools to the NCAA Tournament.

      The other, of course, is Rick Pitino.

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    2. This is a remarkable fact of which I had not taken note.

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