Tuesday, March 7, 2023

25 Games Left

See what I mean?  It goes very fast.  Spring planting will be here before you know it.  Allergies!  Baseball!  Going down to the lake!  Basketball in your driveway, instead of indoors.

But it's not over yet.  From here on out, every loss is painful.  I rooted for Heath High School in 36 different state playoffs, from 1978 to 2013, and I think in all those years we only made it as far as the Regional Semi-Finals once.  These are very serious games.  Tonight we had high drama all over the Commonwealth, and five more teams got their tickets to the Sweet 16:

2d Region Semi-Finals (at Madisonville-N. Hopkins):
Hopkinsville 69, Henderson Co. 60
(9) Lyon Co. 76, Christian Co. 53

You didn't really think Lyon County could get back to the State Tournament without beating Hoptown, did you?  The Tigers are 14-16, and they lost to Henderson County 62-52 back on January 3, but Hoptown usually wins these games, and Henderson County usually loses them.

4th Region Semi-Finals (at W. Kentucky Univ.):
Bowling Green 51, Barren Co. 46
(1) Warren Cent. 81, Warren East 45

Same-old same-old in the Fourth, although Barren County came closer than the rest of the Fourth normally does.

6th Region Final (at Knights Hall, Bellarmine):
Jeffersontown 55, Lou. DeSales 54

Yowsa!  J-Town started off 2-5.  On February 14, their record was 11-12.  But they haven't lost since, and they charge into the State Tournament with a record of 17-12 after wins over Moore (74-36), Butler (52-49), and DeSales (55-54).

8th Region Semi-Finals (at Henry Co.):
Woodford Co. 61, (3) N. Oldham 41
Collins 57, Simon Kenton 47

For years, folks will try to figure out what happened to North Oldham.  Last year, the Mustangs got hot at the end of the season, knocked off Woodford County in the 8th Region Final, and went to the quarter-finals at State before losing to Lincoln County.  This year, they were ranked near the top of the rankings all year.  They were 25-5.  They had won 14 games in a row, and hadn't lost since December 30.  They were the number 3 team in the State.  And then they came out and fell behind Woodford County 19-2 to start the game, and now their season is over.

10th Region Semi-Finals (at Mason Co.):
(4) Geo. Rogers Clark 69, Harrison Co. 56
Mason Co. 75, Campbell Co.

GRC remains on track to defend its State Title, but beating Mason County at Mason County will be a challenge.

11th Region Final (at E. Kentucky Univ.):
(8) Lex. Frederick Douglass 43, (2) Lex. Catholic 41

This was one of the games of the year, with the Catholic Knights (32-2) taking on a Frederick Douglass Broncos team (30-2) that had won 27 games in a row.  Way back on November 30, in the first game of the year, Catholic had beaten Frederick Douglass 71-59, which helps explain the difference in the rankings.  But today, Frederick Douglass hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to take a 43-41 lead, and the Knights could not get off a final shot.  Yes, it's hard to win the Eleventh Region.  But of course, it's a big advantage to be in Lexington.

12th Region Semi-Finals (at Lincoln Co.):
Lincoln Co. 55, W. Jessamine 44
Pulaski Co. 44, McCreary Cent. 41

Pulaski Co. (26-6) and Lincoln Co. (24-9) have been the two best teams in this region, so it's fitting that they meet for the title.

13th Region Final (at The Corbin Arena):
N. Laurel 70, Corbin 33

Reed Sheppard and North Laurel have flown under the radar for most of the year, but they will have a lot of fans in Lexington.

14th Region Final (at Perry Co. Cent.):
Breathitt Co. 62, Perry Co. Cent. 46

In their neck of the woods, the Perry Co. Cent. Commodores are a great power, while the Breathitt Co. Bobcats had not been to State since 1996.  But this was the Bobcats' year, as they follow up their 53-51 upset of Hazard (28-4) with another win to capture a trip to Lexington.

15th Region Final (at Appalachian Wireless Arena):
Martin Co. 55, Pikeville 52

Martin County, which has only 11,140 people, won this Region in 2020, but of course that didn't work out.  Now the folks from Inez get to try their luck again.  After losing their last eight games in the regular season, the Cardinals (24-10) are 5-0 in the post-season.

16th Region Semi-Finals (at Morehead St. Univ.):
Ashland Blazer 89, Russell 65
Boyd Co. 61, Lewis Co. 58 (OT)

Boyd County beat Ashland 74-67 in the 64th District Final on February 23, but now they'll have to do it again.

The last ten slots for the State Tournament will be decided tomorrow.  For now, the draw looks like this (teams in bold have punched their ticket):

Wednesday, March 15:
LaRue Co. or Elizabethtown v. McCracken Co.
Jeffersontown v. Woodford Co. or Collins
(1) Warren Cent. or Bowling Green v. Pulaski Co. or Lincoln Co.
Owensboro Catholic or Owensboro v. Boyd Co. or Ashland Blazer

Thursday, March 16:
(8) Lex. Frederick Douglass v. Martin Co.
Lou. Male or Lou. Trinity v. Breathitt Co.
(9) Lyon Co. or Hopkinsville v. Newport or Cooper
(4) Geo. Rogers Clark or Mason Co. v. N. Laurel

One of those 26 teams will be this year's State Champion.

110 comments:

  1. So I was going to go see Travis Perry and Lyon County in the quarterfinals Thursday night after my own basketball game earlier in the evening, but there were storms and I wanted to get home to the women. Then I was going to go see Travis Perry and Lyon County in the semifinals Monday night, but I didn't get done with work and supper with the women until almost 7. By the time I got WHOP tuned in as I was approaching North, the commentator was talking about how the Lyon County coach was pulling Perry and his two primary Lyon compadres for subs given they were so far ahead of Christian County. A few seconds later the commentator noted that the game was in the third quarter!

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  2. I ended up passing the school and heading back home. The crowd was tremendous--cars parked along the drive up to the gym all the way from the highway. I imagine the parking lot had to already be packed.

    I'm touch and go for the championship tonight depending on what's happening in my world at 6. Would be interested to see if the crowd will be as strong, given that a local retired dress-shop operator paid today for the movie theater in Madisonville to open its doors all day for free for people to come in and see Jesus Revolution.

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  3. I went to see Barry Goheen lead Marshall County against Tilghman in the 1984 Regionals, and I'm really glad that I did.

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  4. Next week, they will play the State Tournament in Rupp Arena, and it will be great -- it always is, there's literally nothing like it in the world. But to me, growing up, having your team go to Rupp would be like winning the lottery or becoming a billionaire -- something beyond even dreaming. For me, the goal was to win the Region -- and in over 30 years, I never even saw Heath get close. So to me, today -- where ten different teams get their Regional Championships -- is the best day of the year in Kentucky sports. We have games from all parts of the Commonwealth -- from the mountains, to the well-scrubbed cities across the river from Cincinnati, to the Bluegrass and Louisville and Pennyrile, all the way down to Madisonville, in the heart of what they used to call the Western Kentucky Coal Field. Ten teams today will get a championship they will never forget.

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  5. And then that's it. For me, the spiritual home of Kentucky consists of that network of high school gyms -- hundreds of them -- all across the Commonwealth. They get lots of uses -- as dance halls, classrooms, commencement locations, and others -- that make them the centerpiece of communal life. But today is the last day that any of them will be used for high school boys' basketball -- their true purpose -- until next November.

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  6. It's true that Kentucky only gets one State Champion. But we get Sixteen Regional Champion, and I'd rather win the First Region than be Class A State Champ in anything.

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  7. Jason Frakes is at Bellarmine for the Seventh Region showdown between Trinity and Male. The Seventh Region is sort of the ACC of Kentucky, so this is the glamour game of the night.

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  8. All the regional games appear to be tipping off at 7 PM Eastern (6 Central) except for the Third Region, which will start at 8 PM Eastern (7 Central).

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  9. Coach Jerry Stackhouse of Vanderbilt has arrived at Madisonville for the Second Region Final.

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  10. Trinity reports a full house at Bellarmine, which is no surprise.

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  11. The Second Region final is delayed because they're having to replace one of the rims in Madisonville.

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  12. C.J. Walls has already hit four three-pointers, and Trinity leads Male 14-6 with 3:31 left in the first quarter.

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  13. Meanwhile, Ashland leads Boyd County 10-2 with 5:29 left in the first quarter.

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  14. With 1:21 left in the first, Warren Central leads Bowling Green 13-8.

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  15. Ashland leads Boyd 24-6 at the end of one.

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  16. Warren leads BGHS 20-12 with 4:53 left in the 2d quarter.

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  17. Male leads Trinity 24-21 with 6:44 left in the half.

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  18. In the 12th region, Pulaski County leads Lincoln County 21-18 with 3:13 left in the 2d.

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  19. In the 10th Region, GRC leads Mason County 27-21 at the half.

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  20. In the 9th Region, Cooper leads Newport 14-10 after one.

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  21. In the 8th Region, Collins and Woodford are tied at 4(!) after one.

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  22. Warren Central leads BGHS 23-15 at the half. I'm calling this one for the Dragons.

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  23. Pulaski leads Lincoln 24-23 at the half.

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  24. In the 5th Region, LaRue County leads E-Town 31-29 at the half. LaRue hasn't been to State since 1988.

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  25. Ashland leads Boyd County 35-18 with 2:38 left in the second. I'm calling that one for the Tomcats.

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  26. In the 7th, Trinity and Male are tied at 31 going into halftime.

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  27. From the pictures, it doesn't appear that you can get another person into Bellarmine for the Trinity-Male game. In fact, the crowds all over the Commonwealth have been very strong this year.

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  28. Newport leads Cooper 21-17 with 2:06 left in the 2d.

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  29. At the half, Collins leads Woodford County 12-10. North Oldham, who should have won this region but was blown out by Woodford last night, has to be ill.

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  30. In the 9th, Newport leads Cooper 21-19 at the half.

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  31. Hoptown gonna Hoptown. The Tigers score TWENTY-EIGHT POINTS in the first quarter, and they lead Lyon County 28-20 after one.

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  32. Unless you grew up down there, you have no idea how hard it is to beat Christian County and Hoptown back to back.

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  33. I've got the Lyon County game on WSON out of Henderson. Tigers lead the Lyons 29-27 with 5 minutes left in the first half.

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  34. Male leads Trinity 38-37 with 3:37 left in the third.

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  35. Lyon has taken a 35-33 lead with about 3 minutes left in the half.

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  36. Trinity leads Male 39-38 with 2:20 left in the third.

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  37. Travis Perry makes an old-fashioned three-point play, and the Lyons lead 38-33.

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  38. Antonio Williams has 21 points for Hoptown, and the Lyons now lead 38-37 with about 2 minutes left in the half.

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  39. Trinity leads 42-40 with 1:47 left in the third.

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  40. Lyons lead 41-39 with 1:10 left before half.

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  41. Travis Perry hits a three to put the Lyons up 44-39 with 40 seconds left. Tigers holding for the last shot.

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  42. Hoptown cannot score, and the Lyons lead 44-39 at the half. What a game!

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  43. We’ve got double coverage of his game

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    1. I think it was the Game of the Year in Western Kentucky. It deserved double coverage.

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  44. Male leads Trinity 48-46 with 4:12 left in the game.

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  45. Trinity hits a 3. Male leads 50-49 with 2:44 left.

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  46. Perry opens with four points in a row, but Hoptown scores to make 49-41 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third.

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  47. With 2:20 left, Warren Central leads BGHS 44-41. Purples on a 5-0 run.

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  48. Male leads 50-49 and has now taken 1:20 off the clock. Just 1:22 left in the game.

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  49. Lyon County leads 50-47 with 5 minutes left in the third.

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  50. Male makes one of two FT's, and leads 51-49 with 1:03 left.

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  51. Perry up to 17 points. Lyons lead 55-49 with 3:15 left in the third.

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  52. In the 4th, Warren leads BGHS 46-43 with 1:22 left. It's amazing how much drama is happening at the same time right now.

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  53. Lyons lead 55-53 with 2:29 left in the third.

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  54. Male and Trinity are tied a 51 with 4.3 seconds left. Male ball.

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  55. BGHS comes all the way back to tie Warren Central at 46-all. The FOURTH REGION IS GOING TO OVERTIME.

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  56. THE SEVENTH REGION IS GOING TO OVERTIME, TIED AT 51.

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  57. Lyons lead 61-55 with 30 seconds in the 3d. 23 points for Perry.

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  58. Hoptown hits a three-pointer to end the third quarter. Lyons lead 61-58 with eight minutes left.

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  59. Male leads 57-51 with 2:43 left in OT.

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  60. BGHS and Warren Central are tied at 50 with 1:12 left in OT.

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  61. Perry with 25, Lyons lead 63-58 with 6:50 left.

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  62. Hoptown is 15-16 for the year. The Lyons are 29-5.

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  63. Warren Central holds the ball a long time, and then scores to take a 52-50 lead with five seconds left in OT.

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  64. Male leads 58-53 with 1:19 left in OT.

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  65. BGHS advances the ball to half court and calls time with 3.5 seconds left.

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  66. Perry has 27 points. Lyons lead 67-60 with about 4 minutes left.

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  67. Pulaski beats Lincoln 57-50 to win the 12th Region.

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  68. Male leads Trinity 60-55 with 42 seconds left in OT. Male ball.

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  69. Woodford wins the 8th Region with a 44-21 win over Collins.

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  70. Woodford County going to State for the first time since 1986.

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  71. Male turns over the ball. Trinity scores. Male leads 60-57 with 28.6 seconds left in OT.

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  72. BGHS goes for the win with a three-pointer at the buzzer, but it RIMS OUT! Warren Central wins the Fourth Region, 52 to 50 in overtime.

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  73. Lyons lead 70-61 with 3:18 left. The WSON announcers think Hoptown is getting tired. Hopkinsville has four seniors in its starting lineup. The Lyons have none.

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  74. Ashland beats Boyd County 73-51 to win the 16th Region.

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  75. Male misses a FT, and Trinity has the ball down 60-57 with 16.2 seconds left in OT.

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  76. Lyon County has committed a series of fouls, and the Lyons now lead 70-65 with 2 minutes left.

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  77. Trinity hits a three-pointer, and the SEVENTH REGION IS GOING TO DOUBLE OVERTIME. Trinity 60, Male 60.

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  78. Lyon County shoots, misses, gets the rebound, and then runs 45 seconds off the clock before Hoptown commits a foul. That's only six on Hoptown, so the Lyons will be inbounding with 1:15 left in the game. Lyons up 70-65.

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  79. I just want to point out that Male had a five-point lead, and the ball, with 47 seconds left, and did not win.

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  80. Trinity leads 62-60 with 3:39 left in 2 OT.

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  81. Perry is fouled, but MISSES the FT.

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  82. Hoptown misses a layup, Lyon County gets the rebound and is fouled.

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  83. Lyon County fans wanted the intentional foul, but of course they don't get that. Perry makes both. Lyons lead 72-65 with 33 seconds left.

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  84. The Lyons commit a foul. Hoptown makes them both. Lyons lead 72-67 with 29 seconds left.

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  85. Trinity leads 63-62 with 1:53 left in 2 OT.

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  86. Newport beats Cooper 44-42 to win the 9th Region. Newport will play the winner of Lyon County and Hoptown.

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  87. GRC beats Mason County 54-42, and GRC will be at Rupp to defend its title.

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  88. Perry makes a layup, but Hoptown responds with a 3. The Lyons lead 74-70 with 15 seconds left. Lyons ball.

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  89. Male hits a huge three to go up 67-65 with 21.1 seconds in double OT.

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  90. Perry is fouled with 9 seconds left. One and one.

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  91. Perry makes them both. That's 33 for him. Lyons lead 76-70.

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  92. Hoptown misses a three, and Lyon County runs out the clock. LYON COUNTY IS GOING BACK TO STATE: LYON COUNTY 76, HOPKINSVILLE 70.

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  93. Male hangs on to beat Trinity 67-65 in DOUBLE OVERTIME. Unbelievable!

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  94. E-Town beats LaRue County 55-44 to win the fifth.

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  95. Now the Third Region is the only one left. Owensboro leads Owensboro Catholic 43-27 with 5:08 left in the third.

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  96. Owensboro leads Owensboro Catholic 46-34 with 58 seconds left in the third.

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  97. Northern Kentucky beats Cleveland State 63-61 to win the Horizon League Tournament. Once again, the Beloved Commonwealth will be represented in the NCAA Tournament. At least one team from Kentucky has gone to the NCAA's every year since 1963.

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  98. OHS leads Owensboro Catholic 47-36 win one quarter to go.

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  99. Owensboro leads Owensboro Catholic 54-37 with 4:21 left in the game.

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  100. Meanwhile, Gonzaga is playing Saint Mary's for the WCC Championship. K-Pom had the Gaels winning this one, 73 to 72. But the Zags have an early 17-8 lead with 11:52 left in the first half.

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    1. Zags won 77-51. Same old same old from Saint Mary's.

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  101. 2022 WCC Final: Gonzaga 82, Saint Mary's 69
    2021 WCC Semi-Final: Gonzaga 78, Saint Mary's 55
    2020 WCC Final: Gonzaga 84, Saint Mary's 66
    Saint Mary's did win the 2019 Final, by 60-47.

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  102. OHS leads 62-41 with less than 2 minutes to go.

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  103. There were Catholic Schools in the Regional Final of the Third (Owensboro Catholic), the Sixth (DeSales), the Seventh (Trinity), and the Eleventh (Lexington Catholic). It appears that they are all going to lose. Also, Covington Catholic, ranked in the top ten all year, was knocked out in the Regional Semi-Finals.

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  104. So this gives us the following matchups for State:

    Elizabethtown v. McCracken Co.
    Jeffersontown v. Woodford Co.
    (1) Warren Cent. v. Pulaski Co.
    Owensboro v. Ashland Blazer
    (8) Lex. Fred. Douglass v. Martin Co.
    Lou. Male v. Breathitt Co.
    (9) Lyon Co. v. Newport
    (4) Geo. Rogers Clark v. N. Laurel

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