Last year about this time, I was covering I first KHSAA State Girls Basketball tournament between Bullitt East and Elizabethtown and afterwards hung around to watch the second game of the early bracket between Ryle and Letcher County Central. Then I left to write my story and get ready for tomorrow’s action only to find out that after the South Laurel vs. Sacred Heart first game everything was halted. I never would have thought that it wasn’t just a temporary delay, but permenent.
Well, nearly twelve months later it looks like we will be having a KHSAA Sweet Sixteen for both the Boys and the Girls and it will be highly anticipated as well since the Boys were completely cancelled last season. With the drawings just released, it should be an interesting chase as the Districts and Regionals play out in all areas of the State the next several weeks.
Let’s take a look at the brackets.
The Boys Sweet 16 will go first on Wednesday March 31st to April 3rd
Wednesday Region 5 vs. 14 11:00 Region 8 vs.10 2:00 / Region 11 vs.7 5:00 Region 2 vs.4 8:00
Thursday Region 12 vs.15 11:00 Region 13 vs.16 2:00 / Region 1 vs. 6 5:00 Region 3 vs. 9 8:00
Friday Elite Eight 11:00 and 2:00 / 5:00 and 8:00
Saturday Final Four 11:00 and 2:00 / Championship 8:00
The Boys never got off the ground last year and this year should really be fun to watch with the possible appearances of such teams as Lexington Catholic, Ballard, Elizabethtown and Covington Catholic
Region 5 will be the first great matchup with possibly powerful Elizabethtown, John Hardin and LaRue County possible contenders and you have a good Johnson Central team in the 14th Region. Region 4 contender Bowling Green could make thinks interesting if they can out fight Clinton County and Barren County in another tough Region. Whoever faces the Region 2 team in that bracket might have to go up against Region 11 team which Lexington Catholic is been pretty powerful, but Region 7 has been loaded with teams like Ballard, St. Xavier and Trinity. In the other bracket you have a possible matchup of last season’s surprise Ashland Blazer and if they end up making another appearance they could possible face North Laurel if they win their Region and go against Reed Shepherd. Wouldn’t that be the highlight game of the day. The nightcap would be Region 9 where Covington Catholic has been pretty strong against Region 3 champion.
On the Girls side the tournament will kickoff in April for the first time in well as long as I can remember and the brackets look like this: April 7th through 10th
Wednesday Region 7 vs.14 11:00 Region 4 vs.10 2:00 / Region 11 vs.13 5:00 Region 8 vs.12 8:00
Thursday Region 1 vs. 15 11:00 Region 5 vs. 6 2:00 / Region 2 vs. 3 5:00 Region 9 vs. 16 8:00
Friday Elite Eight 11:00 and 2:00 / 5:00 and 8:00
Saturday Final Four 11:00 and 2:00 / Championship game 8:00
This should be fun. Wednesday’s opening game will pit Region 7 against Region 14 and Sacred Heart has been very strong there in the Louisville area along with Christian Academy of Louisville. In the other bracket you have Region 4 where Barren County has been strong along with Bowling Green going against the Region 10 champ which might be Bishop Brossart along with George Rogers Clark and Scott County. In the evening bracket you have Region 11 vs. 13 and just below them is Region 8 vs. Region 12. Anderson County has been a strong contender all season and could be the representative to play that night.
Thursday will open up with Region 1 vs. Region 15. If you’ve seen Marshall County this season then you know why they could be the favorite even though Graves is pretty close and that should get everyone ready for the 2:00 game with Region 5 vs. Region 6. The 5th has been chalked full of great teams in Bethlehem, Bardstown, Elizabethtown and Central Hardin and however makes it will give Region 6th champion a great game. Bullitt East returned a strong team and would love to have another shot ata 5th Region team. Region 3 vs 2nd will be the 5:00 game and Breckinridge County looks strong along with Apollo and Owensboro Catholic, meanwhile the 8:00 game will have Region 9 vs. 16. Ryle would love to make it four straight State appearances and if they escape from their Region it could happen.
So there you have it. The dates are set and all we are waiting for are the participants.
Good Luck Guys and Gals.
