16th District Boys Basketball Tournament Preview
March 14-18 – Cumberland County High School
2020 Champion – Clinton County
Caleb Guffey and Chase Stines both scored 17 points as Clinton County held off upset-minded Cumberland County, 66-61, to win its second straight 16th District championship. Cumberland County’s Dawson Smith scored a game-high 24 points in defeat.
Last Five Championship Games
2020 – Clinton County over Cumberland County
2019 – Clinton County over Metcalfe County
2018 – Russell County over Clinton County
2017 – Clinton County over Russell County
2016 – Russell County over Clinton County
Schedule
March 14 @ 3:00pm – #1 Clinton County vs. #4 Cumberland County
March 15 @ 6:00pm – #2 Russell County vs. #3 Metcalfe County
March 18 @ 7:00pm – Championship Game
#1 – Clinton County (19-3)
How They Can Win
By showing up? No, of course it will take more than that for the Bulldogs to come out as champions of the 16th District. However, coach Todd Messer’s boys are definitely the favorite to take home the hardware in Burkesville this week. They will win behind their suffocating defense and hard-nosed rebounding.
Player to Keep an Eye on
Senior Nick Brown. The guard is the team’s second-leading scorer at 11 points per game and is also their most prolific three-point shooter. Brown has made 30 three-pointers on the season at 35%. In tournament games, there is often a big three-pointer that swings the game in one or another. Having Brown in tow will be big for the Bulldogs.
#2 – Russell County (13-13)
How They Can Win
The Lakers can make it back to Diddle for the first time since 2018 behind dominating performances from their two stars – Jay Milburn and Scott Hamm. Milburn is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder at 14.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Hamm is just behind his teammate at 13.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest.
Players to Keep an Eye on
As defenses key in on Milburn and Hamm, it will be imperative for the likes of Clay Anderson and Owen Loy to knock down critical shots if the Lakers want to advance. Loy is averaging 7.0 points per game and has made a team-high 31 three-pointers. Anderson is averaging 5.0 points per game and has knocked down 24 triples.
#3 – Metcalfe County (15-9)
How They Can Win
Metcalfe County was cruising before slipping up in its final two games of the season – both losses to South Warren and Campbellsville. The Hornets had won four in a row, and seven of nine, before losing to the Spartans and Eagles. Coach Brandon Brockman’s club can advance to the 4th Region Tournament behind its talented quartet of Peyton Dial (14.3 PPG), Wyatt Blythe (13.3 PPG), Boston Devore (14.2), and Jax Allen (10.7 PPG). The ability for any one of these four guys to go off on any given night makes them a dangerous out in March.
Player to Keep an Eye on
Senior Jacob Murrell may not get as much publicity as his four other teammates, but the guard can score the ball as well. Murrell is averaging 7.5 points per game and has made 25 three-pointers, third on the team.
#4 – Cumberland County (6-18)
How They Can Win
A season ago the Panthers came into Russell County with a 6-20 record only to upset the top-seeded Lakers and advance to the 16th District title game. Could history repeat itself? Most of the contributors from that team are now graduated; however, the Panthers’ star is back, Ty Seay. The junior is averaging 20.7 points per game on 44% shooting. Any upset over the Bulldogs will certainly come behind a major game from Seay.
Player to Keep an Eye on
Seay will not be able to beat Clinton County by himself, so junior Randall Camfield will be called upon to carry the load. If the term “three-point specialist” was ever in the dictionary, it would certainly have Camfield’s picture next to it. The sniper has made 44 total field goals on the year, 41 of them from distance. Of his 130 shots, only six have come from inside the arc. If he can knock down a few triples, you never know what can happen in March.
Prediction
Clinton County will move past Cumberland County to reach its tenth-straight 16th District title game. On Monday, Russell County and Metcalfe County will be neck-and-neck throughout before Peyton Dial and Boston Devore lead the Hornets over the Lakers with timely shot-making in the fourth quarter.
Clinton County beat Metcalfe three times in the regular season. Can they make it four in one season? It certainly feels like the Bulldogs year. Look for Todd Messer and company to take home a third-straight district title. And watch out for both the Bulldogs and Hornets to make some noise inside Diddle Arena next week.
Champion – Clinton County
