Take Your Pick – 4th Region Women’s Field is Wide Open
Seven of the last eight region championships have been divided between three teams in the 2014 field: Bowling Green in 2010, 2011, and 2013, Franklin-Simpson in 2006, 2008, and 2009, while Glasgow won the title in 2012. Each of these three programs is among the favorites to take home the crown. However, two more teams also pose threats to the title as well: Allen County-Scottsville, who finished second at this event a season ago and South Warren, who is making its first-ever appearance at the 4th Region Tournament. When the dust settles, we will know who reigns as champions. But for now, all we can do is talk, predict, and make our projections as to who we see making noise in the 2014 tournament. Here is the field and how we break down each of the eight contestants as they head to Allen County-Scottsville High School for the 4th Region Tournament.
Allen County-Scottsville (27-3)
Record against Region Field: 8-1
Best Wins: Glasgow (twice), Bowling Green, South Warren, Franklin-Simpson
Key Players: Holly Robinson (junior forward), Savannah Gregory (sophomore guard)
Prediction: Losing Morgan Rich to a season-ending ACL tear has created a wide-open field in the 4th Region. AC-S was 22-2 with Rich and 14-0 against region foes; however, her absence has created a major void. The Lady Patriots won five games in a row after losing their star but lost to Glasgow in the 15th District championship, 57-51. Coach Brad Bonds’ team still has talent and their close loss to Glasgow showed that they can still compete with the best of the best. However, at the end of the day, I don’t see Allen County-Scottsville making it out of the semifinals. The Lady Patriots drew Bowling Green in the tournament’s opening round.
Bowling Green (20-5)
Record against Region Field: 4-2
Best Wins: South Warren (three times), Daviess County
Key Players: Deija Moore (sophomore guard), Keely Vincent (junior guard/forward)
Prediction: The Lady Purples struggled against some of the elite teams in the region (AC-S, Glasgow, and Monroe County) but still pose a major threat to win their fourth region title in five seasons. If Vincent and Moore are knocking down shots and Coach LaVonda Johnson’s club finds consistent play off the bench, the Lady Purples have every reason to believe they can cut the nets down once again. The Purples drew Allen County-Scottsville in the opening round and with a victory would play the winner of Franklin-Simpson or Clinton County.
Clinton County (15-14)
Record against Region Field: 3-2
Best Wins: Russell County (three times)
Key Players: Whitney Bookout (senior guard/forward), Alex Beard (senior guard/forward)
Prediction: Clinton County last won the 4th Region in 2005 and will be looking to do it again in 2014 with a relatively young team of only three seniors. Six freshmen are on the roster as well meaning the Lady Bulldogs should be a threat in the 16th for seasons to come. Coach Darrell Thompson’s club fought hard but came up short against Monroe County and Franklin-Simpson in the regular season. The furthest I project the Lady Bulldogs going is to the region semifinals as a victory over Franklin-Simpson would pit the team against Bowling Green or Allen County-Scottsville.
Franklin-Simps
on (23-5)
Record against Region Field: 2-5
Best Wins: Edmonson County, Monroe County (three times)
Key Players: Jenna Curtis (senior guard), Sydney Gooch (senior center/forward)
Prediction: The Lady Wildcats went a perfect 8-0 outside of the region but played a tough region slate with three games against Monroe County, two against South Warren, and one against Allen County-Scottsville, and Glasgow. Franklin-Simpson won each of their three meetings with Monroe County but lost close games to South Warren, AC-S, and Glasgow. Coach Josh Matthews’ squad is one of the most talented in the entire region and if they put their mind to it have a great chance to take home the crown. Losing the district title game to Logan County certainly was a bit of a head-scratcher, but this team has enough talent to make it all the way to the region finals.
Losing the district finale put the Lady Wildcats in a predicament as they were paired up with a tough Clinton County club who they defeated by nine points in early December.
Glasgow (26-6)
Record against Region Field: 5-3
Best Wins: Montgomery County, Bowling Green, Sacred Heart, Allen County-Scottsville
Key Players: Shalika Smith (senior forward), Breanna Glover (sophomore guard/forward)
Prediction: Glasgow became the prohibitive favorite to take home the 4th Region title after Allen County-Scottsville’s Morgan Rich went down with a season-endi
ng ACL injury. The Lady Scotties are deep and have outside shooting in Emily Alexander to go alongside the dominance on the interior with WKU signee Shalika Smith and WKU target Bree Glover. Coach Justin Stinson’s team enters the 4th Region event winners of fifteen-consecutive games making the Lady Scotties one of the hottest teams in the commonwealth. They’ll face Russell County before lacing up the sneakers against South Warren or Logan County in the semifinals with a win over the Lady Lakers.
Logan County (13-14)
Record against Region Field: 1-5
Best Wins: Franklin-Simpson, Butler County
Key Players: Maegann Hardison (junior guard), Katelyn Jones (senior forward/center)
Prediction: The Lady Cougars best win of the season came in the 13th District Championship when they upset Franklin-Simpson to reach the 4th Region event for the first time since 2010. Coach Finley Woodard has a balanced bunch with Maegann Hardison, Katelyn Jones, and Kapreshia Powell all averaging nearly ten points a game. The Lady Cougars will need to continue their magic if they want to advance at regionals. They drew a tough South Warren club in the tournament’s opening round.
Russell County (14-14)
Record against Region Field: 1-5
Best Wins: Glasgow, Butler County, Pulaski County
Key Players: Rachel McFall (senior guard), Madison Loy (senior guard) Kaitlyn Coffee (freshman guard)
Prediction: The Lady Lakers knocked off Glasgow in their most-impressive victory this season in mid-January and came close in near misses against Bowling Green, South Warren, and Clinton County three times. The backcourt provides strength for Coach Scot MacAllister’s club with seniors Madison Loy, Rachel McFall, and junior Raven Helm leading the way for Russell County. Although the team has had an up-and-down season, they weren’t afforded any favors in drawing region favorite Glasgow in the tournament’s opening round.
South Warren (22-8)
Record against Region Field: 4-5
Best Wins: Franklin-Simpson (twice), Russell County, Bullitt East, Bullitt Central
Key Players: Colby Downing (junior forward), Amaya Lasley (8th Grade Guard)
Prediction: First-year coach Blane Embry has given new life to the Lady Spartan basketball program and ignited a team with only two seniors to its first region tournament and is hungry for more. Junior Colby Downing can shoot the lights out while eighth-grader Amaya Lasley and sophomore Timitryi Patterson also average in double figures and are threats from anywhere on the floor. The Lady Spartans certainly have the talent to reach the region finals but a win over Logan County in the opening round would most likely square the 14th District runner-ups against the Glasgow Lady Scotties in the semifinals.
