The Five Most-Anticipated District Semifinal Matchups in the 4th Region
By Perry Swack
5. Logan County Cougars (14-15) vs. Todd County Central Rebels (13-15) – Boys 13th District
The district rivals will face off on Tuesday, February 27 at 7:30pm at Russellville. The season series was split as each won on its home court. It’s a given at this point that Todd County Central senior Jamison Glass is going to produce big numbers. The Rebel big man averaged 35 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two meetings this season. In the Cougars’ 80-68 win in mid-January, they had four players in double figures and were led by Colby Collins and Samson Hightower’s 23 points apiece. Oddly enough, the losing team outrebounded the victor in both meetings.
Logan County is looking to reach the 4th Region Tournament for the first time since 2020. Todd County Central has reached consecutive region events and is the defending district champion. Both teams enter the matchup on the uptick with Logan closing the regular season with three wins in five tries, while Todd won four of six. So who moves on?
Prediction – Todd County Central
4. Warren East Raiders (19-10) vs. Glasgow Scotties (8-16) – 15th District Boys
The Raiders and Scotties will do battle on Tuesday, February 27 at 7:30pm at Allen County-Scottsville. Warren East swept the season series; however, the second meeting was decided in the final minutes with WE edging Glasgow, 64-62. Super sophomore Kaleb Prince led the Raiders in scoring in both games, scoring 23 points (on 9-of-12 shooting) and 21 points over the course of both contests. John Carter Walbert paced the Scotties in both matchups, scoring a game-high 26 points in the two-point loss in late January.
Glasgow enters the 15th District Tournament with only two wins in eight tries; however, they ended the regular season with a 69-62 win over Cumberland County. The Raiders also finished the regular season on a slight dip, losing three of their final four games. Kyle Benge’s club did win four in a row leading into the small slide. Warren East has won five-straight games in the series, including a 53-51 victory in last season’s district semifinals.
Prediction – Warren East
3. Metcalfe County Lady Hornets (17-12) vs. Clinton County Lady Bulldogs (13-18) – 16th District Girls
A rematch of the last two 16th District championships will be played on Monday, February 26 at 6:00pm in Russell County as Metcalfe County and Clinton County take the floor with a berth to the 4th Region Tournament on the line. With Landree Moons in the lineup, the Lady Bulldogs are one of the toughest 4-seeds in the entire Commonwealth this postseason. The senior closed the regular season with 33 points against Somerset and 48 points in an overtime win over Wayne County.
Metcalfe County is looking for its fourth-straight 16th District championship and ninth-consecutive berth in the region tournament. Boasting a balanced lineup with four players averaging at least nine points per game, the Lady Hornets are hoping their steady depth outlasts Clinton’s individual brilliance. Coach Heidi Coleman’s club lost three in a row in mid-February but as a whole closed the regular season with 8 wins in 11 tries.
Metcalfe defeated Clinton three times this season, by margins of 24, 17, and 17 points. What will be different this time around? It’s a fair question to ask as this game will be the biggest of them all. Moons has been on a different level, but Anna Blythe, Kassady London, and Jozie Allen don’t want to see their season end this early,
Prediction – Metcalfe County
2. Warren Central Dragons (13-10) vs. South Warren Spartans (14-10) – 14th District Boys
The Spartans will host the Dragons on Tuesday, February 27 at 7:30pm as part of the 14th District Tournament. Warren Central swept the season series; however, the game at South Warren was rather close up until the waning minutes (Dragons 69, Spartans 60 on January 12). Could the Spartans give the Dragons a run for their money in the same gym? Recent history would suggest not as Central blew by South, 84-53, in the latest meeting in early February. Warren Central’s three-headed monster of Kade Unseld, Elijah Starks, and Drevin Bratton will be a force to reckon with in this matchup, as Bratton is averaging 21.5 points on 19-for-23 shooting in the two matchups with the Spartans.
South Warren closed the regular season with three-consecutive wins over three teams who have a chance to be playing in Diddle Arena in early March. In the first meeting with the Dragons, coach Carlos Quarles’ club shot nearly 60% from beyond the arc and nailed 11 three-pointers to help stay in the contest until the very end. With Warren Central finding its stride near the end of the regular season, the Spartans will need another strong performance – and then some – from beyond the arc to spring the seismic upset. South Warren has yet to reach the 4th Region Tournament since the school’s inception in the fall of 2010.
Prediction – Warren Central
1. Greenwood Lady Gators (14-16) vs. South Warren Lady Spartans (12-15) – 14th District Girls
In what we are categorizing as the most anticipated matchup of all the district semifinal matchups in the 4th Region, The Lady Spartans will host the Lady Gators on Monday, February 26 at 7:30pm. The two programs split the season series, winning on the other’s homecourt. Both squads feature two of the top scorers in the 4th Region as Greenwood’s Leia Trinh is averaging nearly 20 points per game, with South’s McLaine Hudson coming in at a shade above 17 per contest. However, the game may be won by the team that wins the rebounding battle. In the Lady Spartans’ 59-48 victory, they outrebounded the Lady Gators by eight (32-24). Conversely, Greenwood won the rebounding edge, 35-22, in their 44-34 win in early February.
South enters the meeting having lost five of six to close the regular season; however, coach Lane Embry’s club picked up three losses against teams who clinched their district’s #1 seed. The Lady Gators flip-flopped wins and losses in their final eight, going 4-4. Coach Terrance Williams’ squad did pick up two impressive victories over Bowling Green and Warren East and hope to be trending in the right direction. In 2022, South Warren outlasted Greenwood to advance to the district championship by a score of 41-39. The Lady Gators returned the favor on their home court in 2023 on a Trinh three-pointer to eliminate the Lady Spartans (48-45). It may be another barn burner in 2024.
Prediction – Greenwood
