Take old 60, Hop recomends it...

Rupp Arena. It's that time of year again where teams all around the Commonwealth viw for the oppurtunity to play on the floor kissed by the gods. The 16th Region boys and girls tournaments have commenced after some fairly predictable district foreplay, well, predictable if you have followed High School basketball in the 16th the past couple seasons. Sad to say, and not taking anything away from the kids playing the games, but the days of Frank Lee, Marty Thomas, OJ Mayo, and the like are long gone. The 16th Region is dead. And, it went out with barely a whimper. The region used to produce some solid 2nd and quarterfinal teams year in and year out for the Sweet 16, even some finalist in years past, but those days are long gone as the region is now a shell of it's former self.
In the hear and now, though, the destination in the finals in Morehead. The average fan would be better suited to catch a girls game for thrills an excitement. The Ashland and West Carter duel lived up to expectations, and the city kitties, led by Holy Family stalwart and former leader of the CJHS glory days, Bill Bradley, scratch their way past the, arguably, most storied program in KHSAA Girls history in the Lady Comets, at Anderson Gym in Ashland in the first round opener. Blazer senior Paige Leaver led the Kittens to a 49-41 victory with 16 points. It was a down year for the COmets of Olive Hill, but they have showed a drastict improvement from the start to now, and their coach is up for best name for a coach award, Tex English. Ashland stands at 20-6 thus far on the season.
The Hatfield to Ashland's McCoy, Boyd County, took the road for their opener and headed west to Fleming County. The Women of Boyd had a dismal night from the gimme' line, missing 21 free-throws. But the Lionesses pulled out a three point vistory over The Lady Panthers. That earns them a date at Ellis T with East Carter on wednesday night.The Lions will hope to get back on track offensively wednesday evening, and not relying on sophomore Courtney Moore, who led the way with 19 points, 12 of which came in the second half. BC now stands at 18-8. BC is officially a Baseball school now.
Rowan County came to Russell and completely blew the Lady Satans off their home floor in route to a 63-38 win, and sending them back home to Morehead to meet the Kittens. Todd Whitley's guilty pleasure was led by the guard play of Natasha Kissinger and the offensive production that led to by Adri Neely.
And in the other opener, in the town that Hop Coleman made famous, the region's best East Carter dominated Raceland behind a performance by Lakota Burge, who essentially was on one leg. East won 51-31 and held Raceland scoreless in the 3rd quarter, pouring on 15 point run, which turned into 22 consecutive buckets before the Rams got back on the board. East Carter's coach as quoted in the Daily Independent on Lakota Burge's injury and subsequent performance:
"When we left (West Liberty) Thursday, our trainer even thought it might be broken,’’ Hager Easterling said. "If people would have looked at Lakota’s ankle that night, they would have said if we make it to the State Tournament she won’t be playing. I think it was God that touched her.’’
East goes to 25-4 on the year heading into their game against BC at Ellis T.
No Wayne Breeden. No Roger Zornes to throw twinkies at. No Bouncy Balls. No Condoms. No Oh! Henry Bars being pelted at Omar. No Frank. No Rose Hill. No OJ Mayo Show. No Student section brawls. No Jesus Knows Your Cheating posters. No We Got A Walmart chants....Boys basketball in the region just aint what it used to be... Which is why I am talking about girls basketball for christ's sake...Thursday I will have a rundown of the Boys action form Beautiful downtown Morehead, KY...To wet your whistle, here are the match-ups...
The out of nowhere knocking on the door to being a region power, Rowan County, meets Fairview. Rowan COunty was always a bit of a mystery to me. Granted Morehead is hardly a metropolis, but it is a Division 1 college town. That usually attracts the inner-city types. And not being racist, but that is just they way it is...Besides, it is more like profiling, it is much easier than racisim. But, for whatever the reason, eastern Kentucky, Rowan County has never reaped such basketball benefits. Alas, A program which ahs come back from oblivion, which was the rise of ROse Hill, will take this one. I don't Belive in the Wood persay, but Jeff Hall's alma mater gets it done.
State Finalist and modern day Hoosiers from last season, Elliot County, is hardly what it used to be, but Timmy Knipp has made a strong case to be named Mr. Basketball. Another program back from the dead, which is directly related to the death of Boyd County, Greenup will provide an admirable foe, but Elliot will win this one. The other openers are East Carter and Lewis County, and Ashland takes on Fleming, just as their counter parts with tits did. So, the moroon mafia will be out in force in my former home-town, which has the best Shoney's I have ever eaten at. I was a big Shoney's coniesieur during my time as a Headian, and the Gold Star China Buffet, they have beer and Ale-8 on tap. Heaven.