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9th Region champion will close out first round of Sweet 16 boys state basketball tournament


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The winner of the 9th Region boys basketball tournament will play the final first-round game in the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16 state tournament at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 19 at Rupp Arena.

The 9th Region champion will play the 12th Region champion in that first-round game, according to state tournament pairings decided in a televised draw conducted on Tuesday.

CovCath guard Grant Disken tries to drive past a Scott County defender in the first round of last year’s state tournament. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

Covington Catholic (22-4) is the defending champion and top-ranked team in the 9th Region. Leading contenders for the 12th Region title include Lincoln County (20-6), Somerset (19-4) and Pulaski County (19-5).

The winner of the final first-round game on Thursday will need to win late games on Friday and Saturday to make it to the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday. CovCath did that two years ago and won the state title.

In the opening round of the Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Sweet 16 girls state tournament, the 9th Region champion will play the 14th Region champion at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11 at Rupp Arena.

Last year, Ryle became the second 9th Region champion to win the girls state tournament. The Raiders are considered the top team in the region once again with a lineup that includes guard Maddie Scherr, who was named to the McDonald’s All-American Team.

The teams with the best records in the 14th Region are Wolfe County (19-5), Letcher County Central (19-8), Hazard (16-6) and Owsley County (17-7).

Northern Kentucky teams will also be competing for the 8th and 10th Region championships in the boys and girls basketball playoffs that begin on Feb. 24.

In the first round of the girls state tournament, the 8th Region champion will play the 11th Region champion at 8 p.m.  Wednesday, March 11 and the 10th Region champion will play the 3rd Region champion at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 12.

Simon Kenton (24-3) is the top-ranked girls team in the 8th Region and Brossart is a leading contender in the 10th Region.

The first-round pairings in the boys state tournament has 10th Region vs. 1st Region at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 and 8th Region vs. 7th Region at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19.

Brossart has a 10-0 record against boys 10th Region teams this season, including a win over two-time defending champion Campbell County.

Here are the complete schedules for the boys and girls state tournaments at Rupp Arena:

MINGUA BEFF JERKY/KHSAA SWEET 16 GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT
Wednesday, March 11 – Upper bracket
Game 1 — Region 5 vs. Region 8, noon
Game 2 — Region 9 vs. Region 14, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 — Region 12 vs. Region 15, 6:30 p.m.
Game 4 — Region 8 vs. Region 11, 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 12 – Lower bracket
Game 5 — Region 13 vs. Region 7, noon
Game 6 — Region 1 vs. Region 2, 1:30 p.m
Game 7 — Region 4 vs. Region 16, 6:30 p.m.
Game 8 – Region 10 vs. Region 3, 8 p.m.
Friday, March 13 – Upper bracket
Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, noon
Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, March 13 – Lower bracket
Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 14
Upper bracket semifinal, 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 15
Championship game, 2 p.m.

WHITAKER BANK/KHSAA SWEET 16 BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT
Wednesday, March 18 – Upper bracket
Game 1 — Region 2 vs. Region 4, noon
Game 2 — Region 5 vs. Region 16, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 — Region 11 vs. Region 13, 6:30 p.m.
Game 4 — Region 10 vs. Region 1, 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 19 – Lower bracket
Game 5 — Region 6 vs. Region 14, noon
Game 6 — Region 3 vs. Region 15, 1:30 p.m
Game 7 — Region 7 vs. Region 8, 6:30 p.m.
Game 8 – Region 9 vs. Region 12, 8 p.m.
Friday, March 20 – Upper bracket
Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, noon
Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, March 20 – Lower bracket
Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 21
Upper bracket semifinal, 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 22
Championship game, 2 p.m.


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One Comment

  1. Garry Edmondson says:

    Do you have schedule for District and Regional boys games?

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