District Review

District, region, state! The first road to Rupp Arena is complete and we had three teams advance to the 13th region tournaments going on this week at Cawood High School.
There were some interesting games during the district to say the least. I was more surprised at the outcomes of some of the games. Williamsburg’s win over the Whitley County Colonels caught a lot of people off guard then the Corbin defense against the Yellow Jackets was smothering.
It was nice to see one of the local teams win the district as Corbin defeated the host Tigers in the championship game.
I’ve been asked many times this week how did the tournament go at Barbourville. For myself, it had its ups and downs. The hospitality was fine, but inside the playing area was horrible. I couldn’t count how many times I was bumped while trying to take pictures or write down notes.
I didn’t feel like the media was given any special attention other than a terrific parking lot which was worth more than all the other benefits put together. However, I felt for the fans who had to park miles away or was turned away at the gates.
The hospitality room was nothing compared to the one at Williamsburg last year, it still ranks the best. Hospitality rooms in general puzzle me. Why do you have to have a pass to get in if everyone’s kids are in there. In most places you have to have a pass punched to get in but when you get inside you see lots of people in there who have nothing to do with the game and I wonder who it is for, that includes the KHSAA state tournaments. Oh well, it’s none of my business.
Would I hold it there again? With the new format, I believe Barbourville can host Pineville, Lynn Camp and Knox Central. However, if there is going to be a split session it needs to be announced before the tournament starts and not the night of the first game. There were quite a few fans that came to the Whitley County-Barbourville girl’s game expecting to watch two games when it was announced that it would be a split session and the gym was cleared.
Those decisions need to be announced prior to the start of the tournament.
•As far as the 13th region tournament. It looks as if it is going smoothly to this point, which was the first night. Cawood has offered good parking, stats, a press row to the media. Some of the rooms have been hard to find, but that’s just not being familiar with the school. I’d have to give the folks there an A thus far.
•Officials, I love to pick on the guys in stripes. I don’t know who the three were that called the Knox Central-Williamsburg girls’ game but shame on you for calling yourself an official.
There was no way that Knox Central should have gone to the line 41 times compared to Williamsburg’s 13. No way at all. There was one player from Knox Central I referred to as the hatchet girl. I know she had to commit at least 10 fouls and I don’t think she ever fouled out.
The Lady Panthers were the most physical team I have watched this year but yet Williamsburg was the one with all the fouls. I don’t think they had that many fouls all season.
Like coach Jim Rains said after the game, the physical team was rewarded while his team, a more laid back finesse team was penalized. That will be one game I will remember for some time.
•This must be the year of the Bluegrass State. Kentucky teams will be all over the nation playing in post season tournaments. There could be as many six in the NCAA and six in the NAIA, one in the NIT and several in other divisions.
Eastern is in with the OVC championship, the first since 1979 for the men. Louisville and Kentucky are in. I am not sure about Western Kentucky. The Lady Cardinals of Louisville have a shot and Eastern is already in the field.
Then there is the NAIA, the Cumberland College men and women are set to make trips to the small college NCAA. Joining Cumberland will be Georgetown and Lindsey Wilson in the men and Georgetown and Campbellsville in the women. That doesn’t include Thomas More, Northern Kentucky University and some of the other divisions such as Berea College. It has been a great year for Bluegrass basketball and March Madness has only begun.