Many dreams become a reality when the final 16 teams converge at Rupp Arena for the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16 Boys Basketball tournament.
This year’s field has a wide variety including mainstays Scott County (16 appearances), Oldham County (16 appearances), Pikeville (16 apearances) Corbin (15 appearances), and Warren Central (14 appreances), while one touching the Rupp floor for the first time like Estill County, the lone team to have never made the Sweet 16 .
The highlight of the first round comes early as Scott County meets Trinity on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. The Cardinals, champions out of the 11th Region and Shamrocks, champions out of the 7th Region, enter as two of the top three teams in the state.
Division I signees and prospects will also fill the field, featuring Corbin’s Andrew Taylor, Scott County’s Michael Moreno and Cooper Robb, Trinity’s Jay Scrubb and David Johnson, John Hardin’s Mickey Pearson, UHA’s Kyky Tandy, Covington Catholic’s CJ Fredrick and Jake Walter and Fern Creek’s Anthony Wales.
Campbell County, the 10th Region representative, will look for its first ever win at the Sweet 16, 0-5 in their previous five trips. They’ll open up with University Heights Academy, Thursday at noon.
As for the teams? Here goes.
FIRST REGION CHAMP
McCracken County Mustangs (28-6, 19-2 in 1st Region)
First Round opponent: Oldham County, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Burlin Brower (5th season)
History: The five-year old school is making their second trip to Rupp Arena in program history, getting back after winning the First Region during their inaugural season. The Mustangs won a game that year, knocking off Wayne County before losing to Bowling Green. The First Region had fared well in the opening round of the state tournament winning five straight first round matchups until Graves County ran into eventual champion Bowling Green last year.
Outlook: The Mustangs want to slow the game down and defend. They rank second in the state, allowing just 47.7 points per game. After losing four of five from Christmas Break into the New Year, the Mustangs have rattled off 17 of 18 as they enter the state tourney. McCracken shoots it well, going 47 percent from the field, 35 percent from three and 72 percent from the free throw line.
Team Leaders: Nathan Stonechiper (14.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Cameron Cartwright (14.5 ppg, 80 3-pointers made), Jackson Sivills (13.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
SECOND REGION CHAMP
UHA Blazers (23-7, 15-2 in 2nd Region)
First Round Opponent: Campbell County, Thursday at Noon
Head Coach: Grant Shouse (6th Season)
History: The Blazers will look to do something they did in 1992, win the whole tournament. After a decade absence from Rupp, the Blazers return for their seventh trip in school history. This also happens to be the first trip a team not named Hopkinsville or Christian County is making the trip up the Western Kentucky to the Bluegrass Parkway in a decade.
Outlook: Kyky Tandy, Kyky Tandy, Kyky Tandy. Get used to the name. The junior can flat out fill it up. So much so, John Calipari attended his 10th Region Championship game against Christian County as he poured in 33 points. He comes in fourth in the state in scoring with 30.5 points per game. Tandy’s range is deadly, knocking down 89 3-pointers on the year. The Blazers also like to get up and down, averaging 75.5 points per game, good for sixth in the state.
Team Leaders: Tandy (30.5 ppg, 47% 3PT), Taquan Hollowell (11.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Drew McGowan (11.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
THIRD REGION CHAMP
Apollo Eagles (16-15, 11-9 in 3rd Region)
First Round opponent: Covington Catholic, Thursday, 8 p.m.
Head Coach: Steve Barker (4th season)
History: The Eagles are making their 10th appearance and first since 2012.
Outlook: Apollo enters with the worst record in the field, getting over .500 for the first time since December 21 with three wins in the regional tournament. The Eagles do feature some balance, with five players averaging at least eight points per game.
Team Leaders: Nathan Boyle (15.3 ppg, 86% FT), Hayden Shelton (13.5 ppg, 44% 3PT), Alex Gray (12.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg),
FOURTH REGION CHAMP
Warren Central Dragons (29-5, 17-2 in 4th Region)
First Round opponent: Southwestern, Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
Head Coach: William Unseld (7th Season)
History: The Dragons are headed back to Rupp, ending Bowling Green’s four year reign in the region. They’ll be making their 14th Sweet 16 appearance, winning it all in 2004, knocking off Chris Lofton’s Mason County team in the championship.
Outlook: Warren Central features one of the best rebounders in the state in Skylear Potter, pulling down 12.1 rebounds a night, good for second in the state.
Team Leaders: Potter (23.0 ppg, 12.1 rpg), Jordan Cousin (15.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg), Micale Mee (10.1 ppg)
FIFTH REGION CHAMP
John Hardin Bulldogs (28-7, 15-2 in 5th Region)
First Round opponent: Pikeville, Wednesday, 8 p.m.
Head Coach: Jared McCurry (4th season)
History: The Bulldogs will be making their fourth trip to the state tourney, all coming in the last 12 years when they first made it in 2006. John Hardin has two wins all-time at Rupp, one of them coming at the hands of Fleming County in 2013.
Outlook: The Bulldogs are led by St. Louis signee Mickey Pearson, averaging 25.7 points and 11 rebounds a game, good for 11th and seventh in the state, respectively. Alex Matthews isn’t bad in the Robin role either, bringing in 10 points and 10.1 rebounds a night. The Bulldogs can score it too, averaging 75.2 points a night, good for seventh in the state. They’re second in the state in field goal percentage, making 52.9 percent of their shots. They’re also third in the state in rebounding, pulling down 39 boards per game.
Team Leaders: Pearson (25.7 ppg, 11.0 rpg), Malik Wright (15.1 ppg, 53% FG), Matthews (10.0 ppg, 10.1 rpg)
SIXTH REGION CHAMP
Fern Creek Tigers (26-6, 15-1 in 6th Region)
First Round opponent: Boyd County, Thursday, 1:30 p.m.
Head Coach: James Schooler III (5th season)
History: After making their first trip in school history last season, the Tigers are making a return trip to Rupp. They’re hoping their second time around nets them two more wins, making the Final Four last season before losing to Cooper. The Tigers are the lone state semifinalist in the field from last year’s state tourney.
Outlook: Fern Creek will feature the most experience, having 12 seniors on the roster. They also own wins over Covington Catholic and Trinity, coming in as dangerous as any in the field. If they get by Boyd County, which they’re expected to do, a possible rematch with Covington Catholic looms in the quarterfinals. Fern Creek shoots it well, 14th in the state at 49.8 percent.
Team Leaders: Ahmad Price (16.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Anthony Wales (15.0 ppg), Clint Wickliffe (11.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
SEVENTH REGION CHAMP
Trinity Shamrocks (30-3, 12-0 in 7th Region)
First Round opponent: Scott County, Wednesday, 1:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Mike Szabo (16th season)
History: The Shamrocks are making their fifth Sweet 16 appearance, all under Szabo and winning it all in 2012. They’ve fared pretty well at Rupp, winning a game in every trip to the state tourney except 2016 when they lost to Newport Central Catholic.
Outlook: Well, well, well…sometimes the draw Gods love pitting a possible state title matchup in the first round. That comes Wednesday when the Shamrocks take on Scott County. Trinity got here by playing solid defense, allowing just 51.3 points per game, good for 12th in the state. They shoot it well from the field at 50.3 percent, good for 12th in the state and come in at third in the state in 3-point shooting, hitting 41.3 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.
Team Leaders: Jay Scrubb (17.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg), David Johnson (13.9 ppg, 43.9% 3PT), Justin Powell (11.3 ppg, 50.3% 3 PT)
EIGHTH REGION CHAMP
Oldham County Colonels (23-7, 12-2 in 8th Region)
First Round opponent: McCracken County, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Cory Zerhusen (5th season)
History: This will be the 16th Sweet 16 appearance for the Colonels, tied for most in the field. However, it’s their first trip since 2012 and first under Coach Zerhusen. Despite the 16 trips, Oldham County has never won the state title.
Outlook: The 15.5 winning margin the Colonels possess is good for 10th in the state and can attribute that to them shooting 52 percent from the field on the year, good for sixth in the state.
Team Leaders: Travis Henderson (15.9 ppg, 58% FG), Jackson Gibson (15.7 ppg, 53% FG), Zach Larimore (11.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
NINTH REGION CHAMP
Covington Catholic Colonels (31-4, 16-1 9th Region)
First Round opponent: Apollo, Thursday, 8 p.m.
Head Coach: Scott Ruthsatz (7th season)
History: Cov Cath will be making their 11th Sweet 16 appearance, winning it all in 2014. They are 12-9 all-time in the Sweet 16, making their first appearance in 1967.
Outlook: The Colonels will be one of the favorites to cut the nets down come Sunday afternoon. They have a lot of star power and size on the team that locks down defensively as good as any. CJ Fredrick won the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state and is an Iowa signee. Jake Walter is the big man down low and is signed with Xavier, Walter leads the state in field goal percentage, hitting 72.9 percent of his shots. Aiden Ruthsatz is second in the state in free throw shooting at 89.7 percent. As a team, Cov Cath is all over the state leaderboard in point allowed per game (48.3, 4th), scoring margin (+21.7, 2nd), field goal percentage (56.2, 1st) and 3-point percentage (44.7, 1st).
Team Leaders: Fredrick (22.5 ppg, 57% FG), Ruthsatz (14.3 ppg, 47% 3 PT), Walter (11.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
10TH REGION CHAMP
Campbell County Camels (28-5, 15-0 in 10th Region)
First Round opponent: UHA, Thursday, noon
Head Coach: Aric Russell (8th season)
History: The Camels will be making their sixth trip to the state tourney, coming up empty in their five previous tries under the bright lights. This will be their third appearance in their last five years.
Outlook: The Camels are efficient and disciplined, shooting over 50 percent from the field and feature a four-headed balanced attack led by Reid Jolly. Jolly was big for the Camels in the 10th Region tourney, averaging a double-double while guard Joel Day fought through a fractured spine in the tourney to help lead the Camels to state. Tanner Clos is a career 1,000 point scorer and Drew Wilson also brings a scoring punch.
Team Leaders: Jolly (18.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg), Clos (15.5 ppg, 52% FG), Day (14.9 ppg, 87.6% FT), Wilson (10.1 ppg)
11TH REGION CHAMP
Scott County Cardinals (34-1, 20-0 in 11th Region)
First Round opponent: Trinity, Wednesday, 1:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Billy Hicks (24th season)
History: The Cardinals enter as the only team to win multiple titles, doing so in 1998 and 2007, both under Billy Hicks, the winningest coach in KHSAA history. This will be their 16th Sweet 16 appearance, tied for the most among the field.
Outlook: Scott County hasn’t lost to a team from Kentucky during the year and will enter as one of the favorites. Their prize? Trinity. A top three team in the state. The Cardinals feature two Division I signees in Michael Moreno (Iowa) and Cooper Robb (Charlotte). They are explosive as any, averaging 79.3 points per game, good for second in the state.
Team Leaders: Moreno (20.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg), Robb (13.9 ppg, 50% FG), Diablo Stewart (12.1 ppg, 44% 3PT)
12TH REGION CHAMP
Southwestern Warriors (18-14, 9-9 in 12th Region)
First Round opponent: Warren Central, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Christopher Baker (2nd season)
History: This is just the second Sweet 16 appearance for Southwestern, making the prior trip in 2012 where they made the Final Four before losing to eventual champion Trinity.
Outlook: Despite losing five of six headed into the 12th Region tournament, the Warriors found a way, winning three regional tournament games by a combined 12 points, including an overtime win over Boyle County and a buzzer-beater over Mercer County in the championship game. Hunter Stevens provides the bulk of the offense for Southwestern, averaging 24.9 of their 60.5 points per game.
Team Leaders: Stevens (24.9 ppg, 49% 3 PT), Jonathan Gallagher (12.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
13TH REGION CHAMP
Corbin Redhounds (25-7 record, 18-3 in 13th Region)
First Round opponent: Estill County, Wednesday, noon
Head Coach: Tony Pietrowski (16th season)
History: After an eight-year hiatus, the Redhounds are making their 15th Sweet 16 appearance, getting their only title in 1936. Corbin is 12-14 all-time in the state tourney.
Outlook: Corbin features one of the most prolific scorers in KHSAA history in Andrew Taylor. He enters the state tourney third all-time on the scoring list with over 3,000 points. The trio of Taylor, Chandler Stewart and Chase Sanders account for 58 of their 72.7 points per game.
Team Leaders: Taylor (28.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg), Chandler Stewart (16.8 ppg, 43% 3PT), Chase Sanders (12.6 ppg)
14TH REGION CHAMP
Estill County Engineers (26-7, 16-1 in 14th Region)
First Round opponent: Corbin, Wednesday, noon
Head Coach: Jon Bentley (8th season)
History: This is the first trip in school history for the Engineers.
Outlook: After starting the season out 2-5, the Engineers have won 25 of 27 games to get to Rupp. The Engineers get it done with efficiency, shooting 51.7 percent, good for seventh in the state. That efficiency is spearheaded by Andrew Doty, coming in shooting 70.9 percent from the field, second in the state.
Team Leaders: Caleb Bonny (19.5 ppg, 49% FG), Doty (11.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
15TH REGION CHAMP
Pikeville Panthers (24-9, 17-4 in 15th Region)
First Round opponent: John Hardin, Wednesday, 8 p.m.
Head Coach: Elisha Justice (2nd season)
History: Dating all the way back to 1921, Pikeville is making their 16th Sweet 16 appearance, tied for the most in the field. They’ll be making a return trip from a season ago, hoping for a better outcome than the 61-46 loss they took to Perry County Central.
Outlook: In just his second season Elisha ‘The Bullet’ Justice has the Panthers back in the Sweet 16.
Team Leaders: Wyatt Battalie (24.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg), Connor Roberts (14.1 ppg, 40% 3 PT)
16TH REGION CHAMP
Boyd County Lions (29-6, 20-2 in 16th Region)
First Round opponent: Fern Creek, Thursday, 1:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Randy Anderson (8th season)
History: Boyd County is making their first appearance since 2000 and their 11th in school history. The Lions have struggled at the state tourney, with a 3-10 record all-time. A 16th Region team hasn’t won a state tournament game since Rowan County did so in 2012, when they knocked off North Laurel.
Outlook: The Lions come in hot, winners in 21 of their last 22 games, the lone loss coming to Huntington, West Virginia. Despite playing in a slower paced region with teams that like to slow it down, the Lions can still put points up in a hurry, averaging 73.5 points per game, good for 11th in the state. Boyd has four players that average in double figures to help create the balance needed.
Team Leaders: Gunner Short (17.9 ppg, 46% FG), Reese Robinson (15.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg), Blake Stewart (12.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Taylor Smith (12.6 ppg, 81% FT)
