‘I think it’s got to come through us.’ Who’s the 11th Region team to beat?
Without its top point guard and despite needing 32 minutes from all five of its starters, Madison Central on Tuesday reminded Kentucky that the 11th Region boys’ championship runs through Richmond.
About a month out from this year’s tournament, the defending region champs are 17-8 overall and 7-1 against their 11th Region brethren. They’re unranked in The Associated Press top 10, and didn’t receive any votes in the latest edition of the poll, but went to No. 10 Lexington Catholic and handed the Knights their first region loss, 59-45.
This Madison Central team has much in common with the four other squads Allen Feldhaus Jr. has coached to the Sweet Sixteen. There’s a high level of dedication and intensity expected on the defensive end, and it’s rewarded with a green light to shoot from afar on the other side. Forty percent of the Indians’ shots (and 31 percent of their makes) come from beyond the three-point line; among 11th Region teams with a winning record through Tuesday, only Madison Southern (45.5%) has attempted a higher percentage of three-pointers. They made 10 of 20 attempts from long range in their win at Lexington Catholic, including three straight over consecutive possessions to swell a four-point halftime lead to double digits early in the third quarter.
Jaylen Davis, a 6-foot-5 junior who could earn major interest if he can bulk up, capped that run with a heave from near the scorer’s table. He had 22 points and was 4-for-7 from behind the line. Eastern Kentucky University has offered him.
“When Jaylen hits two or three, I’ll let him shoot from anywhere,” Feldhaus said.
Will Hardin, a 6-5 senior nearly averaging a double double (19.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg), quietly added 13 points, five boards and three steals in the win over LexCath, which was able to apply greater pressure to him on the perimeter thanks to the absence of teammate Trey Skaggs. Several of the rebounds were snagged from underneath the basket after going to war with Knights center Reece Potter, a rangy 7-footer.
LexCath Coach Brandon Salsman, whose team had beaten 10 other region foes by an average margin of 21.2 points before Tuesday’s loss, says Hardin has his region Player of the Year vote.
“He’s had an incredible year as a senior,” Salsman said. “He’s just gotten better every year we’ve played against him. That’s testimony to him and what they’ve been able to do.”
11th Region outlook
Madison Central and Lexington Catholic have distinguished themselves as the teams to beat this year in the 11th Region, but the distance between them and the nearest contenders isn’t insurmountable.
Henry Clay, Great Crossing and Madison Southern have overall winning records. The first two project as the most likely representatives out of the 42nd District come tournament time, though Bryan Station, Frederick Douglass and Scott County all have enough athletes to make a quality run in the postseason. Depending how the random draw goes in the 44th District, Madison Southern should join Central (which has won that district in 25 of the last 26 years) in the regional. Frankfort and Western Hills currently pace the 41st.
Paul Laurence Dunbar sits at 9-11 overall but could be the biggest challenger to the region’s top squads a few weeks from now. All nine of the Bulldogs’ wins are against region competition, including a 70-53 decision over Madison Central, and their only 43rd District losses were to LexCath (61-56 and 53-40). Three of their players who’ve attempted at least 50 three-pointers shoot about 40 percent from that distance, including Nick Spalding, a junior averaging 20.4 points per game.
“If they get hot, good Lord,” said Salsman. “It’s wide open.”
Feldhaus’ team embraces the weight of expectations that come with being the defending champion. The target on Madison Central’s back got even larger with Tuesday’s result.
“We’re the defending champs, so I think it’s got to come through us,” Feldhaus said. “We laid one egg this year: that was over at Dunbar, and they spanked our tail. If we come out like that, there’s multiple teams that can beat us. But if we’re playing well, playing hard and our defense is as good as it’s been in these last two or three weeks? I think we’re as good as anybody.”
