Sweet 16 basketball draws set state championship paths for boys’ and girls’ region champs
The region pairings are set for the boys’ and girls’ state basketball tournaments next month after the Kentucky High School Athletic Association held its Sweet 16 bracket draws Friday.
Both tournaments will be held in Rupp Arena with the Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet 16 tipping off Wednesday, March 9 and the UK Healthcare Boys’ Sweet 16 beginning the following week on March 16.
Both the boys’ and girls’ tournaments will have their respective semifinals and finals all held on the Saturdays of their event weeks. This morning-evening, semifinals-finals tripleheader was the norm until recent years. It was reinstituted last season as a cost-saving measure due to the pandemic.
It’s too early to speculate about who will make the boys’ and girls’ state tournaments given that region championship games are still three weeks away — but let’s do it anyway.
Boys’ tournament scenarios
For the Boys’ Sweet 16, Central Kentucky’s 11th Region champion will have to face the 1st Region champion in the 6 p.m. slot on March 17.
Given how well No. 10 Madison Central has been playing in the 11th Region this season, the Indians have to be considered the favorite to make it there. And according to the latest Dave Cantrall ratings, that could mean a first-round matchup with Murray or defending 1st Region champion McCracken County.
It won’t get any easier for the 11th boys’ champ from there as a potential matchup with the 7th Region champion lies ahead in the quarterfinals. That’s where No. 2 Male and No. 5 Ballard reside. Ballard knocked Madison Central out of last year’s Boys’ Sweet 16 in the opening round. The 7th Region champ will face the 4th Region for its opening-round game. The 4th is home to Warren Central and Bowling Green, tied for the No. 8 Cantrall ranking.
No. 1 Clark County is favored to win its 10th Region. If so, the Cardinals will kick off the evening session on the first day, Wednesday, March 16, and play the winner of the 14th Region, where Perry Central rates highest.
Ahead in the 10th Region’s quarterfinals path potentially lies the winner between the 13th and 15th regions. That could be a matchup of this year’s All “A” Classic state champion, No. 16 Pikeville, and No. 3 North Laurel, who has Kentucky commit Reed Sheppard.
If the Cantrall ratings hold, the Boys’ Sweet 16 could see a final four of No. 1 Clark County vs. No. 11 Pleasure Ridge Park and No. 6 Covington Catholic vs. No. 2 Male.
Girls’ tournament scenarios
No. 19 Franklin County, the two-time defending 11th Region champ, far out-rates its Central Kentucky challengers. If the Flyers avoid a region upset, they will face the 2nd Region champion in the first day’s late game. No. 11 Henderson County has won the 2nd Region 14 out of the last 17 years and the last three in a row.
There’s big trouble ahead in the quarterfinals for the 11th as it will have to face the winner of a game between the 1st Region and 12th Region champs. The 1st Region’s No. 3 McCracken County might be too much for No. 16 Danville and the Flyers.
As for No. 1 Sacred Heart, the defending 7th Region and Sweet 16 champion, it faces a tough route out of its own region where No. 14 Central, No. 15 Manual or No. 16 Male could play spoiler. But if the Valkyries make it to Rupp, they’ll face the 8th Region champ in the first round. That could be No. 6 Anderson County or No. 25 Owen County, this year’s All “A” Classic state champion. Sacred Heart took out Anderson County in last season’s state semifinals.
For the girls, the most recent Cantrall ratings forecast a final four of No. 3 McCracken County vs. No. 5 Bullitt East and No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Sacred Heart.
Girls’ Sweet 16
Games listed in bracket order rather than by time.
Wednesday, March 9
▪ 1st Region vs. 12th Region, 6 p.m.
▪ 2nd Region vs. 11th Region, 8:30 p.m.
▪ 5th Region vs. 6th Region, 1:30 p.m.
▪ 3rd Region vs. 16th Region, 11 a.m.
Thursday, March 10
▪ 9th Region vs. 15th Region, 1:30 p.m.
▪ 4th Region vs. 14th Region, 11 a.m.
▪ 10th Region vs. 13th Region, 6 p.m.
▪ 7th Region vs. 8th Region, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, March 11
▪ 1st/12th Region vs. 2nd/11th Region, 11 a.m.
▪ 5th/6th Region vs. 3rd/16th Region, 1:30 p.m.
▪ 9th/15th Region vs. 4th/14th Region, 6 p.m.
▪ 10th/13th Region vs. 7th/8th Region, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 12
▪ Semifinals at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
▪ Finals at 7 p.m.
Boys’ Sweet 16
Games listed in bracket order rather than by time.
Wednesday, March 16
▪ 6th Region vs. 12th Region, 11 a.m.
▪ 3rd Region vs. 8th Region, 1:30 p.m.
▪ 10th Region vs. 14th Region, 6 p.m.
▪ 13th Region vs. 15th Region, 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 17
▪ 2nd Region vs. 5th Region, 1:30 p.m.
▪ 9th Region vs. 16th Region, 8:30 p.m.
▪ 1st Region vs. 11th Region, 6 p.m.
▪ 4th Region vs. 7th Region, 11 a.m.
Friday, March 18
▪ 6th/12th Region vs. 3rd/8thRegion, 11 a.m.
▪ 10th/14th Region vs. 13th/15th Region, 1:30 p.m.
▪ 2nd/5th Region vs. 9th/16th Region, 6 p.m.
▪ 1st/11th Region vs. 4th Region/7th, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 19
▪ Semifinals at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
▪ Finals at 7 p.m.
