Potential eye-popping early matchups set for Rupp Arena after KHSAA Sweet 16 draws
The brackets are set and there are some potential eye-popping early matchups in both the boys’ and girl’s state basketball tournaments next month in Rupp Arena as some top-ranked teams will face early exits.
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association held its drawings for the boys’ and girls’ Sweet Sixteens live on C-WKYT and WKYT.com Tuesday. The 59th Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen will be held held March 11-15, while the 103rd Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen takes place the following week, March 18-22. Both events will take place in Rupp.
Possibly the most enticing first-round boys’ matchup pits the 16th Region, home to current undefeated and Associated Press No. 1 Ashland Blazer, against a 5th Region where whoever survives the battle among John Hardin, Bardstown and Elizabethtown will be thinking a state crown is surely within reach. Each of those 5th Region teams rank among the top 13 in the latest Cantrall Ratings.
On the girls’ side, Central Kentucky’s 11th Region, home of AP No. 10 Scott County, Franklin County and Paul Laurence Dunbar among others, will face off against the 8th Region where consensus No. 2 Simon Kenton resides. Scott County beat Simon Kenton by a bucket on Jan. 25.
Each year’s live draw for the boys’ and girls’ state basketball tournaments offers some drama to see how Kentucky’s rural and metropolitan areas will be split. While Louisville’s powerful 6th and 7th Regions avoid each other in the girls’ bracket until the finals, they will be potential semifinals opponents in boys’ bracket. Western Kentucky’s 1st and 2nd regions are first-round opponents on the girls’ side and would meet in the semis in the boys’ tourney.
This season’s girls’ No. 1, Sacred Heart, if it survives a brutal 7th Region Tournament that includes dangerous rival Christian Academy-Louisville, would face an opponent from the 13th Region where South Laurel currently ranks as the best team, according to Cantrall. The Cardinals could get a boost from the return of standout senior Ally Collett, who could return to action this week after suffering a partial PCL tear in early January. Sacred Heart, which features Kentucky commit Erin Toller, beat South Laurel earlier this season.
State tourney pairings
GIRLS’ SWEET SIXTEEN
(In bracket order)
Wednesday, March 11
1:30 p.m.: 9th Region vs. 14th Region
Noon: 5th Region vs. 6th Region
6:30 p.m.: 12th Region vs. 15th Region
8 p.m.: 11th Region vs. 8th Region
Thursday, March 12
1:30 p.m.: 1st Region vs. 2nd Region
6:30 p.m.: 4th Region vs. 16th Region
Noon: 13th Region vs. 7th Region
8 p.m.: 10th Region vs. 3rd Region
Friday, March 13
Quarterfinals: Noon, 1:30, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 14
Semifinals: 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 15
Finals: 2 p.m.
BOYS’ SWEET SIXTEEN
Wednesday, March 18
1:30 p.m.: 5th Region vs. 16th Region
Noon: 2nd Region vs. 4th Region
6:30 p.m.: 13th Region vs. 11th Region
8 p.m.: 1st Region vs. 10th Region
Thursday, March 19
1:30 p.m.: 3rd Region vs. 15th Region
6:30 p.m.: 7th Region vs. 8th Region
Noon: 6th Region vs. 14th Region
8 p.m.: 9th Region vs. 12th Region
Friday, March 20
Quarterfinals: Noon, 1:30, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 21
Semifinals: 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 22
Finals: 2 p.m.
This story was originally published February 11, 2020 at 2:20 PM.
