2008 National City/KHSAA Boys' Sweet Sixteen®

The sixteen teams competing for this year's championship are Paducah Tilghman, University Heights, Owensboro, Greenwood, Bardstown, Central, Jeffersontown, Shelby County, Holmes, Mason County, Lexington Catholic, Lincoln County, South Laurel, Hazard, Paintsville, and Elliott County. Five teams in this year's field have won thirty or more games and the combined record of all sixteen teams is 420-91.  The teams competing this year have won a total of 15 championships.

Wednesday March 19

Session No. 1

Lexington Catholic (30-3) (Region 11) vs. University Heights (30-4) (Region 2)

Lexington Catholic Coach Brandon Salsman started the following lineup:  6-5 Sr. Nathan Novosel, 6-5 Sr. Taylor Stewart, 6-6 Sr. Jordan Smart, 6-2 Jr. Taylor Botkin, and 6-3 Jr. Vee Sanford.  University Heights Coach Randy McCoy countered with 6-7 Sr. Scotty Hopson, 6-1 Sr. Marcus Reeves, 6-2 Fr. Ryan Hudson, 6-4 Sr. Tyshwan Edmondson, and 6-1 Sr. DaQuan Brown. 

Lexington Catholic raced out to a 42-22 lead on their way to a 69-54 victory over University Heights.  UHA jumped out to a 2-0 lead but Lexington Catholic went on a 21-4 run to lead 21-6.  UHA cut the deficit to six, 53-47, with 5:06 left in the game but could never catch up.  Lexington Catholic's defense forced 13 turnovers in the first half to allow the Knights to gain control of the game. 

Lexington Catholic shot 43.6% from the field including six of 19 from the three point line.  The Knights connected on 15 of 23 free throws, pulled down 35 rebounds, and scored 23 points off 19 UHA turnovers.    UHA shot 37.1% from the field including four of 19 from beyond the arc.    The Blazers connected on four of eight free throws, grabbed 43 rebounds, and scored seven points off 11 Lexington Catholic turnovers.   

Taylor Stewart led Lexington Catholic with 25 points and nine rebounds.  Vee Sanford added 22 points including four three point baskets.  Sanford also recorded seven rebounds and seven steals.  Jordan Smart and Nathan Novosel chipped in with 10 and nine points respectively.   Scotty Hopson led University Heights with 21 points and nine rebounds.  Tyshwan Edmondson added 13 points and 10 rebounds.  DaQuan Brown chipped in with 11 points. 

Owensboro (22-9) (Region 3) vs. Central (15-11) (Region 6)

Owensboro Coach Wayne Breeden started the following lineup:  6-3 Jr. Norris Moorman, 5-10 Sr. Reggie West, 6-6 Sr. Brock Moorman, 5-7 Sr. Yorel Shemwell, and 5-10 Sr. Tyler Acton.  Central Coach Doug Bibby countered with 6-5 Jr. Ridge Wilson, 6-3 Sr. LeeVaughn Morris, 6-5 Sr. Leland Banks, 5-9 Jr. Alex Morrison, and 5-8 Sr. Chris Starks. 

Owensboro outscored Central 18-4 in the second quarter on their way to a 63-48victory.   Owensboro held a 21-6 advantage in second chance points.  

Owensboro shot 45.1% from the field including two of 10 from the three point line.   The Red Devils connected on 15 of 27 free throws, pulled down 37 rebounds, and scored 20 points off 18 Central turnovers.   Central shot 34.8% from the field including four of 13 from the three point line.   The Yellow Jackets connected on 12 of 24 free throws, grabbed 29 rebounds, and scored 18 points off 16 Owensboro turnovers.  

Brock Moorman led Owensboro with 29 points and 17 rebounds.  Moorman was 12 of 16 from the field and five of six from the free throw stripe. Tyler Acton added 10 points and seven rebounds.  LeeVaughn Morris led Central with 15 points including three three point baskets.  Alex Morrison added 13 points.  Ridge Wilson chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds.  Leland Banks recorded six points and and pulled down 11 rebounds. 

Session No. 2

Paintsville (29-3) (Region 15) vs. Jeffersontown (26-5) (Region 7)

Paintsville Coach Bill Mike Runyon started the following lineup:  6-3 Sr. Landon Slone, 6-2 Sr. Shane Grimm, 6-2 Sr. J. D. Vanhoose, 6-0 Sr. Blake Bundy, and 5-11 Sr. Justin Murray.  Jeffersontown Coach Jeff Morrow countered with 6-3 So. Tim Jackson, 6-1 Jr. Russell Dillard, 6-5 Sr. Brandon Cason, 5-11 So. Thomas Jackson, and 5-11 Sr. Nick Gagel. 

Paintsville shot a phenomenal 64.7% from the field including 72% in the second half in a wild 93-87 shootout victory over Jeffersontown.   Paintsville led by 13 points, 52-39, in the third quarter but Jeffersontown cut the lead to two, 86-84, with 1:12 remaining in the game.   Jeffersontown could never close the gap and Paintsville held on for the victory.  

Paintsville shot 64.7% from the field including seven of 13 from the three point line.   The Tigers connected on 20 of 26 free throws, pulled down 19 rebounds, and scored 25 points off 17 Jeffersontown turnovers.   Jeffersontown shot 52.2% from the field including five of 10 from beyond the arc.   The Chargers connected on 12 of 15 free throws, grabbed 31 rebounds, and scored 21 points off 17 Paintsville turnovers.  

Landon Slone led Paintsville with 35 points including four three point baskets.  Justin Murray, Blake Bundy, J. D. Vanhoose, and Shane Grimm added 17, 15, 11, and 10 points respectively.   Thomas Jackson led Jeffersontown with 24 points.  Nick Gagel added 15 points including three three point baskets.  Tim Jackson chipped in with 14 points and six rebounds.  5-11 So. Richard Kennedy and 6-2 Jr. Antwan Wilson also reached double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively.  

Bardstown (23-7) (Region 5) vs. Holmes (31-2) (Region 9)

Bardstown Coach Gary Goode started the following lineup:  6-3 Jr. Damian Edelen, 6-3 Jr. Rashaun Phillips, 6-4 Jr. Demarco Phillips, 5-9 Sr. Corey Hall, and 6-2 Jr. Jordan Hickman.  Holmes Coach David Henley countered with 6-4 So. Ricardo Johnson, 6-2 So. Jeremiah Johnson, 6-4 Sr. Terrence Clark, 5-10 Sr. Braeon Avery, and 6-0 Sr. Arrez Henderson. 

Holmes defeated Bardstown by a score of 64-44.   Holmes led 62-33 in the final quarter and had 11 players in the scoring column.   The victors held a 16-6 advantage in second chance points and enjoyed a 26-13 advantage in bench scoring.  

Holmes shot 43.1% from the field including two of six from three point line.   The Bulldogs connected on 12 of 22 free throws, pulled down 34 rebounds, and scored 23 points off 29 Bardstown turnovers.   Bardstown shot 41.9% from the field including one of six from beyond the arc.   The Tigers connected on seven of 11 free throws, grabbed 31 rebounds, and scored 15 points off 15 Holmes turnovers.  

Ricardo Johnson led a balanced Holmes attack with 11 points and six rebounds.  6-5 So. Elijah Pittman added 10 points.  Jordan Hickman led Bardstown with 14 points and five rebounds. 

Thursday March 20

Session No. 3

Hazard (30-4) (Region 14) vs. South Laurel (27-7) (Region 13)

Hazard Coach Allan Holland started the following lineup:  6-3 So. Cory Martin, 6-3 Jr. Robert Warren, 6-5 Jr. Justin Jones, 6-1 Jr. Josh Kidd, and 5-11 So. Josh Whitaker.  South Laurel Coach Steve Wright countered with 6-2 Jr. Zack Smith, 6-1 Sr. Billy Jones, 6-7 So. Matt St. John, 5-10 So. Matt Watkins, and 6-2 Sr. Jordan Bortnem. 

Hazard led 42-31 with 5:10 left in the game but had to hold on down the stretch to gain a 50-47 victory over South Laurel.   South Laurel had a late chance but a three point attempt by Jordan Bortnem in the closing seconds was barely off target.   Hazard held a 32-19 advantage rebounds and a 12-2 advantage in second chance points.  

Hazard shot 50% from the field including three of five from the three point line.   The Bulldogs connected on seven of 15 from the free throws line and scored 12 points off 10 South Laurel turnovers.   South Laurel shot 38.6% from the field including four of 14 from beyond the arc.   The Cardinals connected on nine of 13 free throws and scored 15 points off 20 Hazard turnovers.  

Josh Whitaker led Hazard with 17 points.  Justin Jones added 10 points and seven rebounds.  Robert Warren chipped in with nine points and 11 rebounds.  Jordan Bortnem led South Laurel with 21 points.  5-10 Jr. Wes Dean and Matt St. John added 10 and nine points respectively.  

Lincoln County (27-5) (Region 12) vs. Shelby County (23-8) (Region 8)

Lincoln County Coach Jeff Jackson started the following lineup:  6-2 Sr. Noah Keeton, 6-0 Sr. Daniel Ralston, 6-3 Jr. Ethan Spurlin, 5-9 Jr. Trevor Edgington, and 6-0 Sr. Ryan Young.  Shelby County Coach Mike Clark countered with 6-4 Sr. Alex Shehan, 6-3 Sr. Alex Matthews, 6-4 Sr. Coty Minnis, 6-0 So. Cache Tomlinson, and 6-0 Sr. Tim Sanford. 

Shelby County utilized their strength in the paint to defeat Lincoln County 70-58.   Shelby County dominated on the boards, holding a 38-15 advantage in rebounds and a 12-5 advantage in second chance points. 

Shelby County shot 53.2% from the field including three of nine from the three point line.   The Rockets connected on on 17 of 26 free throws and and scored 12 points off nine Lincoln County turnovers.   Lincoln County shot 42% from the field including nine of 28 from beyond the arc.   The Patriots connected on seven of nine free throws and scored 19 points off 12 Shelby County turnovers.  

Coty Minnis led Shelby County with 25 points and 10 rebounds.  Cache Tomlinson added 12 points including two three point baskets.  6-4 So. Nigel Beach chipped in with 11 points.  Noah Keeton led Lincoln County with 16 points including three three point baskets.  Ryan Young added 14 points and seven assists.  Daniel Ralston recorded 14 points including four three point baskets. 

Session No. 4

Greenwood (24-10) (Region 4) vs. Paducah Tilghman (27-6) (Region 1)

Greenwood Coach Blane Embry started the following lineup:  6-1 So. Dee Anderson, 6-0 Jr. J. J. Smith, 6-3 Sr. Jarrett Jenkins, 5-9 Sr. Mark Lacy, and 5-10 Sr. Austin Reed.  Paducah Tilghman Coach Brad Stieg countered with 6-4 Sr. Stefon Perry, 6-3 Jr. Tony Hazard, 6-5 Sr. Isaac McClure, 5-8 Sr. Jeffrey Williams, and 5-10 Jr. Bryon Wright. 

Paducah Tilghman raced out to a 22-9 first quarter lead on their way to a 77-53 victory over Greenwood.   Paducah Tilghman held Greenwood to 24% field goal shooting in the first half on their way to a 39-18 halftime lead.  

Paducah Tilghman shot 53.7% from the field including three of seven from three point line.   The Blue Tornado connected on 16 of 21 free throws, pulled down 42 rebounds, and scored 20 points off 14 Greenwood turnovers.   Greenwood shot 27.4% from the field including five of 24 from beyond the arc.   The Gators connected on 14 of 19 free throws, grabbed 33 rebounds, and scored 21 points off 17 Paducah Tilghman turnovers.  

Bryon Wright led Paducah Tilghman with 23 points including two three point baskets.  Isaac McClure added 16 points, 13 rebounds, and seven blocked shots.  Stefon Perry chipped in with 13 points and 11 rebounds.  J. J. Smith led Greenwood with 15 points.  6-1 Sr. Bret Barrick added 12 points on four three point baskets.  Dee Anderson chipped in with 10 points. 

Elliott County (26-3) (Region 16) vs. Mason County (30-4) (Region 10)

Elliott County Coach Rick Mays started the following lineup:  6-2 Jr. Jonathan Ferguson, 6-2 Jr. Chris Knipp, 6-7 Fr. Timmy Knipp, 6-1 Jr. Ethan Faulkner, and 6-1 Jr. Evan Faulkner.  Mason County Coach Chris O'Hearn countered with 6-7 Sr. Darius Miller, 6-7 Sr. Trevor Setty, 6-2 Jr. Keith Downing, 6-3 Sr. Ethan King, and 6-3 Jr. Russ Middleton. 

Mason County rallied from a 57-50 deficit with 4:17 remaining in the game to defeat Elliott County 66-62.   Trevor Setty nailed two long three point bombs to fuel the comeback.   Mason County only connected on five of 16 free throws but Darius Miller hit two free throws in the closing seconds to ensure the victory.  

Mason County shot 50.9% from the field including seven of 19 from the three point line.   The Royals pulled down 34 rebounds and scored eight points off eight Elliott County turnovers.   Elliott County shot 38.9% from the field including seven of 24 from beyond the arc.   The Lions connected on 13 of 15 free throws, grabbed 30 rebounds, and scored 11 points off eight Mason County turnovers.  

Trevor Setty led Mason County with 19 points including five three point baskets.  Darius Miller added 17 points and 10 rebounds.  Russ Middleton chipped in with 15 points and five assists.  Ethan King recorded 11 points and six rebounds.  Jonathan Ferguson led Elliott County with 19 points and six rebounds.  Ethan Faulkner added 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists.  Evan Faulkner chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.  6-2 Sr. Tyler Maynard recorded 10 points including three three point baskets. 

Friday March 21

Session No. 5

Owensboro (23-9) vs. Lexington Catholic (31-3)  (Quarterfinal)

Owensboro Coach Wayne Breeden started the following lineup:  6-3 Jr. Norris Moorman, 5-10 Sr. Reggie West, 6-6 Sr. Brock Moorman, 5-7 Sr. Yorel Shemwell, and 5-10 Sr. Tyler Acton.  Lexington Catholic Coach Brandon Salsman countered with 6-5 Sr. Nathan Novosel, 6-5 Sr. Taylor Stewart, 6-6 Sr. Jordan Smart, 6-2 Jr. Taylor Botkin, and 6-3 Jr. Vee Sanford. 

Lexington Catholic trailed 17-8 in the second quarter but rallied to defeat Owensboro 54-47.   Lexington Catholic led 38-35 early in the fourth quarter but the Knights scored on three well executed back-door plays featuring passes from Jordan Smart to Taylor Stewart to gain control of the game.  

Lexington Catholic shot 38.2% from the field including only two of 12 from the three point line.   The Knights connected on 10 of 14 free throws, pulled down 32 rebounds, and scored 26 points off 22 Owensboro turnovers.   Owensboro shot 40.9% from the field including two of 10 from beyond the arc.   The Red Devils connected on nine of 18 free throws, grabbed 34 rebounds, and scored nine points off 15 Lexington Catholic turnovers.  

Vee Sanford led Lexington Catholic with 18 points.  Taylor Stewart added 14 points.  Nathan Novosel recorded four points and 11 rebounds.  Tyler Acton led Owensboro with 17 points.  Brock Moorman added 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocked shots. 

Holmes (32-2) vs. Paintsville (30-3)  (Quarterfinal)

Holmes Coach David Henley started the following lineup:  6-4 So. Ricardo Johnson, 6-2 So. Jeremiah Johnson, 6-4 Sr. Terrence Clark, 5-10 Sr. Braeon Avery, and 6-0 Sr. Arrez Henderson.  Paintsville Coach Bill Mike Runyon countered with 6-3 Sr. Landon Slone, 6-2 Sr. Shane Grimm, 6-2 Sr. J. D. Vanhoose, 6-0 Sr. Blake Bundy, and 5-11 Sr. Justin Murray. 

Paintsville led 39-38 early in the fourth quarter but Holmes outscored the Tigers 23-14 down the tretch to earn a 61-53 victory.   Holmes' hard nosed aggressive defense was instrumental in slowing down the potent Paintsville attack.  

Holmes shot 43.9% from the field including five of 11 from the three point line.   The Bulldogs connected on 20 of 28 free throws, pulled down 31 rebounds, and scored seven points off nine   Paintsville turnovers.   Paintsville shot 39.1% from the field including three of 13 from beyond the arc.   The Tigers connected on 14 of 22 free throws, grabbed 25 rebounds, and scored 18 points off 14 Holmes turnovers.  

Arrez Henderson led Holmes with 21 points and seven rebounds.  6-5 So. Elijah Pittman added 19 points and six rebounds.  Shane Grimm led Paintsville with 17 points.  Justin Murray and Landon Slone added 14 and 11 points respectively.  

Session No. 6

Shelby County (24-8) vs. Hazard (31-4)  (Quarterfinal)

Shelby County Coach Mike Clark started the following lineup:  6-4 Sr. Alex Shehan, 6-3 Sr. Alex Matthews, 6-4 Sr. Coty Minnis, 6-0 So. Cache Tomlinson, and 6-0 Sr. Tim Sanford.  Hazard Coach Allan Holland countered with 6-3 So. Cory Martin, 6-3 Jr. Robert Warren, 6-5 Jr. Justin Jones, 6-3 Jr. Michael Campbell, and 5-11 So. Josh Whitaker. 

Shelby County trailed 30-20 at halftime but rallied to defeat Hazard 53-50.   Shelby County had to survive two attempts from the three point line to tie the game in the closing seconds.   Shelby County had to adjust their strategy at halftime to keep the ball out of the hands of Josh Whitaker who led Hazard in the first half with 14 points including four three point baskets.  

Shelby County shot 41.9% from the field including one of seven from the three point line.   The Rockets connected on on 16 of 22 free throws, pulled down 30 rebounds, and and scored 16 points off 14 Hazard turnovers.   Hazard shot 40.4% from the field including nine of 16 from beyond the arc.   The Bulldogs connected on three of eight free throws, grabbed 28 rebounds, and scored 13 points off nine Shelby County turnovers.  

Cache Tomlinson led Shelby County with 12 points.  Tim Sanford added 11 points.  Coty Minnis and 6-4 So. Nigel Beach recorded 10 points and seven rebounds each.  Josh Whitaker led Hazard with 21 points including six three point baskets.  Cory Martin added 13 points and seven rebounds.  Martin also connected on three three point baskets. 

Mason County (31-4) vs. Paducah Tilghman (28-6)  (Quarterfinal)

Mason County Coach Chris O'Hearn started the following lineup:  6-7 Sr. Darius Miller, 6-7 Sr. Trevor Setty, 6-2 Jr. Keith Downing, 6-3 Sr. Ethan King, and 6-3 Jr. Russ Middleton.  Paducah Tilghman Coach Brad Stieg countered with 6-4 Sr. Stefon Perry, 6-3 Jr. Tony Hazard, 6-5 Sr. Isaac McClure, 5-8 Sr. Jeffrey Williams, and 5-10 Jr. Bryon Wright. 

Mason County raced out to a 39-11 halftime lead in a surprisingly easy 73-46 victory over Paducah Tilghman.   The victorious Royals scored 32 points off 23 Paducah Tilghman turnovers and recorded 10 three point baskets.   Fifteen players recorded playing time for Mason County with 11 entering the scoring column.  

Mason County shot 49.2% from the field including 10 of 21 from three point line.   The Royals connected on five of seven free throws and pulled down 32 rebounds.   Paducah Tilghman shot 46.2% from the field including three of eight from beyond the arc.   The Blue Tornado connected on seven of 19 free throws, grabbed 24 rebounds, and scored 13 points off 14 Mason County turnovers.  

Darius Miller led Mason County with 17 points and six rebounds.  Russ Middleton and Ethan King added 12 points each.  Middleton was four of four from beyond the arc.  Trevor Setty chipped in with 11 points.  Bryon Wright led Paducah Tilghman with 12 points including three three point baskets.  Jeffrey Williams and Isaac McClure added 10 and eight points respectively.  

Saturday March 22

Session No. 7

Holmes (33-2) vs. Lexington Catholic (32-3)  (Semifinal)

Holmes Coach David Henley started the following lineup:  6-4 So. Ricardo Johnson, 6-2 So. Jeremiah Johnson, 6-4 Sr. Terrence Clark, 5-10 Sr. Braeon Avery, and 6-0 Sr. Arrez Henderson.  Lexington Catholic Coach Brandon Salsman countered with 6-5 Sr. Nathan Novosel, 6-5 Sr. Taylor Stewart, 6-6 Sr. Jordan Smart, 6-2 Jr. Taylor Botkin, and 6-3 Jr. Vee Sanford. 

Lexington Catholic led 21-4 early in the second quarter but Holmes roared back to take a 57-50 victory.   Lexington Catholic led 46-41 early in the fourth quarter but could not hold off Holmes down the stretch.   Lexington Catholic was hampered by foul woes today as John Tribble , Tyler Corvin , and Nathan Novosel Lexington Catholic all fouled out.  

Holmes held a 38-12 advantage in free throw attempts and a 25-12 advantage in free throw points.   Holmes also held a 33-25 advantage in rebounds.  

Holmes shot 45.5% from the field including four of eight from the three point line.   Holmes scored 12 points off 17 Lexington Catholic turnovers and held a 15-8 advantage in bench scoring.   Lexington Catholic shot 40.4% from the field including two of six from beyond the arc.   The Knights scored 25 points off 22 Holmes turnovers.  

6-5 So. Elijah Pittman led Holmes with 15 points including two three point baskets.  Arrez Henderson added 10 points and 11 rebounds.  Ricardo Johnson chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.  Taylor Stewart led Lexington Catholic with 16 points and 11 rebounds.  Vee Sanford, Jordan Smart, and Taylor Botkin recorded eight points each.  

Mason County (32-4) vs. Shelby County (25-8)  (Semifinal)

Mason County Coach Chris O'Hearn started the following lineup:  6-7 Sr. Darius Miller, 6-7 Sr. Trevor Setty, 6-2 Jr. Keith Downing, 6-3 Sr. Ethan King, and 6-3 Jr. Russ Middleton.  Shelby County Coach Mike Clark countered with 6-4 Sr. Alex Shehan, 6-3 Sr. Alex Matthews, 6-4 Sr. Coty Minnis, 6-0 So. Cache Tomlinson, and 6-0 Sr. Tim Sanford. 

Mason County led 52-49 with 1:16 remaining but got a three point play by Darius Miller and hit their free throws down the stretch to defeat Shelby County 60-50.  

Mason County shot 43.5% from the field including four of 17 from three point line.   Royals connected on on 16 of 19 free throws, pulled down 26 rebounds, and and scored 13 points off 17 Shelby County turnovers.   Shelby County shot 40% from the field including seven of 18 from beyond the arc.   The Rockets connected on seven of nine free throws, grabbed 27 rebounds, and scored 11 points off 11 Mason County turnovers.  

Darius Miller led Mason County with 19 points and 10 rebounds.  Ethan King and Russ Middleton added 18 and 14 points respectively.   Middleton connected on three three point baskets.  Coty Minnis led Shelby County with 14 points and five rebounds.  Tim Sanford added nine points.  Cache Tomlinson and 6-4 So. Donovan Johnson recorded eight points each.  Sanford, Tomlinson, and Johnson connected on two three point baskets each.  

Session No. 8

Mason County (32-4) vs. Holmes (33-2)  (Championship)

Mason County Coach Chris O'Hearn started the following lineup:  6-7 Sr. Darius Miller, 6-7 Sr. Trevor Setty, 6-2 Jr. Keith Downing, 6-3 Sr. Ethan King, and 6-3 Jr. Russ Middleton.  Holmes Coach David Henley countered with 6-4 So. Ricardo Johnson, 6-2 So. Jeremiah Johnson, 6-5 So. Elijah Pittman, 5-10 Sr. Braeon Avery, and 6-0 Sr. Arrez Henderson. 

Darius Miller scored 19 of his 24 points after halftime to lead Mason County to a 57-48 victory over Holmes.   Mason County led 39-24 late in the third quarter.   Holmes rallied to cut the deficit to six, 52-46, with 55 seconds remaining in the game but could not further close the gap.  

Mason County shot 48.7% from the field including one of six from three point line.   Royals connected on on 18 of 28 free throws, pulled down 37 rebounds, and and scored six points off six Holmes turnovers.   Holmes shot 36.7% from the field including four of 16 from beyond the arc.   The Bulldogs connected on eight of 15 free throws, grabbed 23 rebounds, and scored 18 points off 13 Mason County turnovers.  

Darius Miller led Mason County with 24 points and eight rebounds.  Russ Middleton and Keith Downing added 13 and 10 points respectively.   Trevor Setty recorded six points and eight rebounds.  Arrez Henderson led Holmes with 18 points and nine rebounds.  Ricardo Johnson and Elijah Pittman added 15 and 12 points respectively.  

All Tournament Team

Conclusion

Congratulations to Coach Chris O'Hearn and the Mason County Royals for capturing the championship.   Mason County started the season in the top spot and finished up top of the mountain.  Darius Miller was named tourney MVP and the "silent assassin" quietly but effectively gets the job done at crunch time.  How about Holmes?   A great tourney run led by their all-around performer Arrez Henderson who is an absolute "lock down" defender.  Elijah Pittman , the talented 6-5 So., had quite a coming out party.  

Lexington Catholic bowed out with a disappointing loss in the semifinals, but they had a great season.   Congratulations to Coach Mike Clark and the Shelby County Rockets who made the Eighth Region proud.   Paintsville coaching legend Bill Mike Runyon has announced his retirement--Coach Runyon, thanks for the memories.   Lincoln County bowed out in the first round but Coach Jeff Jackson got them there two years in a row.   Owensboro's Brock Moorman had an excellent tournament.   When was the last time both Louisville schools were ousted in the opening round?   Who can forget Jonathan Ferguson , the Faulkner twins, and the Elliott County Lions?   Josh Whitaker had an excellent tourney for Hazard.   How good can Scotty Hopson be at the next level?  

There are absolutely no losers at this event.   Any team that makes it to this week has had a very successful season.  

Acknowledgements

A special thanks to the KHSAA for maintaining an excellent website with tons of information before and after the tourney.   Anything you want to know about the National City/KHSAA Boys' Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament is available on their website.   Also a special thanks to WL Stats for their tireless work in generating the computerized stats for all the games.  

Please feel free to send your comments and questions concerning the event, teams, or players to me at prephoops@yahoo.com.

Ron Harrison’s reports on this and other basketball events appear on http://www.kyprephoops.com.