Here’s a look at the seven 14th Region All “A” Classic games tonight.
January 6, 2021 – BRADLEY CHARLES
The 14th Region All “A” Classic continues tonight with the quarterfinal round. In total, there are seven games. Below, is some information on each matchup.
GIRLS:
Owsley County at Jackson City
The Lady Owls have yet to play this season, but Owsley County was very impressive last year. They finished the season 23-9 with a 17-4 record against 14th Region teams. Owsley County defeated Leslie County 58-38 in the quarterfinals of the last season’s 14th Region Tournament.
While Owsley County overcame a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Knott County Central 50-46 in the regular season, the Lady Owls were defeated by the Lady Patriots in the regional semifinals.
Coach Travis Smith’s team returns essentially all of its scoring from last season. The 14th Region Coaches Association’s preseason poll ranked the Lady Owls second in the region. In the coaches’ preseason top players list, Owsley County was the only team to have three players make the list.
As for the Jackson City Lady Tigers, their season began on Monday night with a 58-33 victory over the Cordia Lady Lions. Guards BreAnna Tincher and Riley Turner combined to score 55 points, while freshman Emily Pelfrey made the team’s only 3-pointer.
The winner of this game will play the winner of the June Buchanan vs. Breathitt County matchup.
June Buchanan at Breathitt County
June Buchanan returns several players from a team that won eight games last season. The Lady Crusaders won five games against 14th Region teams with victories against Lee County, Cordia, and Jackson City.
One of several players returning from last season’s team is sophomore Riley Likens. As a freshman last year, Likens was one of two players on the team to average double figures. She also ranked third on the team in rebounds per game.
Breathitt County defeated Lee County 57-24 on Monday night. Adreonna Schutz scored 17 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field. The Lady Cats made five 3’s and had eight players score.
The winner of this matchup will play the winner of the Owsley County vs. Jackson City game.
Leslie County at Buckhorn
The Lady Eagles posted a 19-13 record last season, but were eliminated from the 14th Region tournament by Owsley County in the opening round.
The lone senior on last year’s team was guard Lexy Meyers who was named the 14th Region Player of the Year by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches. Meyers ranked top-10 in the state in points per game as a junior and top-five in that category as a senior.
In each of the last three seasons, the Lady Eagles have finished the season ranked top-20 in the state in points per game and rebounds per game.
As for this edition of Leslie County, the Lady Eagles have a talented team that is primarily made up of sophomores. Of Leslie County’s 16 players on its varsity roster, nine of them are sophomores while there are no juniors and two seniors. Sophomore Courtney Hoskins and senior Emily Bowling were listed on the 14th Region Coaches Association’s preseason top players list.
As for Buckhorn, the Lady Wildcats were 14-16 (11-9 14th Region) last season. They picked up victories over Jackson City, Breathitt County, June Buchanan, and Jenkins, to name a few.
Coach Andrew Blank’s team had no juniors or seniors on last year’s team. However, Buckhorn does return their entire team from last season. It will be interesting to see what the Lady Wildcats will do this year.
The winner of this game will play Knott County Central. That game is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 9 at 1:45 p.m.
BOYS:
Owsley County at Cordia
Owsley County won 11 games last season and made it to the 56th District championship game. The Owls had four seniors on last year’s team, but they do return Andrew Noe who is entering his senior season. Noe averaged over 14 points per game last season on 55% shooting from the floor to go along with seven rebounds per game.
As for Cordia, the Lions tallied 11 wins last season. In so doing, they defeated Pikeville, Perry County Central, Breathitt County, and Buckhorn, to name a few.
Despite defeating Letcher County Central twice in the regular season by double figures, Letcher Central ended Cordia’s season by defeating the Lions 50-47 in the semifinals of the 53rd District Tournament. This season, Cordia has six players on its varsity roster. Of those six players, five are seniors.
The winner of this game will play the winner of the June Buchanan vs. Breathitt County matchup.
June Buchanan at Breathitt
As for the Crusaders, they return the majority of their players from last season’s team. June Buchanan returns senior Caleb Tackett, who led the team in scoring last season with an average of 17.2 points per game.
Also returning from last year’s team is junior guard Grant Varney who was third on the team in points per game last season. The Crusaders have eight players on their varsity roster; of those, three are freshmen and one is an eighth-grader.
Breathitt County defeated Lee County 91-55 on Monday night. The Bobcats had 11 different players score, including Austin Sperry, Luke Bellamy, and Andrew Combs, who each scored in double figures. Coach John Noble’s team made 11 3-pointers in that game.
The winner of this matchup will play the winner of the Owsley County vs. Cordia game.
Wolfe County at Knott County Central
The Wolves return four starters from a team that went 21-10 last season and made it to the 14th Region championship game. The 14th Region Coaches Association’s preseason poll ranked Wolfe County as the top team in the 14th Region, while also having the Wolves as the only team with three players in the top-10 of the coaches’ preseason top players list.
Knott County Central defeated the Hazard Bulldogs 73-64 on Monday night. Last season, the Bulldogs won the 14th Region All “A” Classic, the 54th District Tournament, and the 14th Region Tournament. So, Knott Central’s victory was a very impressive one.
The winner of this game will play the winner of the Leslie County vs. Buckhorn matchup.
Leslie County at Buckhorn
Last season, Buckhorn picked up some big-time victories against Breathitt County, Estill County, Pike County Central, and Owsley County, to name a few. Coach Corey Hoskins’ team finished the season 15-16 with a 10-8 record in the 14th Region.
The Wildcats are one of four teams with multiple players on the 14th Region Coaches Association’s preseason top players list. On that list for Buckhorn is 6-foot-8 junior center Christian Collins and 6-foot-5 junior center Dylan Knight. Last season, the duo combined to average 28 points per game and 20 rebounds per game.
Due in part to Collins and Knight, Buckhorn ranked third in the state last season in rebounds per game with an average of 38.1.
Leslie County was 12-17 last season with a 9-9 record against 14th Region teams. The Eagles picked up victories over Letcher County Central, Powell County, Pike County Central, Letcher County Central, Harlan, and Breathitt County, to name a few.
Two players also made the 14th Region Coaches Association’s preseason top players list for Leslie County. Those players are seniors Trenton Day and Kobe Bowling.
The winner of this matchup will play the winner of the Wolfe County vs. Knott County Central game.