Thanks to St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine for sponsoring our girls’ high school basketball coverage this season. See all of our girls’ basketball stories here and watch for state tournament coverage March 9-13 from BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
A draw conducted Thursday set the bracket for the first girls’ high school basketball state tournament to be held in Northern Kentucky.
The St. Elizabeth Healthcare/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 state tournament will be played March 9-13 at BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
Champions of 16 regional tournaments across the state will compete in the event. Region numbers were selected in the draw to determine positions in the bracket.
The three regions that include Northern Kentucky teams are in the upper bracket and will play games on Wednesday, March 9. Those matchups include Region 8 vs. Region 10 at 6:30 p.m and Region 9 vs. Region 14 at 8 p.m.
Holmes has the highest power ranking in Region 9 and Simon Kenton heads the list of Region 8 contenders. Mason County and Campbell County are the top two teams in Region 10.
The bracket for the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 is also set. Those games will be played March 16-20 at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
On the first day, Region 9 will play Region 7 at 1:30 p.m. The matchups on the second day include Region 10 vs. Region 5 at 6:30 p.m. and Region 8 vs. Region 3 at 8 p.m.
Here are the complete schedules for both state tournaments with the top teams in each region in parentheses. Advance tickets are available on the khsaa.org website.
ST. ELIZABETH HEALTHCARE/KHSAA GIRLS SWEET 16
(All games at BB&T Arena, Highland Heights)
Wednesday, March 9
REGION 12 (Mercer County, Pulaski Southwestern) vs. REGION 14 (Leslie County, Knott Central), 12 p.m.
REGION 15 (Johnson Central, Shelby Valley) vs. REGION 11 (Franklin County, Henry Clay), 1:30 p.m.
REGION 8 (Simon Kenton, Anderson County) vs. REGION 10 (Mason County, Campbell County), 6:30 p.m.
REGION 9 (Holmes, Ryle) vs. REGION 16 (Boyd County, East Carter), 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 10
REGION 1 (Murray, Graves County) vs. REGION 7 (Louisville Male, Eastern), 12 p.m.
REGION 6 (Louisville Butler, Mercy) vs. REGION 4 (Bowling Green, Monroe County), 1:30 p.m.
REGION 5 (Elizabethtown, Nelson County) vs. REGION 2 (Henderson County, Webster County), 6:30 p.m.
REGION 3 (Owensboro Catholic, Daviess County) vs. REGION 13 (Harlan, North Laurel), 8 p.m.
Friday, March 11
Upper bracket quarterfinals, noon and 1 p.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 6 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 12
Semifinals, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 13
Championship game, 2 p.m.
WHITAKER BANK/KHSAA BOYS SWEET 16
(All games at Rupp Arena, Lexington)
Wednesday, March 16
REGION 14 (Perry Central, Letcher Central) vs. REGION 1 (Paducah Tilghman, Murray), 12 p.m.
REGION 7 (Louisville Trinity, Male) vs. REGION 9 (Covington Catholic, Newport Central Catholic), 1:30 p.m.
REGION 4 (Bowling Green, Warren Central) vs. REGION 16 (Rowan County, Boyd County), 6:30 p.m.
REGION 11 (Lexington Dunbar, Henry Clay) vs. REGION 12 (Mercer County, Pulaski Southwestern), 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 17
REGION 15 (Lawrence County, Magoffin County) vs. REGION 6 (Bullitt East, Fern Creek), 12 p.m.
REGION 13 (Johnson Central, Shelby Valley) vs. REGION 2 (Christian County, Hopkinsville), 1:30 p.m.
REGION 5 (North Hardin, Taylor County) vs. REGION 10 (Montgomery County, Paris), 6:30 p.m.
REGION 3 (Meade County, Daviess County) vs. REGION 8 (Oldham County, Owen County), 8 p.m.
Friday, March 18
Upper bracket quarterfinals, noon and 1 p.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 6 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 19
Semifinals, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 20
Championship game, 2 p.m.