Blind draws create the most exciting tournaments. Don’t agree? Check out the first round of Monday night’s 9th Region Tournament, when St. Henry and Covington Catholic will square off at Holmes.
St. Henry is ranked No. 2 in the latest Associated Press state poll. CovCath is ranked No. 3. Does it get more exciting than that?
Those who advocate for seeding don’t agree. They want the two best teams in the championship game. Forget the thrill of a blind draw that pairs up the winners of district tournaments against the runner-ups.
The seeding advocates don’t care if Dixie Heights or Conner could benefit from a seemingly weaker bracket. They point out St. Henry, CovCath and Highlands — which is playing better than any team in the 9th Region at the moment — are all in the same bracket. Only one will advance to the championship game. That isn’t fair, they say.
So what.
Dixie Heights upset St. Henry to capture the 34th District Tournament on Friday night. CovCath won the 35th District title on Thursday with a victory against Holy Cross. The draw was held Saturday morning. And, yes, St. Henry and CovCath were paired up for a titanic first-round battle.
The seeding advocates screamed foul. They’ve been robbed of a possible CovCath vs. St. Henry championship game. But who cares?
In most states, St. Henry’s season would have ended with the loss to Dixie Heights. Getting a second chance that’s offered to district runner-ups in Kentucky kept alive the Crusaders’ dream of earning a trip to the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena.
It also paved the way for a first-round 9th Region Tournament contest that is, without question, the most intriguing game in the state. What other region will have two teams with legitimate chances of winning a state title meeting in the opening round?
St. Henry enters the regional with a 17-3 record. One of those losses was in overtime at Lexington Catholic. Yes, the same LexCath squad that’s been ranked No. 1 in the state most of the season. St. Henry also knows how to win championships, as evidenced by two straight All “A” Classic crowns. The Crusaders are led by one of the top coaches in the state in Dave Faust, who’s closing in on Northern Kentucky’s all-time record for victories.
CovCath is 24-3 and is the three-time defending champion of the 9th Region. The Colonels have won two state championships during the past seven years. They’ve won eight straight games. They’ve won 17 of their past 18. The only loss was to, you guessed it, St. Henry. By a 61-60 score on Feb. 23.
After losing to Dixie Heights, St. Henry will be an angry group on Monday night. CovCath will also be a bit annoyed by the sight of the Crusaders, given the outcome of the last time they met.
Does it get any better than that? Blind draws do create the most exciting tournaments. Just wait and see.
•IT’S PREDICTION TIME, but I’m also the same guy who picked Ohio State to advance to the NCAA Final Four. Oral Roberts ruined that the other day, so here’s my second chance at predicting — this time the opening round of the 9th Region Tournament.
ST. HENRY VS. COVCATH: If CovCath had opted to play at home in Park Hills, I’d have the Colonels winning this one. But moving the game to a neutral court at Holmes, while noble as far as allowing more fans to attend, might backfire on CovCath. Familiarity with the home rims are worth a couple of baskets in any game. Against a veteran St. Henry squad, two extra buckets could be huge. Both of these teams are very good. The winner of this game could be the eventual state champion. PICK: St. Henry 64, CovCath 60.
RYLE AT HIGHLANDS: Highlands is on a late-season roll and draining 3-pointers like an NBA squad. The Bluebirds (23-4) have won 14 straight games and buried 13 shots from 3-point range in their 86-55 win over Newport in the 36th District Tournament finale. Luke Muller knocked down six treys and finished with 31 points in that victory. Highlands also features senior guard Sam Vinson, who averages 22.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Ryle enters the regional with a 9-12 record after dropping a 73-47 decision to Conner in the 33rd District title game. PICK: Highlands 82, Ryle 54.
HOLY CROSS AT CONNER: Holy Cross gave CovCath everything it wanted during the 35th District Tournament championship game. The Indians (14-9) also eliminated Beechwood in the district semifinals and feature one of the area’s top scorers in sophomore guard Jacob Meyer (25.2 points per game). Conner has played solid basketball late in the season, winning seven of its past nine games. The Cougars posted a 59-42 win at Holy Cross to open the season as Spencer Couzins netted 16 points. This could be another first-round classic. PICK: Holy Cross 68, Conner 67.
NEWPORT AT DIXIE HEIGHTS: Newport (7-16) knocked off city rival Newport Central Catholic in the district before losing to Highlands in the championship game. Dixie Heights continued its outstanding season with a 67-61 win over St. Henry to win the 34th District title. The Colonels (20-5) have won 11 of their past 13 games and feature four players scoring in double figures. Dixie Heights earlier this season posted a 64-37 win at Newport as Ian Snelling poured in 21 points. PICK: Dixie Heights 71, Newport 52.
Don Owen is sports editor of the Northern Kentucky Tribune. Contact him at don@nkytrib.com and follow him on Twitter at @dontribunesport.