The two teams from the 13th District, which also happen to be the two teams from the Land of Logan, drew Saturday into the opposite ends of the spectrum when pairings were made for the Fourth Region Boys Basketball Tournament the next two weeks.
Logan County (19-8), which won Friday’s district championship by a single point, will play the first game of the boys tournament Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Diddle Arena. Coach Lonnie Mason’s champs will take on 15th District runner-up Barren County (21-8).
Russellville (13-12) plays the final game of the opening round next Monday, March 9, at 8 p.m. The Panthers’ opponent is also from the 15th District, champion Monroe County (27-3).
Although Coach Warren Cunningham’s Trojans beat the Cougars 79-55 on Jan. 27, ending a seven–game win streak for Logan, Barren County was a preferable draw for the Cougars than having to go against 14th District runner-up Warren Central, although Coach William Unseld’s Dragons have the same record as the Trojans.
Wade Coomer scored 24 points for Barren County in that January game with Nick Mabe adding 17 and Billy Jackson 13. Mabe also had 11 rebounds. Tahmir Graham scored 18, Ben Wright 10 and Noah Whittinghill for Logan, but no one else managed more than four points. Wright, who scored his 1000th point in the game, had nine rebounds, but Logan shot only 36.2 percent from the field in this game, including a dismal 3 of 15 from 3-point territory.
The Cougars have made changes since that game with Barren, too. Aggressive guards Austin Rayno and Kaleb Coursey are seeing more action, and forward/guard Graham has become more and more comfortable and confident after missing most of the last two seasons with injuries.
Russellville’s game matches two teams at the opposite ends of the win column. At 27-3, Coach Steven Kirkpatrick’s Falcons are 18-0 in regional play and finished as state runner-up in the Class A Classic this year. The Panthers are 13-12, which is the lowest win total in the regional field.
The Falcons’ Dillon Geralds was chosen regional player of the year. Teammate Syler Geralds was third team, and Kirkpatrick is the Coach of the Year,
The Panthers’ record is deceptive. Russellville is the smallest high school in the region. There aren’t enough athletes to go around for players to concentrate on just one sport. Coach John Myers’ football Panthers made it to the regional final, extending the season three weeks. Center Pedro Bradshaw and guard Micah Naylor were the only members of the basketball team who see significant minutes available for practice until the season was starting. In fact, Coach Phil Todd helps with RHS football.
Russellville has improved considerably as the season has progressed, which is a trademark of a Phil Todd-coached team. The Panthers are 9-4 in the 2015 portion of the season, 8-1 in games not involving Logan County. None of those wins, however, have been against a team still alive in the region.
Other teams in the Cougars’ bracket are Bowling Green (24-5) and Clinton County (18-11). Sharing Russellville’s bracket are Russell County (18-9) and Warren Central (21-7).
The semifinals will be next Monday and the championship game on Tuesday, March 10. The girls state tournament starts the following day at Diddle.
Check the Roy’s Sports Calendar on The LoJo when in doubt about game times. WRUS radio will carry all regional games involving Russellville and Logan County girls and boys teams.