In what is expected to be the final tournament draw of his legendary high school coaching career, Phil Todd got the pairings he needed Saturday. It wasn’t as much who his Russellville Panthers drew, but even more important is who they didn’t draw.
Not only did the Panthers not draw powerful Bowling Green in the first round, but they managed to fall into the opposite bracket from the Purples, who are one of the favorites to win the state championship.
Also falling into place is that if Russellville—as the 13th District runner-up—is in the opposite bracket from BGH, 13th District champion Franklin-Simpson is in the Purples’ bracket. Teams from one district cannot be in the same bracket at region. The only four regional losses the Panthers have suffered this season have been to BGH and Franklin-Simpson, with three of them to the Wildcats.
Coach Dee Spencer’s Wildcats are the team which is considered Coach D. G. Sherrill’s biggest challenge for another regional crown. The only two regional teams which have made the Purples work hard the entire game are Franklin and Greenwood, and the Gators are without two of their best players, whom Coach Bob Pels dismissed from the program a few weeks ago.
The other three teams in the Panthers’ bracket are competitive, but RHS beat two of them in the Class A regional. The third is Greenwood.
Todd’s Panthers (20-11) open play at Diddle Arena Wednesday against 15th District champion Monroe County (17-12) at 6 p.m. Russellville won that Jan. 19 Class A game 69-55 on the Falcon’ ‘home floor.
The other teams in that bracket are Clinton County (22-9) and Greenwood (18-13). The Panthers needed overtime to beat Clinton County 78-72 at Jim Young Gymnasium in their Class A opener.
The top bracket, which plays Tuesday, finds Bowling Green (29-2) taking on Barren County (17-15) and Franklin (25-6) going against Russell County, the only team in the tournament with a losing record at 7-24..
The semifinals won’t be played until the following Monday, March 6, with the finals the next night.
Advanced tickets will be on sale at RHS. Early tickets sell for $6 while admission is $8 at the door.
Coach Todd is planning to retire at the end of this season, his 19th at the Panther helm. State pairings have already been determined. The Fourth Region champion will meet its counterpart from the First Region in the Sweet Sixteen opener at Rupp Arena.