Congrats to the Pups

Although basketball action was vastly reduced over the past week (more about that later), Clinton County did host one of the longest running traditions over the weekend in the 16th District Freshman Tournament.

Our own Clinton County High School Freshman squad picked up a very nice championship claim Saturday with back to back tournament wins, the first coming over Russell County, 45-40, and then again later on Saturday, a 57-30 win over Metcalfe County in the title contest.

Kudos are certainly in order for our freshman Bulldogs and their fearless leader, Storm Burchett, in adding yet another Freshman championship title to the Dawgs’ collection.

Saturday’s championship win bodes well for the future of the Big Blue program.

As for our Lady Dawgs freshman, they lost a heart-breaker in opening round play to Russell County, to bow out of the championship chase Saturday.

Last run of regular season goes from five to one

Just as I noted last week, the moving of Senior Night a couple of years ago gives officials a buffer of sorts in case weather – or even sickness – gets in the way.

That happened last week – only in reverse – of sorts, when the flu bug struck down many of our Bulldogs and Lady Dawgs at the same time.

Even Lady Dawg head coach Darrell Thompson was taken down by the bug earlier this week, but tells me via a text message Tuesday that he thinks for the most part his players are back in good shape now and he thinks he is also on the mend as well.

So, with the cancellation of all of the games late last week and early this week, Friday night’s plan to hold Senior night was moved to this Thursday when we play host to the Barren County teams in double header action.

During the flu event, in addition to the Monroe County double header event on Friday, the cancellations also saw girls’ games against Garrard County and Somerset cancelled and another boys’ game against South Warren cancelled. None of those games will be made up, simply because of where we are in regards to the calendar.

Radio Auction is Friday

With Barren County games up next, thoughts will next turn to the Friday night Basketball Booster Club / WANY Radio Auction.

A separate article appears this week on the front page giving more details about the event, but after this many years – not exactly sure how many, but it’s been running for at least 35 years – everyone pretty much has the routine down pat.

In short – the event will run this Friday from 5:00 p.m. until everything is sold – usually around the 10:00 p.m. sign-off for WANY.

In short – 1. Listen (WANY 106.9), 2. Call and bid (387-5569), 3. Repeat as necessary to buy, 4. Support the Big Blue.

As has long been the case – I’ll be on the air along with long-time co-host Jackie Flowers and anyone else we can talk into giving us a break from time to time. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Then comes tourney time

Hard to believe, but in just a few days, regular season play comes to and end (Thursday night versus Barren County), and on Monday we head straight into the 16th District Tournament.

Hosted at home this year, the teams from Cumberland, Metcalfe and Russell Counties, along with all of the fans who follow them, will be making their way into our Lindle Castle Gymnasium next week as we work our way down to the four teams that will represent our 16th District at the next level.

The Bulldogs earned the No. 1 seed in boys’ play, and will open the boys’ tournament on Monday night, February 19, with a 7:30 tip-off against No. 4 Metcalfe County. That game follows the 6:00 p.m. tip in the opening girls game between Russell County (No. 1) and Cumberland County (No. 4).

On Tuesday night, our Lady Dawgs (No. 3) will take on Metcalfe County (No. 2) in a first round game with a 6:00 p.m. tip, followed by the boys action between Russell County (No. 2) and Cumberland County (No. 4).

Championship games will see the girls play on Thursday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m., while the boys’ title game will be featured on Friday night, February 23, again starting at 7:00 p.m.

Of course the goal next week is to move through the brackets to emerge as one of two in each division to next compete in Bowling Green in the 4th Region Tournaments,

From there – they all want to get into that next level of competition, the elite of the elite that become one of the teams competing in what is now known as the “Greatest Show in Hoops” the Kentucky High School Sweet 16.

It’s tournament time in Kentucky – after Thursday night – and that’s what we’ve working for since November.

Throw out the season records. Make a few “tweaks” and “change-ups” here and there if necessary and step back while we “throw up the rock”.

Here we go!

and…

It’s high school basketball season and I’ll see you in the gym – don’t bother me until April!