It’s the most wonderful time, of the year – III !

And then there were 16 (X 2)

What started out just a couple of weeks ago with every high school basketball team in Kentucky working toward a single goal, being one of the teams emerging as a regional champion and heading to the KHSAA Sweet 16 in Lexington’s Rupp Arena.

This week, those 16 regional champions from the girls’ division will take center stage in that Greatest Show in Hoops. Next week, it’s the boys’ turn.

Clinton County’s Bulldogs gave it their best effort in being one of those teams hoping to take the Rupp Arena floor, falling just short of upsetting the Warren Central Dragons on Monday night of this week in Bowling Green.

Although our semi-final loss showed up as an 11 point end to the 2019-20 season, the game was much closer than that final outcome would indicate, with Clinton County trailing by only four points, 47-43, with just over three minutes remaining to be played.

While Central said they didn’t have their best game Monday night, you have to credit the efforts of our Dawgs in keeping a hand in the Dragons faces and pushing them to the edge.

Monday night’s effort held Central to 58 points, 10 less than their game average this season.

As Coach Messer pointed out in the post-game interview session, when the season ended last year, Clinton County’s chances of a successful season was pretty much dismissed by most across the 4th Region, considering the players we lost to graduation.

What those outsiders hadn’t taken into account, was the heart and grit and determination that our players would develop in the off season and as the year progressed, picking up wins and at the same time, turning a lot of heads across the region.

Credit the boys for that effort, but certainly credit Messer and his entire coaching staff for teaching our guys how to look past what others are saying and giving an effort from way down deep in their guts, overcoming in many games a lack of pure talent with an abundance of heart and courage.

In a year that could have easily been a 16-16 record, instead those Big Blue hearts finished with another 16th District Championship in back to back fashion for the first time in school history since the 1960 and 1961 seasons, a ninth straight trip to the 4th Regional tournament, a second consecutive trip to the regional Final Four semi-final game – also making it a three out of four year run – and another 20 plus winning game season mark that ended up being a very impressive 24-8 year.

Our fans are proud of your efforts, not just on Monday night, but throughout the year.

You reached down – way down sometimes – and you rose to the top this season and while it ended a couple of games before we all wanted it to, we all walked out of Diddle Arena Monday night with our heads high, displaying our pride in our young men, who were representing our county in those blue and white uniforms.

Congrats guys on a great season.

Dang – that was fun!

Belated congrats

It’s easy for me to get behind this time of year with all that is going on in and around the hardwood action, but I always try to play catch up when I can.

Congrats – albeit belated – are in order for our Bulldog Parker Tallent who was singled out during the 16th District Tournament a couple of weeks ago at Russell County High School.

Tallent, a senior member of the Bulldogs basketball squad and the football squad, was the recipient of a $500 scholarship awarded from the 4th Region Basketball Officials Association.

Tallent just a couple of weeks ago inked his name on a letter of intent with Lindsey Wilson College in nearby Columbia and will play next year, on the football field, for the Raiders.

Congrats all around, Parker!

In the meantime – I’m in the gym through March.