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March 17, 2010

The Way It Is

The Times-Tribune

CORBIN — By Les Dixon / Sports Editor

The 93rd Annual PNC Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16 should be a dandy.

I know everyone is waiting on my predictions, but before I get to that, I’m going to list some interesting tidbits about this year’s state tournament that Robert Sampson sent out to various media outlets across the state.

• For the 16th consecutive season, Rupp Arena plays host to the boy’s state tournament. It marks the 27th time the tournament has been held in the historic venue since it opened in 1976.

The state finals have been seen by a total of 447,547 fans all-time in Rupp Arena, an average of 16,577 fans per state finals game.

Entering the 2010 tournament, 3,235,884 fans have seen a state tournament game at Rupp Arena in 27 tournaments overall at the venue and 216 all-time tournament sessions.

Since 1978, a total of 3,875,203 fans have seen a state tournament game overall. That span encompasses a total of 264 tournament sessions and 495 total games entering the 2010 tournament.

All-time, two tournament sessions have eclipsed the 20,000 mark, the latest coming in 2004 when Mason County and Warren Central met in the state finals.

Now you know why the Sweet 16 is referred to as the “greatest show on earth.”

• The 14th Region has the longest title and semifinal drought.

A team from every region has advanced to the state quarterfinals at least once since the beginning of the 2005 state tournament. Fifteen of the 16 regions have been represented in the state quarterfinals at least once since 2007, the lone exception is the 2nd Region, who has not been represented in the quarterfinals since 2005.

Thirteen of the 16 regions have been represented in the state semifinals since 2002.

• The winner of the prestigious 2010 Mr. Basketball award will be announced on March 26 at the school of the award’s recipient. Ballots for the award were distributed on March 12, to the state’s coaches. The winner of the award will wear the No. 1 jersey in this summer’s annual 2010 Anthem Kentucky/Indiana All-Stars Basketball Classic. Individuals invited to try out for the team will be announced on April 2 for the tryouts April 16-17, at Campbellsville University. The team will be announced on April 23. The games will be played on June 11 at Bellarmine’s Knights Hall in Louisville and on June 12, at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Among the notable candidates for the award are Trinity senior Josh Sewell (signed with Miami University) and Shelby Valley senior Elisha Justice (walk-on at University of Louisville).

• A total of 31 players from Kentucky were selected as nominees for the 2010 McDonald’s All-American Game in Columbus, Ohio. The most recent selection to the McDonald’s All-American Game from the state of Kentucky is Scott Hopson in 2008. Thirteen players have been named to the McDonald’s All-American game roster, including two in the last decade.

Local players Cody Miller (Knox Central) and Matt St. John (South Laurel) are two of the 31 nominees from the state.

• OK, now it’s time for my state torunament predictions.

First round winners — Warren Central, Ballard, Newport, Scott County, Muhlenberg County, Paducah Tilghman, Mason County and Knott Central.

Quarterfinal winners — Ballard, Scott County, Paducah Tilghman and Mason County.

Final Four winners — Ballard and Mason County.

Champion — Ballard.

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