It has been since 2001 that a team from outside the 8th District won the 2nd Region Tournament. If basketball coaches across the state are correct, that trend will not change in the 2017-2018 season. The Courier Journal released its coaches’ preseason basketball poll Wednesday, with three teams in the 8th District being ranked in the Top 25.
The defending 2nd Region champion Hopkinsville Tigers were the highest ranked of the three, coming in at #8 in the CJ poll. The Tigers got a boost when Jalen Johnson returned for the season, after initially transferring to Aspire Academy. The question now for Tim Haworth’s team is reported questions surrounding the status of Shorty Cager for the season.
Christian County was ranked 20th by the state’s coaches in the preseason poll. The big question at the moment for the Colonels is if, and when, Corey Trice could return from an injury suffered during football season.
The UHA Blazers came in at #22 in the poll. UHA is lead by junior guard KyKy Tandy, and could be one of the top “darkhorse” teams in the state.
The only other western Kentucky team to crack the Top 25 was Owensboro Catholic, which was ranked #24.
Louisville Trinity was the top ranked team in the poll, followed by Scott County, Covington Catholic, Fern Creek, and Louisville Ballard.