Three of the longtime Second Region powers have drawn into the top bracket of the boys’ Second Region Tournament that begins Wednesday at Henderson County.
In the first game Wednesday at 6pm, Fifth District runner-up Lyon County (8-18) plays Sixth District champion Henderson County (14-13).
Lyon County is making their third straight appearance in the region tournament but have five straight losses dating back to their last win in 2010. The Lyons have lost eight of their last nine trips to the region.
Henderson County is making their 26th straight region appearance and have won a first round game 15 of the last 16 years. Colonel Coach Tyler Smithhart is 6-5 in the region tourney.
It will be the first game between the Lyons and Colonels since Feb. 17, 2001 when Henderson came away with a 73-62 win.
Wednesday at 7:30, Madisonville (21-9) and Christian County (20-7) will meet for the second time this season. The Colonels beat the Maroons 82-66 on Dec. 5.
Madisonville will be making their 13th straight region tourney appearance. The Maroons lost to Christian County 74-63 in the first round last year and have lost seven of their last eight games to the Colonels in the region tourney.
Christian County has advanced to the region title game each of the last two seasons, both times playing Hopkinsville. Kerry Stovall is 21-2 in region tourney games with the Colonels, including six region titles.
On Thursday, March 1, Eighth District champion University Heights Academy (20-7) will face Seventh District runner-up Hopkins County Central (16-13).
UHA is back in the region tourney for the first time since 2015 and will be looking for their first win since 2014. The last time UHA won the region title (2008), they beat Hopkins County Central in the first round.
The Storm are making their first region tourney appearance since 2011 and will be looking for their first win since 2009. UHA beat Hopkins County Central 100-67 Dec. 16 in the Toyota of Hopkinsville Classic.
On Thursday at 7:30, Fifth District champion Crittenden County (7-19) will play Sixth District runner-up Union County (14-15).
The Rockets upset the top two seeds to win the Fifth District title on their home floor. The seven wins are the fewest by a region tourney team since 2012 when a 4-24 Caldwell County team lost to Hopkinsville in the first round.
Crittenden County is making their first appearance in the region tourney in three years and will be looking to snap a 17-game losing streak in the tourney that dates back to 1957.
Union County has won five of seven entering the region tourney. The Braves are making their first appearance in the tourney since 2014 and haven’t won a game since 2011.
The Braves beat Crittenden 64-49 on Jan. 23 in Morganfield and have won six straight over the Rockets. It will be the first time the schools have met in the region tourney.
The semifinals will be played on Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, sandwiched around the girls’ championship game at Webster County at 5pm. The boys’ championship will be played Monday, March 5 to 7pm.
Henderson City High School hosted the region tournament in 1968, but this will mark the first time Henderson County High has hosted the tourney.
Second Region Tournament at Henderson County
Wed., Feb. 28
6pm – Henderson County vs. Lyon County
7:30 – Christian County vs. Madisonville
Thursday, March 1
6pm – University Heights vs. Hopkins County Central
7:30 – Union County vs. Crittenden County
Saturday, March 3
Semifinals at 2pm and 8pm
Monday, March 5
7pm – Championship game