While Madisonville opens play in the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 Thursday, here are three things we learned from last week’s Second Region Basketball Tournament.
1) Madisonville should be the favorite to repeat as region champs again in 2019-20. The Maroons return three starters, including 6-8 K’Suan Casey and 6-7 Kenny White. The duo proved to be a matchup problem for every team they faced down the stretch in winning 22 straight games. White’s ability to play inside and out should make him the early favorite for region player of the year. However, University Heights Academy was tabbed as the preseason favorite this year after a region championship last year. They also featured the preseason player of the year favorite in Kyky Tandy. The Maroons did not have a deep bench this year. That could hold the key to their chances at a repeat in 2020.
2) The region has no shortage of playmaking guards returning in 2019-20. Despite the graduation of explosive scorers Detorrion Ware and Kyky Tandy in consecutive years, there will continue to be an abundance of strong guard play in the region next year. Union County’s Kale Gaither was third in the region in scoring as a sophomore, while Lyon County seventh grader Travis Perry was fourth. Both topped 20 points per game. Other guards who could step into the leading scorer roles for their team include Madisonville’s Kenny White, Hopkinsville’s Don Victor, Christian County’s Mikeon Mathis, UHA’s K.J. Crump, Caldwell County’s Cayden Fraliex, Webster County’s Tyler Camplin, and Crittenden County’s Gabe Mott.
3) Madisonville again proved they should be the host of the boys’ region tournament on a rotating basis with Hopkinsville every year. In a region that does not have college arena, they are the two largest gyms in the region. They have the parking and space available to accommodate between 4,000-5,000 fans for each session without having to empty the gym. The region championship game featured a crowd of over 4,500 people. Outside of Hopkinsville and Madisonville, no other gym in the region has a capacity of over 4,000 people. Only Union County, Christian County, and Hopkins County Central have a listed capacity of over 3,000. Christian County is the scheduled host of the 2020 Boys’ Region Tournament.