Sun-Democrat, March 6, 1974

 

First Region Tourney Shows Good Balance

 

By Jerry Atkins, Sun-Democrat Sports Editor

 

The First Region high school basketball tournament almost always brings together the “cream of the crop” to battle it out for the Purchase Area’s representative for Kentucky’s “Sweet Sixteen” State Tournament, but past years would have to go some to match the lineup of the 1974 event.

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Annually hosted in the Murray State University Sports Arena, this year’s field of entrants in the First Region Tournament appears to be the strongest in recent years, at least.  Most observers figure seven of the eight schools represented have an excellent shot at the crown, omitting only Symsonia, the only team involved with a losing record.

 

First Region coaches, in fact, pegged the “favorites” in their final vote of top ten teams. Of the top eight in that final poll, seven of them are in the Regional--seventh-ranked Lone Oak, which lost to sixth-ranked St. Mary in the Second District Tournament, the only absentee.  The top six teams in order of the voting were Murray High, Paducah Tilghman, Mayfield, Carlisle County, Calloway County and St. Mary.  Eighth-ranked Hickman County and unranked Symsonia complete the chart.

 

Murray carries the best won-loss record into the event with its 23-2 showing, which includes a current 14-game victory streak.  But, the tournament also flashes five other teams with 20 wins or more.  In fact, the eight teams together sport a 157-67 record, meaning the combined talents of the Regional finalists have won just over 70 percent of their games.

 

Carlisle County has the winningest record with a 25-7 worksheet; Mayfield, at 23-5 joins Murray in the 23-game circle; St. Mary follows at 21-12; and Paducah Tilghman (20-8) joins defending Regional champion Hickman County (20-7) in barely making the list.  Both the Tornado and Falcons had to win their district titles last week in order to sport 20-win seasons  prior to the Regional.

 

Only Calloway County, at 16-9, and Symsonia, at 9-17, fall short of the magic “20” level.

 

In addition to records, many of the units will be involved in this week’s  Region’s best offensive and defensive eliminations.  Here’s the way they stack up:

 

OFFENSIVE LEADERS

Team                                       G                     TP                   AVG

1.  Carlisle County          32                    2592                81.00

2. Murray High                25                    1983                79.32

3. Paducah Tilghman     28                   2184                78.00

4. Paducah St. Mary       33                    2495                75.61

5. Mayfield                       28                    1958                69.93

6. Calloway County        25                    1720                68.80

7. Symsonia                     26                    1552                59.69

8. Hickman County         27                    1545                57.72

 

DEFENSIVE LEADERS

1.  Hickman County        27                    1387                51.37

2. Mayfield                       28                     1562                55.79

3. Murray High                25                     1531                 61.24

4. Calloway County        25                     1593                63.72

5. Symsonia                     26                     1739                66.88

6. Paducah Tilghman     28                     1891                67.53

7. Paducah St. Mary       33                      2272                68.85

8. Carlisle County           32                      2239               69.97

 

 

It’s interesting to note that the top offensive team to make the Regional--Carlisle County--is also the eighth best defensively; and that the best defensive team--Hickman County--holds the lowest slot on offensive charts.

 

Often times a team’s offensive style dictates defensive figures, as is the case with both Carlisle and Hickman.  The Comets sport a run-and-gun style of offense, thus high figures in both departments...the Falcons play a more conservative style, thus lower averages.  So perhaps the most important figure in averages would be the point differential, or average point spread, by any given team over opponents.

 

In this department, Murray shows why it has lost only twice and ranks number one.  The Tigers have an average spread of 18.08 points per game over opponents, far better than the other seven teams.  Mayfield follows with a 14.14 showing, Carlisle sports an 11.03 average, Tilghman a 10.47 difference, St. Mary a 6.76 mean, Hickman County 5.85 and Calloway County 5.08.  Symsonia averaged 7.19 points fewer than its 26 opponents to date.

 

Still another department that is undoubtedly important is that of experience.  Five teams return from last year’s event, including champion Hickman County, runner-up Carlisle County, semifinalists St. Mary and Mayfield, and first-round loser Calloway.  Tilghman, which had won the Second District title a record eight consecutive years before being shocked by Lone Oak in its opening test a year ago, is a ”newcomer” along with Murray and Symsonia.

 

But, every team in the field has had Regional Tournament experience in recent years.  Carlisle, for example, is making its sixth straight trip; Mayfield has been six of the last seven years; Tilghman has been there 12 of the last 14 tournaments; Murray won the Fourth District three consecutive seasons before missing last year; Calloway has made it out of the District four of the last five years; Symsonia missed last year but made back-to-back appearances the two years before that; and both Hickman County and St. Mary are making their second consecutive trip.

 

A year ago, you may recall, Carlisle, St. Mary, Mayfield and Calloway entered as District champions with Hickman, Lone Oak, Wingo and North Marshall making it as runners-up entries.  In the opening round, St. Mary eliminated Wingo, 86-55; Carlisle did the same to North, 97-74; Mayfield trimmed Lone Oak, 70-59; and Hickman upset Calloway, 56-49.  In the semifinals, Carlisle took St. Mary, 71-62, and Hickman upended Mayfield, 59-43, to set up an all-First District finale.

 

Then, Coach Dale Ray’s Falcons, which had lost an 89-78 decision to Carlisle in the District finals, turned the tables to the tune of 52-48 to make it to Kentucky’s 56th State Tournament.  In Louisville, the upset-minded Falcons shaded Clay County 61-59 and the upset Maysville 67-65 in a double-overtime before Louisville Male claimed a 69-50 semifinal triumph over the First Region champs.

 

So, here we go again...only eight of the 23 First Region schools are still alive on the tournament trail.  But, before this week is out, there’ll be only one...a position all 23 dreamed of holding last November when the current season lifted off the ground.

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