Top 5 Preview: Third Region
Continuing with some very early 2018-19 regular season previews, we are breaking down the top 5 teams and top 5 college prospects in each region. We move to the always interesting third region today where Apollo got to Rupp Arena last season despite a losing regular season record.
Top 5 Teams
- Breckinridge County – This region is wide open and completely unpredictable after graduating most of the top players from a year ago. Breck returns All but 8 points per game of their offense from a season ago and have 6 Seniors to provide leadership. This could be Patrick Critchelow’s best team in several years.
- Daviess County – The Panthers graduated several seniors and 4 starters but looked to be deep with talent this summer when I saw them play at WKU. Senior Dakota Walden is the lone returning starter and will need to lead the young Panthers team.
- Owensboro Catholic – The 3rd region champion will always have to go through the two teams who advance from the 9th district. Catholic graduated a ton of talent and came up short in getting to Rupp Arena but the Aces have Hall of Fame coach Tim Riley and he has some young talent that will take lumps early this season but will be good by February.
- Apollo – The 2018 champion Eagles played their best basketball at the right time and made it to Rupp Arena. Apollo returns 8 players that saw the floor a season ago but not much experience overall. Luckily, no one in the 9th district does either. Look for Apollo to peak in late February yet again.
- Grayson County – Bailey Logsdon is gone but Sophomore Q’Daryius McHenry joins a roster that already had 7 Sophomores on it who saw the floor last year. Caleb May should get an expanded role and Grayson can compete with any of the 9th district teams on any given night and they play in a terrible district where they should make the regional tournament.
Top 5 College Prospects
- Kobe Poole – The Breckinridge County Senior Guard is the top returning player in the region after averaging almost 24 points per game as a Junior. Kobe is way off the college radar but if he keeps scoring at such a high rate he is likely to see some small college looks come his way.
- Q’Daryius McHenry – McHenry transferred from Ohio County after last season and his future is most likely on the football field but he is a really good athlete capable of bullying his way to the rim. Q is strong and agile and should carve out a good role for himself at Grayson County this year.
- Darrion Wimsatt – Owensboro’s best returning player, Darrion is small but very quick and shifty. There is going to be a very large offensive hole to fill for the Red Devils and Wimsatt is the best bet to step his game up as he will have the ball in his hands a lot of the time.
- Dakota Walden – Daviess County’s lone returning starter, Walden is going to have to become the primary scorer for the Panthers this season after going being a lesser option this past year. Dakota could easily double his 9 points per game that he averaged as a Junior and should be on the radar of schools like Thomas More and Asbury.
- Nash Divine – Just a sophomore at Muhlenberg County, Divine should be more of a primary option for the Mustangs this season. Nash was thrust into a starting spot last year as a freshman. That experience should help him to elevate his game and he had a monster summer for Muhlenberg.