Sophomore Travis Perry and Lyon County will be expected to contend in the 2nd Region this season.
It is always one of the premier basketball events and the state and will again feature some of the best basketball talent in the country. Officials have announced the schedule for the 2021 Marshall County Hoopfest, which will take place December 2 through December 4 at Marshall County High School.
The event gets underway with three games on December 2. The opening game of the Hoopfest at 5:30pm will find Christian Academy of Louisville taking on Graves County. CAL finished last season with a record of 16-11, losing to Eastern in the opening round of the 28th District tournament. Junior George Washington led the Centurions in scoring at 23.9 points per contest and is among the top prospects in the Class of 2023. Graves County went 18-6 last year, falling to Marshall County in the 1st Region quarterfinals.
The second game December 2 will be a girls matchup between Massac County and Graves County. The Lady Eagles were 19-4 last season. They fell to Marshall County in the semifinals of the 1st Region tournament.
The opening night will wrap up with another girls contest, this one between the Marshall County Lady Marshal’s and the Lyon County Lady Lyons. Lyon County ended the 2021 season at 17-8. The Lady Lyons were upset by Trigg County on a shot at the buzzer in the 5th District tournament. The Lady Lyons are led by returning senior Calista Collins. Marshall County wrapped up the 2021 season 25-3, losing to Sacred Heart by two points in the state championship game.
The Friday session of the Hoopfest gets started at 4:00pm with Marshall County taking on Massac County. The Marshals ended last season at 12-10, losing to McCracken County in the 1st Region semifinals.
The Lyon County Lyons will take to the court at 5:30pm Friday. The Lyons will match up against Goodpasture Christian. Goodpasture went 31-1 last season, winning the Division II-A state basketball title in Tennessee. Lyon County ended up 22-4, falling to Hopkinsville in the quarterfinals of the 2nd Region tournament. The Lyons are led by highly touted recruit, sophomore Travis Perry, who averaged 27.3 points as a freshman last season.
The 7:00pm Friday game will find Louisville Ballard taking on Prolific Prep, out of California. Ballard finished last season at 21-3, losing to E-town in the semifinals of the Sweet 16. Junior Gabe Sisk led the Bruins in scoring at 18.1 points a game. Prolific features highly recruited big man Adem Bona.
Friday night at 8:30pm, Ashland will take on North Gwinett, out of Georgia. Ashland went 22-5 last season, losing to Highlands in the semifinal round of the Sweet 16. Senior Cole Willers scored 22.7ppg for the TomCats. Gwinett is led by 6-7 win R.J. Godfrey.
Friday wraps up with a 10:00pm game between Highlands and Cane Ridge. Highlands is the defending boys’ state champion in Kentucky, going 30-4 in the 2021 season. Cane Ridge was the 2021 TSSAA AAA runner-up. Cane Ridge is led by five-star recruit Brandon Miller.
Action resumes Saturday morning at 9:00 when Robertson County takes on Murray. The Tigers were 17-8 last season, losing to McCracken County in the 1st Region title game. Junior Grant Whitaker averaged 20.2ppg for Murray. Robertson County ended the season at 14-6, falling to Montgomery County in the quarterfinals of the 10th Region tournament.
The Marshall County Lady Marshals make their second appearance in the Hoopfest Saturday morning at 10:30 when they take on Clarksville Academy.
The Marshall County boys’ team will play for the second time Saturday at noon when they take on the Owensboro Red Devils. OHS ended the 2021 season at 12-6. They were knocked out of the 3rd Region tournament in the semifinals by Muhlenberg County.
North Gwinnett plays for the second time Saturday at 1:30pm when they take on Louisville Male, who is coached by former Hopkinsville coach Tim Haworth. Male was 8-3 in a COVID shortened 2021 season. The Bulldogs lost to Manual in the semifinals of the 7th Region tournament. Junior Kaleb Glenn scored 20.5 points per contest for the Bulldogs. Glenn has committed to play at the University of Louisville.
Saturday’s second session at 4:00pm has Cane Ridge playing their second game of the Hoopfest against Lincoln County. The Patriots, coached by former UHA head coach Jeff Jackson, were 16-7 in 2021, losing to Boyle County in the 12th Region title game. Senior Jaxon Smith paced the team with 16.6 points per contest.
At 5:30 Saturday, defending state champ Highlands will play their second game of the event, taking on McCracken County. The game will be a rematch of their contest from the quarterfinals of the 2021 Sweet 16, which Highlands won 63-53.
The Saturday 7:00pm matchup will feature two of the premier hoops programs in the country, as Dream City, out of Arizona, will take on Central Pointe, out of Florida.
8:30 Saturday night will feature a big-time Kentucky matchup, as Ballard and Ashland will face off in each team’s second game of the Hoopfest.
The final game of this year’s event will be another star-studded national contest. Set for a 10:00pm tipoff, Our Savior Lutheran, out of New York, will take on Prolific Prep.
