Is Gillespie out at UK?

Was Wednesday nights NIT loss to Notre Dame Billy Gillespie's final game as head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky?

If he is out, who do the UK faithful want to see as the next coach? And I think it's pretty safe to say that Rick Pitino is NOT going back to Lexington. He seems happy in Louisville, has dynamite recruiting classes coming in 2009 and 2010, and has a brand new arena opening shortly. Rick isn't walking away from that stage.

Holmes vs Central Replays

You can catch a replay of the Holmes vs. Louisville Central state championship game on ICN6 at the following times:

Wednesday, March 25 @ 7:00pm
Thursday, March 26 @ 1:30pm
Friday, March 27 @ 6:30pm
Saturday, March 28 @ 8:30pm

Tune in and relive the excitement of the 9th Regions first State Basketball Title since 1981.

FINALLY!!!!!!

The 2009 Holmes Bulldogs join the 1981 Simon Kenton Pioneers as the only 9th Region teams to win a state basketball title with a 67-63 win over Louisville Central. Congratulations to coach David Henley and the entire Holmes High School community on a well deserved National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 State Basketball Championship!!

Update

Holmes grabs a 64-61 lead on a lay in by Jeremiah Johnson. 26.4 seconds remaining in the second OT period.

Update

Holmes has a 62-61 lead with 1:25 remaining and Elijah Pittman has just committed his 5th personal foul.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 Update

On Freethrows, Holmes holds a 62-61 lead with 1:30 left in the 2nd OT.

DOUBLE OVERTIME!!!!!

Ridge Wilson gets a lay-in at the buzzer to knot the game at 60 and send us into a second overtime period.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 update

A JaMel Riley 3 gives Holmes a 60-58 lead with 7.2 seconds left in the OT period.

Update

Holmes get a 2 point bucket to take a 1 point lead. 57-56 Dogs, 1:19 left in the first OT period.

Update

56-55 Central 1:30 remainin in the OT

OVERTIME!!!!!

Free basketball for everyone. We are headed to OT knotted at 51.

Update

Holmes had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 5 seconds remaining, but the layup rolled off the rim. Still tied at 51 with 3.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

Update

with 1 minute remaining, we are tied at 51

Update

2:30 left in regulation. Holmes maintains a 4 point lead, 49-45

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 update

46-42 Holmes with 2:54 remaining. Ricardo Johnson is back in the Bulldog lineup with 4 fouls.

Update

Just under 5 remaining in regulation, 46-39 Holmes

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 update

Dominique Johnson hits another 3 for the Dogs to open the fourth. 42-37 Holmes, 6:23 left in regulation.

Holmes 39 Central 37

An 18.5 foot jump shot gives Holmes a 39-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 update

With 2:39 remaining in the third, Holmes has cut the Central lead to 4. 37-33.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 Update

Not good news for Holmes as Ricardo Johnson has picked up his 4th personal foul. But the Dogs have cut into the lead a bit. 35-29 Central, just under 3:39 remaining in the 3rd.

An intersting note.

If Holmes is not able to rally and bring home the 9th Regions second ever basketball championship, Louisville Central will hold the distinction of being the Champion with the worst record. KHSAA records only go back to 1937. They would also be the first champion with double digit losses since 2001, when Lexington Lafayette High School finished off a 25-11 season with a state title victory over Louisville Male.

Some half-time statistics

Holmes is shooting just 28.6% (8-28) from the floor. Central is 13-25 (52%.)

Central holds a slight rebound advantage, 18-16

Kevon Rice leads the Dogs in scoring with 7 first half points. Alex Morrison leads all scorers at the break with 9 points.

Central 30 Holmes 21

That's the score at the half.

Central 28 Holmes 19

1:19 left in half number 1. Dominique Johnson was finally able to drop a shot from behind the arc, but Central answered right back with a 3 of its own.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 update

Holmes continues to come up short shooting jumpshots from the field. Central has a 25-16 lead with 2:19 remaining in the half.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 Update

4:30 left in the first half and Central holds a 21-14 lead.

Central 13 Holmes 7

End of one. Holmes is still settling for jumpshots and for now, most of them are coming up just a little short.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 Update

Ridge Wilson's steal and lay in has put Central up 9-7 with 2:25 left in quarter number 1.

National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 update

Tied at 7 with 3:04 remaining in the first. Holmes is settling for a lot of jump shots, and right now, they are not falling.

And we've tipped off!!!

Holmes wins the toss, and starts the scoring with a Ricardo Johnson lay in but Central answers with 5 quick points, 5-2 Central, just under 6 remaining in the 1st.

Starting Ten

Holmes will take the floor with its usual starting lineup. JaMel Riley, Jeremish Johnson, Elijah Pittman, Dominique Johnson, and Ricardo Johnson.

Central counters with Alex Morrison, Desmond Brown, Wann Robinson, Ridge Wilson, and Tim Patterson.

Holmes vs. Louisville Central

25 Minutes to go until the Opening Ceremonies of the National City/KHSAA Sweet 16 State Basketball Tournamnet Championship game featuring the 35-2 Holmes Bulldogs and the 19-14 Louisville Central Yellowjackets. Of course if you can get to a television that has Insight Cable you can watch the game LIVE at 8:00pm on ICN6. If you can't get to a television, we will be updating the blog as often as humanly possible tonight.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:12pm.

Holmes will be the visiting team tonight, wearing the road reds.

Holmes 67 Elliott County 57

Holmes advances to tonights Championship game to take on the Louisville Central Yellowjackets.

A Reminder!!!! Tonights Championship game can be Seen LIVE on ICN6 beginning at 8:00pm.

Holmes 62 Elliott County 57

1:14 left in the 4th.

Update

Elliott County has cut the lead down to 5. 59-54 Holmes, 1:52 remaining.

Update

Holmes has pushed the lead back to 10 with just under 3:30 to play. 57-47 Bulldogs.

Holmes vs Elliott Update

Holmes holds 51-43 lead with just under 5 to play in regulation.

Holmes 45 Elliott County 38

An Evan Faulkner three cuts the Holmes lead to 7 at the end of the third quarter.

Update

Holmes has stretched the lead to 10 on a Ricardo Johnson 3 pointer. 45-35 Bulldogs, 2:05 remaining in the 3rd

Holmes vs Elliott County Update

Holmes and Elliott are trading flurries. Holmes now leads 40-35 with 3:30 remaining in the third.

Holmes 32 Elliott County 24

Halftime.

Neither team is shooting a great percentage. Elliott County is just 9-25 from the floor for 36%. Holmes is 13-33 from the field for 39.4%. Holmes holds a slight edge in rebounding, 21-17.

Ricardo Johnson is the leading scorer for the Bulldogs with 11 points at the break. Elliott's Ethan Faulkner also has 11 points to lead the Lions in scoring.

Holmes 16 Elliott County 11

Elliott County started out hot, but Holmes was able to get into the flow and leads at the end of the first.

Elliott County vs Holmes

Tip-off just minutes away. The Bulldogs are once again the home team and will wear the home whites. Elliott County is in black.

As always, JaMel Riley, Jeremiah Johnson, Elijah Pittman, Dominique Johnson, and Ricardo Johnson is the starting five for Holmes.

Central 52 West Jessamine 48

That's the final from semi-final game number 1. Central moves on to face the winner of Holmes and Elliott County.

Central vs West Jessamine update

West Jessamine has tied the score at 46 with just over 3 minutes remaining.

Central 44 West Jessamine 39

End of the third. Central seems in control, but West Jessamine is keeping it close enough to make it an interesting 4th period. Still anyones game.

Central 32 West Jessamine 27

Halftime score for the first semi-final.

Central is shooting 48% (12-25) from the floor, West Jessamine is at 42.1% (8-19)

Central's Alex Morrison leads all scorers at the break with 12 points. Jarrod Polson leads the Colts in scoring with 10.

West Jessamine 14 Central 11

That's the score after 1 here in the first Semi-final of the day. Both teams started cold, the first points not coming until just under the 5 minute mark in the qurter.

Tonights Championship Game

Just a reminder that tonights Championship game of the National City/KHSAA "Sweet 16" can be seen LIVE tonight on ICN6 beginning at 8:00pm.

Yet Another Saturday at the State Tourney

The ninth region has seen a recent string of playing basketball on Saturday at the state tournament. Covington Catholic in 2004 and Holmes in 2007, 2008, and again this season.

Later today, the Bulldogs will take on Elliott County, who won last nights battle with Shelby Valley. The first semi-final today will pit the West Jessamine Colts, winners of Region 12, against Region 6 Champion, the Louisville Central Yellowjackets.

Holmes 72 Lexington Catholic 56

That's the final here from Rupp Arena here in Lexington. By far Holmes most complete performance in recent weeks. Doesn't even look like the same team that struggled to score points during the Regional tournament at The Bank of Kentucky Center.

Coach David Henley cleared the benches at the end of the game, so a lot of new faces on the floor for Holmes as time wound down.

Holmes awaits the winner of the final game of the evening, either the Shelby Valley Wildcats or the Elliott County Lions.

Holmes vs LexCath update

Holmes is once again beginning to pull away as they now lead by 24. Crowd pleasing dunks by Pitman, Ricardo and Jeremiah Johnson have paved the way for the Dogs here in the 4th. 66-42 Holmes with just under 3 minutes remaining in the game.

Holmes vs LexCath update

LexCath had cut the lead down to 10 at 50-40, but Holmes has gone on a run and pushed the lead back to 17 at 57-40.

Holmes 50 LexCath 38

That's the score after 3. Lexington Catholic has turned up the defensive pressure in the 2nd half and it seems to be bothering the Dogs, much the way Christian County's press did yesterday.

Holmes 48 LexCath 32

3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The Knights seemed to have been motivated at halftime as they have outscored the Bulldogs 9 to 3 so far in the third.

Some halftime statistics

Holmes is shooting 63% (17-27) from the floor for the half. They are 7-12 (58.3%) from behind the arc. Ricardo Johnson leads the way with 11 first half points. Holmes also has a 19-10 advantage on the boards.

LexCath is shooting just 29.6% from the floor, Botkin leads the Knights with 8 first half points.

Holmes 45 LexCath 23

Halftime score from Lexington. Some halftimes stats to follow shortly.

Holmes 27 LexCath 9

That's the score after 1. Taylor Botkin started the game with a 3 for the Knights, but it was all Dogs after. Holmes has hit FIVE 3's already. Ricardo Johnson leads Holmes with 9 points.

Holmes vs. Lexington Catholic

Just about set for tip off here in Lexington. Holmes is the visiting team for this match-up, so they are sporting the Red uniforms. LexCath is dressed in the home whites.

Jeremiah Johnson, Elijah Pittman, Ricardo Johnson, Jamel Riley, and Dominique Johnson is the starting five for the Bulldogs

Holmes vs. Lexington Catholic

Set to tip off in about 25 minutes. This is a rematch from last years semi-final that saw the Bulldogs fall behind by 15 early, before finally righting the ship and advancing to the championship game.

The winner advances to Saturday Mornings semi-final game where they will meet the winner of tonights final matchup between Shelby Valley and Elliott County.

Already advancing to the semi-finals today were West Jessamine who defeated Grayson County and they will meet the Central Yellowjackets who pulled the upset this afternoon against Louisville Eastern.

Rate the BOKC for the Regional Tourneys

What are your thoughts on the Bank of Kentucky Center hosting the regional basketball tournaments thus far?
What do you like?
What do you not like?

9th Region Poll Time

Who do you think wins the Boys 9th Region tournaments and why?