The best party in Kentucky is finally here. The high school postseason gets underway tonight with numerous district tournament games, as many of the state’s basketball teams will have their season ended, unfortunately, with a loss by the end of the night.

We wish every team luck this postseason, as 1 out of the 250+ teams in the state will be crowned state champion in just over 3 weeks.

With that being said, I want to take this time to make my predictions on who will make the big dance at Rupp Arena. The 16 teams who will battle it out for the right to be named Kentucky high school basketball state champs.

March 21, 12:00pm-  Region 5 vs. Region 12

When you have the state’s leading scorer in Stephon Pettigrew leading the way, Elizabethtown is the favorite here, but Andre Miller and his Central Hardin team will have something big to say about things, starting in the district tournament. And watch out for Adair Co., who could very well sneak in and pull the upset. But my money is going to be on the Panthers of E-town. Pettigrew and company have come on as of late, and should keep things rolling all the way to Lexington.

In the 12^th, this is one of many regions that are completely anybody’s to win. Lincoln Co., Boyle Co., Mercer Co., Pulaski Co., Wayne Co., McCreary Central, who had the best overall record in the region this season. But I will say the team who gets hot at the right time and makes the trip to Rupp will not have to drive too far, and that will be the West Jessamine Colts, and coach Robert Hammonds. Coach Hammonds has done a superb job in his first season at West. Taking over a team after summer ball was done. His kids have adapted well to his style of play, and West Jessamine vs. Elizabethtown will happen in the first game of the Sweet Sixteen.

March 21, 1:30pm-  Region 11 vs. Region 8

Who will it be?  The defending champs in Madison Central? How about prohibitive regional power, Lexington Catholic? Maybe even Lexington city powers Bryan Station or Tates Creek? OR will there be an upset come out of the super-tough 11^th region? No, not going to happen this season. The Scott Co. Cardinals, while everyone will be gunning for them, are still smarting from that last second loss to the Indians in the regional finals a year ago. This group of Cardinals will be bound and determined not to let that happen again, and they will move on to Rupp for a great shot at a Sweet Sixteen crown. Their opponent will be a team who has been building for this moment the past couple of years. Coach Trent Steiner and the Simon Kenton Pioneers have been building this team since these juniors were freshmen. And now they are on the brink of reaching that goal. And while they will have to overcome 8^th region powers Shelby Co. and Oldham Co., the Pioneers will get it done, and become the first team in the Sweet Sixteen with a chance to knock off the number one team in the state.

March 21, 6:30pm-  Region 13 vs. Region 6

The South Laurel Cardinals look to add a regional championship ring to their thumb this March. After having won 3 in a row before the left the 12^th region, then winning the 13^th in their very first year there, the Cards are favorites to do it again this season. But things will be a bit tougher this time around. The likes of Bell Co. and Corbin will certainly have something to say about that, especially the Red Hounds, who host the regional tourney this year. But with Proffitt, Hammonds and Smith leading the way for coach Steve Wright, this bunch of Cardinals will find a way and head back to Rupp Arena for a fifth year in a row. Once there, they will find a tough opening round game waiting on them in the likes of the champions of region 6. Doss, DeSales, Fairdale all have legit shots and winning this region, but it will be a familiar foe for coach Wright as his team will face a team they knocked off back in 2005 on their way to the state crown. Dale Mabrey’s PRP Panthers. The Panthers might not be the region favorite in the 6^th, but coach Mabrey’s teams are always ready, and this region is another that is wide open, so I give the nod to Pleasure Ridge Park.

March 21, 8:00pm-  Region 9 vs. Region 1

I know there are upsets at tournament time, and there will be a few this year to go with those, but in the ninth region, to me, this is a 2 team race, and they will both battle from the district championship, all the way to the regional championship. Covington Catholic and Covington Holmes will knock heads twice this postseason, and while Cov. Cath. has been ranked all season long, Holmes finally has everyone healthy, and everyone on the same page, and they have the talent to make a serious run at a Sweet Sixteen crown. Meaning, I give the nod, ever-so-slightly, to the Bulldogs of Covington Holmes to come out of the ninth. Once there, they will meet, let’s see, Calloway Co., or Marshall Co., or Paducah Tilghman, or Heath. No, wait, it is going to be the Graves Co. Eagles, and coach Allan Hatcher. I know that seems like a safe pick, and I know that Graves has lost 3 of 4 heading in to district play, but these top 1^st region teams have been beating up on each other all season, and I just think the Eagles and coach Hatcher will be the ones standing after the war in the first is all said and done.

March 22, 12:00pm-  Region 3 vs. Region 7

These 2 regions met a year ago to decide the state championship, with the Jeffersontown Chargers coming out on top of the Owensboro Apollo Eagles. It would make a great story, and for great drama if these 2 teams met a year later in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen. But sometimes, what you would like to happen usually doesn’t, and I am afraid this will be one of those cases, as the Ballard Bruins, who have a great, great shot at winning a state championship, and a team whose nickname I absolutely love, the Green Wave of Meade Co. will be the two who give a fierce battle in round 1 of the 2007 Sweet Sixteen. Which means, there will be two new teams fighting for a state championship Saturday night, and a new champ crowned.

March 22, 1:30pm-  Region 10 vs. Region 2

Out of all the first round matchups, this game looks to be the best as 2 of the 4 teams who are the favorites to come out of each of these 2 regions, Mason Co. and Bishop Brossart in the tenth, and Christian Co. and Henderson Co. in the second, should play one of the most exciting games in the tournament. My guess is that it will be the Mason Co. Royals, led by Darius Miller, taking on Christian Co. The Royals have been ranked as high as number 2 in the state this season, and Christian has been in the top 10 a couple of times. If these two teams get there, expect one of the better crowds in recent state tournament memory.

March 22, 6:30pm-  Region 16 vs. Region 15

A possible rematch of the All “A” Classic, when Paintsville knocked off overall 16^th region favorite Elliott Co. It is quite possible, but I do believe the Tomcats of Ashland Blazer and the Red Devils of Russell will have something big to say about that, as well as the Shelby Valley Wildcats. While I do believe the Ashland Tomcats will come out on top in the 16^th, I believe the Paintsville Tigers will pull the double sweep and add the overall regional crown to their All “A” regional title in the trophy case, setting up a state tournament re-match of the 1996 state championship, when the Tigers beat Ashland for the crown. Now that is some great drama.

March 22, 8:00pm-  Region 14 vs. Region 4

The final game of the first round on Thursday night. While I certainly do believe that coach Tim Riley and his Warren Central Dragons will win their 6^th consecutive regional title in a row, even though Greenwood and Allen Co.-Scottsville will make some noise, the 14^th is another one of those regions where anyone can claim the big trophy and make their way to Rupp. Hazard, Perry Co. Central, Lee Co., June Buchanan, Powell Co., Breathitt Co. all have legitimate shots at winning this region. This is the toughest region to predict, as they have all beaet each other at one point or another in the season, but I will say the JBS Crusaders, with Clark and Clint Stepp, Tate Cox and Garrison Collins, will finally make all the hard work, all the summer ball together, and playing on numerous traveling all-star teams, payoff and put the small school in the Sweet Sixteen in Rupp Arena in prime-time!

There you have it, my predictions for the 2007 National City Boys Sweet Sixteen state basketball tournament. Now, as you saw and heard in my interview with Mike Fields back when they drew for the tournament, you know that my brackets are usually busted by the end of the districts. We shall see.

Good luck to all the teams, again, as the post-season is here, the best post-season tournament action in the nation, right here in Kentucky.