KSR's Road to Rupp: 9th Region Tournament Preview

KSR is covering the Kentucky high school basketball postseason, from the region tournaments all the way to the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena (March 31 – April 3). Over the next week, we’ll be providing previews of each region, updates on each round, and in-depth coverage of the finals. On Monday, the 9th Region Tournament tips off at 7 p.m. ET for each of the quarterfinal matchups.

Here’s a preview:

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Bracket

Schedule

Monday, March 22, 7:00 PM: Highlands (23-4) vs. Ryle (9-12)

Monday, March 22, 7:00 PM: Covington Catholic (24-3) vs. St. Henry (17-3)

Monday, March 22, 7:00 PM: Dixie Heights (20-5) vs. Newport (7-16)

Monday, March 22, 7:00 PM: Conner (15-6) vs. Holy Cross (Covington) (14-9)

Wednesday, March 24, 6:00 PM: Semifinal No. 1

Wednesday, March 24, 8:30 PM: Semifinal No. 2

Friday, March 26, 7:00 PM: Championship

Team to Beat: Covington Catholic Colonels

In a loaded region featuring five of the state’s top 25 teams in KSR’s latest prep rankings, Covington Catholic (No. 1) holds a slight edge as the team to win the 9th Region title. Finishing the season 10-1 within the region, 5-0 in district play, and a region-leading .72662 RPI (Ratings Percentage Index), the Colonels have only lost by a combined six points on the year to North Laurel (89-87), St. Xavier (Cincinnati) (52-49) and St. Henry (61-60). As for the team’s wins, Cov. Cath won both games in the 35th District Tournament by a combined 53 points in victories over Holmes and Holy Cross (Covington).

The opening-round matchup between Covington Catholic and St. Henry (No. 4 in the latest KSR Preps rankings) this evening will be must-see TV, with the winner emerging as the strong favorite to win the region. St. Henry pulled off the close victory in the head-to-head matchup back on Feb. 23, but look for Cov. Cath to go for revenge Monday evening.

Look out for Highlands (No. 6 in the latest KSR Preps rankings), as well, who sits at 23-4 overall on the year and have won 14 straight games.

Once again, the 9th Region is loaded with talent from top to bottom.

Players to Watch

Jacob Meyer (Holy Cross (Covington))

Just a sophomore, the 6-foot-2 point guard leads the 9th Region in scoring, averaging 25.1 points per game on 46.7% shooting overall, 34.3% from three and 74.1% from the line, already joining the 1,000-point club with two years remaining at the high school level.

Sam Vinson (Highlands)

The Mr. Basketball finalist is currently averaging 22.5 points per game on 57.7% shooting overall and 33% from three to go with 9.6 rebounds per game, helping lead the Bluebirds to 14 consecutive wins and a 23-4 overall record. The NKU commit was also named Division II Player of the Year by the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association, the second straight year he has won the award.

Wyatt Vieth (St. Henry)

Leading St. Henry to the All “A” Classic state championship, Vieth averaged 19.3 points per game on 51.1% shooting, 36.5% from three and 89.4% from the line to go with 5.4 rebounds per game. Vieth was also named a finalist for Division II Player of the Year.

Mitchell Rylee (Covington Catholic) –

A finalist for Division I Player of the Year honors, the Covington Catholic junior center led the team with 16.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest, helping the Colonels claim the 35th District crown en route to a 24-3 record.

Tyler Bush (Ryle)

The Ryle senior guard was named a NKBBCA Division I All-Star after averaging 17.3 points per game (41.3% shooting, 34.4% from three) and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Fun Facts

— The state’s No. 1 and No. 4 teams in KSR’s Prep Rankings will face off in the first round when Covington Catholic takes on St. Henry Monday evening

— Covington Catholic comes in as the three-time defending regional champions.

— The winner of the Cov. Cath vs. St. Henry could take on Highlands in the semifinals, creating back-to-back top-six matchups in the KSR Prep rankings.

— The 9th Region tournament will be held at Holmes for the first time since 2007. It’s the first time the tournament has not been held at Northern Kentucky University since 2009.

Attendance Rules

Attendance at each game will be capped at 25%, with each school getting 300 tickets per game, along with an additional 100 tickets being sold at the door (700 total).

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If you go to the games, remember to share your pictures with us on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #RoadToRupp. We’ll be posting fan galleries on the site and social media throughout the week.