KHSAA State Sweet 16 ~ Quarterfinal, Pt. 1

Prep Hoops Staff was in attendance for the Sweet 16 games hosted at Rupp Arena on the campus of the University of Kentucky. After two consecutive years of battling ongoing Covid challenges, the tournament was back in full force. We bring you coverage of the best players from each session.   Region 8 Champion North Oldham Mustangs (4A) Regular & postseason record: 18-12 vs Region 12 Champion Lincoln County Patriots (4A) Regular & postseason record: 29-7   North Oldham - Junior Forward, [player_tooltip player_id="932778" first="Ian" last="Higdon"] (PH Ranking #47) Higdon played to his maximum potential and truly dominated the paint area all game. Whether he received the ball deep in the post or along the fringe of the paint, he scored with relative ease shooting straight away or over the left and right shoulder. As the defense began to key on Higdon, he was a willing facilitator and showcased excellent interior passing. Higdon led all scorers with 20 points and 10 rebounds. North Oldham - Junior Guard, [player_tooltip player_id="1346651" first="Jack" last="Scales"] (PH Ranking #117) Scales is the best perimeter shooter for the Mustangs connecting on 41% of 3-pointers. Although he struggled to find his rhythm for most of the game, he had multiple dribble drives to the lane and found teammates for open looks. The best highlight was a drive and dish to Anderson for a two-handed flush. Scales finally found his shooting stroke late in the 4th quarter and was able to help keep his team in reach. Scales finished with 12 points. Lincoln County - Junior Guard, [player_tooltip player_id="932784" first="Tramane" last="Alcorn"] (PH Ranking #50) After a less-than-desired opening game, Alcorn bounced back with an outstanding effort. After losing a couple of key players to injuries, Alcorn has been tasked with becoming more of a playmaker on offense and creating chaos on defense. He showcased all of his skills as he personally contributed to all of the 12-0 run in the 2nd quarter that ultimately paved the way for a Patriots victory. In that run, Alcorn had two steals, multiple baskets in the paint, a deep 3-pointer, and an assist to Sims for another 3-pointer. Alcorn finished the game with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Lincoln County - Junior Guard, Jackson Sims (Unranked in PH) Somewhat of an unsung hero, Sims has been improving every week with more minutes on the court. Prior to the team injuries, he was used in relief duty. But in his starting role, he was the southpaw zone-buster to offset the massive size advantage North Oldham possessed. Not only was Sims an outside scoring threat, but he was also active around the rim finishing with 8 rebounds.   Region 10 Champion George Rogers Clark Cardinals (6A) Regular & postseason record: 34-1 vs Region 15 Champion Pikeville Panthers (1A) Regular & postseason record: 31-2   **Another top-billed game promising offensive firepower and high-level basketball IQ, but ultimately struggled to play out the way the fans hoped. The game featured both teams shooting under 32%, a combined 7-45 from 3-point territory, 20 total turnovers, and zero lead changes or ties.   George Rogers Clark- Senior Guard, [player_tooltip player_id="801625" first="Tanner" last="Walton"] (PH Ranking #16) The Panthers had a great game plan to neutralize Morton and Parrish, but Walton was a mismatch problem. He has great slashing ability and uses angles around the paint to bank in shots. He notched another double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Pikeville- Senior Guard, [player_tooltip player_id="926928" first="Laithan" last="Hall"] (PH Ranking #53) Despite battling foul troubles, Hall is a warrior that plays with maximum effort and leadership. He ended up with 8 points and 3 rebounds. Pikeville- Senior Forward, Alex Rogers (Unranked in PH) You never know when it could be your night; Rogers had arguably one of the best games of his career for the Panthers. He was the supplemental aid that kept his team in contention all game long. Rogers came off the bench and finished with 9 points and 6 rebounds.   Make sure you are following<a href="https://twitter.com/prephoopsky"> @PrepHoopsKY</a> on Twitter for weekly top games & top performers!