[kaylamoore]

I've even noticed other states elect a Mr. Basketball in each class. Um, no.

[Mountain BB Fan]

I would be satisfied if there were no district tournaments. Have the 16 teams in the region play each other every year and seed the regional based on these results. That way you give the top 4 teams in each region a better chance to be playing in the regional semi finals (barring an upset along the way). How many times can you all recall a team is a district winner or runner-up with a 500 or below record and a team that is 20 and 6 sits home during regional because their district was loaded with good teams, it happened in the 57th district girls this year. Everyone knows Magoffin Co. and Paintsville were better than some of the teams that are in the 15th region tournament this year.

[cougarpride08]

7th Region has 5 teams in top 25. Ask those coaches if they like this. Listen I still think one state champ will work, but we need to fix it so there is no clear cut state champ. How much more exciting will it be if we had better teams in the sweet 16. Listen it isn't just basketball. Other sports are the same way. When can they vote again on this matter? I know it was really close last time.

[HCS]

We need to fix it so there is no clear cut state champ?
That makes no sense to me.


Having seven Louisville teams in the state tournament doesn't make it more exciting.
Every region deserves to have a representative at the Sweet 16. That is what makes it special, that you can have a Cinderella story with some team making its first trip to the state tournament.

[Easy Wind]

Disagree with everything cougarpride is saying. As HCS said, how fun would it be having all Louisville and Lexington schools?

[Pulp Fiction]

How many people care (outside of Louis./Lex./NKY) who wins the 6A state football title????

There are 16 regions for a reason.... BOYS BASKETBALL!!!!!


Boys Basketball in Kentucky is why towns across the state hang road signs and banners up saying something to the effect of....

"Welcome to ----------
HOME OF THE XXXX
KHSAA Boys Basketball Sweet 16 State Champions"

BOYS BASKETBALL IS ALL THIS STATE HAS!!!!!

[cougarpride08]

I am titled to a opinion. To me the sweet 16 is not as grand as it use to be. Eventually it will change. Someone will cough up enough money and KHSAA won't be able to turn it down.

[J. R. VanHoose]

I would not like to see it changed. In my experience, that is what makes the tournament so special, the favorite doesn't always win. Upsets occur and sometimes a cinderella captures the title!!!

[Pulp Fiction]

I would not like to see it changed. In my experience, that is what makes the tournament so special, the favorite doesn't always win. Upsets occur and sometimes a cinderella captures the title!!!

If anybody in the world can make that argument.... it's you.

[Mix1]

I see nothing wrong with it.. Beat Knott and you'd go further than anyone in the 14th

[zaga_fan]

I like the regional tournaments.

In my honest opinion, the feeling of a packed regional championship game (as a fan) is just as intense or better than a sweet 16 game.

I will agree that the district tournaments do seem to weed out some of the better teams before the regional tournaments begin.

Maybe they could look into adapting the part of football where you have to qualify for the playoffs. Do the top 16 teams in each region, play at the top seed's home court in the opening round and then you have a regional tourney with 8 quality teams, barring any upsets.

If a top 10 team doesn't make it to the sweet 16 in any system...
It's because someone else played a better game on the way. You can't blame the system. Players and coaches lose games.

[hitter]

Leave it alone. For smaller schools they have the all A state tournament.

[RunItUpTheGut]

One thing is for certain.
Winning a state title in KY actually means something. It is nearly impossible with only one state champ crowned every year. Unless somebody start whining and other join in to the tune of hundreds of schools, i don't see it changing and it shouldn't.

It does raise the question of why some schools even bother though. A lot of schools number one goal is to win district and that's it because they know theyre not winning region, much less a state title. I don't care much for the "its not fair for smaller schools" discussion. It takes a rare breed of talent for any school to win. I do think Privates shouldn't be allowed to participate in basketball with only one class however.

[-STAT-]

The day that the format of the Tournament changes and it goes to classes, will be the day that I stop going to the State Tournament. This year will be my 19th in a row, so I sure hope that it doesn't change. I will say that the conversation about these changes have really been coming up a lot more the last few years than in years past. We all know the traditional Louisville, and Lexington schools will always be there, but for the mountain schools that make it, it's a once in a lifetime experience, even if a team makes it multiple times. Like others have said in this thread, it's pretty simple, don't lose, win your district, and win region. This system has worked now for over 90 years albeit some changes along the way, but the major change that's being talked about has never been made. State is a yearly tradition not only for myself, but a lot of people in the mountains, even if you don't have a vested interest in a team. Never change it, it's perfect the way it is.

[BOKC Wildcat]

I agree with you. One state title in a small state like Ky. is plenty and means more.

[BOKC Wildcat]

Very true. Winning the state basketball in Ky. is more of an accomplishment than, say, Ohio. There are so many champions in Ohio, six I think, it is silly and takes away from figuring out who really is the best team in the state.

[BOKC Wildcat]

Amen to everything you said! If they ever go to classes, I stay away from the state tourney as well!

[baseball1974]

Having one state champ is very doable but it has to be on a committee type decision. A lot of the time, you will have several teams in the top 25 in the same region like someone else
mentioned. The only way to truly have the best 16 teams is to have an unbiased committee invite the top 16 teams. It could be as simple as having a representative from each region make up the committee. The district tournaments and regional tournaments could all still be played the same way they always have been. The only difference is that after the regional tournament the committee will come up with the best 16 teams, rank them and then invite those teams to attend. This will not only eliminate blowout games during the first round, it will make for a more competitive tourney as well as making the regular season count more.

If the KHSAA isn't willing to do something like this, then I think they should absolutely have a class system for basketball. Baseball is also in need of an overhaul to the state tourney.

[Hilltopper]

Most teams start their seasons stating they want to win a state title, however most realize that only a regional or district title is possible. I like the where are yoy KY does the state tournament, if you win region just the experience of going is important for a lot of teams.

[baseball1974]

Most teams start their seasons stating they want to win a state title, however most realize that only a regional or district title is possible. I like the where are yoy KY does the state tournament, if you win region just the experience of going is important for a lot of teams.

The experience is good for the kids. The only problem is that it isn't a collection of the top 16 teams. The attendance has gradually been going down for opening round games because there are so many blowouts. A team could get lucky, hit 20 3-pointers in the regional tournament, and then you end up with a team barely in the top 50 getting blown out in the first round. The NCAA at least recognizes the need for there to be more qualifications for making the tournament. Imagine if the NCAA tournament was only made up of conference champions? The national champion would not have even made the tournament this year.

It the same with baseball and I think that's why they are reluctant to change it, because if they do then they'll have to revamp the sweet sixteen as well. In reality though, The Sweet 16 could still remain the same and make a much larger profit of they went to an Invitation Style tourney.

[J. R. VanHoose]

So, if you have a surprise upset in a regional final and that team is not ranked in the top 16 by a committee then your telling me that they don't get to play in the state tournament and someone else will?

[Panther Thunder]

The system in basketball/baseball is beyond perfect. Period.

[Olderthandirt]

If you allow a committee to pick the "top" 16 teams then you will have to change the name from the Sweet 16 to the "Committee's Top 16".

I've read a lot of your post and 99.9% of the time I agree with what you have to say but to have a top 16 rather than an earn your way Sweet 16 is about the dumbest thing I've heard. My son played on the 1996 Paintsville team that made 4 Sweet 16 appearances and I doubt that they would have made the "Top 16" more than twice during than run. Same with Shelby Valley in their 4 repeat run, and Johnson Central might have made it once in their 4 peat run (that's still going BTW).

By your suggestion the 96 UHA team that lost in the district would have been invited to the "Top 16" tournament and Paintsville (the winner of the Sweet 16) would have been home practicing baseball. Tournament slots should be earned, not appointed by a committee, especially in High School. Not a good suggestion at all,

[And the Blowfish]

I think its best to leave the sweet 16 the way it is, let each region send its best and see how it all shakes out. No reason why there cant also be an Invitational Tourney that is separate. Problem is tho, if it were privatized you would see a lot of money exchanging hands to see who gets invited and who doesn't and the legitimacy of it all will be argued over if there is not a clear equation on how teams will be selected, and thats hard to produce.

[Mjolnir]

Leave the system alone, never deny a team that feeling of playing in the All A or the Sweet 16 . Memories of Rupp "priceless"!!!