[15thregionwatcher]

I think Paintsville has a good shot at this game but they'll have to play much better than they did the first 2 games to top a very talented Martin Co team. If Paintsville is able to get Martin's best defenders (Maynard/Estep) in foul trouble early then they can dominate in their half court sets. Paintsville is a much more disciplined team and I think a better coached team than Martin. Need to pound the paint in the 1st qtr and prevent Martin from playing their run/gun game and stretching an early lead like they want to. Force Martin to be methodical getting the ball up the floor and force them to shoot contested 3's by cutting off Watts penetrating and they are beatable. I think Coach Slone will have the recipe, but whether his young team can execute it or not will be the question. I don't think Martin does anything different against Paintsville than they've done against everyone else. Step on the gas early and play their game.

Should be a much better game than the one I watched last night, at least, and hopefully they have better officials that will keep the game under control. The officials in the Pburg/Martin game were awful. I also agree that the Expo is a joke. I won't be attending another game there unless Pburg somehow makes a championship game. Get that gate money back to a school where it belongs and have it rotate between the bigger school gyms the way the 15th tournament used to do. Expo is a money racket and honestly a pretty pitiful basketball experience. No reason to keep these tournaments there.

Better officials. Wasn’t Tyrone Fields and Bryan Cook on the game. Those guys have called multiple state finals each, and are top of region.