[-STAT-]

A few days late posting about this one, but I was in attendance for it. Few takeaways.

This was my second time seeing Martin Co play, they're definitely the favorite to represent the 15th at Rupp come March.

Watts is the real deal, unless it's an off night or a team can come up with the perfect gameplan to shut him down, there's no one in this Region that can guard him. He does a lot of his damage in the mid-range and going downhill. He talks his shit too, a little too much of it at times. The potential is there for him to be a major college player, just get stronger and show effort on the defensive end, the offensive game is there, just has to keep putting in the work.

Martin Co obviously has Watts as their guy to go get a basket when they need one, but they have other options as well. But they're just so athletic at every position, and it's a tall task for any team around here to run with them, they get out in transition better than anyone, get a lot of easy baskets in full court press. Just like stopping Watts, it'll take a hell of a gameplan to stop them, let alone beat them.

As for Paintsville, this core has been together a few years now and only just sophomores, but this was the first time they have been on a championship stage, and it showed as the game wore on. They came out with a great gameplan, kept things close and was doing everything they could to control the pace of the game, Martin Co eventually sped it up some in the 2nd, but Paintsville held strong and got some key baskets to cut it to 5 at half. But Paintsville was just rattled after that, Martin Co went on a big run and never looked back. Was getting pretty ridiculous tho toward the end of the game, Martin Co up 20 with 2 minutes to go and still pressing, I guess it was to pad stats for Watts, he finished with 41.

Despite this loss, Paintsville is still a great team that's only going to get better, coach Slone will have his team prepared better than anyone else in the region. Congrats to Martin Co, ALL A Champs. They open up the ALL A State Tournament against defending State Champion Lyon Co who lost in the Finals of the ALL A State Tournament last season as well.