[nekysportsfan]

The 16th Region boys tournament shapes up to be a good one with most of the games looking very competitive:

Boyd - comes into the tourney as the favorites winning their last 10 in a row and claiming the 64th district crown again over rival Ashland. Short and Robinson are playing their best at the right time and Randy Anderson can match up with anyone in the coaches' seat.

Ashland - limps into the tourney losing 3 of their last 5. This was an impressive team earlier in the season but they seem to have lost their identity and chemistry. They still have Villers and Robinson who are able to carry them and save their season. They will certainly have to.

Raceland - is another team who hasn't played their best at season's end. Much like Ashland, they have a dynamic duo capable of winning a game in Potter and Weaver, but others will have to step up if they hope to hoist the trophy.

Lewis - comes into the tournament winning 5 in a row before the 63rd championship game. Their big win over Russell on the Devils home court has them carrying some momentum. Offut is one of the best players in the region and capable of taking over at times. Hampton has long been known as a great tournament coach as well.

Morgan - has been considered one of the top 4 teams in the region all season long. They are a confident bunch, but their strength of schedule hasn't been great. The 3 point shooting of Evans and Adkins can beat anyone on any given night, though.

Elliott - still has tournament experience on their roster in Dickerson, Evans, and coach Adkins. They've had an up and down season, but teams would be foolish to count this proud and scrappy bunch out.

Rowan - has taken their lumps this season but with a win over Mason in the last regular season game, they may be peaking at the right time. They have a balanced attack and are led by another tournament-proven coach in Thacker.

Bath - is making their first region tourney appearance since 2009. It's been a great season for Bath and they hope to keep it going with some upsets in the region tourney.

All in all, it should be a very competitive region tourney with Boyd coming in as the clear favorite, Ashland as the number 2, and any of the rest of the teams capable of beating the others on any given night. Should be an exciting time in Morehead.