King of the Bluegrass Tournament

Madison Central vs. Louisville Trinity 12-26-07
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent

I just didn't see myself sitting in Lebanon all day, so I jumped in my truck and headed to Louisvlle to watch the King of the Bluegrass. By the time I ventured through Springfield and Bardstown to I-65, my belly was growling. I kept telling myself to make it to Shepherdsville so I could get some of that Boot Leg Bar-B-Q. That hit the spot. I needed a nap, but I knew I had to get to Fairdale High School to see some hoops.

Barbecue and basketball! There's no better combination except maybe a well executed give-and-go.

I got there for the 2:30 p.m. game that featured Madison Central against Trinity, Louisville's perennial football powerhouse.

Madison Central is powered by 6'7" Aaron Morris, but I though he looked a little lazy on defense. Although Trinity is not know for their basketball, they started out by taking it right to the Indians. The place was packed and most fans were there to watch Morris, but Trinity held him scoreless in the first quarter. They held a 16-11 lead after one quarter.

Trinity kept the momentum at the beginning of the second, but it didn't last long. Morris could not be silent, and his team showed a lot of patience on offense. They pounded it down low to Morris, and he used his height to a sizable advantage. Trinity had no answer. He's also good out away from the basket. He scored 12 points in the second, and the Indians took a 32-30 lead into halftime.

Trinity has a lot of heart. they hustle up and down the court, and they were determined not to be blown out by MC. Trinity is well coached, and a gutsy guard named Matt Chambless led them on the court. The Shamrocks kept it close and were getting under Madison's skin. At the end of the third, the Indians still had just a two point lead, 43-41.

Both teams entered the game with a 5-3 record, which surprised me because they both played better than 5-3 ballclubs.

It was a really good game. Madison Central had the lead most of the way, but they never had a big lead. Trinity stayed after them, and with five minutes to go they MC had a five point lead. The Shamrocks were not finished, however. Led by Chambless, they tied it up with three minutes left in the game.

The Indians hit their free throws down the stretch, and it made the difference in the game. They got lucky and won 60-57.

OBSERVATIONS

He Ain't Catfood: I'm sure Aaron Morris is on someone's recruiting list. He is a senior and will be a steal for some team. He does need some polishing (not much), and he had a quiet 23 points against Trinity. He is silky smooth.

Fear the Rocks: Trinity has no fear. They had a balanced scoring attack and a sticky man-to-man defense. They just got into a situation where they had to foul and Madison made their free throws. If they play like they did today, they may surprise some people, too.

Editor's Note: I noticed that Allen Feldhaus, Jr., is Madison Central's coach.