KHSAA Sweet Sixteen Preview: West Jessamine vs. Hazard

Game 1: West Jessamine (26-8) vs. Hazard (26-8) Noon

In the first game of the tournament, West Jessamine from the 12th Region will be taking on Hazard from the 14th. West Jessamine lacks size and like to move the ball up-and-down in a transition game. They are led by junior guard Jarrod Polson who averages 19.9 points, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals a game. The Colts also rely on a nice contribution from 6'3" senior Jonathan Rehner, who goes for 12.2 points a game. This will be the first appearance in the Sweet Sixteen for the Colts.

Hazard is the classic small school playing in the big tournament. The 14th Region school has an enrollment of 286 students. The Bulldogs are led by legendary 14th Region coach Al Holland, who will be coaching in the Sweet Sixteen for the ninth time. Hazard will have a bigger lineup than West Jessamine with 6'5" senior Justin Jones playing down low. The scoring leader for Hazard is junior guard Josh Whitaker with 15.6 point a game.

My Thoughts: I expect similar styles of play in this game. Both teams like the transition game and they should provide plenty of excitement. There will most likely be early-game jitters, but both teams will settle down and be very competitive.

Prediction: I'll take Hazard to win the game in a close one