Graves County (28-4, Third District Champions) v. Paducah Tilghman (26-6, Second District Champions)

How they got here...Graves County defeated Calloway County 34-23, Heath 49-40; Paducah Tilghman defeated Fulton City 80-56, Marshall County 64-57

Head to Head...January 9 @Paducah Tilghman...Tilghman defeated Graves County 70-68 (OT), February 2 @Graves County...Tilghman defeated Graves County 66-61

From A to V...Jesse Anderson got Graves County off to a quick start with an opening-possession three on Monday night and closed the door on Heath's upset bid with huge plays as the Eagles broke open a 33-33 tie, and Ryan Vogt handled the heavy lifting in between as the defending champions dodged another scare.  The 6-6 senior displayed a sweet shooting stroke from 15-18 feet, making a number of key jumpers as the Graves County offense struggled against Heath's triangle and two.  Vogt provided his typical energy on the offensive glass and was outstanding turning away shots around the Pirates basket.  For all of his efforts, the game remained on the line until the defending tournament MVP turned up his game to help the Eagles stay in position to defend their championship.  Anderson was terrific in transition, making huge threes and scoring at the rim to finish with a game-high 20 points.  The duo scored 37 of Graves' 49 points, and as they face Tilghman for the title, they'll need to be very special again.  Vogt will have his hands full helping Aaron Cooper try to win the rebounding battle against the Tornado, and it is entirely possible that he will once again be asked to put out a (Josh) Forrest fire with his versatile defensive skills.  It will be up to Anderson to make sure that the Eagles run effectively when they should and slow down when they should, and it has become quite clear that Graves County is just better when their point guard (and leading scorer) is scoring as well as distributing.

Sweet Harmon-y...There's nothing that gets the Tornado...or their fans...going more than a highlight reel finish, and JB Harmon provided a pair of those last night.  One the high-rising forward's dunks came off a beautiful bounce pass from Josh Forrest, as Harmon was able to gather the pass in traffic and raise among pursuing defenders to finish with a two-hand slam.  That basket was part of a key Tornado run in the third quarter as Tilghman built a double-digit lead.  The second rim-rattler didn't count on the scoreboard, but it signaled victory for the Big Blue faithful.  After being fouled on a breakaway in the latter stages of the fourth, Harmon continued to the basket and exploded for an emphatic dunk, an exclamation point that brought smiles to his teammates and the fans to their feet.  Harmon was terrific in less flashy ways, too, making his way to the basket over and over again in the critical third quarter, and making enough free throws to help Tilghman hold on.  Harmon finished with 18 points, with 14 of those coming in the final two quarters.  His effort joined with Forrest (team-high 19 points) and Trevonte Cole (16 points) to give the Tornado three double-figure scorers against Marshall County.  Doing so again tonight will be critical, and Harmon's play-making abilities and his penchant for creating momentum-turning moments could be huge in tonight's final.  And don't forget about JD Harmon, who has the game to make plenty of sweet music for Tilghman.  JD may not be quite as explosive as a leaper as JB, but he's close...and he is even bigger and stronger.  Add him to the list of potential heroes in the final thanks to his abilities to be a difference-maker on both ends of the floor.

Glass Masters...Nobody needs to be told how important rebounding is...ever...but it is truly pivotal here, and for a couple of different reasons.  Both teams want to run, and it is entirely possible that Graves needs to at least as much as Tilghman does.  That starts for both clubs by defensive rebounding, which is easier said than done.  Graves and Tilghman are probably the two best offensive rebounding teams in the region, and only Caleb Hardy ranks as an equal on the offensive window to Vogt, Cooper, and Forrest.  Once the clubs secure the defensive rebound, they can put their running game in motion, and both teams are capable of putting five solid rebounders on the floor.  And their gifted offensive rebounding should be key, because neither half-court defense will be easy to score against.  So check out what happens on the glass, because one way or another, it will mean points.  Whether it's two the quick way off the defensive backboard or two pick-up points off the offensive tin, they will all be at a premium tonight.

Rules of Engagement...It will be very interesting to see how these two teams do choose to play, and I do believe that Graves must run to be effective.  Tilghman went primarily man against Marshall County, and they were highly effective over the first three quarters.  They can also be terrific when they go zone, and whatever they do, if they are engaged (and they will be again tonight), you could make a case that it will be harder for Graves to score in the half-court than it will be for Tilghman.  That is saying something, given how good Graves County is defensively.  But just in terms of guys that make plays, the Tornado probably has an advantage...especially if Cole and Harmon are very good again.  Can Vogt stop Forrest?  Will Graves be able to stop the Tilghman running game?  Will the Graves supporting cast...Ross Williams, Brock Morris, Dallas Haneline in particular...make shots tonight?  All of these questions require answers...plus one more.  Just how early will Graves County force the Tornado to make free throws?

Rupp Arena-32 minutes and 15 feet away...Both teams are very well coached.  Brad Stieg and Terry Birdsong both own a pair of First Region titles, and both guys are among the best in the state at what they do.  The coaching staffs will have each club perfectly prepared, and it's not like there is any lack of familiarity for two clubs that battled it out over 68 minutes already this year.  Does Tilghman benefit from having won both matchups?  Does Graves benefit from being the defending champion?  Or is that mantle too heavy?  There's really no end to the intriguing possibilities in this game...and it leaves us with more questions, questions that can't be answered anywhere other than on the floor for 32 minutes tonight.  The answer may still come at that foul line, and it's not like it just bothers Tilghman.  Sometimes it can be problematic for Graves' front line too, and ultimately, we'll say the same thing we said about Tilghman going into last night.  If they make ENOUGH, they will win the basketball game.  What number is enough?  Hard to say...but keep this in mind:  Last night they made 21.  Marshall County made 13.  That's a plus-8 margin in a game won by...7.  For one of these clubs, the distance to Rupp Arena is a mere 15 feet.  By 9:00 tonight, we'll know if that was a short trip, or one just too far to make.

Graves County wins...

• If the Eagles outscore Paducah Tilghman at the free throw line
• If the Eagles score 14 points or more off the offensive glass
• If the Eagles make six threes or more
• If the Eagles hold Tilghman to 50 points or fewer
  

Paducah Tilghman wins...

• If the Tornado outscores Graves County at the free throw line
• If the Tornado wins the rebounding battle by a +8 margin
• If the Tornado scores 16 points or more in transition
• If the Tornado scores 70 points or more