Frankfort Convention Center News

Oklamoma City Wins NAIA National Championship

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:39:20 -0700

Oklahoma City captured the program's sixth national championship tonight with a 69-48 win over Union (Tenn.) in the championship game of the 2012 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship presented by kentuckytourism.com at the Frankfort Convention Center. Oklahoma City finishes the season 35-1. The national title is the first for the Stars since they won four straight from 1999-2002. ##more##

"I'm just happy to see the journey our kids have gone on this season," said Oklahoma City head coach Rob Edmisson. "We defended so well, especially on their All-American (Lavanda Ross). We held her (Ross) to very few looks and really made it tough for her to be effective. Defense wins championships, we say that all the time and it proved itself tonight."

Oklahoma City's Taylor Booze set the tone early in the game as she nailed a pair of 3-pointers to help the Stars jump out to a 9-0 lead. In fact, the Stars held Union scoreless for nearly the first five minutes of the game.

Union -- playing in its fourth-straight title game -- managed to cut the OCU lead to four points on three different occasions in the first half, including 28-24 following Lavanda Ross' driving basket with 4:16 left in the half. Ross finished with a team-high 15 points.

The four-point deficit was the closest the Bulldogs would get.

Oklahoma City scored the next 11 points over the waning minutes of the first half and the start of the second half to take a 39-24 lead with 17:15 left in the game.

Dietra Caldwell opened the decisive run and Lauren Gober closed it with one of her game-high four threes. Caldwell narrowly missed a double-double ending the game with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Gober chipped in 17 points.

Following a Union timeout, the Bulldogs (35-3) scored the next six points to climb within single digits (39-30) with 15:04 remaining. Oklahoma City answered the Union run with a 10-2 spurt of its own and all but ended the Bulldogs' hopes for their third title in four years.

Union managed to cut the lead to 14 (51-37) midway through the half only to have the Stars once again respond and extend their lead to as many 21 points late in half.

Union -- who entered the game allowing just 51.3 points per game this season and just 48.8 during its tournament run -- gave up a season-high 69 points for the second time this season to Oklahoma City. The Stars beat Union 69-57 on Nov. 26.

Oklahoma City shot 53.8 percent (28-of-52) from the field, including making 8-of-14 threes.

Booze -- who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player -- was one of the reasons the Stars were so efficient from the field. She connected on 8-of-13 shots during the game, including 2-for-3 from deep.

Union shot just 33.9 percent (20-of-59) from the field and 4-for-19 from beyond the three-point arc.

Oklahoma City's Desiree Jeffries finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, while Nicollette Smith added nine points off the bench.

Union's LaTesa McLaughlin joined Ross in double figures with 10 points. Shelby Ashcraft added nine points and 11 rebounds.

2012 NAIA All-Tournament Team
First Team
Lavanda Ross, Union (Tenn.)
Angie Lawrence, Georgetown (Ky.)
Taylor Booze, Oklahoma City
Lauren Gober, Oklahoma City
Brittany Roberts, Lubbock Christian (Texas)

Second Team
Logan Froese, Rigers State (Okla.)
Briana Hall, Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
Charisse Reece, Biola (Calif.)
Tugce Canitez, Westmont (Calif.)
Kelsey Canavan, Lubbock Christian (Texas)

Most Valuable Player: Taylor Booze, Oklahoma City
Hustle Award: Abby Ballman, Shawnee State (Ohio)
Phyllis Holmes Coach of the Year Award: Rob Edmisson, Oklahoma City
Buffalo Funds Five Star Team Champions of Character Award: Lee (Tenn.)

March Madness Coming To Town

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:58:48 -0700

March Madness is bursting out all over – in Dayton with Western Kentucky, Louisville with Kentucky and Murray, and Portland with Louisville. But there’s a bit of March Madness right here in Frankfort, and it starts Wednesday with the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship. The tournament kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Frankfort Convention Center, and the action is pretty much non-stop until the championship game next Tuesday at 6 p.m. A total of 31 games will be played in six days, with Sunday an off day for the semifinalists. That’s the only break in the schedule that includes eight games Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The match-ups Wednesday and Thursday will be first-round games, and Friday will be the second round.##more##

Take a look at the field – 32 teams and not a losing record in the bunch. In fact only five have double-digit losses. Oklahoma City comes into the tournament with the best record and a storied history. The No. 1 team in the coaches’ poll, the Stars are 30-1 and looking for their sixth national championship. Oklahoma City opens play Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. against Our Lady of the Lake out of Texas.

Two players from Frankfort will be competing in this year’s tournament – Georgetown College’s Andrea Howard and Campbellsville’s Chelsea Craig, both Franklin County graduates. Georgetown and Campbellsville are two of five Mid-South Conference teams in the tournament, the most teams any conference has in the field. Georgetown (21-9) will play Vanguard (23-6) of California Wednesday at 5:45 p.m., and Campbellsville (20-12) takes on Saint Xavier (23-8) from Illinois Thursday at 9 a.m.

The other Mid-South teams are Shawnee State (27-5), Lindsey Wilson (20-12) and regular-season and tournament champion Cumberlands (28-3). Shawnee State faces William Woods (23-9) in the tournament’s opening game. The Bears, making their second straight trip to the national championship, reached the semifinals last year before falling to Union (Tenn.)

Union was national runner-up last year after winning the tournament the two previous years. Union (31-2) plays Lindsey Wilson Thursday at 8 p.m., and defending national champion Azusa Pacific (Calif.) tips off at noon Wednesday against MidAmerica Nazarene (Kansas).

And there’s more than just basketball involved with this event. A banquet for the participating teams will take place tonight at Kentucky State’s Exum Center. An exhibition at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History – “Women in Basketball” – features stories of women who influenced the sport from its start in 1891 to today. Visitors who bring a ticket stub from the NAIA tournament will receive a 25 percent discount off regular admission to the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History through the month of March.

You’ll see plenty of basketball games at the Convention Center, and you’ll see plenty of basketball players around town.

All 32 teams take part in the Champions of Character program, which stresses five core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership -– and this week they’re visiting various Frankfort organizations including a Special Olympics basketball clinic, Stewart Home School, Frankfort YMCA after-school program, and Franklin County and Frankfort elementary schools to help spread the importance of those values.

Tickets for the tournament will be available at the Frankfort Convention Center. The cost is $10 per session for adults, $5 per session for those 65 and older, and there’s no charge for children ages 12 and under.

Story by Linda Younkin - Frankfort State Journal

Teams Matched With Honorary Coaches

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:20:37 -0700

The honorary coaches are set for the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship. The tournament will take place at the Frankfort Convention Center starting Wednesday and run through Tuesday, March 20. Each of the 32 teams in the field has an honorary coach.##more##

The teams and their honorary coaches are:

Avila (Mo.), Terri’s Catering; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), Frankfort Women Leading Change; Belhaven (Miss.), Frankfort Regional Medical Center; Biola (Calif.), Rebound Orthopedic; Campbellsville (Ky.), Jesse’s Art Gallery; Columbia (Mo.), Frankfort Convention Center; Cumberlands (Ky.), Whitaker Bank; Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), Panera Bread; Georgetown (Ky.), Frankfort YMCA; Langston (Okla.), Creek Side Diner; Lee (Tenn.), Fairfield Inn; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), Gatti’s Pizza; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), Farmers Bank; Loyola (La.), Best Western; LSU Shreveport (La.), Chili’s; Lubbock Christian (Texas), Capital Plaza Hotel; Lyon (Ark.), Cattlemen’s Roadhouse; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kansas), Stonebridge Hospitality; Oklahoma City, Hampton Inn; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), McDonald’s West; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), AT&T; Rogers State (Okla.), Longhorn Steakhouse; Saint Xavier (Ill.), United Bank; Shawnee State (Ohio), Canoe Kentucky; Shorter (Ga.), O’Charley’s; Southern Nazarene (Okla.), McDonald’s East; Union (Tenn.), Gatewood Realty; Vanguard (Calif.), Frankfort/Franklin County Tourism; Westminster (Utah), Staxx Barbecue; Westmont (Calif.), Capital City Radio; William Woods (Mo.), Kentucky Department of Parks; and Xavier (La.), Fazoil’s.

Each honorary coach receives a commemorative basketball, an honorary coach banner, 10 tickets to each session, two tickets for the tournament banquet Tuesday, two credentials to sit on the bench with the team during their games and two credentials for the hospitality room, a half-page ad in the tournament program, and the honorary coach of the winning team will receive a framed white jersey signed by the team.

Games get underway Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. There will be eight games per day Wednesday through Friday with the quarterfinals set for Saturday, the semifinals on Monday, March 19, and the championship game will be Tuesday, March 20 at 6 p.m.

CBS College Sports Network will televise the championship game to a national audience.

Tickets for the tournament are $10 per session for adults and $5 for adults 65 and older. Children ages 12 and younger will be admitted free.

Tickets may be purchased at the door.

Special to The State Journal

DI WBB National Championship Bracket Released

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:36:55 -0700

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (Bracket - PDF) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially released the bracket for the 32nd Annual Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship presented by Kentuckytourism.com. The 32-team, single elimination tournament will take place from March 14 – 20 inside the Frankfort Convention Center in Frankfort, Ky. ##more##

The tournament kicks off at 8:30 a.m. EST on March 14, before moving back to 9 a.m. on March 15 and 16. The opening three days feature eight games each. March 17 showcases quarterfinal action beginning at 2 p.m. and the semifinals are scheduled for March 19 at 6 and 8 p.m. The Championship final, which will be televised live on CBS Sports Network, will tip at 6 p.m. on March 20.

NeuLion is the NAIA’s digital media partner and official video-streaming company of 10 select NAIA National Championship events. The first 30 contests from Frankfort, Ky., will be available via live stream for $29.95 and any single day can be purchased for $9.95. Also, one can purchase the all-tournament package of all four basketball tournaments for $49.95. For more information and to pre-register, click here.

Shawnee State (Ohio) will face William Woods (Mo.) in the events first game at 8:30 a.m. on March 14. The Bears made an immediate splash in their first Division I National Championship in 2011, advancing to the semifinals before falling to eventual national runner-up Union (Tenn.).

Defending national champion Azusa Pacific (Calif.) also opens play on March 14, facing first-time attendee MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) at 12 p.m. The Cougars are vying to become the Golden State Athletic Conference’s first repeat champion.

No. 1-ranked in the Coaches’ Poll, Oklahoma City is looking to earn its sixth national title in program history, but will need to get past surprise Red River Athletic Conference Tournament champion Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) in the opening round. The Stars are slated to play the Saints at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, who are making their inaugural trip to the national tournament.

Perennial powerhouse and national tournament regular, Union is making its tournament-record 23rd trip to the event. The Lady Bulldogs boast a 63-17 (.788) record in tournament games, while entering the event with a NAIA-best 31-2 overall record, including a current 15-game win streak this season. Similarly to Oklahoma City, Union is searching for its sixth national championship. The Lady Bulldogs are scheduled to hit the court on Thursday at 8 p.m. against Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)

The final rookie in the field of 32 is Lyon (Ark.). The Scots drew GSAC regular-season and tournament champion Westmont (Calif.) in the first round. Tip is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on March 15.

The Mid-South Conference landed a tournament-high five teams (Cumberlands (Ky.), Shawnee State, Georgetown (Ky.), Campbellsville (Ky.) and Lindsey Wilson), while the GSAC, Sooner Athletic Conference and Southern States Athletic Conference garnered four programs each.

By Alan Grosbach, Manager of Communications & Sports Information

Mid-South quarterfinals in Frankfort

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:52:03 -0700

Frankfort, Kentucky- The University of the Cumberlands’ women and Lindsey Wilson’s men are the top seeds in the Mid-South Conference basketball tournament.##more##

The tournament got underway Monday. In the women’s opener, No. 8 University of Virginia-Wise defeated ninth-seeded Pikeville 83-47.

On the men’s side, eighth-seeded Shawnee State was beaten by Rio Grande, 61-56.

The action now moves to the Frankfort Convention Center where the women’s quarterfinals will be played Thursday.

Cumberlands, the No. 1 seed, will play UVa.-Wise in the opener Thursday at 2 p.m.

At 4 p.m. fourth-seeded Campbellsville will take on No. 5. St. Catharine, followed by No. 2 Shawnee State versus No. 7 Rio Grande at 6.

Georgetown, the No. 3 seed, plays the nightcap Thursday against sixth-seeded Lindsey Wilson at 8.

Two Franklin County graduates will be playing in the women’s tournament – Andrea Howard for Georgetown College and Chelsea Craig for Campbellsville.

The men’s quarterfinals will take place Friday with game times at 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.

Top-seeded Lindsey Wilson will play the first game against Rio Grande, followed by No. 4 Pikeville and No. 5 Cumberlands at 4.

Georgetown, the No. 2 seed, takes on seventh-seeded UVa.-Wise at 6, and third-seeded St. Catharine faces No. 6 Campbellsville at 8.

The women’s semifinals will be played Saturday afternoon at 2 and 4, followed by the men’s semifinals at 6 and 8 p.m.

The championship games are set for Sunday with the women’s game at 1:30 p.m. and the men’s game at 2.

The Convention Center will also be the site of the NAIA Division I women’s national tournament March 14-20.

Special to the State Journal

KHS History Campus' New Exhibition, “Women in Basketball”

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:26:31 -0700

KHS History Campus Reopens March 10 with New Exhibition, “Women in Basketball”

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 27, 2012) – The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) will reopen its history campus to walk-in visitors on Saturday, March 10, with a new exhibition, “Women in Basketball,” in the Keeneland Changing Exhibits Gallery at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. The KHS history campus also includes the Old State Capitol and the Kentucky Military History Museum at the State Arsenal. ##more##

“Women in Basketball” is presented in conjunction with the Frankfort Convention Center, in honor of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women’s Basketball Tournament, held this year in Frankfort. The exhibition features stories of women who influenced the game of basketball from its start in 1891 to today. Visitors will have a chance to shoot some hoops as women did in 1900, then compare that to modern rules and equipment.

Visitors who bring a ticket stub from the NAIA Tournament will receive a 25% discount off regular admission to the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History through the month of March.

Beginning March 10, the KHS history campus will resume its regular public hours of operation (Wednesday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.). Over the winter season, KHS staff focused on collections management and updating online databases. Library staff successfully completed a major cataloging project of all 5,766 rolls of microfilm representing county records, church records and manuscript collections; and museum collections staff brought the total number of records in the KHS Objects Catalog (www.history.ky.gov/objects) to over 5,000.

The “Women in Basketball” exhibition is a “Let’s Move: Museums and Gardens” event, an initiative of First Lady Michelle Obama and the Institute for Museums and Libraries. For more information on “Let’s Move,” visit www.letsmove.gov.

For more information about KHS, its exhibitions and its programs, visit www.history.ky.gov

Governor's Prayer Breakfast

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:05:46 -0700

Dear Friends:

Jane and I would like to this opportunity and invite you to the 47th annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast. For almost 50 years, Kentuckians have come together in prayerful humility and reflection to ask God’s wisdom in guiding the future of our Commonwealth and 2012 is no different. ##more##

This year’s Governor’s Prayer Breakfast will be held on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at the Frankfort Convention Center. The doors will open at 7:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 8:00 a.m.

The theme for the breakfast this year is “A Humble Resilience”. I chose this theme in honor of our people, who have endured natural disasters, a global economic recession, a crippling prescription drug epidemic, and so many other troubles with a prayerful and humble resilience that should inspire those of us entrusted with leading our Commonwealth to come together and work beyond party lines and electoral season politics to, with God’s guidance, build a stronger future for all Kentuckians.

I hope your schedule will allow you time to attend this year’s prayer breakfast. Jane and I look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Steve Beshear

47th Annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast

“A Humble Resilience”

Tuesday March 06, 2012

8:00am-9:00am

Doors Open at 7:30am

Frankfort Convention Center

Frankfort, Kentucky

Featuring Keynote Speaker

Dr. Alan Keiran

Chief of Staff

Office of the United States Senate Chaplain

Cost to attend the Governor's Prayer Breakfast is $5 per person or $120 for a reserved table (8 per table). To reserve a table, please download and fill out the form below.

Governor's Prayer Breakfast Table Reservation Form

(It is not necessary to reserve an individual place.)

Legislator Registration Form

History

The Governor’s Prayer Breakfast is a long standing tradition in Kentucky dating back to 1965 and includes representatives of all three branches of government. Each year it provides Kentuckians with an opportunity to give thanks for our blessings, provides us hope for the future and an opportunity to ask for strength to lead our Commonwealth to a brighter tomorrow.

Tourbeau Sports Lands 2012 Basketball National Championships

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:44:37 -0700

Frankfort, Kentucky- Tourbeau Sports Group, LLC, the Frankfort Convention Center and the NAIA have agreed to an official partnership for the 2012 NAIA Women's Division I Basketball National Championships taking place March 14-20 in Frankfort, Ky. ##more##

The partnership will give exclusive video rights for Tourbeau Sports to be the official video production company of the 2012 national championship.
Tourbeau Sports will be unveiling its new multi-broadcast platform for the national event, and will be a much more sophisticated broadcast experience for the viewing audience than anything TSG has ever done before.

The NAIA Division I event is the largest contracted partnership in the history of Tourbeau Sports, but it will not be the last for the 2012 year- which TSG plans to release a full list of agreements in the coming months for their new events.

The championship is a 32-team single-elimination tournament played over seven days for a total of 31 games at the beautiful convention center in Frankfort, Ky. The arena holds more than 5,000+ spectators in a 10,000 square foot facility.

TSG will provide exclusive live, video streaming coverage of all the games including play-by-play commentary, special videos and interviews throughout each broadcast and game, social media integration with NAIA audience and each participating schools' fan bases, post-game interviews for press releases and game recaps, player highlight videos, game DVD's for purchase and much more.

"The Frankfort Convention Center and the Community of Frankfort is excited about our partnership with Tourbeau Sports Group for the NAIA Women’s Division 1 National Basketball Tournament. "Tourbeau Sports Groups experience in providing video broadcasting for multiple NAIA Championships was a big factor in our selection decision", added Executive Director Rob Minerich.

Not only has Tourbeau Sports locked into two, possibly three, additional NAIA national championships from a year ago, but it has also gained numerous national youth soccer club tournaments, collegiate soccer events and professional soccer showcases. Moreoever, TSG has also began a new development strategy and consulting portion to the business in providing small-to-medium sizes athletics departments with video streaming services, set-up, installation, training and more.

"This partnership was absolutely critical for the continued growth of Tourbeau Sports", added president Chase Neidig. "We have worked extremely hard at our main office to build a professional and attractive reputation. And I believe the solidification of this championship exactly proves this point."

The national championship will be an exciting event for collegiate sports specifically in the NAIA.

Be sure to follow Tourbeau Sports Group @tourbeausports and the NAIA @PlayNAIA.

34,000 People Attended the 2012 Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:50:15 -0700

The 2012 Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic garnered impressive numbers in several areas – including student impact, attendance and media coverage. Thousands of students from the state's 125 smallest high schools are affected each year by the Kentucky Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic. ##more##

The basketball action, which took place in a new venue at the Frankfort Convention Center, from Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, brought 16 boys' and 16 girls' regional basketball champs to battle it out for All "A" state titles. More than 34,000 basketball fans attended the state-wide tournament.

Those who couldn't attend the event were able to keep up with game play through multiple media venues. With more than 200 online and/or print articles and about 70 television stories on the All "A" Classic, fans were exposed to up-to-date information.

However, there was more than basketball play during the four-day event.

Students and their families convened at the Capital Plaza in Frankfort on Saturday, Jan. 28, for the scholarship banquet. Sixty high school seniors won $1,000 scholarships to attend college or vocational schools in Kentucky. An additional 30 or so will receive in-kind $1,000 scholarships from various Kentucky colleges by the end of the summer.

The Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic will award $90,000 in scholarships this year.

An annual celebration of youth, the All "A" Classic also offers competitions in art, cheerleading, baseball, softball, volleyball and golf. It is sponsored by the 16 owner-member cooperatives of East Kentucky Power. For more information, visit http://www.allaclassic.org.

It's Tourney Time

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:46:35 -0700

Ask any local basketball player or coach and they’ll tell you the real season starts tomorrow. The 41st District tournament begins Tuesday at the Frankfort Convention Center with the girls basketball teams of Western Hills and Franklin County tipping off at 6:30 p.m. On the boys side, Franklin County and Frankfort High square off Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. Action continues Wednesday with the Frankfort High girls playing Woodford County at 6:30 p.m. followed by the boys game between Woodford County and Western Hills. The girls championship game is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. with the boys championship to follow at 8:30. ##more##

FCHS-FHS (B)

The last time the boys basketball teams of Frankfort High and Franklin County met, the Panthers held a 17-point lead going into the final quarter of play and looked well on their way to a blowout win. But the Flyers never quit playing and outscored FHS 24-6 in the final quarter to win 67-66. That game – which happened nearly seven weeks ago – had an impact on both teams but fans shouldn’t expect a similar showing tomorrow night when the two teams square off at the Frankfort Convention Center. FCHS coach Scott Chalk said his team wasn’t prepared mentally for the game back on Jan. 4. “We came out flat that game because of how bad we’d beaten them the first time,” he said. The first three quarters served as a wake-up call for the Flyers, and if you ask Chalk, he’s glad it happened. “It’s a positive that they played us so close going into this district game,” he said. “Because we could’ve come out flat in the district if they hadn’t played us close.”

That game was also a lesson learned for the Panthers. “We learned the best approach for our team to finish games,” FHS coach Matthew Yates said. “I think we took the approach in that game to hold on instead of playing to win. That killed the aggressiveness that we played with all game and it cost us.”

Chalk and the Flyers will benefit tremendously from Logan Woodside’s presence down low. Woodside returns Tuesday after missing several games with a thumb injury. “He’s a good scorer inside,” Chalk said. “He’s had games where he’s scored 17 or 18 points. He’s also played a lot of varsity basketball so there’s a confidence level there that helps you.”

Woodside will have to contend with FHS’ Aaron Jackson, who’s one of the state leaders in rebounding. While Yates said it would be ideal to feed him the ball down low, Jackson will find a way to create shots for himself. “Aaron finds a way to get the ball himself when we can’t,” Yates said. “That’s why he’s averaging 15 rebounds a game.”

Chalk said FHS is a tough match-up for his team because they equal out the Flyers at every position, and while the Panthers have struggled to win some close games, he said you can’t underestimate their athleticism. “They haven’t been super consistent all year but they’re always dangerous because they’re so athletic,” he said. “They can make some plays.” If there are plays to be made, Yates said he hopes his team makes them on the defensive side of the ball. “I normally say we have to shoot it well, but playing in a gym we don’t play in a lot, what happens if we don’t shoot it well?” he said. “We absolutely have to be a better defensive team. We’re working hard to prepare for that and maybe we can throw a few new wrinkles at them.”

WHHS-WCHS (B)

Western Hills faces the daunting task of shutting down Woodford County and its resurgent big man Jay Johnson, who is still recovering from knee surgery but has shown flashes of his old brilliance this season. Thankfully for WHHS fans, first-year coach Steve Wooldridge has an idea of how to do just that. “We’re going to pack it in on him and make sure we have two big guys on him at all times,” he said. “We have to make it hard for him to score and concentrate on our rebounding. We absolutely can’t give him any second shots.” Stopping Johnson is just a part of Wooldridge’s plan for taking down the Yellowjackets. The coach said he’ll use the same blueprint he did in his team’s Jan. 17 meeting with WCHS, a game that the Wolverines lost 65-52 but also saw WHHS shrink its margin of defeat from 16 to 13. The first match-up between WHHS and WCHS saw the Yellowjackets prevail 69-53. With any luck, the Wolverines hope to reverse the trend in Wednesday’s game. “The main thing we’ve got to do is slow the pace of the game down,” Wooldridge said. “Try to turn it into a three quarter game instead of a four quarter game. “We have to take care of the basketball,” he added. “We’ve got to have more possessions than they do. It’s all about clock management at this point.” One thing that’s haunted WHHS all season is what Wooldridge refers to as “a three-minute stretch where we don’t score.” He said the scoreless stretches have cost his team countless games, turning close contests into 15-point losses. Headed into the biggest game of the season, Wooldridge said he isn’t as concerned about a three-minute stretch. “We’re always worried about it happening but it’s been better here recently,” he said. “At the same time, we can’t score 70 or 80 points so we have to get it down to 50 or 60 points.”

Slowing down the red-hot Yellowjackets will be easier said than done. WCHS has won 10 of its last 12 games and averaged 65.7 points during that stretch. Woodford lost its last game of the regular season Friday, falling to Collins 52-48. The only loss for WCHS during its prior 11 games was to a Scott County team that clobbered Franklin County 88-57 and has two players committed to Division I basketball teams. But make no mistake – Wooldridge and the Wolverines are up to the task of stopping WCHS. “My guys haven’t quit,” Wooldridge said. “They’re working hard for me. As a first-year coach, I put more pressure on myself than anybody else does. But that also means I’m very motivated to succeed.”

FCHS-WHHS (G)

Although the girls basketball teams of Western Hills and Franklin County fall at opposite ends of the district bracket, both teams share one thing in common – injuries.

FCHS has of course played nearly the entire season without star Ashli Mayes, who suffered a knee injury in December, and now must deal with the absence of Nannilena White, who suffered a shoulder injury Feb. 7.

WHHS star Stephine Sparkman is healthy but coach Jody Hellard has had to deal with injuries to Taylor Slade (ankle) and Becca Harrod (knee).

For the Lady Flyers, winning Tuesday will mean rising to the occasion. “Obviously it’s win or go home,” FCHS coach Joey Thacker said. “Our kids need to understand that. We’ll put a lot of time into going over the little things for tournament time.”

Hellard said his team will have to be playing at its peak to win. “We’ve got to play our best game of the year,” he said. “We’ve got to finish our shots, block out and take care of the basketball. We’re averaging 25 to 30 turnovers a game. I know we’re young but that’s no excuse. “The bottom line is you can’t beat anybody averaging 25 to 30 turnovers a game,” Hellard added.

The Lady Wolverines haven’t won a game since Dec. 27 but are catching the Lady Flyers at a vulnerable time. FCHS has lost eight of its last 11 games dating back to Jan. 18.

One thing that will work in WHHS’ favor is an offense that Hellard said is much improved. “Our offense has picked up,” he said. “We can score better than we did at the beginning of the year. But we have to take care of the ball because we know they’re going to pressure the ball at all times.”

While detrimental in the short term, injuries have helped both teams develop more depth as younger players have stepped in to fill the void left by their more experienced teammates. On the flip side, younger players might fail to understand the gravity of a district tournament game. That doesn’t seem to concern Thacker and Hellard, however. “With teenagers, there are no guarantees,” Thacker said. “You have to come out with confidence and confidence comes from being prepared. “All you can ask for as a coach is that your players come out with a little pep in their step,” he added. “That’s really not up to me, though. That’s up to the people on the floor.” Hellard echoed the same sentiment. “The district is what we shoot for all season,” he said. “If you come out and you’re not ready to play a district game, then you need to rethink playing basketball.”

FHS-WCHS (G)

There’s an old saying in sports that it’s difficult to beat the same team three times in one season. That’s the challenge facing the Frankfort High girls basketball team as it takes on Woodford County Wednesday night.

FHS completed its first season sweep of WCHS in recent memory this year, knocking off the Lady Yellowjackets 37-30 on Dec. 3 and beating them again Jan. 28, 53-42. “These girls had never beaten Woodford before,” FHS coach Deron Norman said. “It helps us to have beaten them this year. It’s not going to be easy to get that third win.”

However, the Lady Panthers will have an advantage Wednesday that they didn’t have in the previous two meetings – their full roster. “We’ve haven’t played with our full team yet because we’ve had girls hurt,” Norman said. “This will be the first time we’ve had our entire team. So that adds some freshness to it.” FHS returns two major contributors to the lineup, thus adding greater depth to its bench. “We have Cori Cunningham coming back into the mix,” Norman said. “Shanae Brown is playing this time around. We’ll have greater subs to go in and help us turn up the pressure.” Norman said he won’t alter a game plan that yielded two victories against WCHS. “We’ve had success against Woodford this year but they’re a great program and I think it’s going to be a battle,” he said. “We’re going to do what we did before – control the tempo, play solid defense and knock down the shots.”

Much like Western Hills and Franklin County, FHS will benefit from increased playing time for its younger players when starters went down with injuries.

The Lady Panthers also feel confident because their roster is loaded with players who excel in multiple areas of the game, most notably ball-handling. “We’ve played a lot of girls at point and made them handle the basketball,” Norman said. “Having these stretches where girls would be out for a couple games and other players had to step up – it benefits your team down the road.”

To put it simply, Norman can throw a player in wherever he wants and expect good results. “Our girls, no matter where we stick them, are ready to go out and contribute,” he said. Norman said his team is ready for the pressure of a district tournament game as many of the players have logged minutes in basketball tournaments outside of high school. “These girls play outside of school, in AAU, in big tournaments so they understand how this works,” he said. “We just have to do it together as Frankfort High.”

By JOSH RAYMER

jraymer@state-journal.com

41st District Basketball Tournament Comes To FCC

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:38:40 -0700

The pairings are set for the 41st District basketball tournament to take place Feb. 21, 22 and 24 at the Frankfort Convention Center. ##more##

Franklin County, 5-1 in district play, is the No. 1 seed and will play No. 4 Frankfort (1-5) at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21. Second-seeded Woodford County (5-1) will face No. 3 Western Hills (1-5) on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 8:15 p.m.

The winners of those games will meet in the championship game Friday at 8:15 p.m.

On the girls side, Franklin County is the No. 1 seed with a 5-1 district record. The Lady Flyers will take on No. 4 Western Hills (0-6) Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Frankfort High, the No. 2 seed at 4-2, will play third-seeded Woodford County (3-3) Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m.

The championship game will be played Friday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m.

Franklin County is the host of this year’s tournament. Coin tosses were needed to decide the seedings for the boys tournament.

Tournament hits Frankfort on Jan. 25-29

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:44:30 -0700

With the Kentucky Touchstone Energy All “A” Classic just two weeks away, everything is in place for the basketball tournament’s move to Frankfort. The tournament, which will bring 32 teams to town, will take place at the Frankfort Convention Center Jan. 25-29 after spending more than 20 years in Richmond. The tournament is open to the 125 smallest high schools in the state, which take part in regional tournaments this week and next to determine the state qualifiers. “It’s important for the community of Frankfort to come out and make this a success,” said Rob Minerich, executive director of the Frankfort Convention Center.##more##

“For the past 20-plus years they’ve played at the same site,” he added. “If they get comfortable here, it (the tournament) could stay here.” Minerich said a recent economic impact study showed the tournament could mean $1.5 million to the local economy per year. The tournament has a three-year contract with the Frankfort Convention Center.

Frankfort High is playing in the 11th Region tournament next week at Model in Richmond for berths in the state All “A” Classic. The FHS girls open regional play Wednesday against Berea at 6:30 p.m., and the Panthers face Model at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

There will be 16 girls teams and 16 boys teams in the state tournament. The girls will play all eight of their first-round games on Wednesday, with games scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. The boys will play their first-round games Thursday, also from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. On Friday the quarterfinals will be held, with tip-offs running from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. for the girls games and 5-9:30 p.m. for the boys games. The semifinals will be Saturday, with the last one scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and a scholarship banquet will take place at the Capital Plaza Hotel Saturday night. Both championship games will be Sunday. The girls title game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and the boys for 2:30 p.m.

Last year the tournament drew over 37,000 fans over five days. Tickets will be on sale at the door for $10 per session. The Frankfort Optimist Club is providing all the ticket sellers for the tournament, and Graviss McDonald’s has donated $500 to sponsor the tickets for the event.

In addition to downtown parking, there will be parking lots open on Holmes Street and Wilkinson Boulevard during the day, and city transit will provide a shuttle from those parking lots to the convention center. There will be parking signage and street signage to help visitors navigate the area around the convention center.

Frankfort/Franklin County Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Frankfort will have a concierge table in the front lobby of the convention center to answer any questions fans might have about local attractions, eateries, etc. The City of Frankfort is handling security, parking and transportation management.

The Frankfort Sports Ambassador program will be providing volunteers for the tournament. There are still spots available for volunteers, with credential monitors and ball chasers being the areas most in need of volunteers. Ball chasers need to be at least 10 years old. Those interested, or those who have questions about the Frankfort Sports Ambassador program, should email Amanda Scheier at amanda.scheier@ky.gov or call her at 564-5335, ext. 172.

Story By LINDA YOUNKIN, Frankfort State Journal

lyounkin@state-journal.com

Sports Ambassador Program Starting for Convention Center

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:44:45 -0700

New events are on the horizon for the Frankfort Convention Center. Now there’s a new avenue for people to become involved with them.

The Frankfort Sport Ambassador Program has been started for those who want to volunteer at sporting events at the Convention Center. That includes the new events – the Kentucky Touchstone Energy All “A” Classic basketball tournament in late January and the NAIA Division I women’s basketball national championship in March – as well as existing ones such as the Mid-South Conference volleyball and basketball tournaments.“We really feel like the volunteer spots will fill up quickly,” said Rob Minerich, executive director of the Convention Center. “There’s already been interest.”##more##

Volunteers who join the program will receive a bright yellow polo shirt with a Frankfort Sports Ambassador Program logo and possibly other logos, an all-access pass to games and a meal for each shift they work.

The Frankfort Sports Ambassador headquarters will be in Fountain Place, Unit 41, which faces the front lobby of the Frankfort Convention Center. That’s where volunteers will check in for their shifts and where their meals will be served.

“There are a lot of opportunities for the community to show how well it does hosting sporting events,” Minerich said.

Both the All “A” Classic and the NAIA national tournament will have 400 four-hour shifts.

Among the positions available to volunteers are ticket sellers/takers, program sales, media runners, hospitality and ball chasers. Ball chasers need to be ages 10 and up while other positions are open to people in high school and older. Volunteers will be asked where they would like to work, but positions will be assigned on a first-available basis. Some will also be determined by age appropriateness.

The staff at the Convention Center has talked to the University of Louisville sports administration program about getting volunteers, and U of L is excited about participating.

“A lot of people need to be involved in this,” said Amanda Scheier, sports operations manager of the Convention Center. “We need volunteers based at places we can’t be. If we don’t have them it won’t work. “They’re very important and very appreciated.”

The deadline to sign up to be a Frankfort Sport Ambassador is Dec. 1. Those interested, or those who have questions, should email Scheier at amanda.scheier@ky.gov or call her at 564-5335, ext. 172.

Story by Linda Younkin - Frankfort State Journal

NAIA National Championship To Be Held In Frankfort

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 06:18:54 -0700

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has awarded the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship to the Frankfort Convention Center & Mid-South Conference in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively. Kentucky will be a first-time host of the national championship event when year one of the three year agreement tips-off on March 14-20, 2012, inside the 5,300 seat arena.

"The Frankfort Convention Center and the Mid-South Conference have demonstrated a strong desire to host the NAIA women’s basketball national championship and is ready to showcase the NAIA’s top teams and student-athletes," said Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO. "We look forward to working with these tremendous partners and the Frankfort community to produce an unforgettable student-athlete experience."##more##

The Frankfort Convention Center is located in the heart of the Capital City and receives strong support from the local Chamber of Commerce, Franklin County Tourism, Downtown Frankfort Association and the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet. The arena already plays host to the Mid-South Conference Basketball Tournament, Kentucky High School State Wrestling Championships and the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Final Four Basketball Tournament.

"We are incredibly excited to host the very best NAIA women’s basketball student-athletes and coaches in Frankfort for the next three years," said Frankfort Convention Center Executive Director Rob Minerich. "Everyone involved -- including Frankfort Mayor H. Gippy Graham, Frankfort/Franklin County Tourism, Frankfort Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Frankfort Association -- is prepared to provide an excellent experience both on and off the court for the participants in the national tournament. This event will show how Kentucky embraces the game of basketball."

The championship event will contribute approximately $2 million in economic impact in the Frankfort area. The vision, generosity and commitment from the city provides a collegiate sports environment that rallies community support and interest in this new Kentucky attraction. Frankfort will build on the storied tradition of NAIA women’s basketball and provide a number of opportunities for the more than 600 participants to take in the local attractions and interact with the local community through planned Champions of Character activities.

In all 116 teams compete in NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball and will play for a spot in the national championship event. The championship is a 32-team, single elimination tournament featuring 17 automatic qualifiers from 11 Division I affiliated conferences, one independent qualifier and 14 at-large berths. Frankfort will be just the fourth site in the 31-year history of the tournament. The NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship was played in Kansas City, Mo., from 1981-83 and from ’86-89; Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from ’84-85; and in Jackson, Tenn., for the last 22 years.

To learn more visit www.naia.org.