Saturday looms large for Magoffin County High School basketball as both the Hornets and Lady Hornets play host to 57th District rival Johnson Central.
The Hornets will open the double header in a 6 p.m. contest against the Golden Eagles with both teams battling to avoid the dreaded fourth and fifth seeds.
In the night’s second game, the Lady Hornets will play the Lady Eagles with a lot left to be decided regarding girls’ district tournament seedings as well.
Magoffin County, at 6-12 and 2-3, currently owns the third place district position, leading the fourth placed Lady Eagles by one-half game.
The Lady Hornets have beaten Paintsville, which was fifth heading into Wednesday night’s game against Johnson Central, split with Lawrence County, and lost to Sheldon Clark.
Magoffin County’s other loss came January 2 when the Lady Hornets fell 70-65 in Paintsville to the Lady Eagles. That win, as of Wednesday, was Johnson Central’s lone district victory of the season.
The Lady Eagles, 6-11 overall, will host Lawrence County Friday before bringing their show to Salyersville Saturday.
Sheldon Clark owned the district’s top spot with its 5-0 record while Lawrence County, thanks to a win Monday against the Lady Hornets, chimed in with a 4-2 record and a second place standing.
Regular district standings are used to determine tournament seedings, and the fourth and fifth placed teams are required to win two district tourney contests to reach a 15th Region tournament. First through third regular season finishers need to win just one game.
The Lady Hornets will play at Paintsville Monday and host Sheldon Clark February 12 to finish up the district portion of their regular season.
Lawrence County, after defeating Magoffin County 79-50 Tuesday night in Louisa, owns a 6-1 record and holds a commanding lead in the district race.
The remaining field is log-jammed with Johnson Central, Paintsville, and Sheldon Clark all coming in at 2-3.
Magoffin County, which defeated the Golden Eagles 77-76 January 2 in Paintsville, will enter Saturday’s battle at 2-4 in the district and 5-16 overall.
Johnson Central will bring a 6-12 overall record into the pivotal matchup.
The Hornets, who beat Paintsville for their other district win,
After the weekend affair with Johnson Central, Magoffin County will have one district game remaining on its regular slate. The Hornets are scheduled to travel to Sheldon Clark February 11.