Green Wave looking to roll to first 3rd Region Championship since 2017

The Green Wave Basketball Team looks to add a 3rd Region Championship trophy to the case after winning their third straight 11th District Championship trophy against Breckenridge County. (photo from MCHS Basketball Team)

The last time the Meade County Green Wave basketball team was in the 3rd Region Championship was 2017. Their losing record that year had no one giving them a chance, but they proved doubters wrong, knocking off Daviess County 52-50 to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16 in Lexington. Nine years later, the Green Wave find themselves in the 3rd Region Championship tonight and hope to prove doubters wrong once again when they face Grayson County for the 3rd Region title and a ticket to the 2026 Sweet 16.

Meade County is coming off a huge semifinal win against Apollo that was decided by a buzzer-beating put back by Ayden Medley to give the Green Wave a 48-46 win. The come-from-behind win included tough defense and several huge 3-point shots by Carter Pike and Jentzen Hayes in the final minute to get Meade in a position to win the game with Medley's shot as the buzzer sounded, after trailing by 10 points at the five minute mark.

Meade County shot 48.5% from the field and 46.7% from behind the arc. Senior Hayden Shouse led the Waves with 18 points and 6 rebounds. Pike had 12 points after going four for five on 3-point attempts for a whopping 80% shooting. Medley added 8 points on two for three shooting from the field and going one for two behind the arc.

Grayson County reached the championship game with a buzzer-beater of their own, hitting a 3-pointer as time expired to knock off Daviess County 65-62. The 3-point line will be an area the Green Wave's defense will have to keep an eye on tonight. Two of their guards, Brody Armstrong and Jack Logsdon, were 6 of 11 for three's in their game against Daviess County and have each averaged 20 points per game over the last three games. As a team, Grayson County hit 48.37% of the 22 three-point shots they averaged per game over that same stretch.

Meade County reached Apollo in the semifinals by defeating Trinity Whitesville by a score of 62-48 in the opening round of the 3rd Region tournament. In that game, Medley led the scoring with 20 points and went four for seven from behind the arc. Shouse logged a double-double with 14 points and 12 of the team’s 35 rebounds. Hayes also registered double digit scoring with 12 points on the night.

Coach Travis Hackert holds up the net after his team won the 11th District Championship in his first season as head coach. Hackert looks to coach his team to the 3rd Region title tonight against Grayson County.

The Green Wave entered the 3rd Region tournament on a hot streak after winning their third straight District Championship by knocking off rival Breckenridge County on their home court by a score of 65-44. In that game, Shouse racked up another double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Medley also reached double digits with 13 points.

The Green Wave will tip-off against Grayson County at 8 pm EST at the Owensboro Sports Center tonight. A win will not only secure Meade County's first 3rd Region Championship since 2017 but will also punch the team a ticket to the KHSAA Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena, starting next week.

If you can't make it to the game tonight, tune into 93.5 WMMG for all the exciting live play-by-play action.