KENTUCKY MR. BASKETBALL ANTHONY HICKEY JUNIOR HAS RETURNED FROM A VISIT TO L-S-U EARLIER THIS WEEK. TIGERBAIT.COM—A WEBSITE WHICH COVERS LSU ATHLETICS—REPORTS HICKEY IS CONSIDERING LSU, SOUTH CAROLINA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. WESTERN WAS NOT ONE OF THE ORIGINAL THREE SCHOOL HICKEY HAD NARROWED HIS CHOICES TO, BUT WAS BEING HEAVILY RECRUITED TO COME TO BOWLING GREEN.

HICKEY TOLD TIGERBAIT.COM HE ENJOYED HIS VISIT TO BATON ROUGE AND THAT THE THREE SCHOOLS HE IS CONSIDERING ARE EVEN AT THIS POINT.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY ATHLETICS DIRECTOR KERRY STOVALL TOLD WHOP SPORTS THIS MORNING HE DID NOT KNOW WHICH SCHOOL HICKEY WOULD CHOOSE, BUT DID SAY THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE TUESDAY, MAY 3^RD, RATHER THAN AN EARLIER DATE OF MAY 6^TH.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

RAINS AGAIN FORCED CANCELLATIONS OF GAMES FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT DAY WEDNESDAY. IT’S NOT KNOWN IF ANY GAMES WILL BE PLAYED TODAY.

THE NEWEST KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION RANKINGS HAS ALLEN COUNTY SCOTTSVILLE OF THE 4^TH REGION NUMBER ONE AGAIN THIS WEEK, WITH CHRISTIAN COUNTY MOVING TO NUMBER TWO. OWENSBORO CATHOLIC IS 5^TH, GREENWOOD 6^TH, BUTLER COUNTY 12^TH, LONE OAK 15^TH, MARSHALL COUNTY 20^TH, REIDLAND 22^ND AND CALLOWAY COUNTY 24^TH.

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

CHRISTIAN COUNTY WRESTLER JERON TRICE WILL SIGN A LETTER TO WRESTLE COLLEGIATELY FOR CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY. THE SIGNING WILL TAKE PLACE AT THREE P-M AT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

HOPKINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HELD ITS BASKETBALL BANQUET EARLIER THIS WEEK.

AWARD WINNERS INCLUDED: JORDAN MAJORS, POINTS PER GAME WITH A 14 POINT FOUR AVERAGE, CONNER GATES FOR REBOUNDS, JORDAN MAJORS AND DEVONTA SPENCER FOR ASSISTS.

DEVONTA SPENCER STEALS, CONNER GATES FOR THREE POINT GOALS MADE WITH 25, DARIUS WHITE 6^TH MAN AWARD, T-J ELAM DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND DALLAS GATES WON THE MOST IMPROVED AWARD.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS LOUISVILLE COACH RICK PITINO WEDNESDAY WITHDREW FROM COACHING THE PUERTO RICAN NATIONAL TEAM BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.

PUERTO RICO WILL ATTEMPT TO QUALIFY FOR THE 2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS IN THE FIBA AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP FROM AUGUST 25^TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 8^TH.

FOR THE 15^TH TIME IN 16 SEASONS, THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY LED THE NATION IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL ATTENDANCE THIS PAST SEASON.

THE AVERAGE HOME CROWD AT RUPP ARENA WAS 23-THOUSAND 603.

SYRACUSE WAS SECOND, LOUISVILLE THIRD WITH AN AVERAGE OF 21-THOUSAND 832 AT THE NEW KFC/YUM CENTER, NORTH CAROLINA FOURTH AND TENNESSEE FIFTH WITH AN AVERAGE OF 18-THOUSAND 952.

LOUISVILLE EASTERN’S REMY ABELL WEDNESDAY MADE A COMMITMENT TO PLAY HIS COLLEGE BASKETBALL FOR INDIANA UNIVERSITY. THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS ABELL PICKED COACH TOM CREAN’S PROGRAM OVER XAVIER, BUTLER, PENN STATE AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. ABELL HAD PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED TO BRADLEY, BUT GOT OUT OF IT WHEN COACH JIM LES WAS RECENTLY FIRED.

NFL

THE NFL DRAFT TAKES PLACE TONIGHT IN NEW YORK, AND FORMER KENTUCKY WIDE RECEIVER RANDALL COBB IS AMONG 25 PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE EVENT. IT’S PROJECTED COBB COULD BE A LATE FIRST ROUND OR EARLY SECOND ROUND PICK.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS BEGIN WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL PLAY THIS EVENING AGAINST THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS IN VANCOUVER. THE TEAMS SPLIT THE FOUR GAMES PLAYED IN THE REGULAR SEASON TWO GAMES EACH.

COVERAGE OF TONIGHT’S GAME BEGINS AT NINE ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP. GAME TWO OF THE SERIES WILL ALSO BE AT NINE SATURDAY NIGHT IN VANCOUVER.

NASHVILLE WILL HOST GAMES THREE AND FOUR NEXT TUESDAY AND THURSDAY EVENINGS, WITH GAME TIMES TO BE DETERMINED.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

GAMES WERE CANCELLED FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT DAY AND MORE OF THE SAME IS LIKELY TODAY.

THE KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCED TUESDAY KENTUCKY NATIONAL INSURANCE WILL BECOME THE NEW TITLE SPONSOR FOR THE KHSAA STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT. THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT WILL BE CONTESTED AT WHITAKER BANK PARK IN LEXINGTON JUNE 13-18.

THE PAIRINGS FOR THE STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT WERE ALSO ANNOUNCED TUESDAY, WITH THE 2^ND REGION WINNER TO FACE THE 8^TH REGION WINNER TUESDAY JUNE 14^TH AT A TIME TO BE DETERMINED. THE 1^ST REGION WINNER WILL MEET THE 3^RD REGION WINNER AND THE 4^TH REGION WINNER WILL MEET THE 14^TH REGION WINNER MONDAY JUNE 13^TH AT TIMES TO BE DETERMINED.

THE PAIRINGS WERE ALSO ANNOUNCED FOR THE KHSAA STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT TO BE PLAYED AT JACK FISHER PARK IN OWENSBORO. THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO THREE DAYS AND WILL BEGIN THURSDAY JUNE 9^TH AND FINISH ON SATURDAY JUNE 11^TH.

ALL OPENING ROUND GAMES WILL BE PLAYED ON THURSDAY JUNE 9^TH, WITH THE 2^ND REGION FACING THE 8^TH REGION AND THE 4^TH REGION WILL MEET THE 12^TH REGION WINNER AT FIVE P-M. THE 3^RD REGION WILL PLAY THE 11^TH REGION AND THE 1^ST REGION WILL PLAY THE 16^TH REGION WINNER AT SEVEN P-M.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY COACH JOHN CALIPARI IS CONSIDERING COACHING THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC NATIONAL TEAM, THOUGH A DECISION IS NOT FINAL.

CALIPARI SAID ON HIS WEBSITE TUESDAY NIGHT HE WAS APPROACHED DURING THE PAST SEASON BY DOMINICAN BASKETBALL FEDERATION OFFICIALS ABOUT BECOMING INVOLVED TO GROW BASKETBALL IN THE NATION.

CALIPARI SAID IF HE DOES TAKE THE JOB, THE TEAM WILL TRAIN AT THE JOE CRAFT CENTER IN LEXINGTON AND THAT HIS COMMITMENT WOULD BEGIN IN EARLY AUGUST AND GO THROUGH MID SEPTEMBER.

LOUISVILLE COACH RICK PITINO ANNOUNCED TUESDAY HIS SON RICHARD WILL REJOIN THE LOUISVILLE STAFF. THE YOUNGER PITINO AND WYKING JONES WERE ANNOUNCED AS HIRES TUESDAY, WITH THE THIRD NEW MEMBER OF THE STAFF TO BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK.

PITINO ALSO ANNOUNCED RALPH WILLARD WILL NO LONGER BE LOUISVILLE’S DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS.

THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS TENNESSEE’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM WILL NOT TAKE A PLANNED SUMMER TRIP TO PLAY IN ITALY. COACH CUONZO MARTIN EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE TRIP FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, ONE BEING HE WILL SERVE AS AN ASSISTANT TO PURDUE HEAD COACH MATT PAINTER AT THE WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES IN CHINA AUGUST 12-23.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MIKE HAMILTON SAID THE TEAM WILL ALSO PLAY IN THIS YEAR’S MAUI INVITATIONAL AND THAT WOULD PUSH THINGS AS FAR AS TRAVEL IS CONCERNED.

TENNESSEE BASKETBALL PLAYERS SCOTTY HOPSON AND TOBIAS HARRIS HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR PAPER WORK TO MAKE THEMSELVES ELIGIBLE FOR THE NBA DRAFT.

COACH CUONZO MARTIN SAYS HE IS NOT SURPRISED BY THE PLAYERS DECISIONS. UNDERCLASSMEN HAVE UNTIL MAY 8^TH TO WITHDRAW FROM DRAFT CONSIDERATIONS, PROVIDED THEY HAVE NOT SIGNED WITH AN AGENT. THE DRAFT IS JUNE 23^RD.

COLLEGE GOLF

JACKSONVILLE STATE’S TEAM SHOT A RECORD EIGHT UNDER PAR 280 TO TAKE A HUGE LEAD HEADING INTO THE FINAL ROUND OF THE OVC TOURNAMENT AT GREYSTONE GOLF CLUB IN DICKSON, TENNESSEE.

MURRAY STATE IS THIRD AS A TEAM, WITH AUSTIN PEAY 5^TH. MURRAY STATE’S CAMERON CARRICO IS IN 4^TH PLACE INDIVIDUALLY, ONE SHOT OFF THE LEAD HELD BY THREE GOLFERS. THE FINAL ROUND IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

AUSTIN PEAY WAS A 7-5 WINNER OVER BELMONT IN NASHVILLE TUESDAY NIGHT.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS WILL PLAY THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL ROUND OF THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS. VANCOUVER DEFEATED CHICAGO IN THE 7^TH GAME OF THEIR QUARTERFINAL SERIES TUESDAY NIGHT 2-1 IN OVERTIME.

THE SERIES BEGINS IN VANCOUVER WITH THE FIRST TWO GAMES LATER THIS WEEK. THE SCHEDULE FOR THE SERIES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOMETIME TODAY.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

GAMES ACROSS THE REGION WERE RAINED OUT MONDAY.  NO WORD ON WHETHER ANY GAMES WILL BE PLAYED TODAY.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTED ON ITS WEBSITE MONDAY BULLITT EAST SOPHOMORE DEREK WILLIS HAS MADE HIS COMMITMENT ON WHERE HE WANTS TO PLAY HIS COLLEGE BASKETBALL.  WILLIS VISITED PURDUE UNIVERSITY OVER THE WEEKEND AND MADE HIS COMMITMENT.  THE SIX-NINE WILLIS LED THE CHARGERS TO THE 6TH REGION CHAMPIONSHIP THIS PAST SEASON.

MEANWHILE, LOUISVILLE EASTERN'S REMY ABELL VISITED INDIANA UNIVERSITY MONDAY AND LEFT WITH A SCHOLARSHIP OFFER ACCORDING TO THE COURIER JOURNAL.  ABELL WAS RELEASED FROM HIS COMMITTMENT TO PLAY FOR BRADLEY UNIVERSITY LAST WEEK.  ABELL IS ALSO CONSIDERING WESTERN KENTUCKY, XAVIER, BUTLER AND PENN STATE.  ABELL PLAYED FOR THE 7TH REGION CHAMPIONS WHO LOST TO STATE CHAMPION CHRISTIAN COUNTY IN THE SEMIFINALS OF THE BOYS SWEET 16.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WESTERN KENTUCKY BASKETBALL COACH KEN MCDONALD TELLS THE COURIER JOURNAL SAYS THE FINAL MONTHS OF THIS PAST BASKETBALL SEASON WERE STRESSFUL AND CONFUSING AS RUMORS SWIRLED ABOUT WHETHER HE WOULD RETURN FOR THE 2011-12 SEASON.  MCDONALD SAID HE COULD NOT DISCERN FACTS FROM RUMORS AFTER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ROSS BJORK TOOK OVER FROM FORMER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WOOD SELIG.  MCDONALD SAID ALL HE TRIED TO DO WAS FOCUS ON COACHING ON THE TEAM, WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING HE COULD CONTROL.  THE HILLTOPPERS WERE 16-16 THIS PAST SEASON.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WIDE RECEIVER RANDALL COBB IS ONE OF 25 PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND THURSDAY NIGHT'S NFL DRAFT IN NEW YORK.  COBB--WHO IS FOREGOING HIS SENIOR YEAR AT U-K--IS PROJECTED TO BE A LATE FIRST OR EARLY SECOND ROUND PICK.

NHL

NASHVILLE PREDATORS DEFENSEMAN SHEA WEBER HAS BEEN NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE NORRIS TROPHY, GIVEN TO THE NHL'S TOP DEFENSEMAN.  WEBER IS THE SECOND PREDATOR TO BE NAMED AS A FINALIST FOR A MAJOR AWARD.  GOALIE PEKKA RINNE WAS NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE VEZINA AWARD, GIVEN TO THE LEAGUE'S TOP GOALIE. 

MEANWHILE, THE PREDATORS ARE AWAITING THEIR OPPONENT IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS.  THE OPPONENT COULD BE THE DETROIT RED WINGS, LOS ANGELES KINGS OR VANCOUVER CANUCKS.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY MR. BASKETBALL ANTHONY HICKEY JUNIOR OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY WAS NAMED TO THE COURIER JOURNAL'S FIRST TEAM ALL STATE TEAM.  BOWLING GREEN'S CHANE BEHANAN AND WARREN CENTRAL'S GEORGE FANT WERE ALSO NAMED TO THE FIRST TEAM.  CHRISTIAN COUNTY'S DONOVAN KATES WAS NAMED TO THE SECOND TEAM, WHILE VEONTAE LEWIS ALONG WITH U-H-A'S MATT MCGOWAN WAS NAMED TO THE 2ND REGION HONORABLE MENTION TEAM.

ON THE GIRLS SIDE:  KENTUCKY MISS BASKETBALL SARA HAMMOND OF ROCKCASTLE COUNTY WAS NAMED TO THE FIRST TEAM ALONG WITH CHASTITY GOOCH OF FRANKLIN SIMPSON, BECCA GREENWELL OF OWENSBORO CATHOLIC AND AVEREE FIELDS OF CALLOWAY COUNTY.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

KENTUCKY FOOTBALL CONCLUDED SPRING PRACTICE SATURDAY, WITH COACH JOKER PHILLIPS SAYING FOLLOWING THE SCRIMMAGE HE FEELS THE WILDCATS CAN CONTEND FOR THE S-E-C EAST TITLE IN THE 2011 SEASON.  THE WILDCATS WILL OPEN THE SEASON THURSDAY SEPTEMBER FIRST AGAINST WESTERN KENTUCKY AT L-P FIELD IN NASHVILLE.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

FORMER HOPKINSVILLE HIGH PIRCHER JUSTIN HAGEMAN ALLOWED EIGHT RUNS, SEVEN EARNED IN WESTERN KENTUCKY'S 9-1 LOSS TO TROY SATURDAY.  HAGEMAN GAVE UP EIGHT HITS, STRUCK OUT FIVE AND WALKED ONE IN THE LOSS.  THE HILLTOPPERS LOST THE FINALE OF THE SERIES 12-9 SUNDAY AGAINST TROY.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS DEFEATED ANAHEIM SUNDAY 4-2 TO WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL SERIES FOUR GAMES TO TWO TO MOVE TO THE SEMIFINALS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY.  THE PREDATORS AWAIT TO FIND OUT THEIR OPPONENT.

GOLF

NASHVILLE'S BRANDT SNEDEKER RALLIED FROM SIX SHOTS BACK TO DEFEAT LUKE DONALD IN A PLAYOFF AND WIN THE HERITAGE SUNDAY AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA.  SNEDEKER SHOT A FINAL ROUND 64 IN GETTING HIS FIRST WIN ON TOUR SINCE THE 2007 WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP DURING HIS ROOKIE SEASON.

FRANKLIN'S KENNY PERRY AND PARTNER SCOTT HOCH LOST IN A PLAYOFF SUNDAY TO DAVID EGER AND MARK MCNULTY AT THE LEGENDS OF GOLF IN SAVANAH GEORGIA.  EGER AND MCNULTY STARTED THE DAY FOUR SHOTS OFF THE LEAD, WITH BOTH TEAMS TIED AT 27 UNDER PARK GOING INTO THE PLAYOFF, WHICH EGER AND MCNULTY WON THE FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE.  PERRY LIPPED OUT A PUTT THAT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED THE PLAYOFF.