I wish I was armed with a bunch of statistics, but one of the shortcomings of writing from a fan's perspective is that high school sports fans have trouble coming up with statistics. Plus, I have this thing called a "job" that eats up so much of the time I'd like to following high school hoops and searching for statistics.
I'd quit my job and do nothing but watch and write about sports, but my wife always lays a guilt trip on me: "The kids need to be fed" or "We need to pay the mortgage, electric bill, and gas bill." What's more important? Seeing that the kids are not malnourished or catching a match up between Logan County and Monroe County?
However, I can draw upon schools' records, opponents, and the games I have seen since Thanksgiving. Since the start of the season, I've seen seven of the sixteen Fourth Region teams play. I've seen Bowling Green, Greenwood, Cumberland County and Barren County play multiple times, and six of the seven teams have a good shot at winning the Fourth Region Tournament in March.
Barren County Trojans
Barren County played very well and won the Citizens First Classic in Bowling Green. They are well coached and execute their plays with precision. They are led by 6'1" senior forward Lee Hubbard and point guard Matt Riley. All five of Barren's starters are seniors, and they have seniors coming in off the bench. I always tend to favor experienced ball clubs when crunch time comes in March. When I start thinking about post season play in the Fourth, Barren County always jumps into my mind. They are 10-3 overall and 3-2 in the region, which doesn't really make my case very well.
Warren East Raiders
Unfortunately, the only chance I've had to see Warren East play was in the ugly, whistle fest they played against Warren Central on December 7th. Jordan Ellis spent most of that game on the bench in foul trouble, but Deangelo Kirk's shooting kept them in that game. East is 9-1 overall and undefeated in the region after four games. After the game against Central, I compared the Raiders to Rodney Dangerfield: "they don't get no respect." That still may be the case with fans, but I think Fourth Region coaches are giving them respect. I think they'll be jamming to some Aretha Franklin by the end of the regular season. They won the Murray Bank Classic and fared well in the Campbellsville University Classic. I'd watch out for them in March.
Metcalfe County Hornets
I haven't seen Metcalfe County play, and I'm looking forward to seeing the Hornets take to the Hardwood. They are 10-1 and undefeated after four games against Fourth Region opponents. They got fat on teams like Cumberland County, Monroe County, and Clinton County, but they beat Barren County in Edmonton on December 14th. Their only loss came in the Arby's/KFC Classic in Marion, Kentucky, at the hands of Ballou High School out of Washington, D.C.
We'll check back with them at the end of January and see how they did against teams like Warren East, Franklin Simpson, and Allen County-Scottsville. They play the Raiders at Warren East on January 12th, and I'm going to try my best to make that game.
Bowling Green Purples
The Purps are 5-1 against Fourth Region foes, with their only loss coming in the consolation game of the Citizens First Holiday Classic to crosstown rival Greenwood. Overall, D.G. Sherrill's squad is 9-3 with losses at the hands of Hazel Green out of Alabama and University Heights Academy. UHA is led by the tough tandem of Tyshawn Edmonson and Blue Chipper Scotty Hopson, and they played Bowling Green when most of the Purples' team was still playing football. After Christmas BG traveled to Morton's Gap and won the Hopkins Central Holiday Classic.
Warren Central Dragons
Is this the year that Tim Riley's reign over the Fourth Region ends. The Dragons are listed 11th in the region in overall wins, and they are 0-1 in the Fourth with a loss to Warren East. They dropped six games in a row, but the string included losses to Pleasure Ridge Park, Apollo, Hopkinsville, and the overtime loss to Warren East. St. Xavier (OH) wiped up the court with the Dragons in the Monticello Bank Classic, but Warren Central hosts the Greenwood Gators on January 4th for only their second Fourth Region match up. I just get the feeling that the Dragons are smoldering and will be breathing fire by the time district play starts. It would be foolish to count them out.
Greenwood Gators
I guess I've seen them play more than any team on the region. I even caught part of their game with Central Hardin in Murray on December 27th. They lost that game, but they beat Bowling Green in the Purples' auxiliary gym in the consolation game of the Citizens First Classic. The Gators are 9-6 overall and 2-4 in the region. They puzzle me. Sometimes they look great and other times they seem incapable. I saw them loose a heart breaker to Allen County-Scottsville on the opening night of the season. The Gators have no size, so they must execute with precision to beat larger teams. This is another team that I would not count out in March.
I'd love to write about other teams, but there's several teams in the region that have a shot at making some noise and Diddle on their way to Rupp Arena. The Fourth Region is absolutely wide open at this point, and I think there are several very competitive teams in it. January and February should prove to be exciting.
If any of my readers think I gave short shrift to their favorite team or overlooked any team, please comment and tell me so. I'm no expert, just a fan.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
King of the Bluegrass Tournament
Adair County vs. University Heights Academy
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
Everybody is talking about Scotty Hopson, but pound-for-pound Adair County's Kalen Kimberland was the best player in this game. He had a tough assignment: guard Hopson.
I like to watch players during warm ups and see how they prepare themselves for the game. Hopson was dancing to the music played over the loudspeakers, but the Adair players looked focused. This was the first time I've gotten a look at Adair County since last season's Fifth Region Tournament, and they looked stronger, especially the 6'7" center, Darrin Ballou.
A friend of mine from Louisville joined me and wanted to see if I could be wowed by Scotty Hopson. Instead, Ballow wowed me.
When we took our seats, I noticed we were behind Scott Padget. I could tell by his ears. He's a heck of a nice guy and was talking to everyone around him.
Hopson got fired up quickly when the game started. He scored six quick points, and then he let me down. I remember what Pick and Roll said about him in Bowling Green, and I saw what he was talking about. He's got great potential but needs to get his game face on.
I liked what I saw out of Adair County. I looked forward to a Hopson-Ballou match up, but to my surprise, Kimberland started guarding Hopson. Kimberland is only 5'11," so he gives up eight inches to the Blazers' blue chipper. He plays great defense.
At the end of the first quarter the Blazers had a 16-14 lead.
Darrin Ballou is quickly becoming one of my favorite players, and I hear he is big on WKU. I think he would be a good fit for the Hilltoppers. He shoots good from the floor but tends to force some of his shots He was stronger than Hopson. Ballou needs to work on his free throw shooting.
The second quarter went back-and forth. Hopson stood around a lot and looked lazy. His teammate, Tyshawn Edmonson took up the slack by doing most of the scoring in the second quarter. It's rumored that UT is looking at Edmonson (editor's note: I've also heard Florida). UHA still had the lead at the half, 33-28.
Adair County made some adjustments to start the third quarter. They started feeding Ballou down low, and he was finding the basket. It didn't take long for Hopson to switch over and guard Ballou, but Ballou took it right to him. He is stronger in the upper body, and he pushed Hopson around quite a bit.
With 5:00 to go in the third, UHA Coach Randy McCoy called a timeout and was red faced. At the end of the quarter, the game was tied at 49.
The game was living up to its hype.
With his team in a battle, Mr. Hopson decided to show up. He took charge in the fourth quarter. He is quick off the dribble and really elevates on his jump shot. He just doesn't impress me. I don't know why.
The game went to overtime with the teams knotted at 58.
In the extra frame, Adair County's Kalen Kimberland showed why he was -- pound-for-pound -- the best player on the floor. He scored nine of his game high 21 points in overtime. After a timeout, UHA threw a 2-1-2 zone press against Adair, and it caused the Indians a lot of trouble. With 6.6 second left in the game, UHA had a two point lead, but Adair had the ball. They had a shot at tying it up, but Ballou turned the ball over. UHA won a good contest, 65-63.
OBSERVATIONS
Beam Thee Up Scotty: Hopson has a lot of growing up to do before he plays the college game. His attitude is sorry. Scott Padgett said the same thing about him. If he ends up at UK, I hope BCG can mold him. He is athletic and has great hops.
Editor's Observation: Pick and Roll was never in the military, but he knows that soldiers, sailors, and Marines call the thick rimmed, ugly, military issue eyeglasses "BCG's." That is their lingo for Birth Control Glasses. I'll let the readers make the leap in logic, but calling Billy Clyde "BCG" could get...well...ugly.
Double Dog Adair You: Adair County is going to be fun to watch again this year in the Fifth Region. Ballou and Nick Fudge (in my opinion the best point guard in the Fifth) along with Kimberland will carry the Indians deep into the regional tournament. Ballou and Fudge are both juniors, so they'll be tough next year, too.
Editor's Note: I've got to take "A Christmas Story" out of the DVD player.
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
Everybody is talking about Scotty Hopson, but pound-for-pound Adair County's Kalen Kimberland was the best player in this game. He had a tough assignment: guard Hopson.
I like to watch players during warm ups and see how they prepare themselves for the game. Hopson was dancing to the music played over the loudspeakers, but the Adair players looked focused. This was the first time I've gotten a look at Adair County since last season's Fifth Region Tournament, and they looked stronger, especially the 6'7" center, Darrin Ballou.
A friend of mine from Louisville joined me and wanted to see if I could be wowed by Scotty Hopson. Instead, Ballow wowed me.
When we took our seats, I noticed we were behind Scott Padget. I could tell by his ears. He's a heck of a nice guy and was talking to everyone around him.
Hopson got fired up quickly when the game started. He scored six quick points, and then he let me down. I remember what Pick and Roll said about him in Bowling Green, and I saw what he was talking about. He's got great potential but needs to get his game face on.
I liked what I saw out of Adair County. I looked forward to a Hopson-Ballou match up, but to my surprise, Kimberland started guarding Hopson. Kimberland is only 5'11," so he gives up eight inches to the Blazers' blue chipper. He plays great defense.
At the end of the first quarter the Blazers had a 16-14 lead.
Darrin Ballou is quickly becoming one of my favorite players, and I hear he is big on WKU. I think he would be a good fit for the Hilltoppers. He shoots good from the floor but tends to force some of his shots He was stronger than Hopson. Ballou needs to work on his free throw shooting.
The second quarter went back-and forth. Hopson stood around a lot and looked lazy. His teammate, Tyshawn Edmonson took up the slack by doing most of the scoring in the second quarter. It's rumored that UT is looking at Edmonson (editor's note: I've also heard Florida). UHA still had the lead at the half, 33-28.
Adair County made some adjustments to start the third quarter. They started feeding Ballou down low, and he was finding the basket. It didn't take long for Hopson to switch over and guard Ballou, but Ballou took it right to him. He is stronger in the upper body, and he pushed Hopson around quite a bit.
With 5:00 to go in the third, UHA Coach Randy McCoy called a timeout and was red faced. At the end of the quarter, the game was tied at 49.
The game was living up to its hype.
With his team in a battle, Mr. Hopson decided to show up. He took charge in the fourth quarter. He is quick off the dribble and really elevates on his jump shot. He just doesn't impress me. I don't know why.
The game went to overtime with the teams knotted at 58.
In the extra frame, Adair County's Kalen Kimberland showed why he was -- pound-for-pound -- the best player on the floor. He scored nine of his game high 21 points in overtime. After a timeout, UHA threw a 2-1-2 zone press against Adair, and it caused the Indians a lot of trouble. With 6.6 second left in the game, UHA had a two point lead, but Adair had the ball. They had a shot at tying it up, but Ballou turned the ball over. UHA won a good contest, 65-63.
OBSERVATIONS
Beam Thee Up Scotty: Hopson has a lot of growing up to do before he plays the college game. His attitude is sorry. Scott Padgett said the same thing about him. If he ends up at UK, I hope BCG can mold him. He is athletic and has great hops.
Editor's Observation: Pick and Roll was never in the military, but he knows that soldiers, sailors, and Marines call the thick rimmed, ugly, military issue eyeglasses "BCG's." That is their lingo for Birth Control Glasses. I'll let the readers make the leap in logic, but calling Billy Clyde "BCG" could get...well...ugly.
Double Dog Adair You: Adair County is going to be fun to watch again this year in the Fifth Region. Ballou and Nick Fudge (in my opinion the best point guard in the Fifth) along with Kimberland will carry the Indians deep into the regional tournament. Ballou and Fudge are both juniors, so they'll be tough next year, too.
Editor's Note: I've got to take "A Christmas Story" out of the DVD player.
King of the Bluegrass Tournament
Madison Central vs. Louisville Trinity 12-26-07
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
I just didn't see myself sitting in Lebanon all day, so I jumped in my truck and headed to Louisvlle to watch the King of the Bluegrass. By the time I ventured through Springfield and Bardstown to I-65, my belly was growling. I kept telling myself to make it to Shepherdsville so I could get some of that Boot Leg Bar-B-Q. That hit the spot. I needed a nap, but I knew I had to get to Fairdale High School to see some hoops.
Barbecue and basketball! There's no better combination except maybe a well executed give-and-go.
I got there for the 2:30 p.m. game that featured Madison Central against Trinity, Louisville's perennial football powerhouse.
Madison Central is powered by 6'7" Aaron Morris, but I though he looked a little lazy on defense. Although Trinity is not know for their basketball, they started out by taking it right to the Indians. The place was packed and most fans were there to watch Morris, but Trinity held him scoreless in the first quarter. They held a 16-11 lead after one quarter.
Trinity kept the momentum at the beginning of the second, but it didn't last long. Morris could not be silent, and his team showed a lot of patience on offense. They pounded it down low to Morris, and he used his height to a sizable advantage. Trinity had no answer. He's also good out away from the basket. He scored 12 points in the second, and the Indians took a 32-30 lead into halftime.
Trinity has a lot of heart. they hustle up and down the court, and they were determined not to be blown out by MC. Trinity is well coached, and a gutsy guard named Matt Chambless led them on the court. The Shamrocks kept it close and were getting under Madison's skin. At the end of the third, the Indians still had just a two point lead, 43-41.
Both teams entered the game with a 5-3 record, which surprised me because they both played better than 5-3 ballclubs.
It was a really good game. Madison Central had the lead most of the way, but they never had a big lead. Trinity stayed after them, and with five minutes to go they MC had a five point lead. The Shamrocks were not finished, however. Led by Chambless, they tied it up with three minutes left in the game.
The Indians hit their free throws down the stretch, and it made the difference in the game. They got lucky and won 60-57.
OBSERVATIONS
He Ain't Catfood: I'm sure Aaron Morris is on someone's recruiting list. He is a senior and will be a steal for some team. He does need some polishing (not much), and he had a quiet 23 points against Trinity. He is silky smooth.
Fear the Rocks: Trinity has no fear. They had a balanced scoring attack and a sticky man-to-man defense. They just got into a situation where they had to foul and Madison made their free throws. If they play like they did today, they may surprise some people, too.
Editor's Note: I noticed that Allen Feldhaus, Jr., is Madison Central's coach.
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
I just didn't see myself sitting in Lebanon all day, so I jumped in my truck and headed to Louisvlle to watch the King of the Bluegrass. By the time I ventured through Springfield and Bardstown to I-65, my belly was growling. I kept telling myself to make it to Shepherdsville so I could get some of that Boot Leg Bar-B-Q. That hit the spot. I needed a nap, but I knew I had to get to Fairdale High School to see some hoops.
Barbecue and basketball! There's no better combination except maybe a well executed give-and-go.
I got there for the 2:30 p.m. game that featured Madison Central against Trinity, Louisville's perennial football powerhouse.
Madison Central is powered by 6'7" Aaron Morris, but I though he looked a little lazy on defense. Although Trinity is not know for their basketball, they started out by taking it right to the Indians. The place was packed and most fans were there to watch Morris, but Trinity held him scoreless in the first quarter. They held a 16-11 lead after one quarter.
Trinity kept the momentum at the beginning of the second, but it didn't last long. Morris could not be silent, and his team showed a lot of patience on offense. They pounded it down low to Morris, and he used his height to a sizable advantage. Trinity had no answer. He's also good out away from the basket. He scored 12 points in the second, and the Indians took a 32-30 lead into halftime.
Trinity has a lot of heart. they hustle up and down the court, and they were determined not to be blown out by MC. Trinity is well coached, and a gutsy guard named Matt Chambless led them on the court. The Shamrocks kept it close and were getting under Madison's skin. At the end of the third, the Indians still had just a two point lead, 43-41.
Both teams entered the game with a 5-3 record, which surprised me because they both played better than 5-3 ballclubs.
It was a really good game. Madison Central had the lead most of the way, but they never had a big lead. Trinity stayed after them, and with five minutes to go they MC had a five point lead. The Shamrocks were not finished, however. Led by Chambless, they tied it up with three minutes left in the game.
The Indians hit their free throws down the stretch, and it made the difference in the game. They got lucky and won 60-57.
OBSERVATIONS
He Ain't Catfood: I'm sure Aaron Morris is on someone's recruiting list. He is a senior and will be a steal for some team. He does need some polishing (not much), and he had a quiet 23 points against Trinity. He is silky smooth.
Fear the Rocks: Trinity has no fear. They had a balanced scoring attack and a sticky man-to-man defense. They just got into a situation where they had to foul and Madison made their free throws. If they play like they did today, they may surprise some people, too.
Editor's Note: I noticed that Allen Feldhaus, Jr., is Madison Central's coach.
KFC-Taco Bell Holiday Classic @ Marion County High School
Green County vs. Washington County 12-26-07
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
With Christmas finally over I can get back to watching some basketball games. I had a tough choice to make. So many good games, where should I start? I decided to head down to the KFC-Taco Bell Holiday Classic at Marion County High School. It's a small tournament with a few good teams, but five participants were from the Fifth Region.
I live in Hodgenville, so I had to take KY 84 to get down to Lebanon. Anyone who has traveled this road knows that it has more curves than Jessica Simpson.
I was a little disappointed to find out that the first game was between Green County and Washington County.
The Dragons were fresh in my mind because I watched Bardstown blitz them a few days before. They had all the size in the contest because Washington County starts five guards -- five guards!
Green came out firing, but they kept making silly turnovers, which kept Washington County in the game. The Dragons -- looking to rebound from last week's thrashing -- was up 21-18 at the end of the first quarter.
When the second quarter started so did Green County's Clint Henderson. He will pull the trigger from anywhere on the court, and he dives on the floor for loose balls. He plays good defense. The Commanders, however, didn't get discouraged under Henderson's barrage. Joe Joe Simms, who would get my vote for the "All-Star Name of the Tournament," started making shots, but the Dragons took a 36-30 lead into halftime.
Both teams looked different in the second half. Both wanted to win the game and played that way. The game could make a statement in the Fifth Region that these teams are for real, and someone might take notice. The game went back and forth in the third. Henderson kept his hot and hand, and reserve Daniel Bennett made some baskets. Both teams scored 14 points in the third, so Green maintained its six point advantage. Score: 50-44.
I figured it out after the third quarter. Washington starts five guards for a reason: they run opponents to death. I could see Green getting tired. They had run out of gas.
People in the Fifth Region better remember this name: Marshall Haydon. He plays for Washington County, and he caught fire in the fourth quarter and never let up. He did something I had never seen before. He hit FIVE straight three point goals. Needless to say, he was "feeling it." He ended up with eight three point goals by the end of the contest.
The Commanders never led in the game, but they were never out of it. They chipped away at Green's lead through the fourth frame, and they kept wearing down the Dragons. Washington got their first lead with 1:13 left in the game.
With 27 seconds left in the game the score was tied at 72. It looked like Green was going to hold it for the last shot and the win, but they could not keep from turning the ball over. Both times I've seen them play they've had trouble with ball control, and it has killed them both times.
Green County fouled the Commanders' Justin Chapman in hopes he'd miss both free throws. He made one and missed the other. Washington County pulled it out in a 73-72 thriller
OBSERVATIONS
Mano de Piedra: Green County has got to learn to hold onto the ball. It seems like they have about 50 turnovers in the two games in which I've seen them. Maybe they should work at Arby's and serve up turnovers there or maybe they're trying for the Pick and Roll's Roberto Duran Award: Hands of Stone.
Zzzzz Zzzzz: Marshall Haydon could be the Fifth Region's sleeper this year. Not only did he hit five three pointers in a row and total of 8 for the game, but he finished with 31 points. Nuff said.
Si Senior(s): Washington County never gave up. Seniors Haydon and Chapman lead the Commanders. They may get out-manned in some games, but I really like what I saw out of them tonight. They might get hot in March and take their team deep into the regional tournament.
Editor's Note: Green County was named for Nathaniel Greene, who also was second to Washington.
Also, I want to apologize to Chris and Pick and Roll readers for being tardy posting his reports. I had to assist with the recovery of material from a courthouse fire in Carlisle County this week. I've been away from home and working nearly around the clock.
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
With Christmas finally over I can get back to watching some basketball games. I had a tough choice to make. So many good games, where should I start? I decided to head down to the KFC-Taco Bell Holiday Classic at Marion County High School. It's a small tournament with a few good teams, but five participants were from the Fifth Region.
I live in Hodgenville, so I had to take KY 84 to get down to Lebanon. Anyone who has traveled this road knows that it has more curves than Jessica Simpson.
I was a little disappointed to find out that the first game was between Green County and Washington County.
The Dragons were fresh in my mind because I watched Bardstown blitz them a few days before. They had all the size in the contest because Washington County starts five guards -- five guards!
Green came out firing, but they kept making silly turnovers, which kept Washington County in the game. The Dragons -- looking to rebound from last week's thrashing -- was up 21-18 at the end of the first quarter.
When the second quarter started so did Green County's Clint Henderson. He will pull the trigger from anywhere on the court, and he dives on the floor for loose balls. He plays good defense. The Commanders, however, didn't get discouraged under Henderson's barrage. Joe Joe Simms, who would get my vote for the "All-Star Name of the Tournament," started making shots, but the Dragons took a 36-30 lead into halftime.
Both teams looked different in the second half. Both wanted to win the game and played that way. The game could make a statement in the Fifth Region that these teams are for real, and someone might take notice. The game went back and forth in the third. Henderson kept his hot and hand, and reserve Daniel Bennett made some baskets. Both teams scored 14 points in the third, so Green maintained its six point advantage. Score: 50-44.
I figured it out after the third quarter. Washington starts five guards for a reason: they run opponents to death. I could see Green getting tired. They had run out of gas.
People in the Fifth Region better remember this name: Marshall Haydon. He plays for Washington County, and he caught fire in the fourth quarter and never let up. He did something I had never seen before. He hit FIVE straight three point goals. Needless to say, he was "feeling it." He ended up with eight three point goals by the end of the contest.
The Commanders never led in the game, but they were never out of it. They chipped away at Green's lead through the fourth frame, and they kept wearing down the Dragons. Washington got their first lead with 1:13 left in the game.
With 27 seconds left in the game the score was tied at 72. It looked like Green was going to hold it for the last shot and the win, but they could not keep from turning the ball over. Both times I've seen them play they've had trouble with ball control, and it has killed them both times.
Green County fouled the Commanders' Justin Chapman in hopes he'd miss both free throws. He made one and missed the other. Washington County pulled it out in a 73-72 thriller
OBSERVATIONS
Mano de Piedra: Green County has got to learn to hold onto the ball. It seems like they have about 50 turnovers in the two games in which I've seen them. Maybe they should work at Arby's and serve up turnovers there or maybe they're trying for the Pick and Roll's Roberto Duran Award: Hands of Stone.
Zzzzz Zzzzz: Marshall Haydon could be the Fifth Region's sleeper this year. Not only did he hit five three pointers in a row and total of 8 for the game, but he finished with 31 points. Nuff said.
Si Senior(s): Washington County never gave up. Seniors Haydon and Chapman lead the Commanders. They may get out-manned in some games, but I really like what I saw out of them tonight. They might get hot in March and take their team deep into the regional tournament.
Editor's Note: Green County was named for Nathaniel Greene, who also was second to Washington.
Also, I want to apologize to Chris and Pick and Roll readers for being tardy posting his reports. I had to assist with the recovery of material from a courthouse fire in Carlisle County this week. I've been away from home and working nearly around the clock.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Murray Bank/Laker Classic @ Calloway County High School
McLean County vs. Calloway County 12-27-07
This was my first trip to Jeffrey Gymnasium at Calloway County High School, which is named for former Superintendent Buron "Boots" Jeffrey. The gym is a sunken horseshoe, which fans enter from the top, and the home side has plastic chair back seats while the rest are metal and plastic bleachers. It's a great place to watch a basketball game. I loved it. According to the program, Calloway County has called Jeffrey Gym home for 46 seasons, and their record there is 332 wins against 207 losses for a 61.6% winning percentage (a team should win about 75% of its home games). It holds 2,700 fans.
I wish that the locals called it "The Boot" to honor ole Buron. They could go German and call it "Das Boot," but that would be too Wolfgang Petersen.
I had no idea what to expect out of these two teams. I'm not a regular of First Region games, and I've never seen McLean County play, despite having several transplanted cousins attend high school there. I know that they're not a traditional Third Region power.
Calloway County beat Mayfield in overtime earlier in the day, which stretched their record to 8-2, which is a great start considering they lost all five starters off of last year's squad. I sort of thought that the Lakers might be the whipping boy of the First Region this season, but they are proving me wrong.
The first half of this game was like a Marvelous Marvin Haggler vs. Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns boxing match. Both threw a lot of punches, and both took a lot of punches. At the end of the first quarter, the game was tied at 15. At the end of the half it was tied at 28. The two teams played 16 minutes of basketball and accomplished nothing. It was sort of like getting to the fifth round of one of those legendary pugilist matches between Haggler and Hearns.
McLean County's 6'4" center, Nick Heflin, caught my eye. He showed good hands for catching passes and a soft touch around the rim. The Cougars have a sharp little play they use when attacking a zone. They throw a skip pass right over the top of the key, and the wing player throws a quick pass into the post, who has position on the block. It worked real well for them in the first half. They shot 64% from the field.
Josh Whitt, a senior guard, is the Cougars' floor leader. I liked the way he handled himself on the court, and he played very good defense. McLean started three seniors and two juniors.
Calloway County, on the other hand, has no seniors on this year's squad. They start three juniors and two sophomores. They are very young.
One sophomore is a forward/center named Tyrell Willis. He's 6'3" 225 pounds and is built more like a sophomore at Murray State than a one in high school. He stout and muscular, and his frame makes him look shorter than he really is. He's quick and has good leaping ability. He was lost on defense sometimes, but, heck, the guy is in his second year of high school basketball.
I've never seen anything like this. At halftime nearly every little boy in the gym came down onto the court and played or shot basketball. They freely go to a ball cart at one end of the court and take balls and shoot them. It was bedlam on the court between halves and no one seemed to care. I thought it was pretty cool. My four year old would be ecstatic at such an opportunity. When the teams returned the floor, the kids put the balls up or threw them to players and there were no problems. It looks like it may be a tradition at Jeffrey Gym -- a good one.
Calloway County picked up their defensive energy to start the third quarter. By the 5:15 mark they had a 39-30 advantage, and they outscored the Cougars 20-14 in the frame to take a 48-42 lead into the fourth.
Laker forward, Joseph Kelly, whose brother Benji starred for the Lakers in the late 1980s, caught fire in the second half. He opened the fourth quarter with a 3 point goal and hit some other big baskets that took the air out of McLean. Kelly is not a starter but plays a considerable number of minutes. I can tell that his big brother has put some smack down on him in the driveway at home because the kid can play under pressure.
McLean County was spent in the fourth quarter. They executed their skip pass and touch pass to the post several times in the second half. They got the ball where it needed to be, but the post player could not finish the play. They looked tired, and they had already lost to Mayfield in the afternoon match up, so they probably had no legs left.
In 1980, the Louisville Cardinals had a player named Pancho Wright, who came off of the bench for Denny Crum's national championship team. Pancho coined the now famous phrase "The Ville is goin to Naptown." Wright wasn't know for his passing ability, but he had a fantastic high arching jumpshot that he rarely missed. McLean's Chris "NCAA" Bracket let a 24 foot jumper fly tonight that I thought was going to scrape the rafters at Jeffrey Gym. It probably hit the radar at Paducah's airport it was so high, and it hit nothing but net.
Despite Bracket's arching three pointer, the Cougars cooled off in the second half. They ended up shooting 43% for the game. Calloway County out rebounded them 41-27.
The Lakers put up 27 fourth quarter points, while McLean scored 13. Calloway won 75-55.
OBSERVATIONS
Old Timers?: At halftime the Lakers hosted an "Old Timers Shootout." They brought out Benji Kelly from their 1989 squad and another guy from a team in the 1990s for a free throw shooting contest. The 1990s "old timer" missed all five of his shots. Benji Kelly shot with beautiful form, had nice rotation on the ball, and a good straight line. His first four shots toed off the front of the rim. He hit is his fifth one, though. Little brother Joseph fared much better in the second half.
Plus, how the heck can you call these guys "old timers"? They're younger than me.
Save the Zebras: I didn't catch the names of tonight's officiating crew, but they did an excellent job. They talked to the players and warned them for rough play instead of blowing their whistles every nine or ten seconds. It was well called and well handled.
Bumpus Hounds: Since I've seen the movie "A Christmas Story" about twenty times since Thanksgiving, I couldn't help but notice that one of Calloway County's players was named Jordan Bumpus. I wonder if he's had a hound dog get his ear caught in a neighbor's door.
Where's His Propeller Beanie?: Calloway County frosh Brock Simmons has a wonderful jump shot. He hit one or two very nice three pointers, and he plays solid basketball. He doesn't start but comes in the game soon after the start of the half and plays most of the game. He tried to drive the lane against McLean County, but they made him eat Spalding. Simmons is going to be a good ballplayer, though.
This was my first trip to Jeffrey Gymnasium at Calloway County High School, which is named for former Superintendent Buron "Boots" Jeffrey. The gym is a sunken horseshoe, which fans enter from the top, and the home side has plastic chair back seats while the rest are metal and plastic bleachers. It's a great place to watch a basketball game. I loved it. According to the program, Calloway County has called Jeffrey Gym home for 46 seasons, and their record there is 332 wins against 207 losses for a 61.6% winning percentage (a team should win about 75% of its home games). It holds 2,700 fans.
I wish that the locals called it "The Boot" to honor ole Buron. They could go German and call it "Das Boot," but that would be too Wolfgang Petersen.
I had no idea what to expect out of these two teams. I'm not a regular of First Region games, and I've never seen McLean County play, despite having several transplanted cousins attend high school there. I know that they're not a traditional Third Region power.
Calloway County beat Mayfield in overtime earlier in the day, which stretched their record to 8-2, which is a great start considering they lost all five starters off of last year's squad. I sort of thought that the Lakers might be the whipping boy of the First Region this season, but they are proving me wrong.
The first half of this game was like a Marvelous Marvin Haggler vs. Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns boxing match. Both threw a lot of punches, and both took a lot of punches. At the end of the first quarter, the game was tied at 15. At the end of the half it was tied at 28. The two teams played 16 minutes of basketball and accomplished nothing. It was sort of like getting to the fifth round of one of those legendary pugilist matches between Haggler and Hearns.
McLean County's 6'4" center, Nick Heflin, caught my eye. He showed good hands for catching passes and a soft touch around the rim. The Cougars have a sharp little play they use when attacking a zone. They throw a skip pass right over the top of the key, and the wing player throws a quick pass into the post, who has position on the block. It worked real well for them in the first half. They shot 64% from the field.
Josh Whitt, a senior guard, is the Cougars' floor leader. I liked the way he handled himself on the court, and he played very good defense. McLean started three seniors and two juniors.
Calloway County, on the other hand, has no seniors on this year's squad. They start three juniors and two sophomores. They are very young.
One sophomore is a forward/center named Tyrell Willis. He's 6'3" 225 pounds and is built more like a sophomore at Murray State than a one in high school. He stout and muscular, and his frame makes him look shorter than he really is. He's quick and has good leaping ability. He was lost on defense sometimes, but, heck, the guy is in his second year of high school basketball.
I've never seen anything like this. At halftime nearly every little boy in the gym came down onto the court and played or shot basketball. They freely go to a ball cart at one end of the court and take balls and shoot them. It was bedlam on the court between halves and no one seemed to care. I thought it was pretty cool. My four year old would be ecstatic at such an opportunity. When the teams returned the floor, the kids put the balls up or threw them to players and there were no problems. It looks like it may be a tradition at Jeffrey Gym -- a good one.
Calloway County picked up their defensive energy to start the third quarter. By the 5:15 mark they had a 39-30 advantage, and they outscored the Cougars 20-14 in the frame to take a 48-42 lead into the fourth.
Laker forward, Joseph Kelly, whose brother Benji starred for the Lakers in the late 1980s, caught fire in the second half. He opened the fourth quarter with a 3 point goal and hit some other big baskets that took the air out of McLean. Kelly is not a starter but plays a considerable number of minutes. I can tell that his big brother has put some smack down on him in the driveway at home because the kid can play under pressure.
McLean County was spent in the fourth quarter. They executed their skip pass and touch pass to the post several times in the second half. They got the ball where it needed to be, but the post player could not finish the play. They looked tired, and they had already lost to Mayfield in the afternoon match up, so they probably had no legs left.
In 1980, the Louisville Cardinals had a player named Pancho Wright, who came off of the bench for Denny Crum's national championship team. Pancho coined the now famous phrase "The Ville is goin to Naptown." Wright wasn't know for his passing ability, but he had a fantastic high arching jumpshot that he rarely missed. McLean's Chris "NCAA" Bracket let a 24 foot jumper fly tonight that I thought was going to scrape the rafters at Jeffrey Gym. It probably hit the radar at Paducah's airport it was so high, and it hit nothing but net.
Despite Bracket's arching three pointer, the Cougars cooled off in the second half. They ended up shooting 43% for the game. Calloway County out rebounded them 41-27.
The Lakers put up 27 fourth quarter points, while McLean scored 13. Calloway won 75-55.
OBSERVATIONS
Old Timers?: At halftime the Lakers hosted an "Old Timers Shootout." They brought out Benji Kelly from their 1989 squad and another guy from a team in the 1990s for a free throw shooting contest. The 1990s "old timer" missed all five of his shots. Benji Kelly shot with beautiful form, had nice rotation on the ball, and a good straight line. His first four shots toed off the front of the rim. He hit is his fifth one, though. Little brother Joseph fared much better in the second half.
Plus, how the heck can you call these guys "old timers"? They're younger than me.
Save the Zebras: I didn't catch the names of tonight's officiating crew, but they did an excellent job. They talked to the players and warned them for rough play instead of blowing their whistles every nine or ten seconds. It was well called and well handled.
Bumpus Hounds: Since I've seen the movie "A Christmas Story" about twenty times since Thanksgiving, I couldn't help but notice that one of Calloway County's players was named Jordan Bumpus. I wonder if he's had a hound dog get his ear caught in a neighbor's door.
Where's His Propeller Beanie?: Calloway County frosh Brock Simmons has a wonderful jump shot. He hit one or two very nice three pointers, and he plays solid basketball. He doesn't start but comes in the game soon after the start of the half and plays most of the game. He tried to drive the lane against McLean County, but they made him eat Spalding. Simmons is going to be a good ballplayer, though.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Green County @ Bardstown 12-21-07
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
I went over to Bardstown Friday night to watch Green County and Bardstown. I had to see Green County because they've been shocking teams left and right. The Dragons rolled into the contest with a 5-1 record, their only loss to last year's Fifth Region champs, Adair County (Adair County had no seniors on last season's team).
This was my first trip to Bardstown High School. Fans of old gymnasiums would love this one. Championship banners from all sports hang everywhere under a ceiling that has been repaired many times. You get the picture. That gym is old.
Bardstown did something I have never seen before. They came out of the locker room with towels rolled up, and they ran around the gym throwing them into the crowd. They should've saved the money and bought a new sound system. The music was so loud that half the gym held their ears. An older lady sitting next to me said her ears were going to bleed. The public address announcer was female and she called the game play-by-play like she was at the Owensboro Dust Bowl.
A lot of Fifth Region fans had Green County penciled into their top five, but the Dragons ran into a buzz saw tonight. Bardstown is a long and lanky team that pushes the ball as much as they can. Green came ready to play -- for a quarter -- and were up 16-13, but that's the best they could do.
Green started packing it in because they were getting beat down low, so they switched up from a 2-1-2 to a 2-3 zone. That's something I haven't seen in a long time, the old 2-3 zone. Offensively, Green is not that pretty, but they find a way to score. They are a scrappy bunch. They were able to break Bardstown's press with football passes down the court for layups. But, Bardstown led at the half, 32-27.
I guess Bardstown's coach, Gary Goode, got into his team at the half because they came out like a team on a mission to start the third quarter. They had a little extra pep in their step, and they forced Green County's coach, Toby Curry, to call a timeout just 90 seconds into the half. After the timeout, Bardstown shocked me with a 1-2-2 zone. They were going way back. I was waiting for the teams to start shooting granny-style free throws and jumping the ball up after every made basket. I was confused because Bardstown had no one in foul trouble. They confused the Dragons, and it was all Bardstown from there. The Tigers led 53-37 at the end of three.
I never got any rosters, and I couldn't understand the PA announcer. A Bardstown player was having a whale of a game. I think his name is Phillips, and I apologize if I have it wrong (editor: don't worry, they have no roster on their website, either).
Bardstown was just too good, and Green made too many mistakes. They played out of control at times, missed easy shots, and got frustrated. I found out after the game that Green was without their best player, who suffered a knee injury. I don't think that would've made much difference.
Bardstown won in a blowout, 81-55.
OBSERVATIONS
Boo Who? I was disappointed that among all the old photos and other memorabilia that Bardstown has no photographs of my friend Boo Brewer. Boo coaches at LaRue County. C'mon, show some love for Boo.
Great Gym; Bad Atmosphere: It was a great trip to a great old gym, and I took my daughter along with me. They've got to ditch that awful PA announcer. Thankfully, the gym is too small to host a Regional Tournament, the PA could get very nerve racking.
Seven For Seven: Bardstown is seven games into the season, and they have seven victories. They are going to be in the mix for the regional crown, and they could take an All "A" Championship.
I went over to Bardstown Friday night to watch Green County and Bardstown. I had to see Green County because they've been shocking teams left and right. The Dragons rolled into the contest with a 5-1 record, their only loss to last year's Fifth Region champs, Adair County (Adair County had no seniors on last season's team).
This was my first trip to Bardstown High School. Fans of old gymnasiums would love this one. Championship banners from all sports hang everywhere under a ceiling that has been repaired many times. You get the picture. That gym is old.
Bardstown did something I have never seen before. They came out of the locker room with towels rolled up, and they ran around the gym throwing them into the crowd. They should've saved the money and bought a new sound system. The music was so loud that half the gym held their ears. An older lady sitting next to me said her ears were going to bleed. The public address announcer was female and she called the game play-by-play like she was at the Owensboro Dust Bowl.
A lot of Fifth Region fans had Green County penciled into their top five, but the Dragons ran into a buzz saw tonight. Bardstown is a long and lanky team that pushes the ball as much as they can. Green came ready to play -- for a quarter -- and were up 16-13, but that's the best they could do.
Green started packing it in because they were getting beat down low, so they switched up from a 2-1-2 to a 2-3 zone. That's something I haven't seen in a long time, the old 2-3 zone. Offensively, Green is not that pretty, but they find a way to score. They are a scrappy bunch. They were able to break Bardstown's press with football passes down the court for layups. But, Bardstown led at the half, 32-27.
I guess Bardstown's coach, Gary Goode, got into his team at the half because they came out like a team on a mission to start the third quarter. They had a little extra pep in their step, and they forced Green County's coach, Toby Curry, to call a timeout just 90 seconds into the half. After the timeout, Bardstown shocked me with a 1-2-2 zone. They were going way back. I was waiting for the teams to start shooting granny-style free throws and jumping the ball up after every made basket. I was confused because Bardstown had no one in foul trouble. They confused the Dragons, and it was all Bardstown from there. The Tigers led 53-37 at the end of three.
I never got any rosters, and I couldn't understand the PA announcer. A Bardstown player was having a whale of a game. I think his name is Phillips, and I apologize if I have it wrong (editor: don't worry, they have no roster on their website, either).
Bardstown was just too good, and Green made too many mistakes. They played out of control at times, missed easy shots, and got frustrated. I found out after the game that Green was without their best player, who suffered a knee injury. I don't think that would've made much difference.
Bardstown won in a blowout, 81-55.
OBSERVATIONS
Boo Who? I was disappointed that among all the old photos and other memorabilia that Bardstown has no photographs of my friend Boo Brewer. Boo coaches at LaRue County. C'mon, show some love for Boo.
Great Gym; Bad Atmosphere: It was a great trip to a great old gym, and I took my daughter along with me. They've got to ditch that awful PA announcer. Thankfully, the gym is too small to host a Regional Tournament, the PA could get very nerve racking.
Seven For Seven: Bardstown is seven games into the season, and they have seven victories. They are going to be in the mix for the regional crown, and they could take an All "A" Championship.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Citizens First Holiday Classic @ Bowling Green High School
Hazel Green (Ala.) vs. Barren County 12-21-07
The first quarter of the championship match up between Hazel Green and Barren County was a defensive stalemate. Heck, the entire game was kind of that way. Both teams are very well coached and terribly patient, so they produced one of the fastest basketball games I've been too in a long time. Tournament officials started the consolation game between Greenwood and Bowling Green early so that it would be over before they finished the championship game. That wasn't the case.
Hazel Green's coach, Greg Watson, is young and has a quiet intensity about him. He also commands the respect of his players. After a blown play in the first quarter, he started busting the chops of one his guards. The kid mouthed back to him, and Coach Watson snapped back, "shut up and execute!" I didn't hear the kid say another word the rest of the game. My hunch is that he would've become familiar with the bench if he did.
The score was tied six all at the end of the first quarter and was only 20-18, Hazel Green's advantage, at halftime.
I should point out that Hazel Green is a small town just a few miles south of the Tennessee line in Alabama. I haven't measured it out, but I'm willing to bet that they had fewer miles to travel than the team from our own Pineville.
Hazel Green has a set play for every possession. The coaches call it out to them when they cross the mid-court stripe. They execute plays with precision, and they play a tough 2-3 zone with the guards matching up at the top of it. The players keep their arms up on defense, too, without having to be told.
Barren County is a good team, though. Steve Riley is a good coach. They were not going to let a team from Alabama sneak into Bowling Green and take home a trophy. Barren is very patient on the offensive end, and they started attacking HG's tricky match up zone. They penetrated with passes and penetrated with with the dribble through the top and the base of the zone.
Lee Hubbard, Barren's 6'1" senior forward, started making plays along the baseline against Hazel Green, and he started drawing fouls off of their interior players. Hubbard is a good ballplayer and has a good sense of when to and when not to force the ball into the lane. Matt Riley's heady play and ball handling kept Barren County in the game.
Hazel Green still had the advantage at the end of the third quarter, 31-28. I thought that maybe Barren County didn't have what it took to get over the hump, and that they would stay within striking distance and never overcome the Alabamians' athletic ability.
Barren County took over in the fourth quarter. It looked like Hazel Green didn't have any legs left after playing several games over the course of three days. Barren started the final frame with a quick 5-0 run that gave them the lead, 33-31.
Hazel Green scored only six points in the fourth quarter while Barren County managed 14. Steve Riley's squad prevailed, 42-37.
OBSERVATIONS
Fourth Region March Preview?: Greenwood beat Bowling Green 67-61 in the consolation game of the tournament. That means three of the four trophy winners were from the Fourth Region.
Strange Fan Club: I'm making myself president of the J.D. Strange Fan Club. It's for the Pineville coach. I watched the second half of the Pineville-Todd County Central game. The Mountain Lions had a 27 point lead on TCC, and Coach Strange called a timeout because his team was not playing very well. He sat his players down on the bench, looked out over his half glasses, and asked, "are you boys worried about your Christmas shopping?"
Was I in Troy?: Friday's championship game featured the Barren County Trojans against the Hazel Green Trojans. I was waiting for someone to wheel a wooden horse into Bowling Green's gymnasium.
Great Big Ole Girls: Bowling Green's gymnasium has a banner that puzzles me. It's for a cheerleading championship and it reads "CHAMPIONS: Large Coed Division." I laugh every time I read it. I've always heard girls from Warren East say that Bowling Green girls were cows, but now even the Purples are saying it. Champions? Did they win an eating contest?
All Tournament Team:
J.D. Strange, Pineville
Travis Johnston, Grayson County
Daniel Linder, Central Hardin
Jarren Nixon, Bowling Green
Dee Anderson, Greenwood
Kyle Burwell, Hazel Green
James Humphrey, Hazel Green
Blake Crabtree, Barren County
Matt Riley, Barren County
Lee Hubbard, Barren County
They didn't name an MVP. My vote would've been for Barren County's Lee Hubbard.
The first quarter of the championship match up between Hazel Green and Barren County was a defensive stalemate. Heck, the entire game was kind of that way. Both teams are very well coached and terribly patient, so they produced one of the fastest basketball games I've been too in a long time. Tournament officials started the consolation game between Greenwood and Bowling Green early so that it would be over before they finished the championship game. That wasn't the case.
Hazel Green's coach, Greg Watson, is young and has a quiet intensity about him. He also commands the respect of his players. After a blown play in the first quarter, he started busting the chops of one his guards. The kid mouthed back to him, and Coach Watson snapped back, "shut up and execute!" I didn't hear the kid say another word the rest of the game. My hunch is that he would've become familiar with the bench if he did.
The score was tied six all at the end of the first quarter and was only 20-18, Hazel Green's advantage, at halftime.
I should point out that Hazel Green is a small town just a few miles south of the Tennessee line in Alabama. I haven't measured it out, but I'm willing to bet that they had fewer miles to travel than the team from our own Pineville.
Hazel Green has a set play for every possession. The coaches call it out to them when they cross the mid-court stripe. They execute plays with precision, and they play a tough 2-3 zone with the guards matching up at the top of it. The players keep their arms up on defense, too, without having to be told.
Barren County is a good team, though. Steve Riley is a good coach. They were not going to let a team from Alabama sneak into Bowling Green and take home a trophy. Barren is very patient on the offensive end, and they started attacking HG's tricky match up zone. They penetrated with passes and penetrated with with the dribble through the top and the base of the zone.
Lee Hubbard, Barren's 6'1" senior forward, started making plays along the baseline against Hazel Green, and he started drawing fouls off of their interior players. Hubbard is a good ballplayer and has a good sense of when to and when not to force the ball into the lane. Matt Riley's heady play and ball handling kept Barren County in the game.
Hazel Green still had the advantage at the end of the third quarter, 31-28. I thought that maybe Barren County didn't have what it took to get over the hump, and that they would stay within striking distance and never overcome the Alabamians' athletic ability.
Barren County took over in the fourth quarter. It looked like Hazel Green didn't have any legs left after playing several games over the course of three days. Barren started the final frame with a quick 5-0 run that gave them the lead, 33-31.
Hazel Green scored only six points in the fourth quarter while Barren County managed 14. Steve Riley's squad prevailed, 42-37.
OBSERVATIONS
Fourth Region March Preview?: Greenwood beat Bowling Green 67-61 in the consolation game of the tournament. That means three of the four trophy winners were from the Fourth Region.
Strange Fan Club: I'm making myself president of the J.D. Strange Fan Club. It's for the Pineville coach. I watched the second half of the Pineville-Todd County Central game. The Mountain Lions had a 27 point lead on TCC, and Coach Strange called a timeout because his team was not playing very well. He sat his players down on the bench, looked out over his half glasses, and asked, "are you boys worried about your Christmas shopping?"
Was I in Troy?: Friday's championship game featured the Barren County Trojans against the Hazel Green Trojans. I was waiting for someone to wheel a wooden horse into Bowling Green's gymnasium.
Great Big Ole Girls: Bowling Green's gymnasium has a banner that puzzles me. It's for a cheerleading championship and it reads "CHAMPIONS: Large Coed Division." I laugh every time I read it. I've always heard girls from Warren East say that Bowling Green girls were cows, but now even the Purples are saying it. Champions? Did they win an eating contest?
All Tournament Team:
J.D. Strange, Pineville
Travis Johnston, Grayson County
Daniel Linder, Central Hardin
Jarren Nixon, Bowling Green
Dee Anderson, Greenwood
Kyle Burwell, Hazel Green
James Humphrey, Hazel Green
Blake Crabtree, Barren County
Matt Riley, Barren County
Lee Hubbard, Barren County
They didn't name an MVP. My vote would've been for Barren County's Lee Hubbard.
Citizens First Holiday Classic @ Bowling Green High School
Madisonville North Hopkins vs. Grayson County 12-21-07
Life is full of tough decisions, and my basketball life has tough decisions, too. This afternoon I had to decide between watching Owensboro play Central Hardin in the arena at Bowling Green High or Madisonville-North Hopkins play Grayson County in the auxiliary gym at BGHS. I chose to watch the latter. I had seen Owensboro and Central Hardin play the day before.
Plus, I wanted to see the Maroons' 6'7" junior, Jon Hood, play I had seen WKU's assistant coach, Cypheus Bunton, talking to Hood a lot, and I heard that other coaches were in to see him. I wanted to see what the kid had. However, in an earlier game, he knocked his head on the floor and got a concussion. He sat out of the game against Grayson County. I was a little disappointed, and I almost walked back to the main gym to watch Central Hardin play again.
I'm glad I didn't. I've become a big fan of Grayson County. I really like to watch these kids play basketball. In an earlier post I speculated that Travis Johnston was the son of Cougar head coach Todd Johnston. I was wrong, but I was almost right, too. One of the Pick and Roll's readers commented in that post that Travis is the coach's nephew. Well, I certainly appreciate being straightened out on that fact.
Madisonville's team was taller than Grayson County but not as strong. The Cougars are a deceiving team because everyone looks at their height -- or lack of it -- and thinks they are a push over. They couldn't be any more wrong. Grayson County is well coached, well conditioned, and very strong. Throughout Friday afternoon's game, they pushed and out-muscled the Maroons on very nearly every possession.
Madisonville is everything Grayson County isn't. They are tall, thin, impatient, and disorganized on the offensive end of the floor. They share one similarity with Grayson County; they play good defense.
I don't need to belabor any points about the first half of the game. Grayson County controlled it by playing very good 2-3 and match up zone. They are good at showing one defense and playing the other. The Cougars are very well coached. They led 19-9 at the end of the first quarter and led 36-26 at the end of the half.
I've also become a big fan of Travis Johnston. He's a player's player. He's the guy a coach wants on his team. Teams need players like Johnston. Travis Johnston is the kid who gets overlooked when choosing up sides when playing pickup ball, and he makes the team who didn't pick him first wish they did. If he's your opponent, he's the guy you want to hate but can't.
Johnston has a great game sense. In the second half one of his teammates dribbled into a trap deep in the Cougars' corner. Johnston darted through the traffic on the floor and went right to the one spot where he could receive a pass out of the trap. A fellow fan sitting with me said, "you just can't coach that stuff."
Someone pointed out to me that Johnston is just a sophomore. Holy smoke! Third Region opponents will be sick of him by the time he graduates from GCHS. I'd have to say that Johnston and Greenwood's Dee Anderson are the best sophomores in this year's Holiday Classic. Both made the All-Tournament Team.
North Hopkins has some very good athletes. I thought that Darnell Moore, a 6'7" senior post player would be the one to step up in the absence of Jon Hood, who, I was told, scores about 40 percent of the Maroons' points. He played a good game, but he was not a force on the basketball court like he should have been playing a team whose tallest player was 6'3". It seemed to me that the kid lacked vertical leap.
The Maroons got a lift from a senior guard named Shane Davis. He hit some big shots for them down the stretch, and he kept Grayson County off balance with good jump-stop shooting and drives to the basket. Caleb Nelson, another senior, stepped up for the team from "The Best Town on Earth." During the first half I said, "he's the best player they've got." A lady sitting next to me said, "he's already passed his career high." She should've known, too, because she was the his mother.
Nelson played a very good game. I don't now how many points he had, but he played the post in North Hopkins' 2-3, and he knew what to do with the ball on the offensive end. He's also plays in their defensive backfield during the football season. He fouled out in impressive fashion when he put a wicked football style hit on one of Grayson County's guards. Even his parents laughed at the hit and said that he was playing the wrong sport for a moment.
The Maroons made a run at Grayson County in the fourth quarter, but they never could get over the hump. They play way too selfish to win a game against a patient, ball control squad like Grayson County. The Cougars prevailed 69-62.
OBSERVATIONS
That's What I Call Home Cookin: After Darnell Moore sank the front end of a one-and-one the lady sitting next to me shouted "if you hit this one, I'll cook you supper." He missed. Too bad, Darnell. I guess you'll just have to hit the Ferrell's on Main Street.
Is That A Dozen Or Just A Couple?: Travis Johnston wears #12 for the Cougars. North Hopkins' guard inadvertently hit Johnston in the nose with his arm or elbow, and it gave Johnston a bloody nose. His coach (and uncle) took him out of the game to patch him up. He came back in, but a referee noticed blood on his uniform. They had to take him out of the game. A trainer trotted him back to the locker room, and a minute later one of their reserve players ran back there, too. In a flash, Johnston came out wearing #2 and the reserve was wearing #12. I wasn't sure if that was allowed, but no one said anything about it. No matter how Grayson County packages Travis Johnston, he's still good.
Offense Oh-ffense: I never saw MNH run an offense. They have no cohesiveness on that end of the court. It was almost painful to watch, especially because Grayson County is good at disrupting offenses.
Life is full of tough decisions, and my basketball life has tough decisions, too. This afternoon I had to decide between watching Owensboro play Central Hardin in the arena at Bowling Green High or Madisonville-North Hopkins play Grayson County in the auxiliary gym at BGHS. I chose to watch the latter. I had seen Owensboro and Central Hardin play the day before.
Plus, I wanted to see the Maroons' 6'7" junior, Jon Hood, play I had seen WKU's assistant coach, Cypheus Bunton, talking to Hood a lot, and I heard that other coaches were in to see him. I wanted to see what the kid had. However, in an earlier game, he knocked his head on the floor and got a concussion. He sat out of the game against Grayson County. I was a little disappointed, and I almost walked back to the main gym to watch Central Hardin play again.
I'm glad I didn't. I've become a big fan of Grayson County. I really like to watch these kids play basketball. In an earlier post I speculated that Travis Johnston was the son of Cougar head coach Todd Johnston. I was wrong, but I was almost right, too. One of the Pick and Roll's readers commented in that post that Travis is the coach's nephew. Well, I certainly appreciate being straightened out on that fact.
Madisonville's team was taller than Grayson County but not as strong. The Cougars are a deceiving team because everyone looks at their height -- or lack of it -- and thinks they are a push over. They couldn't be any more wrong. Grayson County is well coached, well conditioned, and very strong. Throughout Friday afternoon's game, they pushed and out-muscled the Maroons on very nearly every possession.
Madisonville is everything Grayson County isn't. They are tall, thin, impatient, and disorganized on the offensive end of the floor. They share one similarity with Grayson County; they play good defense.
I don't need to belabor any points about the first half of the game. Grayson County controlled it by playing very good 2-3 and match up zone. They are good at showing one defense and playing the other. The Cougars are very well coached. They led 19-9 at the end of the first quarter and led 36-26 at the end of the half.
I've also become a big fan of Travis Johnston. He's a player's player. He's the guy a coach wants on his team. Teams need players like Johnston. Travis Johnston is the kid who gets overlooked when choosing up sides when playing pickup ball, and he makes the team who didn't pick him first wish they did. If he's your opponent, he's the guy you want to hate but can't.
Johnston has a great game sense. In the second half one of his teammates dribbled into a trap deep in the Cougars' corner. Johnston darted through the traffic on the floor and went right to the one spot where he could receive a pass out of the trap. A fellow fan sitting with me said, "you just can't coach that stuff."
Someone pointed out to me that Johnston is just a sophomore. Holy smoke! Third Region opponents will be sick of him by the time he graduates from GCHS. I'd have to say that Johnston and Greenwood's Dee Anderson are the best sophomores in this year's Holiday Classic. Both made the All-Tournament Team.
North Hopkins has some very good athletes. I thought that Darnell Moore, a 6'7" senior post player would be the one to step up in the absence of Jon Hood, who, I was told, scores about 40 percent of the Maroons' points. He played a good game, but he was not a force on the basketball court like he should have been playing a team whose tallest player was 6'3". It seemed to me that the kid lacked vertical leap.
The Maroons got a lift from a senior guard named Shane Davis. He hit some big shots for them down the stretch, and he kept Grayson County off balance with good jump-stop shooting and drives to the basket. Caleb Nelson, another senior, stepped up for the team from "The Best Town on Earth." During the first half I said, "he's the best player they've got." A lady sitting next to me said, "he's already passed his career high." She should've known, too, because she was the his mother.
Nelson played a very good game. I don't now how many points he had, but he played the post in North Hopkins' 2-3, and he knew what to do with the ball on the offensive end. He's also plays in their defensive backfield during the football season. He fouled out in impressive fashion when he put a wicked football style hit on one of Grayson County's guards. Even his parents laughed at the hit and said that he was playing the wrong sport for a moment.
The Maroons made a run at Grayson County in the fourth quarter, but they never could get over the hump. They play way too selfish to win a game against a patient, ball control squad like Grayson County. The Cougars prevailed 69-62.
OBSERVATIONS
That's What I Call Home Cookin: After Darnell Moore sank the front end of a one-and-one the lady sitting next to me shouted "if you hit this one, I'll cook you supper." He missed. Too bad, Darnell. I guess you'll just have to hit the Ferrell's on Main Street.
Is That A Dozen Or Just A Couple?: Travis Johnston wears #12 for the Cougars. North Hopkins' guard inadvertently hit Johnston in the nose with his arm or elbow, and it gave Johnston a bloody nose. His coach (and uncle) took him out of the game to patch him up. He came back in, but a referee noticed blood on his uniform. They had to take him out of the game. A trainer trotted him back to the locker room, and a minute later one of their reserve players ran back there, too. In a flash, Johnston came out wearing #2 and the reserve was wearing #12. I wasn't sure if that was allowed, but no one said anything about it. No matter how Grayson County packages Travis Johnston, he's still good.
Offense Oh-ffense: I never saw MNH run an offense. They have no cohesiveness on that end of the court. It was almost painful to watch, especially because Grayson County is good at disrupting offenses.
Caveland Classic @ Edmonson County High School
John Hardin vs. Russellville 12-20-07
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
This was my second game on the day, and I got to watch a team I already knew something about, the John Hardin Bulldogs. From the opening tap this game was fast and furious. Russellville, from the Fourth Region, must've gotten hold of some game film because they opened up in a 2-1-2 zone, and it threw the Bulldogs off a bit.
Russellville fans told me that the Panthers like to shoot the three. The coach's son, Daniel Pardue, is particularly a good shot from the perimeter. They led at the end of the first quarter 14-12.
When the second quarter started, both teams still had on the afterburners. I watched and wrote about John Hardin about two weeks ago, and they are improving game-by-game. They really move the ball well. Silly turnovers and both teams being unable to find the basket made the quarter a bit boring. Russellville stuck to their game plan: live and die by the three. It just wasn't there on Thursday night. John Hardin took a 23-19 lead in at halftime.
The Bulldogs opened it up in the third quarter. They are so quick, and they create a lot of turnovers by getting into the passing lanes. It gave the Panthers fits. Russellville, still cold from the field, changed to a man-to-man defense. That was what John Hardin was waiting for, and they started running the infamous flex offense. From there, it was just one lay-up after another.
I know a lot of teams everywhere run the flex, and you know it's coming. It's just hard to stop.
Mike Randolph and Chris White led John Hardin to a 37-28 lead at the end of the third.
When the fourth came around, I was tired just watching these guys run. The Bulldogs played some sticky defense on the Panthers, and they still could not find their range. John Hardin was just too athletic. They won the game 59-40 and took third place in the tournament.
OBSERVATIONS
A Friendly Stripe: Russellville couldn't find their range on the perimeter, but they shot well from the free throw line. The Pardue kid was 6 for 6 from the charity stripe.
This Tourney Won't Cave: I had a good time at the Caveland Classic, and I'm glad I chose to start my holiday tournament season in Edmonson County. There was plenty of friendly fans.
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
This was my second game on the day, and I got to watch a team I already knew something about, the John Hardin Bulldogs. From the opening tap this game was fast and furious. Russellville, from the Fourth Region, must've gotten hold of some game film because they opened up in a 2-1-2 zone, and it threw the Bulldogs off a bit.
Russellville fans told me that the Panthers like to shoot the three. The coach's son, Daniel Pardue, is particularly a good shot from the perimeter. They led at the end of the first quarter 14-12.
When the second quarter started, both teams still had on the afterburners. I watched and wrote about John Hardin about two weeks ago, and they are improving game-by-game. They really move the ball well. Silly turnovers and both teams being unable to find the basket made the quarter a bit boring. Russellville stuck to their game plan: live and die by the three. It just wasn't there on Thursday night. John Hardin took a 23-19 lead in at halftime.
The Bulldogs opened it up in the third quarter. They are so quick, and they create a lot of turnovers by getting into the passing lanes. It gave the Panthers fits. Russellville, still cold from the field, changed to a man-to-man defense. That was what John Hardin was waiting for, and they started running the infamous flex offense. From there, it was just one lay-up after another.
I know a lot of teams everywhere run the flex, and you know it's coming. It's just hard to stop.
Mike Randolph and Chris White led John Hardin to a 37-28 lead at the end of the third.
When the fourth came around, I was tired just watching these guys run. The Bulldogs played some sticky defense on the Panthers, and they still could not find their range. John Hardin was just too athletic. They won the game 59-40 and took third place in the tournament.
OBSERVATIONS
A Friendly Stripe: Russellville couldn't find their range on the perimeter, but they shot well from the free throw line. The Pardue kid was 6 for 6 from the charity stripe.
This Tourney Won't Cave: I had a good time at the Caveland Classic, and I'm glad I chose to start my holiday tournament season in Edmonson County. There was plenty of friendly fans.
Caveland Classic @ Edmonson County High School
Allen County-Scottsville vs. Breckinridge County
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
I'm off work for eight days, and I'm excited about some holiday tournaments. The only problem is that there is so many good games I didn't know where to start. On Thursday, I decided to go to the Caveland Classic at Edmonson County High School. The tourney started on Tuesday with a field of eight teams mainly from the Third and Fourth regions. John Hardin was in the field representing the Fifth Region.
As I made my way down I-65, I couldn't wait to get to Brownsville and get some Berties Ice Cream. I was afraid of going too fast through Mammoth Cave for fear of the swarm of deer in the National Park. Of course, my first stop in Brownsville was Berties, where I filled my belly, and then I was off to the game.
I got there just after Ohio County and a team from Canada called London Christian finished playing. Breck County, my alma mater, and Allen County was next.
ACS came into the game with a 6-3 and Breck County was 4-5. When I looked at their rosters I noticed they both were a little young. Both had only three seniors.
Breckinridge County controlled the opening tip, and Jerimah Stinnett stroked a smooth three from the left wing about five seconds into the game. The Patriots raced back down the floor and hit their own basket. The two teams traded baskets, and Stinnett led the way for the Tigers by scoring 11 of Breck County's 16 first quarter points. They led by two at the quarter break.
Stinnett continued with a hot hand in the second quarter, and his Tigers starting expanding the lead.
Allen County had some rowdy fans at the game, and they did not like the way the game was being called. I've been around basketball for awhile now, and I'm an old ref myself. I normally don't say much about the officiating, but these guys missed a few calls. The fans didn't take a likin' to it. At the half Breck County led 37-22, and Stinnett had 16 points.
The Patriots made some adjustments at the half and were able to cool off Stinnett. Well, the whole team cooled off because they went about four minutes without a basket.
Led by junior, Brandon Lovett, ACS shot there way back into the game. They also fed the ball to 6'9" Phillip Hayes. It seems to me that if you've got a 6'9" guy on your team, and he has a sizable height advantage, he shuold get the ball every time down the floor. Breck County was still cold and let Allen County back in the game.
Patrick Critchelow, first year head coach at Breck County, called a time out and unleashed a tongue lashing on his team. I was quick to notice that the players respect their young coach and did not back talk. They are willing to learn the game.
ACS kept pushing back trying to make a game out of it. Lovett hit a three and made it a 12-3 run for the Pats. By the end of the third, they had closed the gap to 40-34. Breck County only scored three points in the third quarter.
Coach Critchelow had calmed down by the start of the fourth quarter. When I go to a game, I like to sit right behind a team's bench and observe a coach's technique. I really like the approach that Critchelow took with his team. He was always positive. He told them to just go out and play hard, and they did. They looked relaxed.
I'm not taking anything away from ACS because they are a good team, and it might have been different if their best player was on the court. He was sidelined by a groin injury. Breck County pulled away and won 58-47.
OBSERVATIONS
Win It with Stinnett: Jerimah Stinnett is a baller, or at least he was on Thursday night. He finished the game with 23 points. He looks like the type of player that lets the game come to him, and he never did rush anything or make any poor decisions.
You Can Go Home Again: I wanted to reiterate how much I like Patrick Critchelow's approach he took inside the huddle. I'm a former player, and I know what works with kids and what doesn't. His approach should work. I've known him for a long time, and you can't beat him as a person. He is in his first year as head coach, and I assume he has the support of the whole county behind him. He came back to Breck after leading them to a State Championship in 1995 and leading Kentucky Wesleyan to a National Championship.
Editor's Note: It's more a question. I was wondering if the best player for Allen County out with a groin injury was Jay "Pickle Juice" Starks. When I saw Allen County tangle with Greenwood a few weeks ago, Starks played and was nursing a groin injury that night. If it was Starks, he'd make a big difference. That's based on what I saw in Scottsville back around Thanksgiving.
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
I'm off work for eight days, and I'm excited about some holiday tournaments. The only problem is that there is so many good games I didn't know where to start. On Thursday, I decided to go to the Caveland Classic at Edmonson County High School. The tourney started on Tuesday with a field of eight teams mainly from the Third and Fourth regions. John Hardin was in the field representing the Fifth Region.
As I made my way down I-65, I couldn't wait to get to Brownsville and get some Berties Ice Cream. I was afraid of going too fast through Mammoth Cave for fear of the swarm of deer in the National Park. Of course, my first stop in Brownsville was Berties, where I filled my belly, and then I was off to the game.
I got there just after Ohio County and a team from Canada called London Christian finished playing. Breck County, my alma mater, and Allen County was next.
ACS came into the game with a 6-3 and Breck County was 4-5. When I looked at their rosters I noticed they both were a little young. Both had only three seniors.
Breckinridge County controlled the opening tip, and Jerimah Stinnett stroked a smooth three from the left wing about five seconds into the game. The Patriots raced back down the floor and hit their own basket. The two teams traded baskets, and Stinnett led the way for the Tigers by scoring 11 of Breck County's 16 first quarter points. They led by two at the quarter break.
Stinnett continued with a hot hand in the second quarter, and his Tigers starting expanding the lead.
Allen County had some rowdy fans at the game, and they did not like the way the game was being called. I've been around basketball for awhile now, and I'm an old ref myself. I normally don't say much about the officiating, but these guys missed a few calls. The fans didn't take a likin' to it. At the half Breck County led 37-22, and Stinnett had 16 points.
The Patriots made some adjustments at the half and were able to cool off Stinnett. Well, the whole team cooled off because they went about four minutes without a basket.
Led by junior, Brandon Lovett, ACS shot there way back into the game. They also fed the ball to 6'9" Phillip Hayes. It seems to me that if you've got a 6'9" guy on your team, and he has a sizable height advantage, he shuold get the ball every time down the floor. Breck County was still cold and let Allen County back in the game.
Patrick Critchelow, first year head coach at Breck County, called a time out and unleashed a tongue lashing on his team. I was quick to notice that the players respect their young coach and did not back talk. They are willing to learn the game.
ACS kept pushing back trying to make a game out of it. Lovett hit a three and made it a 12-3 run for the Pats. By the end of the third, they had closed the gap to 40-34. Breck County only scored three points in the third quarter.
Coach Critchelow had calmed down by the start of the fourth quarter. When I go to a game, I like to sit right behind a team's bench and observe a coach's technique. I really like the approach that Critchelow took with his team. He was always positive. He told them to just go out and play hard, and they did. They looked relaxed.
I'm not taking anything away from ACS because they are a good team, and it might have been different if their best player was on the court. He was sidelined by a groin injury. Breck County pulled away and won 58-47.
OBSERVATIONS
Win It with Stinnett: Jerimah Stinnett is a baller, or at least he was on Thursday night. He finished the game with 23 points. He looks like the type of player that lets the game come to him, and he never did rush anything or make any poor decisions.
You Can Go Home Again: I wanted to reiterate how much I like Patrick Critchelow's approach he took inside the huddle. I'm a former player, and I know what works with kids and what doesn't. His approach should work. I've known him for a long time, and you can't beat him as a person. He is in his first year as head coach, and I assume he has the support of the whole county behind him. He came back to Breck after leading them to a State Championship in 1995 and leading Kentucky Wesleyan to a National Championship.
Editor's Note: It's more a question. I was wondering if the best player for Allen County out with a groin injury was Jay "Pickle Juice" Starks. When I saw Allen County tangle with Greenwood a few weeks ago, Starks played and was nursing a groin injury that night. If it was Starks, he'd make a big difference. That's based on what I saw in Scottsville back around Thanksgiving.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Citizens First Holiday Classic @ Bowling Green High School
Central Hardin vs. Bowling Green 12-20-07
Nothing says Christmas in Kentucky like 45 degrees, gray skies, and rain coming down like someone was pouring it from a boot. Yes, I feel the yule tide ache in my stiff fingers and throbbing knees. Also, nothing says Christmas like ditching work for an afternoon of at the local holiday basketball tournament. I'd much rather hear the bounce of basketball and the squeak of sneakers than the Christmas music and the electronic beeping of a cash register at a department store.
I missed the early games of the day, and I almost missed the afternoon games. When I got to Bowling Green's arena, I discovered that I didn't have my wallet, but a good friend of mine bailed me out and paid my way into the games. With a Pick and Roll budget numbering in the tens of dollars, a handout from a friend is always appreciated. His wife even bought me a "D.G. Dog" from the concession stand. Man! I was flying first class this afternoon.
I looked forward to the game between Central Hardin and Bowling Green because I felt like the two teams were evenly matched. The Purples cruised to a 19 point victory over Cumberland County the previous evening, and the Bruins beat the same Cumberland County squad in the nightcap by 30 points. I figured Bowling Green took something out of the Panthers in the first game.
In the first quarter, both teams played tight defense and were kind of like a couple of bantam weight boxers jabbing and poking at one another, trying to see what punches they could land. Central Hardin opened in a 3-2 zone that moved right with the ball and clogged up the middle while Bowling Green pressed and played man-to-man. The Purples didn't like the zone, and they seemed reluctant to attack it. They stood around and were content with just passing the ball on the perimeter.
At the end of the first quarter the score was 11-9 in favor of Central Hardin.
The Purples came to life in the second quarter and went on a 20-8 run powered by good defensive play by Jared Carpenter and Billy "D" Williams, Jeb Richardson's shooting, and Jarren Nixon's ability to slash to the basket through the zone.
Central Hardin's coach, J.C. Wright, has done a masterful job at teaching his team how to switch defenses and to keep opponents guessing at what kind of defense they're going to throw at them. They showed a lot of zone in the first half, but they could switch right into a man-to-man. Their defense got things going for them late in the second quarter. Bowling Green had a 29-19 lead after their run, but Bruins fought back and pulled within two of the Purples at halftime, 34-32.
The Bruins have a solid starting five. Each player can play superb defense and each can score in multiple ways. I was most impressed with Chris Nichols. He a 6'3" senior and plays as a guard. The kid has a quick first step to the basket and wreaked havoc on Bowling Green when he got onto the baseline. Forward Tony Harding is a 6'2" senior with fantastic leaping ability and a nose for getting rebounds.
Central Hardin opened the third quarter with a man-to-man defense, and Bowling Green continued to press and to pressure who ever had the ball.
There were an extraordinary number of charging/blocking calls in this game. Ordinarily, I'd gripe about the officiating at this point, but both of these teams like to attack the basket. Both teams are good at stopping teams from attacking the basket, so there were a lot of whistles for blocking, charging, and player control. The officials probably missed a couple, but they did a good job at calling that part of the game.
When two teams attack the basket like the Bruins and the Purples, I get a little nervous watching the game. I'm always afraid that a player is going to get hurt. I have to remind myself that young athletes can take a tremendous amount of abuse.
Third quarter score? I wish I knew. I didn't right the danged score down, and I can't recall it. I even asked a friend about it, and he didn't know. The important thing is that the game was close, and heading into the final quarter it was still anybody's ballgame.
In the fourth quarter, Central Hardin just couldn't get over the hump. They'd run at Bowling Green, but the Purples countered with their own big basket. Tony Harding made a great play in the fourth that probably went unnoticed by most people. I hope Coach Wright saw it. On a missed shot, Harding came off of his man and jumped way up in the air and grabbed rebound with both hands and went straight back up with the ball and made a basket. He made no fakes. He didn't hesitate. He did what a basketball player is supposed to do in that situation: use athletic ability to outplay everybody and go up strong with the ball.
It was a very good basketball game for fans. Bowling Green prevailed 70-66.
OBSERVATIONS
Shorts and T: This call gets my Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Award. In the second half, D.L. Moore was standing near the Bowling Green bench talking to his coach. One of the referees comes over to Moore and signals a technical foul. Everyone in the gym was completely confused. At that moment, the Purples had a nine point lead and the basketball. Central Hardin got three points on the free throws and possession, cutting the lead to six. That's a big turn around in a tight basketball game.
The infraction? The referee gave the technical to Moore for pulling his shorts up too high. I later heard that the ref thought Moore was trying to show him up. What? Most likely D.L. Moore is going to be playing wide receiver for South Carolina next fall, and he couldn't care less about showing up some high school basketball official. I hate to tell that official, but he doesn't hit Moore's radar screen. Steve Spurrier will in a few months.
Watch Out Nancy Kerrigan!: I pointed out to some Bowling Green students that Tony Harding's name was dangerously close to being "Tonya Harding." Thank goodness there's no Jeff Gillooly on Central Hardin's team or a Shane Stant. Tony! I sympathize. My name is dangerously close to Captain Kirk's.
Gotta Get a Gorman: It's nice having Doug Gorman, the voice of Hilltopper Basketball at Diddle Arena, doing the public address at Citizens First Holiday Classic. He's a true professional, and I'm sure his paycheck has the same amount as my Pick and Roll paycheck.
Nothing says Christmas in Kentucky like 45 degrees, gray skies, and rain coming down like someone was pouring it from a boot. Yes, I feel the yule tide ache in my stiff fingers and throbbing knees. Also, nothing says Christmas like ditching work for an afternoon of at the local holiday basketball tournament. I'd much rather hear the bounce of basketball and the squeak of sneakers than the Christmas music and the electronic beeping of a cash register at a department store.
I missed the early games of the day, and I almost missed the afternoon games. When I got to Bowling Green's arena, I discovered that I didn't have my wallet, but a good friend of mine bailed me out and paid my way into the games. With a Pick and Roll budget numbering in the tens of dollars, a handout from a friend is always appreciated. His wife even bought me a "D.G. Dog" from the concession stand. Man! I was flying first class this afternoon.
I looked forward to the game between Central Hardin and Bowling Green because I felt like the two teams were evenly matched. The Purples cruised to a 19 point victory over Cumberland County the previous evening, and the Bruins beat the same Cumberland County squad in the nightcap by 30 points. I figured Bowling Green took something out of the Panthers in the first game.
In the first quarter, both teams played tight defense and were kind of like a couple of bantam weight boxers jabbing and poking at one another, trying to see what punches they could land. Central Hardin opened in a 3-2 zone that moved right with the ball and clogged up the middle while Bowling Green pressed and played man-to-man. The Purples didn't like the zone, and they seemed reluctant to attack it. They stood around and were content with just passing the ball on the perimeter.
At the end of the first quarter the score was 11-9 in favor of Central Hardin.
The Purples came to life in the second quarter and went on a 20-8 run powered by good defensive play by Jared Carpenter and Billy "D" Williams, Jeb Richardson's shooting, and Jarren Nixon's ability to slash to the basket through the zone.
Central Hardin's coach, J.C. Wright, has done a masterful job at teaching his team how to switch defenses and to keep opponents guessing at what kind of defense they're going to throw at them. They showed a lot of zone in the first half, but they could switch right into a man-to-man. Their defense got things going for them late in the second quarter. Bowling Green had a 29-19 lead after their run, but Bruins fought back and pulled within two of the Purples at halftime, 34-32.
The Bruins have a solid starting five. Each player can play superb defense and each can score in multiple ways. I was most impressed with Chris Nichols. He a 6'3" senior and plays as a guard. The kid has a quick first step to the basket and wreaked havoc on Bowling Green when he got onto the baseline. Forward Tony Harding is a 6'2" senior with fantastic leaping ability and a nose for getting rebounds.
Central Hardin opened the third quarter with a man-to-man defense, and Bowling Green continued to press and to pressure who ever had the ball.
There were an extraordinary number of charging/blocking calls in this game. Ordinarily, I'd gripe about the officiating at this point, but both of these teams like to attack the basket. Both teams are good at stopping teams from attacking the basket, so there were a lot of whistles for blocking, charging, and player control. The officials probably missed a couple, but they did a good job at calling that part of the game.
When two teams attack the basket like the Bruins and the Purples, I get a little nervous watching the game. I'm always afraid that a player is going to get hurt. I have to remind myself that young athletes can take a tremendous amount of abuse.
Third quarter score? I wish I knew. I didn't right the danged score down, and I can't recall it. I even asked a friend about it, and he didn't know. The important thing is that the game was close, and heading into the final quarter it was still anybody's ballgame.
In the fourth quarter, Central Hardin just couldn't get over the hump. They'd run at Bowling Green, but the Purples countered with their own big basket. Tony Harding made a great play in the fourth that probably went unnoticed by most people. I hope Coach Wright saw it. On a missed shot, Harding came off of his man and jumped way up in the air and grabbed rebound with both hands and went straight back up with the ball and made a basket. He made no fakes. He didn't hesitate. He did what a basketball player is supposed to do in that situation: use athletic ability to outplay everybody and go up strong with the ball.
It was a very good basketball game for fans. Bowling Green prevailed 70-66.
OBSERVATIONS
Shorts and T: This call gets my Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Award. In the second half, D.L. Moore was standing near the Bowling Green bench talking to his coach. One of the referees comes over to Moore and signals a technical foul. Everyone in the gym was completely confused. At that moment, the Purples had a nine point lead and the basketball. Central Hardin got three points on the free throws and possession, cutting the lead to six. That's a big turn around in a tight basketball game.
The infraction? The referee gave the technical to Moore for pulling his shorts up too high. I later heard that the ref thought Moore was trying to show him up. What? Most likely D.L. Moore is going to be playing wide receiver for South Carolina next fall, and he couldn't care less about showing up some high school basketball official. I hate to tell that official, but he doesn't hit Moore's radar screen. Steve Spurrier will in a few months.
Watch Out Nancy Kerrigan!: I pointed out to some Bowling Green students that Tony Harding's name was dangerously close to being "Tonya Harding." Thank goodness there's no Jeff Gillooly on Central Hardin's team or a Shane Stant. Tony! I sympathize. My name is dangerously close to Captain Kirk's.
Gotta Get a Gorman: It's nice having Doug Gorman, the voice of Hilltopper Basketball at Diddle Arena, doing the public address at Citizens First Holiday Classic. He's a true professional, and I'm sure his paycheck has the same amount as my Pick and Roll paycheck.
Citizens First Holiday Classic @ Bowling Green High School
Grayson County vs. Pineville
They came from the east. They followed no star. They rode no camels. They did not bring gold, frankincense, or myrrh. What the Pineville Mountain Lions brought was an old school style of basketball that I love to watch. They move the ball around the perimeter with precise passing and great patience. They pick. They roll. Players get open and they get the pass for the good shot. Everyone on the team can sizzle the nets from anywhere on the court.
I guess Grayson County assumed the role of King Herod in Wednesday's nightcap game of the Citizens First Holiday Classic in Bowling Green. They weren't going to let these basketball kings from the east trick them and get away.
I was anxious to see Pineville play. I don't get to see teams from the east, and I love their hustling brand of basketball.
Grayson County opened the game in a 2-3 zone, and having talked to some Pineville fans, I thought they were suicidal. The Mountain Lions attacked the zone with precision. They launched beautiful jump shots that were both quick and accurate. They moved the ball around the perimeter and found every niche and every napping Cougar player for easy baskets.
James David Strange plays guard for Pineville. It's no coincidence that the coach's name is J.D. Strange. The kid is the epitome of a coach's son and shows all the characteristics of a gym rat who probably dribbled a basketball before his mother quit putting a blanket over his head to feed him in public. He hustles. He executes well on defense. He has a textbook jump shot, and he gets mad at himself for making mistakes.
Strange nailed a near mid-court three point shot as time ran out of the first quarter, and the Mountain Lions had a 18-10 lead on the other brand of cats from Grayson County.
Different cats and different kinds of schools. I've always noticed this difference, too. County schools have the luxury of drawing from all parts of the county, and they have a large pool of basketball talent from which to draw. City schools, like Pineville, are smaller districts, and they have a limited number of kids from which to build a team. The advantage that a Pineville has over a Grayson County is that they are usually fed by just one junior high school and one elementary. Grayson County has one junior high (I think) but several different elementaries.
Pineville's players, according a parent of one of the players, have been playing together for a very long time. It showed in the first half, too. They played with the kind of precision that only a group of kids completely familiar with one another can play. Those teams seem to have a bond that goes further and deeper than just being a team.
In the second quarter, Grayson County started to come to life. The cougars were starting to stir and prowl. They held their mountain counterparts to just seven second quarter points, while they scored 13.
Wait a second! Cougars and Mountain Lions are the same danged animal. I saw the Panthers play in the first game of the day. They are all the same kind of cat. Maybe they should call Bowling Green's gym "The Litter Pan" this week.
Grayson County started the second half with a well played, tight man-to-man defense. I guess they were tired of Pineville's deadly shooting, so they stepped it up and got into their faces. It worked, too. Pineville couldn't find the open shot, and they got frustrated. The Cougars smelled blood and found the confidence they lacked in the first half. They held the Mountain Lions to just two third quarter points and took a commanding 40-27 lead going into the final frame.
Coach J.D. Strange benched their big center, Dustin Day, late in the third quarter and started busting his chops for lackadaisical play. He stalked back-and-forth in front of the kid and said, "you're 6'6" and your letting them push you around. Let me know when you're ready to play."
I don't know a lot about Grayson County, so I'm just taking a guess. I'm guessing that Travis Johnston is head coach Todd Johnston's son. Another coach's kid? He showed all the signs of being a coach's kid, just like James David Strange from Pineville. Johnston play stick-tight defense and made some big shots down the stretch of the game.
Bennett Skaggs for the Cougars also impressed me. He's a gritty ballplayer. He disrupted Pineville's guards on one play and tapped the ball into the backcourt. He dived after the ball three different times and I could hear his skin screeching across the hardwood each time. He eventually knocked the ball out of bounds on the baseline. I called him the "Floor Burn King." I love players who will do stuff like that. I bet he has some raspberries for breakfast this morning, but they're not the ones anyone wants.
Pineville outplayed Grayson County in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late. They could not overcome their terrible performance in the third.
Grayson County won 57-46.
I got to talk to a couple of Pineville fans, one of whom was Will Lambdin's father. I used to travel to Pineville a lot, and it is one of my favorite places in the state. If you've never been to Chained Rock, go. It is one of the most impressive vistas in the Commonwealth, and you'll realize that the chain will never keep that rock from tumbling down on Pineville.
OBSERVATIONS
D-Day: Pineville's Dustin Day applied one of the nastiests picks I've seen for a long time on Grayson County's Bennett "Floor Burn" Skaggs. He knocked the crap out of the kid and turned and looked at his coach for a scolding. He got called for the foul, and Skaggs was a bit rattled. He laid on the court for a long time looking like he'd gone a round with Mike Tyson. No, Day didn't bit his ear off.
People Are Strange: Is J.D. Strange the same one who coached at Allen County-Scottsville several years ago? I haven't had time to check it out. I may be completely mistaken about this. He never loses his cool in timeouts, but Coach Strange will absolutely bust his players' chops while the game is going on. He's not mean, but he knows how to needle them into playing better or tougher. I say behind Pineville's bench, and I really like his coaching style.
Disparity?: Late in the fourth quarter the officials had called 11 fouls on Pineville and only one on Grayson County. Coach Strange wasn't upset about it, so I wasn't either. I really didn't think the Mountain Lions were getting "jobbed" until I looked at the scoreboard. I just wonder, though.
They came from the east. They followed no star. They rode no camels. They did not bring gold, frankincense, or myrrh. What the Pineville Mountain Lions brought was an old school style of basketball that I love to watch. They move the ball around the perimeter with precise passing and great patience. They pick. They roll. Players get open and they get the pass for the good shot. Everyone on the team can sizzle the nets from anywhere on the court.
I guess Grayson County assumed the role of King Herod in Wednesday's nightcap game of the Citizens First Holiday Classic in Bowling Green. They weren't going to let these basketball kings from the east trick them and get away.
I was anxious to see Pineville play. I don't get to see teams from the east, and I love their hustling brand of basketball.
Grayson County opened the game in a 2-3 zone, and having talked to some Pineville fans, I thought they were suicidal. The Mountain Lions attacked the zone with precision. They launched beautiful jump shots that were both quick and accurate. They moved the ball around the perimeter and found every niche and every napping Cougar player for easy baskets.
James David Strange plays guard for Pineville. It's no coincidence that the coach's name is J.D. Strange. The kid is the epitome of a coach's son and shows all the characteristics of a gym rat who probably dribbled a basketball before his mother quit putting a blanket over his head to feed him in public. He hustles. He executes well on defense. He has a textbook jump shot, and he gets mad at himself for making mistakes.
Strange nailed a near mid-court three point shot as time ran out of the first quarter, and the Mountain Lions had a 18-10 lead on the other brand of cats from Grayson County.
Different cats and different kinds of schools. I've always noticed this difference, too. County schools have the luxury of drawing from all parts of the county, and they have a large pool of basketball talent from which to draw. City schools, like Pineville, are smaller districts, and they have a limited number of kids from which to build a team. The advantage that a Pineville has over a Grayson County is that they are usually fed by just one junior high school and one elementary. Grayson County has one junior high (I think) but several different elementaries.
Pineville's players, according a parent of one of the players, have been playing together for a very long time. It showed in the first half, too. They played with the kind of precision that only a group of kids completely familiar with one another can play. Those teams seem to have a bond that goes further and deeper than just being a team.
In the second quarter, Grayson County started to come to life. The cougars were starting to stir and prowl. They held their mountain counterparts to just seven second quarter points, while they scored 13.
Wait a second! Cougars and Mountain Lions are the same danged animal. I saw the Panthers play in the first game of the day. They are all the same kind of cat. Maybe they should call Bowling Green's gym "The Litter Pan" this week.
Grayson County started the second half with a well played, tight man-to-man defense. I guess they were tired of Pineville's deadly shooting, so they stepped it up and got into their faces. It worked, too. Pineville couldn't find the open shot, and they got frustrated. The Cougars smelled blood and found the confidence they lacked in the first half. They held the Mountain Lions to just two third quarter points and took a commanding 40-27 lead going into the final frame.
Coach J.D. Strange benched their big center, Dustin Day, late in the third quarter and started busting his chops for lackadaisical play. He stalked back-and-forth in front of the kid and said, "you're 6'6" and your letting them push you around. Let me know when you're ready to play."
I don't know a lot about Grayson County, so I'm just taking a guess. I'm guessing that Travis Johnston is head coach Todd Johnston's son. Another coach's kid? He showed all the signs of being a coach's kid, just like James David Strange from Pineville. Johnston play stick-tight defense and made some big shots down the stretch of the game.
Bennett Skaggs for the Cougars also impressed me. He's a gritty ballplayer. He disrupted Pineville's guards on one play and tapped the ball into the backcourt. He dived after the ball three different times and I could hear his skin screeching across the hardwood each time. He eventually knocked the ball out of bounds on the baseline. I called him the "Floor Burn King." I love players who will do stuff like that. I bet he has some raspberries for breakfast this morning, but they're not the ones anyone wants.
Pineville outplayed Grayson County in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late. They could not overcome their terrible performance in the third.
Grayson County won 57-46.
I got to talk to a couple of Pineville fans, one of whom was Will Lambdin's father. I used to travel to Pineville a lot, and it is one of my favorite places in the state. If you've never been to Chained Rock, go. It is one of the most impressive vistas in the Commonwealth, and you'll realize that the chain will never keep that rock from tumbling down on Pineville.
OBSERVATIONS
D-Day: Pineville's Dustin Day applied one of the nastiests picks I've seen for a long time on Grayson County's Bennett "Floor Burn" Skaggs. He knocked the crap out of the kid and turned and looked at his coach for a scolding. He got called for the foul, and Skaggs was a bit rattled. He laid on the court for a long time looking like he'd gone a round with Mike Tyson. No, Day didn't bit his ear off.
People Are Strange: Is J.D. Strange the same one who coached at Allen County-Scottsville several years ago? I haven't had time to check it out. I may be completely mistaken about this. He never loses his cool in timeouts, but Coach Strange will absolutely bust his players' chops while the game is going on. He's not mean, but he knows how to needle them into playing better or tougher. I say behind Pineville's bench, and I really like his coaching style.
Disparity?: Late in the fourth quarter the officials had called 11 fouls on Pineville and only one on Grayson County. Coach Strange wasn't upset about it, so I wasn't either. I really didn't think the Mountain Lions were getting "jobbed" until I looked at the scoreboard. I just wonder, though.
Citizens First Holiday Classic @ Bowling Green High School
Owensboro vs. Greenwood 12-19-07
Blane Embry's Greenwood Gators lack size this season. His rising star player has a leg brace that looks like someone stole a strut off of a Hummer brought back from Iraq. Those things don't matter when his teams are clicking and they follow their game plan. I'm always impressed at how well his teams move the ball, and they always know where they should be on the court. The player with the ball knows that a teammate is going to be where he should be. The result is that they pass with confidence, and they force an opponent to stay moving on defense.
Last night, Owensboro learned about Greenwood the hard way. I was told that Owensboro had benched two starters last night, and I have no idea why. I don't know if they were injured or if the coach was trying to send a message to them. I must remind anyone reading the Pick and Roll that I am just a fan and not always privvy to the same things reporters are. I'm not trying to be a reporter. I write from the fan's perspective.
Owensboro played in an absolute funk in the first three quarters of the game. They shuffled their feet on defense, and they just went through the motions on offense. I was late getting to the game, but the Red Devils had the lead when I walked in the gym, but Greenwood attacked in the second quarter and took the lead. Owensboro never sniffed the lead again. The Gators took a 23-19 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Greenwood continued to make the plays, breakdown Owensboro's half-hearted defense, and force the Red Devils into making mistakes on the offensive end.
Who knows what gets into the heads of a high school basketball team? I was anxious to see this matchup because Greenwood is versatile and tough and Owensboro is always good.
Reminiscence Warning!
The last time I saw Owensboro play was in 1983 in the championship game of the Louisville Invitational Tournament. This was back in the days before the proliferation of holiday tournaments and before Kentucky teams disappeared to Florida for the big, sun-filled ones down there. The LIT usually had 16 of the best teams from around the state playing a 15 game tournament that mirrored the Sweet Sixteen.
In 1983, Male High and Owensboro met in the championship, which was played in Freedom Hall. I can't remember much from that year's Red Devil squad, but they were good. Plus, they had won the state championship just three years prior. Male High hadn't tasted the state tournament since Darryl Griffith and Company took them there in 1975. It was a match up of two basketball powers, and Male High was armed with Winston Bennett.
Late in the game, Owensboro's pesky defense angered Bennett, and he took a basketball and bounced it off of the top of a Red Devil's head. I thought a bench clearing rhubarb might erupt right there in Freedom Hall. Maurice Payne benched Bennett until things cooled off, and Male High won the LIT.
Oh yeah, back to the game. The 2007 brand of Red Devil seemed unable to make a decision or play or set up a defense without instructions yelled from the bench. It was distressing. I don't if the players were all worried about what to get their coach for Christmas or they didn't like being away from home on the run-up to the holiday, but they responded to nothing.
Greenwood swarmed like a cloud of mosquitoes -- another swamp dwelling creature that can cause pain -- and Owensboro seemed to be in a haze in the purple walls of BGHS's auxiliary gym. Purple? Haze? They weren't kissing the sky last night on Owensboro's bench.
Greenwood won the game 60-50. They controlled the tempo. They controlled the game, and I think maybe the real Owensboro team stopped at the Denny's cafe' in Beaver Dam and stayed there. Stay away from the patty melt there; those things will kill you.
OBSERVATIONS
Impressive Goal Tend: Owensboro's C.J. Holman chased a Greenwood player down the court on a break away. Holman is 6'2" but he "climbed the ladder" and tipped the ball while after it had come off the box on the backboard. It was incredibly athletic, but it was also goal tending. I saw Dantae Smith do the same thing for Oldham County in the Eighth Region Tournament several years ago. Only, Smith didn't goal tend; he blocked the shot. Still one of the most impressive plays I've seen on a basketball court.
Dee Dee Dee: Dee Anderson is a lot more mobile than when I saw him play at Allen County a few weeks ago. He still has the Terminator knee brace on, but he was flying up and down the court against Owensboro. He still has trouble going east and west, though. He's one of my favorite players in the Fourth Region.
Time Out on Time Outs: Oh my gosh! Basketball is killing itself with the proliferation of time outs. First of all, they should do away with 30 second time outs. There is only one reason for these timeouts, and that is to get your teams butt out of a crack. Yeah, I know, coaches are there to teach the game to the kids, but wouldn't also help them to teach them how to think on the court and stay out of traps and not dribble the ball in pressure for more than five seconds. I liked the game when timeouts were precious. Coaches should only be able to call a timeout during a dead ball, and player should only be able to call one if they have both feet on the floor and control of the ball. The timeout in basketball is not fan friendly. It's one of the reasons why I've cut back on going to college basketball games. Between media timeouts and coaching ego timeouts the college game has no flow. Terrible!
Blane Embry's Greenwood Gators lack size this season. His rising star player has a leg brace that looks like someone stole a strut off of a Hummer brought back from Iraq. Those things don't matter when his teams are clicking and they follow their game plan. I'm always impressed at how well his teams move the ball, and they always know where they should be on the court. The player with the ball knows that a teammate is going to be where he should be. The result is that they pass with confidence, and they force an opponent to stay moving on defense.
Last night, Owensboro learned about Greenwood the hard way. I was told that Owensboro had benched two starters last night, and I have no idea why. I don't know if they were injured or if the coach was trying to send a message to them. I must remind anyone reading the Pick and Roll that I am just a fan and not always privvy to the same things reporters are. I'm not trying to be a reporter. I write from the fan's perspective.
Owensboro played in an absolute funk in the first three quarters of the game. They shuffled their feet on defense, and they just went through the motions on offense. I was late getting to the game, but the Red Devils had the lead when I walked in the gym, but Greenwood attacked in the second quarter and took the lead. Owensboro never sniffed the lead again. The Gators took a 23-19 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Greenwood continued to make the plays, breakdown Owensboro's half-hearted defense, and force the Red Devils into making mistakes on the offensive end.
Who knows what gets into the heads of a high school basketball team? I was anxious to see this matchup because Greenwood is versatile and tough and Owensboro is always good.
Reminiscence Warning!
The last time I saw Owensboro play was in 1983 in the championship game of the Louisville Invitational Tournament. This was back in the days before the proliferation of holiday tournaments and before Kentucky teams disappeared to Florida for the big, sun-filled ones down there. The LIT usually had 16 of the best teams from around the state playing a 15 game tournament that mirrored the Sweet Sixteen.
In 1983, Male High and Owensboro met in the championship, which was played in Freedom Hall. I can't remember much from that year's Red Devil squad, but they were good. Plus, they had won the state championship just three years prior. Male High hadn't tasted the state tournament since Darryl Griffith and Company took them there in 1975. It was a match up of two basketball powers, and Male High was armed with Winston Bennett.
Late in the game, Owensboro's pesky defense angered Bennett, and he took a basketball and bounced it off of the top of a Red Devil's head. I thought a bench clearing rhubarb might erupt right there in Freedom Hall. Maurice Payne benched Bennett until things cooled off, and Male High won the LIT.
Oh yeah, back to the game. The 2007 brand of Red Devil seemed unable to make a decision or play or set up a defense without instructions yelled from the bench. It was distressing. I don't if the players were all worried about what to get their coach for Christmas or they didn't like being away from home on the run-up to the holiday, but they responded to nothing.
Greenwood swarmed like a cloud of mosquitoes -- another swamp dwelling creature that can cause pain -- and Owensboro seemed to be in a haze in the purple walls of BGHS's auxiliary gym. Purple? Haze? They weren't kissing the sky last night on Owensboro's bench.
Greenwood won the game 60-50. They controlled the tempo. They controlled the game, and I think maybe the real Owensboro team stopped at the Denny's cafe' in Beaver Dam and stayed there. Stay away from the patty melt there; those things will kill you.
OBSERVATIONS
Impressive Goal Tend: Owensboro's C.J. Holman chased a Greenwood player down the court on a break away. Holman is 6'2" but he "climbed the ladder" and tipped the ball while after it had come off the box on the backboard. It was incredibly athletic, but it was also goal tending. I saw Dantae Smith do the same thing for Oldham County in the Eighth Region Tournament several years ago. Only, Smith didn't goal tend; he blocked the shot. Still one of the most impressive plays I've seen on a basketball court.
Dee Dee Dee: Dee Anderson is a lot more mobile than when I saw him play at Allen County a few weeks ago. He still has the Terminator knee brace on, but he was flying up and down the court against Owensboro. He still has trouble going east and west, though. He's one of my favorite players in the Fourth Region.
Time Out on Time Outs: Oh my gosh! Basketball is killing itself with the proliferation of time outs. First of all, they should do away with 30 second time outs. There is only one reason for these timeouts, and that is to get your teams butt out of a crack. Yeah, I know, coaches are there to teach the game to the kids, but wouldn't also help them to teach them how to think on the court and stay out of traps and not dribble the ball in pressure for more than five seconds. I liked the game when timeouts were precious. Coaches should only be able to call a timeout during a dead ball, and player should only be able to call one if they have both feet on the floor and control of the ball. The timeout in basketball is not fan friendly. It's one of the reasons why I've cut back on going to college basketball games. Between media timeouts and coaching ego timeouts the college game has no flow. Terrible!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Citizens First Holiday Classic @ Bowling Green High School
Cumberland County vs. Bowling Green 12-19-07
Bowling Green head coach D.G. Sherrill and Citizens First Bank have done a great job putting together a very nice tournament. The Holiday Classic has the potential of being one of the state's finest holiday tournaments if the community supports it. Bowling Green High certainly has a great facility for hosting such a tournament with two gyms and ready access to the city's best hotels, restaurants, and shopping areas. I can't forget to mention D.C. Clements, who is a local State Farm Agent, Booth Fire and Safety, and Martin Automotive Group for their support the tournament.
I didn't know what to expect out of this game. I've never seen Cumberland County play basketball, and I hadn't seen Bowling Green play since it got its core of players back from the Bills...oops, I mean their football team. Both are Fourth Region teams, so they have some degree of familiarity.
Bowling Green head coach D.G. Sherrill and Citizens First Bank have done a great job putting together a very nice tournament. The Holiday Classic has the potential of being one of the state's finest holiday tournaments if the community supports it. Bowling Green High certainly has a great facility for hosting such a tournament with two gyms and ready access to the city's best hotels, restaurants, and shopping areas. I can't forget to mention D.C. Clements, who is a local State Farm Agent, Booth Fire and Safety, and Martin Automotive Group for their support the tournament.
I didn't know what to expect out of this game. I've never seen Cumberland County play basketball, and I hadn't seen Bowling Green play since it got its core of players back from the Bills...oops, I mean their football team. Both are Fourth Region teams, so they have some degree of familiarity.
When Bowling Green's starters took the court, I noticed that D.L. Moore was on the bench. Wait a second. Coach Sherrill finally has one of his best starters back in uniform -- one of the best players in the region -- and he was sitting on the bench looking like a long and tall equipment manager. I know Moore doesn't take long to make the transition from the gridiron to the hardwood, so I assumed that the coach was sending a message to his best player.
Cumberland County jumped on the Purples early in the game. Casey Richardson, the Panthers' lanky 6'5" forward, took advantage of D.L. Moore imitating Bill Keightly and got some good baskets. Shaun Wheat, a thickly built center, manhandled Bowling Green's thin inside players. I kept looking for Coach Sherrill to pull the trigger and send Moore into the game, but the coach left Moore sitting on the bench.
I'm always impressed when a coach delivers an attitude adjustment to a key player by benching him. I'm more impressed when they stick to it.
At the end of the first quarter the Panthers had a 21-18 lead over the Purples.
In the second quarter, Bowling Green punched the accelerator and came back at Cumberland County. Jarren Nixon made some big plays with several quick slashes to the basket. He's got an impressive first step on his move and handles the ball well in traffic. Jared Carpenter provided some solid shooting from the perimeter. Plus, Coach Sherrill opened the dog house's door and let D.L. Moore into the game.
Jarren Nixon gave the Purples the lead with 5:35 to go in the second quarter, but Cumberland County wasn't going to roll over and die. They battled back, and they took a one point lead, 36-35 into halftime.
Bowling Green plays good defense this season. They have a nice full court press, and they even will press a team after a missed basket. It really catches teams off guard, and it takes an athletic and smart team to be able to find a man and pressure him after a miss. They do it well. Then, they settle into a sticky half-court defense with their arms up and always disrupting the passing lanes. Teams will find it difficult to make passes to the post against the Purples unless they are playing poorly.
Bowling Green's pressure got to Cumberland County in the third quarter, even though D.L. Moore was back in the Keightly chair on the Purples' bench. Jeb Richardson and Jarren Nixon, two totally different style of players, decimated the Panthers on the offensive end. Moore got back into the game and got some key rebounds on both ends of the court. Cumberland County was only able to score 13 points in the third frame, while the Purples scored 29. Bowling Green had a commanding 15 point lead, 64-49, and was in control of the game.
In the fourth quarter, Cumberland County only scored 11 points, while the tournament's host team scored 15 more.
I think we'll see a lot of this from Bowling Green this season. Teams will not be able to withstand their constant pressure and their basket attacking offense, and they will wither. Cumberland County's by-quarter scoring went 21, 15, 13, and 11. A coach who likes to use pressure defense has to be pleased when he sees his opponent unable to match the previous quarter's scoring total.
OBSERVATIONS
Prison Tat: I still don't know the kid's name, but Cumberland County had a guy wearing uniform #44, who had an impressive pair of tattoos. He checked into the game late, and I joked that he may be their team's "enforcer." Every team needs a kid who is good for five fouls and no amount of jeering from fans, jawing from coaches, and whining from opposing players will keep him from leveling at hot shooter a couple of times. Since the kid wasn't on the roster, I thought he might be in there make Jerron Nixon think hard about his next slash to the basket. I was completely wrong, though. He was a good defensive player and was in there to let someone try to get their legs back. I still don't know his name. The tattoo on his arm is a large Christian Cross.
Wolf Creek, Dam!: The dam at Wolf Creek, which impounds Lake Cumberland, is leaking. The Corps is worried that it will fail and flood the Cumberland Valley. I have a vision of a thousand houseboats full of people from Ohio flowing through downtown Nashville. Anyway, the Panthers must feel like the dam broke and flooded them last night. Bowling Green beat them by 19 points, and Central Hardin beat them by 30, 71-41 in the nightcap game.
Maybe It Was Memphis: D.G. Sherrill's defense looks a lot like John Calipari's down in Memphis. Someone needs to check Coach Sherrill's knickknack shelf for souvenirs from Sun Records and Beal Street. We might find him in his office jamming to Pam Tillis or Tom T. Hall. "That's how I got to Memphis..."
Sunday, December 16, 2007
An Old Hornets' Nest
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm crazy about old gymnasiums and stadiums. I went to the old Male High School at Brook and Breckinridge streets in downtown Louisville. I spent a lot of time in the old gym at that school. I'm going off the top of my head, but I think that gym was built in 1939.
Maybe that's where I developed my love for old gyms.
The other day I was in Hancock County, Kentucky, for a Christmas function hosted by a paper mill in the area. They held the event in Hancock County Middle School's gymnasium. I got to asking around and discovered that this was the home of the Hornets when they first consolidated high schools in the county in the 1960s. The gym was constructed in 1960, according to a plaque in the foyer to the school.
It must've been one heck of a tough place to play a basketball game. The stands go right up to the court, and they are really steep, so the crowd was on top of the action. One end of the gym was a stage, and the other end was a cinder block wall with an eyebrow shaped window across the top. The roof is steel and slightly arched, so it probably bounced crowd noise back down onto the court.
If I could travel back in time, I'd like to go back to 1963 when Hancock County went to the Sweet Sixteen out of the Fourth Region and watch them play Breckinridge County with Butch Beard. If those two teams squared off in the old Hancock County gym, I'm sure the place buzzed.
Note: Again, sorry I haven't posted any game re-caps from the Fourth Region. In the past few days I've been in Hawesville, Madisonville, Greenville, Bowling Green, and Nashville. The only basketball I've been able to see was Memphis vs. Middle Tennessee and Tennessee vs. WKU.
John Hardin @ North Hardin 12-13-07
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
As I was going up Dixie Highway to see John Hardin take on cross county rival North Hardin, I thought about my high school playing days. The last time I was in NH's gym was in 1990, and they were stacked. They had Jason Eututis (c.s.) and several other good players.
North Hardin is off to their best start since the 01-02 season.
I got there early, and the radio guys were nice enough to print me off the rosters for both teams. I looked it over and was shocked to see how much size both teams had. North Hardin has three guys over 6'6" and John Hardin has two. That's a lot of big guys for a couple of high school teams.
Both teams came out of the dressing rooms to the sound of Christmas music, courtesy of the North Hardin pep band. That's the way to pump up your team!
Apparently, the music got John Hardin in the Christmas spirit because they gave up a 19-5 lead to the Trojans.
I thought North Hardin was going to run away with it, but the Bulldogs bounced back in teh second quarter. They are a little down this year and didn't have the players to mount a big come back on a good team like NH. It seemed that the referees were trying to keep John Hardin from getting back into it, though.
With Desmon Bussey, John Hardin's guard, the Bulldogs pulled narrowed the gap to 11 points by halftime.
North Hardin opened the third quarter thinking they had this game wrapped up. Here come the Dawgs, though. Chris White, who is 6'4," powered an 18-7 run to close out the third quarter. It was a new game, and I could see the North Hardin faithful starting to squirm.
The John Hardin fans rose to their feet to start the fourth quarter, and the Trojan fans got up as well.
I knew that we were going to have a good finish. The Bulldogs tied the game at 44, but North Hardin was just too athletic. The prevailed 51-46.
OBSERVATIONS
Poet or President: Neither, North Hardin is a fast, atheltic team, and they can jump out of the gym. They also handle the ball well. They are led by 6'4" sophomore Roosevelt Emerson, who is probably the most talented player in the region. Again, he's only a sophomore.
Six Years Older and What Do You Get?: I'm impressed that a school that has been in existence for only six years has been able to build such a great athletic program. They have good football and basketball teams and always seem to be contenders.
Leave It to Bevars: I'm wondering if Ron Bevars may be ready to hand the reigns over to someone else. He has 688 wins and is 11-0 in regional finals (an astounding record!). He's also collected fifteen 17th District championships. He has not won a state championship, though. If everyone remembers, Laurel County's Paul Andrews snatched a championship from the Trojans in 1982 with the "Shot Heard 'Round the Commonwealth". Thursday night Bevars stayed on the bench and his assistants did a lot of the coaching.
Editor's Note: Thanks again, Chris. It seems I can't make it to a game here lately, so I really appreciate your notes from the Fifth Region. I have been on the road a lot for work, and then I spent the weekend in Nashville to see the Hilltoppers lose a heartbreaker to a football school. This week, I'm going to the Citizens First Holiday Classic at Bowling Green High School, and I might make it up to the Caveland Classic at Brownsville -- a "One Flashing Light Town." The Holiday Classic in Bowling Green features the hosting Purples, Madisonville-North Hopkins, Central Hardin, Greenwood, and the Red Devils from "Senior High" in Owensboro. It's shaping up to be one of the better Christmas time basketball tournaments in the state. Both gyms at BGHS will going full-tilt for three days.
As I was going up Dixie Highway to see John Hardin take on cross county rival North Hardin, I thought about my high school playing days. The last time I was in NH's gym was in 1990, and they were stacked. They had Jason Eututis (c.s.) and several other good players.
North Hardin is off to their best start since the 01-02 season.
I got there early, and the radio guys were nice enough to print me off the rosters for both teams. I looked it over and was shocked to see how much size both teams had. North Hardin has three guys over 6'6" and John Hardin has two. That's a lot of big guys for a couple of high school teams.
Both teams came out of the dressing rooms to the sound of Christmas music, courtesy of the North Hardin pep band. That's the way to pump up your team!
Apparently, the music got John Hardin in the Christmas spirit because they gave up a 19-5 lead to the Trojans.
I thought North Hardin was going to run away with it, but the Bulldogs bounced back in teh second quarter. They are a little down this year and didn't have the players to mount a big come back on a good team like NH. It seemed that the referees were trying to keep John Hardin from getting back into it, though.
With Desmon Bussey, John Hardin's guard, the Bulldogs pulled narrowed the gap to 11 points by halftime.
North Hardin opened the third quarter thinking they had this game wrapped up. Here come the Dawgs, though. Chris White, who is 6'4," powered an 18-7 run to close out the third quarter. It was a new game, and I could see the North Hardin faithful starting to squirm.
The John Hardin fans rose to their feet to start the fourth quarter, and the Trojan fans got up as well.
I knew that we were going to have a good finish. The Bulldogs tied the game at 44, but North Hardin was just too athletic. The prevailed 51-46.
OBSERVATIONS
Poet or President: Neither, North Hardin is a fast, atheltic team, and they can jump out of the gym. They also handle the ball well. They are led by 6'4" sophomore Roosevelt Emerson, who is probably the most talented player in the region. Again, he's only a sophomore.
Six Years Older and What Do You Get?: I'm impressed that a school that has been in existence for only six years has been able to build such a great athletic program. They have good football and basketball teams and always seem to be contenders.
Leave It to Bevars: I'm wondering if Ron Bevars may be ready to hand the reigns over to someone else. He has 688 wins and is 11-0 in regional finals (an astounding record!). He's also collected fifteen 17th District championships. He has not won a state championship, though. If everyone remembers, Laurel County's Paul Andrews snatched a championship from the Trojans in 1982 with the "Shot Heard 'Round the Commonwealth". Thursday night Bevars stayed on the bench and his assistants did a lot of the coaching.
Editor's Note: Thanks again, Chris. It seems I can't make it to a game here lately, so I really appreciate your notes from the Fifth Region. I have been on the road a lot for work, and then I spent the weekend in Nashville to see the Hilltoppers lose a heartbreaker to a football school. This week, I'm going to the Citizens First Holiday Classic at Bowling Green High School, and I might make it up to the Caveland Classic at Brownsville -- a "One Flashing Light Town." The Holiday Classic in Bowling Green features the hosting Purples, Madisonville-North Hopkins, Central Hardin, Greenwood, and the Red Devils from "Senior High" in Owensboro. It's shaping up to be one of the better Christmas time basketball tournaments in the state. Both gyms at BGHS will going full-tilt for three days.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Hart County @ LaRue County 12-07-07
By Fifth Region Correspondent, Chris Gregory*
When I got out of my truck at LaRue County High School the gym was thumping with the sound of the pep band goin' at it. The crowd sounded electric. I was there to see Hart County's new coach, Casey Simpson, who played ball at Bowling Green and was an assistant coach for Tim Riley at Warren Central.
The crowd was huge, and the LaRue students were dawned with blue and white paint all over their bodies. It was LaRue's home opener against 18th District and long time rival Hart County.
The game started slow, and at the end of the first quarter, the visitors had an 11-7 lead. Hart County opened things up early in the second quarter, but the two teams squared off, going back and forth through the end of the third. The Hawks had a two point lead over the visiting Raiders at the start of the final frame.
LaRue County is a senior rich ball club, and their experience carried them in the fourth quarter. They opened it up and prevailed 56 to 39.
OBSERVATIONS
Casey at the Bat: Simspon is a good young coach and handles himself well on the sidelines. Hart County fans should be patient with their young coach.
Bault and Sold: LaRue County's Bryan Bault hasn't played organized ball since grade school. Now, he starts for the Hawks and scored in double digits and grabbed several boards.
*Chris Gregory brings a better perpsective to Pick and Roll because he actually knows something about basketball. He played for Breckinridge County High School and is a good student of the game. He and I have had some lengthy discussions about UK, UofL, WKU, and high school hoops. He is a fan of high school football and basketball. Because he went to Breckinridge County, I won't let him write about football, though.
When I got out of my truck at LaRue County High School the gym was thumping with the sound of the pep band goin' at it. The crowd sounded electric. I was there to see Hart County's new coach, Casey Simpson, who played ball at Bowling Green and was an assistant coach for Tim Riley at Warren Central.
The crowd was huge, and the LaRue students were dawned with blue and white paint all over their bodies. It was LaRue's home opener against 18th District and long time rival Hart County.
The game started slow, and at the end of the first quarter, the visitors had an 11-7 lead. Hart County opened things up early in the second quarter, but the two teams squared off, going back and forth through the end of the third. The Hawks had a two point lead over the visiting Raiders at the start of the final frame.
LaRue County is a senior rich ball club, and their experience carried them in the fourth quarter. They opened it up and prevailed 56 to 39.
OBSERVATIONS
Casey at the Bat: Simspon is a good young coach and handles himself well on the sidelines. Hart County fans should be patient with their young coach.
Bault and Sold: LaRue County's Bryan Bault hasn't played organized ball since grade school. Now, he starts for the Hawks and scored in double digits and grabbed several boards.
*Chris Gregory brings a better perpsective to Pick and Roll because he actually knows something about basketball. He played for Breckinridge County High School and is a good student of the game. He and I have had some lengthy discussions about UK, UofL, WKU, and high school hoops. He is a fan of high school football and basketball. Because he went to Breckinridge County, I won't let him write about football, though.
Warren East @ Warren Central 12-07-07
There's a great big question hanging over the Fourth Region this basketball season: can the Warren Central Dragons hoist the regional championship trophy for the seventh time in as many years? It pops up in nearly every discussion, and it seems to monopolize the thoughts of every basketball fan in the Fourth. Every other team in the Region is tired of Warren Central storming through games like a loose herd of wild buffalo (thank you, Billy Jo Shaver), and they are ready to do something about it.
Throughout the football season the Warren East Raiders assumed the role of Rodney Dangerfield. They got no respect. Friday night, Russell Malone's basketball squad -- replenished after the football team's heart breaker loss to Lone Oak a week before -- didn't come into the "Dragon's Lair" tugging at their ties, fidgeting, and cracking "I don't get no respect." Instead, they took the court and matched Warren Central's usual intensity with their own brand of in-your-face, don't back down basketball.
East opened with a quick 10-4 lead on Central, and they seemed unfazed by the Dragon's constant full court press, which is a trademark of Coach Tim Riley's lasting success. East's guard #23 Jordan Ellis followed the quick start with a missed dunk, but he got the ball back, stepped out and nailed a three point goal. After a Central miss, he came back down the floor and hit another three point goal. The score was 16-7 in the Raider's favor.
I knew it was going to be a wild ride. I looked for a sign cautioning pregnant women and people with heart conditions not to board.
The Dragon's weren't going to let a cross-county rival come into the Lair and bloody their noses, so Tim Riley cranked the knob of his team's press all the way to 11 and came back after East. Central runs the press so well that I love to watch them. A coach at a major state university within site of Warren Central tries to use a full court press to snare turnovers and only uses it on occasion. Tim Riley, however, uses the press the way it should be used. He uses it constantly, and he intends it to wear teams down instead of popping a turnover every now-and-then. It reminds me of when Denny Crum had his great teams at Louisville, and they ground teams down with constant pressure.
With the press a Tim Riley coached team is never out of the game.
At the end of the first quarter the Raiders led 22-16, but the momentum had shifted back to the home team. Both teams had large crowds in the stands, and they had the gym rocking. The mood in the bleachers matched the mood on the hardwood. Forget Billy Jo Shaver songs, someone needed to que up The Troggs. "Wild thing, you make everything groovy."
I guess the game was too entertaining. Maybe the crowd was too loud. The officials turned the second quarter into a zebra fest. Perhaps they decided they wanted to be part of the show or they got tired of running up and down the court so much. They started whistling every touch, every hand check, and then if two players touched the ball at the same time, they knew there had to be a foul.
It was awful. They turned a wide open basketball game into a free throw shooting contest. The officials blew so many whistles that I thought I was in Havana and Fidel Castro had died.
The Warren East crowd thought they were getting the short end of the stick on the calls, but I must point out that several of their players were on the football field the week before. It's hard to make the transition from the turf to the maple wood in just seven days. I remember one year when traditional football powerhouse Mayfield played their first basketball game. They committed 37 fouls in a 32 minute basketball game. Warren East may have had the same problem in Friday's game.
Central's press and pressure was the other story for the second quarter. They climbed back into the game and had the lead at halftime, 35-34. The highlight of the quarter for the Raiders was DeAngelo Kirk's 23 foot three pointer that kept his team's momentum going.
At the half, I thought that Warren East had made their statement. They are a for real team in the 14th District and in the Fourth Region, but I thought that they could never match Central in the second half. East's hot shooting guard, Ellis, was saddled with four fouls, and a whole raft of them had three fouls after the officials decided to be part of the show.
A point down, Warren East opened the second half with a flurry and took a 45-37 lead on their hosts. Of course, Central came back with two huge plays by freshman George Fant, but everyone started to catch a sniff of upset in the air, including Russell Malone. He was after his players to keep up their intensity, and he even signaled to the throng of Raider supporters in the stands to clap and cheer. He knew his team had a shot at upending the six-in-row Fourth Region champs.
At the end of the third quarter, Central's Stephen Irvin committed a boneheaded move. Right in front of a whistle happy official, who was part of a crew handing out technical fouls like party favors, he slammed the ball down and let it bounce way up in the air. The official proudly signaled "T" and East got to end the quarter with two made free throws, making the score 55-49 in favor of the visitors.
Central wasn't going to go away, however. They never do. They can amp up their press at anytime and turn any team's legs to spaghetti -- over-cooked spaghetti. With 4:33 left in the game, the Dragons had a 59-56 lead over East, and it felt like the momentum had shifted to the home team's bench. East had lost two of its starters to foul trouble, and I no longer sniffed the scent of upset.
I was wrong, though. East wasn't backing down, and they regained the lead on a huge three pointer with 3:45 left.
With time running out and the score knotted at 68-68, freshman George Fant got the ball on the baseline with no one around him. He jumped up and put the ball on the rim, and it rolled off into the hands of a Raider rebounder. The "Wild Thing" game was headed for overtime.
Warren East did it. They took control of the extra period and prevailed 81-75. Throughout the game the Warren Central students chanted "WE CAN'T HEAR YOU" whenever their team got the lead. As the clock ran out on the overtime the East faithful answered with their own "WE CAN'T HEAR YOU."
I'm willing to bet that the Fourth Region heard the Raiders. Is Central's run over or will Tim Riley put together another team that will prevail at Diddle Arena in March? I think the Fourth Region is ripe for the picking this season. Central is not out of it, but there are several other teams who have a shot at punching their ticket to Rupp Arena this season.
OBSERVATIONS
Fant of Heart: Don't bet on it. George Fant is going to be a very good basketball player. It's a given that he is well coached, and he seems to respond to his coaching. He's got good hands and a soft shot. As he matures, he should become more aggressive about taking the ball to the rack. He'll be fun to watch develop this season and the next three.
Hometown Proud?: Throughout the game, Warren Central's PA announcer reported the score of Bowling Green's bid to be 5A football state champs. Fans from both sides of the court cheered loudly at the news of Highland's domination of the Purples. I hear that Bowling Green is going to change their name to the "Bills."
Two Games in Two Nights: I made it to the Bowling Green-UHA game on Thursday and the East-Central game on Friday. That won't happen very often because the Pick and Roll budget is in the tens of dollars and it's rolling stock is a fourteen year old pickup truck.
Throughout the football season the Warren East Raiders assumed the role of Rodney Dangerfield. They got no respect. Friday night, Russell Malone's basketball squad -- replenished after the football team's heart breaker loss to Lone Oak a week before -- didn't come into the "Dragon's Lair" tugging at their ties, fidgeting, and cracking "I don't get no respect." Instead, they took the court and matched Warren Central's usual intensity with their own brand of in-your-face, don't back down basketball.
East opened with a quick 10-4 lead on Central, and they seemed unfazed by the Dragon's constant full court press, which is a trademark of Coach Tim Riley's lasting success. East's guard #23 Jordan Ellis followed the quick start with a missed dunk, but he got the ball back, stepped out and nailed a three point goal. After a Central miss, he came back down the floor and hit another three point goal. The score was 16-7 in the Raider's favor.
I knew it was going to be a wild ride. I looked for a sign cautioning pregnant women and people with heart conditions not to board.
The Dragon's weren't going to let a cross-county rival come into the Lair and bloody their noses, so Tim Riley cranked the knob of his team's press all the way to 11 and came back after East. Central runs the press so well that I love to watch them. A coach at a major state university within site of Warren Central tries to use a full court press to snare turnovers and only uses it on occasion. Tim Riley, however, uses the press the way it should be used. He uses it constantly, and he intends it to wear teams down instead of popping a turnover every now-and-then. It reminds me of when Denny Crum had his great teams at Louisville, and they ground teams down with constant pressure.
With the press a Tim Riley coached team is never out of the game.
At the end of the first quarter the Raiders led 22-16, but the momentum had shifted back to the home team. Both teams had large crowds in the stands, and they had the gym rocking. The mood in the bleachers matched the mood on the hardwood. Forget Billy Jo Shaver songs, someone needed to que up The Troggs. "Wild thing, you make everything groovy."
I guess the game was too entertaining. Maybe the crowd was too loud. The officials turned the second quarter into a zebra fest. Perhaps they decided they wanted to be part of the show or they got tired of running up and down the court so much. They started whistling every touch, every hand check, and then if two players touched the ball at the same time, they knew there had to be a foul.
It was awful. They turned a wide open basketball game into a free throw shooting contest. The officials blew so many whistles that I thought I was in Havana and Fidel Castro had died.
The Warren East crowd thought they were getting the short end of the stick on the calls, but I must point out that several of their players were on the football field the week before. It's hard to make the transition from the turf to the maple wood in just seven days. I remember one year when traditional football powerhouse Mayfield played their first basketball game. They committed 37 fouls in a 32 minute basketball game. Warren East may have had the same problem in Friday's game.
Central's press and pressure was the other story for the second quarter. They climbed back into the game and had the lead at halftime, 35-34. The highlight of the quarter for the Raiders was DeAngelo Kirk's 23 foot three pointer that kept his team's momentum going.
At the half, I thought that Warren East had made their statement. They are a for real team in the 14th District and in the Fourth Region, but I thought that they could never match Central in the second half. East's hot shooting guard, Ellis, was saddled with four fouls, and a whole raft of them had three fouls after the officials decided to be part of the show.
A point down, Warren East opened the second half with a flurry and took a 45-37 lead on their hosts. Of course, Central came back with two huge plays by freshman George Fant, but everyone started to catch a sniff of upset in the air, including Russell Malone. He was after his players to keep up their intensity, and he even signaled to the throng of Raider supporters in the stands to clap and cheer. He knew his team had a shot at upending the six-in-row Fourth Region champs.
At the end of the third quarter, Central's Stephen Irvin committed a boneheaded move. Right in front of a whistle happy official, who was part of a crew handing out technical fouls like party favors, he slammed the ball down and let it bounce way up in the air. The official proudly signaled "T" and East got to end the quarter with two made free throws, making the score 55-49 in favor of the visitors.
Central wasn't going to go away, however. They never do. They can amp up their press at anytime and turn any team's legs to spaghetti -- over-cooked spaghetti. With 4:33 left in the game, the Dragons had a 59-56 lead over East, and it felt like the momentum had shifted to the home team's bench. East had lost two of its starters to foul trouble, and I no longer sniffed the scent of upset.
I was wrong, though. East wasn't backing down, and they regained the lead on a huge three pointer with 3:45 left.
With time running out and the score knotted at 68-68, freshman George Fant got the ball on the baseline with no one around him. He jumped up and put the ball on the rim, and it rolled off into the hands of a Raider rebounder. The "Wild Thing" game was headed for overtime.
Warren East did it. They took control of the extra period and prevailed 81-75. Throughout the game the Warren Central students chanted "WE CAN'T HEAR YOU" whenever their team got the lead. As the clock ran out on the overtime the East faithful answered with their own "WE CAN'T HEAR YOU."
I'm willing to bet that the Fourth Region heard the Raiders. Is Central's run over or will Tim Riley put together another team that will prevail at Diddle Arena in March? I think the Fourth Region is ripe for the picking this season. Central is not out of it, but there are several other teams who have a shot at punching their ticket to Rupp Arena this season.
OBSERVATIONS
Fant of Heart: Don't bet on it. George Fant is going to be a very good basketball player. It's a given that he is well coached, and he seems to respond to his coaching. He's got good hands and a soft shot. As he matures, he should become more aggressive about taking the ball to the rack. He'll be fun to watch develop this season and the next three.
Hometown Proud?: Throughout the game, Warren Central's PA announcer reported the score of Bowling Green's bid to be 5A football state champs. Fans from both sides of the court cheered loudly at the news of Highland's domination of the Purples. I hear that Bowling Green is going to change their name to the "Bills."
Two Games in Two Nights: I made it to the Bowling Green-UHA game on Thursday and the East-Central game on Friday. That won't happen very often because the Pick and Roll budget is in the tens of dollars and it's rolling stock is a fourteen year old pickup truck.
Friday, December 7, 2007
University Heights Academy @ Bowling Green 12-06-07
No one will ever say that Bowling Green's Coach D.G. Sherrill backs down from a challenge. When he put the University Heights Academy Blazers on his schedule for early December, he had to think that the Purples football team had a good shot at another trip to the KHSAA State Football Championship Game. Yes, Bowling Green's gridders are back in Louisville this week to take on Highlands, which leaves the school's basketball team with a thin roster. Most of Coach Sherrill's starters were sitting in the stands with their football teammates watching their basketball teammates take on UHA.
Coach Sherrill could have backed out of the game or postponed it until another part of the season. Instead, he took a "play 'em as ya schedule 'em" attitude and kept his date with the Blazers from Hopkinsville.
University Heights is a formidable opponent, too. They feature one of the state's best players, shooting forward Scotty Hopson. Hopson is a muscular 6'5" kid who glides up and down the court and has explosive moves to the rim. He put on a show for the Bowling Green crowd during warm-ups with a crazy looking 360 dunk. It was impressive, and I sort of felt a buzz in the small but interested crowd. Tyshawn Edmondson also did some razzle-dazzle moves during the warm-ups. I thought it might be a long night for the depleted Purples squad, especially when I saw D.L. Moore in street clothes hanging out with his football teammates.
When they tipped the ball up, though, I could tell that Bowling Green wasn't going to let the Blazers cruise into their gym and let them walk away with an easy victory. The Purples went after the ball on the defensive end, and they attacked the basket on the other. They challenged the visiting Mr. Basketball candidate, even frustrating him to the point of knocking a Bowling Green player down after a turnover. In the first quarter, an errant elbow split the eyebrow of a UHA player, which sent him to the locker room. No, no. The Purples were not going to back down to this Second Region powerhouse.
At the end of the first quarter UHA was up 11 to 9.
In the second quarter, UHA found their game, but the pesky Purples hung within striking distance. Their defense continued to force the Blazers into mistakes and made them force their shots. Scotty Hopson had a couple of nice moves to the basket and one very authoritative dunk.
Hopson, however, lacks intensity. Prior to the game there was some discussion about whether or not he was going to sign with Mississippi State University. In college recruiting, nothing is certain until the ink dries on a letter of intent, and Hopson hasn't signed a thing, as far as I know. Some say he wants to attract the attention of the state powerhouses of Louisville and Kentucky, but Hopson is going to have to show those programs that he can turn it up to 11 and play the college game.
Throughout the game with Bowling Green he seemed out of sorts, almost lolly-gagging around the court. Perhaps Coach Randy McCoy told him to dial it back a few notches out of respect for Coach Sherrill's thin roster, but he exerted as little defensive pressure as possible. Hopson's attitude did not impress me.
Tyshaun Edmondson impressed me the most. He's a good guard, and has excellent moves to the rim. He also has a good sense for the court. I lost track of how many points Edmondson had. Hopson had 23.
In the third quarter, Bowling Green made a respectable run at the Blazers. They went in the locker room at halftime down 30-22, but with 3:51 left in the third frame, Bowling Green got a one point lead, 33-32, on a free throw.
University Heights was frustrated. Coach McCoy had his "seat belt" on after a first half technical foul. Scotty Hopson mouthed an official after a foul call, and he got a technical. Unfortunately, for the Purples, they could connect on only one of four free throws after the technical. I thought the Bowling Green players were trying for jobs at Lee Brick and Block. Heck, they laid so many bricks I thought about checking to see if they had their International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers union cards.
Ouch! That moment deflated the Purples.
Bowling Green made a run at UHA and cut the lead to seven, 57-50, about halfway through the fourth quarter. The Blazers came alive and pused the lead out to 13. The home team lost their momentum, and UHA cruised to victory 74-59.
OBSERVATIONS
Jeran Nixon led the Purples with 17 points. He made baskets when Bowling Green needed them.
D.G. Sherrill said that he was going to buy the football coaches Buffalo Bills hats if they did not win in Louisville on Friday.
Lando Calrissian? #20 for Bowling Green's name is Billy Williams. I only hope he proves to be a good defensive player, so he can earn the nickname "D."
Bowling Green Traffic: Randy McCoy and his UHA Blazers need to learn to allow a lot of time to get into Bowling Green on a Thursday night. They were late for the JV game that preceded the headline event. Coach McCoy needs to know that all those WKU students are headed to night class on Thursday night at The Deuce and Good Tymze 2. It's their extracurricular studies. Coach McCoy! This ain't Hoptown, baby.
Coach Sherrill could have backed out of the game or postponed it until another part of the season. Instead, he took a "play 'em as ya schedule 'em" attitude and kept his date with the Blazers from Hopkinsville.
University Heights is a formidable opponent, too. They feature one of the state's best players, shooting forward Scotty Hopson. Hopson is a muscular 6'5" kid who glides up and down the court and has explosive moves to the rim. He put on a show for the Bowling Green crowd during warm-ups with a crazy looking 360 dunk. It was impressive, and I sort of felt a buzz in the small but interested crowd. Tyshawn Edmondson also did some razzle-dazzle moves during the warm-ups. I thought it might be a long night for the depleted Purples squad, especially when I saw D.L. Moore in street clothes hanging out with his football teammates.
When they tipped the ball up, though, I could tell that Bowling Green wasn't going to let the Blazers cruise into their gym and let them walk away with an easy victory. The Purples went after the ball on the defensive end, and they attacked the basket on the other. They challenged the visiting Mr. Basketball candidate, even frustrating him to the point of knocking a Bowling Green player down after a turnover. In the first quarter, an errant elbow split the eyebrow of a UHA player, which sent him to the locker room. No, no. The Purples were not going to back down to this Second Region powerhouse.
At the end of the first quarter UHA was up 11 to 9.
In the second quarter, UHA found their game, but the pesky Purples hung within striking distance. Their defense continued to force the Blazers into mistakes and made them force their shots. Scotty Hopson had a couple of nice moves to the basket and one very authoritative dunk.
Hopson, however, lacks intensity. Prior to the game there was some discussion about whether or not he was going to sign with Mississippi State University. In college recruiting, nothing is certain until the ink dries on a letter of intent, and Hopson hasn't signed a thing, as far as I know. Some say he wants to attract the attention of the state powerhouses of Louisville and Kentucky, but Hopson is going to have to show those programs that he can turn it up to 11 and play the college game.
Throughout the game with Bowling Green he seemed out of sorts, almost lolly-gagging around the court. Perhaps Coach Randy McCoy told him to dial it back a few notches out of respect for Coach Sherrill's thin roster, but he exerted as little defensive pressure as possible. Hopson's attitude did not impress me.
Tyshaun Edmondson impressed me the most. He's a good guard, and has excellent moves to the rim. He also has a good sense for the court. I lost track of how many points Edmondson had. Hopson had 23.
In the third quarter, Bowling Green made a respectable run at the Blazers. They went in the locker room at halftime down 30-22, but with 3:51 left in the third frame, Bowling Green got a one point lead, 33-32, on a free throw.
University Heights was frustrated. Coach McCoy had his "seat belt" on after a first half technical foul. Scotty Hopson mouthed an official after a foul call, and he got a technical. Unfortunately, for the Purples, they could connect on only one of four free throws after the technical. I thought the Bowling Green players were trying for jobs at Lee Brick and Block. Heck, they laid so many bricks I thought about checking to see if they had their International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers union cards.
Ouch! That moment deflated the Purples.
Bowling Green made a run at UHA and cut the lead to seven, 57-50, about halfway through the fourth quarter. The Blazers came alive and pused the lead out to 13. The home team lost their momentum, and UHA cruised to victory 74-59.
OBSERVATIONS
Jeran Nixon led the Purples with 17 points. He made baskets when Bowling Green needed them.
D.G. Sherrill said that he was going to buy the football coaches Buffalo Bills hats if they did not win in Louisville on Friday.
Lando Calrissian? #20 for Bowling Green's name is Billy Williams. I only hope he proves to be a good defensive player, so he can earn the nickname "D."
Bowling Green Traffic: Randy McCoy and his UHA Blazers need to learn to allow a lot of time to get into Bowling Green on a Thursday night. They were late for the JV game that preceded the headline event. Coach McCoy needs to know that all those WKU students are headed to night class on Thursday night at The Deuce and Good Tymze 2. It's their extracurricular studies. Coach McCoy! This ain't Hoptown, baby.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Bowling Green @ Owensboro 11-30-07
As I watched the two teams warm up for Friday night's semifinal football game, I started thinking about west Kentucky's two principal cities and their differences. Owensboro is a river town while Bowling Green is a college town. Owensboro is flat, and Bowling Green is hilly. Owensboro's streets are in a logical well planned grid, and Bowling Green's streets are narrow, don't line up and intersect at odd angles. Owensboro is Catholic. Bowling Green is Protestant. Old timers in Owensboro talk about Gabe's, and old timers in Bowling Green talk about Pauline's. Owensboro's barbecue is wet and Bowling Green's is dry. After decades of talking about getting one, Owensboro has an Olive Garden restaurant. Bowling Green had an Olive Garden but lost it several years ago. The most important event in Owensboro's history was when Cliff Hagan signed with the University of Kentucky to play basketball. Bowling Green's most important event was when Western Kentucky University went to the Final Four.
Yes, the two cities are different, and the differences may be reflected in their football teams. The Bowling Green Purples like to open the game up with a passing attack and sweeping pitch outs to their running backs. The Owensboro Red Devils focus on defense and play smash mouth, run-up-the-middle, ball control offense.
I knew the game had the makings of a classic, and it was appropriate that the game was being played at Rash Stadium behind old "Senior High" along Owensboro's Frederica Street. It's a classic venue. The stadium is two concrete grandstands that sit incredibly close to the playing field. There's very little room for the two teams to stand on the sidelines, so spectators really get a sense of the action on the field. Last season the school and the boosters coughed up a horse choking wad of money to replace the old playing field at Rash with one of those second generation artificial turf fields that feel like a natural surface.
Bowling Green had a stout assignment to try to upend the Red Devils in one heck of a tough place to play. The atmosphere around the old stadium was electric, and every player, coach, and fan sensed that two very good football teams were squaring off for a spot in next week's 5-A state championship game.
The two teams opened up the game with a bad case of the jitters. Bowling Green had the first possession, and Trent Steelman threw an interception on the opening play. Owensboro promptly turned the ball back over to the Purples. I can't remember all the entire scenario, but after some sloppy football, Owensboro tried to punch the ball in the end zone on short yardage but failed. They settled for a field goal.
Bowling Green just couldn't find a groove and continued to turn the ball over, and the Red Devils took a commanding 13-0 lead over the #2 ranked Purples. The Owensboro fans were going nuts, and the visitors from the other end of the Natcher Parkway were very quiet, despite having a large crowd in attendance.
Owensboro's fans were armed with cowbells and plastic milk jugs filled with bb's. They clanked those bells and shook those milk jugs making an awful racket. I was sitting with a friend from Owensboro, and we could hardly talk over the rattling and clanking. I was afraid that I would be deaf by the end of the contest (my ears still rang the morning after).
A well-dressed, middle-aged lady sat in front of me. She had on a heavy overcoat and layers of clothes on underneath. When the Red Devils kicked a field goal, she took off her coat. When they scored a touchdown, she took off a light jacket. I started to wonder if she lost an article of clothing with each Red Devil score. I thought things could get very interesting if they started running up the score, especially on such a cold night.
Down by a touchdown bracketed by two field goals, the Bowling Green squad could have given up, folded tent, and waited for the yellow dog school buses to truck them back down the parkway. Instead, they engineered a drive that put them right on Owensboro's goal line. Bowling Green got the touchdown and made the score 14-7. Tension spread through the stands, and the Purples' crowd started to make some noise.
Owensboro had the ball late in the second quarter. Their drive fizzled, and they had to punt. It turned out to be the key possession of the game. If Owensboro scored or even just ran the clock out, Bowling Green would've been down at the half with the Red Devils getting the first possession of the second half. Instead, the Purples got the ball with just over two minutes remaining.
They drove back down to Owensboro's goal line and were threatening to take the lead. The lady who had been taking off her warm clothes started putting them back on. Oh well. I'll try to sit next to her when the Red Devils take on Breckinridge County in a future season.
Trent Steelman and running back Lavance Anderson put together the best fake hand-off play I have ever seen to score the Purple's second touchdown. Steelman faked and Anderson plunged into the line of scrimmage running over the left tackle. Owensboro brought him down short of the goal line, and the referees blew their whistles thinking Anderson had the ball. Meanwhile, Steelman rolled out to the left and trotted into the end zone with the ball.
I've never seen a more convincing fake hand-off. I knew who had the ball, but I think I was the only other person in the stadium who knew it besides Trent Steelman and Tavance Anderson. Owensboro's players were confused. The officials were baffled. The Owensboro fans were irate. The line judge marked where Anderson was tackled, and he held his mark. But, Anderson never had the danged ball. The other officials conferred at the five yard line, and I thought for a minute they were going to disallow the touchdown. The scoreboard operator even took the six points off Bowling Green's total.
I feared I was going to witness one of the worst officiating calls in the history of high school sports. I thought the officials were going to disallow the touchdown because Steelman and Anderson fooled everyone so well. Deceit with the ball is one of the principles of football.
Finally, the referee trotted toward the side of the field and raised his hands signaling a touchdown. I was relieved, but the Owensboro fans around me were angry. They seemed to know nothing about inadvertent whistles, which are a part of the game of football.
I had been marked as a Bowling Green fan (I'm not), and I worried that I might not make it out of Rash Stadium with my skin. Skin? Rash? Yuk!
The important thing was that Bowling Green had the lead, and the momentum shifted to the visitor's side of the field.
The Purples controlled the second half. They moved the ball and scored three more touchdowns, and their defense kept the Red Devils out of the end zone. In the third quarter, Bowling Green used six minutes of game clock to drive for a touchdown. Owensboro had two possession and used about six minutes of clock but did not score. That killed the Red Devils. It finished off what Bowling Green started in the second quarter. Owensboro had a great defense, but they were on the field way too much in the second half. They had nothing left late in the game.
Owensboro is a good football team, but they needed more dimensions to their offensive attack to beat a very good team. Bowling Green is a very good team, perhaps even a great one. They can prove their great by knocking of Highlands in the championship game at Papa John's-Cardinal Stadium in Louisville next Friday. They've got to quit turning the ball over and quit getting stupid penalties. If they turn the ball over five times to Highlands in the first half, they will be dead.
OBSERVATIONS
Hard Nosed Player
I loved Owensboro's #42, Blake Roberts. He's a linebacker who has the nose for the ball and delivers bone crushing hits on ball carriers. He can shake off blockers, and despite being 5'10" he can disrupt passes. He seemed to be everywhere on the field, and I believe he played every down on both sides of the ball. Owensboro listed him as a tight end on their roster, but I saw him coming out of the backfield as a fullback. He did everything right on offense and defense. He's intense, smart, and competitive. He seems to be a crowd favorite in the "Big O." It's too bad a kid like that doesn't get to play next week in Louisville. Fans told me he was their district's defensive player of the year. A good choice, no doubt.
The Name Game
Gotta Give Him Credit or Credits: Owensboro had a player named T.J. Carbon. He wore jersey #11. I thought he should wear #6.
Learning to Fly: Owensboro's Adrian Cessna. Maybe his jersey number should read NC13250.
Where's Captain Kirk When You Need Him? Owensboro's Jordan Khan would surely raise the ire of the Starship Enterprise's charismatic commander. KHAN!
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