I kicked the basketball season off (is that a mixed metaphor?) by going to a scrimmage between Bowling Green and Apollo. What does one write about a scrimmage? A basketball scrimmage is the equivalent of watching a stock car racer take a handful of laps on the track and then pulling into the garage and tweaking various components of the car. Coaches are tinkering with lineups and plays and finding the tolerances of their teams. I don't try to read a lot into the games or the play.
Right now, I don't even know the names of a lot of the players, which is really the case for Apollo.
Fourth Region newcomer, Chane Behanan, will be a man among boys this season. Chane's family moved to Bowling Green from Cincinnati, and he is a highly sought blue chip basketball players with courters coming from all points of the map to sell their college program to him. I can't wait to see Behanan and George Fant go head-to-head during the season. Like most season, fans will get to see them play one another three or four times in the next few months. It will be one of the great match-ups in the state.
Behanan is well muscled and has superb moves around the basket. Coach D.G. Sherrill can't slow his game down for this kid, though, because the Purps love to run-and-gun, which is the kind of basketball I love to watch. Again, it was a scrimmage, but I'd like to see the big guy hoofing it up-and-down the hardwood. I felt like Bowling Green let up on the full court game to accommodate Behanan.
I don't want to sound like I'm criticizing the kid because he is a great basketball player. I apologize to the readers, as always, because I harken back to my Male High days, too often. Behanan reminds me of Winston Bennett, who played at Male before heading to UK. Many of the descriptions I apply to Behanan applied to Bennett: big, well muscled, good hands, good moves inside, etc. Bennett, however, was an absolute warrior on the court every minute of the game. He was even intense playing "21" with friends. I know. He smashed my nose one afternoon with his elbow.
Maybe it's because it was a scrimmage. I'm anxious to see this guy in action in a real game. I know this. He'll be a major force in the region this year.
It's an easy summary from a scrimmage: Bowling Green is a contender and has a good shot at winning back-to-back regional championships. Also, the 14th District will be tough, as always.
For Apollo, I liked a kid named Trey Ewing. I hope I have that right. He wore #32 last night, and I told my friend Eddie "Frost Free" Dillard that of all the kids on the court he'd be the first I'd choose for a pick-up game. He was everywhere with never being out of position. At one point, the kid blocked a shot, fell to the court, got up and sped down the court to take a pass and hit a lay-up. Beautiful! He's a good defender and played full throttle for the entire scrimmage.
Yep. I'd take him over Behanan, and I don't mean that as an insult.
I like watching Tommy Royce run the point for Bowling Green. He can push the ball up the court, and Coach Sherrill needs to give him the green light more often.
I'm anxious to see all the Fourth Region teams play this season. I can't wait.
OBSERVATIONS
Take It Easy: My wife started jawing the referees last night. I reminded her that it was a scrimmage. That's O.K. We all have fever for some hoops. She needs to mellow out to The Eagles for the next contest.
D.G.'s Deflection: Coach Sherrill tapped the ball while it was in play last night. He apologized to Apollo's coach and their players. That's Sherrill's first defensive deflection since he finished his career at Caldwell County High School. I wonder if he played defense that tight at CCHS.
New Paint Job: Bowling Green put a new paint scheme on the hardwood at the Purple Palace. It looks good. I still wonder why they Male High's letter on their court? The Bulldogs will feel like they have a home game when they play there on January 30th, a game derailed by the Great Ice Storm of '09.
