Thursday, March 6, 2008
Game One: Greenwood 46 - Franklin-Simpson 31
Franklin-Simpson played Thursday's first round game with Greenwood with all the control of a Molly Hatchet song. Those wild-eyed Southern rockers always seemed to be out-of-control and sort of...well..."Flirtin With Disaster." High energy. Raw. If I was going to put a soundtrack with their game, I'd choose that song. I guess by the end of the game, I'd have to throw in Hatchet's song "Gator Country" or even "Dreams I'll Never See."
A little side note: A friend's mother was a professional singer and did vocals for commercials and radio promotions. She was in a recording session down the hall from Molly Hatchet when the band erupted into a drunken fracas that spilled out into the hallways of the recording label's offices.
The Wildcats played out-of-control for the entire game against the Gators. Both teams played tight defense in the first quarter, and Greenwood emerged with a narrow 10-7 lead. Greenwood scored 10 more points in the second quarter while holding Franklin-Simpson to just five points. The Wildcats shot 23.5% in the first half, making 4 of 17 field goals. They had 13 first half turnovers, but Greenwood had 11. The Wildcats were lucky to be down only eight, 20-12 at halftime. Cedrick Adams led Franklin-Simpson in scoring with three points. Dee Anderson led the Gators with five points.
The turnover bug continued to plague the Wildcats in the third quarter when they coughed the ball up six more times. Greenwood only had two turnovers in the third. Even though Franklin-Simpson couldn't control the ball, they outscored Greenwood in the third quarter by one point, 11-10. The Gators put 10 points on the board in the three quarters of play and held a 30-23 lead.
Greenwood controlled the fourth quarter and made Franklin-Simpson look bad. They forced the Wildcats to commit seven more turnovers, which made 26 for the entire game.
At the very start of the season, I explained to Pick and Roll readers that Southern women will not say that a baby is ugly. They cannot lie, either. When they see an ugly baby they say, "Bless its little heart." That's what the women down in Franklin would say about this "baby" tonight. It was ugly. It was mud fence ugly for the Wildcats.
Greenwood advances with a 46-31 win over Franklin-Simpson.
Rayco Bryant had 17 points and nine rebounds for Franklin-Simpson, while the next highest scorers were Courtney Dalcourt and Cedrick Adams with only three a piece. For Greenwood, J.J. Smith was the Player of the Game, and he scored 11 points while making some big plays down the stretch. Austin Reed and Mark Lacy each added seven points for the Gators.
Game Two: Barren County 60 - Metcalfe County 45
I finally got to see Trey Shirley play. I saw Metcalfe County play at Warren East on January 12th, which was a couple of days after Shirley was hospitalized with a serious illness. It was good to see him back out on the court, and he scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds before fouling out of Thursday's contest. He's a solid ballplayer.
Barren County and Metcalfe County are natural and intense rivals. They flat out do not like each other. When Metcalfe County came out of the locker room for pre-game warm ups, the Barren County players did not move out of their way. The players brushed shoulders and there were no friendly words exchanged between them.
The Trojans took control of this game early. They took an early lead and never looked back.
Metcalfe County played a 2-3 zone, and Trey Shirley patrolled the baseline of the zone. Whenever Blake Crabtree got the ball on the low wing, Shirley would yell at him, "Shoot it! Shoot it! Shoot it!" I guess he finally got under Crabtree's skin because he let one fly that bounced off the rim and backboard into Shirley's hands.
I've written about this before, but I can remember when players talked to one another all the time. There's hardly a word spoken on the court anymore. Players don't even yell at teammates when they're open.
Barren County's Lee Hubbard is a heck of a basketball player. He's one of those guys that I'd make sure I had on my team if I were choosing up sides. He can shoot from anywhere, and he is muscular and knows how to use his strength to get to the basket. He's also a good defender. He scored 21 points against the Hornets and grabbed nine rebounds. He also had four steals and two assists. I don't know if any colleges are recruiting him, and I don't really care. There are some guys who are great in high school but can't make the transition to the college game. Lee Hubbard is consistently the best player in the Fourth Region.
Will Warf led the Hornets in scoring with 16 points. Outside of Warf and Shirley, Metcalfe County didn't have many scoring threats.
Barren County, on the other hand, is a solid basketball team. They are solid at every position and have good, experienced guards. Matt Riley has a great sense of the game and is good at breaking down any kind of pressure. The Trojans have all the tools needed to advance to the final, win the region, and truck up the highway to Rupp Arena. They have to get past those pesky big lizards from Scottsville Road in Bowling Green, though. They play Greenwood on Monday night.
At the end of the game, when both coaches cleared their benches, we had a scary incident in the game. Ben Hubbard, Lee's younger brother, got a break away layup, but somehow got upended when Metcalfe's Russell Kindred blocked his shot. He hit his head on the court. I didn't really see what happened because it was on the opposite end of the court from where I was sitting.
I followed the action back up the court, but noticed that Hubbard was staggering around out on the court. He weaved around and came over and leaned against the press table, near where I was sitting. His eyes were dancing. The poor guy was knocked silly. Coach Steve Riley came over and retrieved the young man.
I guess he was alright. It's been a long time since I've seen someone knocked silly.
OBSERVATIONS
Funny Diddle Memory: When I was a student at Western, the men's restroom had round metal sinks in the middle of the room. Someone who needed to wash their hands stepped on a metal bar, which turned on the water. I never witnessed it myself, but I've heard stories about men stepping up to the sink thinking it was a urinal. My brother's best friend did that when they were students at Western in the 1970s. The guy was valedictorian of Trinity High School. Those old sinks are gone and replaced with less confusing ones.
Bowling Green Traffic: This has nothing to do with the ballgames, except that it nearly made me late for the first game. The traffic signal at Russellville Road and Campbell Lane was on the fritz when I was on my way to the ballgame. Oh my! Someone needed to announce, "assume crash positions" like they do when airliners are about to crash. My little boy has a figure-8 race track on which he tries to get the cars to hit each other. The intersection in Bowling Green was reminiscent of his little race track.
Wildcats Caged: The Franklin-Simpson basketball team refused to leave their locker room after the game. I don't know what was going on, but they were in there forever.
Trash Talking Refs: The officials for the tournament are from the Third Region. I'm surprised they can officiate games without Steve Sparks telling them what to call (just joking). I sat next to the three officials from Thursday's first game during the nightcap. One of them yelled at a colleague officiating the game, "get your head in the game." It became a big joke between them.
Tennis Shoes and Pink Ribbons: All Fourth Region coaches are wearing pink ribbons and tennis shoes to raise awareness of breast cancer. It is a tribute to Greenwood Coach Blane Embry's wife, who was recently diagnosed with the disease.
Don't Tell The ACLU: After Barren County's game, Lee Hubbard led the players, coaches, and cheerleaders of both teams in a word of prayer. The entire arena was quiet, and it was touching to see rival players kneeling and praying together. The Franklin-Simpson and Greenwood squads did the same thing after their game.
Showing posts with label Fourth Region Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fourth Region Basketball. Show all posts
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Fourth Region Tournament, E.A. Diddle Arena, Western Kentucky University
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Game One: Bowling 49 - Russellville 47
Fire up the cement mixer. Prime the paver. Check the ballast of the road and make sure the guardrails are sturdy and straight. Wednesday night in the Fourth Region Tournament, the Bowling Green Purples tossed some of the key ingredients into the equipment needed to pave the Road to Rupp Arena. They grabbed the hearts of the Russellville Panthers and threw them into the paving machine.
In the first quarter, it looked like Bowling Green was going to ride the momentum of their district championship right past Russellville. Their defense frustrated the Panthers, and Russellville could not find any way of rebounding out of their 2-3 zone. The Purples doubled them up in the first, 12-6.
The Purples opened the second quarter in the same fashion, expanding their lead to 10 points. However, Russellville exploded on an 18-1 run that left the Purples stunned. Coach D.G. Sherrill tried everything to snap his team out of their funk, even benching his starters. Donnie Bigbee and Justin Bollenbecker hit some big baskets while the Panthers mauled the Purples. Russellville took a 25-19 lead to the locker room after outscoring Bowling Green 19 to 7 in the second frame.
In the third quarter Russellville wanted the game more than Bowling Green. They crashed the boards and fought for every possession. Their zone neutralized the Purples' leading scorer, D.L. Moore, who picked up his third foul with 4:28 left in the quarter and having only scored five points. Plus, the Panthers were not fazed by Bowling Green's pressure defense. Damien Elam did a superb job of finding his way through their press and their traps.
Russellville played a lot better than what their 16-12 record would indicate. They seemed bound to win the game, closing the third frame with a 37-29 lead.
Tournaments always seem to produce unlikely heroes. If Pick and Roll readers went back and read my synopses of Bowling Green's games this season, I'd bet they'd be hard pressed to find the name Charlie Williams. He's a lanky kid about 6'2" tall and plays sparingly. Wednesday night, Charlie saved Bowling Green's bacon in the fourth quarter. He scored seven points in the game, all of which were in the final quarter. He hit two huge baskets off of rebounds that pulled his team within four of Russellville. He later hit a three that narrowed the score again.
Bowling Green was doing everything needed to lose the ballgame: sloppy play, missed free throws, and turnovers. They only had 10 turnovers for the game, but most were on critical possessions.
Around the 4:00 mark I noticed something about Russellville. They looked tired, grabbing the hems of their shorts and leaning forward a lot. They started missing free throws, including the front end of a one-and-one.
With under a minute to play, Bowling Green pulled tied the ballgame. Damien Elam made one of two free throws that gave the Panthers a one point lead. They fouled D.L. Moore, who stepped to the free throw line with a one-and-one looming. He hit the front end but missed the second.
I'm going to be completely honest. I cannot remember what Russellville did with their possession, but I know they did not score.
Bowling Green came back down the court for the win. They got several offensive rebound but could not put the ball in the basket. Russellville fouled Billy Williams (no relation to Charlie), and he went to the line for another 1+1 with 2.2 seconds left in the game.
He missed the free throw and the ball bounced out long. Williams grabbed the rebound and tossed the ball toward the basket. It went in as the horn sounded. Bowling Green, to use an old time sports cliche, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Final 49-47.
Russellville's Donnie Bigbee, who left everything he had on the court, fell down near the lane while the Bowling Green fans and players and coaches erupted. It's one of those heart wrenching moments that all of us basketball fans see throughout the month of March. So, that's how Bigbee's high school career ends -- heartbreak.
Meanwhile, Billy Williams went from a zero to a hero in 2.2 seconds. He was Player of the Game. He probably deserved it, but I'm willing to bet that the Bowling Green coaching staff knows that a Williams of a different first name got their beans out of the fire.
When I looked at the stats of Wednesday's game, I saw a lot of similarities between the two teams. Russellville edged Bowling Green on the boards 31-30. Bowling Green shot a terrible 36.5% from the field, but hit 19 field goals. Russellville hit 18. They both had four three pointers, and both shot poorly from the field.
The difference, in my humble opinion, was that Bowling Green had 14 offensive rebounds while the Panthers only had five. In a tight game, it makes all the difference in the world. Russellville played very good zone defense but could not keep the Purps off the offensive glass.
Game Two: Russell County 62 - Glasgow 50
Any day now, I'm expecting to receive notice from the Glasgow Independent School System that I'm not welcome at any of their basketball games for eternity. I've seen the Scotties play three time this season, and they've lost all three times. Somehow, I've become bad medicine for them.
In my Fourth Region Preview, I confessed that I knew nothing about the Russell County Lakers. I'd forgotten about seeing them play in last year's Fourth Region tournament, when -- if my memory serves me right -- they beat a very good Allen County-Scottsville team in the first round and then lost to Warren Central.
Mostly, I remember that the Lakers are a team that does everything thing right all the way down to how they maintain their spacing as they move the ball around on the offense. They do everything that drives an opponent crazy. They set great picks. They shoot well. The rebound very well for their size. They play tough defense and always slap at the ball. I don't know what Coach Willie Feldhaus does, but he has his 13-13 squad playing like they are ready to stroll out on the court with the Bryan Stations, Holmeses, and University Heights of the world. I think they had a similar record last season and made the regional semifinals.
On Wednesday night, they used their precise game to beat the Scottie dogs. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) will be searching for the Lakers after the way they treated the Scotties at Diddle Arena. When Russell County went on a 19-6 run in the second quarter, Glasgow seemed to roll over and play dead. They had a 28-16 lead at the half.
Glasgow tried to get back in the game, but they played sloppy. Jordan Johnson took several ill-advised shots after driving into the lane with no options on what to do with the ball. He was 4-12 from the field. Craig Mosier was 2-10 from the field and 0-8 from three point range.
I noticed that Russell County shot 42 free throws compared to Glasgow's 17. The Lakers shot 76.2% from the stripe (32-42).
For the Lakers Bryson McFall had 16 points to lead all scorers. Russell County also had very balanced scoring: Timmy Coffey, who was Player of the Game, had 14 points along with 13 rebounds. Bryon Ellis had 12 points and eight boards, while Adam Justice added nine points.
Lakers advance to meet Bowling Green on Monday night.
OBSERVATIONS
Hey Diddle Diddle: Everyone swoons about Rupp Arena. It's magnitude puts it on the basketball map. While Diddle Arena is much smaller, it is the best place I've ever been to watch a basketball game. If any Pick and Roll Readers haven't ever seen a game at this wonderful arena, I strongly suggest that they pick up and catch a Fourth Region tournament game or a Hilltopper game there. I've seen basketball in a lot of places, and Diddle is..."TOPS." The stands are very close to the floor and steep, so there's not a bad seat in the house.
Double Justice: The Russell County Lakers have Lucas and Adam Justice on their squad. They are twins and wear uniform numbers 21 and 22. Both are sophomores but get significant playing time and both are good. They will keep Fourth Region opponents seeing double for a couple of more years. Lucas Justice went to the floor hard in the first half and also busted his nose.
Life of Riley: I noticed Warren Central Coach Tim Riley doing color for one of the radio stations on Wednesday night. It was odd seeing him on the "other" side of the court at Diddle Arena.
A Glasgow Pup: Michael Bradley, who logged 22 minutes for the Scotties tonight, is just a freshman. He is athletic and can jump out of the gym. He had four points and nine rebounds on Wednesday night. When he learns that basketball is a contact sport, then he'll be an excellent ballplayer.
A New Doo: Bowling Green's D.L. Moore appears to be singlehandedly trying to bring back banana clips as hair accessories. I don't even know how to describe his styling, but it's definitely different. I guess the re-release of "Thriller" got Mr. Moore in an 80's kind of mood tonight. Now, he just needs Cheeno pants, a pink Polo shirt, a Members Only jacket, and penny loafers.
Game One: Bowling 49 - Russellville 47
Fire up the cement mixer. Prime the paver. Check the ballast of the road and make sure the guardrails are sturdy and straight. Wednesday night in the Fourth Region Tournament, the Bowling Green Purples tossed some of the key ingredients into the equipment needed to pave the Road to Rupp Arena. They grabbed the hearts of the Russellville Panthers and threw them into the paving machine.
In the first quarter, it looked like Bowling Green was going to ride the momentum of their district championship right past Russellville. Their defense frustrated the Panthers, and Russellville could not find any way of rebounding out of their 2-3 zone. The Purples doubled them up in the first, 12-6.
The Purples opened the second quarter in the same fashion, expanding their lead to 10 points. However, Russellville exploded on an 18-1 run that left the Purples stunned. Coach D.G. Sherrill tried everything to snap his team out of their funk, even benching his starters. Donnie Bigbee and Justin Bollenbecker hit some big baskets while the Panthers mauled the Purples. Russellville took a 25-19 lead to the locker room after outscoring Bowling Green 19 to 7 in the second frame.
In the third quarter Russellville wanted the game more than Bowling Green. They crashed the boards and fought for every possession. Their zone neutralized the Purples' leading scorer, D.L. Moore, who picked up his third foul with 4:28 left in the quarter and having only scored five points. Plus, the Panthers were not fazed by Bowling Green's pressure defense. Damien Elam did a superb job of finding his way through their press and their traps.
Russellville played a lot better than what their 16-12 record would indicate. They seemed bound to win the game, closing the third frame with a 37-29 lead.
Tournaments always seem to produce unlikely heroes. If Pick and Roll readers went back and read my synopses of Bowling Green's games this season, I'd bet they'd be hard pressed to find the name Charlie Williams. He's a lanky kid about 6'2" tall and plays sparingly. Wednesday night, Charlie saved Bowling Green's bacon in the fourth quarter. He scored seven points in the game, all of which were in the final quarter. He hit two huge baskets off of rebounds that pulled his team within four of Russellville. He later hit a three that narrowed the score again.
Bowling Green was doing everything needed to lose the ballgame: sloppy play, missed free throws, and turnovers. They only had 10 turnovers for the game, but most were on critical possessions.
Around the 4:00 mark I noticed something about Russellville. They looked tired, grabbing the hems of their shorts and leaning forward a lot. They started missing free throws, including the front end of a one-and-one.
With under a minute to play, Bowling Green pulled tied the ballgame. Damien Elam made one of two free throws that gave the Panthers a one point lead. They fouled D.L. Moore, who stepped to the free throw line with a one-and-one looming. He hit the front end but missed the second.
I'm going to be completely honest. I cannot remember what Russellville did with their possession, but I know they did not score.
Bowling Green came back down the court for the win. They got several offensive rebound but could not put the ball in the basket. Russellville fouled Billy Williams (no relation to Charlie), and he went to the line for another 1+1 with 2.2 seconds left in the game.
He missed the free throw and the ball bounced out long. Williams grabbed the rebound and tossed the ball toward the basket. It went in as the horn sounded. Bowling Green, to use an old time sports cliche, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Final 49-47.
Russellville's Donnie Bigbee, who left everything he had on the court, fell down near the lane while the Bowling Green fans and players and coaches erupted. It's one of those heart wrenching moments that all of us basketball fans see throughout the month of March. So, that's how Bigbee's high school career ends -- heartbreak.
Meanwhile, Billy Williams went from a zero to a hero in 2.2 seconds. He was Player of the Game. He probably deserved it, but I'm willing to bet that the Bowling Green coaching staff knows that a Williams of a different first name got their beans out of the fire.
When I looked at the stats of Wednesday's game, I saw a lot of similarities between the two teams. Russellville edged Bowling Green on the boards 31-30. Bowling Green shot a terrible 36.5% from the field, but hit 19 field goals. Russellville hit 18. They both had four three pointers, and both shot poorly from the field.
The difference, in my humble opinion, was that Bowling Green had 14 offensive rebounds while the Panthers only had five. In a tight game, it makes all the difference in the world. Russellville played very good zone defense but could not keep the Purps off the offensive glass.
Game Two: Russell County 62 - Glasgow 50
Any day now, I'm expecting to receive notice from the Glasgow Independent School System that I'm not welcome at any of their basketball games for eternity. I've seen the Scotties play three time this season, and they've lost all three times. Somehow, I've become bad medicine for them.
In my Fourth Region Preview, I confessed that I knew nothing about the Russell County Lakers. I'd forgotten about seeing them play in last year's Fourth Region tournament, when -- if my memory serves me right -- they beat a very good Allen County-Scottsville team in the first round and then lost to Warren Central.
Mostly, I remember that the Lakers are a team that does everything thing right all the way down to how they maintain their spacing as they move the ball around on the offense. They do everything that drives an opponent crazy. They set great picks. They shoot well. The rebound very well for their size. They play tough defense and always slap at the ball. I don't know what Coach Willie Feldhaus does, but he has his 13-13 squad playing like they are ready to stroll out on the court with the Bryan Stations, Holmeses, and University Heights of the world. I think they had a similar record last season and made the regional semifinals.
On Wednesday night, they used their precise game to beat the Scottie dogs. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) will be searching for the Lakers after the way they treated the Scotties at Diddle Arena. When Russell County went on a 19-6 run in the second quarter, Glasgow seemed to roll over and play dead. They had a 28-16 lead at the half.
Glasgow tried to get back in the game, but they played sloppy. Jordan Johnson took several ill-advised shots after driving into the lane with no options on what to do with the ball. He was 4-12 from the field. Craig Mosier was 2-10 from the field and 0-8 from three point range.
I noticed that Russell County shot 42 free throws compared to Glasgow's 17. The Lakers shot 76.2% from the stripe (32-42).
For the Lakers Bryson McFall had 16 points to lead all scorers. Russell County also had very balanced scoring: Timmy Coffey, who was Player of the Game, had 14 points along with 13 rebounds. Bryon Ellis had 12 points and eight boards, while Adam Justice added nine points.
Lakers advance to meet Bowling Green on Monday night.
OBSERVATIONS
Hey Diddle Diddle: Everyone swoons about Rupp Arena. It's magnitude puts it on the basketball map. While Diddle Arena is much smaller, it is the best place I've ever been to watch a basketball game. If any Pick and Roll Readers haven't ever seen a game at this wonderful arena, I strongly suggest that they pick up and catch a Fourth Region tournament game or a Hilltopper game there. I've seen basketball in a lot of places, and Diddle is..."TOPS." The stands are very close to the floor and steep, so there's not a bad seat in the house.
Double Justice: The Russell County Lakers have Lucas and Adam Justice on their squad. They are twins and wear uniform numbers 21 and 22. Both are sophomores but get significant playing time and both are good. They will keep Fourth Region opponents seeing double for a couple of more years. Lucas Justice went to the floor hard in the first half and also busted his nose.
Life of Riley: I noticed Warren Central Coach Tim Riley doing color for one of the radio stations on Wednesday night. It was odd seeing him on the "other" side of the court at Diddle Arena.
A Glasgow Pup: Michael Bradley, who logged 22 minutes for the Scotties tonight, is just a freshman. He is athletic and can jump out of the gym. He had four points and nine rebounds on Wednesday night. When he learns that basketball is a contact sport, then he'll be an excellent ballplayer.
A New Doo: Bowling Green's D.L. Moore appears to be singlehandedly trying to bring back banana clips as hair accessories. I don't even know how to describe his styling, but it's definitely different. I guess the re-release of "Thriller" got Mr. Moore in an 80's kind of mood tonight. Now, he just needs Cheeno pants, a pink Polo shirt, a Members Only jacket, and penny loafers.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Fourth Region Tournament Preview
Pick and Roll has been working for some time to get an endorsement from Mr. Kurtis Blow. I finally got a statement from him through his "Basketball" video on YouTube. Pick and Roll himself makes a cameo at the 2:53 mark in the video. If Kurtis doesn't get Pick and Roll readers ready for regional tournament action, maybe Cheech and Chong and Tyrone Shoelaces' "Basketball Jones" will get them going. I'd include a link to the original animation, but I try to keep everything PG on here. I'll let readers search out the original if they are so motivated.
When I was at WKU, my friends and I listened to these two songs before we trek up The Hill to Diddle Arena to take on a Sun Belt foe back when the conference was a good basketball conference.
If Tyrone Shoelaces and Kurtis Blow don't get folks in the mood for some regional tournament action, then maybe Chocolate Thunder will get you rolling. Just think for a minute what Darryl Dawkins meant to backboards. We had to start importing them from the planet "Lovetron" and had to learn "interplanetary funkmanship." "Slam, bam, I am jam," Dawkins.
I'm just trying to get everyone going for the post season, so that people might turn-off reality television and drive to the nearest regional tournament and take a good dose of hoops. A Basketball Jones is not too unhealthy, and if you decide on a twelve step program to get rid of it, just be sure to dribble for the first ten and a half steps.
Around this time of year my family's "Hoosiers" DVD gets a lot of play. It's a wonder the pixels don't fade away by April. Two of my favorite scenes are Coach Norman Dale's speeches before the regional final and before the state championship. Click the links and watch for yourself. I know Kentuckians who won't watch it because of the name of the movie, but that's just nutty. I would like to see someone make a movie about the 1948 Brewers team or the 1956 Carr Creek team. Carr Creek would have a couple of great background stories. First of all, their team made it to the state championship game in 1928 after starting the season playing on a dirt court. Then, in the 1950s, people had started to leave the Kentucky mountains for jobs in northern cities in a migration not unlike the "Okies" heading west during the Great Depression.
So, at this point, readers are wondering, "is Pick and Roll ever going to preview the Fourth Region Tournament?" Yeah, I could've launched into some dry review of each team in the tournament, but I'll leave that for the print media. If anyone doesn't like my tournament preview, then I will refund your subscription money.
Franklin-Simpson Wildcat Coach David Clark must be thinking, "Man! My team is 24-6 with 20 wins in the region and a district championship, and we have to face Greenwood in the first round?" It's a tough draw for the Wildcats because Greenwood with their experienced guards was the hottest team coming down the stretch, but Franklin-Simpson was steady for the entire season. I told someone a few weeks ago that I thought Greenwood and Franklin-Simpson would meet in the regional championship. That's not going to happen, and I'm going to backpedal and say that the championship will be decided in the first round.
I do know that nothing could keep me away from this first round match up, though. They play the early game at Diddle on Thursday night.
The Bowling Green Purples dropped the last game of their regular season to Russellville, 55-50. They played the Panthers in Russellville after playing a make-up game in Albany the previous night. I have a feeling that the Purples relish the opportunity to take on Russellville again. Bowling Green won a couple of very tough games in the 14th District tournament and will be tuned up for more post season play. They have flown under everybody's radar this season like a big B-2 bomber.
I really wish I knew something -- anything -- about Russell County. They are to the Fourth Region what the Maritime Provinces are to Canada, our 51st state. They are way out there on the edge of things, and I have a hunch that deep down they wish they were in another region. I do know that Willie Feldhaus is a good coach and gets a lot out of his players. I mean no disrespect to the Lakers. I remember how well they played in last year's tournament until they hit the Warren Central buzz saw.
The Lakers play the Glasgow Scotties in the first round. The Scotties are led by senior Charlie Mudd, who has a supporting cast of Michael Bradley, Will McCoy, and Michael Whitney. They upended a good Allen County-Scottsville team and came very close to winning the 15th District tournament. Glasgow has played very well after taking a 63-36 thrashing in Franklin on February 22nd.
I saw the Barren County Trojans play three times this season. I saw them play twice in the Citizens First Holiday Classic in Bowling Green and saw them play crosstown rival Glasgow. They won the Holiday Classic trophy by beating a superb team from Hazel Green, Alabama, and that is when they caught my eye. Lee Hubbard is an excellent basketball player, and his teammates move the ball around better than any team I've seen this year. The Trojans play tough defense, too. This is a team that plays like champions.
Metcalfe County has been a hard luck team this season. They rolled early in the season, going 10-0 before losing to a team from Washington, D.C. They seemed to be ready to roll again, but their leading scorer, Trey Shirley, developed an infection in his back. He missed several games, two of which the Hornets lost, but they've haven't been able to put together any kind of momentum since his return. Greenwood clobbered them in Edmonton on Feb. 15th, and they lost to rival Barren County four nights later. Russell County beat them for the 16th District championship.
Who's going to win the tournament? I have no idea. Every time the subject comes up, I think first about the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats. I guess they are kind of my default team. I think D.G. Sherrill is comfortable with his Purples staying off my radar scope.
I do know this: It was 74 degrees yesterday. It's 47 degrees in Bowling Green this morning, and it is supposed to snow by the end of the day. That can only mean it is March, which means it's Hoopsmas -- Kentucky's Mardis Gras.
When I was at WKU, my friends and I listened to these two songs before we trek up The Hill to Diddle Arena to take on a Sun Belt foe back when the conference was a good basketball conference.
If Tyrone Shoelaces and Kurtis Blow don't get folks in the mood for some regional tournament action, then maybe Chocolate Thunder will get you rolling. Just think for a minute what Darryl Dawkins meant to backboards. We had to start importing them from the planet "Lovetron" and had to learn "interplanetary funkmanship." "Slam, bam, I am jam," Dawkins.
I'm just trying to get everyone going for the post season, so that people might turn-off reality television and drive to the nearest regional tournament and take a good dose of hoops. A Basketball Jones is not too unhealthy, and if you decide on a twelve step program to get rid of it, just be sure to dribble for the first ten and a half steps.
Around this time of year my family's "Hoosiers" DVD gets a lot of play. It's a wonder the pixels don't fade away by April. Two of my favorite scenes are Coach Norman Dale's speeches before the regional final and before the state championship. Click the links and watch for yourself. I know Kentuckians who won't watch it because of the name of the movie, but that's just nutty. I would like to see someone make a movie about the 1948 Brewers team or the 1956 Carr Creek team. Carr Creek would have a couple of great background stories. First of all, their team made it to the state championship game in 1928 after starting the season playing on a dirt court. Then, in the 1950s, people had started to leave the Kentucky mountains for jobs in northern cities in a migration not unlike the "Okies" heading west during the Great Depression.
So, at this point, readers are wondering, "is Pick and Roll ever going to preview the Fourth Region Tournament?" Yeah, I could've launched into some dry review of each team in the tournament, but I'll leave that for the print media. If anyone doesn't like my tournament preview, then I will refund your subscription money.
Franklin-Simpson Wildcat Coach David Clark must be thinking, "Man! My team is 24-6 with 20 wins in the region and a district championship, and we have to face Greenwood in the first round?" It's a tough draw for the Wildcats because Greenwood with their experienced guards was the hottest team coming down the stretch, but Franklin-Simpson was steady for the entire season. I told someone a few weeks ago that I thought Greenwood and Franklin-Simpson would meet in the regional championship. That's not going to happen, and I'm going to backpedal and say that the championship will be decided in the first round.
I do know that nothing could keep me away from this first round match up, though. They play the early game at Diddle on Thursday night.
The Bowling Green Purples dropped the last game of their regular season to Russellville, 55-50. They played the Panthers in Russellville after playing a make-up game in Albany the previous night. I have a feeling that the Purples relish the opportunity to take on Russellville again. Bowling Green won a couple of very tough games in the 14th District tournament and will be tuned up for more post season play. They have flown under everybody's radar this season like a big B-2 bomber.
I really wish I knew something -- anything -- about Russell County. They are to the Fourth Region what the Maritime Provinces are to Canada, our 51st state. They are way out there on the edge of things, and I have a hunch that deep down they wish they were in another region. I do know that Willie Feldhaus is a good coach and gets a lot out of his players. I mean no disrespect to the Lakers. I remember how well they played in last year's tournament until they hit the Warren Central buzz saw.
The Lakers play the Glasgow Scotties in the first round. The Scotties are led by senior Charlie Mudd, who has a supporting cast of Michael Bradley, Will McCoy, and Michael Whitney. They upended a good Allen County-Scottsville team and came very close to winning the 15th District tournament. Glasgow has played very well after taking a 63-36 thrashing in Franklin on February 22nd.
I saw the Barren County Trojans play three times this season. I saw them play twice in the Citizens First Holiday Classic in Bowling Green and saw them play crosstown rival Glasgow. They won the Holiday Classic trophy by beating a superb team from Hazel Green, Alabama, and that is when they caught my eye. Lee Hubbard is an excellent basketball player, and his teammates move the ball around better than any team I've seen this year. The Trojans play tough defense, too. This is a team that plays like champions.
Metcalfe County has been a hard luck team this season. They rolled early in the season, going 10-0 before losing to a team from Washington, D.C. They seemed to be ready to roll again, but their leading scorer, Trey Shirley, developed an infection in his back. He missed several games, two of which the Hornets lost, but they've haven't been able to put together any kind of momentum since his return. Greenwood clobbered them in Edmonton on Feb. 15th, and they lost to rival Barren County four nights later. Russell County beat them for the 16th District championship.
Who's going to win the tournament? I have no idea. Every time the subject comes up, I think first about the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats. I guess they are kind of my default team. I think D.G. Sherrill is comfortable with his Purples staying off my radar scope.
I do know this: It was 74 degrees yesterday. It's 47 degrees in Bowling Green this morning, and it is supposed to snow by the end of the day. That can only mean it is March, which means it's Hoopsmas -- Kentucky's Mardis Gras.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Regional Pairings for Fourth and Fifth Regions
I separated these two regions from the others in west Kentucky because these are the two that Chris Gregory and I spend the most time covering and writing about. We know these teams better than those from other regions, and these are the ones in which we live. It's a blatant Pick and Roll bias. We will be at these regional tournaments as much as humanly possible.
I must give a tip of the hat to Chris for compiling the pairing for me.
Fourth Region: E.A. Diddle Arena, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Wednesday, March 5th
6:30 - Bowling Green vs. Russellville
8:00 - Russell County vs. Glasgow
Thursday, March 6th
6:30 - Franklin-Simpson vs. Greenwood
8:00 - Barren County vs. Metcalfe County
Semifinals will be played at 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. on March 10th
Final will be played at 6:00 p.m. on March 11th
Fifth Region: Hart County High School, Munfordville, Kentucky
Wednesday, March 5th
6:00 - Adair County vs. Larue County
8:00 - Central Hardin vs. Nelson County
Thursday, March 6th
6:00 - Green County vs. Elizabethtown
8:00 - Bardstown vs. Taylor County
Semifinals will be played at 5:30 and 8:45 p.m. on March 10th. They will clear the gym between games.
Final will be played at 7:00 p.m. on March 11th.
I must give a tip of the hat to Chris for compiling the pairing for me.
Fourth Region: E.A. Diddle Arena, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Wednesday, March 5th
6:30 - Bowling Green vs. Russellville
8:00 - Russell County vs. Glasgow
Thursday, March 6th
6:30 - Franklin-Simpson vs. Greenwood
8:00 - Barren County vs. Metcalfe County
Semifinals will be played at 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. on March 10th
Final will be played at 6:00 p.m. on March 11th
Fifth Region: Hart County High School, Munfordville, Kentucky
Wednesday, March 5th
6:00 - Adair County vs. Larue County
8:00 - Central Hardin vs. Nelson County
Thursday, March 6th
6:00 - Green County vs. Elizabethtown
8:00 - Bardstown vs. Taylor County
Semifinals will be played at 5:30 and 8:45 p.m. on March 10th. They will clear the gym between games.
Final will be played at 7:00 p.m. on March 11th.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Bowling Green 61 - Warren Central 57
14th District Semifinal, Warren Central High School, Bowling Green, Kentucky 02-26-08
It was one for the ages. A person could throw every basketball cliche' at this game, and it would stick. A barn burner, a jim-dandy, a battle, a war. I don't even know where to begin.
Warren Central has dominated the Fourth Region for so long, that my children hardly realize that anyone else has ever won the championship. My little boy thought that Tim Riley was the president of the United States. The Dragons had not lost on the Diddle Arena floor in this millennium, and WKU Coach Darrin Horn would love to have a winning streak at Diddle as impressive at Tim Riley's.
THE RUN IS DONE!
The Purples sent the "Monsters of Morgantown Road" out the exits early this season, and for the first time in six years, a new team will carry the Fourth Region banner into Rupp Arena.
It didn't come easy for the Purples. They struggled in the first half with bad shot selection and constant defensive pressure from the Dragons. They were down 14-10 at the end of the first quarter, and Warren Central exploded for 23 second quarter points to take a commanding lead on Bowling Green. Central hit some big shots in the quarter, and Pete Winn hit some long range jumpers. Winn didn't start tonight's game, but wasn't on the bench for long. I don't know why he didn't start.
The Dragons had a 37-26 lead at halftime, and once again post season play in the Fourth Region seemed like the movie "Groundhog Day." All the coaches in the region probably identified with Phil Connors and wanted to punch Ned Ryerson in the nose during each replay.
I don't know what Bowling Green Coach D.G. Sherrill said to his Purple warriors at halftime, but they came out and played the third quarter like they had a barn on fire with a season's worth of hay in it. They moved the ball up the court against Central's press better than any team I've seen move the ball this season. They could get the ball up the full length of the court without it touching hardwood once. Central's players buckled in the face of the ball crossing the court so many times.
Bowling Green exposed Central's Achilles heel. George Fant, who is a fantastic player for a freshman, is not good at defending the post, especially in a transition game.
The Purples emerged on the other side of the third frame with a 47-45 lead, outscoring the Dragons 21-8.
Bowling Green almost coughed this one up in the fourth quarter by missing way too many free throws.
Also, I nearly witnessed one of the great travesties of the basketball season. Central was desperate to hit shots beyond the arc to catch Bowling Green. Pete Winn, who was hot in the second half, looked for a three point shot late in the game, and on one possession he dribbled along the arc and lunged for the basket and hit a shot. One of his feet was about two feet inside of the stripe, but the referee called it a three point basket. If I remember right, that would've tied the ballgame.
The refs finally changed their call. I'm not sure, but I think Coach Riley signaled three from the sideline, and the officials followed suit. I don't know what made them change their minds, but the Bowling Green fans petitioned in the most fervent manner to get them to change it. I might have even heard some swear words from the Purple faithful.
Bowling Green won, 61-57, putting the Warren Central Dragons in a very unfamiliar position for the Fourth Region Tournament at Diddle Arena. They'll be watching it from the stands.
OBSERVATIONS
The Run is Done: Yep! Fourth Region coaches will be checking to see if the legs of the witch really are sticking out from under the house. Maybe D.G. Sherrill and his Purps slip on the ruby slippers and start down the Yellow Brick Road, which runs through Diddle Arena to Rupp Arena.
Don't Live Here No More: D.G. Sherrill took his Purples to Warren Central's gym for a shoot around the other day. He showed him the photographs of Central's state championship team and their runner-up team, and the teams that dominated the Fourth Region. He told them, "Boys, none of those guys play here anymore." I'm willing to bet that what he told them at halftime of Tuesday's semi-final was a lot less subtle.
Upward and Onward: Fans at Tuesday's game at Warren Central were treated to an exhibition by two teams from a Bowling Green Upward league. For a minute or two I thought it maybe was one of the first round games of the Sunbelt Tournament, but I realized that these kids were too good for that. That game was nearly as exciting as the feature.
Snowy Night in Bowling Green: Snow started falling when I went to the game. Things were icy when I came out. I could barely stand up on the asphalt to scrape the ice off my truck's windows.
The Place To Be: There was a huge crowd at Warren Central tonight, and the atmosphere was electric. It may have been icy outside, but it was about 90 degrees in the gym. I was near the top of the gym, and I was ready to start coming out of some clothes. Finally, people opened the windows at the top of the gym. The cool air felt good.
Two Funny Things: During the fourth quarter of the Bowling Green-Warren Central girls game, a school janitor walked up the sidelines with a big nasty plunger. He got about three quarters of the way up the court, and the referee ran over him. Both guys were alright, but it definitely should have been a charging call.
Also, my group of family and friends had a big pile of coats on the floor in front of one of the bleachers. A little boy sitting beside me starting digging through our coats, which were mixed with his family's. I asked him, "did you lose something." He said that he did, so I started pulling coats back for him. Finally, he found an end of a hot dog lying on top of my parka. "Oh, here it is," the kid exclaimed. Then, he popped it in his mouth. You know, a hot dog tastes a lot better after it has been grunged into some stranger's coat and rolled around on the floor of a bleacher.
Happy Hoopsmas!
It was one for the ages. A person could throw every basketball cliche' at this game, and it would stick. A barn burner, a jim-dandy, a battle, a war. I don't even know where to begin.
Warren Central has dominated the Fourth Region for so long, that my children hardly realize that anyone else has ever won the championship. My little boy thought that Tim Riley was the president of the United States. The Dragons had not lost on the Diddle Arena floor in this millennium, and WKU Coach Darrin Horn would love to have a winning streak at Diddle as impressive at Tim Riley's.
THE RUN IS DONE!
The Purples sent the "Monsters of Morgantown Road" out the exits early this season, and for the first time in six years, a new team will carry the Fourth Region banner into Rupp Arena.
It didn't come easy for the Purples. They struggled in the first half with bad shot selection and constant defensive pressure from the Dragons. They were down 14-10 at the end of the first quarter, and Warren Central exploded for 23 second quarter points to take a commanding lead on Bowling Green. Central hit some big shots in the quarter, and Pete Winn hit some long range jumpers. Winn didn't start tonight's game, but wasn't on the bench for long. I don't know why he didn't start.
The Dragons had a 37-26 lead at halftime, and once again post season play in the Fourth Region seemed like the movie "Groundhog Day." All the coaches in the region probably identified with Phil Connors and wanted to punch Ned Ryerson in the nose during each replay.
I don't know what Bowling Green Coach D.G. Sherrill said to his Purple warriors at halftime, but they came out and played the third quarter like they had a barn on fire with a season's worth of hay in it. They moved the ball up the court against Central's press better than any team I've seen move the ball this season. They could get the ball up the full length of the court without it touching hardwood once. Central's players buckled in the face of the ball crossing the court so many times.
Bowling Green exposed Central's Achilles heel. George Fant, who is a fantastic player for a freshman, is not good at defending the post, especially in a transition game.
The Purples emerged on the other side of the third frame with a 47-45 lead, outscoring the Dragons 21-8.
Bowling Green almost coughed this one up in the fourth quarter by missing way too many free throws.
Also, I nearly witnessed one of the great travesties of the basketball season. Central was desperate to hit shots beyond the arc to catch Bowling Green. Pete Winn, who was hot in the second half, looked for a three point shot late in the game, and on one possession he dribbled along the arc and lunged for the basket and hit a shot. One of his feet was about two feet inside of the stripe, but the referee called it a three point basket. If I remember right, that would've tied the ballgame.
The refs finally changed their call. I'm not sure, but I think Coach Riley signaled three from the sideline, and the officials followed suit. I don't know what made them change their minds, but the Bowling Green fans petitioned in the most fervent manner to get them to change it. I might have even heard some swear words from the Purple faithful.
Bowling Green won, 61-57, putting the Warren Central Dragons in a very unfamiliar position for the Fourth Region Tournament at Diddle Arena. They'll be watching it from the stands.
OBSERVATIONS
The Run is Done: Yep! Fourth Region coaches will be checking to see if the legs of the witch really are sticking out from under the house. Maybe D.G. Sherrill and his Purps slip on the ruby slippers and start down the Yellow Brick Road, which runs through Diddle Arena to Rupp Arena.
Don't Live Here No More: D.G. Sherrill took his Purples to Warren Central's gym for a shoot around the other day. He showed him the photographs of Central's state championship team and their runner-up team, and the teams that dominated the Fourth Region. He told them, "Boys, none of those guys play here anymore." I'm willing to bet that what he told them at halftime of Tuesday's semi-final was a lot less subtle.
Upward and Onward: Fans at Tuesday's game at Warren Central were treated to an exhibition by two teams from a Bowling Green Upward league. For a minute or two I thought it maybe was one of the first round games of the Sunbelt Tournament, but I realized that these kids were too good for that. That game was nearly as exciting as the feature.
Snowy Night in Bowling Green: Snow started falling when I went to the game. Things were icy when I came out. I could barely stand up on the asphalt to scrape the ice off my truck's windows.
The Place To Be: There was a huge crowd at Warren Central tonight, and the atmosphere was electric. It may have been icy outside, but it was about 90 degrees in the gym. I was near the top of the gym, and I was ready to start coming out of some clothes. Finally, people opened the windows at the top of the gym. The cool air felt good.
Two Funny Things: During the fourth quarter of the Bowling Green-Warren Central girls game, a school janitor walked up the sidelines with a big nasty plunger. He got about three quarters of the way up the court, and the referee ran over him. Both guys were alright, but it definitely should have been a charging call.
Also, my group of family and friends had a big pile of coats on the floor in front of one of the bleachers. A little boy sitting beside me starting digging through our coats, which were mixed with his family's. I asked him, "did you lose something." He said that he did, so I started pulling coats back for him. Finally, he found an end of a hot dog lying on top of my parka. "Oh, here it is," the kid exclaimed. Then, he popped it in his mouth. You know, a hot dog tastes a lot better after it has been grunged into some stranger's coat and rolled around on the floor of a bleacher.
Happy Hoopsmas!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Pick and Roll's Best of the Fourth Team
It was Chris Gregory's idea to come up with these teams, and it's a great one. I'm doing my list with the same criteria that Chris used. I'm not going to include a player that I have not seen play. This poses a great big problem for me. I haven't seen every team in the Fourth. I've not been able to catch up with Russellville, Monroe County, Russell County, and Clinton County. The main thing, though, is that when I caught up with Metcalfe County at Warren East, Trey Shirley was out of the lineup due to a pretty serious illness. I still haven't seen him play.
I'm not going to rank mine, and I'm not sure that's what Chris did with his.
Lee Hubbard, Barren County: Hubbard is the type of player any coach wants on his team. First of all, he's good...no he's danged good. He can score and rebound and defend and does all the things that go into making an excellent basketball player. Hubbard's 6'1" and grabs 9.2 rebounds per game while netting a 25.7 points per game average. He shoots 53% from the field. If the Trojans make a good run in the Fourth Region tournament, then I can see Hubbard as tournament MVP. I told my wife that when we watched them play Glasgow on January 4th.
Dee Anderson, Greenwood: Anderson is just a sophomore and suffered a severe knee injury back in the summer, but he demonstrates his prowess each time he steps on the court. I really, really like Anderson's style of play. He makes quick moves to the basket but seems to glide into the lane. I always look forward to seeing him play. I first noticed Anderson in last year's Fourth Region Tournament when the Gators made a run at the championship but came up short to the Dragons. Anderson averages 12.6 points per game and 7.2 rebounds. I'm willing to bet that when Dee graduates in 2010 that Fourth Region coaches will be at Greenwood applauding.
Jay Starks, Allen County-Scottsville: When I saw the Patriots play in November, Starks battled leg cramps, and a trainer had him drink pickle juice to alleviate the problem (my mother's a mountain woman from West Virginia and knows all sorts of home remedies but hasn't heard of this one). I started calling him "Pickle Juice." A lot of coaches would rather gulp a quart of pickle juice than have to figure out how to keep the ball out of Starks hands. He's a heady player and can break down defenses with the dribble.
Will Warf, Metcalfe County: On top of being a fantastic football player (Region 3 Player of the Year), Warf is a hog snout tough basketball player who is unafraid of catching the ball in the paint and challenging bigger players. I won't say stronger because I doubt there's many ballplayers stronger than Warf. When I saw the Hornets play at Warren East, Warf played tough interior defense and was a workhorse on the offensive end. I think he scored 28 points that night. He averages 18.5 points and 8.4 boards per game.
Rayco Bryant, Franklin-Simpson: I like to call him "Sir Rayco." Franklin-Simpson fans and other fans call him "Baby Shaq," but I don't see Shaquille O'Neal when I see him play. I see Charles Barkley. Bryant has a huge frame but is very mobile for his size. He uses his size and strength to score around the basket, and he can move along the baseline very well. I wonder if there's anyone bold enough to try to draw a charge on "Sir Rayco." It could be a painful experience. He seems to be his team's leader on the court, too.
Mark Lacy, Greenwood: Here's a kid that's playing the season like he's hungry for a regional championship. He's a competitor down to his marrow. Lacy doesn't have any gaudy numbers, but he handles the ball better than anyone in the region, and if anyone throws a bad pass along the perimeter, Lacy will make them pay for it.
D.L. Moore, Bowling Green: Moore is a quiet scorer. If I don't get to see a stat sheet after a ballgame, I'll guess that Moore only scored six or seven points. Then, when I see the stats, I'll see that he scored 16 or 17. Moore is 6'6" and has great leaping ability. Moore's sport isn't basketball, however. He will suit up for the Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks in South Carolina this fall.
DeAngelo Kirk, Warren East: To me, Kirk is one of the most exciting ballplayers in the region. He makes things happen on the court, and if he squares up to the basket, he'll knock down the shot almost every time. He can also make moves to the hoop when he needs to. He's good at breaking presses, too.
Courtney Dalcourt, Franklin Simpson: Dalcourt attacks the basket as good as anyone in the region. He has a good jump shot, and he always stays cool in the face of defensive pressure. He is a fantastic athlete.
There are a lot of other players in the region I really like. I guess these guys are my "honorable mentions": Blake Crabtree, Barren County; Matt Riley, Barren County; Charlie Mudd, Glasgow; Jarren Nixon, Bowling Green; Brett Barrick, Greenwood; Brett Sowell, Logan County, and Shenard Holton, Warren East.
OTHERS FROM OTHER REGIONS
Tyshwan Edmondson, University Heights: I can't say enough good things about this player. He's quick, strong, athletic, intelligent, and plays like he's getting ready to drive a nail with his forehead. His teammate, Scotty Hopson, gets all the ink, but Edmondson puts the blaze in the Blazers. He's the best player I've seen play this season. The BEST! I'd like to see him continue his career about 60 miles east of Hoptown.
Aaron Morris, Muhlenberg North: Morris averages nearly 20 points a ballgame and has made 75 three points shots this season. The North Stars have a balanced attack, but Morris is the scoring leader on one of the best teams in the Commonwealth.
Scotty Hopson, University Heights: He's Tyshwan Edmondson's teammate and one of the best players in the nation. He is highly sought after by big name college basketball programs throughout the nation, and Hopson seems to have found some intensity down the stretch of the season. He's big and athletic and can flat jump out of the gym.
Travis Johnston, Grayson County: He may be my favorite this season. Johnston is the type of player that anyone would love to have on his team. He's a good shooter, a good defender, and he has the best sense for the game I've seen since a kid named Sparks played at Muhlenberg North. He shoots 43% from beyond the arc. Did I mention that he's just a sophomore?
Tony Hockett, Mayfield: I took in a Mayfield game back in January, and Hockett caught my eye while I was out there. He's a strong, athletic basketball player. He's averaging 18.2 points a game and gives Mayfield a good inside-out attack. Some of these guys in the First Region are overlooked or forgotten or only matter if they can also play football.
Tyrell Willis, Calloway County: I only saw the Lakers play once this season. Willis is a sophomore but is built like he's ready to step into a college game. He's a little raw, but this kids has a lot of upside. He's starts for a very young Lakers squad. He grabs 9.4 rebounds a game.
James David Strange, Pineville: I saw Pineville play a couple or three games in the Citizens First Holiday Classic at Bowling Green High School in December. Strange, who is Coach J.D. Strange's son, played very solid basketball in the tournament. Over the course of the season, he has averaged 17.3 points a game on a very well balanced basketball team, and he shoots 51.7% and 44.1% behind the three point stripe. I didn't include him when I originally posted this because I'm forgetful.
I'm not going to rank mine, and I'm not sure that's what Chris did with his.
Lee Hubbard, Barren County: Hubbard is the type of player any coach wants on his team. First of all, he's good...no he's danged good. He can score and rebound and defend and does all the things that go into making an excellent basketball player. Hubbard's 6'1" and grabs 9.2 rebounds per game while netting a 25.7 points per game average. He shoots 53% from the field. If the Trojans make a good run in the Fourth Region tournament, then I can see Hubbard as tournament MVP. I told my wife that when we watched them play Glasgow on January 4th.
Dee Anderson, Greenwood: Anderson is just a sophomore and suffered a severe knee injury back in the summer, but he demonstrates his prowess each time he steps on the court. I really, really like Anderson's style of play. He makes quick moves to the basket but seems to glide into the lane. I always look forward to seeing him play. I first noticed Anderson in last year's Fourth Region Tournament when the Gators made a run at the championship but came up short to the Dragons. Anderson averages 12.6 points per game and 7.2 rebounds. I'm willing to bet that when Dee graduates in 2010 that Fourth Region coaches will be at Greenwood applauding.
Jay Starks, Allen County-Scottsville: When I saw the Patriots play in November, Starks battled leg cramps, and a trainer had him drink pickle juice to alleviate the problem (my mother's a mountain woman from West Virginia and knows all sorts of home remedies but hasn't heard of this one). I started calling him "Pickle Juice." A lot of coaches would rather gulp a quart of pickle juice than have to figure out how to keep the ball out of Starks hands. He's a heady player and can break down defenses with the dribble.
Will Warf, Metcalfe County: On top of being a fantastic football player (Region 3 Player of the Year), Warf is a hog snout tough basketball player who is unafraid of catching the ball in the paint and challenging bigger players. I won't say stronger because I doubt there's many ballplayers stronger than Warf. When I saw the Hornets play at Warren East, Warf played tough interior defense and was a workhorse on the offensive end. I think he scored 28 points that night. He averages 18.5 points and 8.4 boards per game.
Rayco Bryant, Franklin-Simpson: I like to call him "Sir Rayco." Franklin-Simpson fans and other fans call him "Baby Shaq," but I don't see Shaquille O'Neal when I see him play. I see Charles Barkley. Bryant has a huge frame but is very mobile for his size. He uses his size and strength to score around the basket, and he can move along the baseline very well. I wonder if there's anyone bold enough to try to draw a charge on "Sir Rayco." It could be a painful experience. He seems to be his team's leader on the court, too.
Mark Lacy, Greenwood: Here's a kid that's playing the season like he's hungry for a regional championship. He's a competitor down to his marrow. Lacy doesn't have any gaudy numbers, but he handles the ball better than anyone in the region, and if anyone throws a bad pass along the perimeter, Lacy will make them pay for it.
D.L. Moore, Bowling Green: Moore is a quiet scorer. If I don't get to see a stat sheet after a ballgame, I'll guess that Moore only scored six or seven points. Then, when I see the stats, I'll see that he scored 16 or 17. Moore is 6'6" and has great leaping ability. Moore's sport isn't basketball, however. He will suit up for the Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks in South Carolina this fall.
DeAngelo Kirk, Warren East: To me, Kirk is one of the most exciting ballplayers in the region. He makes things happen on the court, and if he squares up to the basket, he'll knock down the shot almost every time. He can also make moves to the hoop when he needs to. He's good at breaking presses, too.
Courtney Dalcourt, Franklin Simpson: Dalcourt attacks the basket as good as anyone in the region. He has a good jump shot, and he always stays cool in the face of defensive pressure. He is a fantastic athlete.
There are a lot of other players in the region I really like. I guess these guys are my "honorable mentions": Blake Crabtree, Barren County; Matt Riley, Barren County; Charlie Mudd, Glasgow; Jarren Nixon, Bowling Green; Brett Barrick, Greenwood; Brett Sowell, Logan County, and Shenard Holton, Warren East.
OTHERS FROM OTHER REGIONS
Tyshwan Edmondson, University Heights: I can't say enough good things about this player. He's quick, strong, athletic, intelligent, and plays like he's getting ready to drive a nail with his forehead. His teammate, Scotty Hopson, gets all the ink, but Edmondson puts the blaze in the Blazers. He's the best player I've seen play this season. The BEST! I'd like to see him continue his career about 60 miles east of Hoptown.
Aaron Morris, Muhlenberg North: Morris averages nearly 20 points a ballgame and has made 75 three points shots this season. The North Stars have a balanced attack, but Morris is the scoring leader on one of the best teams in the Commonwealth.
Scotty Hopson, University Heights: He's Tyshwan Edmondson's teammate and one of the best players in the nation. He is highly sought after by big name college basketball programs throughout the nation, and Hopson seems to have found some intensity down the stretch of the season. He's big and athletic and can flat jump out of the gym.
Travis Johnston, Grayson County: He may be my favorite this season. Johnston is the type of player that anyone would love to have on his team. He's a good shooter, a good defender, and he has the best sense for the game I've seen since a kid named Sparks played at Muhlenberg North. He shoots 43% from beyond the arc. Did I mention that he's just a sophomore?
Tony Hockett, Mayfield: I took in a Mayfield game back in January, and Hockett caught my eye while I was out there. He's a strong, athletic basketball player. He's averaging 18.2 points a game and gives Mayfield a good inside-out attack. Some of these guys in the First Region are overlooked or forgotten or only matter if they can also play football.
Tyrell Willis, Calloway County: I only saw the Lakers play once this season. Willis is a sophomore but is built like he's ready to step into a college game. He's a little raw, but this kids has a lot of upside. He's starts for a very young Lakers squad. He grabs 9.4 rebounds a game.
James David Strange, Pineville: I saw Pineville play a couple or three games in the Citizens First Holiday Classic at Bowling Green High School in December. Strange, who is Coach J.D. Strange's son, played very solid basketball in the tournament. Over the course of the season, he has averaged 17.3 points a game on a very well balanced basketball team, and he shoots 51.7% and 44.1% behind the three point stripe. I didn't include him when I originally posted this because I'm forgetful.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Greenwood 61 - Warren Central 44
Greenwood High School, Bowling Green, Kentucky 02-08-08
Welcome to the Jungle? Prior to tapping the ball, Greenwood sound man cued up some Firearms and Flowers welcoming everyone to the jungle. But, I thought it was "The Swamp." Jungle? Swamp? No matter the venue it was still a big lizard fight on Scottsville Road in Bowling Green tonight. That's right, Dragons and Gators are just big danged lizards when you think about it. One's a toothy swamp lurker that death rolls its prey under water, and the other is a mythological fire breathing creature. Both are dangerous.
Coming into tonight's game Warren Central had beaten Greenwood 24 times in a row. The last Gator victory over the Dragons came in 2001. The latest defeat came on January 4th, when Central sent the Gators packing with a 53-44 defeat at the Dragons' lair on Morgantown Road.
Would the streak ever end?
In the first quarter, it looked like Steve Riley's latest version of Dragons would run the streak into another Clinton administration. At first, it seemed that Thing 1 and Thing 2 (Mark Lacy and Austin Reed) were busting the Central press, and the Dragons couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with their jumpshots to start the game. The clawed back and had a narrow 14-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
No matter how poorly Central plays on the offensive end in a ballgame they always have their press, and the play it so well. Then, they are good at converting off of the turnovers the press creates.
Things changed in the second quarter, however. Lacy started picking off Central's passes as they tried to move the ball around the perimeter, and he got a couple of easy baskets. He's very good at anticipating the pass, and thrives on other team's bad offensive spacing. Teams cannot make that mistake against Greenwood.
For the first time since in a long time I watched Warren Central lose their composure. They did not handle Greenwood's half-court pressure and continued to turn the ball over. Greenwood took a 29-23 lead into the break, and I felt that the ground below us would tremble and split open because Central's streak was about to be broken. The Gators were controlling this contest.
In the third quarter, Greenwood put some beatdown on Central that I've not seen in a long time. Dee Anderson, Mark Lacy, and other Gators circled the wounded Dragons like they were a team of saints ready to slay another fiery beast.
The Gators outscored their visitors 22-7 in the third frame and took a commanding 51-30 into the break.
Greenwood controlled the fourth quarter, even though Central made a small run at them. I'm sure Coach Blane Embry didn't want to give Warren Central anything to smart about on the eve of district play and backed off the gas. Greenwood broke the streak on Friday night with a 61-44 victory over the Dragons.
OBSERVATIONS
The Ballard Effect: This is not so much an observation as a reminiscence. When I was in high school in Louisville Ballard High School seem to always get preferential treatment from the officials. Ballard was an east end school, and their students drove new cars. Male High was perceived as an inner-city school, so everyone thought we were thugs. When Ballard students did something mischievous it was called "school spirit." When we did something it was called "misdemeanor." Well, that was the Louisville Police Department's description of it. The preferential treatment seemed to find its way onto the basketball court, too. I called it "The Ballard Effect." For the life of me, I can't imagine why I just thought of this.
Fourth Quarter Fracas: I don't know what happened or who was involved, but a couple of Central players got into a dust-up with a couple of Greenwood players in the fourth quarter. It didn't seem like a big deal to me, except that players ended up in the stands. It's interesting to me that when baseball teams clear benches and throw punches, people think its funny and have cutesy names for it like "rhubarb." When basketball players start throwing haymakers then it is treated like a criminal act. It happens. The kids are competitors.
Migraine Maker: Before the game, Greenwood's band was playing something terribly out of key while the sound system was blaring "We Will Rock You." I thought my head was going to explode. One thing at a time, please. Hey, Gators! The next time Warren Central visits try "Dragon Attack" by Queen and let the band practice in the hallway.
District Stuff: Bowling Green will take the one seed, and I guess with the loss tonight Central will be the four seed. I think Greenwood and East are split, so they'll flip a coin to see who wears white in the first round. In the 14th District none of it really matters. It's played at Central, so there's three teams that better beware.
Welcome to the Jungle? Prior to tapping the ball, Greenwood sound man cued up some Firearms and Flowers welcoming everyone to the jungle. But, I thought it was "The Swamp." Jungle? Swamp? No matter the venue it was still a big lizard fight on Scottsville Road in Bowling Green tonight. That's right, Dragons and Gators are just big danged lizards when you think about it. One's a toothy swamp lurker that death rolls its prey under water, and the other is a mythological fire breathing creature. Both are dangerous.
Coming into tonight's game Warren Central had beaten Greenwood 24 times in a row. The last Gator victory over the Dragons came in 2001. The latest defeat came on January 4th, when Central sent the Gators packing with a 53-44 defeat at the Dragons' lair on Morgantown Road.
Would the streak ever end?
In the first quarter, it looked like Steve Riley's latest version of Dragons would run the streak into another Clinton administration. At first, it seemed that Thing 1 and Thing 2 (Mark Lacy and Austin Reed) were busting the Central press, and the Dragons couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with their jumpshots to start the game. The clawed back and had a narrow 14-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
No matter how poorly Central plays on the offensive end in a ballgame they always have their press, and the play it so well. Then, they are good at converting off of the turnovers the press creates.
Things changed in the second quarter, however. Lacy started picking off Central's passes as they tried to move the ball around the perimeter, and he got a couple of easy baskets. He's very good at anticipating the pass, and thrives on other team's bad offensive spacing. Teams cannot make that mistake against Greenwood.
For the first time since in a long time I watched Warren Central lose their composure. They did not handle Greenwood's half-court pressure and continued to turn the ball over. Greenwood took a 29-23 lead into the break, and I felt that the ground below us would tremble and split open because Central's streak was about to be broken. The Gators were controlling this contest.
In the third quarter, Greenwood put some beatdown on Central that I've not seen in a long time. Dee Anderson, Mark Lacy, and other Gators circled the wounded Dragons like they were a team of saints ready to slay another fiery beast.
The Gators outscored their visitors 22-7 in the third frame and took a commanding 51-30 into the break.
Greenwood controlled the fourth quarter, even though Central made a small run at them. I'm sure Coach Blane Embry didn't want to give Warren Central anything to smart about on the eve of district play and backed off the gas. Greenwood broke the streak on Friday night with a 61-44 victory over the Dragons.
OBSERVATIONS
The Ballard Effect: This is not so much an observation as a reminiscence. When I was in high school in Louisville Ballard High School seem to always get preferential treatment from the officials. Ballard was an east end school, and their students drove new cars. Male High was perceived as an inner-city school, so everyone thought we were thugs. When Ballard students did something mischievous it was called "school spirit." When we did something it was called "misdemeanor." Well, that was the Louisville Police Department's description of it. The preferential treatment seemed to find its way onto the basketball court, too. I called it "The Ballard Effect." For the life of me, I can't imagine why I just thought of this.
Fourth Quarter Fracas: I don't know what happened or who was involved, but a couple of Central players got into a dust-up with a couple of Greenwood players in the fourth quarter. It didn't seem like a big deal to me, except that players ended up in the stands. It's interesting to me that when baseball teams clear benches and throw punches, people think its funny and have cutesy names for it like "rhubarb." When basketball players start throwing haymakers then it is treated like a criminal act. It happens. The kids are competitors.
Migraine Maker: Before the game, Greenwood's band was playing something terribly out of key while the sound system was blaring "We Will Rock You." I thought my head was going to explode. One thing at a time, please. Hey, Gators! The next time Warren Central visits try "Dragon Attack" by Queen and let the band practice in the hallway.
District Stuff: Bowling Green will take the one seed, and I guess with the loss tonight Central will be the four seed. I think Greenwood and East are split, so they'll flip a coin to see who wears white in the first round. In the 14th District none of it really matters. It's played at Central, so there's three teams that better beware.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Bowling Green 73 - Warren East 62
Warren East High School, Bristow, Kentucky 02-01-08
Friday night's game at Warren East High School could've featured players wearing tight shorts and skin tight uniform tops because it was a throw-back atmosphere. There were actually people in the stands. I thought I was going to have to park in downtown Bristow and walk to the high school because the crowd was so large. It was like the old days. I checked to see if I had a mullet, a Members Only jacket, Vans, and a Swatch with the goofy guards that made it impossible to tell what time it was.
My daughter and I walked into a battle between the Lady Raiders and the Lady Purples. East had Bowling Green down, but the Purples fought back and made it a game. East prevailed, but the ladies set the mood for the boys game.
While the teams warmed-up, the Warren East pep band started playing Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train." It fit the mood, but I wondered if that's a good song for a high school band.
"I've listened to preachers
I've listened to fools
I've watched all the dropouts
Who make their own rules."
Somebody phone Tipper Gore!
I figured with the pressing and high flying offenses of the Purples and the Raiders that we might be "going off the rails on a crazy train."
There's no love lost between these two teams and these two schools. Bowling Green is a city school and populated with city kids. Warren East is a rural school with an interesting mix of suburban kids and farm kids. I'm good friends with a Warren East alumnus who calls Purples backers, "those snotty Bowling Green fans." I know Bowling Green alumni who call East grads "hayseed plow boys."
Don't kill the messenger, folks. I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm fascinated, however, by the differences that make up good high school rivalries, and the East-Bowling Green one is among the best. I remember from the Male-Manual rivalry that we were blessed with superior intellect, better looks, and greater athletic ability while the folks from Manual had none of these attributes.
The two teams went at each other like this game had major implications in the district and the region. Wait, it did. After dropping a game at Warren Central, the Purples needed a district win, but it's a tall order to try to sneak into the Raiders' roost and wrestle a victory from them.
Each team tested the other in the first quarter. The two teams sort of mirror each other. Both like to play man-to-man, pressing defense, and they both balance the offensive end with great penetration and perimeter shooting. At the end of one, the score was tied at 14. Within my mind I could hear the ghostly voice of Joe Dean, Sr., saying, "we've got ourselves a barn burner, Tom (Hammond). It might be 25 outside but in here we've got a barn burner."
The Purples picked up their defensive pressure in the second quarter and forced Warren East to take tough shots. The Raiders couldn't find the basket in the second quarter. Both teams had trouble hanging onto the ball, but Bowling Green seemed to be more prone to turnovers. My good friend Eddie Dillard swore that the ball was over inflated, but he wouldn't go out there and test it between quarters.
With 3:29 left in the half, Bowling Green had a 29-15 lead on East and seemed like they were going to take command of the game. However, the Raiders answered with a 7-2 run to end the half to pull with in nine, 31-22. Shenard Holton led the Raiders with 10 points at halftime, while Jordan Ellis added seven. Eric Smith for Bowling Green led the way with nine points, and D.L. Moore and Jared Carpenter each had five.
If it was a barn burner, then Bowling Green opened the third quarter like they were going to burn the thing down to the foundation. Jeb Richardson hit three three pointers to open the half, one of which was from about 22 feet. Joe Dean would've erupted with "Sttttrrraaaaaahng Muuusic in Bristow kay-wye, Tom!" Richardson was nailing treys, but, as always, the Purples' defense is what created the offense. When they decide to play active defense, this Bowling Green squad is tough to beat.
By the 4:41 mark, Bowling Green had a commanding 45-27 lead on their rival. Warren East Coach Russell Malone called a time and met his players on the court and delivered a lip whipping on his players that we could hear in the stands. I don't think he was wishing them Groundhog's Day greetings and likely telling them that their six more weeks of winter would be spent running "suicides" on the gym floor.
After the Purples built a 22 point lead on them, Warren East responded to Coach Russell and closed the third with a furious 9-1 run that cut the lead to 52-39.
No one thought that East was out of the game. They are too good of a team to roll over and die, especially for an arch-rival.
In the fourth quarter, East threw a 2-2-1 trapping press on the Purps, and they had a tough time moving the ball up the court. D.L. Moore was on the bench with foul trouble, but Coach D.G. Sherrill put him back in the game because he is a press buster. Moore is signed to play wide receiver at South Carolina next year, and he knows how to use his 6'6" frame to snag passes going over a press.
Also, Jordan Ellis fouled out early the fourth quarter. I've seen East play three times this season, and all three times Ellis has fouled out with plenty of time left in the game. Ellis is a very good athlete, but he gets behind on defense and swats too much. Jordan! Move your feet and avoid the seat!
East managed to cut the lead to 10, but they could never get over the hump in this one. Bowling Green won 73-62.
If I have everything right, that means every team in the 14th District is .500 in district games. Bowling Green, East, and Greenwood are all 3-3 and Central is 2-2. One must ask, does seeding really matter in this district? Two very good basketball teams will end their seasons on the first night of the district tournament.
Shenard Holton for Warren East led all scorers with 19. Jordan Ellis and DeAngelo Kirk each had 13. Bowling Green had a balanced scoring sheet with D.L. Moore and Jared Carpenter scoring 10, while Jeb Richardson had 10.
OBSERVATIONS
Warren East Career Day: After a referee called a foul on Warren East in the third quarter, the East student section chanted, "I'm blind. I'm deaf. I wanna be a ref." They even had the Bowling Green fans chuckling. That gets a Pick and Roll "Three Thumbs Up" Award.
Killing Me Softly: After what seemed like a bad call, Coach Russell Malone kept yelling, "You're killin me. You're killing me!" at one of the officials. The Bowling Green fans started calling him Bobby Knight.
He Does Wear #22: Jerron Nixon did a great Curly Neal impersonation in Friday's ballgame at Warren East. The floor was dusty and players kept losing their footing. Nixon slipped down to one knee, slid several feet, and popped back up without ever breaking his dribble. The great Harlem Globetrotter, Curly Neal, wowed crowds with a trick that looked like Nixon's move.
Donuts on Dunks: It had been since Scotty Hopson threw a couple down on the Purples in December that I had seen someone in a high school game dunk the ball. On Friday night, East's Jordan Ellis and Bowling Green's D.L. Moore each had a dunk. Ellis has great leaping ability and threw down a one handed jam on a fast break amongst two Purples.
Friday night's game at Warren East High School could've featured players wearing tight shorts and skin tight uniform tops because it was a throw-back atmosphere. There were actually people in the stands. I thought I was going to have to park in downtown Bristow and walk to the high school because the crowd was so large. It was like the old days. I checked to see if I had a mullet, a Members Only jacket, Vans, and a Swatch with the goofy guards that made it impossible to tell what time it was.
My daughter and I walked into a battle between the Lady Raiders and the Lady Purples. East had Bowling Green down, but the Purples fought back and made it a game. East prevailed, but the ladies set the mood for the boys game.
While the teams warmed-up, the Warren East pep band started playing Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train." It fit the mood, but I wondered if that's a good song for a high school band.
"I've listened to preachers
I've listened to fools
I've watched all the dropouts
Who make their own rules."
Somebody phone Tipper Gore!
I figured with the pressing and high flying offenses of the Purples and the Raiders that we might be "going off the rails on a crazy train."
There's no love lost between these two teams and these two schools. Bowling Green is a city school and populated with city kids. Warren East is a rural school with an interesting mix of suburban kids and farm kids. I'm good friends with a Warren East alumnus who calls Purples backers, "those snotty Bowling Green fans." I know Bowling Green alumni who call East grads "hayseed plow boys."
Don't kill the messenger, folks. I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm fascinated, however, by the differences that make up good high school rivalries, and the East-Bowling Green one is among the best. I remember from the Male-Manual rivalry that we were blessed with superior intellect, better looks, and greater athletic ability while the folks from Manual had none of these attributes.
The two teams went at each other like this game had major implications in the district and the region. Wait, it did. After dropping a game at Warren Central, the Purples needed a district win, but it's a tall order to try to sneak into the Raiders' roost and wrestle a victory from them.
Each team tested the other in the first quarter. The two teams sort of mirror each other. Both like to play man-to-man, pressing defense, and they both balance the offensive end with great penetration and perimeter shooting. At the end of one, the score was tied at 14. Within my mind I could hear the ghostly voice of Joe Dean, Sr., saying, "we've got ourselves a barn burner, Tom (Hammond). It might be 25 outside but in here we've got a barn burner."
The Purples picked up their defensive pressure in the second quarter and forced Warren East to take tough shots. The Raiders couldn't find the basket in the second quarter. Both teams had trouble hanging onto the ball, but Bowling Green seemed to be more prone to turnovers. My good friend Eddie Dillard swore that the ball was over inflated, but he wouldn't go out there and test it between quarters.
With 3:29 left in the half, Bowling Green had a 29-15 lead on East and seemed like they were going to take command of the game. However, the Raiders answered with a 7-2 run to end the half to pull with in nine, 31-22. Shenard Holton led the Raiders with 10 points at halftime, while Jordan Ellis added seven. Eric Smith for Bowling Green led the way with nine points, and D.L. Moore and Jared Carpenter each had five.
If it was a barn burner, then Bowling Green opened the third quarter like they were going to burn the thing down to the foundation. Jeb Richardson hit three three pointers to open the half, one of which was from about 22 feet. Joe Dean would've erupted with "Sttttrrraaaaaahng Muuusic in Bristow kay-wye, Tom!" Richardson was nailing treys, but, as always, the Purples' defense is what created the offense. When they decide to play active defense, this Bowling Green squad is tough to beat.
By the 4:41 mark, Bowling Green had a commanding 45-27 lead on their rival. Warren East Coach Russell Malone called a time and met his players on the court and delivered a lip whipping on his players that we could hear in the stands. I don't think he was wishing them Groundhog's Day greetings and likely telling them that their six more weeks of winter would be spent running "suicides" on the gym floor.
After the Purples built a 22 point lead on them, Warren East responded to Coach Russell and closed the third with a furious 9-1 run that cut the lead to 52-39.
No one thought that East was out of the game. They are too good of a team to roll over and die, especially for an arch-rival.
In the fourth quarter, East threw a 2-2-1 trapping press on the Purps, and they had a tough time moving the ball up the court. D.L. Moore was on the bench with foul trouble, but Coach D.G. Sherrill put him back in the game because he is a press buster. Moore is signed to play wide receiver at South Carolina next year, and he knows how to use his 6'6" frame to snag passes going over a press.
Also, Jordan Ellis fouled out early the fourth quarter. I've seen East play three times this season, and all three times Ellis has fouled out with plenty of time left in the game. Ellis is a very good athlete, but he gets behind on defense and swats too much. Jordan! Move your feet and avoid the seat!
East managed to cut the lead to 10, but they could never get over the hump in this one. Bowling Green won 73-62.
If I have everything right, that means every team in the 14th District is .500 in district games. Bowling Green, East, and Greenwood are all 3-3 and Central is 2-2. One must ask, does seeding really matter in this district? Two very good basketball teams will end their seasons on the first night of the district tournament.
Shenard Holton for Warren East led all scorers with 19. Jordan Ellis and DeAngelo Kirk each had 13. Bowling Green had a balanced scoring sheet with D.L. Moore and Jared Carpenter scoring 10, while Jeb Richardson had 10.
OBSERVATIONS
Warren East Career Day: After a referee called a foul on Warren East in the third quarter, the East student section chanted, "I'm blind. I'm deaf. I wanna be a ref." They even had the Bowling Green fans chuckling. That gets a Pick and Roll "Three Thumbs Up" Award.
Killing Me Softly: After what seemed like a bad call, Coach Russell Malone kept yelling, "You're killin me. You're killing me!" at one of the officials. The Bowling Green fans started calling him Bobby Knight.
He Does Wear #22: Jerron Nixon did a great Curly Neal impersonation in Friday's ballgame at Warren East. The floor was dusty and players kept losing their footing. Nixon slipped down to one knee, slid several feet, and popped back up without ever breaking his dribble. The great Harlem Globetrotter, Curly Neal, wowed crowds with a trick that looked like Nixon's move.
Donuts on Dunks: It had been since Scotty Hopson threw a couple down on the Purples in December that I had seen someone in a high school game dunk the ball. On Friday night, East's Jordan Ellis and Bowling Green's D.L. Moore each had a dunk. Ellis has great leaping ability and threw down a one handed jam on a fast break amongst two Purples.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Fourth Region Roundup
I feel like I should post the audio of ABC's horse race announcer, Dave Johnson, saying, "And down the stretch they come!" Only his voice -- with that sense of excitement -- can summarize how the basketball season and the hunt for the championship is shaping up in the Fourth Region this season. It's a horse race with no clear favorite and only a couple or three 99 to 1 shots breezing at the back of the field.
It's February, and this is the point during the season when the games mean a lot more, the crowds are bigger and louder, and the intensity level is ratcheted up to a very high level. Teams have played in the holiday tournaments, and they have faced several regional opponents and, in most cases, all their district rivals.
I just don't see anyone challenging Franklin-Simpson in the 13th District. Other coaches in the district probably go to bed hearing "Catch Us If You Can" because no one's going to catch this "Dave Clark Five." They had an eight game winning streak going until they ran into Warren Central's buzz saw press on a stormy night in Bowling Green. With players like "Sir" Rayco Bryant, Courtney Dalcourt (a player so nice they called him "Court" twice), and Colby Clark, the Wildcats can make a serious challenge for the regional title. They attack the basket better than any team I've seen this year. I'm considering the game at Central a hiccup for the Wildcats.
The 14th District is one of the toughest ones in the state. Bowling Green, Warren Central, Warren East, and Greenwood make up this one, and each of those teams have the talent to make a run at and win the region.
Greenwood has the guard combo of Thing 1 and Thing 2 with Mark Lacy and Austin Reed, who drive opponents crazy. They also have Dee Anderson who can drive around nearly any player and slash into any zone to score. He may be the best in the region at creating shots, and he has regained most or all of his mobility after a serious knee injury in the summer. Throw in players like Bret Barrick and J.J. Smith, and that's a recipe for a regional championship.
Warren East has a fast paced attack laced with deadly perimeter shooting. Jordan Ellis and DeAngelo "Captain" Kirk make this Raider squad a tough match up for their 14th District foes. Ellis is an excellent perimeter shooter and most people fail to recognize his athletic ability. DeAngelo Kirk can drive holes through any type of defense like a high speed drill punches holes in cheap plywood. East is not a two man team. They have a balanced attack and like to play a full court game.
Bowling Green is a team with a high flying offensive team and an in-your-face man-to-man full court defense. The Purples, when they commit to playing their tough nosed defense can take anyone down on any night. They have great offensive threats with Jerron Nixon and D.L. Moore, but I've watched them several times this season and have decided that they create victories on the defensive end of the floor.
Lookout for the Warren Central Dragons! Teams from the 14th District and the Fourth Region have chased the dragon so much over the past six years that law enforcement agencies are going to start checking their arms for track marks. The Dragons have played a tough schedule, and like a something out of the Nevada Skunk Works they are flying under the radar of everyone in the region. They are as lethal as anything Lockheed or Grumman has produced for the U.S. military, too. At the right time of the season, Tim Riley, has everything clicking for his team. Just ask the Purples and the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats about their recent losses at the Dragon's lair on Morgantown Road. The district tournament is at Central. Fear the Dragons!
The 15th District is another tough one. The two entries in the regional from this district have the capability of playing multiple nights on the Diddle Arena court.
Barren County is the favorite and could be the favorite to win the region. Steve "The Other" Riley has a balanced attack on the court every night, and the Trojans have better ball movement than anyone in the region. They force teams to play defense or fail. Lee Hubbard is a superb basketball player, who could very well lead his team out of the district and to the regional championship. Matt "Yet Another" Riley handles full court pressure well and finds his teammates when they are open.
Allen County-Scottsville, Glasgow, and Monroe County are chasing the Trojans, but those teams can't seem to put together a serious run at Barren County. The young Scotties are led by Charlie Mudd, a tough-nosed ballplayer who knows how to score in tough situations. The Patriots have one of the best guards in the state with Jay Starks. He breaks down defenses like they were used Yugos.
Metcalfe County is the team to beat in the 16th District. That's even with their star shooting guard Trey Shirley sidelined with a spinal cord infection. Will Warf has taken over as the capable leader of this swarm of Hornets. They dropped back-to-back games to Warren East and Franklin-Simpson right after losing Shirley, but they responded by playing their way into the All-Classic in Richmond, where Eighth Region contender Gallatin County swatted them by 16 points. The big question with Metcalfe County is, will Shirley make it back?
Cumberland County and Russell County could challenge the Hornets. I've seen Cumberland County play, but I just don't see knocking Metcalfe County out of the district. Russell County? Who knows? I've not seen them play, and their schedules make it seem they are wanting to lean out of the Fourth Region. Last season, Coach Willie Feldhaus guided the Lakers to the regional semi-finals after -- if I remember right -- a sub .500 regular season record. I have no idea what to expect from these guys.
There's just a handful of games left before the district tournaments start, and there is still no clear favorite to win the Fourth Region Derby. It's anybody's horse race. I have no pick to win this one. It's exciting, though, and I encourage everyone to grab up the kids, call the neighbors, and go enjoy some of the great basketball around this area.
Happy Hoops!
It's February, and this is the point during the season when the games mean a lot more, the crowds are bigger and louder, and the intensity level is ratcheted up to a very high level. Teams have played in the holiday tournaments, and they have faced several regional opponents and, in most cases, all their district rivals.
I just don't see anyone challenging Franklin-Simpson in the 13th District. Other coaches in the district probably go to bed hearing "Catch Us If You Can" because no one's going to catch this "Dave Clark Five." They had an eight game winning streak going until they ran into Warren Central's buzz saw press on a stormy night in Bowling Green. With players like "Sir" Rayco Bryant, Courtney Dalcourt (a player so nice they called him "Court" twice), and Colby Clark, the Wildcats can make a serious challenge for the regional title. They attack the basket better than any team I've seen this year. I'm considering the game at Central a hiccup for the Wildcats.
The 14th District is one of the toughest ones in the state. Bowling Green, Warren Central, Warren East, and Greenwood make up this one, and each of those teams have the talent to make a run at and win the region.
Greenwood has the guard combo of Thing 1 and Thing 2 with Mark Lacy and Austin Reed, who drive opponents crazy. They also have Dee Anderson who can drive around nearly any player and slash into any zone to score. He may be the best in the region at creating shots, and he has regained most or all of his mobility after a serious knee injury in the summer. Throw in players like Bret Barrick and J.J. Smith, and that's a recipe for a regional championship.
Warren East has a fast paced attack laced with deadly perimeter shooting. Jordan Ellis and DeAngelo "Captain" Kirk make this Raider squad a tough match up for their 14th District foes. Ellis is an excellent perimeter shooter and most people fail to recognize his athletic ability. DeAngelo Kirk can drive holes through any type of defense like a high speed drill punches holes in cheap plywood. East is not a two man team. They have a balanced attack and like to play a full court game.
Bowling Green is a team with a high flying offensive team and an in-your-face man-to-man full court defense. The Purples, when they commit to playing their tough nosed defense can take anyone down on any night. They have great offensive threats with Jerron Nixon and D.L. Moore, but I've watched them several times this season and have decided that they create victories on the defensive end of the floor.
Lookout for the Warren Central Dragons! Teams from the 14th District and the Fourth Region have chased the dragon so much over the past six years that law enforcement agencies are going to start checking their arms for track marks. The Dragons have played a tough schedule, and like a something out of the Nevada Skunk Works they are flying under the radar of everyone in the region. They are as lethal as anything Lockheed or Grumman has produced for the U.S. military, too. At the right time of the season, Tim Riley, has everything clicking for his team. Just ask the Purples and the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats about their recent losses at the Dragon's lair on Morgantown Road. The district tournament is at Central. Fear the Dragons!
The 15th District is another tough one. The two entries in the regional from this district have the capability of playing multiple nights on the Diddle Arena court.
Barren County is the favorite and could be the favorite to win the region. Steve "The Other" Riley has a balanced attack on the court every night, and the Trojans have better ball movement than anyone in the region. They force teams to play defense or fail. Lee Hubbard is a superb basketball player, who could very well lead his team out of the district and to the regional championship. Matt "Yet Another" Riley handles full court pressure well and finds his teammates when they are open.
Allen County-Scottsville, Glasgow, and Monroe County are chasing the Trojans, but those teams can't seem to put together a serious run at Barren County. The young Scotties are led by Charlie Mudd, a tough-nosed ballplayer who knows how to score in tough situations. The Patriots have one of the best guards in the state with Jay Starks. He breaks down defenses like they were used Yugos.
Metcalfe County is the team to beat in the 16th District. That's even with their star shooting guard Trey Shirley sidelined with a spinal cord infection. Will Warf has taken over as the capable leader of this swarm of Hornets. They dropped back-to-back games to Warren East and Franklin-Simpson right after losing Shirley, but they responded by playing their way into the All-Classic in Richmond, where Eighth Region contender Gallatin County swatted them by 16 points. The big question with Metcalfe County is, will Shirley make it back?
Cumberland County and Russell County could challenge the Hornets. I've seen Cumberland County play, but I just don't see knocking Metcalfe County out of the district. Russell County? Who knows? I've not seen them play, and their schedules make it seem they are wanting to lean out of the Fourth Region. Last season, Coach Willie Feldhaus guided the Lakers to the regional semi-finals after -- if I remember right -- a sub .500 regular season record. I have no idea what to expect from these guys.
There's just a handful of games left before the district tournaments start, and there is still no clear favorite to win the Fourth Region Derby. It's anybody's horse race. I have no pick to win this one. It's exciting, though, and I encourage everyone to grab up the kids, call the neighbors, and go enjoy some of the great basketball around this area.
Happy Hoops!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Warren Central 85 - Franklin-Simpson 58
Warren Central High School, Bowling Green, Kentucky - 01-29-08
OBSERVATIONS
Not Fair: An official called a charge on Rayco Bryant tonight that was clearly a blocking call. Bryant is a big player, and the ref might have taken that into account when he knocked the Central player to the court. "Sir Rayco" is going to have that happen to him. It reminds me of when Clarence Martin played at WKU. Referees whistled him for a lot of fouls that he didn't commit. Players sometimes ran into Martin and fell down. Then, an official would call "Big C" for the foul. Baby Bark...I mean Baby Shaq better get used to that.
What's That Sound: Warren Central has the best P.A. system Pick and Roll has ever heard. It is clear and crisp, and the announcer does an excellent job, too. He'll even comment on the action, but he is not overbearing. When Al Thompson shot a free throw that rounded the rim, he said, "made it around the turn and down the chute." I like that. It gets a "Three Thumbs Up" from Pick and Roll.
Shoot Out for Pizza: At halftime of Warren Central's games fans can pay a buck and take three point shot to win a free pizza. I love it.
In the Dark: I had to write this post in the dark. No names. No stats. It's all from memory. It's starting to get cold in the house, too. Battery powered laptops are great things.
From our hill, which overlooks
In the second quarter, the Wildcats ran into a squall line that had the same ferocity as the one that rumbled through
The second quarter was a disaster for Franklin-Simpson. County Judge/Executive Jim Townsend should consider writing a letter to Governor Steve Beshear declaring the second quarter of Tuesday's game a disaster area. The governor's office would respond with one saying, "quit playing zone when Warren Central's shooters could throw a BB into a soda straw."
Warren Central outscored the Wildcats 31-12 in the second and took a commanding 42-25 lead to the break.
Franklin-Simpson continued to take atrocious shots in the second half, and the Dragons continued to grind them with a 2-2-1, no frills, press. Franklin-Simpson pressed the Dragons, as well. Any team that decides to play that type of defense against Warren Central better be prepared to play it with great intensity. They also make danged sure that they get back on defense because Central is going to attack the basket with the intensity of a west Kentucky thunderstorm.
The Dragons led 61-41 at the end of the third.
I don't have much to say about the fourth quarter. It was played because the rules say that it must be played. Late in the quarter, Coach Riley cleared his bench, and the reserves came out shooting and attacking the baskets. He has those kids programmed to play one way: all out.
Final: Warren Central wins by 27, 85-58.OBSERVATIONS
Not Fair: An official called a charge on Rayco Bryant tonight that was clearly a blocking call. Bryant is a big player, and the ref might have taken that into account when he knocked the Central player to the court. "Sir Rayco" is going to have that happen to him. It reminds me of when Clarence Martin played at WKU. Referees whistled him for a lot of fouls that he didn't commit. Players sometimes ran into Martin and fell down. Then, an official would call "Big C" for the foul. Baby Bark...I mean Baby Shaq better get used to that.
What's That Sound: Warren Central has the best P.A. system Pick and Roll has ever heard. It is clear and crisp, and the announcer does an excellent job, too. He'll even comment on the action, but he is not overbearing. When Al Thompson shot a free throw that rounded the rim, he said, "made it around the turn and down the chute." I like that. It gets a "Three Thumbs Up" from Pick and Roll.
Shoot Out for Pizza: At halftime of Warren Central's games fans can pay a buck and take three point shot to win a free pizza. I love it.
In the Dark: I had to write this post in the dark. No names. No stats. It's all from memory. It's starting to get cold in the house, too. Battery powered laptops are great things.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Franklin-Simpson 70 - Logan County 37
Logan County High School, Russellville, Kentucky, 01-25-08
In horse racing sometimes one horse will be the only one to go to post. Even though it is a guarantee that the horse is going to win, they break him from the gate and walk the animal around the race track. Horsemen call it "a walkover."
That is an apt description of Friday night's match up between the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats and the Logan County Cougars.
Franklin-Simpson rolled into the contest with a Fourth Region leading 10-1 record with their only loss coming at the hands of Bowling Green on December 14th, and they were undefeated in the 13th District. Logan County, on the other hand, has not won a game in the region and they've come up Krispy-Kreme (doughnuts) in the 13th.
It was first versus worst.
The other day I was scrolling through some of the old posts on Pick and Roll and realized that I had not seen Franklin-Simpson play this season. I wanted to see them play Bowling Green in December, but an out-of-state trip thwarted that plan. I just haven't been able to cross paths with these cats, so, instead of taking in the Bowling Green-Warren Central tilt or the Warren East vs. Greenwood game, I decided to head out the broad four lanes of U.S. 68 and catch a cat fight in the suburbs of Russellville.
Yep it was a walkover. At first, I thought the Cougars were going to make it a game. Logan packed back in a shifty little zone and closed down Franklin's passing lanes. After falling behind 5-0, the Cougars answered with a 6-0 run of their own to take a lead late in the first. The Wildcats, however, took a one point lead into the first break, 12-11.
Logan County's Andrew Bunton, who wears #23, hit a big basket to put Logan County ahead in the second quarter. This kid has more spin moves than the Tilt-A-Whirl at Beech Bend, but shortly after spinning through Franklin's defense with a whirl that should've been measured with the Fujita Scale, he disappeared. I don't know if Bunton hurt himself or landed in Coach Brandon Fisher's dog house, but I didn't see him on the court the rest of the game.
Logan County had 17 points when he came out of the game in the second quarter, and that was their point total at halftime. The Wildcats exploded for 20 second quarter points and controlled the game 23-17 at the half. Courtney Dalcourt and Cedrick Adams led the way for Franklin-Simpson in the first half with superb ball movement and shooting.
I had heard a lot about Rayco "Baby Shaq" Bryant. He is a big guy -- 6'5" and a very large frame. The Franklin-Simpson fans call him "Baby Shaq," but he reminds me more of Charles Barkley. Pick and Roll is going to call him "Baby Bark" or "Sir Rayco." Bryant didn't have a great game tonight, but it's probably because Logan County did everything they could to keep the ball out of his hands. He's a good rebounder and gives up no ground on defense.
The second half belonged to Franklin-Simpson. Logan County played scared, and later they played as if they had pianos strapped to their backs. The Wildcats kept the score doubled-up on them throughout most of the third and fourth quarters.
My mind wandered over to Morgantown Road in Bowling Green thinking about how the Purples and Dragons were probably slugging it out in a track meet.
The real drama at Logan County on Friday night came in the fourth quarter. I'm not sure what happened, but I think the Cougars' Reuben Rawlings threw a punch at a Franklin player and received a technical foul. When he went to the bench, the F-S fans behind the bench started taunting him, and I think someone threw something at him. A Logan County coach started jawing with the fans and walked across the gym and dispatched two Logan County deputy sheriffs into the stands. They made the fan leave, and they took up a post right beside the fans.
Pick and Roll Pet Peeve: I can't stand when fans throw things onto the playing floor or at a player. It is dangerous and stupid. I will always alert law enforcement to that type of behavior; there is no place for it in sports.
Franklin Coach David Clark cleared his bench early and gave some bench players time in the game. Jerron Patterson, a 6'4" freshman caught my eye down the stretch. He played nearly six minutes and scored five points and grabbed four rebounds. Coach Clark has to be excited about this kid.
Franklin-Simpson won effortlessly 70-37. Logan County's quarter-by-quarter scoring went 11, 6, 9, and 11. Ouch!
Courtney Dalcourt led the way for the Wildcats with 20 points and Colby Clark added 13. Brett Sowell scored 16 for Logan, and Andrew Bunton scored seven, despite only playing 12 minutes.
OBSERVATIONS
Hey, Mr. Talley Man: Pick and Roll gives a tip of the hat to Aaron Talley, Franklin-Simpson's stat man. He supplied me with rosters for both teams and statistics for the entire game. He's also very knowledgeable about Fourth Region basketball. I think it's great that a statistician is named "Talley." I love it. Somebody cue up the Harry Belafonte eight tracks.
Peaking at the Right Time: Logan County's Brett Sowell's jump shot has no arch to it whatsoever. It peaks at 10 feet, but he hit his mark several times Friday night. He has nearly perfect form on his jump shots, too. If he squares his feet and shoulders to the basket, he's money.
Oyez! Oyez!: I have to point out that Franklin-Simpson's COURTney DalCOURT has "court" twice in his name. He was either going to be a basketball player or a lawyer or maybe both.
No Parking in the Red Zone: Pick and Roll is a traveler. I've been in a lot of airports, and once thought I was going to grow old and die in Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport. Logan County has a young lady doing the public address. All night I had flashbacks to my nightmarish day at Hartsfield, where p.a. announcements were always done with a woman's voice. I kept waiting for Logan's p.a. to announce that Southwest Flight 507 was boarding at Gate 22.
The Franklin Favorite: Gee, there's a good reason why the Wildcats are 11-1 in the Fourth Region. It's because they are a good basketball team. Could they be, should they be the favorite to win the region?
In horse racing sometimes one horse will be the only one to go to post. Even though it is a guarantee that the horse is going to win, they break him from the gate and walk the animal around the race track. Horsemen call it "a walkover."
That is an apt description of Friday night's match up between the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats and the Logan County Cougars.
Franklin-Simpson rolled into the contest with a Fourth Region leading 10-1 record with their only loss coming at the hands of Bowling Green on December 14th, and they were undefeated in the 13th District. Logan County, on the other hand, has not won a game in the region and they've come up Krispy-Kreme (doughnuts) in the 13th.
It was first versus worst.
The other day I was scrolling through some of the old posts on Pick and Roll and realized that I had not seen Franklin-Simpson play this season. I wanted to see them play Bowling Green in December, but an out-of-state trip thwarted that plan. I just haven't been able to cross paths with these cats, so, instead of taking in the Bowling Green-Warren Central tilt or the Warren East vs. Greenwood game, I decided to head out the broad four lanes of U.S. 68 and catch a cat fight in the suburbs of Russellville.
Yep it was a walkover. At first, I thought the Cougars were going to make it a game. Logan packed back in a shifty little zone and closed down Franklin's passing lanes. After falling behind 5-0, the Cougars answered with a 6-0 run of their own to take a lead late in the first. The Wildcats, however, took a one point lead into the first break, 12-11.
Logan County's Andrew Bunton, who wears #23, hit a big basket to put Logan County ahead in the second quarter. This kid has more spin moves than the Tilt-A-Whirl at Beech Bend, but shortly after spinning through Franklin's defense with a whirl that should've been measured with the Fujita Scale, he disappeared. I don't know if Bunton hurt himself or landed in Coach Brandon Fisher's dog house, but I didn't see him on the court the rest of the game.
Logan County had 17 points when he came out of the game in the second quarter, and that was their point total at halftime. The Wildcats exploded for 20 second quarter points and controlled the game 23-17 at the half. Courtney Dalcourt and Cedrick Adams led the way for Franklin-Simpson in the first half with superb ball movement and shooting.
I had heard a lot about Rayco "Baby Shaq" Bryant. He is a big guy -- 6'5" and a very large frame. The Franklin-Simpson fans call him "Baby Shaq," but he reminds me more of Charles Barkley. Pick and Roll is going to call him "Baby Bark" or "Sir Rayco." Bryant didn't have a great game tonight, but it's probably because Logan County did everything they could to keep the ball out of his hands. He's a good rebounder and gives up no ground on defense.
The second half belonged to Franklin-Simpson. Logan County played scared, and later they played as if they had pianos strapped to their backs. The Wildcats kept the score doubled-up on them throughout most of the third and fourth quarters.
My mind wandered over to Morgantown Road in Bowling Green thinking about how the Purples and Dragons were probably slugging it out in a track meet.
The real drama at Logan County on Friday night came in the fourth quarter. I'm not sure what happened, but I think the Cougars' Reuben Rawlings threw a punch at a Franklin player and received a technical foul. When he went to the bench, the F-S fans behind the bench started taunting him, and I think someone threw something at him. A Logan County coach started jawing with the fans and walked across the gym and dispatched two Logan County deputy sheriffs into the stands. They made the fan leave, and they took up a post right beside the fans.
Pick and Roll Pet Peeve: I can't stand when fans throw things onto the playing floor or at a player. It is dangerous and stupid. I will always alert law enforcement to that type of behavior; there is no place for it in sports.
Franklin Coach David Clark cleared his bench early and gave some bench players time in the game. Jerron Patterson, a 6'4" freshman caught my eye down the stretch. He played nearly six minutes and scored five points and grabbed four rebounds. Coach Clark has to be excited about this kid.
Franklin-Simpson won effortlessly 70-37. Logan County's quarter-by-quarter scoring went 11, 6, 9, and 11. Ouch!
Courtney Dalcourt led the way for the Wildcats with 20 points and Colby Clark added 13. Brett Sowell scored 16 for Logan, and Andrew Bunton scored seven, despite only playing 12 minutes.
OBSERVATIONS
Hey, Mr. Talley Man: Pick and Roll gives a tip of the hat to Aaron Talley, Franklin-Simpson's stat man. He supplied me with rosters for both teams and statistics for the entire game. He's also very knowledgeable about Fourth Region basketball. I think it's great that a statistician is named "Talley." I love it. Somebody cue up the Harry Belafonte eight tracks.
Peaking at the Right Time: Logan County's Brett Sowell's jump shot has no arch to it whatsoever. It peaks at 10 feet, but he hit his mark several times Friday night. He has nearly perfect form on his jump shots, too. If he squares his feet and shoulders to the basket, he's money.
Oyez! Oyez!: I have to point out that Franklin-Simpson's COURTney DalCOURT has "court" twice in his name. He was either going to be a basketball player or a lawyer or maybe both.
No Parking in the Red Zone: Pick and Roll is a traveler. I've been in a lot of airports, and once thought I was going to grow old and die in Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport. Logan County has a young lady doing the public address. All night I had flashbacks to my nightmarish day at Hartsfield, where p.a. announcements were always done with a woman's voice. I kept waiting for Logan's p.a. to announce that Southwest Flight 507 was boarding at Gate 22.
The Franklin Favorite: Gee, there's a good reason why the Wildcats are 11-1 in the Fourth Region. It's because they are a good basketball team. Could they be, should they be the favorite to win the region?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Bowling Green 65 - Grayson County 55
Grayson County High School, Leitchfield, Kentucky, 01-22-08
I was going to lay off tonight, but when WBGN play-by-play man, Scott Thompson, told me I could ride along with him, it brought the eternal moocher in me springing to life. Tonight I was Thompson's broadcast engineer. When we set up in the press box at Grayson County's gym, he had me check power sources for the radio equipment. He had me stand by a light switch and turn it on and off. It was tough duty, but I got through it. I told him that I expected union wages.
A few weeks ago, Chris Gregory, the Pick and Rolls fearless Fifth Region Correspondent, stated that KY 84 was as curvy as Jessica Simpson. I'm going to one up him. KY 185 between Richardsville and Caneyville is as curvy as a sorority pledge party.
Tuesday's game was a match up between two team trying to make a move toward the top of their regions. Bowling Green is near the top in the Fourth, and Grayson is near the top in the Third. Both had 13-6 records going into the contest.
The similarities stop there. Grayson County is strong and plays patient, ball control basketball. Bowling Green is long and lanky and likes to open up the game and play all 94 feet of the court. Both teams are good and well coached.
I was surprised when the Cougars opened with a man-to-man defense against the visitors. That allowed the Purples to play their game, and they controlled the boards and the paint. Bowling Green played superb defense in the first quarter. It was one of the best defensive efforts I've seen this season, and it says a lot that Grayson County scored 13 points against the Purples' full court pressure. D.G. Sherrill has his team pressing after turnovers and missed baskets, and they did it well in the first quarter. Bowling Green had an eight point lead at the end of the first, 21-13.
Grayson County's sophomore sensation hurt his hand just a minute into the second quarter, and he sat out until the four minute mark. The Cougars played well without him on the court and cut into the lead. The score was 27-26 after Johnston hit a running jump shot with under two minutes left in the half, but Tevis Barksdale answered with one of his three first half three point shots.
Bowling Green's defense was going to determine the outcome of the game. When the Purples applied pressure and played active, tough defense, they controlled the game. They had a couple of lapses in the second quarter, but they took a 30-26 lead into the break.
At halftime, D.L. Moore, Bowling Green's 6'6" center, who is headed to the University of South Carolina to play football, only had four points. Travis Johnston had nine, a very quiet nine.
Grayson County surprised the Purples to open the third quarter. Johnston nailed a three just a few seconds into the half, and teammate Tyler Saltsman hit another one after a Bowling Green turnover. Just 43 seconds into the quarter, the game changed complexion. The Cougars had a 32-30 lead on the visitors. Coach Sherrill called a timeout, and it was much needed. The Purps were a Led Zepplin song: Dazed and Confused.
The Purples made the mistake of letting Travis Johnston get loose in close to the basket. The Cougars kept hitting easy baskets, and Johnston scored 9 points in three and a half minutes. It looked like Bowling Green was in trouble, but they re-asserted their defensive pressure late in the third. They forced Johnston and the rest of the Cougars to take contested outside shots.
Bowling Green also started working the ball down low to D.L. Moore, who used his long arms to catch the ball and put it in the basket. He made several text book put-ins off the glass using both hands and never bringing the ball below his head. Pick and Roll loves to see fundamental basketball, and Moore put on a clinic on several plays.
The Purples struggled a little in the third quarter, but they took a one point, 45-44, lead into the fourth quarter.
Grayson County continued to play man-to-man with Bowling Green, and the Cougar squad looked tired early in the fourth. They finally played some 2-3 zone, but Bowling Green hit a huge three point shot to make it 52-48 heading down the stretch.
The Purples switched to a zone defense in the fourth. They played a 1-3-1 with D.L. Moore at the head of the zone. Sherrill was careful not to let Moore move to far from one side to the other, and he kept his arms up and out, frustrating the Grayson County shooters. Moore showed great skill coming off of the top of that zone and getting into position to grab rebounds. I haven't seen Bowling Green play much zone this season, but they played it very well on Tuesday night.
Bowling Green forced Grayson's offense further and further away from the basket, and they controlled things down the stretch. They won 65-55.
Both teams are good teams. Top ranked Muhlenberg North rolls into Cougar Country on Friday night, and Stars unblemished Third Region record could fall. Bowling Green travels across town to arch-rival Warren Central that night.
OBSERVATIONS
Canine or Feline?: If Bowling Green High won't call their hot dogs "D.G. Dogs," then maybe I can convince the fine Grayson County folks to call theirs "Cat Dogs." It wasn't the best hot dog I've ever eaten, but he popcorn at Grayson's concession stand is fantastic. It gets a Pick and Roll "Three Thumbs Up" rating.
Bird Was a Player: I know what the readers are thinking: Larry Bird. When a person says "Bird" in Grayson County, they think Brittany. She left the Lady Cougars after scoring 2,376 points. That makes me say, "gosh." Gosh!
Must Put Face On: Earlier in the week when some girls were trying to catch a glimpse of Bowling Green assistant coach Anthony Winchester, they told Coach D.G. Sherrill they wanted to see his "cute" coaching staff. Sherrill responded, "girls, I don't wake up looking this good."
Can't Get There From Here: I challenge Pick and Roll readers to find a good route from Bowling Green to Leitchfield. It's worse going to Hardinsburg. I spent two years running those routes for my job, and I never could settle on a good combination of roads to get to those places. In order to get from BG to Leitchfield, you've got to go somewhere else. Scott Thompson and I debated our route the whole way up there.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Bowling Green 59 - Greenwood 56
Bowling Green High School, Bowling Green, Kentucky 01-18-08
Bowling Green Coach D.G. Sherrill whipped out a secret weapon tonight in his Purples' game against 14th District rival Greenwood. The secret weapon was not a play or a player. It came in the form of the 6'4" former Hilltopper three point assassin named Anthony Winchester. Topper Nation always called him "A-Dub," and he was the bane of Sunbelt teams for four years while he was on The Hill. I'm sure that Coach Sherrill thinks Winchester looks as good in purple as he did in red.
Leading up to tonight's game I had mental images of Blane Embry dressed up like a 1980s pop star and lip syncing the Tommy Tutone song 867-5309/Jenny to the Bowling Green faithful. He'd sing "Purples, I got your number; I'm gonna make you mine." The Greenwood Gators have held some sort of spell over the Purples for the past two or three years. They've got their number, and Embry's squads have had a good time with it.
Friday night, D.G. Sherrill may have changed that number to an unlisted one.
Both Bowling Green and Greenwood are good defensive ball clubs. Greenwood likes to play a tight man-to-man defense, and the Purples like to press and play man-to-man. It took over two minutes for either team to draw first blood, and Bowling Green's D.L. Moore did the honors with 5:50 left in the first quarter. The first quarter was pretty typical of a match up between these two squads: low scoring, and instead of trading buckets they trade surges. The Purples led 13-11 at the end of the first, but Tevin Barksdale had two fouls on him.
The second quarter didn't get better for Barksdale. He picked up his third foul when a Greenwood player turned in an Academy Award performance with a flop to the floor as Barksdale went around him. Ouch! It was a crummy way for him to pick up his third.
It hit me tonight that Greenwood's guards Mark Lacy and Austin Reed are Thing 1 and Thing 2. They wear those uniform numbers, and to opponents they are pesky like the creations in Dr. Seuss's "Cat in the Hat."
Other teams must feel like Coach Embry carries a big wood box into their gyms and undoes the hook when he releases #1 Lacy and #2 Reed on them.
"Those Things should not be in this house! Make them go!" Was that said by Dr. Seuss or D.G. Sherrill?
They do seem to be everywhere on the court, and they are both heady ballplayers. All they need are big, wild blue wigs. Their defense made Bowling Green look a little sloppy, but the Purples held on to their two point lead, 21-19. Both teams scored only 8 points in the second quarter.
I noticed that Greenwood's Dee Anderson was quiet in the first half.
In the third quarter Bowling Green was able to do what they've always had trouble doing against the Gators. They utilized their size and athletic ability against them. D.L. Moore asserted himself in the paint (he scored 19 on Friday), and the Purples went to the boards after any missed shots. The Purples did a great job of setting up their press after misses, too.
If they master the art of pressing after missed shots, they will be a tough team to beat as the season drifts into post season play.
D.L. Moore tried to dunk a ball tonight, and he looked good in the attempt. He was fouled and hit the ball off of the rim. He really got way up over the rim. I like when Moore uses his athletic ability and size to outplay his opponents. He's got the talent, but sometime I think his mind is already in Columbia and running slants for Steve Spurrier.
The third quarter of Friday's game was one of the best quarters of basketball I've seen this season. Both teams played hard and played well. Bowling Green led 38-33, but I sensed that this game had a lot more excitement left in it.
Here's some advice for fans, players and coaches that might just read the Pennyrile Pick and Roll: you must know where Dee Anderson is at all times, and you must have someone guarding him. If Coach Embry puts him on the bench, an opposing coach should send a player over to sit down next to him.
Dee Anderson finished Friday's game with 15 points, 14 of which came in the second half. I don't know how many he scored in each quarter, but I'm willing to bet that most of those points came in the fourth. He kept getting loose in Bowling Green's defense and made them pay. They left him open way too many times, and if they pressured him, Anderson made perfect passes for buckets.
Greenwood outplayed Bowling Green in the fourth quarter, but the Purples clung to a lead throughout the final 8 minutes of regulation. They also missed some critical free throws down the stretch.
The Gators had the final possession of the game trailing 50-48. After getting some ball movement around the Purples defense, Thing 1...excuse me, Mark Lacy, launched a light little floater from near the free throw line. The ball bounced around on the rim and dropped through the net at 0:00.
"Then those Things ran about
With big bumps, jumps and kicks
And with hops and big thumps
And all kinds of bad tricks.
And I (D.G. Sherrill) said,
'I do NOT like the way that they play!"
At the same time, I was expecting to see Coach Embry singing "I got it, I got it. I got your number from the wall...for a good time, a good time call."
When the overtime started, it seemed like Greenwood was going to send the Purples packing again. They jumped out to a three point lead. Bowling Green responded with some pressure basket and free throws.
The Purples finally won this critical 14th District game in overtime, 59-56.
In my minds eye, I could see D.G. Sherrill looking like a member of the old 80s band "Wall of Voodoo" and singing, "I wish I was in Tijuana eating barbecued iquana." Hey, Gators are big lizards, too.
OBSERVATIONS
Something in the Air: the atmosphere was electric at Bowling Green's gym tonight. There was a definite post season feel at Friday's game. Both teams played well and neither was going to back down. I figured out that Bowling Green and Greenwood could play five times this season. They've played three times already, and they could play in the district and then the region.
Marketing Opportunities: I wish I could convince the Bowling Green people to have a little fun with their concessions. First of all, their hotdogs should be called "D.G. Dogs." No one should ever call popcorn "popcorn" around BGHS. It should be "Purpcorn." Some pieces should be purple and some should be gold or a buttery yellow. Then, they should sell nothing but grape Nehi colas. Nothing says "winter Friday night" like a hot D.G. Dog, a bag of Purpcorn, a grape Nehi, and high school hoops.
Lee Brick and Block Award: Possibly every player on the court deserved this award for throwing up brick after brick after brick from the free throw line. Stefan Iverson for Greenwood gets the individual award, however. In the fourth quarter he shot the most hideous brick I've seen in a long time. It hit the backboard just left of the rim and hit with such force that I thought it was some Underwriters' Laboratory test on the strength of the glass.
Pick and Roll looks forward to receiving a sponsorship check from the fine folks at Lee Brick and Block. They can contact me by e-mail, and I'll send them my mailing address.
Bowling Green Coach D.G. Sherrill whipped out a secret weapon tonight in his Purples' game against 14th District rival Greenwood. The secret weapon was not a play or a player. It came in the form of the 6'4" former Hilltopper three point assassin named Anthony Winchester. Topper Nation always called him "A-Dub," and he was the bane of Sunbelt teams for four years while he was on The Hill. I'm sure that Coach Sherrill thinks Winchester looks as good in purple as he did in red.
Leading up to tonight's game I had mental images of Blane Embry dressed up like a 1980s pop star and lip syncing the Tommy Tutone song 867-5309/Jenny to the Bowling Green faithful. He'd sing "Purples, I got your number; I'm gonna make you mine." The Greenwood Gators have held some sort of spell over the Purples for the past two or three years. They've got their number, and Embry's squads have had a good time with it.
Friday night, D.G. Sherrill may have changed that number to an unlisted one.
Both Bowling Green and Greenwood are good defensive ball clubs. Greenwood likes to play a tight man-to-man defense, and the Purples like to press and play man-to-man. It took over two minutes for either team to draw first blood, and Bowling Green's D.L. Moore did the honors with 5:50 left in the first quarter. The first quarter was pretty typical of a match up between these two squads: low scoring, and instead of trading buckets they trade surges. The Purples led 13-11 at the end of the first, but Tevin Barksdale had two fouls on him.
The second quarter didn't get better for Barksdale. He picked up his third foul when a Greenwood player turned in an Academy Award performance with a flop to the floor as Barksdale went around him. Ouch! It was a crummy way for him to pick up his third.
It hit me tonight that Greenwood's guards Mark Lacy and Austin Reed are Thing 1 and Thing 2. They wear those uniform numbers, and to opponents they are pesky like the creations in Dr. Seuss's "Cat in the Hat."
Other teams must feel like Coach Embry carries a big wood box into their gyms and undoes the hook when he releases #1 Lacy and #2 Reed on them.
"Those Things should not be in this house! Make them go!" Was that said by Dr. Seuss or D.G. Sherrill?
They do seem to be everywhere on the court, and they are both heady ballplayers. All they need are big, wild blue wigs. Their defense made Bowling Green look a little sloppy, but the Purples held on to their two point lead, 21-19. Both teams scored only 8 points in the second quarter.
I noticed that Greenwood's Dee Anderson was quiet in the first half.
In the third quarter Bowling Green was able to do what they've always had trouble doing against the Gators. They utilized their size and athletic ability against them. D.L. Moore asserted himself in the paint (he scored 19 on Friday), and the Purples went to the boards after any missed shots. The Purples did a great job of setting up their press after misses, too.
If they master the art of pressing after missed shots, they will be a tough team to beat as the season drifts into post season play.
D.L. Moore tried to dunk a ball tonight, and he looked good in the attempt. He was fouled and hit the ball off of the rim. He really got way up over the rim. I like when Moore uses his athletic ability and size to outplay his opponents. He's got the talent, but sometime I think his mind is already in Columbia and running slants for Steve Spurrier.
The third quarter of Friday's game was one of the best quarters of basketball I've seen this season. Both teams played hard and played well. Bowling Green led 38-33, but I sensed that this game had a lot more excitement left in it.
Here's some advice for fans, players and coaches that might just read the Pennyrile Pick and Roll: you must know where Dee Anderson is at all times, and you must have someone guarding him. If Coach Embry puts him on the bench, an opposing coach should send a player over to sit down next to him.
Dee Anderson finished Friday's game with 15 points, 14 of which came in the second half. I don't know how many he scored in each quarter, but I'm willing to bet that most of those points came in the fourth. He kept getting loose in Bowling Green's defense and made them pay. They left him open way too many times, and if they pressured him, Anderson made perfect passes for buckets.
Greenwood outplayed Bowling Green in the fourth quarter, but the Purples clung to a lead throughout the final 8 minutes of regulation. They also missed some critical free throws down the stretch.
The Gators had the final possession of the game trailing 50-48. After getting some ball movement around the Purples defense, Thing 1...excuse me, Mark Lacy, launched a light little floater from near the free throw line. The ball bounced around on the rim and dropped through the net at 0:00.
"Then those Things ran about
With big bumps, jumps and kicks
And with hops and big thumps
And all kinds of bad tricks.
And I (D.G. Sherrill) said,
'I do NOT like the way that they play!"
At the same time, I was expecting to see Coach Embry singing "I got it, I got it. I got your number from the wall...for a good time, a good time call."
When the overtime started, it seemed like Greenwood was going to send the Purples packing again. They jumped out to a three point lead. Bowling Green responded with some pressure basket and free throws.
The Purples finally won this critical 14th District game in overtime, 59-56.
In my minds eye, I could see D.G. Sherrill looking like a member of the old 80s band "Wall of Voodoo" and singing, "I wish I was in Tijuana eating barbecued iquana." Hey, Gators are big lizards, too.
OBSERVATIONS
Something in the Air: the atmosphere was electric at Bowling Green's gym tonight. There was a definite post season feel at Friday's game. Both teams played well and neither was going to back down. I figured out that Bowling Green and Greenwood could play five times this season. They've played three times already, and they could play in the district and then the region.
Marketing Opportunities: I wish I could convince the Bowling Green people to have a little fun with their concessions. First of all, their hotdogs should be called "D.G. Dogs." No one should ever call popcorn "popcorn" around BGHS. It should be "Purpcorn." Some pieces should be purple and some should be gold or a buttery yellow. Then, they should sell nothing but grape Nehi colas. Nothing says "winter Friday night" like a hot D.G. Dog, a bag of Purpcorn, a grape Nehi, and high school hoops.
Lee Brick and Block Award: Possibly every player on the court deserved this award for throwing up brick after brick after brick from the free throw line. Stefan Iverson for Greenwood gets the individual award, however. In the fourth quarter he shot the most hideous brick I've seen in a long time. It hit the backboard just left of the rim and hit with such force that I thought it was some Underwriters' Laboratory test on the strength of the glass.
Pick and Roll looks forward to receiving a sponsorship check from the fine folks at Lee Brick and Block. They can contact me by e-mail, and I'll send them my mailing address.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Warren East 85 - Metcalfe County 70
Warren East High School, Bristow, Kentucky 01-12-08
It's a wonder that a Star Trek convention didn't break out at Saturday's game at Warren East. The Raiders featured DeAngelo Kirk, and the Metcalfe County Hornets had a center named Will Warf. Kirk and Warf? I started looking for geeky people wearing Star Trek uniforms walking around talking about how they spent last summer at Klingon Language Camp.
The real story from Metcalfe County's game against Warren East is that their star player, Trey Shirley, missed the game due to an illness. No one seems to know what is wrong with the kid, but a couple of Hornets fans told me that they had to run a CAT scan on him last night. All the Metcalfe fans seemed worried about the Shirley and less concerned that their team would be short a player who averages over 20 points a game.
I'm sure that Edmonton has a good hospital. I know that in some small towns if someone needed a CAT scan it might just involve a cat.
Pennyrile Pick and Roll looks forward to seeing Trey Shirley back on the hardwood and wishes him and his family all the best.
There was a large contingent of Metcalfe County fans at the ballgame. I heard one alumnus say, "you can't hide that Hornet pride." They have every reason to be proud, too, because they rolled into Friday's game with an impressive 13-1 record, with their only loss coming to a school from Washington, D.C. They were undefeated in the region, too.
The Metcalfe County fans were quiet. The only buzz coming from that swarm of maroon clad hornets was about their star player not being with the team. In fact, it is possibly the quietest basketball crowd of which I've been a part. Both sets of fans sat in the stands almost as if they were in church. When the teams started playing, the players didn't even chatter.
In the first quarter Metcalfe and East went at each other like good basketball teams do in a big game. I won't say that they swapped buckets, but one team would surge, and the other would respond. Both teams like to press and will press even after missed baskets. Metcalfe County even pressed after a turnover. They do it well, too.
At the end of the first quarter, the Raiders had a precarious 18-16 lead.
In the second quarter, Metcalfe County's guards kept challenging Warren East's interior defense, and the Raiders kept blocking their shots. I thought maybe they should try to spread Warren East's defense out a little with some perimeter shooting, and maybe that's what the Hornets lack without Trey Shirley in the lineup.
I would later discover something about Metcalfe County that I have missed all season. I think it is something that everyone has missed. They aren't just Trey Shirley. They are a good basketball team, and Will Warf -- the very un-Klingon like post player for the Hornets -- is probably the guy that holds Metcalfe together. I should note that he is Metcalfe's starting quarterback on the gridiron and won back-to-back Region Three Player-of-the-Year awards.
In the second quarter, however, Shenard Holton and Jordan Ellis made some big plays for the Raiders. I like the athletic ability of Ellis, but he's got to learn to move his feet on defense and quit slapping at defenders. He had his third foul with 5:22 left in the half. Ouch! He can't serve his team while doing a Bill Keightly impersonation in the first half.
Warren East expanded their lead to 35-31.
In the third quarter, Metcalfe opened with a tricky match up 3-2 zone. It was a good defense, but they couldn't close the gap between the guards and the baseline players. East's Shenard Holton kept finding a way into the middle of the zone and kept finding ways to score. He finished the game with 15 points.
The Hornets, however, outscored Warren East 18-17 in the quarter and stayed within striking distance of the Raiders.
The fourth quarter didn't turn out too well for Metcalfe. Holton kept getting loose in their zone, and DeAngelo Kirk bombed a couple of three pointers from the wing and hit a couple of nice looking pull-up jump shots -- a lost or dying art in all of basketball. The Hornets' defense seemed to be unable to find Kirk on the wing, and he made them pay for it.
Will Warf kept them in the game. How can someone with a Klingon name counter a team with a player named Kirk? Warf made some impressive moves around the basket in the final frame, and that's when I realized that he's a heck of a basketball player. He's gritty, hard-nosed, and he would not surrender to Kirk and his Raiders. Warf finished the game with 27 points and 13 boards. He also made himself one of my favorite players in the region. I look forward to seeing him play in Diddle Arena in March.
Warren East won the game 85-70. That score does not give a good perspective on what type of ballgame Saturday's game was. The game got away from Metcalfe County in the final minutes. The Hornets played Clinton County the night before in Edmonton, so they looked a little tired. However, Warren East played Allen County-Scottsville the night before and looked fine.
I almost gave my "Charlie Brown Blockhead Award" to Winston Harbison for Metcalfe County. Late in the game, he was whistled for a foul, and he mouthed off to the official, who promptly gave him a technical. I could see the frustration on Harbison's face, so I forgave him. I saw a competitor who doesn't like to lose when he came over to the bench.
The technical foul had no effect on the game except to change the margin of victory. It gave the Raiders a bunch of points near the end of the game, and it took any life left in the Hornets.
Even though the lost, I'm still high on this Metcalfe County squad. The Hornet seniors played on their team that made it to the regional final two years ago (that's off the top of my head, so I hope I'm right), and they play very well together. In the wide open Fourth, several teams have a shot at going to the Sweet Sixteen, but I think Metcalfe has the best chance.
OBSERVATIONS
Yecccch!: Hey, Warren East! Clean your dang bleachers. I started to think that they purposely poured Coca-Cola all over the visitor's bleachers. It reminded me of going to the 99 cent movies at the old Bowling Green Mall when I was in college. I left my shoes in the garage when I got home last night. I've stepped in less nasty stuff at the Kentucky State Fair.
Twin Towers: Forget Bowie and Turpin or Robinson and Duncan. Metcalfe County has Grant and Russell Kindred. I don't know their heights, but they are actually twins. I list their heights at "tall" and be done with it.
Brothers in Arms?: I noticed that the Metcalfe County Roster features three kids with the last name "Shirley." I saw Patrick and Latrel Shirley on Saturday night, and I'm going to take a wild guess that they are not brothers by relation. I'm also going to guess that one of them may be the brother of missing Trey Shirley.
A Proud Tradition: Warren East has a great basketball tradition. They've won 9 Fourth Region championships, and they made it to the state semi-finals in 1997. With guys like DeAngelo Kirk, Jordan Ellis, and Shenard Holton on their squad, they have a real good chance of winning "one for the other thumb." If Russell Malone can get them to play defense without fouling, they could make it past the first week of March.
Chattering Players: I've noticed it in both baseball and basketball in recent years. Players no longer chatter. They don't even squawk to let a teammate know that they're open. Everyone gripes about trash-talking players these days, but I see it exactly opposite. When I was in high school players chattered all the time on the field and on the court. I remember Central High School's players like they were an entire team of Meadowlark Lemons. None of it was mean and a lot of it was funny. Metcalfe County's players walk on and off the court like they're filing into a Sunday School class.
It's a wonder that a Star Trek convention didn't break out at Saturday's game at Warren East. The Raiders featured DeAngelo Kirk, and the Metcalfe County Hornets had a center named Will Warf. Kirk and Warf? I started looking for geeky people wearing Star Trek uniforms walking around talking about how they spent last summer at Klingon Language Camp.
The real story from Metcalfe County's game against Warren East is that their star player, Trey Shirley, missed the game due to an illness. No one seems to know what is wrong with the kid, but a couple of Hornets fans told me that they had to run a CAT scan on him last night. All the Metcalfe fans seemed worried about the Shirley and less concerned that their team would be short a player who averages over 20 points a game.
I'm sure that Edmonton has a good hospital. I know that in some small towns if someone needed a CAT scan it might just involve a cat.
Pennyrile Pick and Roll looks forward to seeing Trey Shirley back on the hardwood and wishes him and his family all the best.
There was a large contingent of Metcalfe County fans at the ballgame. I heard one alumnus say, "you can't hide that Hornet pride." They have every reason to be proud, too, because they rolled into Friday's game with an impressive 13-1 record, with their only loss coming to a school from Washington, D.C. They were undefeated in the region, too.
The Metcalfe County fans were quiet. The only buzz coming from that swarm of maroon clad hornets was about their star player not being with the team. In fact, it is possibly the quietest basketball crowd of which I've been a part. Both sets of fans sat in the stands almost as if they were in church. When the teams started playing, the players didn't even chatter.
In the first quarter Metcalfe and East went at each other like good basketball teams do in a big game. I won't say that they swapped buckets, but one team would surge, and the other would respond. Both teams like to press and will press even after missed baskets. Metcalfe County even pressed after a turnover. They do it well, too.
At the end of the first quarter, the Raiders had a precarious 18-16 lead.
In the second quarter, Metcalfe County's guards kept challenging Warren East's interior defense, and the Raiders kept blocking their shots. I thought maybe they should try to spread Warren East's defense out a little with some perimeter shooting, and maybe that's what the Hornets lack without Trey Shirley in the lineup.
I would later discover something about Metcalfe County that I have missed all season. I think it is something that everyone has missed. They aren't just Trey Shirley. They are a good basketball team, and Will Warf -- the very un-Klingon like post player for the Hornets -- is probably the guy that holds Metcalfe together. I should note that he is Metcalfe's starting quarterback on the gridiron and won back-to-back Region Three Player-of-the-Year awards.
In the second quarter, however, Shenard Holton and Jordan Ellis made some big plays for the Raiders. I like the athletic ability of Ellis, but he's got to learn to move his feet on defense and quit slapping at defenders. He had his third foul with 5:22 left in the half. Ouch! He can't serve his team while doing a Bill Keightly impersonation in the first half.
Warren East expanded their lead to 35-31.
In the third quarter, Metcalfe opened with a tricky match up 3-2 zone. It was a good defense, but they couldn't close the gap between the guards and the baseline players. East's Shenard Holton kept finding a way into the middle of the zone and kept finding ways to score. He finished the game with 15 points.
The Hornets, however, outscored Warren East 18-17 in the quarter and stayed within striking distance of the Raiders.
The fourth quarter didn't turn out too well for Metcalfe. Holton kept getting loose in their zone, and DeAngelo Kirk bombed a couple of three pointers from the wing and hit a couple of nice looking pull-up jump shots -- a lost or dying art in all of basketball. The Hornets' defense seemed to be unable to find Kirk on the wing, and he made them pay for it.
Will Warf kept them in the game. How can someone with a Klingon name counter a team with a player named Kirk? Warf made some impressive moves around the basket in the final frame, and that's when I realized that he's a heck of a basketball player. He's gritty, hard-nosed, and he would not surrender to Kirk and his Raiders. Warf finished the game with 27 points and 13 boards. He also made himself one of my favorite players in the region. I look forward to seeing him play in Diddle Arena in March.
Warren East won the game 85-70. That score does not give a good perspective on what type of ballgame Saturday's game was. The game got away from Metcalfe County in the final minutes. The Hornets played Clinton County the night before in Edmonton, so they looked a little tired. However, Warren East played Allen County-Scottsville the night before and looked fine.
I almost gave my "Charlie Brown Blockhead Award" to Winston Harbison for Metcalfe County. Late in the game, he was whistled for a foul, and he mouthed off to the official, who promptly gave him a technical. I could see the frustration on Harbison's face, so I forgave him. I saw a competitor who doesn't like to lose when he came over to the bench.
The technical foul had no effect on the game except to change the margin of victory. It gave the Raiders a bunch of points near the end of the game, and it took any life left in the Hornets.
Even though the lost, I'm still high on this Metcalfe County squad. The Hornet seniors played on their team that made it to the regional final two years ago (that's off the top of my head, so I hope I'm right), and they play very well together. In the wide open Fourth, several teams have a shot at going to the Sweet Sixteen, but I think Metcalfe has the best chance.
OBSERVATIONS
Yecccch!: Hey, Warren East! Clean your dang bleachers. I started to think that they purposely poured Coca-Cola all over the visitor's bleachers. It reminded me of going to the 99 cent movies at the old Bowling Green Mall when I was in college. I left my shoes in the garage when I got home last night. I've stepped in less nasty stuff at the Kentucky State Fair.
Twin Towers: Forget Bowie and Turpin or Robinson and Duncan. Metcalfe County has Grant and Russell Kindred. I don't know their heights, but they are actually twins. I list their heights at "tall" and be done with it.
Brothers in Arms?: I noticed that the Metcalfe County Roster features three kids with the last name "Shirley." I saw Patrick and Latrel Shirley on Saturday night, and I'm going to take a wild guess that they are not brothers by relation. I'm also going to guess that one of them may be the brother of missing Trey Shirley.
A Proud Tradition: Warren East has a great basketball tradition. They've won 9 Fourth Region championships, and they made it to the state semi-finals in 1997. With guys like DeAngelo Kirk, Jordan Ellis, and Shenard Holton on their squad, they have a real good chance of winning "one for the other thumb." If Russell Malone can get them to play defense without fouling, they could make it past the first week of March.
Chattering Players: I've noticed it in both baseball and basketball in recent years. Players no longer chatter. They don't even squawk to let a teammate know that they're open. Everyone gripes about trash-talking players these days, but I see it exactly opposite. When I was in high school players chattered all the time on the field and on the court. I remember Central High School's players like they were an entire team of Meadowlark Lemons. None of it was mean and a lot of it was funny. Metcalfe County's players walk on and off the court like they're filing into a Sunday School class.
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