By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
We are in the last week of regular season games, and once again my work schedule has not permitted me to attend any games this week. That's OK because working this week opens me up for the district tournaments next week.
My list is based solely on players I've seen play. I've seen a lot of players who are having good season, but I'm only going to list the impact players from the games I've seen.
1. Darrion Ballou, Adair County: Ballou is one of the best players in the Fifth Region. In the games I've watched, he has an 18.5 point average and has pulled down 10.3 rebounds. He is only a junior. His recruiting is starting to open up. Some say that he will not make a good D-1 player, but I disagree. If his Indians can make it to the big dance in Rupp again this year, then look for him to start getting some offers.
2. Maurice Gosa, North Hardin: He leads the Trojans on the floor and is as quick as a cat. He can shoot the rock, too. He has a 52% average from three point land in the games I've watched. Even those he gets his fair share of shots, he can dish it out, too. Maurice is a very good passer, and for his size he has great hops.
3. Chase Cox, Taylor County: I have nicknamed him "The Gunner" because this kid will pull the trigger from anywhere. I watched him against Adair County, and fans told me that he looks to shoot as soon as he gets off the bus. Also, they honored him for scoring 2,000 points for his career. He is known to have an "off night," but when that happens he picks it up on defense. Look for Chase to start raining threes next week in Campbellsville.
4. Tyler Hornback, Larue County: Tyler is a workhorse. He has athletic ability running out of his ears. I know this kid personally, and fans can't ask for a better kid anywhere. Tyler has had some good games this season and has a Pick and Roll average of 16 points and 8 rebounds, and to go along with that he has dished out 3.5 assists. This multi-sport athlete does a lot for the Hawks, and in most games he has to defend other teams' best player. He jumps real well and has good speed. He's only a junior.
5. Tony Harding, Central Hardin: Tony really impressed me. At 6'0" he jumps out of the gym and slashes with the best of them. Overall, he has had an up-and-down year, but he put up 23 points the night they dismantled North Hardin to get the school's first ever number one seed in the 17th district. Central has only been to the Fifth Region Tournament twice in school history, so look for Tony and the Bruins to make the most of it. Editor's Note: I saw Harding play in Bowling Green in December, and he is one of my favorites, too.
6. Sean Bouthilette, Elizabethtown: Another workhorse. This "wide body" takes pride in rebounding, and he doesn't look to score as much as other players I listed. He is the type of player every coach wants on his team. Bouthilette has a good crew around him, so don't county out a James Haire coached team. Editor's Note: I was mystified as to how to spell Bouthilette until I saw his name listed on the news the other night, and I see you have it exactly right. I saw him play against Shelby County, and he is one tough ballplayer.
CHRIS'S FIFTH REGION UP-AND-COMERS
1. Bryan Bault, Junior, Larue County: He's a solid scorer and rebounder in his first year to play high school ball. He has really helped his team.
2. Roosevelt Emerson, Sophomore, North Hardin: In one game I watched this year he had 23 points. He is 6'5" and his best ball is ahead of him.
3. Chris White, Junior, John Hardin: Best hands in the 17th District for a big man. He has a soft touch down low and can shoot from out on the floor.
4. Kyle Sandusky, Sophomore, Adair County: He's the best "Sixth Man" in the Fifth. He rains threes and plays good "D" with his long arms.
5. Jordan Hickman, Junior, Bardstown: He takes it to the hole harder than anyone. He's quick, which, I think is a requirement on this team. Look for him to help lead the Tigers in the Fifth Region Tournament.
6. James Berry, Sophomore, North Hardin: He's a 6'3" guard and has a good percentage from three point land. He needs to improve his ball handling, but other than that he's a solid sophomore.
Best Student Section: My vote goes to Adair County. I know some schools will take offense to this, but, hey, they have been there every time I have. They make some noise, too. I can't wait for next week when they all pack into Taylor County's gym.
Don't forget that my list is based on the games I attended, and I mean no disrespect to other players that have had great season. Maybe that just had off nights at the games I attended.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
More District Tournaments
As I've stated before, I never intended this blog to be about just the Fourth Region or just the Fifth Region. I want it to be about basketball in all of west Kentucky. I'd love to get to more games in the First, Second, and Third regions, but there is only one of me and only one of Chris. Two things: I thought gas prices would come down this winter, and my 14 year old pickup truck has developed a loud knock in the engine. I don't trust it for road trips anymore. It's the only piece of rolling stock the Pennyrile Pick and Roll owns.
I thought I'd put up district tournament information for the rest of west Kentucky.
FIRST REGION
District 1: Hickman County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
First round pits Fulton City vs. Fulton County and Carlisle County vs. Hickman County.
District 2: Paducah Tilghman High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
Top seeded Tilghman will take on Reidland and Lone Oak and Heath will play in the lower bracket.
District 3: Graves County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 28th.
Mayfield vs. Ballard Memorial in the first game, and Graves County will take on St. Mary in the second one. The championship game will most likely be between Mayfield and Graves, which could prove to be one of the better championship match ups in the state. It will be city vs. county, big school vs. little school, rival vs. rival.
District 4: Marshall County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 28th.
First round has Marshall County vs. Paducah Community Christian and Murray and Calloway County.
SECOND REGION
District 5: Lyon County High School. Feb. 28th and March 1st.
The first round pits Livingston Central vs. Crittenden County and Lyon County vs. Trigg County.
District 6: Webster County High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The 6th District has only three teams. Union County and Webster County will play the first game, and the winner will take on Henderson County, which has already punched its ticket to the Second Region Tournament.
District 7: Madisonville-North Hopkins High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 28th.
The first round features Caldwell County vs. Madisonville-North Hopkins and Hopkins County Central vs. Dawson Springs.
District 8: Hopkinsville High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The first round will feature Hopkinsville vs. University Heights Academy and Fort Campbell vs. Christian County. UHA has two of the best players in the state with Scotty Hopson and Tyshwan Edmondson. The press loves Hopson, but Pick and Roll thinks Edmondson is the real talent for the Blazers. Hoptown and UHA could be one of the best district match ups in the entire Commonwealth.
THIRD REGION
District 9: I'm not sure where this one will be played. The way I see it, Apollo has the best district record and will play Owensboro Catholic, while Owensboro and Daviess County will play in the first round.
District 10: McLean County High School. Feb. 26th, 27th, and 29th.
The first round features top seed Muhlenberg North vs. McLean County and Muhlenberg South vs. Ohio County. Muhlenberg North is one of the best teams in the state.
District 11: Meade County High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The first round has Meade County vs. Frederick Fraize (yeah, yeah, I know they're Cloverport) and Breckinridge County vs. Hancock County.
District 12: Grayson County High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The first round features Edmonson County vs. Trinity (Whitesville) and Grayson County vs. Butler County. I recommend that people spend Leap Day in Grayson County watching the state's most gerrymandered basketball district and eating the best popcorn in high school basketball.
I thought I'd put up district tournament information for the rest of west Kentucky.
FIRST REGION
District 1: Hickman County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
First round pits Fulton City vs. Fulton County and Carlisle County vs. Hickman County.
District 2: Paducah Tilghman High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
Top seeded Tilghman will take on Reidland and Lone Oak and Heath will play in the lower bracket.
District 3: Graves County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 28th.
Mayfield vs. Ballard Memorial in the first game, and Graves County will take on St. Mary in the second one. The championship game will most likely be between Mayfield and Graves, which could prove to be one of the better championship match ups in the state. It will be city vs. county, big school vs. little school, rival vs. rival.
District 4: Marshall County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 28th.
First round has Marshall County vs. Paducah Community Christian and Murray and Calloway County.
SECOND REGION
District 5: Lyon County High School. Feb. 28th and March 1st.
The first round pits Livingston Central vs. Crittenden County and Lyon County vs. Trigg County.
District 6: Webster County High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The 6th District has only three teams. Union County and Webster County will play the first game, and the winner will take on Henderson County, which has already punched its ticket to the Second Region Tournament.
District 7: Madisonville-North Hopkins High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 28th.
The first round features Caldwell County vs. Madisonville-North Hopkins and Hopkins County Central vs. Dawson Springs.
District 8: Hopkinsville High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The first round will feature Hopkinsville vs. University Heights Academy and Fort Campbell vs. Christian County. UHA has two of the best players in the state with Scotty Hopson and Tyshwan Edmondson. The press loves Hopson, but Pick and Roll thinks Edmondson is the real talent for the Blazers. Hoptown and UHA could be one of the best district match ups in the entire Commonwealth.
THIRD REGION
District 9: I'm not sure where this one will be played. The way I see it, Apollo has the best district record and will play Owensboro Catholic, while Owensboro and Daviess County will play in the first round.
District 10: McLean County High School. Feb. 26th, 27th, and 29th.
The first round features top seed Muhlenberg North vs. McLean County and Muhlenberg South vs. Ohio County. Muhlenberg North is one of the best teams in the state.
District 11: Meade County High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The first round has Meade County vs. Frederick Fraize (yeah, yeah, I know they're Cloverport) and Breckinridge County vs. Hancock County.
District 12: Grayson County High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
The first round features Edmonson County vs. Trinity (Whitesville) and Grayson County vs. Butler County. I recommend that people spend Leap Day in Grayson County watching the state's most gerrymandered basketball district and eating the best popcorn in high school basketball.
District Tournaments
It's that time of year folks. We're heading into the holiday season for hoops fans -- March. For high school basketball fans the madness starts in February with the district match ups. Most districts are just four teams these days, which means -- in most cases -- that two teams pack up their gym backs and empty out their lockers before we even flip the calendars over to March. In a couple of weeks only 64 teams will be left to vie for the coveted Sweet Sixteen championship.
Even though it is exciting, the Road to Rupp and the quest for the championship is a rough road paved with a string of broken hearts. I look forward to this time every year, and when a squad of hardwood warriors hoist the trophy in Rupp next month, I start counting the days until everyone tips it up the next season.
I'll be updating this post as I get information:
FOURTH REGION
District 13: Russellville High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th
First round will be Franklin-Simpson vs. Logan County and Russellville vs. Todd County Central.
District 14: Warren Central High School. Feb. 26th, 27th, and March 1st.
First round features Bowling Green against Warren Central and Greenwood against Warren East. Two real good teams will pack up their season after the first round of this one.
District 15: Allen County-Scottsville High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
First round has Barren County vs. Monroe County and Allen County-Scottsville vs. Glasgow. If it's Barren County and Allen County in championship, it will be katey-bar-the-door in Scottsville that night.
District 16: Russell County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
The first round will feature top seed Metcalfe County vs. Clinton County and Russell County vs. Cumberland County.
FIFTH REGION
District 17: Central Hardin High School
I need to apologize to the fine folks at Central Hardin High School because I originally posted that North Hardin was the top seed in the 17th District. It's actually the Bruins. They will play the winner of the John Hardin-Fort Knox game, and Elizabethtown plays North Hardin.
Chris Gregory called and straightened me out on this one.
District 18: Green County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
The first round has Green County vs. Caverna and Larue County vs. Hart County.
District 19: Bardstown High School. Feb. 27th, 28th, and March 1st.
This one will be a triple tilt in the old gym at Bardstown. The first round has Nelson County vs. Bethlehem and Bardstown vs. Washington County.
District 20: Taylor County High School. Feb. 27th, 28th, March 1st.
The first round features one of the state's best with Adair County vs. Campbellsville and Marion County vs. Taylor County. If Adair and Taylor meet in the championship, it'll be a barn burner on March 1st in Campbellsville.
Reminiscence Alert!!
In 2005, Chris Gregory and I were at the 11th District championship game between Breckinridge County and Hancock County. The tournament was played at Cloverport (known as Frederick Fraize to the free world beyond the Breckinridge County). Chris was there for the Tigers, and I was there because my wife, who's a Hancock County alumnus, thought the Hornets might actually put a beat down on some Fightin' Tigers. Breck won.
For anyone who doesn't know, Cloverport's gymnasium is tiny and is a steel building. During the game, a severe thunderstorm rolled into Cloverport. The wind started blowing and the rain poured down. Then, hail started pounding on the roof and sides of the steel building. I thought the Apocalypse was upon us and that I would die at a basketball game in Cloverport, Kentucky.
Young people would say that night was "crunk." It was. There was so much hail on the ground after the game that it looked like it had snowed. Plus, it was about 75 degrees at the start of the game and about 40 at the end.
Folks! That's March Madness in Kentucky. The weather is crazy. The basketball is crazy. The fans are crazy.
I love every single minute of it, and I urge everyone to find the gymnasium of your choice to watch some of the madness.
It's Kentucky's Mardis Gras.
Even though it is exciting, the Road to Rupp and the quest for the championship is a rough road paved with a string of broken hearts. I look forward to this time every year, and when a squad of hardwood warriors hoist the trophy in Rupp next month, I start counting the days until everyone tips it up the next season.
I'll be updating this post as I get information:
FOURTH REGION
District 13: Russellville High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th
First round will be Franklin-Simpson vs. Logan County and Russellville vs. Todd County Central.
District 14: Warren Central High School. Feb. 26th, 27th, and March 1st.
First round features Bowling Green against Warren Central and Greenwood against Warren East. Two real good teams will pack up their season after the first round of this one.
District 15: Allen County-Scottsville High School. Feb. 26th and 29th.
First round has Barren County vs. Monroe County and Allen County-Scottsville vs. Glasgow. If it's Barren County and Allen County in championship, it will be katey-bar-the-door in Scottsville that night.
District 16: Russell County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
The first round will feature top seed Metcalfe County vs. Clinton County and Russell County vs. Cumberland County.
FIFTH REGION
District 17: Central Hardin High School
I need to apologize to the fine folks at Central Hardin High School because I originally posted that North Hardin was the top seed in the 17th District. It's actually the Bruins. They will play the winner of the John Hardin-Fort Knox game, and Elizabethtown plays North Hardin.
Chris Gregory called and straightened me out on this one.
District 18: Green County High School. Feb. 25th, 26th, and 29th.
The first round has Green County vs. Caverna and Larue County vs. Hart County.
District 19: Bardstown High School. Feb. 27th, 28th, and March 1st.
This one will be a triple tilt in the old gym at Bardstown. The first round has Nelson County vs. Bethlehem and Bardstown vs. Washington County.
District 20: Taylor County High School. Feb. 27th, 28th, March 1st.
The first round features one of the state's best with Adair County vs. Campbellsville and Marion County vs. Taylor County. If Adair and Taylor meet in the championship, it'll be a barn burner on March 1st in Campbellsville.
Reminiscence Alert!!
In 2005, Chris Gregory and I were at the 11th District championship game between Breckinridge County and Hancock County. The tournament was played at Cloverport (known as Frederick Fraize to the free world beyond the Breckinridge County). Chris was there for the Tigers, and I was there because my wife, who's a Hancock County alumnus, thought the Hornets might actually put a beat down on some Fightin' Tigers. Breck won.
For anyone who doesn't know, Cloverport's gymnasium is tiny and is a steel building. During the game, a severe thunderstorm rolled into Cloverport. The wind started blowing and the rain poured down. Then, hail started pounding on the roof and sides of the steel building. I thought the Apocalypse was upon us and that I would die at a basketball game in Cloverport, Kentucky.
Young people would say that night was "crunk." It was. There was so much hail on the ground after the game that it looked like it had snowed. Plus, it was about 75 degrees at the start of the game and about 40 at the end.
Folks! That's March Madness in Kentucky. The weather is crazy. The basketball is crazy. The fans are crazy.
I love every single minute of it, and I urge everyone to find the gymnasium of your choice to watch some of the madness.
It's Kentucky's Mardis Gras.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Apollo 57 - Meade County 53
Meade County High School, Brandenburg, Kentucky 02-15-08
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
Friday night I decided to step out of the Fifth Region and catch a game between the Apollo Eagles and the Green Wave of Meade County. Both teams have made some noise in the last season with a couple of bumps here and there. Apollo beat Third Region favorite Muhlenberg North on February 1st, and Meade has won six of their last eight games. Both teams were playing good ball coming into this game.
I got over to Meade County early so I could tour the tornado damage. It hit Meade-Olin Park, which holds a special place in my heart. I can't tell you how many softball games I played there. Good times. I know that Meade's football field also got hit. I'm glad that everyone in that county is O.K. It will take some time to rebuild things over there.
I finally made my way to the gym and was early enough to catch some JV action. As soon as I walked in, I noticed a kid for Apollo who was towering above everyone. I found out from the Apollo stat man that he is 6'9" freshman Taylor Ewing. The kid is huge. He still has to develop, but his future looks bright. Then, the stat man for Apollo told me that the kid's mom is 6'8". Unreal!! She was very easy to pick out of a crowd.
I also got to talk to an old friend of mine, Kevin Robinson. He is an assistant coach for Meade County. I played with Kevin at Breckinridge County, and it's good to see many of the old Breck players going on to help coach or become head coaches themselves. Believe me, there are a lot of them.
When the game started, Meade came out with intensity, but their crowd was quiet. Maybe they are still in shock from the storms last week. Maybe Meade hasn't been in the Third Region long enough to know how important this game really was. Apollo is always at the top of the region, and they have one of the top coaches in the state with Tony Hopper.
Meade County fans! You must get up for this game!
Meade busted out an early lead, but the Eagles were not going to let that bother them. They stepped up their "D" and was able to get Meade to commit some turnovers. Apollo plays very good man-to-man defense, probably the best I've seen all year. They are pretty quick at every position. Meade got into early foul trouble. They had two starters with two early fouls, but Coach Jerry Garris gambled and left one of them on the floor. Apollo had the first quarter lead at 12-10.
Between quarters I wondered when Apollo's Tyler Brown was going to show up. It was like he read my mind because he came out in the second ready to play. He forced a few shots, but he had to get something going for the Eagles. Meade was quick to answer with a guy they like to call "Mr. Stinnett." His name is Nick Stinnett, and I followed his great football season last fall. I knew he was an athlete and strong. It's hard for me to describe how strong he really is. Heck, just go to a Meade County game and see for yourself. He, too, forced a lot of shots and had an off night. He was also in foul trouble.
The Green Wave's Rob Williams took up some slack and helped Meade outscore the Eagles 14-11 in the second and took a 24-23 lead to halftime.
I think Tony Hopper looks like a drill sergeant because he has a shaved head and a deep voice. Sergeant Hopper kept his team in the locker room almost the entire halftime, and I would've liked to have been a fly on the wall in that dressing room. He's really not like a drill sergeant because I noticed when he takes players out of the game he always says something positive to them. Whether they made a mistake or not, he was always positive.
He got his team mad because they came out and used a 12-4 run on Meade, and I thought it might wash up the Green Wave. Meade called a timeout at 4:37 after Apollo built a 35-28 lead. Meade made some adjustments and put together their own 7-2 run.
Meade had to go to a zone to protect their mounting foul trouble, and Apollo went cold. Nick Stinnett capped off a good quarter for Meade with a layup at the buzzer to help get the Wave back in the game. The Eagles had a 44-42 lead at the end of three. The difference in the game, though was the 12-4 run to start the half and Apollo outscoring Meade 21-18 in the third.
The game was back in forth in the fourth. At the 4:01 mark Apollo had the advantage, 49-47. It was shaping up to be a barn burner in Brandenburg. Tyler Brown quietly scored 23 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Apollo decided to go "stall-ball" with 2:30 left in the game. It broke down Meade County. The Eagles spread the floor and point guard De-Lon Butler found a hole in the Green Wave defense. He got a lay-up and was fouled. He missed the free throw, which was nothing new because both teams shot horribly from the charity stripe. Apollo had a 51-47 lead.
Meade County was not ready to give it up. With 1:25 they hit a huge three to cut it to one, but they made a mistake. They put on the press, and with the clock under a minute the Eagles took flight. They ran off six points under a minute and crashed the Green Wave, 57-53.
OBSERVATIONS
Has This Eagle Landed?: It's rumored that Tyler Brown has either signed or will sign with Morehead State. I guess he likes being an Eagle.
The Apollo Program: This one may be ready to blast off and make a flight for the regional title. They play very tough man-to-man pressure defense, and they have the quickness that can hurt some teams. They must improve at the charity stripe. Friday night they shot 57%. They go nine deep and got 17 points from their bench. They have beaten the top teams in the region, and they have the right coach.I hope they can look at these wins and build on them. Being an old Third Region man myself, I will always root for anyone who represents the region in the Sweet Sixteen. (Editor's Note: Daviess County knocked off Muhlenberg North at Greenville on Friday night).
Tsunami or Lapping Water? The Green Wave fans looked lost tonight. Their team is in the Third Region, and so is Apollo. It was a regional game between two of the top team, and the Meade County folks sat there like they used to when they were the whipping boys of the Fifth. C'mon, folks, Meade's a good team, and the fans should get behind them -- if it's not too much to ask. They get up for two games a year, and that's when they play Breck County.
Old Glory: Meade County takes a different approach to displaying the flag during the National Anthem. In many gyms I feel like an idiot looking around for the flag, and the song is half over before I find it. Meade puts it right out there. It hangs in the rafters in the middle of the gym, and when the band starts playing someone lowers it to about eye level. I thought that was pretty cool. Even my six year old took notice and said, "well, no one has done that before."
A Pick and Roll Thank You: Johnathan Whelan, the student stat man for Meade County supplied me with rosters for the game. I noticed him with his laptop during the JV game and asked him if he could give me the rosters. It was early, and I thought he might forget about me, but he hooked me right up. He even asked me if I wanted halftime stats and end of the game stats. I didn't want to impose, so I just asked for end of the game stats. Also, I can't forget the student stat man for Apollo. He sat next to me, too, and we talked a little during the game. I'm sorry I never asked his name, but he was a good guy and knew his Eagle basketball. Thanks guys.
Editor's Note: Chris in the Third, and I was in the Fifth. I guess Chris is Dan Akroyd, and I'm Eddie Murphy. Trading Places.
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
Friday night I decided to step out of the Fifth Region and catch a game between the Apollo Eagles and the Green Wave of Meade County. Both teams have made some noise in the last season with a couple of bumps here and there. Apollo beat Third Region favorite Muhlenberg North on February 1st, and Meade has won six of their last eight games. Both teams were playing good ball coming into this game.
I got over to Meade County early so I could tour the tornado damage. It hit Meade-Olin Park, which holds a special place in my heart. I can't tell you how many softball games I played there. Good times. I know that Meade's football field also got hit. I'm glad that everyone in that county is O.K. It will take some time to rebuild things over there.
I finally made my way to the gym and was early enough to catch some JV action. As soon as I walked in, I noticed a kid for Apollo who was towering above everyone. I found out from the Apollo stat man that he is 6'9" freshman Taylor Ewing. The kid is huge. He still has to develop, but his future looks bright. Then, the stat man for Apollo told me that the kid's mom is 6'8". Unreal!! She was very easy to pick out of a crowd.
I also got to talk to an old friend of mine, Kevin Robinson. He is an assistant coach for Meade County. I played with Kevin at Breckinridge County, and it's good to see many of the old Breck players going on to help coach or become head coaches themselves. Believe me, there are a lot of them.
When the game started, Meade came out with intensity, but their crowd was quiet. Maybe they are still in shock from the storms last week. Maybe Meade hasn't been in the Third Region long enough to know how important this game really was. Apollo is always at the top of the region, and they have one of the top coaches in the state with Tony Hopper.
Meade County fans! You must get up for this game!
Meade busted out an early lead, but the Eagles were not going to let that bother them. They stepped up their "D" and was able to get Meade to commit some turnovers. Apollo plays very good man-to-man defense, probably the best I've seen all year. They are pretty quick at every position. Meade got into early foul trouble. They had two starters with two early fouls, but Coach Jerry Garris gambled and left one of them on the floor. Apollo had the first quarter lead at 12-10.
Between quarters I wondered when Apollo's Tyler Brown was going to show up. It was like he read my mind because he came out in the second ready to play. He forced a few shots, but he had to get something going for the Eagles. Meade was quick to answer with a guy they like to call "Mr. Stinnett." His name is Nick Stinnett, and I followed his great football season last fall. I knew he was an athlete and strong. It's hard for me to describe how strong he really is. Heck, just go to a Meade County game and see for yourself. He, too, forced a lot of shots and had an off night. He was also in foul trouble.
The Green Wave's Rob Williams took up some slack and helped Meade outscore the Eagles 14-11 in the second and took a 24-23 lead to halftime.
I think Tony Hopper looks like a drill sergeant because he has a shaved head and a deep voice. Sergeant Hopper kept his team in the locker room almost the entire halftime, and I would've liked to have been a fly on the wall in that dressing room. He's really not like a drill sergeant because I noticed when he takes players out of the game he always says something positive to them. Whether they made a mistake or not, he was always positive.
He got his team mad because they came out and used a 12-4 run on Meade, and I thought it might wash up the Green Wave. Meade called a timeout at 4:37 after Apollo built a 35-28 lead. Meade made some adjustments and put together their own 7-2 run.
Meade had to go to a zone to protect their mounting foul trouble, and Apollo went cold. Nick Stinnett capped off a good quarter for Meade with a layup at the buzzer to help get the Wave back in the game. The Eagles had a 44-42 lead at the end of three. The difference in the game, though was the 12-4 run to start the half and Apollo outscoring Meade 21-18 in the third.
The game was back in forth in the fourth. At the 4:01 mark Apollo had the advantage, 49-47. It was shaping up to be a barn burner in Brandenburg. Tyler Brown quietly scored 23 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Apollo decided to go "stall-ball" with 2:30 left in the game. It broke down Meade County. The Eagles spread the floor and point guard De-Lon Butler found a hole in the Green Wave defense. He got a lay-up and was fouled. He missed the free throw, which was nothing new because both teams shot horribly from the charity stripe. Apollo had a 51-47 lead.
Meade County was not ready to give it up. With 1:25 they hit a huge three to cut it to one, but they made a mistake. They put on the press, and with the clock under a minute the Eagles took flight. They ran off six points under a minute and crashed the Green Wave, 57-53.
OBSERVATIONS
Has This Eagle Landed?: It's rumored that Tyler Brown has either signed or will sign with Morehead State. I guess he likes being an Eagle.
The Apollo Program: This one may be ready to blast off and make a flight for the regional title. They play very tough man-to-man pressure defense, and they have the quickness that can hurt some teams. They must improve at the charity stripe. Friday night they shot 57%. They go nine deep and got 17 points from their bench. They have beaten the top teams in the region, and they have the right coach.I hope they can look at these wins and build on them. Being an old Third Region man myself, I will always root for anyone who represents the region in the Sweet Sixteen. (Editor's Note: Daviess County knocked off Muhlenberg North at Greenville on Friday night).
Tsunami or Lapping Water? The Green Wave fans looked lost tonight. Their team is in the Third Region, and so is Apollo. It was a regional game between two of the top team, and the Meade County folks sat there like they used to when they were the whipping boys of the Fifth. C'mon, folks, Meade's a good team, and the fans should get behind them -- if it's not too much to ask. They get up for two games a year, and that's when they play Breck County.
Old Glory: Meade County takes a different approach to displaying the flag during the National Anthem. In many gyms I feel like an idiot looking around for the flag, and the song is half over before I find it. Meade puts it right out there. It hangs in the rafters in the middle of the gym, and when the band starts playing someone lowers it to about eye level. I thought that was pretty cool. Even my six year old took notice and said, "well, no one has done that before."
A Pick and Roll Thank You: Johnathan Whelan, the student stat man for Meade County supplied me with rosters for the game. I noticed him with his laptop during the JV game and asked him if he could give me the rosters. It was early, and I thought he might forget about me, but he hooked me right up. He even asked me if I wanted halftime stats and end of the game stats. I didn't want to impose, so I just asked for end of the game stats. Also, I can't forget the student stat man for Apollo. He sat next to me, too, and we talked a little during the game. I'm sorry I never asked his name, but he was a good guy and knew his Eagle basketball. Thanks guys.
Editor's Note: Chris in the Third, and I was in the Fifth. I guess Chris is Dan Akroyd, and I'm Eddie Murphy. Trading Places.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Elizabethtown 52 - Shelby County 43
Elizabethtown High School, Elizabethtown, Kentucky 02-15-08
It was a "throw-back" trip for me on Friday night. I lived in Shelbyville from 1995 to 2002, when I pulled up stakes and moved my family to Bowling Green. I loved Shelbyville and Shelby County. I even learned to pronounce it the correct way "Shebbuhvuhl and Shebby Cyownny." When I saw that the Rockets were venturing down to the Crossroads of Kentucky, I decided I was tired of Fourth Region games and that I would cross into Chris Gregory's turf and watch a match up between teams from the Fifth and Eighth regions.
It brought back some great memories of my days living in the Eighth Region. My first real taste of basketball up there came one morning while I was getting my hair cut in Greg Tipton's barbershop. Greg and his customers got into a heated discussion about Toyota recruiting players for Scott County High School, which had up-ended Shelby County's long reign in that region. It was great to find a great barber and a place where people liked to talk high school hoops, even if they were a little jealous of Scott County. They called them "Team Toyota."
If I had any concept of "blogging," I would've started the Pick and Roll during my days in Shelbyville because I was a regular at Shelby County games and never missed the Eighth Region tournament at Henry County High School. It was a great gym full of a lot of great fans and a lot of great basketball.
I loved seeing the Rockets take the court tonight. It was great to see these two programs, both rich in tradition. Shelby County has two state championships (1966 and 1978), and Elizabethtown won it in 2000. Between them, they have been to 21 Sweet Sixteen Tournaments. Plus, they share the same colors, blue and gold.
During warm ups, Elizabethtown's band played "The Time Warp," and it seemed that way. It could've been 1996 or 1997 all over again, except that a kid like Alex Matthews, who plays for the Rockets, was a just a little boy in those days. Gosh! I was kind of hoping that I could spend Saturday morning in Tipton's barbershop griping about the officiating and whining about Scott County kicking everybody's butts.
Shelby County started the game absolutely ice cold, and they looked more like a fizzy pop than a fire blazing rocket. Elizabethtown's 2-1-2 zone (talk about a "Time Warp.") befuddled the Rockets, and they fell behind 8-1. It seemed like it was forever before Shelby County broke the ice, but they finally did Johnson's free throw. Mike Clark called a timeout and worked a little "Rocket science" and put them on the right trajectory. At the end of the first quarter, Tim Sanford hit a three that put Shelby County within one, 11-10.
Shelby County seemed to take control of things in the second quarter. They moved the ball around the 2-1-2 zone by hitting the high post and letting him distribute the ball back to the perimeter. Alex Matthews also made some sharp interior passes that kept the Panthers' defenders one step behind the ball. The Rockets took a 22-20 lead to the locker room at halftime, and I thought that Shelby County would find their orbit in the second half and splashdown a victory.
I was wrong. It's why I don't pretend to be a pundit, and it's one of many reasons why I don't gamble.
In the second half, E-town showed patience on the offensive end and continued to play a very active zone defense. Sean Bouthelette, which translates to English as "defense destroyer," and Chris "Go-Go" Gohman started hitting shots and making passes to break down Shelby County's defense. It seemed that the Rockets had no answer.
It was in the third quarter that I witnessed the "Nacho Call." An Elizabethtown fan was standing near the end of the court eating nachos, and when a ball bounced out-of-bounds on that end of the court, he signaled that it was E-town's ball. I looked to me that the referee looked to the fan for the call. It was as if the fan said, "that's not-cho call."
The score was tied at 33 at the end of the third.
Shelby County fans should click HERE for my true feelings about the fourth quarter. My brother travels to South Africa on a regular basis, and he tells me that the locals there call zebras "pajama donkeys." Early in the fourth quarter I wondered if these were the same pajama donks Chris Gregory saw in Larue County the other night. In the second half, Shelby County had more than 10 fouls, and the Panthers had two.
Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm letting my feelings come through, but I've never pretended to be objective on this blog. Behind Male High, Shelby County is my second favorite team because I followed them closely for seven years. Plus, my nephew graduates from SCHS this spring.
Nothing against Elizabethtown because I respect their program, and I cheered for them in 2000 when Antwain Barbour and the Panthers downed Lexington Catholic for the title. I cheered very hard for them.
The Panthers defensive pressure and patient offense frustrated Shelby County, and the home team cruised to a 52-43 victory over one of the leading teams in the Eighth Region.
OBSERVATIONS
The Panthers' Den: What a great place to watch a basketball game. I really liked Charlie Rawlings Memorial Gym. It's a bit of a throwback place, and I liked that the teams sit on the bleachers right along with the fans. That can be very intimidating. They didn't blare loud music before the game or during halftime. I just wish more people were there.
Band on the Fun: I'm giving a Pennyrile Pick and Roll "Three Thumbs Up" nod to the E-town band. They played music at the right time, and they played some old classic rock n'roll numbers. When fans ponied up a buck to shoot a three point shot at halftime, the band played Billy Squier's "The Stroke." That's fantastic! But, they aren't spreadin' ear pollution far and wide, Billy.
Two F's, Two T's, and Two Guns: I noticed a banner for Steffphon Pettigrew hanging in the gym. He was Kentucky's Mr. Basketball last year, and E-town has honored him with a nice banner. I remember when Garrett Morris on Saturday Night Live imitated Ugandan dictator Idi Amin he always said, "Two A's, two D's, and one gun." I've seen Mr. Pettigrew play at WKU this season, and I can tell everyone that the young man has a healthy pair of guns. He is put together solid, and opponents are learning that the young Mr. Pettigrew can sling those guns. I'm looking forward to when Steffphon Pettigrew is a Wheel of Fortune puzzle.
Stand Up and Cheer!: I noticed E-town shares its fight song with the Hilltoppers. Being a WKU alumnus and a regular attendee of Hilltopper hoops, it's hard not to sing along with "Stand Up and Cheer," and it may have bothered some of the Shelby County fans I was sitting amongst.
It was a "throw-back" trip for me on Friday night. I lived in Shelbyville from 1995 to 2002, when I pulled up stakes and moved my family to Bowling Green. I loved Shelbyville and Shelby County. I even learned to pronounce it the correct way "Shebbuhvuhl and Shebby Cyownny." When I saw that the Rockets were venturing down to the Crossroads of Kentucky, I decided I was tired of Fourth Region games and that I would cross into Chris Gregory's turf and watch a match up between teams from the Fifth and Eighth regions.
It brought back some great memories of my days living in the Eighth Region. My first real taste of basketball up there came one morning while I was getting my hair cut in Greg Tipton's barbershop. Greg and his customers got into a heated discussion about Toyota recruiting players for Scott County High School, which had up-ended Shelby County's long reign in that region. It was great to find a great barber and a place where people liked to talk high school hoops, even if they were a little jealous of Scott County. They called them "Team Toyota."
If I had any concept of "blogging," I would've started the Pick and Roll during my days in Shelbyville because I was a regular at Shelby County games and never missed the Eighth Region tournament at Henry County High School. It was a great gym full of a lot of great fans and a lot of great basketball.
I loved seeing the Rockets take the court tonight. It was great to see these two programs, both rich in tradition. Shelby County has two state championships (1966 and 1978), and Elizabethtown won it in 2000. Between them, they have been to 21 Sweet Sixteen Tournaments. Plus, they share the same colors, blue and gold.
During warm ups, Elizabethtown's band played "The Time Warp," and it seemed that way. It could've been 1996 or 1997 all over again, except that a kid like Alex Matthews, who plays for the Rockets, was a just a little boy in those days. Gosh! I was kind of hoping that I could spend Saturday morning in Tipton's barbershop griping about the officiating and whining about Scott County kicking everybody's butts.
Shelby County started the game absolutely ice cold, and they looked more like a fizzy pop than a fire blazing rocket. Elizabethtown's 2-1-2 zone (talk about a "Time Warp.") befuddled the Rockets, and they fell behind 8-1. It seemed like it was forever before Shelby County broke the ice, but they finally did Johnson's free throw. Mike Clark called a timeout and worked a little "Rocket science" and put them on the right trajectory. At the end of the first quarter, Tim Sanford hit a three that put Shelby County within one, 11-10.
Shelby County seemed to take control of things in the second quarter. They moved the ball around the 2-1-2 zone by hitting the high post and letting him distribute the ball back to the perimeter. Alex Matthews also made some sharp interior passes that kept the Panthers' defenders one step behind the ball. The Rockets took a 22-20 lead to the locker room at halftime, and I thought that Shelby County would find their orbit in the second half and splashdown a victory.
I was wrong. It's why I don't pretend to be a pundit, and it's one of many reasons why I don't gamble.
In the second half, E-town showed patience on the offensive end and continued to play a very active zone defense. Sean Bouthelette, which translates to English as "defense destroyer," and Chris "Go-Go" Gohman started hitting shots and making passes to break down Shelby County's defense. It seemed that the Rockets had no answer.
It was in the third quarter that I witnessed the "Nacho Call." An Elizabethtown fan was standing near the end of the court eating nachos, and when a ball bounced out-of-bounds on that end of the court, he signaled that it was E-town's ball. I looked to me that the referee looked to the fan for the call. It was as if the fan said, "that's not-cho call."
The score was tied at 33 at the end of the third.
Shelby County fans should click HERE for my true feelings about the fourth quarter. My brother travels to South Africa on a regular basis, and he tells me that the locals there call zebras "pajama donkeys." Early in the fourth quarter I wondered if these were the same pajama donks Chris Gregory saw in Larue County the other night. In the second half, Shelby County had more than 10 fouls, and the Panthers had two.
Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm letting my feelings come through, but I've never pretended to be objective on this blog. Behind Male High, Shelby County is my second favorite team because I followed them closely for seven years. Plus, my nephew graduates from SCHS this spring.
Nothing against Elizabethtown because I respect their program, and I cheered for them in 2000 when Antwain Barbour and the Panthers downed Lexington Catholic for the title. I cheered very hard for them.
The Panthers defensive pressure and patient offense frustrated Shelby County, and the home team cruised to a 52-43 victory over one of the leading teams in the Eighth Region.
OBSERVATIONS
The Panthers' Den: What a great place to watch a basketball game. I really liked Charlie Rawlings Memorial Gym. It's a bit of a throwback place, and I liked that the teams sit on the bleachers right along with the fans. That can be very intimidating. They didn't blare loud music before the game or during halftime. I just wish more people were there.
Band on the Fun: I'm giving a Pennyrile Pick and Roll "Three Thumbs Up" nod to the E-town band. They played music at the right time, and they played some old classic rock n'roll numbers. When fans ponied up a buck to shoot a three point shot at halftime, the band played Billy Squier's "The Stroke." That's fantastic! But, they aren't spreadin' ear pollution far and wide, Billy.
Two F's, Two T's, and Two Guns: I noticed a banner for Steffphon Pettigrew hanging in the gym. He was Kentucky's Mr. Basketball last year, and E-town has honored him with a nice banner. I remember when Garrett Morris on Saturday Night Live imitated Ugandan dictator Idi Amin he always said, "Two A's, two D's, and one gun." I've seen Mr. Pettigrew play at WKU this season, and I can tell everyone that the young man has a healthy pair of guns. He is put together solid, and opponents are learning that the young Mr. Pettigrew can sling those guns. I'm looking forward to when Steffphon Pettigrew is a Wheel of Fortune puzzle.
Stand Up and Cheer!: I noticed E-town shares its fight song with the Hilltoppers. Being a WKU alumnus and a regular attendee of Hilltopper hoops, it's hard not to sing along with "Stand Up and Cheer," and it may have bothered some of the Shelby County fans I was sitting amongst.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
John Hardin @ Bowling Green PPD
I had a couple of plans for tonight. Originally, I was wanting to head up to Greenville for the University Heights at Muhlenberg North tilt, but the threat of bad weather made me chicken out on that one. Then, I decided to stay close to home and go to see the Bulldogs and the Purples tip it up at Bowling Green High. Scott Thompson called me this afternoon and told me that John Hardin would not make it down because of the weather.
I stayed home.
I was going to travel with the Purps to Albany on Friday night, but a flu outbreak has apparently forced Clinton County Schools to shut down for the week.
Everybody in Clinton County be sure to eat your chick soup, get plenty of fluids, take some aspirin and sweat it out. I was in the same boat last week.
Happy Hoops!
I stayed home.
I was going to travel with the Purps to Albany on Friday night, but a flu outbreak has apparently forced Clinton County Schools to shut down for the week.
Everybody in Clinton County be sure to eat your chick soup, get plenty of fluids, take some aspirin and sweat it out. I was in the same boat last week.
Happy Hoops!
Nelson County 43 - Larue County 42
Larue County High School, Hodgenville, Kentucky 02-12-08 (Abraham Lincoln's Birthday)
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
Tuesday was a big day in Hodgenville. The whole town was celebrating the 199th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday. The First Lady, Laura Bush, was supposed to be here but canceled due to the bad weather, so we had to settle for newly elected Governor Steve Beshear. The icy weather made everything a big gamble, but the governor rolled the dice and and brought all his chips to Larue County. The town was buzzing.
School had been out for the last two days, so I wondered if any games would be played on Tuesday night. I made a few calls and sent a few e-mails and found out the games were on. Because the weather was a question mark, I decided to wager that the roads were slick and stayed close to home to watch the Hawks take on the Nelson County Cardinals.
Nelson County came into Tuesday's contest riding a big win against cross town rival Bardstown in an overtime contest on February 8th. Nelson brought a 12-10 record, which might have made the Hawks overlook feathered friends from the neighboring county. When I looked at Nelson County's roster, I realized they were loaded with seniors, seven to be exact. They were not that big, but they were a scrappy bunch.
Nelson came out looking like they were going to stuff the Hawks and put them over their mantel. They got it done on the both ends of the court and jumped out to a quick 8-4 lead. Coach Paul Childress called a timeout at the 5:10 mark. His Larue County squad responded and stepped it up big time by getting into every passing lane. In a sarcastic tone, Nelson County Coach Minor Harmon told his team to try to pass it to a player wearing a red jersey.
Larue Switched defenses every trip down the floor, and they were putting down the hammer. They went on a 10-2 run to close the first quarter. The Hawks led 14-10.
The 1-3-1 zone was working for Larue, and Nelson County went cold in the second quarter. The Hawks were patient on offense, more so than I had seen all year. Tyler Hornback was filling up the basket and was all over the floor. It seemed that Larue had put it on cruise control in the second. Coach Harmon called another timeout and really got into his team. I was close to their bench and could hear him say that if they were going to play like that, then just load up the bus and go home. That's all he said to them; end of timeout. Larue continued to claw the Cardinals and pushed their lead at the half to 28-16.
I have been all over the Fifth Region this year, and I have always watched the refs just to see how consistent they are. Tonight I saw the worst in the region. They must have just been called up from the JV ranks. These two guys were horrible. After the game something was pointed out to me. Someone told me that every time a team builds a lead the refs let the other team back into the game. Then, I got to thinking back to the games I've been to, and it seemed that way. Never was a hand check called, or a hold or anything like that. They only called the obvious ones.
Anyway, Nelson County was getting back into this game with the help of Larue County making some turnovers. Grease the pan and warm the oven because the Hawks were serving them up hot. Turnovers were killing Larue. Nelson County was hot from the field. Despite all of that, Larue still held a 38-28 lead at the end of the third.
The fourth quarter was getting pretty wild in Hodgenville. Nelson County gave it all they had and were knocking on the Larue's door. Their full court press was hurting the Hawks, and not long into the quarter, the Cardinals had cut the lead from ten to four. Despite being out-of-control, Larue started their own press, but it did little good. Nelson County was determined and were not going to give up the game.
Forgive me because I didn't catch the kids name, but a non-starter for the Cardinals nailed a three pointer around the 2:00 mark that gave them the lead. The crowd was so loud that I could not hear the PA announcer. It was a good shot, and it was about 23 feet from the goal. Nelson had a 41-40 lead.
Larue started to foul. Nelson County had not shot many free throws. I guess the refs were worried about the weather and wanted to get the game over with. A Cardinal player missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Larue got a run out with 30.6 seconds left. Nelson fouled senior Alan Vass, who is also Larue County's quarterback, so pressure was no issue for him. He made both and regained the lead. With 19 seconds left, Nelson ran an offense looking for the best possible shot, and they got it with 19 seconds to go. Larue called a timeout.
Larue County lost on February 8th on a last second thirty footer, so I thought this my be a welcomed payback for them. They had to go the length of the floor, but I thought they had plenty of time.
While Larue tried to inbounds the ball to their senior point guard, Christian Seymour, Nelson County appeared to be holding him. The referee must've swallowed his whistle or was looking at the roof checking for leaks or something. Hey, refs! You're at Larue County. You've got to call that for the home crowd. It happened right in front of the Larue fans, and, man, they were hot. I'm sure the ref has a few burnt hairs on his neck, and he wouldn't turn around to face the crowd.
That's the fastest I've ever seen a ref run off the floor.
It was aces and eights for the Hawks. Nelson came in and stole one on Old Abe's birthday.
I think Larue is a better team than their last few games have shown. Maybe when the district tournament comes around they can get back to playing good ball.
Speaking of district tournaments -- or regionals for that matter -- things have gotten pretty interesting over the last few weeks. North Hardin has lost a couple that they shouldn't have. Bardstown has lost two of their last four, and Larue has lost four of five. So, all the tops teams, except for Adair, have lost some games down the stretch, and some of the middle of the pack teams have shocked and upset some of those top teams. The fifth is shaping up to be a good tilt. I can't wait.
This is the best time of the year for us basketball fans.
OBSERVATIONS
Bring Out Your Dead: Coach Minor Harmon looks like a mortician to me. I'm not making fun of the guy, I was just surprised to see him as coach. I had not seen him prior to this season. He is fun to watch, and I can tell he is always thinking. He will walk down to the end of the bench and then all of sudden turn around and call a play or think of a defensive move. It's really a treat to watch. The fans seem to really like him, and his team has put together back-to-back regional wins over some top teams. He has them believing they can play with anyone on any given night.
The Jumping Hawks: Halftime entertainment Friday night was a group of 4th through 6th graders that have formed a jump rope team. These kids were amazing. They do crazy things with jump ropes. They are led by two coaches, and they perform everywhere from parades to festivals to high schools around the state. Keep up the good works kids! It was a treat to watch the show, and it kept me from visiting the concession stand (they don't call me "pudge" for nothing).
Thank You, Mother Harper: I sat in amazement as I watched the refs. It was bad at both ends. I had never seen these guys before and after talking to some Larue County fans after the game, we probably will never see them again (editor's query: should I alert the sheriff? "Never see them again" has double meaning in some of the places I work). I guess some refs have off nights, and I know first hand that it is a hard job. But, I can't stand it when they miss call after call. I know this is not the norm for the Pick and Roll, but I can't help it tonight. I'm blowing off some steam because I'm a Larue County resident and a fan. If these guys were anywhere else tonight, and I was there watching, I would be as equally upset. Sorry, it was that bad.
By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent
Tuesday was a big day in Hodgenville. The whole town was celebrating the 199th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday. The First Lady, Laura Bush, was supposed to be here but canceled due to the bad weather, so we had to settle for newly elected Governor Steve Beshear. The icy weather made everything a big gamble, but the governor rolled the dice and and brought all his chips to Larue County. The town was buzzing.
School had been out for the last two days, so I wondered if any games would be played on Tuesday night. I made a few calls and sent a few e-mails and found out the games were on. Because the weather was a question mark, I decided to wager that the roads were slick and stayed close to home to watch the Hawks take on the Nelson County Cardinals.
Nelson County came into Tuesday's contest riding a big win against cross town rival Bardstown in an overtime contest on February 8th. Nelson brought a 12-10 record, which might have made the Hawks overlook feathered friends from the neighboring county. When I looked at Nelson County's roster, I realized they were loaded with seniors, seven to be exact. They were not that big, but they were a scrappy bunch.
Nelson came out looking like they were going to stuff the Hawks and put them over their mantel. They got it done on the both ends of the court and jumped out to a quick 8-4 lead. Coach Paul Childress called a timeout at the 5:10 mark. His Larue County squad responded and stepped it up big time by getting into every passing lane. In a sarcastic tone, Nelson County Coach Minor Harmon told his team to try to pass it to a player wearing a red jersey.
Larue Switched defenses every trip down the floor, and they were putting down the hammer. They went on a 10-2 run to close the first quarter. The Hawks led 14-10.
The 1-3-1 zone was working for Larue, and Nelson County went cold in the second quarter. The Hawks were patient on offense, more so than I had seen all year. Tyler Hornback was filling up the basket and was all over the floor. It seemed that Larue had put it on cruise control in the second. Coach Harmon called another timeout and really got into his team. I was close to their bench and could hear him say that if they were going to play like that, then just load up the bus and go home. That's all he said to them; end of timeout. Larue continued to claw the Cardinals and pushed their lead at the half to 28-16.
I have been all over the Fifth Region this year, and I have always watched the refs just to see how consistent they are. Tonight I saw the worst in the region. They must have just been called up from the JV ranks. These two guys were horrible. After the game something was pointed out to me. Someone told me that every time a team builds a lead the refs let the other team back into the game. Then, I got to thinking back to the games I've been to, and it seemed that way. Never was a hand check called, or a hold or anything like that. They only called the obvious ones.
Anyway, Nelson County was getting back into this game with the help of Larue County making some turnovers. Grease the pan and warm the oven because the Hawks were serving them up hot. Turnovers were killing Larue. Nelson County was hot from the field. Despite all of that, Larue still held a 38-28 lead at the end of the third.
The fourth quarter was getting pretty wild in Hodgenville. Nelson County gave it all they had and were knocking on the Larue's door. Their full court press was hurting the Hawks, and not long into the quarter, the Cardinals had cut the lead from ten to four. Despite being out-of-control, Larue started their own press, but it did little good. Nelson County was determined and were not going to give up the game.
Forgive me because I didn't catch the kids name, but a non-starter for the Cardinals nailed a three pointer around the 2:00 mark that gave them the lead. The crowd was so loud that I could not hear the PA announcer. It was a good shot, and it was about 23 feet from the goal. Nelson had a 41-40 lead.
Larue started to foul. Nelson County had not shot many free throws. I guess the refs were worried about the weather and wanted to get the game over with. A Cardinal player missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Larue got a run out with 30.6 seconds left. Nelson fouled senior Alan Vass, who is also Larue County's quarterback, so pressure was no issue for him. He made both and regained the lead. With 19 seconds left, Nelson ran an offense looking for the best possible shot, and they got it with 19 seconds to go. Larue called a timeout.
Larue County lost on February 8th on a last second thirty footer, so I thought this my be a welcomed payback for them. They had to go the length of the floor, but I thought they had plenty of time.
While Larue tried to inbounds the ball to their senior point guard, Christian Seymour, Nelson County appeared to be holding him. The referee must've swallowed his whistle or was looking at the roof checking for leaks or something. Hey, refs! You're at Larue County. You've got to call that for the home crowd. It happened right in front of the Larue fans, and, man, they were hot. I'm sure the ref has a few burnt hairs on his neck, and he wouldn't turn around to face the crowd.
That's the fastest I've ever seen a ref run off the floor.
It was aces and eights for the Hawks. Nelson came in and stole one on Old Abe's birthday.
I think Larue is a better team than their last few games have shown. Maybe when the district tournament comes around they can get back to playing good ball.
Speaking of district tournaments -- or regionals for that matter -- things have gotten pretty interesting over the last few weeks. North Hardin has lost a couple that they shouldn't have. Bardstown has lost two of their last four, and Larue has lost four of five. So, all the tops teams, except for Adair, have lost some games down the stretch, and some of the middle of the pack teams have shocked and upset some of those top teams. The fifth is shaping up to be a good tilt. I can't wait.
This is the best time of the year for us basketball fans.
OBSERVATIONS
Bring Out Your Dead: Coach Minor Harmon looks like a mortician to me. I'm not making fun of the guy, I was just surprised to see him as coach. I had not seen him prior to this season. He is fun to watch, and I can tell he is always thinking. He will walk down to the end of the bench and then all of sudden turn around and call a play or think of a defensive move. It's really a treat to watch. The fans seem to really like him, and his team has put together back-to-back regional wins over some top teams. He has them believing they can play with anyone on any given night.
The Jumping Hawks: Halftime entertainment Friday night was a group of 4th through 6th graders that have formed a jump rope team. These kids were amazing. They do crazy things with jump ropes. They are led by two coaches, and they perform everywhere from parades to festivals to high schools around the state. Keep up the good works kids! It was a treat to watch the show, and it kept me from visiting the concession stand (they don't call me "pudge" for nothing).
Thank You, Mother Harper: I sat in amazement as I watched the refs. It was bad at both ends. I had never seen these guys before and after talking to some Larue County fans after the game, we probably will never see them again (editor's query: should I alert the sheriff? "Never see them again" has double meaning in some of the places I work). I guess some refs have off nights, and I know first hand that it is a hard job. But, I can't stand it when they miss call after call. I know this is not the norm for the Pick and Roll, but I can't help it tonight. I'm blowing off some steam because I'm a Larue County resident and a fan. If these guys were anywhere else tonight, and I was there watching, I would be as equally upset. Sorry, it was that bad.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)