03Sauger

Yes, agree.

Chimaobi Ajuonuma, Powell's sophomore center, had 14 pts and 15 rbs on 6-8 shooting. As a team, Powell shot 35%. Powell was 2 for 16 on 3s. You know Coach Fraley is telling hiw team, "Guys, wonder what happens if you pass the ball to your sophomore center for two or three more shot." At a 50 point pace and Ajuonuma shooting 12-15 times, Powell might prove to be a tough out in the 14th.

I saw L/C overwhelm Wolfe. The descriptions of this CC LC game lead me to guess that both teams will have trouble with pressure from a quicker team, say Cooper.

I saw last year's Cordia team. Knox is a mystery to me. So, going on Knox's preseason hype, I also pick Knox. I'll have a better idea of Knox after the WYMT tournament next week.

I saw Wendell Wallen's Meade Memorial teams play in the Breathitt County home gym (Lees Jr College). Breathitt was coached by Fairce Woods. Both were two of the mountain's better coaches. Both began their tenure, along with Coach Keith, on the heels of two yet to be mentioned coaches, Pearl Combs at Hindman (1 state championship and 1 state runner-up) and Morton Combs at Carr Creek ( 1 state championship, 1 LIT championship (1963).

It's always difficult to follow a legend when coaching. In coach Hatcher's case, he was a legend following a legend (Al Holland) at Perry County Central. His team at PCC which cost him his job was perhaps too loaded with talent and thus, unable to synch into Coach Hatcher's winning, but grind it out in the paint offense. Also, let's not forget his successful West Virginia tenures.

Wolfe usually fields a smallish team of pretty fair athletes. They can shoot, but rely more on streak shooting than working for high % shots. Their fundamental passing, rebounding and defensive skills are rarely polished. However, when they get into a jam, they have the ability to turn their effort into a maniacal, kamikazee attack which stuns many teams. The flip side of the attack is that all that adrenaline quickly locks their muscles---much like an over adrenalized fighter. So, the game becomes punctuated with frequent surge and burnout. If Wolfe is true to form, they will have many desperate and glorious surges while still losing ground. Wolfe's strategy (habit?) frequently works against teams with athletes and skill sets similar to theirs (Wolfe's). Now let's just say Catholic is having a down year fundamentally and athletically; they still will have an advantage in depth. But more importantly, Catholic practices with controlled pressure applied at an even pace. There is no way Wolfe can practice with their all out kamikazee pressure and not incur injuries. So, Catholic will eventually get into Wolfe's legs, and it might not be pretty. I enjoy Wolfe. I plan to go. I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm eating crow here after the game. Enjoy the holiday Catholic. Eat too much and stay out late.

Off the top of my head, I only feel comfortable listing the 1928 Carr Creek team and its 4 overtime loss in the state finals to Ashland. I realize this is only a quasi rivalry because the teams didn't regularly schedule each other. Most of the early and very good teams were, originally, coal camp teams or coal town teams. Many of the coal town teams eg Hazard, Jenkins, Lynch(?) Harlan and Middlesboro still field teams. However, their decline can be marked with the gradual decline of their once teeming boom town populations. Teams like Wayland, Carr Creek, Hindman, Dilce Combs, Viper, Vicco, M.C. Napier, Whitesburg and numerous unmentioned teams from the mountains have suffered the fate of economic consolidation. I realize that I stepped out of the 14th a couple of times here. However, since Wayland was "just over the hill" from Carr Creek, the Wayland vs Carr Creek vs Hindman vs Hazard rivalries were fairly intense. For sure, smaller schools had rivalries that carried extreme passion. I'm unsure of our definition of rivalry here. Are we saying teams that regularly schedule one another, teams that might only meet frequently in playoff elimination games, and/or ne'er do well teams that play each other with ferocity each year? My school had no football program. While I'm a fan of h.s. football now, I had only here say knowledge of football when I was in high school. Why? Hazard was a one hour, hard mountain road drive for me. But I would beg, borrow or steal to get to a Hazard bball game. For example, I borrowed (till summer) $10. from my Dad in order to hire someone to drive me and my friends to the 1962 Hazard vs St. X game. Sorry, I have taken a detour to memory lane.

Hello I'm a 70 yr old who remembers the heyday of 14th region basketball; Carr Creek, Hazard, Hindman and Breathitt County. I worked a few years, employed by Steve Hamilton, as a referral counselor for the Morehead State Athletic Department. As a basketball fan, I favor a fundamentally sound, good shot selection and grind it out type game. I also like various pressure defenses when combined with the previously mentioned approach. Last year's Cooper h.s. team would be an example. Yes, the three point shot changed the game, and we're still in the middle of that transition, strategy wise.