article 9th Region Championship Preview

Well considering that @Bluesport kind of stole my thunder a little last night, this article is probably pointless, but I said I was going to do it and I try to keep me word.

Only two 9th region teams left standing. One of them is a regular visitor to the championship game and the other is not. For the third time in 2019 the Tigers and the Colonels will battle.

I was a little disappointed this week. For all the talk and anticipation regarding the 9th region tournament, there were not many intense 4th quarters. Saturday night has the potential to be a game that we cite for the next ten years when talking about 9th region basketball.

I anticipate the student sections for both teams to be outrageous, the Park Hills and Fort Mitchell faithful to be on the edge of their seats, and the common fans to absorb the emotions themselves.

As a fan of the Tigers, I am glad it has come down to these two teams. I like establishing the 35th District as the best district in the region. The Colonels have something to prove and the Tigers resent the fact that they seem to still need to prove themselves in the eyes of some.

When I think about “Players to Watch” I honestly could not make any kind of list. Both teams need all five players to play well defensively and hit open shots. This is not a case of “If Thelen plays well, then they have it in the bag” or “If Draud scores 20, then the Tigers roll.” Both teams need their rebounders to establish position, their ball handlers to take care of the ball, their shooters to score, and their bench to be productive.” Neither team can afford to get into foul trouble and both sides have got to be sharp from the free throw line.

It’s going to be physical and the general consensus is that that type of play benefits Covington Catholic but the previous two meetings have been physical as well.

So who is going to win? Will it be the small school or the big school?

I remember Bobby “The Brain” Heenan say in October of 1997, when Roddy Piper was going to fight Hollywood Hogan in the cage at Halloween Havoc after beating him two previous times, that “it is impossible to beat Hulk Hogan three times in a row… but it also was impossible to beat Hulk Hogan two times in a row.”

Predicted Winner: Beechwood Tigers

Here is a summary of the previous two games.

Game 1 at Beechwood BW 49 - CCH 48

CCH led the whole game and was up six with 4 minutes left. Draud drained a 3 with 6 seconds left for the win.

CCH Scoring: Disken – 14, Thelen – 12, Mayer – DNP

BW Scoring: Draud – 16, Brannen – 11 (played with a bad ankle), Bieger – 10

Team Stats

CCH: 38% from the field, 2 for 11 from deep, 24 rebounds

BW: 47% from the field, 7 for 18 from deep, 18 rebounds

Game 2 at Holmes BW 57 - CCH 53

CCH was up 12 in H1 and led until CCH gave BW a 4 point possession and the lead at around the 1 minute mark. Disken missed a free throw to tie it late and had to foul. Next CCH possession, down 3, CCH calls a timeout with 10 seconds left and designs a play in which they throw it to the post and go for 2 – which they missed.

CCH Scoring: Disken – 7, Thelen – 16, Mayer –17

BW Scoring: Draud – 17, Schilling 14, Deathrage – 11

Team Stats

CCH: 43% from the field, 3 for 8 from deep, 36 rebounds

BW: 42% from the field, 8 for 18 from deep, 18 rebounds

The difference in these games: Beechwood’s 3 point shooting. CCH’s poor shooting. Beechwood’s half court pressure on the point guards. CCH’s rebounding. BW’s late 4 point possession.

Well considering that @Bluesport kind of stole my thunder a little last night, this article is probably pointless, but I said I was going to do it and I try to keep me word.

 

Only two 9th region teams left standing. One of them is a regular visitor to the championship game and the other is not. For the third time in 2019 the Tigers and the Colonels will battle.

 

I was a little disappointed this week. For all the talk and anticipation regarding the 9th region tournament, there were not many intense 4th quarters. Saturday night has the potential to be a game that we cite for the next ten years when talking about 9th region basketball.

 

I anticipate the student sections for both teams to be outrageous, the Park Hills and Fort Mitchell faithful to be on the edge of their seats, and the common fans to absorb the emotions themselves.

 

As a fan of the Tigers, I am glad it has come down to these two teams. I like establishing the 35th District as the best district in the region. The Colonels have something to prove and the Tigers resent the fact that they seem to still need to prove themselves in the eyes of some.

 

When I think about “Players to Watch” I honestly could not make any kind of list. Both teams need all five players to play well defensively and hit open shots. This is not a case of “If Thelen plays well, then they have it in the bag” or “If Draud scores 20, then the Tigers roll.” Both teams need their rebounders to establish position, their ball handlers to take care of the ball, their shooters to score, and their bench to be productive.” Neither team can afford to get into foul trouble and both sides have got to be sharp from the free throw line.

 

It’s going to be physical and the general consensus is that that type of play benefits Covington Catholic but the previous two meetings have been physical as well.

 

So who is going to win? Will it be the small school or the big school?

 

I remember Bobby “The Brain” Heenan say in October of 1997, when Roddy Piper was going to fight Hollywood Hogan in the cage at Halloween Havoc after beating him two previous times, that “it is impossible to beat Hulk Hogan three times in a row… but it also was impossible to beat Hulk Hogan two times in a row.”

 

Predicted Winner: Beechwood Tigers

Bolded: That is a really specific and detailed memory. I guess when something as important as that is about to occur, you remember it. :lol2::lol2::thumb:

I no longer followed that sort of stuff in 1997, but there was a time when I was current on all the happenings in the WWF. :bag:

 

I no longer followed that sort of stuff in 1997, but there was a time when I was current on all the happenings in the WWF. :bag:

This was WCW when the NWO was taking over. If you stopped following this stuff around 1997, you missed the best five years of wrestling.

Any fellow bluegrass prep members standing on the staircase waiting for them to start letting us in?

PP1

Please put out some updates?

PP1

Please put out some updates?

Well let’s see, right now Aidan Bieger is shooting a layup and Mayer is stretching his arms that look like Hulk Hogan’s 24 inch pythons back in 1986. The crazies are rehearsing their cheers.