Boone County

 

Greg McQueary's 20-year career as a head coach has taken him to Bardstown, Caldwell County and Boone County, and it's the latter where he's done some of his best work.

 

Boone has been knocking on the door in the 9th Region over the last few years, but finally found a way to earn a Sweet 16 spot with a senior-laden lineup heavy on guards and shooters.

 

Forward Zane McQueary, the coach's son, is listed at 6-6 and 200 pounds and shoots 38 percent from 3-point range. He leads the Rebels (27-7) with a 17.5 scoring average and came up especially big in the regional tournament.

 

Cooper Downs runs the point with Jakeith Pitts and Chase Stanley on the wings — they're all small guards, between 5-8 and 5-10, but take care of the ball and shoot in the mid-30s, percentage-wise, from the perimeter.

 

Free throw shooting was a big factor in the Rebels' postseason run, and the four aforementioned starters shoot in the 70s or better. McQueary hits them at an 84 percent rate.

 

Keenan Palmer (6-0, 175) is an undersized inside player.

 

A midseason change in tempo served the Rebels well — they're 11-1 when holding their opponent under 50 points, most of it coming in the latter two months of the season. That presents a real contrast in style when they take on a Knott Central club that likes to get up and down the court.

 

 

Knott Central

 

To paraphrase a line from "Hoosiers," they play them young in the 14th Region.

 

Last season, seventh-grade point guard Braxton Beverly took the Sweet 16 by storm tossing in 24 points in Perry Central's first-round loss to Wayne County.

 

Next on the kiddie assembly line is Knott Central's Camron Justice, a 6-1 freshman who shoots 47 percent from 3-point range and leads the Patriots (28-5) with a 21-point scoring average.

 

He isn't alone, either. Knott starts three freshman and has a freshman sixth man.

 

"I'm 51 years old, and this is the best group of freshmen to come out of the mountains in a long time," said Knott coach B.B. King. "(Evan Hall) is my fourth cousin and his grandfather played with King Kelly Coleman at Wayland, so he's got some bloodlines."

 

Justice, the son of assistant coach Raymond Justice, transferred from East Ridge to Knott over the summer. King was the elder Justice's assistant at Letcher Central for a few years, hence the connection, and Justice led Belfry to a first-round win in the state tournament 20 years ago.

 

King also gives a great deal of credit for Knott's success to senior guard Zack Davis, who averages 14.6 points per game and has had to battle a series of knee injuries to get back on the court.

 

"He holds us together. He's a smart kid — he made a 32 on his ACT — and he is very unselfish," King said. "This team doesn't care who scores, and a lot of it has to do with Davis. You won't find a lot of seniors giving up shots to freshmen, especially one as good as he is.

 

"Davis has had two surgeries on each knee, but since he went to Chicago and saw the surgeon for the Bulls, he's done well. He still has to ice everything down after games."

 

King says Knott "is a better team when we run. That's basically our game — get it out and go. And getting here is a good foundation for this team in the future."

 

Knott raised some eyebrows in December, beating well-regarded teams Muhlenberg County, Montgomery County and Henry Clay in the Fayette County Invitational. Knott lost a late-season game to Perry Central but caught a break when the Commodores were beaten by Buckhorn in the district semifinals.

 

The Patriots had split a pair of games with a senior-laden Buckhorn club during the regular season, but won the rubber match in the regional final.

Boone County

 

Greg McQueary's 20-year career as a head coach has taken him to Bardstown, Caldwell County and Boone County, and it's the latter where he's done some of his best work.

 

Cooper Downs runs the point with Jakeith Pitts and Chase Stanley on the wings — they're all small guards, between 5-8 and 5-10, but take care of the ball and shoot in the mid-30s, percentage-wise, from the perimeter.

 

Free throw shooting was a big factor in the Rebels' postseason run, and the four aforementioned starters shoot in the 70s or better. McQueary hits them at an 84 percent rate.

 

I was wondering where he was in between, I had heard he was at Bardstown. Thanks for the info.

 

All three guards rebound EXTREMELY well for their size.

 

One of the main reasons I favor Boone in this game is their FT shooting.

I was wondering where he was in between, I had heard he was at Bardstown. Thanks for the info.

 

All three guards rebound EXTREMELY well for their size.

 

One of the main reasons I favor Boone in this game is their FT shooting.

 

And their ability to control tempo. However, if Knott Central hits their 3's, Boone will be in trouble.

I'd like to see that Justice kid play. I see the more experienced Rebels advancing here though.

I think Cam Justice leads the state in free throw shooting.

I think Cam Justice leads the state in free throw shooting.

 

 

Here are the leading free throw shooters:

 

Don't send these guys to the free-throw line:

 

Apollo's Hunter Shelton (58 of 66 for 88%);

 

Oldham County's Sam Gruber (84 of 95 for 88%);

 

Southwestern's Justin Edwards (113 of 131 for 86%);

 

Knott Central's Camron Justice (153 of 181 for 84.5%);

 

Boone County's Zane McQueary (102 of 122 for 84%)

 

Scott County's Trent Gilbert (58 of 69 for 84%).

And their ability to control tempo. However, if Knott Central hits their 3's, Boone will be in trouble.

 

 

This is why I think Boone has a good chance in this one. They have quick guards and play primarily a sticky man defense. They will make it tough for anyone to try and win games shooting 3's. As I posted in the prediction thread, Downs on Justice will be a fun matchup to watch. In the Boone games I have seen, Downs guards the other teams best guard and does a very nice job. He had Hightchew totally frustrated in the regional. He did a very nice job guarding Hatton in the last game of the year. It will be perhaps the key matchup in the game if Knott relies on 3's and their guards shooting the ball for offense.

Here are the leading free throw shooters:

 

Don't send these guys to the free-throw line:

 

Apollo's Hunter Shelton (58 of 66 for 88%);

 

Oldham County's Sam Gruber (84 of 95 for 88%);

 

Southwestern's Justin Edwards (113 of 131 for 86%);

 

Knott Central's Camron Justice (153 of 181 for 84.5%);

 

Boone County's Zane McQueary (102 of 122 for 84%)

 

Scott County's Trent Gilbert (58 of 69 for 84%).

 

:thumb: Thanks for those numbers!! I know Cam was leading the state for most of the year on the khsaa.org stats. Awesome info.