Cats Pause 9th Region Preview

[Clyde]

Not much talk here on Conner, but they return some key players. Also possibly get three guards on the team who did not participate last season. Could be interesting in Hebron when they get their team complete after football season.

 

If Conner gets good PG play they can be a tough out. Front line is good and experienced.

 

Big if.

[hoops5]

If Conner gets good PG play they can be a tough out. Front line is good and experienced.

 

Big if.

Will Ruholt

[TAC]

Will Ruholt

 

So if he is eligible at Conner, did he move or did he not get in any varsity games at St. Henry last year? I was wondering where he ended up. Did he play over the summer?

[Just Jim]

Ruholt got in a game or 2 as a freshman and a few last year as a soph. at St.Henry.

Not sure how he would be eligible, although I hear that he is. Good luck to him and Conner.

[ItsSHOWtime]

Holy Cross isn't even the best team in their district...with or without Campbell...let alone the region.

 

5 or 6 is a good spot for them to start the season.

 

 

 

Again, Newcath isn't "clearly" the best team in the region. Most experience? Yes. Most talent? No. The region is wide open this year. Anyone in the top 5 could represent us at Rupp and I wouldn't be surprised come March.

 

You keep talking about Newcath's front court and their size. Boone last year is a perfect example that you don't need a bunch of 6'5 guys to win the region. I'll take the smaller, quicker guys any day. They played 4 guys who were 5'11 or smaller and Newcath had no answer for them because of their quickness.

 

Do you really think Schulte or Seibert is going to be able to defend McClendon or Coston one on one out on the perimeter?? The key to beating Newcath this year is scoring early and often to set up a press and your defense to put pressure on the Breds. Outside of Pangallo, I wouldn't feel comfortable with anyone else bringing the ball up against pressure and he is still young and mistake prone.

 

And speaking of proven players...Cooper returns just as much, as does Holmes and Covcath.

 

Holmes returns two kids (Palmer and Coston) who have been starting since their sophomore year as well as a kid that has been seeing time since his sophomore year (Englemon). They return a sophomore (Bolden) that is arguably the most talented kid in the region not only for his age, but overall. They return several JV guys that saw time late in the season. (Jamanti Wilson and 6'5 Marcus Hill as well as 6'5 Chames who played a lot at HC last year) And guys like Armani Housely and Daquon Glover who are unknown juniors will also make a name for themselves this year with their outside shooting. Anyone who saw Holmes JV last year knows that those two along with Wilson can flat out fill it up from outside. This will be a fast and athletic Holmes team, but also one that shoots it well from outside. Also may be a surprise (experienced) addition to the roster that makes them even better.

 

Covcath is in the same boat as Holmes and Cooper as far as returning experience but also having younger guys that will step up and make a name for themselves.

 

This Newcath team isn't Holmes of 08/09 or even the Boone teams during that Holmes run...I wouldn't even put them in the same class as the Dixie team that won region two years ago. Newcath will lose atleast 2 or 3 9th region games.

 

In the 9th region it is hard to find size and when the 9th is at it’s best is when there is size. I’m all for good guard play because you can win games that way. However, naturally down state there is usually better guard play from Lexington and Louisville areas. If you look at past years when the 9th was very strong there were players like Doleman and Fagan at Ryle, Votel brothers and Lewin at CCH, Neltner from HHS along with Smith and Lorenzen, Brock from SK when they were in the 9th , Pittman, Rice, and Johnson brothers from Holmes. Sure the 9th has some exceptional guards here and there but matching up with a team that has 2 or 3 players over 6’5’’ is just hard to do in the 9th region these days, especially when they are the teams best players. That year Holmes won the title they had a perfect combination of great guard play along with size at every position.

As for Boone winning last year, they were able to pull off the upset but realistically going into the State Tournament they didn’t have a good enough team to win state. I’m not saying you NEED a bunch of 6’5’’ guys to win the 9th because you don’t however, the best teams to play in the 9th and win the region outright rather than an “upset” actually make some noise down state. So your telling me that you would prefer to take a team full of 6 ft and under guards? If so, your crazy.

As for your guarding assessment, well coaches do make changes in their defense (it’s not always one on one man) and I’m not so sure Coach Brannen is going to have Schulte guarding a 6 ft guard out on the wing. Siebert is 6’3’’ish and long, I think he can hold his own guarding on the perimeter. But you ask how is Schulte or Siebert going to guard McClendon and Coston? But my question to you is how is McClendon and Coston going to guard Schulte and McDonald on the block? I think it’s safe to say that Holmes bigs will guard NewCath’s bigs and vice versa. And I think your forgetting that Bueter was ranked 4th in the 9th Region player rankings ahead of both Coston and McClendon….

Only losing 2 or 3 game sin the 9th Region isn’t too shabby when Holmes won state, they lost one game in the 9th to Boone and the year before Holmes only lost one 9th region game to NewCath. If NewCath is only going to lose 2 or 3 games in the 9th I don’t understand your logic? Also, you said you don’t think NewCath is the clear cut favorite, well my point was GOING into this year they are definitely the clear cut favorite which in one of your posts you said you agree and that it is theirs spot to hold. So many things can happen from now till the region.

[FRONT OF THE RIM]

I saw Schulte playing up a year over the summer with a couple of team mates on the Bombers. He was a stud. He played without the fear he had as a sophomore last year. I think he will become the go to man in NCC's middle.

I hope he has a big year, but McDonald will be the go to guy in the middle without a doubt.

Last year at this time when no one knew about McDonald I predicted he would be a big factor by the first of the year. Well he was a big factor from the first game on. He will be their man in the middle. This is not to say Shulte won't have a big year, but he lacks the offensive skills to be the go to guy.

[Jester313]

I will agree that you need size to compete. However, you need bigs that are athletic and can run the court and score in transition. Guard play is important because they need to get the ball up court and dish to bigs on the run. IMO the edge goes to Cooper.

[ItsSHOWtime]

I hope he has a big year, but McDonald will be the go to guy in the middle without a doubt.

Last year at this time when no one knew about McDonald I predicted he would be a big factor by the first of the year. Well he was a big factor from the first game on. He will be their man in the middle. This is not to say Shulte won't have a big year, but he lacks the offensive skills to be the go to guy.

 

Very much agree with this.

[ItsSHOWtime]

I will agree that you need size to compete. However, you need bigs that are athletic and can run the court and score in transition. Guard play is important because they need to get the ball up court and dish to bigs on the run. IMO the edge goes to Cooper.

 

Very fair assessment. I would give the edge to Cooper on coaching standpoint. Sullivan > Brannen, as well as the bench. That is NewCath's biggest concern is their bench players. If we are comparing starters I think the edge goes to NewCath in terms of experience and height.

[Jester313]

Cooper goes . 6'4" 6'5" and 6'8" Should be a good match up :thumb:

[thisguy]

Heard a rumor Way, McKeehan, and Fogle are all thinking about coming out of "retirement" and playing hoops for Conner this year. Valid?? That would really solidify the PG issue for the Cougars.

[Clyde]

Heard a rumor Way, McKeehan, and Fogle are all thinking about coming out of "retirement" and playing hoops for Conner this year. Valid?? That would really solidify the PG issue for the Cougars.

 

No clue if it's true. It's not easy to come back especially at the PG position.

[thisguy]

No clue if it's true. It's not easy to come back especially at the PG position.

Very true. I also heard that Maines and Price tried out but they were not retained by Coach Hicks and staff. Shame because both could help but I guess the negatives outweighed the positives.

[Clyde]

Very true. I also heard that Maines and Price tried out but they were not retained by Coach Hicks and staff. Shame because both could help but I guess the negatives outweighed the positives.

 

Being on a team is more than just how much talent you have.

[thisguy]

Being on a team is more than just how much talent you have.

 

Absolutely positively agree 100%