Cubster,

If there was questionable calls then maybe both teams could raise the hand with a chance to speak. Morgan County only went to the line 12 times compared to Boyd County's 28 and Morgan Co. doesn't jack up three's every possession...I thought they were beat on pretty good on rebounds and taking it to rim...but that's the way it goes. Morgan County had to perservere and find a way to grind out the win althought Morgan County led by double digits most of the game...In many Cougar wins this year, the last 2:30 of games in which Morgan Co. has double digit or close to leads, they shoot themselves in the foot. Tonight they are up 62-53 and rush a shot, turn it over next possession and didn't play well.

 

Katlin Haney is playing extremely well over the last 5-6 games. It's the little things he is doing that is making this team click. The 35 year old Junior is a bruiser!

 

Hats off to Derrick Young, fresh off totaling his vehicle Saturday morning and cutting his finger and scraping his arms he battled Owens defensively and some big three pointers. His football toughness and grit are unparralleled. Wes Montgomery's 2 free throws down the stretch were crucial. And Nathaniel Peyton's 25 points was impressive, kid plays with big time energy.

 

Boyd County's Justin Moore #20 was equally impressive, he pounded the Cougars inside getting offensive rebounds and can really score. He's going to be big for Boyd Co. down the stretch.

 

And yes "SHOOTERX3", you had a good prediction. McCowan did take a charge on Owens... but Owens was never in serious foul trouble.

 

What an electric atmosphere...over 1,000 easily in attendance that saw three great games of basketball.

 

Lastly, two claps for two teams battling hard for 32 minutes.

Just a great game to watch. I stayed after the Fleming County game because I knew it would be a dandy. Hats off to Morgan's fans, that gym was electric. Lot of fun to watch, but I didn't see too many questionable calls. At least, they didn't go either way.

 

I too stayed after the Fleming game to watch Owens from Boyd. The kid can really play

Congrats to the Cougars on staying unbeaten in the 16th!!

 

My thoughts:

 

(1) As for the game - Great game for the fans! Atmosphere was great!This was a game where Morgan showed their ability until the last quarter when they just fell apart. They kept enough composure to win, but some of that was luck. Boyd missed two free throws at the end of the game and then Owens missed the last shot. Any of those could have changed the outcome. This is not to mention the technical that Boyd Co. received. Morgan dominated the game in all other respects!

 

(2) As to Boyd Co. - They have a good team. Not as good as Morgan when they are playing good, but Boyd will be one of the favorites in the Regional. The only things I would say about Boyd is that they seem to be very sensitive. Several of their players complain too much and they seem to have short fuses! There were more fouls called on Morgan than Boyd, yet the Boyd players were acting like they were victimized. You didn't see this from the Morgan players even though they were being hammered too. The technical called on the Boyd player for his actions is one example. That resulted in points for Morgan that very well could be argued to have cost his team the game. Then immediately after the technical, that same player goes right over to the bench and slams his fist into the chair, which you could hear all over the gym? Several times during the game Boyd players had to come out of the game to be consoled by the Boyd coaching staff. If Boyd's players could get over this problem, they would play much better ball.

 

(3) As to Morgan Co. - As usual the Cougars played good ball for 3 quarters and had a good lead. Despite being hammered and there being several "no calls" there were no complaints by the Morgan players and they conducted themselves in a very sportsmanlike manner. Morgan was very impressive until the 4th quarter. Not only did their shooting go cold, but they seemed rattled. They started making little mistakes in execution and in judgment and almost cost themselves the game. The game was won in the 4th just as much on Boyd's failure to make shots just as much as anything that Morgan can claim to have done. Although Morgan played well for 3 quarters, a team can't have a 12 point lead going into the 4th and have to rely on luck to pull it out. Take away the technical on Boyd and the two missed free throws by Boyd and Morgan would have lost. Morgan is a very good team and should easily be the Regional favorite. BUT they are going to have to learn to play 4 quarters if they want to make sure they go to Rupp! This is not the only game that Morgan has done this in either. If they don't solve this problem, it very well could catch up to them!

 

(4) As to Owens - A very good ball player with great moves. However, he had a horrible night shooting the ball. Some of that could be attributable to the Morgan Defense, but his shooting was not even average. He does have a great ability to cut through the traffic and make plays, whether it be driving and dishing out to another player or taking the shot himself. On the positive side - his speed is the one thing that really stood out more than anything else IMO. On the negative side, I thought that he made some bad judgments on shot selection.

 

(5) On the Officials - The refs did a decent job. They called many more fouls on Morgan than Boyd, but that could be due to Morgan's D being more aggressive. But the refs did a good job. Sure they missed some calls, but this happens in every game and in this game it was not one sided. If any team would have a right to complain, it would be Morgan not Boyd. But I have certainly seen many worse called games before. I am sure that Morgan and Boyd have played in several games that were called worse than this one!

In my opinion there is always going to be someone who doesn't agree with an official.

Good analysis Nothingbutnet!

 

Morgan must learn to "put the dagger" in teams. When Morgan has the opportunity to blow out an opponent they need to do so. Because in basketball leads can evaporate quickly (e.g., the Owsley/South Floyd game)

 

You never really see a Morgan Co. player act unsportsmanlike, however, the word I'm getting is they are really wondering when at times they are going to get the benefit of the doubt when they get lambasted either on layups, shots in the lane or for McCowan, it is hack-a-shaq when he gets a rebound.

 

I would venture to say that not many teams in the 16th region goes to the free throw line fewer times than Morgan Co. Morgan's leading FT attempt person has/had under 60 free throw attempts for the year going into this weekend. :creepy: There are many in the 16th with well over 100 attempts in the same number of games.

 

Overall, officiating is much better in the 16th region (than in some parts) with some great professional people working these games. Probably not find a more professional fraternity.

 

In every 2 point game ever played in basketball, questionable calls will arise and in the heat of the battle both teams wish a call would go their way. However, it's a sport and people are human. Players, coaches, and officials make mistakes...it's part of it.

 

Back to my original thoughts....

I want to see a 32 minute version of solid Cougar basketball. Put 'em away and bury teams hopes and leave no doubt who the better basketball team is.

Between the lines...it's business.

I did not get a chance to make the game, but I would love to give my thoughts.

 

1. This is exactly the way I wanted the game to be - A close game to make all of the skeptics to understand that we as good as anyone around, yes we need some attitudes adjustments, but we are as good of a team as anyone. Does the loss matter, yes, but not completely. We want the BIG WIN against Morgan and the one that counts. Would the result been different on a neutral floor? I wasnt there but the Home Court Advantage always helps no matter who you are.

 

2. Phil Pratt is a very classy man that normally does not speak out of term, but I could pretty well read into his mild comments in Today's paper, that he felt we got hosed. So I am gonna ride with him on this one, because of my respect for him.

 

Like I said, us at Boyd tip our hats to Morgan for the win, but it sounds like we wasnt quite a push over. HMMMM, wonder what might happen in the Regional?????

 

Good game Lions.

I did not get a chance to make the game, but I would love to give my thoughts.

 

1. This is exactly the way I wanted the game to be - A close game to make all of the skeptics to understand that we as good as anyone around, yes we need some attitudes adjustments, but we are as good of a team as anyone. Does the loss matter, yes, but not completely. We want the BIG WIN against Morgan and the one that counts. Would the result been different on a neutral floor? I wasnt there but the Home Court Advantage always helps no matter who you are.

 

2. Phil Pratt is a very classy man that normally does not speak out of term, but I could pretty well read into his mild comments in Today's paper, that he felt we got hosed. So I am gonna ride with him on this one, because of my respect for him.

 

Like I said, us at Boyd tip our hats to Morgan for the win, but it sounds like we wasnt quite a push over. HMMMM, wonder what might happen in the Regional?????

 

Good game Lions.

 

First I would state that Boyd received no more bad calls than Morgan, which is rare when playing home. So Coach Pratt or anyone else that might believe that Boyd got "hosed" is WRONG! The game had some bad calls and many no calls, but the calls that were called favored Boyd!

 

Second, you are absolutely correct in stating that Boyd was no pushover. In fact, Boyd won the first quarter. Morgan then dominated the second. The teams played fairly even in the third. Then Boyd outplayed the Cougars in the 4th. So on a given night anything is possible. I look for both of these teams to be right there come the Regional!

First I would state that Boyd received no more bad calls than Morgan, which is rare when playing home. So Coach Pratt or anyone else that might believe that Boyd got "hosed" is WRONG! The game had some bad calls and many no calls, but the calls that were called favored Boyd!

 

Second, you are absolutely correct in stating that Boyd was no pushover. In fact, Boyd won the first quarter. Morgan then dominated the second. The teams played fairly even in the third. Then Boyd outplayed the Cougars in the 4th. So on a given night anything is possible. I look for both of these teams to be right there come the Regional!

 

I think what coach Pratt was upset with is the no call

at the end of the game,when Owens drove to the basket

and got knocked down,and when Moore got the rebound

and was pushed,but IMO that stuff is going to happen

just seems to happen alot with one same ref.But anyway

there is alot of nice people in Morgan,I enjoyed the game

BC can use this as a postive. :thumb:

There were many great BGP'ers in the house. Tiny is a great person and Boyd County should be proud of their team.

 

Duffy Adkins getting hurt late in the first half hurt Morgan in the 2nd. He was playing very well making big shots and playing excellent defense. Late in the game, he would have been another guard that could have handled the pressure in the late stages. Hopefully the Adkins accident prone family can overcome yet another injury! I just wonder how many policies Carla has on those two boys? :creepy:

Before the game last night between Morgan County and Boyd County, and yes, during the game, I wanted the Cougars to win with every tense muscle and frazzled brain cell I had. But, now that the game is over, I just sort of wonder if losing this game with Boyd might not have been an advantage to the Cougar team. In the post game analyses and rehashings, I see now that the Cougars did not finish well and think this lesson of finishing the game with the same gusto as the team showed for the first three quarters might have been more impressive with a loss to Boyd County.

I'll have to disagree with you on the better off losing mindset Nerf. I can guarantee Mathew will get the point across. If anyone listened to the postgame comments he was anything but pleased last night. Nets, I agree that with Devon in there in the second he would have really helped the team with the pressure as well as his great leadership abilities. Those boys can't catch a break it seems.

If I had to choose a team to lose to, it would definetly be Morgan County. There are definetly some quality people there and they have great kids and great program. But like I said earlier, I believe the results could be different in the BIG GAME.

 

Congratulations to Morgan and good luck to Boyd next time.

If I had to choose a team to lose to, it would definetly be Morgan County. There are definetly some quality people there and they have great kids and great program. But like I said earlier, I believe the results could be different in the BIG GAME.

 

Congratulations to Morgan and good luck to Boyd next time.

 

I thank this is going to be a wake up call for the lions

after the game there were alot of the boys upset and

was making comments that its time to quit playing around,

like I said this loss could be a postive. :thumb:

Nets, I too would like to see 32 minutes of the cougars at their best. I've said all year they are the most impressive defensive team around. Offensively they have their games, but if they ever bring their offensive game up to their defensive........look out!

Nathaniel played a whale of a game, McCowan and Haney compliment each other quite well around the basket, one always looking to drop the ball down inside to the other. Adkins, Young, Montgomery, and Henderson very tough defensive players.

Good Win for the Cougars! But I don't think the game should have ended that close, not taking anything away from the effort of Boyd County, they never hung their heads at anytime during the game and that's why they were there in the end.

Good analysis Nothingbutnet!

 

Overall, officiating is much better in the 16th region (than in some parts) with some great professional people working these games. Probably not find a more professional fraternity.

 

 

The officiating in the 16th region games that I have watched this season cannot be described as professional. I would probably describe it as a poor effort.