That's absurd. NDA is bigger, stronger, and more athletic than HHS. A talented group of players to be sure, but look at what Coach Richey was able to accomplish with 2 freshmen starting. I'd say she gets more out of her players. It doesn't take much to coach the talent that NDA has.

 

I think both coaches did a great job. Both teams were diving on the floor and fought hard. This game was just like the first matchup. HHS cut the lead to 2 late in 3rd quarter then before you knew it NDA was up 15. In big games like last night it's really on the players to make plays. ND made a few more last night.

Notre Dame was on a mission this year! Very talented team indeed. From top to the bottom. I've watched them play a few times this season and from what I can see is this. Voskuhl is a beast and hands down the best player in the 9th Region. She was simply in a zone this whole tournament especially the last two games. Ogle is simply an athlete there is nothing more to say. She had really stepped up this year and made the most of this year. Clemons is a solid shooter! Cant allow her to spot up. Only down side is she still struggles to handle the ball vs serious pressure. Smith was a nice early Christmas present for Notre Dame. She started out the season a little rough with getting into foul trouble BUT she got better and better every game. SHe is going to be a force for the next two years in the 9th region. Kellam had improved the most from the beginning of the season to the end. I watch her play early this season and she seemed a little scared vs pressure and had a lot of TO but watching her against Boone and Highlands she is a different player. She's confident in her shot and she can not handle the pressure. Only place where I think Notre Dame is weak is their bench. Good luck at State next week I know those ladies will represent the 9th Region well.

It doesn't take much to coach the talent that NDA has.

 

If your point is the coach doesn't matter, you couldn't be more wrong, and there's a long line of people waiting to tell you that.

Go ask NCC fans if a Ron Dawn coached team loaded with talent would have stumbled down the stretch.

It's not like HHS is a small school or void of talent, they have one D1 player, and likely more coming. A coach matters greatly.

If your point is the coach doesn't matter, you couldn't be more wrong, and there's a long line of people waiting to tell you that.

Go ask NCC fans if a Ron Dawn coached team loaded with talent would have stumbled down the stretch.

It's not like HHS is a small school or void of talent, they have one D1 player, and likely more coming. A coach matters greatly.

 

I agree with you that coaching does matter. Let’s go back to the original poster that stated the difference in this game was coaching. That is a ridiculous statement for this game, both teams had solid game plans from a coaching perspective and the more talented team one.

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Was the game last night???? Must have missed it.

I think Paige Kellam was huge last night. She played extremely well and made some big plays during key stretches.

 

I do have a question for the Highlands faithful. What is the story with Schaeffer? Is she healthy? I have always thought of her as one of the top players in the region but she doesn't seem to be playing like a star player should play at this time of the year. I watched Voskuhl last night and she hit big shot after big shot. I looked up at the beginning of the fourth quarter and Schaeffer had as many fouls as she did points.

That's absurd. NDA is bigger, stronger, and more athletic than HHS. A talented group of players to be sure, but look at what Coach Richey was able to accomplish with 2 freshmen starting. I'd say she gets more out of her players. It doesn't take much to coach the talent that NDA has.

 

they are bigger and stronger, right. but they are 5 deep and only one is a "basketball player" imo. 4 other very good athletes. they make up a very good team.

 

i have only seen a handfull of highlands games. I have seen them play some of the better teams. hhs has 6 seniors i believe. they have about 10 deep on the bench. they have 2 girls going on to play college basketball - 1 of them is d1. the problem, they only have about 2-3 girls that will actually mix it up. the rest shy from contact. theres not one nd girl that wasn't all over the floor at any chance. there were many 50/50 balls and rebounds that hhs girls could have had but didn't appear to want bad enough. nd played harder and so did ryle the night before. i didn't see the holmes game so i'm not sure what they did against them. but they were lucky to beat ryle. talent took over and ryle just not very good ball handling team.

 

example. highlands down 8 at end of q1. voskuhl and smith go out early in q2 with foul trouble with about 6 min left in half. daley sits on the bench for 5 of those minutes without the two in the game. imo, nd would have no answer for daley with those two out of the game. result, still down 8 by halftime. they made no progress with those two out of the game.

 

it was clear voskuhl was on fire early. why not move scheaffer over to put out the fire. can she not guard her? i hope she can if she has any shot at playing at X. puzzeling to me.

 

their lil starting guard played about a quarter in the game. in the games i've seen, she has been one of their best players. imo, she actually settled the team down and kept them from getting blown out in the second quarter. She then started the second half played maybe a minute and never saw the floor again. again, puzzeling. she is a fighter and makes things happen.

 

why doesn't highlands EVER put anyone to rebound on free throws?????????

 

many other examples. just the glaring ones i saw the last two nights.

I think Paige Kellam was huge last night. She played extremely well and made some big plays during key stretches.

 

I do have a question for the Highlands faithful. What is the story with Schaeffer? Is she healthy? I have always thought of her as one of the top players in the region but she doesn't seem to be playing like a star player should play at this time of the year. I watched Voskuhl last night and she hit big shot after big shot. I looked up at the beginning of the fourth quarter and Schaeffer had as many fouls as she did points.

 

i had the same questions. is she still hurt? 2 guys behind us were asking the same question. i was expecting to see more.

they are bigger and stronger, right. but they are 5 deep and only one is a "basketball player" imo. 4 other very good athletes. they make up a very good team.

 

i have only seen a handfull of highlands games. I have seen them play some of the better teams. hhs has 6 seniors i believe. they have about 10 deep on the bench. they have 2 girls going on to play college basketball - 1 of them is d1. the problem, they only have about 2-3 girls that will actually mix it up. the rest shy from contact. theres not one nd girl that wasn't all over the floor at any chance. there were many 50/50 balls and rebounds that hhs girls could have had but didn't appear to want bad enough. nd played harder and so did ryle the night before. i didn't see the holmes game so i'm not sure what they did against them. but they were lucky to beat ryle. talent took over and ryle just not very good ball handling team.

 

example. highlands down 8 at end of q1. voskuhl and smith go out early in q2 with foul trouble with about 6 min left in half. daley sits on the bench for 5 of those minutes without the two in the game. imo, nd would have no answer for daley with those two out of the game. result, still down 8 by halftime. they made no progress with those two out of the game.

 

it was clear voskuhl was on fire early. why not move scheaffer over to put out the fire. can she not guard her? i hope she can if she has any shot at playing at X. puzzeling to me.

 

their lil starting guard played about a quarter in the game. in the games i've seen, she has been one of their best players. imo, she actually settled the team down and kept them from getting blown out in the second quarter. She then started the second half played maybe a minute and never saw the floor again. again, puzzeling. she is a fighter and makes things happen.

 

why doesn't highlands EVER put anyone to rebound on free throws?????????

 

many other examples. just the glaring ones i saw the last two nights.

 

I thought maybe that was a strategy they employed last night to keep ND from any fast break points off missed free throws....which their were a ton of those. Is that something they do all the time?????

besides olivia voskuhl, the biggest difference i saw in this game was coaching. ND gets more out of their players.

 

I don't know if I'd go that far. I do think Notre Dame's coaching staff does a great job, but I don't know that HHS' was out coached in this one. I think ND is just on a roll and noone in NKY was going to touch them down the stretch.

they are bigger and stronger, right. but they are 5 deep and only one is a "basketball player" imo. 4 other very good athletes. they make up a very good team.

 

i have only seen a handfull of highlands games. I have seen them play some of the better teams. hhs has 6 seniors i believe. they have about 10 deep on the bench. they have 2 girls going on to play college basketball - 1 of them is d1. the problem, they only have about 2-3 girls that will actually mix it up. the rest shy from contact. theres not one nd girl that wasn't all over the floor at any chance. there were many 50/50 balls and rebounds that hhs girls could have had but didn't appear to want bad enough. nd played harder and so did ryle the night before. i didn't see the holmes game so i'm not sure what they did against them. but they were lucky to beat ryle. talent took over and ryle just not very good ball handling team.

 

example. highlands down 8 at end of q1. voskuhl and smith go out early in q2 with foul trouble with about 6 min left in half. daley sits on the bench for 5 of those minutes without the two in the game. imo, nd would have no answer for daley with those two out of the game. result, still down 8 by halftime. they made no progress with those two out of the game.

 

it was clear voskuhl was on fire early. why not move scheaffer over to put out the fire. can she not guard her? i hope she can if she has any shot at playing at X. puzzeling to me.

 

their lil starting guard played about a quarter in the game. in the games i've seen, she has been one of their best players. imo, she actually settled the team down and kept them from getting blown out in the second quarter. She then started the second half played maybe a minute and never saw the floor again. again, puzzeling. she is a fighter and makes things happen.

 

why doesn't highlands EVER put anyone to rebound on free throws?????????

 

many other examples. just the glaring ones i saw the last two nights.

 

I do agree with some of what you're saying. I questioned some of these things also, but I have faith there was a reason for what they do. I know the HHS coaches put a lot of thought, time and energy into their plans.

 

I'm don't know the answer to the free throw thing, but yes they do that a lot.

I agree that Voskuhl is by far the best player in region. And Schaeffer is an interesting case. In the games I saw Highlands play she doesn't score or take over like you would expect the division 1 player going to a pretty good school to do. I've seen rcc9 say she does a lot of other things besides scoring so well is what makes her a talent but when the chips are down in a region final I've got to get 25 points from my D1 player. I think the other players expect it from her. Now in college she may be the better college level player as it seems recruiters feel since Voskuhl is going to Clev. St., because she brings more to the table in other areas. But I still need points in the region final. I think both these teams lose a ton for next year. Highlands was carried by seniors and Voskuhl was NDAs true star. Look for things to go back to NCC, Boone, Ryle and I think Holy Cross will be good in the 9th.

That's absurd. NDA is bigger, stronger, and more athletic than HHS. A talented group of players to be sure, but look at what Coach Richey was able to accomplish with 2 freshmen starting. I'd say she gets more out of her players. It doesn't take much to coach the talent that NDA has.

 

It seems like Highlands always has really young players on varsity.

It seems like Highlands always has really young players on varsity.

 

I do not know about other schools,but at Highlands a lot of girls hang up sports in Jr and Sr years, and not just in basketball but all sports. If one girl quits, it seems that others like to follow.