Discussion of the 7th Region Preview

[PurplePride92]

Ballard Bruins (29-4)

7th Region Champions

Head Coach: Chris Renner

 

The Ballard Bruins find themselves in a familiar early-March locale: Rupp Arena. The Bruins have been the Seventh Region’s representative at the Sweet 16 four times in the last decade, quite an achievement for any team; a special achievement in a region as consistently deep as the Seventh. They reached this point by exorcising the demons of a loss earlier in the season to Trinity by defeating the Shamrocks 57-46 in the regional championship.

 

Ballard’s success begins with the play of its tremendous scorers. In total, Ballard is averaging 77.4 points per game, the best in the state. That scoring comes primarily from Ballard’s three well-known stars: Quentin Snider, Lavonne Holland, and Kelan Martin.

 

Snider, the junior point guard and University of Louisville commit, leads the Bruins in scoring at 19.6 points per game. Not only can he use tremendous speed and ball-handling ability to get to the rim, he’s shooting 38.8 percent from behind the arc this season. Senior guard Lavonne Holland averages 14.1 points per game and can score from seemingly anywhere on the floor. In the Seventh Region tournament, he proved especially adept at getting to the free throw line and being able to convert from the stripe. Kelan Martin, Ballard’s man in the middle, averages 19.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He is constantly in motion and is an absolute handful for both defenders and those trying to stop him. He’s even shown an ability to hit from outside if left open, averaging nearly one made three per game.

 

But the real trouble lies in overly focusing on those three. Jalen Perry, Zach Caggins, Dontez Byrd and supremely talented freshman starter Malik Dow have all proven themselves capable of scoring and defending.

 

Ballard already holds wins against the only two teams in the Sweet 16 they faced in the regular season: Hopkinsville and Madison Central, both of which came back in December’s King of the Bluegrass.

[PurplePride92]

Is this Ballard's tournament to lose? Will a team from Kentucky besides Trinity be able to defeat Ballard?

 

 

 

 

 

Random thought.......

 

 

If Ballard does win the Sweet 16 will Quentin Snider stay at Ballard or would he explore other options and head to a school like Montevrde Academy like his AAU teammate D'Angelo Russell did? Not saying I have heard that but if Snider is able to lead the Bruins to a title I am thinking why stay in state? Why not get even better prepared for UL?

[gold sunrise]

Believe we will see Ballard in the finals. IMO, if Madison Central makes the finals we could see Ballard losing to another in-state team.

[Getslow]

Random thought.......

 

 

If Ballard does win the Sweet 16 will Quentin Snider stay at Ballard or would he explore other options and head to a school like Montevrde Academy like his AAU teammate D'Angelo Russell did? Not saying I have heard that but if Snider is able to lead the Bruins to a title I am thinking why stay in state? Why not get even better prepared for UL?

 

It's definitely a possibility. Sad what that defection did to Central though.

 

If he does return, expect Ballard to be right back at the top along with him as Kelan Martin has another year left as well. Not to mention Jalen Perry and Malik Dow will be a year older.

 

Has he ever given a hint that he'd be interested in something like that?

[Getslow]

Is this Ballard's tournament to lose? Will a team from Kentucky besides Trinity be able to defeat Ballard?

 

To answer this one... sure it's possible. I think it's extremely unlikely, but it's possible. I didn't give Shelby Valley a snowball's chance against them a few years ago, but we know how that turned out. Of course, that Ballard team could only dream of having a player as talented as Snider.

 

I don't expect Ballard to lose at all and I don't expect them to be greatly challenged until the championship game.

[tcjkbt]

To answer this one... sure it's possible. I think it's extremely unlikely, but it's possible. I didn't give Shelby Valley a snowball's chance against them a few years ago, but we know how that turned out. Of course, that Ballard team could only dream of having a player as talented as Snider.

 

I don't expect Ballard to lose at all and I don't expect them to be greatly challenged until the championship game.

Trinity is 7-1 against teams participating in the Sweet 16. Unfortunately, that one loss was to Ballard in the 7th Region final. Ballard played a whale of a game in that final. And Coach Renner coached a fine game, too, I thought. I think only Madison Central can derail them at Rupp. We'll see. The tournament is always fun.

[Rez]

Hopkinsville was beating Ballard midway through the 3rd quarter before the wheels fell off. Hoptown had to deal with some foul trouble which hurt them. I think it would take a near-perfect game, but I think the Tigers are fully capable of pulling the upset. Montgomery Co. is probably the only team with a semi-reasonable chance of preventing the Bruins from reaching the title game, but that is a long-shot.

 

Snider will be the best player in the tournament, and Martin and Holland are probably both top 10 as well. Throw in the fact that their role players don't hurt them, and it will take something special to prevent a fourth state title for the Bruins.

[Teddy_Noir]

Ballard is overdue for a State title. I can't think of another school that has run into so many buzzsaws over the years in the finals. Lofton in 03'. Bud Mackey's incredible 4th quarter in 07'. Shelby Valley's aggressive defense in 2010.

[PurplePride92]

It's definitely a possibility. Sad what that defection did to Central though.

 

If he does return, expect Ballard to be right back at the top along with him as Kelan Martin has another year left as well. Not to mention Jalen Perry and Malik Dow will be a year older.

 

Has he ever given a hint that he'd be interested in something like that?

 

 

Not at all. That was just me spitballing. I follow him on twitter and his mantra is about getting better everyday. I have to believe he has dreams of playing in The League one day. AAU season will begin for him shortly and he'll be back in the arena where he really shines against much better competition than he faces from November to March. To me it just makes sense for him to go somewhere like Oak Hill or Monteverde so he can continue to progress. If UL has two point guards coming in this season then he's going to have his work cut out for him if he plans to be starting by his sophomore year. What else would he have to prove in Kentucky as a senior at Ballard? Not to mention the only reason he would win Mr. Basketball would be because D'Angelo Russell left.

 

 

 

Food for thought.

[tcjkbt]

Ballard is overdue for a State title. I can't think of another school that has run into so many buzzsaws over the years in the finals. Lofton in 03'. Bud Mackey's incredible 4th quarter in 07'. Shelby Valley's aggressive defense in 2010.

Ballard won every 11 years.....'77, '88 and '99. No titles since '99. They are overdue.