Predicted this team would win the state title two months ago.....bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I didn't spend the night at a Holiday Inn Express but wish I could have stayed at the French Lick Resort, I did say Madison Central was the best team that I had seen in person this season on 2/15/13. :thumb:

Ballard lost about 3 seconds on that last shot by not getting the timeout quicker. That is a lot of time. Bosley's shot went through the nets at 5.2 and they didn't get the timeout till 2.2. That last minute by Madison Central proves you don't need to throw up 3's to have a comeback even when you are down by 2 scores. I believe Bosley's last shot was the only 3 pointer they took in that last minute or so.

I was at the game - not in a good seat - and I initially felt that there should've been about 2 seconds put back on the clock. However, now I am reading that the Bruins did not call a timeout immediately. If that is the case, then the clock may have been right. (By the way, I have a complaint about the Rupp Arena scoreboards: the clock is intermingled and intermeshed with all the statistics on the boards---it should be more prominent compared to them so your eyes can go right to it.)

That being said, on that last play MC set up for B to inbound with about 12.2 to go, I believe. B then called TO having seen MC's defensive alignment. When the ball was actually put in play, my impression was that MC had changed their D, forcing Martin to execute a long, fairly demanding pass (of course, MC had Snider smothered). The ball was intercepted at about mid court and the dribbler went from left to right about at the head of the circle and then lost the ball to his right. Fortunately for MC, the ball rolled/bounced directly to Bosley who, to his credit, took a dribble or two and made the game winner. However, good fortune balances out. B enjoyed some luck when Snider banked in the long 3 under pressure at the end of the half. MC is a very deserving and worthy champion. I thought their main players were buit like 100-meter sprinters whereas B's were more willowy. MC's players were stronger inside (although Martin for B was tough) and were really quick jumpers.

Best game I have ever seen, plus it was for the state title just tops it. So glad I was there to see it!

Congratulations to the Indians of Madison Central. Tremendous coaching staff and great players. The current group of seniors won the 8th grade Middle School Championship at KBA and they win the KHSAA State Championship as seniors. All of the players were from Richmond and that makes it that much more special! Awesome!

WOW.

Got home tonight, youngest wanted to go to the gym to shoot. Wasn't there 5 min and he and the other kid there were fading 3's from the right side yellin' "Bosley".

 

That's what I'm talkin' about.

Got home tonight, youngest wanted to go to the gym to shoot. Wasn't there 5 min and he and the other kid there were fading 3's from the right side yellin' "Bosley".

 

That's what I'm talkin' about.

 

That shot will be remembered for a long time.

 

I was driving back from Charlotte and was on the AA listening to 590 through all of the static. I woke up my wife when the 3 went in. Even exciting in the car.

This whole tournament was the best state tourney in a long time. Congrats to Madison Central!!!!!

I said it during the Holmes vs MC thread, when Bosley is hitting his outside shots he is almost unstoppable. When I saw MC vs. CovCath he took control of the game in the 1st half. I thought he was the Mr. Basketball candidate by the way he played. I am no Basketball expert, but I thought MC was by far the best team I had seen this year. I had not seen Ballard, but had heard they were very good. Glad to see the Sweet 16 live up to its expecations.

 

Congrats to all the teams that made it to the tourney. Winning Ky's state High School Basketball tourney is one of the more challenging accomplishments in Sports. This is not just my opinion by was also the opinion of one John Wooden. Who many years before his death stated that Indiana (who at the time was 1 class for bball) and Kentucky basketball championships were as difficult as any accomplishment in Basketball team sports.

Excellent game, excellent tournament. Happy for Madison Central as they are an exciting team. They deserved it. With them taking the prize it also makes the Holmes Bulldogs look even better for having taken the champs to OT. That may add no more trophies to the Bulldog's cabinet but as a 9th region supporter, it tells me we certainly had one of the best teams in the state this season right here in Northern Kentucky.

 

Outside of MC's never say die attitude in their comeback, which should be an inspiration to everyone about never giving up, the thing that sticks out to me about this game, and also so many other games that I've witnessed in my lifetime, is when one team gains a significant lead and then loses it. When Ballard was up by 16 they're whole urgency diminished like they thought the game was over.. They started popping 3 point attempts in sometimes 1 and done possessions. Why? If I've got that kind of lead in the 3rd period of the championship game, I'm gonna do everything that I can to protect that lead. Work the clock some, add insult to injury by penetrating and drawing fouls. Play smart. Being patient and only shooting sure thing shots. Finding other ways to stick the dagger in than popping low percentage shots.

 

Although it wasn't certain until the last shot who would win, it was obvious midway through the 3rd that Ballard's play was ridiculously giving MC too much of a window of opportunity to get back in the game.

 

With human nature there always seems to be a tendency for a team with a big lead to feel too secure and let down their guard. Fans sometimes feel like the game is over and are shocked when they realize that it wasn't. Even with little time left, Ballard got the lead back to 5 giving the impression that they had things locked up. This should be a lesson to us all that... it ain't over 'til it's over.

 

It also should be obvious that with human nature, a team down by 16 in a championship game is gonna continue to fight for their lives. Perhaps when the game means nothing, a down team will pack it in, but not in a game like this. We've all seen it so many times before. I know we're talking about teenage kids, but Ballard's coach has been around long enough to know this. He seemed uptight from the sidelines that his team was starting to give things away, but the second he detects this is the time to call time out and talk some sense into them. He just stood there in disbelief watching. He perhaps deserves more of the discredit in their loss than his players that let down their guard. If he's mad at anyone, it should be himself.

 

MC's victory was a combination of them never saying die, and Ballard giving it away. That's a recipe for MC being the champs, and Ballard being devastated.

 

All said and done, I feel that the 2013 season was a great one and will go down in history as one of the best. :thumb:

What happens to Ballard in championship games? Since winning it all in 1999, Ballard has been to -- and lost -- four state championship games: Lexington Catholic in 2003, Scott County in 2007, Shelby Valley in 2010 and now this. Now, in each case they ran into an outstanding buzzsaw of a team. But in any given year, Ballard has overwhelming talent and the ability to make a championship game (and so they often have).

 

So basically, I'm down to this: how on Earth did Ballard let that lead slip away?

What happens to Ballard in championship games? Since winning it all in 1999, Ballard has been to -- and lost -- four state championship games: Lexington Catholic in 2003, Scott County in 2007, Shelby Valley in 2010 and now this. Now, in each case they ran into an outstanding buzzsaw of a team. But in any given year, Ballard has overwhelming talent and the ability to make a championship game (and so they often have).

 

So basically, I'm down to this: how on Earth did Ballard let that lead slip away?

FT line

Our coaches--especially Chris Renner--did one of the most OUTSTANDING coaching jobs I've ever seen from the beginning of the season until its end Sunday afternoon.

 

We have 8, 9, or 10 guys who were contributors in virtually every game. Most coaches play only their best 6 or 7 and get stuck in a situation where foul trouble or an injury costs them dearly. Never the case with us all year. There was a time in the post-season I saw Chris pull the entire starting five to 'send a message' and because the next 5 had played important minutes all year, we not only didn't miss a beat, but we extended the lead.

 

Those guys felt vital to our team's success all year, so when called upon in the Region and State Tourneys, they were seasoned and ready down to a man.

 

As for having a big lead and losing it, I'd ask the people on this board (most I'm sure who have seen a lot more bball than me): how many times have you seen a team--playing against another very good team who can score--try to take the air out of the ball with a lead and in the process, lose the game eventually? Essentially, you stop doing what you were doing to get the lead and your opponent is the only team on the court trying to score. Maybe if you have a big lead in the 4th quarter you might do that, but that wasn't the case in this game.

 

Taking your team at ANY school -- especially one that has to come out of probably the toughest Region in the state -- not just to the Sweet 16 many times but to the State CHAMPIONSHIP five different times over a 14 year period is nothing short of impossible. Great job by our Bruins and Coach Renner and staff this (and every other) year. I'd put a pretty big amount on their being back -- and taking no prisoners -- in 2014.

There's no doubt coach, and if Ballard isn't the hands down favorite with all that they return next year, I can't imagine who would be. I fully expect to see Ballard right back there.