Who are the top players in the Kentucky's class of 2017?

 

Youngman, Stotts, James...who else?

 

Are you referring to the Youngman from Thomas Nelson?

Cole averaged 13 ppg but only scored a total of 7 against DIxie (3) and Newcath (4), the two best teams on VIlla's schedule last year...doesn't mean he didn't average double figures, though...right, TOG?

 

How about we bring up some of McClendon's other numbers from last year as a frosh:

 

V Scott CO- 16 pts

V Holmes- 9 pts

V Madison Central- 14 pts

V Harrison CO- 15 pts

V Beechwood (All A)- 12 pts

V Beechwood- 9 pts

V Frankfort- 14 pts

V Worthington KIlbourne, OH- 10 pts

V Colerain- 14 pts

V Newport 10 pts

V Newport (All A)- 10 pts

V Covcath (DIstrict tourney) - 9 pts (2 in first meeting)

 

Even with your "11 points v Covcath in two games" still averages out to 11.1 ppg. MIssed final 6 regular season games....and I believe he was injured in the first Covcath game where he only scored 2...just an FYI.

 

Beechwood

MC 9 CVH 9

Newport

MC 10 CVH 21

In games both played the same opponent.

 

Lets also understand Mc was maybe the third or fourth option of HC while after the 1st month or so CVH was the 1st scoring option of Villa.

 

Oh and Mc was a frosh and CVH? He was a eight grader.

 

BTW explain to me again how Mc gets to transfer to Holmes after playing varsity for HC without having to sit a year?

 

CovCath Harrett had to sit out a full year and he only played in one varsity golf match. So how can one play and the other can't?

Beechwood

MC 9 CVH 9

Newport

MC 10 CVH 21

In games both played the same opponent.

 

Lets also understand Mc was maybe the third or fourth option of HC while after the 1st month or so CVH was the 1st scoring option of Villa.

 

Oh and Mc was a frosh and CVH? He was a eight grader.

 

BTW explain to me again how Mc gets to transfer to Holmes after playing varsity for HC without having to sit a year?

 

CovCath Harrett had to sit out a full year and he only played in one varsity golf match. So how can one play and the other can't?

 

You failed to mention that CVH also took 21 shots (8/21) to get to 21 against Newport. Not sure why the comparison against common opponents. McClendon played for a better team with more options. CVH took more shots per game on a team whose best win was over a 14-16 Bellevue team...I'd hope he can score more. CVH was the 1st scoring option because Villa simply wasn't that good talent wise and they played a soft schedule due to their size. The three best teams on Villa's schedule : Dixie (3 pts), Newcath (4 pts), and St. Henry (6 pts).

 

McClendon was seeing varsity minutes as an 8th grader on a much better Holy Cross team so your 8th grader/frosh comment doesn't mean much, IMO.

 

Your question should be asked to the KHSAA, not myself. I know his situation personally but honestly it's none of your business. How about you ask the young man himself or his parenT if you want to know so bad.

 

Or how about you ask how Christian McClendon was eligible to play right away when he transferred to HC after playing varsity mins at Holmes? Funny how people are quick to question a transfer in to Holmes but never question the ones OUT of Holmes.

 

The better question is how is an 8th grader at Blessed Sacrament eligible to play varsity at Villa Madonna when Villa has a middle school/feeder? There are coaches who wonder the same thing.

 

 

To put in to perspective for you, Brandon Hatton was told he wouldn't be able to play varsity for Dixie as a 7th/8th grader if he went to Summit View (a school that feeds in to SK, Dixie, and Scott). He would have to be enrolled at Turkeyfoot. (A Dixie only feeder) Why is the CVH situation with Blessed Sacrament/Villa Madonna different?

 

I think CVH is a very good player from the ONE time I saw him. But let's be real TOG...he played a DIII schedule against teams that have MAYBE one player on their roster who would see regular minutes at a top 10 program in NKY. Let's see how he does this year before proclaiming him to be "the type of player that nky hasn't seen in a while."

"The type of player that NKy hasn't seen in a while", wasn't a quote by me at all but why not come and see the kid throw the Football some afternoon in a Frosh Football game. You just might be very surprised by the young man athletic ability!

 

Walter if CVH played at Holmes, you would be proclaiming him loud and long as the next coming, because we all know you believe the sun rises and set on Holmes basketball. Now that is fine and okay by me (hey I am a CovCath fan) but you also try to portray yourself as a journalist in the line of Skinny or Rick and as long as you keep playing the Holmes Homer fan card, your journalist card just doesn't fit well.

 

The HC transfers to Holmes or the Holmes transfers to HC is a joke. Didn't HC just pick up a young lady who went from Homes to HC then back to Holmes and now back to HC without sitting out a single game! You don't find that strange?

 

BTW could care less what Villa did but he couldn't play at CovCath as a 8th grader and you never responded about Harriett having to sit out for a year after only playing in one varsity golf match as a frosh for HHS. Why can Holmes and HC have transfers left and right but others can't?

"The type of player that NKy hasn't seen in a while", wasn't a quote by me at all but why not come and see the kid throw the Football some afternoon in a Frosh Football game. You just might be very surprised by the young man athletic ability!

 

Walter if CVH played at Holmes, you would be proclaiming him loud and long as the next coming, because we all know you believe the sun rises and set on Holmes basketball. Now that is fine and okay by me (hey I am a CovCath fan) but you also try to portray yourself as a journalist in the line of Skinny or Rick and as long as you keep playing the Holmes Homer fan card, your journalist card just doesn't fit well.

 

The HC transfers to Holmes or the Holmes transfers to HC is a joke. Didn't HC just pick up a young lady who went from Homes to HC then back to Holmes and now back to HC without sitting out a single game! You don't find that strange?

 

BTW could care less what Villa did but he couldn't play at CovCath as a 8th grader and you never responded about Harriett having to sit out for a year after only playing in one varsity golf match as a frosh for HHS. Why can Holmes and HC have transfers left and right but others can't?

 

I feel like transferring from a private school to a public school is a whole lot different then private to private, or even public to private.

Just my opinion though. In McClendon's case I feel like he has a legit ament reason to be eligible right away. Harriett's case is different he isn't forced to change schools because of "money issues". Whether McClendon's case is true or not I don't know, but for the reason given he should have the opportunity to be eligible right away.

"The type of player that NKy hasn't seen in a while", wasn't a quote by me at all but why not come and see the kid throw the Football some afternoon in a Frosh Football game. You just might be very surprised by the young man athletic ability!

 

Walter if CVH played at Holmes, you would be proclaiming him loud and long as the next coming, because we all know you believe the sun rises and set on Holmes basketball. Now that is fine and okay by me (hey I am a CovCath fan) but you also try to portray yourself as a journalist in the line of Skinny or Rick and as long as you keep playing the Holmes Homer fan card, your journalist card just doesn't fit well.

 

The HC transfers to Holmes or the Holmes transfers to HC is a joke. Didn't HC just pick up a young lady who went from Homes to HC then back to Holmes and now back to HC without sitting out a single game! You don't find that strange?

 

BTW could care less what Villa did but he couldn't play at CovCath as a 8th grader and you never responded about Harriett having to sit out for a year after only playing in one varsity golf match as a frosh for HHS. Why can Holmes and HC have transfers left and right but others can't?

 

Have never questioned CVH athletic ability. I simply said his numbers were inflated because of the competition. Nothing wrong with that, IMO. Has nothing to do with his skill at all. In fact, I stated several times in here I felt he was a very good player. I'll see him again at the NKU Elite Camp along with Ethan Snapp, Tanner Brougton, and Carson Williams and I'm sure I'll still have the same opinion of him (being a good young player). My original point, if you would've read my posts, was that I think people in this thread are setting unrealistic expectations for a kid playing his first year of "big" varsity basketball as a freshman. Let him be a kid because all this hype is going to do is bring a lot of criticism when he doesn't live up to certain expectations by some on here.

 

As far as my work, unlike Rick and Skinny, this isn't my full time job. I simply do what I do to promote the local athletes and get them more exposure. Again, unlike them, I'm not in this just for the money. I've never proclaimed to be a journalist or anything of that nature. But I do get paid to cover sports in NKY and most all of the coaches will tell you I do a pretty damn good job at it. If you don't like the way I do things, that's fine, but I give kids from all schools exposure and do anything I can to help them out. Ask Lawnboy13 what I've done throughout the summer, ON MY OWN TIME AND DIME, to help out these kids and help them progress both on and off the court. I think you'd be surprised. Hell, a few of your Covcath boys were involved as well. I'm also one of the few on here touting Dixie and Boone as legit region contenders but I guess that is me playing the "Holmes homer" card, too, right?

 

Bolden came in to his freshman year with a lot of hype and NONE of it was from me so your comment that I think the sun rises and sets on Holmes basketball is completely false. I touted Drew McDonald more as a frosh than I have any other kid to come through NKY since I've been doing this....yes, Bolden included. I wasn't even touting him last year until I saw him first hand against St. Henry and realized just how special he was.

 

As for the transfers, Holmes and Holy Cross aren't the only two schools in NKY to receive transfers so let's get rid of that now. Every school gets transfers. It's apart of sports these days whether you like it or not. Technically, CVH is a "transfer" since he played a varsity sport last year. But I guess he doesn't count since he is coming to Covcath, right?

 

I don't know much about the Harriett situation or I would've responded. Again...these are all questions for the KHSAA, not me. If information is presented to the KHSAA and they feel it is substantial enough to rule a kid eligible, why should it matter?

 

Hope my tone doesn't come off the wrong way in this response, as I mean nothing personal by anything I'm saying.

Walter, even "technically" CVH is not a transfer.

CVH was allowed to play at Villa because Blessed Sacrament is a feeder school for Villa.

 

He could not have played at Holy Cross, for example.

I'm sure Rich Skinner will chuckle at the statement that he's in it for the money.

Back to the CVH/McClendon "debate."

 

Regarding athletic ability the kid that is MOST ready physically for varsity ball is CVH. Markel may be quicker but overall he's not a better athlete.

Physically Markel definitely has the upper hand. Markel can jump higher, runs faster, and IMO is stronger..... But you say CVH is the better athlete? How is that possible. Define an "athlete" for me....

Physically Markel definitely has the upper hand. Markel can jump higher, runs faster, and IMO is stronger..... But you say CVH is the better athlete? How is that possible. Define an "athlete" for me....

 

 

No way in heck is he "stronger." None.

 

When I judge an athlete in basketball , especially a guard, I also include strength ie ability to not get knocked off the ball. Now maybe Markel has hit the weight room since March and I haven't seen his new physique but in March the kid was skinny as most frosh are.

 

I'll reserve judgement also on the "jump higher."

We all can agree, that CVH did make the bigger impact due to lack of talent at Villa. The only reason Markel didn't start varsity as an 8th grader was because of 1 person... His name Jake Burger.

We all can agree, that CVH did make the bigger impact due to lack of talent at Villa. The only reason Markel didn't start varsity as an 8th grader was because of 1 person... His name Jake Burger.

 

I won't get into the "who is better" debate. Looking at scoring and using that as your metric is silly and lazy.

 

Markel can be a really good player. I'll fully admit I'm put off a bit by his on-court demeanor sometimes. I have to fight that when judging his abilities. Hopefully, James will rub off on him.

As to the "why Markel left" debate you'll forgive me if I believe wholeheartedly that he would STILL be at Holy Cross if Erik and his uncle were still on the bench and/or they had a lot of talent returning. The rest is rationalization.