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Top 10 Teams In The 13th Region

JokersWild24
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JokersWild24

JokersWild24

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Knox will be getting a new coach, so not sure what to expect from them.

 

I'd be expecting big things. Tons of talent and I don't think the kids really liked playing for Coach Evans, who was nearly let go in the offseason last year.

 

Still no word on a coach, but I'm hearing that some names within the system may be moving up, top assistants who are some of the most up-and-coming head Mountain coaches of the future, and maybe even the name or two of a head coach that is considering a move a little closer to home could be applying. With what they have coming back, they'll definitely have a pool to choose from.

 

I'm working on my top 10, and as usual, it's a few pages long, but I'll post it as soon as I've had a chance to look over everything.

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JokersWild24

JokersWild24

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Top 10 Teams in the 13th:

 

 

1. Clay County:

 

Back-to-back defending champions had a great showing in Rupp, narrowly missing out on an upset of Covington Catholic in the final game of the first round. They have two big losses with the graduation of 6'8 center Jake Allen and junior Tyler "Chip" McDaniel's early enrollment to UK where he'll join his older brother on the school's golf team.

 

All hopes of a three-peat in Manchester are alive and well however. Returning starters will include the junior trio of Blake Smith, Trey Farmer, and Wes Wolfe. The triumvirate is one of the most talented in the region, and each kid’s skills blends really well with the others, whether it be Farmer’s shooting touch, Smith’s athletic drives and insane leaping ability that he can use to create, or Wolfe’s hustle, rebounding, defense, and athleticism. Likely joining them in the starting lineup will be Ryan House, a senior to be who saw lots of minutes off the bench last season.

 

Trevor Sams and William Sexton are two sophomores who may see increased minutes at the guard spots, especially Sams, who saw some varsity minutes as a reserve last season.

 

Finally, it will be interesting to see if junior Dalton Hicks or senior Travis Mills, the only two returnees listed at the center position last season, will be able to step up and fill the void left by Allen, but I’m also told by someone who isn’t from the Manchester area that Clay County had a player at the middle school level last season who looked as if he could possibly develop into the kind player that could help them out in the future should he choose to work hard.

 

 

 

2. Knox Central:

 

With tons of talent and a yet-to-be-named head coach, the Panthers are going to be one of the more intriguing follows during the offseason. Last summer was a soap opera in regards to who would wind up coaching the talent, as there was an on-again, off-again saga concerning whether head man Brian Evans would retain his title. That drama continued into this season before Evans eventual resignation.

 

Returning are senior guards Matt Barger (who also QBs the Panther's football squad), Jeffrey Adams, as well as dominant junior big man Chad Marsee. The Panthers only graduated 2 seniors from last year's team, and it may be now or never if they want to take the next step and make the elusive trip to Rupp next season.

 

Expect senior guards Nathan Cole and Dustin Hensley to round out the starting lineup in a guard heavy attack that is reliant on Marsee’s ability to control the middle by himself unless junior forward Hunter Tye is able to crack the rotation.

 

With the sting of an upset loss to Williamsburg in 2014 fresh and an early loss to North Laurel in 2013 after they’d lost a heartbreaker to the same Jaguar’s squad in a mild upset during the regional semis in 2012, the Panthers will have plenty of motivation. What remains to be seen, however, is whether they can seize the moment once they get to an unfamiliar stage in the regional finals.

 

 

 

3. Corbin:

 

Some may think this is a little too high, but I've learned over the years to never count out a team coached by Tony Pietrowski. Last year's team made a somewhat surprising run to the regional finals behind the play of a team that was fairly youthful, at least when you are speaking in terms of the lineups that Corbin usually plays.

 

During their run to the regional final, then freshman Zack Maguet and 8th grader Andrew Taylor were in the starting lineup at guard.

 

Taylor is a kid who should be widely considered as a top 10-type talent in the region heading into next season. Usually, you know that a kid who is able to crack Corbin’s starting lineup as an 8th grader is going to be something special, and Josh Crawford, the last kid to do so, turned out nicely.

 

It’s hard for a guy who grew up in Clay County to brag on too many Corbin players, however, all jokes aside, Maguet is another kid who I’m really a fan of in regards to future development. He played his heart out in the regional final, and even as a freshman, was a kid that stepped up and seized the moment. Even though I only listened to the game, he was a kid I kind of felt for when they lost and the announcers from Clay County’s local station were very complementary of both his overall game and his effort. I’ll look for him to continue to break out next season.

 

Last year, two key reserves were guards Kenny Hopper (Sr) and Trevor Browning (Sr.). Both of those kids saw lots of playing time over the course of the season, and will be looked to for senior leadership and even more minutes.

 

Conner Hopkins (So.) will be a candidate to take over on the interior following the graduation of Joey Shelton and Taylor Waddle. Hopkins is a candidate to be one of the bigger breakout players in the 13th.

 

 

 

4. Williamsburg:

 

The Yellow Jackets upset Knox Central in the first round of regional action last season, and return the Griffith brothers, Skylar (Sr.) and Andrew (Jr.). Skylar was a standout wideout on the school’s football squad during their run to the State Finals last season, but unfortunately, was injured during the semi-final contest against Raceland. The injury cost him a good portion of basketball season, but once he was back, the school really started clicking.

 

Joining the Griffiths is senior guard Corey Shelton, who, like the Griffiths, is included in many observer’s lists of the top 10 returning players in the 13th.

 

Finally, I’m told that there’s a good chance that Harlan County forward Fred Massey winds up spending his senior campaign with Willliamsburg, and has been running with the Jackets so far this summer, so I’ll give the ‘Burg the nod over our next team, but whether or not that actually plays out as such while the summer continues remains to be seen.

 

 

 

5. Harlan County:

 

A group that was once hailed as the next big thing in the 13th appeared to be depleted by transfers, and I was in the midst of writing a woe-is-Harlan County article until I got some big news. It would appear that Tyler Miller, a lanky forward with guard skills who is one of the top players in the 13th, has returned to Harlan County only a year after he’d transferred out and enrolled across town at Harlan Independent.

 

Harlan County will have a new face, but familiar name at the head of the bench this season. Michael Jones, a former standout on some of the Harlan teams who ran roughshod over the rest of the 13th and an assistant to his Father at Harlan, Clay County, and Harlan County, takes over for Mike Jones, Sr. Some expect that Michael may push the tempo more than his father had in the past years, playing a style more similar to what they ran during his days it Harlan, so it will be interesting to see how his kids respond.

 

As mentioned earlier, it is expected that forward Fred Massey could wind up suiting up with Williamsburg next season, another blow to a team that had a huge loss to begin last season after standout Tyler Miller transferred to Harlan Independent.

 

This year’s group still has some talent who were highly successful at the JV level, but whether that can translate to the Varsity level remains to be seen.

 

Key returnees next season include guards Cody Bumgardner (Sr.), Josh Lee (Jr.), Trey Sanders (Sr.), and Zach Wilson (Sr.). With the loss of Massey, expect Zach Caldwell (Sr.) to be asked to step up even more in the middle, though if Caldwell opts to focus on football, which is a sport he really excels at, the Bears could really be feeling some losses on the interior. Finally, look for sophomore guards Cody Carmichael and Treyce Spurlock to be a pair of kids who are candidates for a breakout year.

 

Assuming Miller comes and gets eligible, that Massey stays at Williamsburg, and that Massey plays, next season’s starting lineup and rotations will being with Miller being the team’s undisputed leader while Spurlock plays a complementary role to him and the remainder of the starters and the rest of the rotation is filled out by some combination of: Carmichael, Bumgardner, Sanders, and Caldwell.

 

 

 

6. Jackson County:

 

Coach Greg Parrett had tons of success with the Girl’s squad at Jackson County, leading them through their runs for a State Title during their heyday. After taking the helm of the Boy’s program in 2011, he now has his first class of players that he’s had since their freshman season.

 

Fans hoping for big things from the Generals this season will need to hope that the knack Parrett showed for player development is still with him, as they graduated Jordan Fox, who will spend next season in the D1 ranks with Army. The cupboard isn’t bare in McKee, however. With the return of senior wing Isaiah Collier, Coach Parrett will have the talents of one of the region’s top scorers at his disposal.

 

Joining Collier will be fellow senior Zach Lawson, a lefty who is one of the top guards in the region and an adept shooter, as well as guard Jacob Hammonds, another shooter who saw lots of minutes as a starter last season. A small school, Jackson County sometimes struggles with size and numbers, so the development of Drew Akemon and Tanner Harris, two guards who dressed out varsity as 8th graders last season, will be something worth following throughout the year as the Generals look to replace the losing guard Seth Bingham to graduation.

 

Other candidates to see increased minutes include forward Reed Akemon (So.), and Jacob Hays (Jr.), who were the only other forwards listed on last season’s roster that included only one center, the recently graduated Will Neeley.

 

 

 

7. Whitley County:

 

One of the great unknowns, even to those in the mountains, is just how good Whitley County could end up being. A big school with lots of numbers, Whitley is sometimes seen as a sleeping giant when it comes to athletics. Like many other coaches mentioned in this article, Coach Jerry Overbey took the reigns in 2011, meaning that this season will be the first in which he’s able to coach a roster made up of kids he’s had for up to four years.

 

In 2012, the Colonels were 5-26, in 2013 they were 8-22, and in 2014 they saw drastic improvements, making the jump with a 17-13 record that included big wins over city-rivals Corbin and Williamsburg, as well as regional foes Harlan County and Bell County.

 

I’ve been told that the Colonels have looked impressive this summer as well, and had recently beaten Harlan County by around 10 points. Of all the teams on the list, this squad could be the one who makes the biggest jump once we get to know more on them.

 

While I don’t have much in the way of names of players to look out for, someone whose opinion on the game that I greatly respect has told me that they definitely have some capable players. Unfortunately, Whitley County doesn’t report their stats, and while something tells me we’ll be finding out more in the way of names and positions as the season progresses, unless we have some supporters who can fill us in, this is really all I have on the Colonels for now.

 

 

 

8. North Laurel:

 

Coach Brad Sizemore has one of the top players in the region in sophomore guard Peyton Broughton. I really like the Jaguars, and think that their ranking might not be indicative of how good they can ultimately be.

 

As the season progresses, follow the development of Bryson Asher, a sophomore center who could wind up being one of the best players in the region by season’s end. He tops the list of more than one area insider as a kid who’ll likely have a breakout season.

 

The Jags were extremely young last season, and could be a force if they continue to develop. They’ll lose guards Elijah Jervis and Chris Miller as well as forward Austin Thompson to graduation, but still have lots of talent returning.

 

Only three seniors-to-be from last season’s roster return in forwards Jaythus Riley, Hagen Hodges, and Jordan Marcum. Riley saw lots of action last season, and could be a kid that is a little underrated in terms of what he’s able to do. Hodges saw important minutes last season as well. Joining the aforementioned will be guard Kyle Jefferies (Jr.), and Weston Griebel (So.).

 

If I were to pick Coach Sizemore’s starting lineup for next season today, I’d guess he’ll be going with: Broughton at the lead guard spot, who’ll be flanked by Jefferies and Griebel, and that Riley and Hodges will man the post positions.

 

How much the rest of the team is able to step up around Broughton and a developing Asher will go a long way in determining just how good the boys from North London will be. For now, I’ll give a team like them who has an undisputed talent like Broughton the nod over the next few teams who’ll follow.

 

 

 

9. South Laurel:

 

Like their counterparts from across town, South Laurel has one of the biggest talents in the 13th. Guard Zac Baxter enters his senior campaign as one of the top players in the 13th Region and will be called on to carry Coach Jeff Davis’ squad.

 

South Laurel suffered through a disappointing 14-15 season last year, and was eliminated in the first round of district play by Williamsburg in a 53-51 heartbreaker. The 50th district, which also includes Corbin and Whitley County, is, along with the 49th, one of the toughest in the region to advance through, and next year shouldn’t be any different.

 

Davis now enters his 4th year in London, and has gradually started to turn the team around under his watch. Many in the area expected South to have a sharp drop after the group of Profitt, Allen, Fields, Smith, Hammonds, and Riley graduated, and the prognostications of those pundits were a reality that Davis had to take head-on. The Cardinals were 8-22 in 2012, 13-17 in 2013, and, as mentioned earlier, 14-15 in 2013, but this could be the season that we see them make a real jump.

 

If the Cardinals are to make the jump, sophomore guard Jared Grubb and senior forward Vince Holcomb are two names who’ll likely be called upon to complement Baxter.

 

 

 

10. Bell County:

 

The Bobcats have some huge holes to fill after graduation. Gone are Jake Patterson and Tyler Potter, two smaller guards who were real sparkplugs for the Bobcats’ offense that didn’t play like a typical Bell County team (i.e., whereas the Bobcats are typically known around the region for having big, strong “football” kids who can “rough” teams to death and hurt you on the backboards, last year’s team was small but quick and liked to push the tempo). Also graduating is Josh Asher, Ben Collet, and Cody Ferguson.

 

The boys from Log Mountain may not be widely known, but they still have some kids who can play. That starts with senior guard Donovan Napier and junior forward Zach Partin, who look poised to step up and fill the void left by graduation. Joining them will be guard Chase Woolum (Jr.), guard Vic Morris (Jr.), and a host of sophomores in Trent Lefevers, Dalton Callebs, Cody Carnes, and Ethan Gambrel. Look for some combination of the three names listed in the last group to round out the starting lineup while the rest anchor the rotation as substitutes.

 

Bell County will be young and doesn’t return a lot of experience, but look for them to get better as the year progresses and be capable of surprising some people by the time the end of the season comes around. Also, if the Bobcats don’t get a great jump out of the gate, that’s usually not an indication that it’s time to hit the panic button, as many of their kids usually play on the football squad and often won’t be in tip-top basketball shape immediately after a deep run in the playoffs on the gridiron.

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JokersWild24

JokersWild24

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1. Clay Co.

2. Knox Central

3. Corbin

4. North Laurel

5. Williamsburg

6. Whitley Co.

7. Harlan Co.

8. South Laurel

9. Jackson Co.

10.Pineville

 

I see that you are high on Whitley County as well.

 

In my rankings, there was a pretty big cluster of teams outside of the top 3.

 

Also, anything you know about Pineville that you wouldn't care to add. I'll admit that they were a team I didn't really know very much about.

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JokersWild24

JokersWild24

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I wasn't aware that McDaniel is leaving Clay County a year early to enroll at UK. That will have to hurt their offense somewhat. He was a key ingredient last year.

 

Yep. The loss definitely hurts.

 

The year this was this past season almost wasn't, as he went to enroll in a top golf academy in South Carolina and stayed awhile before coming back.

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