Not trying to bust your bubble, but Conner would smash Highlands if they played again. I believe the game you are referring to was just the 2nd game of the year. Conner has had their big improve significantly from that game... and Conner did not put the press on you either. Script definitely gets flipped if they play again.

 

I wouldn't go to "smash Highlands", but with no dog in the fight, I do like Conner a little better than Highlands. Keep an eye out for Camp Ernst & Summit View on the 7th grade level too.

Not trying to bust your bubble, but Conner would smash Highlands if they played again. I believe the game you are referring to was just the 2nd game of the year. Conner has had their big improve significantly from that game... and Conner did not put the press on you either. Script definitely gets flipped if they play again.

 

With all due respect ennam_Jv what leads you to believe Highlands has not improved? I have seen them recently and both Highlands bigs can be dominant. Ahlfeld has also gotten more aggressive at the guard position and is scoring more consistently. They have 3 of the better players in the Region on that team. I do not know what Conner has though so I cant compare.

Who is the next big thing in the middle school, some of these middle school kids have a high IQ for the game? Some of these kids you can see are getting the proper training!

Who is the next big thing in the middle school, some of these middle school kids have a high IQ for the game? Some of these kids you can see are getting the proper training!

 

So much can change between middle school and HS I think its a little silly to go on and on about these kids in these threads. When my kid played middle school ball there were quite a few "next big thing" kids playing then, who do not even play now, as well as those who never kept improving. The Brandon Hattons and CVHs of middle school basketball are rare. These kids need to be focusing extra hard on developing their game on an individual level. A number of these kids are good because of the system they are in, or because the competition isn't so great. And with the AAU change its going to hurt a lot of these kids more than you think its going to help them when they get to HS. Freshman year they will start seeing the much feared "holdbacks" beating up on their kids in AAU again... lol, would love to be able to sit next to some of these parents when their little Johnny ain't quite able to cut the mustard in HS.

With all due respect ennam_Jv what leads you to believe Highlands has not improved? I have seen them recently and both Highlands bigs can be dominant. Ahlfeld has also gotten more aggressive at the guard position and is scoring more consistently. They have 3 of the better players in the Region on that team. I do not know what Conner has though so I cant compare.

 

I'll be at the game if they meet again this year. We'll see firsthand.

So much can change between middle school and HS I think its a little silly to go on and on about these kids in these threads. When my kid played middle school ball there were quite a few "next big thing" kids playing then, who do not even play now, as well as those who never kept improving. The Brandon Hattons and CVHs of middle school basketball are rare. These kids need to be focusing extra hard on developing their game on an individual level. A number of these kids are good because of the system they are in, or because the competition isn't so great. And with the AAU change its going to hurt a lot of these kids more than you think its going to help them when they get to HS. Freshman year they will start seeing the much feared "holdbacks" beating up on their kids in AAU again... lol, would love to be able to sit next to some of these parents when their little Johnny ain't quite able to cut the mustard in HS.

If anybody thinks the basketball in nky is good they have never seen basketball. You make a great point majority of the kids that are good now won't be good in 2 years. The best players don't play school all or aau. Go watch eybl. The Conner team is good because they play as a group year round. Some of the better players in this area play way different out in aau. A bad coach can put their kids in a system to fail a good coach can take mediocre players and look good with the correct system. Any middle school team playing any type of zone is setting their kids up for failure to win games today.

But Note: Highlands lost to St. Joe Cold Spring. So that right there tells you they have not improved that much.

If anybody thinks the basketball in nky is good they have never seen basketball. You make a great point majority of the kids that are good now won't be good in 2 years. The best players don't play school all or aau. Go watch eybl. The Conner team is good because they play as a group year round. Some of the better players in this area play way different out in aau. A bad coach can put their kids in a system to fail a good coach can take mediocre players and look good with the correct system. Any middle school team playing any type of zone is setting their kids up for failure to win games today.

 

Basketball in NKY is as good as anywhere in the state. When you look past parents that force their kids to play or hold back to dominate or even sit just to win. When you look past coaches that play this kid because he knows that parent or their siblings were good. I know there is a lot of that around here but when you do, there are a couple of these kids that have good futures ahead of them, maybe not the nba but definitely beyond the 9th region. Also a lot of these kids are good students with great grades. At the end of the day AAU or school ball it makes no difference, the kid with the most drive and understanding will be the dominant one. Remeber ol' timers the game is 10% physical 90% mental. IT is all about what and how we teach them. PLAY HARD and HAVE FUN

If anybody thinks the basketball in nky is good they have never seen basketball. You make a great point majority of the kids that are good now won't be good in 2 years. The best players don't play school all or aau. Go watch eybl. The Conner team is good because they play as a group year round. Some of the better players in this area play way different out in aau. A bad coach can put their kids in a system to fail a good coach can take mediocre players and look good with the correct system. Any middle school team playing any type of zone is setting their kids up for failure to win games today.

 

I have seen you mention EYBL a couple times... You're talking about kids that play in that league that are the elite of the elite. Not many 6th/7th/8th grade kids are at that level. That's like saying young men who play college ball at Xavier suck because they aren't at Kentucky. Adding to this, you say that these EYBL kids don't play school ball, but knowing grassroots basketball like I do, almost every single one of those kids plays school ball. It may be at their local high school, but they play. In fact, college coaches want to see them play school ball as well as AAU because it is most often a more structured system, which contrary to your apparent belief, college coaches have. There are many challenges that school ball poses that grassroots basketball does not. I'll give you that the EYBL will provide higher levels of competition from top to bottom the majority of the time, but there are other challenges and pressures that these coaches want to see kids perform under (ie. a rivalry game on the road in a high pressure environment, and, to see if this great player makes his team better). You get less of those types of challenges in grassroots. I don't claim to be a know it all, but I know these things because I've talked to elite level and college coaches a fair number of times in my past experiences with the game.

 

To make another correction... To say that Kenton County only hires it's specific school teachers as coaches is incorrect. Twenhofel has 2 non-teacher coaches, as does Summit View. Also, I know that Turkey Foot has atleast 1 non-teacher, maybe more, and Woodland has atleast 1 non-teacher, maybe more. So, of the 12 positions available (in boys), there are 6 non-teachers (atleast), which is not most.

 

Adding to this, I have seen many non-paying customers be able to gain access to schools all over the county... Granted, you do have to know someone, but who would just let a random stranger into their building that houses thousands of dollars in educational and athletics equipment.

 

Lastly, you are incorrect, Pius and Conner played in the finals last year. Pius won handily and shot unbelievably. Pius beat Summit in the semi's.

So much can change between middle school and HS I think its a little silly to go on and on about these kids in these threads. When my kid played middle school ball there were quite a few "next big thing" kids playing then, who do not even play now, as well as those who never kept improving. The Brandon Hattons and CVHs of middle school basketball are rare. These kids need to be focusing extra hard on developing their game on an individual level. A number of these kids are good because of the system they are in, or because the competition isn't so great. And with the AAU change its going to hurt a lot of these kids more than you think its going to help them when they get to HS. Freshman year they will start seeing the much feared "holdbacks" beating up on their kids in AAU again... lol, would love to be able to sit next to some of these parents when their little Johnny ain't quite able to cut the mustard in HS.

 

I can think of a couple from Holmes, tichenor, Twenhofel and summit that are no longer playing. You are right... The super special ms kids are most often playing HS ball by 7th and/or 8th grade.

 

You didn't say this, I'm just adding, but just because you aren't deemed super special or the next big thing in ms, doesn't mean you can't be a really nice player in HS, and have opportunities to play at the college level. Kids just need to stay the course, talk with someone who understands what it takes, play for 1 of a few good AAU teams (locally), and work work work and work some more on skills. Skills, skills, skills!

But Note: Highlands lost to St. Joe Cold Spring. So that right there tells you they have not improved that much.

 

Incorrect.

 

Please follow along - they are talking about 7th grade. St Joe did not beat HMS.

 

I'll echo the thoughts of Mex and Q -- the 7th grade team at HMS is much improved. Scraped the motion offense that they were running at the beginning of the year and are now executing a high/low game. They have been very good of late. Record is now like 16-2.

My bad. crucify me. But my point is still valid and correct as it pertains to 8th grade.:taz:

.....but just because you aren't deemed super special or the next big thing in ms, doesn't mean you can't be a really nice player in HS, and have opportunities to play at the college level. Kids just need to stay the course, talk with someone who understands what it takes, play for 1 of a few good AAU teams (locally), and work work work and work some more on skills. Skills, skills, skills!

:thumb: Well said, NKyBeast. Without those middle schoolers who stick with it and become nice players in high school, the basketball forums would be so boring.

Incorrect.

 

Please follow along - they are talking about 7th grade. St Joe did not beat HMS.

 

I'll echo the thoughts of Mex and Q -- the 7th grade team at HMS is much improved. Scraped the motion offense that they were running at the beginning of the year and are now executing a high/low game. They have been very good of late. Record is now like 16-2.

 

Does anyone know the current standings for Teams in the big and Small Divisions-

 

I know Jones Middle in Florence is-

 

6th- 2-6

7th- 6-3

8th- 5-4

Dirty T . . . For some unknown reason, this league does not keep tract of standings during the season. When there is about a week or two left, the directors will request from each school their win-loss records in order to seed the tourney. They've been doing it this way for awhile. Why? not sure!