article 11th Region Preview - 42nd District Team Capsules

[JokersWild24]

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42nd District:

 

 

Bryan Station:

 

After a tumultuous season in '13-'14, the Defenders enter with a clean slate as former Franklin County Head Coach Tommy Johnson leads a new era of basketball for one of my favorite 11th Region schools. Though the Defenders lost guards Marcellous Washington and Daquice Allen to graduation, the cupboard isn't bare.

 

As mentioned above, guard CJ Walker and forward Tequan Claitt are All-City type selections both on the gridiron and hardwood. Mix them with the scoring punch of Ronnie Carson, who will hopefully be eligible after Christmas, and the breakout potential of guard Andre Davis, a cerebral player with lots of upside, and there's a lot of things to be happy about if you truck #StationNation.

 

DeAndre Dishman, a kid who is a slender 6'5 and plays a finesse game, might be the X-Factor for the Defenders. He was impressive when I saw him in person against PRP in the Republic Bank Classic this past season (check the archives on my breakdown of his game through our search feature), and is said to have been grinding this entire offseason.

 

Additionally, I've been told that Tequan Claitt has spent the offseason working on expanding his game to play out on the floor more, particularly in terms of his shooting more consistently, and hopefully you've got what translates into some kids seeing their work pay dividends.

 

Outlook:

 

Tons of athleticism; guards as good as anyone else's in the region who can control the game and beat you if they're on; run-n-gun, 40 minutes of full court pressure from a team that's a bit undersized and is susceptible on the boards.

 

That's the scouting report on Bryan Station. But wait, isn't that the scouting report on Bryan Station almost every year? Well, sure it is!

 

Cliche or not, Bryan Station hasn't given me tons of reasons to think otherwise, but that's only as of yet.

 

If things click, then first year man Tommy Johnson's resurrection of a proud Lexington program begins immediately, as he has the type of talent that you'd love to "catch lightning in a bottle" with.

 

 

 

Henry Clay:

 

If it weren't for bad luck, the Blue Devils wouldn't have any luck at all. A season after withstanding the transfers of Christen Cunningham, Trey Grundy, and Teddy Ware, then getting into the heart of the season and losing Jordan Green for an expended period, but nonetheless still being able to make a surprise run to the regional finals tells you that we're talking about a team able to make it's own breaks. Unfortunately for them, they'll have to do just that once again after losing Jeremiah Tisdale.

 

To be sure, the loss of Jeremiah Tisdale is huge, but Henry Clay won't be getting tons of sympathy from other schools, and thus more responsibility will fall onto the shoulders of younger brother Isaiah "Pun" Tisdale.

 

In addition to Isaiah, the Devils will look to seniors Felix Wilson and Colby Barnes, as well as juniors Jordan Houston and Leander Ridgeway, to lean on their experiences from last season and play like the battle tested upperclassmen that they are.

 

While experience is great, talent itself isn't so bad either. Justin Mitchell is a 6'3 freshman who has the potential to be a "special" player and is considered to be one of the top kids in the State in his class. He'll be looked upon to step his game up as the season progresses. Also adding a potential boost is Tyreke Smith, a 6'8 senior who sat out last season due to injury.

 

Outlook:

 

The Devils have had the kind of breaks that no one could wish on anyone else, but they've still found a way to plug along and compete. At a school as steeped in rich tradition as Henry Clay, which leads the Commonwealth in number of State Basketball Championships, the expectation of winning the regional championship is something that will never change.

 

You may count out Henry Clay due to the injury of Jeremiah Tisdale, but do so at your own peril, as we've seen the Devils pull out surprises against these kind of odds before. Remember, we're still talking about one of the biggest schools in the State that is home to a deep, talented pool of athletes in most years.

 

 

 

Sayre:

 

While the Spartans' brand may not be well-known outside of Lexington, you can bet your bottom dollar that people would know about their program had they kept some of the talent that's passed through their system over the past few years. Looking back and seeing names like Dakari Johnson, Christen Cunningham, Jordan Green, and Mike Smith on the rosters makes you shake your head in awe when thinking about the possibilities.

 

When talking about what they have today, there's still plenty to like. For one, Coach Rob Goodman's staff includes a guy who knows a thing or two about development himself in former Harlan Green Dragon, Kentucky Mr. Basketball, and Minnesota Golden Gopher Charles Thomas.

 

Sayre is a great school with a lot of things that could make it conductive to being a big winner should the school decide and try to swing for the fences.

 

Still yet, Sayre still produces it's fair share of players who could start or play significant minutes for any other team in the 11th. This year, that kid is Quinn Pergande, a 6'7 mismatch on the wing who averaged 11 and 9 in his junior campaign. Pergande will need to be huge, as Sayre lost 70% of last year's scoring to graduation.

 

Joining Quinn will be 6'2 utility man Alex Webb. Expect 5'11 Robbie Goodman to start at shooting guard while 5'9, Spencer Sabharwal conducts the orchestra. Most likely to complete the starting lineup is 6'2 stretch forward Jack Henderson.

 

Outlook:

 

The Spartans have some kids who can really play, but it's possible that the best is yet to come. This year's team will be no slouch and should be in contention for an All-A berth and someone who teams shouldn't just "roll over" on during tournament play.

 

If the Spartans are to maximize their potential, then it means getting contributions from a young, talented group of sophomores such as Jake Duby, a 6'3 guard who transferred in from Lafayette and could provide some scoring punch to make defenses who focus too heavily on Pergande pay.

 

 

 

Scott County:

 

Most offseasons, the Cardinals are a safe bet to be one of the most talked about teams in the region, and this year is no different.

 

Hines Jones is the only starter returning from last year's State Finalist, but before the crew had swept the confetti from last year's Sweet 16 Final celebration off of the floor at Rupp, many were already speculating on how the Cardinals might reload.

 

Before going further, we should note that Tay Guyn and Jamel Banks played key roles off the bench, and that both are expected to step in and fill each of the forward spots in the starting lineup. What may be surprising, however, is the fact that Guyn has hit a growth spurt and the junior is now in the 6'3-6'4 range. Expect him to play the '4' in a small-ball lineup that presses teams relentlessly and takes you back to the origins of "Red Heat".

 

While the offseason saw an influx of transfers, there are still some questions around those kids that remain unanswered.

 

As mentioned earlier, we know that Ronnie Carson came and went, and has now enrolled at Bryan Station.

 

It is unknown whether or not Isaiah Johnson, a wing who came over from Madison Central, will be a part of this year's squad.

 

As mentioned above, DJ Jenkins is the real deal, and is expected to play. Look for him to do big things.

 

The final, and least heralded, of the group of transfers is Greg Hamilton, a wing who spent last season at St. Francis (Louisvillle). Look for him to be a solid 6th man for the Cards this season.

 

Add to the mix the potential of 8th grader Bryce Long, who is probably still a few years away, but a player to keep an early eye on no less, and you have a Cardinals team who has lots of talent, especially if things fall into place.

 

Outlook:

 

Gone is the scoring punch of Trent Gilbert, and that's going to be tough, if not impossible, for the Cards to replicate. Without anyone on the roster capable of replicating his scoring punch alone, so look for the Cardinals to rely on defensive pressure to keep pace.

 

While he's nowhere near the same type of player as the sweet shooting Gilbert, a kid who used dribble hesitation and step backs to create separation from defenders, this year's team will be led by DJ Jenkins, an athletic guard who likes to take it all the way to the cup and uses his lean 6'3 frame and athleticism to finish but can also pop a jumper on defenders who dare him to take it.

 

Two different kinds of players, but like Gilbert last season, Jenkins will carry this year's team. Look for him to open eyes around the 11th now that he's in a system where he has more talent and athletes around him.

 

The development of Tay Guyn will be something to see, as I think this winds up being his breakout year. The combination of his growth spurt and increased athleticism will hopefully surprise onlookers, many of whom will probably find be raving about how much better he's gotten since they last saw him.

 

With so many moving parts, it's hard to peg where Scott County ends up, so for now I'll leave them at #3 but with the caveat that teams should be wary of their upside.

[Smallhoops]

Glad to see that Greg Hamilton is expected to contribute at Scott County. Enjoyed watching him play when he was at St. Francis in Louisville. Hope he has a big year.