Two rivals face off in a game that could shape the district pairings. Butler is still staying in games despite losing a majority of their team that expected to be on the court this year. Western is hovering around .500 and figures to win this game.

Two rivals face off in a game that could shape the district pairings. Butler is still staying in games despite losing a majority of their team that expected to be on the court this year. Western is hovering around .500 and figures to win this game.

How is it that Butler lost a "majority of their team that expected to be on the court this year"?

If you saw that team last year which I did, the players you would have expected to be returning and on the court are not on the team. Several never attended Butler from the beginning of the season such as the starting PG at Boyle County, Bell. Dunlop who transferred to Seneca and Eddie Murphy who is no longer at Butler were each players that would clearly have been expected to be starters or major contributors. William Johnson was the most talented player on the team who did start the season, but left during the Christmas break along with several other players who left mid season when Johnson did. So that is 4 by name and several others who were playing which was my point of the comment. If those players were there, they would have been expected to be major contributors.

Thanks for the info. Those are some big losses. Any idea why players left at Christms break and mid season? Dissatisfaction with the coach? I don't know--just guessing.

Thanks for the info. Those are some big losses. Any idea why players left at Christms break and mid season? Dissatisfaction with the coach? I don't know--just guessing.

 

Last year was the first year of transition to the new Coach so this is year #2. Last year was a tough transition with player/coach issues that surfaced which was not expected because the new coach was formally on the staff before he was promoted. It was difficult enough that those aforementioned players simply did not come back for year #2. Then there was another wave that were either kicked off or left around this past holiday season which may have been something they caused with their actions. At the end of the day the kids remaining are playing hard for their coach and although they may be less talented, the program has fewer distractions and everyone on the same page.

Does anyone know the details of Western's win by forfeit over Walden? Did Walden just not show up?

Last year was the first year of transition to the new Coach so this is year #2. Last year was a tough transition with player/coach issues that surfaced which was not expected because the new coach was formally on the staff before he was promoted. It was difficult enough that those aforementioned players simply did not come back for year #2. Then there was another wave that were either kicked off or left around this past holiday season which may have been something they caused with their actions. At the end of the day the kids remaining are playing hard for their coach and although they may be less talented, the program has fewer distractions and everyone on the same page.

Thanks. Best of luck to the coach and the players.