Holmes wouldn't have as many games on the schedule if games like this weren't scheduled!

 

I agree with you most of the time dg21 but dont agree here. Cooper dropped 8 games from last years schedule to make a more difficult schedule this year and Cooper isnt in Holmes ballpark.

You don't want to work on weaknesses when you have an opportunity? You don't want to improve in areas that could potentially make you untouchable? If you force them to learn in a game situation how to slow down and run through a multiple option offense that could help you overcome something you could potentially face down the road?

 

Boone, NCC, HHS, HC and Ryle have all exposed that. One of those were losses and the other 4 were an average margin of victory of 3.5 points. Do you think pounding the kids to learn an effective half court set against these teams would lead to less of a chance of one of them beating them at a crucial time. I don't get why anyone wouldn't want to improve anything they could. Yes, play to your strengths but always improve your weaknesses. As my momma always said, there is always someone better than you out there. Prepare for that game.

 

I doubt very seriously Holmes and Coach Perkins don't work on half court sets during practice. And honestly, they have enough depth that their practices could posssibly be much better preparation than most teams they have played this year.

 

Tubbs didn't play against Ryle so it's tough to say whether Ryle had a great game plan or it was just one of those games for Holmes without their leading scorer. You of all people should know how missing players can affect a team as you constantly bring up who Highlands was missing against Holmes. (Not saying you use it as an excuse, but make it known since Holmes was without Tubbs)

 

The Newcath game Holmes led by, I believe, 13 with 2 mins left and just got careless with the ball to allow the Breds back in the game. I could be wrong, but I don't think Tubbs played much that game either because of knee issues, so again it's tough to say whether it was just one of those games or Newcath had a great game plan.

 

Holmes obviously feeds off turnovers and their pressure to speed teams up. The key is always going to be their defense. If teams score, they can get back and set up their defense. If they don't, it's much easier for Holmes to get a rebound and push the tempo to try and score in transition, which is why I think it's overrated that they need to slow down when given the opportunity. They're a 64% free throw shooting team and 30% 3 point shooting team...why slow down and try to score from outside in the half court if you're not a great shooting team?

There were various reasons for all those close wins and that one loss and not all because of half court offense defeciencies. If they were so inept some of these would have been losses!

 

I'm not saying that. I'm saying its been pretty obvious the way to keep it close is to get Holmes in a half court game. I don't think anyone can deny that. My point is, if Holmes could eliminate having the scoring being slowed in a half court, then they would be unbeatable in my opinion. I'm saying, if they correct that, those 4-5 teams would have no chance. I don't care how good those other teams are. And then I was pointing out that this and other games are perfect opportunities to work on that stuff. To your point, they won 4 out of those 5. But I would have loved to win all those and not had any close games and what I'm saying is Holmes has the potential to be that good. Right now they are still very vulnerable against all 5 of those teams. It only takes one of them to put you out and I'm saying that I would have been doing every thing possible to make sure that doesn't happen. Maybe they are, I don't know. But I doubt they would have scored 27 points in a running clock quarter if they were working on their half court offense. Again, to each their own! But even if I had my varsity in during a running clock, you can bet they would have been working on a ton of things. Again, maybe they were.

I doubt very seriously Holmes and Coach Perkins don't work on half court sets during practice. And honestly, they have enough depth that their practices could posssibly be much better preparation than most teams they have played this year.

 

Tubbs didn't play against Ryle so it's tough to say whether Ryle had a great game plan or it was just one of those games for Holmes without their leading scorer. You of all people should know how missing players can affect a team as you constantly bring up who Highlands was missing against Holmes. (Not saying you use it as an excuse, but make it known since Holmes was without Tubbs)

 

The Newcath game Holmes led by, I believe, 13 with 2 mins left and just got careless with the ball to allow the Breds back in the game. I could be wrong, but I don't think Tubbs played much that game either because of knee issues, so again it's tough to say whether it was just one of those games or Newcath had a great game plan.

 

Holmes obviously feeds off turnovers and their pressure to speed teams up. The key is always going to be their defense. If teams score, they can get back and set up their defense. If they don't, it's much easier for Holmes to get a rebound and push the tempo to try and score in transition, which is why I think it's overrated that they need to slow down when given the opportunity. They're a 64% free throw shooting team and 30% 3 point shooting team...why slow down and try to score from outside in the half court if you're not a great shooting team?

 

Why? Because they will not be able to do that to everyone the rest of the way.

 

HC and HHS were on the verge of winning easily in both games. In fact, a Holmes fan said after the game that he felt the HHS game was going to be a blowout because HHS was rolling. Now, in both those games, the pressure did get to HC and HHS at the end and Holmes was able to come back and beat HHS and very easily could have beat HC (they had plenty of chances). However, in both those games, those comebacks came when things went right for Holmes. In the HC game, McClendon fouled out and Turner seemed to be nursing a bad ankle and didn't hardly touch the ball in the 4th. That's when Holmes turned it up and HC couldn't counter because McClendon was out of the game.

 

In the HHS game, the comeback (which was awesome, no doubt), but it occurred with 3 starters out of the game. They hit enough shots to keep them close, but were down 9 with 5 minutes left and had been down 14-16 in the second half. Once graves fouled out, combs on the bench and didn't play the second half and leigh (who is a good ball handler) out with injury, it definitely assisted the great comeback.

 

I don't tell you all that to dig at Holmes. I'm saying, that if there weren't a few things go their way at the end of those games, they may have been beat bad by both teams. I'm saying why not take that "chance" away. Because in my opinion, if they could score in the half court like HHS and HC, Neither of those two teams could touch Holmes. They would be that good. And they do have the tools to be able to play that way. They just don't. If they did, you are looking at possible state champs...even with Etown in the equation. Why not force them to work on it in games like this. Thats all I'm saying. Don't count on a little luck. Make your own destiny and don't give anyone else a shot. They could do that.

 

I always enjoy intelligent conversation with you!

I agree with you most of the time dg21 but dont agree here. Cooper dropped 8 games from last years schedule to make a more difficult schedule this year and Cooper isnt in Holmes ballpark.

 

What a difference a year makes!! Cooper beat Holmes just last year!

True, Im just hoping for a somewhat competitive game tonight, but I fear its gonna be another Holmes blow out!

Holmes style of play is dictated largely by the effectiveness of their press no doubt! But in those narrow victories they have displayed a half court offense to go along with it! Do they always use it NO but you don't go 25-1 without it! The aggressive style of defense causes a ton of turnovers and in return it can impact us just as negatively with foul trouble but they overcome that! What's not talked about is this teams half court defense which is just as effective as the press! With exception of the NCC game where the man to man defense was not so great and a few possessions in each of the HC game and Highlands game where girls were left inexplicably open it has been exceptional! And I make no bones about it when this team decides to play inside out in the half court sets lookout!!

True, Im just hoping for a somewhat competitive game tonight, but I fear its gonna be another Holmes blow out!

 

And no doubt one of my favorite players is a Lady Jag!

D2 game...just like the boys teams, this game has to played every year as both teams are apart of the NKAC.

 

Holmes must play Lloyd, St Henry, Brossart, Newport, Newcath, Holy Cross (district), and Beechwood (district) every year.

 

Gotcha. Thanks for the info.

For everyone that did and did not have a problem with this score...what side of the fence were you on in the 162-2 Girls HS BBall blowout that was widely discussed earlier this season? Same or different? What's your threshold? Do you have a hard number?

For everyone that did and did not have a problem with this score...what side of the fence were you on in the 162-2 Girls HS BBall blowout that was widely discussed earlier this season? Same or different? What's your threshold? Do you have a hard number?

 

For me, I don't have a hard number. It's the way the game is managed. For example, my little forth grade rec team which plays against 5th graders, has lost one game 49-0 and one game 45-3. I shook the hand and told them good game of the coaches that beat us 49-0. I reluctantly shook the hand and didn't say a word to the coaches that beat us 42-3. Completely different management of similar results. (yes, we aren't very good and our coaching stinks!)

For me, I don't have a hard number. It's the way the game is managed. For example, my little forth grade rec team which plays against 5th graders, has lost one game 49-0 and one game 45-3. I shook the hand and told them good game of the coaches that beat us 49-0. I reluctantly shook the hand and didn't say a word to the coaches that beat us 42-3. Completely different management of similar results. (yes, we aren't very good and our coaching stinks!)

 

I should probably clarify...I'm the coach!