I felt like Bolden was pressing in the first half, played tight-maybe the number 2K in the back of his head. He seemed to come alive after Listerman called the TO at the same time he made a deep shot. Bolden was definitely the guy for a while during the second half but a total team effort in one department that was the difference....heart. Congrats

Just an outstanding performance by the Bulldogs. They brought their "A" game tonight and you have to from here on out. Bolden took over in the waning minutes, he was pretty much unstoppable in controlling the ball. Every time NCC cut or sneaked ahead, McClendon hit a big shot. Avery was a ghost until really the last 6 minutes then he started jumping out of the place and turned agressive.

 

You have to feel bad for NCC, so much talent, but something happens in these regionals and I have no explanation. They played really hard, but just never seemed like they were in sync.

 

In summary, the team that played the best won this one, which is usually the case this time of year.

I am not a basketball coach but I have to question why NCC plays their bigs so far from the basket. These are designed plays not the boys doing on their own. I know both have proven they can shoot the 3 but their game is inside. They worked the bigs inside for the first 3 minutes of the 3rd quarter and got the lead and then it disappeared. Size was NCC's advantage but they cannot use it when they are not even under the basket to grab offensive rebounds. I am going to address the elephant in the room...would the best coach in NKY(Ruthsatz) been able to take the most talented team in NKY and got them further. I just think the coaching has to be questioned. I respect what Dawn has done over his coaching career but there has to be some reason why this team hasn't done more.

Just my opinion...how does a team like NCC the past 3~4 years, don't go to state. Clearly the best team in the ninth, hasn't finished at the end of the season. Just saying.

 

NCC has SIZE, but they don't have ATHLETES! Evident again tonite. the Pangallo kid that plays guard is the only really good ATHLETE that starts. Just my opinion

I am not a basketball coach but I have to question why NCC plays their bigs so far from the basket. These are designed plays not the boys doing on their own. I know both have proven they can shoot the 3 but their game is inside. They worked the bigs inside for the first 3 minutes of the 3rd quarter and got the lead and then it disappeared. Size was NCC's advantage but they cannot use it when they are not even under the basket to grab offensive rebounds. I am going to address the elephant in the room...would the best coach in NKY(Ruthsatz) been able to take the most talented team in NKY and got them further. I just think the coaching has to be questioned. I respect what Dawn has done over his coaching career but there has to be some reason why this team hasn't done more.

 

McDonald was in the low post most of the night. As usual, he was more than anything Holmes had. after the opening few minutes, the Bulldogs did an outstanding job of denying the ball to him and they were double and triple teaming. They went down low enough. They just didn't shoot well from the outside. Weyer did play out on the floor more, though. I don't think it was coaching at all, Holmes just played better.

Snake-bit again, but life goes on. Congrats to the NewCath seniors on very accomplished careers. The life lessons learned today will make better men of you tomorrow.

 

Congrats to the Dawgs on very well played game. Very impressed with Avery and McClendon's play tonight.

Final Stats:

 

McDonald 18 pts, 6 rbs

Weyer 16 pts, 7 rbs

Pangallo 9 pts

G Moeves 5

E Anderson 3

 

Score by qtr:

Holmes 12-12-12-22--58

Newcath 8-12-12-19--51

 

 

Watching NCC, I've always felt like they were beatable because of their tendencies to have games where the scoring broke down kind of like it did here, and have wrote at length about that in some of the BGP State Rankings threads.

 

I do feel for NCC because they always seem to be talented and just can't get over the hump. You start to wonder if it's now becoming a mental thing. They have a lot of talented kids who've had good years and good careers, so they have nothing to hang their heads about.

Yes. This. What can we point to as the reason? Thoughts...

 

Winning by the All A Classic every year doesn't help their chances. Four games in four days late in the season can really take it's toll. I've seen it happen to other teams as well.

Without a dog in the fight....

I thought bolden was solid tonight, not great. He had a pretty nice second half scoring and NCC played some zone to stifle him! I thought he also handled the pressure pretty well. However, I just feel that he takes a lot of chaotic shots at the rim (that I don't think he gets the foul at the next level). Also, he seems to get dinged up a lot. His hand, his ankle. Saw he got taped, hope he's okay! I know he's a really good player, not meaning to knock him, but I don't think he was the sole reason they won tonight.

 

That said, McClendon was a pleasure to watch. I haven't always been his biggest fan (I have only seen him be erratic, but apparently I've missed out) but I was on his bandwagon tonight. I thought he was great! He hit some really clutch shots, played really nice D, and played with a real passion and intensity. Like he was living for that moment. Without his desire (and production), it's not close.

 

Added to this, Rod Avery was also inspiring to watch. Out muscled, out height, but not out hearted (or, out jumped )! He just soared for a few rebounds that should have been snagged by 2 or 3 Breds. He had some nice lay ins around the rim, and had some key rebounds. He also played with great passion.

 

I'm excited to watch them play Dixie.

 

Congrats to McDonald, Moeves, and Pangallo on great careers. Those young men have been a pleasure to watch grow and play. And, I know for fact, that Moeves is a heck of a young man! Heads up, boys.

Just my opinion...how does a team like NCC the past 3~4 years, don't go to state. Clearly the best team in the ninth, hasn't finished at the end of the season. Just saying.

 

Bad luck of the draw hasn't helped their cause. Two years ago they get a great Holmes team in the first round and Holmes barely lost in the elite 8 to the state champs. Last year they drew Covcath who won the state championship. Then this year they drew a team in Holmes with one of the best players in the state who as a team has been up and down but on any given night can beat any team in the state. So they have been rather unlucky drawing the district runner up three straight years from the best district. It is still amazing though that they couldn't get it done at least one time.

BGP corner was alive tonight with members. Nice to meet everyone. Nice to see two competitive games, I wasn't expecting the entertainment value of that $8 ticket to be so high.

Just my opinion...how does a team like NCC the past 3~4 years, don't go to state. Clearly the best team in the ninth, hasn't finished at the end of the season. Just saying.

 

Goes to show how tough it is to win a regional tournament

Congrats to Holmes, I thought McLendon kept Holmes in it early. When he is hitting, Holmes is a tuff out, he has to be one of the top returning guards in the region. Feel for the NCC group, what a classy group of young men and coaching staff, it has been my pleasure to watch these guys the last few years. Dixie and Holmes should be a great game. Huge crowd tonight also.

How many of NewCath's current varsity basketball players reside in Fort Thomas?

 

Ben Weyer

Eric Anderson

Brian Anderson

Austin Neff

Winning by the All A Classic every year doesn't help their chances. Four games in four days late in the season can really take it's toll. I've seen it happen to other teams as well.

 

My biggest concern with the All A is how many games a team like NCC eats up with teams that they'll just smoke. I know everyone needs to play cupcakes, but if you are going to be in contention to win the All A State, you'll have quite a few laughers getting there, just how it is, especially given the number of ("A") teams in the 9th.

 

Not saying that it's the reason they've lost or that it's something where doing it differently would have guaranteed results, but it does make you wonder too. This past year and even the year before, I do think they'd have been better served just scheduling a game with a school like an LCA, doing a competitive tournament, and/or maybe played in a couple of "showcase" events where they'd get their kids in the big arena, tournament type atmosphere things. Thats just me though.

 

At the same time, you can't really say that with any way of knowing, so people will always say, "well, we could have had the same results in region while not having our All A titles too though" and you can't really disagree.