2. The youthful Bowling Green team that has a bright bright future. Seniors Tucker Sine and Malik Carothers guided a team that was led by sophomores Terry Taylor, Kyran Jones and Deangelo Wilson. Junior Perry Ayers was a perfect fit to this BG team that dominated the paint, dominated the boards and shot extremely well from the free throw line. Their sophomores played like seniors and they feasted on the Boyle County Rebels in the semifinals on Saturday night. This team may not have won the Sweet 16 but they all gained a ton of experience as they made the semifinals last season and the finals this season. I would not be surprised at all to see this team cut down the nets at the Sweet 16 next year.

 

I just finished looking at this year's stats for BG, and the assessment about the paint, boards, and free throw line are all dead on not just for the tournament but their season. Bowling Green shot 68% as a team from the line which isn't great, but they took an average of 25 attempts a game. They were at the foul line an average of 10 more times a game than their opponents and hit more free throws than their opponents shot. And that's because their focus was going inside and getting to the rim. Bowling Green attempted 179 shots during the Sweet 16 (and that doesn't count the ones that didn't count when they were fouled and got to the line - where they attempted an average of 22 during the tourney). Of those 179 shots, a grand total of 29 (16%) came from beyond the three point line. None of their first three opponents got them to shoot more than seven, and it wasn't until they ran into the towers that they had to step outside. Their opponents in the first three games each attempted 22 or more in their game. Let that sink in. Those teams tried nearly as many threes in their single game against Bowling Green than the Purples did FOR THE TOURNAMENT. Bowling Green shot a poor percentage for the year from three (33%), but shot 53% from inside the arc, taking just over 1,000 more attempts from two than they did for three. That's playing to your two strengths. You work inside, get a higher percentage shot, and more often than not, you hit it. And many times you go to the line even if you don't make it.

 

As for the boards, Bowling Green was outrebounded a grand total of three times on the year, and not a single one of those was in the Sweet 16. They averaged nearly 9 boards more per game than their opponent.

10. I love the semifinals and finals on separate days. It doesn't matter to me what days they are on just keep them on separate days. Please and thank you.

 

All 16 points excellent and stimulating but I have to triple-underscore #10 . Please, KHSAA, keep the semis & the finals on separate days. Teams & fans alike have time to reflect on the semis & get some rest for the next day's showdown.

 

I know we chanced into the 2-day semis/title format a couple years ago when UK had a tv game at Rupp, allowing only the semis that Saturday. But the additional day for just the final only makes the greatest show in high school basketball that much better.

Nice job, PP.

Nice job, PP.

 

Thank you, Sir! Much appreciated.