Piarist will play all 59th District teams on their schedule as well and the games will be very similar. Piarist is a member of the 15th Region through the KHSAA. If you didnt know the 15th Region tournament profits get split 16 ways (among all teams) regardless if you compete in the tournament or not. The EXPO Center guarantees a minimum of 50,000 to host and it is usually well over that amount before the split comes. Then you get district tournament money. Just as an example, the 57th District grossed over 50K before dividing the money up between the member schools with host school getting concessions as always.

 

I would assume it only cost Piarist a few hundred dollars to drive to the district tournament and compete while they net nearly 10k each year from basketball by being in the KHSAA (they forfeited all regular season district games last year and took the 4 seed in the tournament). Since their inception in 1998 Piarist has never defeated any 15th Region opponent and some years they dont compete in the KHSAA (example 5 years ago).

 

You asked if there was some underlying reason. Does this suffice?

 

:thumb: Question answered.

While a team only scoring 5 points is an extreme example, the reality is that there are plenty of one-sided games every week. In fact, the 58-point margin of victory in this game was not even the largest margin last night; North Oldham beat Thomas Nelson by 62 points, 89-27.

We agree. Doesn't mean you have to run and gun and play a full-court press, or play your starters most of the game.

 

And I doubt this was the case. Even my program has played very very bad teams and been in a similar situation...matter of fact I posted about one of those games last year with our middle school team. Did everything we could short of quit playing (which is what one of the opposing teams' mom suggested we should have done:ohbrother:) to keep the score from getting stupid crazy. Ended up being I believe 52-13, 55-13, one of those scores. Never pressed, never played high tempo, and pretty much quit playing defense period the final quarter...made kids make X# of passes before they could shoot and every shot had to be a mid-range jumper, nothing in the paint and no 3 pointers after building a lead and recognizing the kids couldn't compete with us (a team which, mind you had beaten us twice the year before). When several parents of the other team complained, I politely told them we DID hold the score down and that it could have been REALLY bad had our kids not controlled themselves and kept it respectable...well they didn't like that response AT ALL. They aren't on our schedule this year...purposefully.

 

Point being I'm quite sure this score could have been a LOT worse had Phelps wanted it to be, and I doubt the pressed and played "run and gun" most of the game. I could be wrong, but bet I'm not.

While a team only scoring 5 points is an extreme example, the reality is that there are plenty of one-sided games every week. In fact, the 58-point margin of victory in this game was not even the largest margin last night; North Oldham beat Thomas Nelson by 62 points, 89-27.

 

We lost 114-47 couple of years ago in a big tournament in IN...then lost another one the next day to an almost identical score. Teams were just better than us...not THAT much better necessarily, but better. Told the kids if they didn't want to beat beat like that then we have to work and get better. Went on a tear and lost one game after that tournament.

While a team only scoring 5 points is an extreme example, the reality is that there are plenty of one-sided games every week. In fact, the 58-point margin of victory in this game was not even the largest margin last night; North Oldham beat Thomas Nelson by 62 points, 89-27.

 

I just wish there was a way to stop these 50+ margin of victory games from happening, but unfortunately there isn't. Especially when they only scored 5 points in the entire game, that just makes it worse.

They have tried to somewhat deal with it with the running clock in the second half when a team is ahead by 35. But when the teams are really, really out of balance from a skill level, there is only so much you can do.

This one was 39-1 at the half and 24-4 in the 2nd half.

Piarist lost to Phelps last year 57-66 to open the year. A much closer game.

 

 

Breathitt County beat Riverside Christian 94-26 on Monday. Piarist and Riverside play twice this year.

Piarist had 2 players last year who averaged 20 points per game. Both graduated. The ups and downs of an extremely small school.

Short of helping the other team score, which is basically what you are doing when you alter the way you play the game in instances like this, what can you do? Do I like seeing teams get hammered, hell no. I’m all about sportsmanship and playing the game right but at the same time it’s a COMPETITION. This isn’t Little Colonels, it’s high school ball.

I don’t know what the answer is, but I do know you’re not teaching folks anything, either team, when you’re just half rear-ending on the court because you want the other team to score to make it look less one sided.

At least 63 points isn't excessive. Can't fault the winning team here, except for the guy (or gal) that scheduled it.

At least 63 points isn't excessive. Can't fault the winning team here, except for the guy (or gal) that scheduled it.

 

No it isn't excessive. I think it was just a hard thing to not stop. Do you tell your players to not shoot? I feel bad for both parties in this situation because if you are the winner, you look like a punk, and if you are the loser, you just look like you are completely horrible. Probably would've been a good idea to not schedule if it can be help.

Why even schedule this game? That is one thing I will never understand about some high school coaches. You could go 0-30 and still win the State Championship (theoretically). Why schedule a team that you know you are going to absolutely embarrass? I don't care if the coach of Piarist called Phelps to schedule the game, the coach at Phelps should have said no. This is ridiculous and doesn't do either team any good. IMO schools should do their best to schedule teams that are better than them or at the very least somewhat on the same talent level you are. Phelps would have gotten the same outcome from scheduling a middle school team. This is just unacceptable.

Just throwing this out there, but last night in girls basketball Leslie County beat Red Bird 87-6....

Unfortunately it is always going to happen & there isn't much you can do to stop it. I don't think that Phelps kept the throttle down on them in anyway. Heck, there are teams in this state that probably could do the same thing to Phelps.

 

Parity is never going to be equitable across the state from school to school. It isn't like professional sports with a salary cap & revenue sharing to make the playing field more level so a small market team can compete with the bigger richer markets.

 

I don't know how to fix it, allow these teams to do a running clock from the start of the game? Allow your JV team to play the entire game, but still dress your starters & leave them on the bench? Neither of these options to me are viable.

 

Piarist has boys & girls basketball, volleyball & cheer as the only sports they participate in, tough row to hoe for sure for them.