Q/A with Johnson Central's Mason Blair

[15th Region]

Follow the link below for the Question and Answer session between Johnson Central Junior Standout Mason Blair and EKY Sports. This was following his second 40 point game in the last 3 games and features Mason's response to his college recruiting, etc.

 

https://eastkentuckysports.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/interview-w-mason-blair-jchs/

[thunder1]

Congrats on all his accomplishments, but I seen this Kid play at Boyle County this year and Boyle had him in check the whole game. I dont think he had many points, and he definitely has the green light to shoot.

[15th Region]

In the Boyle County game Mason played 14 minutes and had 10 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist in the game. On the season, Mason is averaging 28 minutes per game (including that game).

 

So why didnt Mason play as much? Picked up 2nd foul midway through 2Q. Picked up 3rd foul on the first possession of the 3rd Q. It was also early in the year and JC was still trying to establish an identity on offense and defense with so many pieces new to varsity experience. With Blair on the bench, JC made a run and got back in the game. Just guessing, but the coaching staff may have not wanted to disrupt the flow at that point in the game (Coach McKenzie may have also been using the bench time to show his young star the best way to play - he is very good at developing talent the right way). Just an opinion.

 

Boyle has a very nice team though and do play good defense. It was just one of those nights as Blair was up and down early in the season. Right now he is playing very well in Coach McKenzie's system and starting to understand defensive and offensive rotations better (seeing one or two plays ahead).

 

As for pure scoring talent, Blair is gifted. He is also much stronger than many realize (much like his older cousin and Alice Lloyd PG Braxton Blair) which helps him get in the lane and finish through traffic.

Edited January 17, 2016 by 15th Region

[Gunslinger]

Are those kids related to Willie Blair , former MLB player?

[15th Region]

From the same high school, but I dont think they are related.

[stay_strong]

I wish the kid nothing but the best, but i have seen him on multiple occasions and in many camps, and i came away with 2 impressions.

1. Hes your typical mountain ball player, can shoot, but extremely slow footed, plays extremely hard , and gets the most out of his talent.

2. If he plays anything above the D3 or low level NAIA it will shock me.

 

Im pulling for him, but he shouldnt worry about his recruitment, enjoy his time and achievements in high school. I really do think he gets the most out of his talent and seems to be a GREAT kid.

[spindoc]

Are those kids related to Willie Blair , former MLB player?

I love Willie Blair.

[15th Region]

I wish the kid nothing but the best, but i have seen him on multiple occasions and in many camps, and i came away with 2 impressions.

1. Hes your typical mountain ball player, can shoot, but extremely slow footed, plays extremely hard , and gets the most out of his talent.

2. If he plays anything above the D3 or low level NAIA it will shock me.

 

Im pulling for him, but he shouldnt worry about his recruitment, enjoy his time and achievements in high school. I really do think he gets the most out of his talent and seems to be a GREAT kid.

 

Could you elaborate on this statement please. Shane Hall was a typical mountain player (who could handle the ball at 6'9'' and hit his head on the rim), Kyle Gullett was a typical mountain player (now starting D1 as true freshman), Cameron Justice was a typical mountain player (was playing great at Vandy until leg injury), Evan Hall was a typical mountain player (IUPUI), Braxton Beverly was a typical mountain player (tearing it up at Hargrove), Justin Johnson was a typical Mountain player who is averaging near a double double D1 as a Sophomore. Trevor Tiller was a typical mountain player with slow feet and a 40 inch vertical i guess. Those are just the past few years for 4 schools. I could go on and on and on with the likes of Kelly Coleman, John Pelphrey, J.R. VanHoose, Elisha Justice, J.J. Hylton, Keith Adkins, Todd May, Erivin Stepp, Adonis Butcher, Carroll Burchett, Todd Tackett, Howard Wallen, Charlie Osborne, Leonard F. Carpenter etc. (Still in the 15th Region), Johnny Cox, Richie Farmer, etc. etc. from the 14th and 13th. What about the typical slow footed mountain kid at Clay County. The guard who dunks on people. Typical for the mountains though.

 

Im not saying anything about your analysis of Mason, but I do take offense to the stereotypes of Mountain athletes that get very little exposure in most of the state (switch jerseys with them and suddenly they are great if wearing a city schools colors). I would venture to bet if you took per capita D1 athletes based on population density that the mountains would have the highest amount per population (not the highest total, but highest based on density).

 

Its these stereotypes I would like to eliminate. You may have meant nothing by the comment, but I feel it is at a minimum somewhere in most peoples subconscience about mountain athletes. The mountains not only produce the electrcial power for most of the state (WKY also has coal), but has in the past built most of the roads (i.e. Watterson Expressway in Louisville with coal severance tax). Whats the point: Most of KY overlooks and under appreciates the Mountains in multiple facets, this being just another example. Again, per capita the most D1 athletes compared to any other part of the state.

 

Most would be so lucky to be a typical slow footed Mountain ball player that can score 30 points in a quarter. He didnt look slow footed last night against 8th Region Henry County against a box and 1 and triangle and 2. He didnt look slow footed against #1 Ballard in the state tournament last year, hitting 4 3's and a 5th that would have gave JC the lead late in the 4Q but he was out of bounds when he shot it (as a Sophomore).

 

What if its the other way around. Mason might get very little out of his talent and play lazy, but still score like crazy. How would one know?

Edited January 18, 2016 by 15th Region

[15th Region]

Robert and Timmy Dalton of Lawrence County. They are typical mountain players too I guess. Typical in that they are very good athletes.

[15th Region]

Im havent even mentioned the kids at JBS and Cordia as they are not originally from this area (to include the likes of Jaysean Paige at WVU by way of Perry Central or Ray Kosongo at UT by way of East Ridge and Pikeville, etc. etc.). These kids dont even factor into my impression of mountain players but they still play in the mountains and make for very athletic and exciting basketball.

 

I havent even mentioned football, baseball, etc. as there are plenty of those (just look at some of the athletes Belfry produces in football - or Kash Daniels at Paintsville for example).

 

I wonder if other posters from the mountains agree with me about D1 athletes per capita (13th, 14th, 15th Regions as delineated by basketball demographics).

[stay_strong]

I wouldnt classify johnson, hall, justice, and Beverly as typical mountain players nor would i group blair in with those calibrr players, the kid even said it himself he has trouble with long athletic guards, wasnt trying to ruffle any feathers, the kid can play, so can Connor Hoskins and Trey Farmer but they all fit the mold. As what i am referring to.

[15th Region]

I wouldnt classify johnson, hall, justice, and Beverly as typical mountain players nor would i group blair in with those calibrr players, the kid even said it himself he has trouble with long athletic guards, wasnt trying to ruffle any feathers, the kid can play, so can Connor Hoskins and Trey Farmer but they all fit the mold. As what i am referring to.

 

I agree with your analysis of Farmer, Hoskins, etc. Just dont understand why that particular analysis is equated to "mountain" basketball players. You see good high school players like you describe everywhere. Lets just call them good high school players rather than typical mountain players. I can think of many players similar to them in the (Lexington/Louisville area) in the past and present that did not quite have the foot speed, shooting, etc. to play high next level, but were very good high school players that played lower level college ball.

 

It would be like me saying, Little Johnny is a typical Lexington area player, good shooter who plays hard, but slow with limited foot speed and gets alot out of his ability. I believe dropping the regionality with the description is appropriate. That was the point I was trying to make. Lets just call them the typical high school player, rather than the typical mountain player. No need to create a mold and put it with mountain kids when it can be found everywhere, its begets inaccuracy in evaluations and creates unneeded stereotypical biases.