So Im beginning to fully understand the kentucky tournament. I've got into Kentucky h.s. hoops (as well as my home state of Indiana) especially this yr. Alot of my Indiana ppl say we have the best h.s. bball and kentucky ppl will say their hoops ia the best. Im not here to argue or compare. I've really enjoyed the games and especially the tournament format in kentucky. One state champ is truly a champion instead of dividing schools in "classes" based on enrollment. The region tournaments with teams from all over the immediate area with a trip to the final 16 is awesome. It really gives everyone (in most cases if they get out of districts) a good shot. Every area of the state is also represented @ Rupp. Sometimes in Indiana we have 2 or 3 champs from Indianapolis. I wish Indiana would go back to one class but thats never gonna happen and I can see the good and bad with both.

As a Hoosier Im inviting anyone that can make it up to Seymour, Indiana (about 45 min north of louisville on I-65N) on Saturday morning (and night) for the regionals there to see some VERY good basketball. My #1 New Albany Bulldogs are playing @ 10 and if they win, will be in the finals @ 7:30. The gym will be packed with 7,000-8,000 screaming fans. The Bulldogs played in Frankfort in January and beat Lex Dunbar. Romeo Langford is one of the top sophs in the country and is the best player i've seen in a long time.

As a bball fan Im hoping some of my Bluegrass brothers make the trip up to Seymour Saturday for what should be an absolutely crazy experience and you'll get to see Indiana basketball, as good as it gets

Ol' pap has watched one high school hoops game in the Hoosier state. Saw Damon Bailey play during his senior year. Great atmosphere for a regular-season game.

I bet that game was nice. Damon would usually sell out every game his senior yr, including over 40,000 @ the state finals in Indy. Anyone like that recently come outta Kentucky? I can only think, maybe Richie Farmer but that was a while back

This kid Romeo is equally as good and is a future pro. 6'5 smooth athlete

If it interests any of you, Louisville has offered already and UK coaches have come to watch his practices

I've heard good stuff about the Langford kid.

^ Yep, IP. My best friend was from Madison, that's where the game was held.

 

Watched him later in the Derby Classic at Freedom Hall. What a lineup. Penny Hardaway, Eric Montross, Bailey, Dwayne Morton.

 

That game was dominated by Clifford Rozier.

I've watched both games (KY and IN) the past few years, and spoken to quite a few people about it as well. Here are the conclusions that have come up... You all tell me if you agree.

 

1. Kentucky officials, in general, allow more to go on in terms of bumping, hand checking, and generally allowing teams to 'muck it up.' Freedom of movement is allowed in Indiana. It's more of 'the beautiful game' there, where as you'll get far more 'rock fights' in KY.

 

2. Indiana has proportionally more shooters than KY. The best teams in Indiana have 4 to 5 kids on the floor that can shoot it from beyond the arc at all times, and almost always the ball handling guards. A premium is placed on shooting the ball in IN. In KY, far more teams have the 'designated shooter(s)' whereas you are more likely to see hard drives to the rim. (This aids in that theory about more physical play in Kentucky)

 

3. The above lead to some different coaching style changes. A lot of subtle things... Indiana coaches are more likely to play some zone as they want to protect against foul trouble and it's harder to guard without picking up a few. Have talked to a lot of KY coaches that like 'force middle to the help' whereas in Indiana they like to force baseline to avoid the kickouts to opposite side shooters.

 

Basically, it's a lot of things that stem from two basic theories... Indiana has more shooters, and Kentucky is allowed to be more physical defensively.

 

I may be struck down as a Kentuckian for saying this, but generally the quality of basketball is a bit better overall in Indiana, and it can simply be explained by population... More to choose from usually will get you better athletes in the long run. And this rule generally applies to the top and bottom of the spectrum. The best teams are usually a little better than the best in KY, and the lower level teams in IN are just a little better usually than the lower level teams in KY. The key word here being usually. The

 

That said, nothing that Indiana offers compares with the Sweet 16. Though taking in a day of regionals in IN is good basketball, you only see 4 teams, and the format changes the way teams play (game in the morning, game at night).... I actually think the most exciting tournaments in Indiana are the sectional tournaments, which would be the equivalent to districts here in KY.

 

Those of you that see both sides... What do you think?

I love the non-classification format for KY. It brings about 1 true Champion. It does however mean that you will have some great players that likely will never get to play in a State Tournament game.

 

I think we have just enough small schools and first time State Tournament entries most years to have that one Cinderella team that everyone loves to root for. I think you totally lose that with a class system. For instance if Augusta had won yesterday I would have loved to have rooted for them. Now my choice is Buckhorn...other than Mason County of course.

 

Contrary to most beliefs...Mason County is not that large of a school. I think when they won their last State Tourney they had around 750 kids in the 9 - 12 grades. Not sure what it is today.

So Im beginning to fully understand the kentucky tournament. I've got into Kentucky h.s. hoops (as well as my home state of Indiana) especially this yr. Alot of my Indiana ppl say we have the best h.s. bball and kentucky ppl will say their hoops ia the best. Im not here to argue or compare. I've really enjoyed the games and especially the tournament format in kentucky. One state champ is truly a champion instead of dividing schools in "classes" based on enrollment. The region tournaments with teams from all over the immediate area with a trip to the final 16 is awesome. It really gives everyone (in most cases if they get out of districts) a good shot. Every area of the state is also represented @ Rupp. Sometimes in Indiana we have 2 or 3 champs from Indianapolis. I wish Indiana would go back to one class but thats never gonna happen and I can see the good and bad with both.

As a Hoosier Im inviting anyone that can make it up to Seymour, Indiana (about 45 min north of louisville on I-65N) on Saturday morning (and night) for the regionals there to see some VERY good basketball. My #1 New Albany Bulldogs are playing @ 10 and if they win, will be in the finals @ 7:30. The gym will be packed with 7,000-8,000 screaming fans. The Bulldogs played in Frankfort in January and beat Lex Dunbar. Romeo Langford is one of the top sophs in the country and is the best player i've seen in a long time.

As a bball fan Im hoping some of my Bluegrass brothers make the trip up to Seymour Saturday for what should be an absolutely crazy experience and you'll get to see Indiana basketball, as good as it gets

 

 

You mean they could play twice in the same day, absurd. :clap:

 

 

You mean they could play twice in the same day, absurd. :clap:

 

Heaven forbid playing 2 times in the same day when they play as many 3 times a day in AAU and sometimes 6 games in 2 days

We know moving to Sunday was all about $$$$$$

I've watched both games (KY and IN) the past few years, and spoken to quite a few people about it as well. Here are the conclusions that have come up... You all tell me if you agree.

 

1. Kentucky officials, in general, allow more to go on in terms of bumping, hand checking, and generally allowing teams to 'muck it up.' Freedom of movement is allowed in Indiana. It's more of 'the beautiful game' there, where as you'll get far more 'rock fights' in KY.

 

2. Indiana has proportionally more shooters than KY. The best teams in Indiana have 4 to 5 kids on the floor that can shoot it from beyond the arc at all times, and almost always the ball handling guards. A premium is placed on shooting the ball in IN. In KY, far more teams have the 'designated shooter(s)' whereas you are more likely to see hard drives to the rim. (This aids in that theory about more physical play in Kentucky)

 

3. The above lead to some different coaching style changes. A lot of subtle things... Indiana coaches are more likely to play some zone as they want to protect against foul trouble and it's harder to guard without picking up a few. Have talked to a lot of KY coaches that like 'force middle to the help' whereas in Indiana they like to force baseline to avoid the kickouts to opposite side shooters.

 

Basically, it's a lot of things that stem from two basic theories... Indiana has more shooters, and Kentucky is allowed to be more physical defensively.

 

I may be struck down as a Kentuckian for saying this, but generally the quality of basketball is a bit better overall in Indiana, and it can simply be explained by population... More to choose from usually will get you better athletes in the long run. And this rule generally applies to the top and bottom of the spectrum. The best teams are usually a little better than the best in KY, and the lower level teams in IN are just a little better usually than the lower level teams in KY. The key word here being usually. The

 

That said, nothing that Indiana offers compares with the Sweet 16. Though taking in a day of regionals in IN is good basketball, you only see 4 teams, and the format changes the way teams play (game in the morning, game at night).... I actually think the most exciting tournaments in Indiana are the sectional tournaments, which would be the equivalent to districts here in KY.

 

Those of you that see both sides... What do you think?

 

Interesting take on the differences. Got a question or two for you. Would more hand checks and bumping with close man to man cause the KY players to shoot worse than an Indiana kid sitting outside of a zone popping up 3's?

I would think if you had better shooters, you would play more man?

As a Hoosier nothing does compare to the sweet 16, 1 champion format Kentucky has. I no problem admitting the truth and most Hoosiers would say the same. We would love to have the 1 champ like we used to before the 4 class system in '98.

I agree with ESPNduex that usually there are better Indiana teams and individuals but that is because of population and most of them come out of Indianapolis which is much bigger than Louisville. This doesnt take away or diminish anything for me.

Back in the single class system there would be a morning-night game for regionals, semi state, and state finals. It was a gauntlet to win a title back then. Now its only the regionals that are Sat morning and night

As a Hoosier nothing does compare to the sweet 16, 1 champion format Kentucky has. I no problem admitting the truth and most Hoosiers would say the same. We would love to have the 1 champ like we used to before the 4 class system in '98.

I agree with ESPNduex that usually there are better Indiana teams and individuals but that is because of population and most of them come out of Indianapolis which is much bigger than Louisville. This doesnt take away or diminish anything for me.

Back in the single class system there would be a morning-night game for regionals, semi state, and state finals. It was a gauntlet to win a title back then. Now its only the regionals that are Sat morning and night

Interesting take on the differences. Got a question or two for you. Would more hand checks and bumping with close man to man cause the KY players to shoot worse than an Indiana kid sitting outside of a zone popping up 3's?

I would think if you had better shooters, you would play more man?

 

Fair point regarding the zone comment. Maybe I should've said they play zones differently, rather than more...

 

And honestly I don't think that the lesser shooting has anything to do with the amount of physical play. I think it has to do with the strategy and style of play.

 

I'm not claiming to be an expert. I'm just going off of what I've seen in my personal experiences...

The new albany vs Dunbar game was an interesting measure of two top teams from different states. Dunbar had more athletes that wanted to run in transition and speed the game up. Idk about most games but they would have won if they would have had any sort of an outside threat. They couldn't throw it in the ocean that day. NA guards had a hard time keeping up with the faster guards from getting in the lane but NA had very good help defense. I believe the game was in the 50s. NA usually speeds up teams and puts up 80+. Maybe the really good teams are just able to adapt and win different types of games. The thing Ive noticed the most following some of the louisville- city teams over the last few yrs is the ability to just run and shoot and play physical. Even the Indy schools dont run and gun as much as most Louisville teams. the players seem to have more freedom in kentucky and as opposed to coaches controlling the game and pace more in Indiana, from my personal experiences