Final per the KHSAA Scoreboard

This could be a first round matchup of the Sweet 16. Any details?

Faulkner was plagued with foul trouble. Potter played well... I don't think MC was pleased with the officiating

Faulkner had two fouls in the first quarter, sat the entire second quarter, but I believe only had one more foul for the rest of the game (pretty sure in the 4th Quarter). It obviously affected him and the team that quarter, but they did lose the second half with his services the entire time.

 

I don't blame Mercer for being displeased with the officiating, but the calls the officials made were consistent with how they always make them in this region. In particular, they love - LOVE - to call charges. Faulkner's second foul was on a nasty dunk over Potter where Potter was standing underneath the basket trying to take a charge. I've seen him do that at least twice before where he got absolutely posterized but took the charge. Calls like that are awful, but with no circle under the basket, within the rules. I love that Potter is unselfish enough to be willing to take that. There were a couple of other calls that were borderline that went charge against Mercer.

 

Skyelar Potter had a good first half, but wasn't really leaned on in the second half. Central won the game because the supporting cast stepped up. All of their top three scorers were in double digits. They had a couple of guys step up and make shots in Tre Pillow and Jamale Barber that they don't always get big contributions from. They shot the three very well in the second half (including 3 threes from Pillow and Barber). It's very encouraging to see a total team effort at this point in the season. Unseld says they're starting to play their best ball. They certainly haven't had their best complete game - that was in early January against Barren County - but in terms of total team effort, they may be playing their best ball. Potter hasn't been as dominant as he was earlier in the year, but perhaps that's good, that it shows a more complete team effort.

 

Mercer County shot 51%, but lost on the boards by six. They were also just 9/19 from the foul line. I think they certainly walked away from the game knowing they could have won, but I think they could easily look at the rebound and foul line battles more than they look at the officiating. If they dwell on that, they're making a mistake. They had only two more fouls and had seven more free throw attempts.

Faulkner had two fouls in the first quarter, sat the entire second quarter, but I believe only had one more foul for the rest of the game (pretty sure in the 4th Quarter). It obviously affected him and the team that quarter, but they did lose the second half with his services the entire time.

 

I don't blame Mercer for being displeased with the officiating, but the calls the officials made were consistent with how they always make them in this region. In particular, they love - LOVE - to call charges. Faulkner's second foul was on a nasty dunk over Potter where Potter was standing underneath the basket trying to take a charge. I've seen him do that at least twice before where he got absolutely posterized but took the charge. Calls like that are awful, but with no circle under the basket, within the rules. I love that Potter is unselfish enough to be willing to take that. There were a couple of other calls that were borderline that went charge against Mercer.

 

Skyelar Potter had a good first half, but wasn't really leaned on in the second half. Central won the game because the supporting cast stepped up. All of their top three scorers were in double digits. They had a couple of guys step up and make shots in Tre Pillow and Jamale Barber that they don't always get big contributions from. They shot the three very well in the second half (including 3 threes from Pillow and Barber). It's very encouraging to see a total team effort at this point in the season. Unseld says they're starting to play their best ball. They certainly haven't had their best complete game - that was in early January against Barren County - but in terms of total team effort, they may be playing their best ball. Potter hasn't been as dominant as he was earlier in the year, but perhaps that's good, that it shows a more complete team effort.

 

Mercer County shot 51%, but lost on the boards by six. They were also just 9/19 from the foul line. I think they certainly walked away from the game knowing they could have won, but I think they could easily look at the rebound and foul line battles more than they look at the officiating. If they dwell on that, they're making a mistake. They had only two more fouls and had seven more free throw attempts.

 

When you get two fouls in the 1st qtr it can sometimes keep you from getting in a rhythm. MC was affected by the officiating all around. It wasn't just charges....it appeared that they weren't getting the whistle.....so much so that their coach addressed it and told them to play on. I say that but in no way am I trying to take anything away from WC, because they played very good.

 

This could be the worst officiating year that I've seen statewide and there's no other way to put it....IMO

When you get two fouls in the 1st qtr it can sometimes keep you from getting in a rhythm. MC was affected by the officiating all around. It wasn't just charges....it appeared that they weren't getting the whistle.....so much so that their coach addressed it and told them to play on. I say that but in no way am I trying to take anything away from WC, because they played very good.

 

This could be the worst officiating year that I've seen statewide and there's no other way to put it....IMO

 

The crew that called this game has been in the region for 5+ years.

The crew that called this game has been in the region for 5+ years.

 

Everyone has an off day

Everyone has an off day

 

They’ve been that bad for 5+ years!

I thought Warren Central played good and they are a solid team. Mercer jumped out the game 11-2 and then the refs got involved called 2 fouls on Trevon got him out of the game. Foul count at the end of the 1st QTR was 7-1. Ultimately have to give WC credit for out playing Mercer. I am worried with how Mercer has looked the last two games. They have reverted back to December when they go 1 on 1 taking contested shots. When they make the extra pass and are unselfish they get open shots they can knock down. Hopefully the coaches will point this out to the players and get them back on track sharing the ball.

More important than the officiating...does anyone have video of the poster dunk?

More important than the officiating...does anyone have video of the poster dunk?

 

I've been looking for it on twitter....man it was nasty

The "charge" call where a guy stands still and let's a guy run him over should be removed from the rulebook. It's not a basketball play. The only offensive fouls should be when a guy pushes off or lowers a shoulder/illegal screen, hooking in the post etc... When a guy is simply running to the basket or going up for a layup and bumps a stationery defender, it should not be a foul.

 

In my opinion they need to make this a foul on the defense. if this were to happen you would see a much more enjoyable game and according to the refs I know the game would become much easier to officiate as there would no longer be guys "stepping in" to take charges. Players would step in to try to block a shot or steal a ball.

The "charge" call where a guy stands still and let's a guy run him over should be removed from the rulebook. It's not a basketball play. The only offensive fouls should be when a guy pushes off or lowers a shoulder/illegal screen, hooking in the post etc... When a guy is simply running to the basket or going up for a layup and bumps a stationery defender, it should not be a foul.

 

In my opinion they need to make this a foul on the defense. if this were to happen you would see a much more enjoyable game and according to the refs I know the game would become much easier to officiate as there would no longer be guys "stepping in" to take charges. Players would step in to try to block a shot or steal a ball.

 

I don't think it was a charge at all. Potter was standing under the basket it appeared. But to your point I agree, especially the ones where the guy slides under a player already in the air. I'm sure numerous wrists have been broken or injured because of that play

I don't think it was a charge at all. Potter was standing under the basket it appeared. But to your point I agree, especially the ones where the guy slides under a player already in the air. I'm sure numerous wrists have been broken or injured because of that play

 

Yep. It's just not a basketball "play". it's run it's course. I think the "circle" under the goal has made it worse. If a guy is "outside" the circle he almost always gets the call.

Look at Mercer Basketball on Twitter you can see the dunk there. @MercerTitansBB

The player that turns it over is the one that takes the charge. You can see he is not set on the charge. Total bail out by the ref.