I attended this game and the game that Mason played against Saint Patrick. I don't have many complaints as a Royal supporter thus far. But something disturbs me and I can't find any explanation for it. Why isn't the King kid featured more? This is your bonified scoring threat. If they continue to waste this kid's time having him on the bench they might have their hands full on the road against a couple teams especially with their key bench player, Browning out with an ankle injury. Don't get me wrong, the team is strong as it is. But, it just seems to me that when the King kid is in the game it gives Mason more options in the half court and fast breaks and not to mention King might be their best on-the-ball defender besides the obvious, Miller. He quietly ripped a Sharp cross-over last night (finished it with a lay-up to end the first half) after I had been interested to see what Sharp was going to do this season, being very impressed with him last season. If someone can give me a legitimate reason why he hasn't got much playing time, I'll give them a cookie. From what I saw from him last year and more recently this summer, I would have thought he would be a key ingredient. I can't find much that this kid has done wrong when he has been in the game. Is he being punished? If you have watched both games, please chime in...

 

 

Oh yeah, the officiating was very poor last night. If they are going to start cracking down on palming the ball, then they need to consistently do it.

 

Just wondering about something you said.....Are you talking about Nathane Sharp from Scott in the highlighted part above? If so, no one from Mason's team stole the ball from him last night. You might be thinking about someone else on Scott's team.

First of all there are no such things as 10th Region Officials. They are members of the Bluegrass Officials Association out of Lexington and work both 10th and 11th Region games.

 

It seems like every year they have a "point of emphasis" that they over-officiate. Two years ago it was hand-checking. It was a good area to improve coverage on until they became so obsessed with calling it that it detracted from the flow of the game.

 

Last year it was "palming the ball." This too was a good area to crack down on but once again instead of calling it when a player gained an advantage by doing it, they started looking for it, and as in the St. Pat - Silver Grove game Friday night called it in the backcourt when the offender was uncontested.

 

I haven't heard or detected what this year's violation du jour is, but I'm sure that there will be one.

 

Points of emphasis are good and in most cases needed, BUT, when they are called when they have absolutely no bearing on a play or a game, then IMO this becomes over-officiating and detracts from the game. IMO officials should never go looking to call something, rather note when a player gains an advantage and then make the call.

 

There are many officials that I will note when watching a game who have obviously never coached the game, and render black-white calls without understanding things like how hard it is to get players to stand in and take a charge; rewarding players who are out of control and put themselves in jeopardy; fail to understand just who is responsible for the contact on shooting fouls, and on and on and on.

 

I firmly believe that the Bluegrass officials are among the best in the state if not THE best in the state. Mr. Chasteen rules with an iron fist. His officials are accountable and professional. Rick himself is visible at many of the games that his guys work and while not perfect, they strive to be perfect.

Just wondering about something you said.....Are you talking about Nathane Sharp from Scott in the highlighted part above? If so, no one from Mason's team stole the ball from him last night. You might be thinking about someone else on Scott's team.

 

No, I'm positive it was Sharp. He's the only player King guarded while in the game.

No, I'm positive it was Sharp. He's the only player King guarded while in the game.

 

I was at the game too, and it wasn't Sharp who had the ball stolen.

 

But, I will move on.