1 hour ago, Hoops Junkie said:

Love the debate, please don't take this as discounting what Cooper can be, but here is what I know for sure.  Shawn Pouncy, if I am not mistaken, suffered a torn ACL in the region game. That injury usually takes 9-10 months to heal and sometimes as much as a year, even if its nine I think there will be some adjusting time and I am questioning the statement of "fully healthy Shawn Pouncy".  

I also know that the youngest Pouncy, Brown, Hampton, and Jakare Pouncy combined for 2.8ppg last year and have little to no varsity experience. Adding Ajaezu that averaged 3.8, and the 5 guys you mention are up to 6.6ppg combined. Not sure that is something you can blow away, or beat Newport and CovCath with yet, and to your point of missing Brooks for most of the season some of the guys you mentioned would have and should have had added opportunity to play more min.

Also, and if I am not mistaken, Schilling was a senior last year and won't be back.

Lastly, and again correct me if I am wrong, but didn't most of the guys you mentioned have to hit a shot at the buzzer to beat Holy Cross in the JV regional, and that was with Shawn Pouncy playing due to not yet being eligible. HC had 6 freshman and a sophomore. (I had to phone a friend on this one to make sure, so may not be exactly that way, but probably close). Can someone else confirm this?

I stand corrected on Schilling. I won’t go back and forth but I will correct you on a couple of points. Shawn Pouncy’s rehab is just fine so I assure he will be ready for the season. 
Sure, you can discount the limited time the group of sophomores and the incoming freshman, who wasn’t on the team, had last year on varsity but they can play. Not really sure of the reference of 1 JV game that they won regardless of the other teams make up but ok.
Additionally, you seem to make the assumption that those other teams didn’t lose any players. CCH had 8 seniors including the POY but I guess that has no impact at all? HHS returns nearly everyone. Team's make up change every year and it’s what you do with said players and Cooper has a coach that gets what he needs out of his team, regardless of who’s in the roster and this year's roster at Cooper will be better whether you want to believe it or not. As I stated in my first post, they beat two the three teams last year with less, guess that was a fluke, idk.  

Cooper goes through this rhetoric nearly every year, especially last year, yet somehow they just find a way to be in the hunt and I expect this season to be no different. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtUvkQYJd5R/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

A few Cooper highlights there of the players mentioned, for anyone interested.

23 hours ago, Hoops Junkie said:

Cooper loses 5 of their top 7, and that's not counting Pouncy who will most likely miss most of the season. Counting Pouncy that will be 6 of their top 8. I'm not sure 2 guys is enough horses to beat Newport, CovCath, or Highlands. If you want to put them 4th I can live with it, and I guess if anyone will have them ready it would be Sully. I can't agree with Cooper being right there with them though. Definitely not better depth top to bottom.

What does Highlands have coming back to put them in the top 3?    They lost a lot with Will Herald and Seth Ryan.

2 minutes ago, Walter_White said:

What does Highlands have coming back to put them in the top 3?    They lost a lot with Will Herald and Seth Ryan.

Welcome to BGP @Walter_White!

11 minutes ago, Walter_White said:

What does Highlands have coming back to put them in the top 3?    They lost a lot with Will Herald and Seth Ryan.

Herald and Ryan were definitely 2 huge pieces, but they are the only 2 gone.  They return Vinson, Moeves, Benke, Class, and Listerman that all played significant minutes last year.

4 hours ago, Walter_White said:

What does Highlands have coming back to put them in the top 3?    They lost a lot with Will Herald and Seth Ryan.

Nathan Vinson will be one of the top 5 players in the 9th this year, and I’m writing that in pen.  Also, Highlands still has more than enough around him with Brayden Moeves and sophomore Vinny Listerman to be in the tier directly below Newport and Cov Cath.

20 hours ago, throwback32 said:

Nathan Vinson will be one of the top 5 players in the 9th this year

For sure!!!

 

I’ve heard that the Starks kid that’s going to be a freshmen next year, was sitting on the bench at Newport’s scrimmage vs St. X and Cov Cath. Is he transferring to Newport that anyone knows? 

1 hour ago, 1Forrest1 said:

I’ve heard that the Starks kid that’s going to be a freshmen next year, was sitting on the bench at Newport’s scrimmage vs St. X and Cov Cath. Is he transferring to Newport that anyone knows? 

Do all these kids know that there is only ONE ball per game?

 

Its fun to see all of this talent coming to the 9th, but to quote a famous adage…..only so many can fit in the lifeboat before it collapses.

4 hours ago, 1Forrest1 said:

I’ve heard that the Starks kid that’s going to be a freshmen next year, was sitting on the bench at Newport’s scrimmage vs St. X and Cov Cath. Is he transferring to Newport that anyone knows? 

An 8th grader wouldn’t be considered a transfer. But could the guy help an established varsity team as a freshmen? Not too many can. 

1 hour ago, Royal Blue said:

Poor choice of the word transfer, what I meant to say was enrolling. I don’t know the kid so I’m not very sure if he could help the varsity team at Newport. 

13 hours ago, 1Forrest1 said:

Poor choice of the word transfer, what I meant to say was enrolling. I don’t know the kid so I’m not very sure if he could help the varsity team at Newport. 

What Newport was missing last year was depth and if the young man can play, he can play and it could provide some depth that Coach Snapp didn't have.  Don't know the young man but being a baller doesn't have minimum age requirement and Newport clearly has shown they are not afraid to put young men on the floor.

How big and what position dose Starks play?  Where did he play last year?

He’s a soon to be 8th grader that’s about 6’5 already! Dad is 6’8 and played at UC. I think the younger Starks will be better than Chandler, he is more built body wise for high level college basketball. As in Chandler was always built for college football.

On 6/17/2023 at 11:41 AM, GoBucks97 said:

He’s a soon to be 8th grader that’s about 6’5 already! Dad is 6’8 and played at UC. I think the younger Starks will be better than Chandler, he is more built body wise for high level college basketball. As in Chandler was always built for college football.

I’m 95% sure he will be a freshman.