13th Region Fan Poll

[4chs]

I see where you're coming from 4chs ... I guess I can honestly say you're not a bandwagon jumper, but I've sen Jackson play and I think they've underacheved sofar. So, I guess I was a bit harsh on ya.

 

No problem, I can take it. This poll is just the warmup to the REAL POLL that comes out each Thursday in the Times Tribune. After South & Bell, you can almost shuffle about the next 10 teams or so in the 13th without being real bad out of line.

[Les]

I don't know if mine is the real poll, but thanks for the compliment. And, I agree with you, after South and Bell, draw a name ... I know mine might look a bit weird tommorrow.

And once again, I apologize for coming off harsh.

[MountainThunder]

Les, Do the problems at NL take them out of the top 10?

 

It very well may. I believe they becoming a top 5 team the way Conway was getting them to play recently. But the events of the past week will make it very difficult to keep improving on the path they were on. Losing both seniors who were starters and 3 assistant coaches is a HUGE blow to the team. Hopefully, this can all be resolved and the players can return to the team, but it doesn't look good right now.

[SKINPIG]

I don't know if mine is the real poll, but thanks for the compliment. And, I agree with you, after South and Bell, draw a name ... I know mine might look a bit weird tommorrow.

And once again, I apologize for coming off harsh.

 

 

I am in no way trying to discredit Bell County basketball by this post, but I can’t understand why most people are putting them up there with South Laurel and so far above everybody else in the region. They beat Corbin (Knox beat Corbin) by six at home, lost by three to Shelby Valley, beat Leslie by three, lost by one to June Buck and lost one of their best players to Auburn. The rest of their schedule is uneventful. I may be wrong, but I just don’t think they’ve proved they are that much better than the rest of the teams in the region. Can you explain Les? I haven't seen Bell yet.

[Les]

I agree with you Skinpig...but Bell is solid and I look for the region tournament to be very exciting this year with lot of nailbiters.

[4chs]

I am in no way trying to discredit Bell County basketball by this post, but I can’t understand why most people are putting them up there with South Laurel and so far above everybody else in the region. They beat Corbin (Knox beat Corbin) by six at home, lost by three to Shelby Valley, beat Leslie by three, lost by one to June Buck and lost one of their best players to Auburn. The rest of their schedule is uneventful. I may be wrong, but I just don’t think they’ve proved they are that much better than the rest of the teams in the region. Can you explain Les? I haven't seen Bell yet.

 

I believe that Bell is bigger, quicker and deeper than the other teams in the region, with the exception of South(though Bell is probably quicker) and Whitaker could arguably be the best all-around player in the region.

[Les]

I wouldn't say Bell is quicker than South ... that's for sure and I would say Jordan or Ty is the best all-around player before Whitaker, but he is very good.

[HDE]

There was some criticism when I had Whitaker ahead of Crawford in the preseason. They are both very good players though. I'd still rank Proffitt No. 1 overall.

 

Bell has had some terrible, terrible shooting nights in the past, especially in the regional tournaments, so they are beatable. When they are playing up to their capabilities though they are better than anyone in the region, except South. They are big and athletic and experienced. Corbin, Clay, Jackson, KC and Cumberland appear to me to be a year away from matching up with them athletically.

[Les]

Have to agree with you there.

[4chs]

There was some criticism when I had Whitaker ahead of Crawford in the preseason. They are both very good players though. I'd still rank Proffitt No. 1 overall.

 

Bell has had some terrible, terrible shooting nights in the past, especially in the regional tournaments, so they are beatable. When they are playing up to their capabilities though they are better than anyone in the region, except South. They are big and athletic and experienced. Corbin, Clay, Jackson, KC and Cumberland appear to me to be a year away from matching up with them athletically.

 

I believe that Whitaker is the #2 player in the region right now, only behind Proffitt, with Crawford, Hammonds, Smith, etc. following.

[Les]

I'd take Proffitt and Hammonds then Whitaker and Crawford

[WILDMAN]

Honest question but I figured there are enough people in this thread that can see my point. I'm not trying to start a Corbin vs. South argument but it has something to do with Corbin and South.

 

Back in 1999/2000 Corbin had what I think is the best team in the 13th region since the Charles Thomas Harlan teams. Even though they were in the 12th at the time, I'm including South and their great teams the past 3 years in this two. Corbin was led my two seniors named Derek Barton and Josh Brock. To me, they were the best 1/2 punch since Charles Thomas/Michael Jones. Barton and Brock don't have the hype but how many think the Barton/Brock tandem is more dangerous than Proffit/Hammonds?

 

I'm honestly not showing my Redhound bias in this but I think Barton could do just as much as Ty and more athletic and quick. Brock was just as good of a shooter but better rebounder than Hammonds imo. I was just trying to think of 1/2 punches compared to Jordan and Ty and couldnt come up with one until I went back to Josh and Derek.

[Les]

Well, I covered Barton and Brock back in the late 90s and in my opinion I would take Ty and Hammonds. Ty and Hammonds are very good offensively and defensivley...If I remember correctly, Corbin had trouble beating Harlan with the other Jones kid and the other Harlan player and I know they made it to state one season (But lost to a very good Russellville team with the Key kid), but they were even more talented with Cory Sears and couldn't get past Clay in the first round and lost to Williamsburg in the district finals and had trouble with players such as Antwan Henson and the kid that went to Georgetown guarding them.

I know Derek and Josh really well and consider both freinds, but they don't compare to Ty and Josh. But then again, that's my opinion.

HDE should have a better than opinion than me on this.

[WILDMAN]

Back in 2000 if memory serves correctly, Corbin pretty much whipped Harlan that season along with a solid South team by 19 or 21. I think their district margin of victory was 35 ppg. The year before, they lost to Harlan 3 times with Boo Fields and Kyle Jones. Corbin was 29-2 in the 2000 year losing to Owsley County early in November and to Greenwood SC in a game where Brock didn't play due to a sprained ankle. That team in 2000 wasn't as talented from years past but were without question Mike Deaton's best team ever and he'd say that to this day. They all just seemed to click with one another.

 

It was Brock and Barton's sophomore year they lost to Williamsburg.

 

Regardless, Jordan and Ty are probably the most comparable tandems in the region since Josh and Derek and a man wouldn't be in bad shape one way or another. Josh and Derek would benefit a coach more in a uptempo game where Jordan and Ty would be better in a halfcourt game.

[HDE]

The 2000 Corbin team was very solid. They were similar to the 1996 Harlan team with Casey Lester/Nathan Blanton — not flashy, but smart and unselfish and very effective. However, I would put not Barton/Brock even with Proffitt/Hammonds, who have already won two regional titles and may have a third, not to mention a STATE championship.