?? | Louisville Central HS | From The Scoreboard.

I'm fascinated by the newish JCPS school and their teams. All boys ✓. No juniors or seniors on the basketball squad ✓. They're not post season eligible until the next school year ✓. They haven't played a hardwood home game in a year and a half (and won't until 2/9) ✓. Not playing a super challenging schedule, but they're winning ✓.

The Lions (9-4) travel all the way down to Clinton County for tomorrow's game.

The Yellowjackets (2-7) host KY #14 Evangel Christian on Thursday.

What has happened at Central post Coach Bibby?

That's surprising score. I wonder if Central was missing any players.

On 1/6/2024 at 7:40 PM, 111 said:

What has happened at Central post Coach Bibby?

I was curious too and wonder if we're remembering the good times when Central played in the 6th Region - two Regional titles and a Sweet 16 runner-up in Coach Bibby's first four seasons. It's hard for me to forget watching the great teams in the 60's and 70's a few times too.

Five winning seasons since moving to the 7th in 2011/12. 3-12 in the Regional tourney. A 39-71 record under Coach Bibby in his last four years (ending last season). So I think it's been a long slow slide. 

One concern - Central, for sports other than football, fall into a subset of smaller JCPS schools that don't get a lot of "juice" in athletics. And I mean lesser facilities, fewer staff members, and smaller schedules. Central didn't qualify for the LIT, so they're left with 19 scheduled games out of an allotment of 30. 

They have a great history, but they aren't Manual, Male, Ballard, or Eastern. Throw in Trinity and St. X, and they're in a shark tank now.

Thoughts @Smallhoops? @LouHSJunkie?

1 hour ago, Tigerpride94 said:

That's surprising score. I wonder if Central was missing any players.

They had their full roster. Shot poorly - (% 18/14/50). Leading scorer Hazard scoreless on 2 FGA. Out-rebounded Du Bois 36-20. ?

scoreboard/stats_Central_vs_WEBD 

I think Lions are a program on the rise, and basically a "2A" school defeated a 3A one. I'm following them a little, obvi, so I'm not surprised. If they're All 'A' Classic eligible next season, I think they'd win the 7th handily and do well at the statewide level.

@Runcible Owl the program had success for two reasons Bibby was a good coach and he had connections with his cousin playing in NBA etc. So kids wanted to go to Cebtral because of Bibby and who he was and because he was related to Mike Bibby and he coached Rajon Rondo. The kids don't go to Central now since he has stopped coaching there and it shows in the success of the basketball program declining.

Those of us of a certain age remember Central as a real power, winning state championships (I was in Freedom Hall when Central won in 1974, my senior year in high school).  Its been a while since they were at that level, although they did make it to the championship game in 2009.

I agree with @LouHSJunkie.  A couple things have affected Central, the primary one being the ease with which students can switch schools in Jefferson County.  Players who would have been at Central in years past are now at other schools.

Coach Bibby did a good job getting the most out of the players he had, but basketball life is tough in the 7th region.  And this being the first year post-Coach Bibby has not helped.  So I worry about Central a little bit in the next few years.

Dubois is another matter.  Dubois is in the process of adding grades to become a full four-year high school but at this point all of their significant contributors are freshmen and sophomores.  I saw them play recently and like their coach.  I am looking forward to seeing how they develop over the next few years.

I know they have a couple home games listed but I am not sure where those games will be played because it is my understanding they don't have an adequate gym in their current location (although I may be wrong about that).  I know they will be moving to a new facility in the next couple of years that should address that situation.

 

Anyone know what district WEB will be in next year when eligible?