12 hours ago, RVaughn said:

In the preseason 12th region thread it said he had 3 D1 offers but looks like 4th leading scorer averaging 7 ppg so I have no clue. The last D1 scholarship player from 12th region was Trevon Faulkner and Mr Basketball.  Not very many D1 players from 12th region in last 20 years. 

Must be other factors at play.  Not sure the kid is any level of college player tbh.  

10 hours ago, 24Rocks said:

Was Fitzgerald from Pulaski after Faulkner?  I lose track of when these guys played.

Around the same era.  Played one year @ Samford, and finished a nice career as a solid role player @ The University of the Cumberlands.  A big time NAIA school in state.  I'm not trying to be harsh on the kid from West Jess. but people don't understand how good you have to be to play @ any level in college ball. 

And, it's only harder for HS kids now with the Portal.  College is an older game now, and schools have much more recruiting options now with the limited rules. 

12 minutes ago, LethalPG said:

And, it's only harder for HS kids now with the Portal.  College is an older game now, and schools have much more recruiting options now with the limited rules. 

Agreed.  Faulkner had over 3,000 points, Mr. Basketball and did not have a ton of mid major offers with no big time offers.  Had a great career and 4 year starter at NKU.  Most players in 12th region go NAIA which is not a knock either.  You have to be a really good player to be successful at NAIA level.  Who was the last 12th region player to get a D1 scholarship before Fitzgerald & Faulkner?  I know Polson was initial walk on but may have got scholarship at some point.  

7 minutes ago, RVaughn said:

Agreed.  Faulkner had over 3,000 points, Mr. Basketball and did not have a ton of mid major offers with no big time offers.  Had a great career and 4 year starter at NKU.  Most players in 12th region go NAIA which is not a knock either.  You have to be a really good player to be successful at NAIA level.  Who was the last 12th region player to get a D1 scholarship before Fitzgerald & Faulkner?  I know Polson was initial walk on but may have got scholarship at some point.  

Not sure about D1.  My guess, would be Walt Allen (South Laurel '04 Presbyterian).  Walt was Mr. Basketball, and led the Cardinals to the state championship in '04.  Timmy Taylor, (2015 PG Lincoln Co. got a full ride @ D2 Lincoln Memorial TN Power).  Timmy was the best pure ball handler I've ever seen in the 12th region.  Josh Schertz was his head coach then, and had a magical run with Indiana St. last year and is now the HC @ St. Louis. 

42 minutes ago, RVaughn said:

Who was the last 12th region player to get a D1 scholarship before Fitzgerald & Faulkner?  I know Polson was initial walk on but may have got scholarship at some point.  

Spencer Perrin, who played at Boyle County, went on to EKU, although he might have been a JUCO player for a year. Had a nice career at EKU then played several years overseas, I believe.

On 1/24/2025 at 8:59 AM, RVaughn said:

Agreed.  Faulkner had over 3,000 points, Mr. Basketball and did not have a ton of mid major offers with no big time offers.  Had a great career and 4 year starter at NKU.  Most players in 12th region go NAIA which is not a knock either.  You have to be a really good player to be successful at NAIA level.  Who was the last 12th region player to get a D1 scholarship before Fitzgerald & Faulkner?  I know Polson was initial walk on but may have got scholarship at some point.  

I've been thinking about this discussion and I think a factor in the lack of higher level college players from the 12th is simply size.  In a smaller, rural school the good players who might have come up playing the 1 or 2 end up playing the 4 or 5.  They don't get the experience they need to really develop at those other positions.  If Reed Sheppard (I know he wasn't 12th region but I'll use him to make a point) hadn't been the son of Jeff and Stacy Sheppard he might not have played point from middle school on.  My high school team (Somerset) went 6-4, 6-2, 6-1, and shorter.  I didn't wind up moving to the 2 position until my senior year so I didn't have much experience there and that was my natural position.  There have been a lot of really good players in the 12th region who have been in that same boat.  Lots of times a good 6-4 player is put in the middle and has the potential to be a 2 or a 3 in a bigger program.  

On 1/25/2025 at 9:14 PM, 24Rocks said:

I've been thinking about this discussion and I think a factor in the lack of higher level college players from the 12th is simply size.  In a smaller, rural school the good players who might have come up playing the 1 or 2 end up playing the 4 or 5.  They don't get the experience they need to really develop at those other positions.  If Reed Sheppard (I know he wasn't 12th region but I'll use him to make a point) hadn't been the son of Jeff and Stacy Sheppard he might not have played point from middle school on.  My high school team (Somerset) went 6-4, 6-2, 6-1, and shorter.  I didn't wind up moving to the 2 position until my senior year so I didn't have much experience there and that was my natural position.  There have been a lot of really good players in the 12th region who have been in that same boat.  Lots of times a good 6-4 player is put in the middle and has the potential to be a 2 or a 3 in a bigger program.  

Agreed.  It shows the importance of getting out to an AAU program at a young age where they develop bigger kids to have perimeter ball skills.  Players/Parents stick with their local travel teams/ school teams where this is the case also where they stick the big kids in the post instead of perimeter.