Mike Deaton led the Colonels last season, but got tired of driving back and forth to Somerset every day, so he's outta here. Assistant coach Chris Baker has been named head coach. He was head coach at Breathitt County and got the Bobcats to the region finals a few times. What are his chances at Whitley this year, and will he stick around and build some stability in what could be a terrific program?

Would be nice if he would.

Chris graduated from Whitley County back in the mid-1980s. He's said this is his dream job. He proved he can coach at Green County and Breathitt County. Maybe this really will be home for a good long time. :thumb:

Whitley has some good young talent and should be competive this year. I wonder if the Deaton style did not set them back a year? I think the most important thing has already been said "stability." WC always has talent walking the halls they just have to develop it and use it in the right ways.

Whitley has some good young talent and should be competive this year. I wonder if the Deaton style did not set them back a year? I think the most important thing has already been said "stability." WC always has talent walking the halls they just have to develop it and use it in the right ways.

 

Yeah it makes it tough having a new coach and system to learn every year. They usually have really good middle school basketball, but it usually doesn't carry over.

Whitley had some nice young kids last year and i would expect them to be much improved this year. Deaton was a good teacher of basketball and a year under him will help these kids. Lebanion is a horse. The Crawford kid is one of my favorite kids to watch because of his effort. He is unselfish and gets after it on both ends.

Now the Chris Baker Era begins. I bet things do not change much from what Coach Deaton did last season. Colonels should be a little better this season due to maturity. They lost a really good bench coach though. It will be interesting to follow their progress this season. Many have the Colonels ranked as high as second in the 50th district. Myself, I can not see them beating South Laurel or Corbin, but sometimes strange things happen.

Does anyone know who Coach Bakers assistant coaches will be?

Heard a rumor he was having a hard time finding help....just the Warren kid. I think the rest fled "Like Rats from a Barn fire " when Coach Deaton rode out of town.

Heard a rumor he was having a hard time finding help....just the Warren kid. I think the rest fled "Like Rats from a Barn fire " when Coach Deaton rode out of town.

I am trying to picture those rats running Bubba LOL...

Well that is just a figure of speech, but once the Deaton project fell through alot of people put some distance between themselves and Colonel basketball so to speak.