I'm just looking at the fact that since 20003 Conner made it out of the first round of regions just once.

 

Let's just say in the 33rd district you do not want to face the Conner Cougars, no matter what the talent level it seems as if Conner is always playing for the championship and the major reason is Coach Hicks.

Coach Hicks is a brilliant man and a top of the line coach

That district should be use to that matchup in the finals. But wait till next year, right Wildcatfan.

 

I'm not sure what your past/current issue is with Boone or my posts. Of course, I'm going to be biased toward Boone since I'm a follower and fan. I feel they could have/should have done better with what they have, and that's my opinion. It doesn't mean it's right, but that is what people do on message boards do--discuss and share opinions, (hopefully without bashing or taking personal shots). I don't say negative or sarcastic things about other teams, players, or posters on this board.

I wasn't able to get to the game, but the word I got was that McFarland had a mismatch on offense and could've scored much more. Problem being it wasn't recognized and others were shooting, albeit open looks, when they shouldn't have been shooting. An effective coaching strategy would've been to spread the floor and give McFarland the ball. Again, just what I heard...someone confirm or deny.

 

I thought Earls had a mismatch against a smaller player too but was surprised that he didn't try to exploit it and post up. Instead He was often out around the free throw line, especially in the first half. A few of his misses were fadeaway jumpers from 10 feet or beyond. He played well down low the other games against Conner this year.

Last I checked it takes a TEAM to win and there are only a few Boone co kids playing on those AAU teams. Not to say they are not very good basketball players but the reason the AAU teams do so well is because they also have the Eutons, Jackson's, other recruits from Ohio, etc etc.

 

Not to mention the coaching is different.

 

Exactly, and nobody ever said otherwise.:thumb:

I find that hard to believe. I would guess that McFarland had four travelling calls on him alone.

 

NKY.com had McFarland with 4 turnovers, Gabbard 1, Popp 1, and Earls 1

Boone seemed to put there attention on a few key players and the rest of the team stepped up big time (Stephens, Brake, Broyles) to really hurt the rebels.

 

True

Very true. Boone seemed to game-plan mainly against Thomas and Pugh this took their attention off the other players and it hurt them badly in the end.

 

Players don't game plan.

McFarland had the ball quite a bit. Several of his opportunities (including a acouple of waived off baskets) were lost due to travelling calls. He also badly missed a couple of three throws. I would say that he got the appropriate number of looks. As far as a mismatch, Conner had a couple of different people on him at various times. It wasn't just a one-on-one thing. He did drive to the basket very nicely several times. The bottom line is that some other people for Boone didn't step up and Conner's offense outplayed Boone's defense.

 

Agree. As a team, Boone's defense was outplayed by Conner's offense.

For those of you blaming Boone's coach, it's getting kind of old. I'm just going to come out and say it...Boone is good, but not as good as you all think. They are still a year or two away. They have NO senior leadership which is needed when you have a lot of young players. This loss doesn't surprise me. I picked Boone to win but simply because they had played good basketball all year. Their record speaks for itself.

 

If Boone's coach is so bad, why was Boone one of the highest scoring teams in not only nky but also the state this year? Maybe the players and fans should quit bashing the coach and start worrying about executing. Missing wide open shots has nothing to do with a coach.

I just don't see how anyone could think it's a poor "game plan" by Boone coaches to concentrate their defensive efforts on the two players (Thomas and Pugh) that account for almost 55% of Conner's scoring this year. Lang, Stephens, and Broyles came in averaging a combined 15 points per game and those three stepped up and dropped in 34 points, something I'm willing to bet they hadn't done collectively this year. Conner outexecuted Boone; Boone wasn't outcoached.

I just don't see how anyone could think it's a poor "game plan" by Boone coaches to concentrate their defensive efforts on the two players (Thomas and Pugh) that account for almost 55% of Conner's scoring this year. Lang, Stephens, and Broyles came in averaging a combined 15 points per game and those three stepped up and dropped in 34 points, something I'm willing to bet they hadn't done collectively this year. Conner outexecuted Boone; Boone wasn't outcoached.

 

Definitely not a poor game plan to do that. Taking no credit away from Conner, they played well. IMO, What it boiled down to for Boone that everybody on the team has to play hard, not leave their man, and rebound. Some Conner players were left open repeatedly and they made Boone pay. I also thought it was smart of Hicks to start a second big man (Broyles) this time against Boone. He did not do this in the first three games.

For those of you blaming Boone's coach, it's getting kind of old. I'm just going to come out and say it...Boone is good, but not as good as you all think. They are still a year or two away. They have NO senior leadership which is needed when you have a lot of young players. This loss doesn't surprise me. I picked Boone to win but simply because they had played good basketball all year. Their record speaks for itself.

 

If Boone's coach is so bad, why was Boone one of the highest scoring teams in not only nky but also the state this year? Maybe the players and fans should quit bashing the coach and start worrying about executing. Missing wide open shots has nothing to do with a coach.

 

Don't get me wrong. I certainly don't think any coach can be blamed completely for the performance of a team. Boone is young, and they still improved over last year's record. The young players have overachieved considering their age. We will see if they are a year or two away. They will be senior-dominated again in 2010. Hopefully, that will make a difference. If not, maybe the players aren't good enough?

 

Coaches share responsbility in the success of a team. Instead of posting an 18-12 record one year with 7 seniors and a 21-8 record the next year, and not getting out of the district, I'd rather be 10-16 every year and at least win or finish as runner up in the district.

 

Boone's players didn't miss a huge number of wide open shots in the Conner game. They have shot fairly well all year. They shot 41% from the floor as a team, which is not great, but not bad at all. A couple of their key scorers did struggle in this game, but others made up for it. Boone had one of the higher three-point shoot percentages in the state at one time during the season. Coaches don't knock down shots. Players do. Their bigger weakness was defense IMO.

Don't get me wrong. I certainly don't think any coach can be blamed completely for the performance of a team. Boone is young, and they still improved over last year's record. The young players have overachieved considering their age. We will see if they are a year or two away. They will be senior-dominated again in 2010. Hopefully, that will make a difference. If not, maybe the players aren't good enough?

 

Coaches share responsbility in the success of a team. Instead of posting an 18-12 record one year with 7 seniors and a 21-8 record the next year, and not getting out of the district, I'd rather be 10-16 every year and at least win or finish as runner up in the district.

 

Boone's players didn't miss a huge number of wide open shots in the Conner game. They have shot fairly well all year. They shot 41% from the floor as a team, which is not great, but not bad at all. A couple of their key scorers did struggle in this game, but others made up for it. Boone had one of the higher three-point shoot percentages in the state at one time during the season. Coaches don't knock down shots. Players do. Their bigger weakness was defense IMO.

 

I wasn't at the game so I can't comment too much on it. I just think coaches, in general, get blamed too much when a team loses but when the team wins all the praise goes to the players. Boone, as you said is young and we will find out in 2010 if they're that good or if they did indeed overachieve this year.

Boone's players didn't miss a huge number of wide open shots in the Conner game. They have shot fairly well all year. They shot 41% from the floor as a team, which is not great, but not bad at all. A couple of their key scorers did struggle in this game, but others made up for it. Boone had one of the higher three-point shoot percentages in the state at one time during the season. Coaches don't knock down shots. Players do. Their bigger weakness was defense IMO.

 

For a team that relies so heavily on three-point shooting and has done so well at it (41%) this year, 4 of 18 behind the arc (22%) - especially when most of those were good, clean, open looks - isn't going to get it done.

 

Boone will be the team to beat in the 9th next year, IMO.