I know this is all scenario and I dont want to take away from the kids that are currently playing but thought it would be fun to envision how this team could have looked.

 

Matt Roberts doesnt transfer to Moeller after his 8th grade year where he logged some Varsity minutes and goes on to be a dominant force in the 9th Region.

 

Drew Simons and Luke Stein play this year and contribute in significant roles off the bench and in spot starts. Lets not forget, Simons and Stein have played on some Nationally traveling AAU teams with the likes of Mace, Sorrell, Kendall, etc.

 

So your lineup would look probably like this.

 

Starters

Nic Simpson- 6'2 Point Guard D1 player (NCarolina A&T)

Greg McGraw- 6'2 2G Another D-1 player IMO.

Matt Roberts - 6'9 D-1 player (Citadel) Dominant force down low.

Steven Kowolonek- 6'2 Swingman/Small Forward

Michael Eaton- 6'2 Junkman who gets all the nasty stats (charges, steals, rebounds, etc)

 

Bench

Drew Simons- scorer who can handle the ball and is strong.

Luke Stein- muscle down low who holds his own with the big fellas.

George Grote- excellent spark off the bench for hustle and offense.

Zach Hurtt- another Michael Eaton type player. Lock down defender.

Ben Watson- good defender, decent offensive skills could rotate in Kowolonek's position.

 

This is 5 strong starters and 5 strong kids off the bench. Oh well, its nice to think of what could have been.

Highlands could have definetly been a force with that lineup.

 

Last year, Holmes could have had this lineup:

 

Mike Hester

Duran Jefferson

Nate Edmondson

Austin Hill

Greg Rice

 

Coming off the bench:

Josh Nelson

Arrez Henderson

Braeon Avery

Terrance Clark

 

So basically it would have been the NKY TarHeels as your starting 5 (very good AAU team nationally) and the NKy Hawks coming off the bench. (won state championship as sophomores)

 

Both Highlands and Holmes could have been very scary had transfers and fallouts not occured.

Gee, two can play that game! Who in the Ninth beats CovCath, if Sorrell doesn't leave CovCath for Cov Holy Cross after his Freshmen year?

Gee, two can play that game! Who in the Ninth beats CovCath, if Sorrell doesn't leave CovCath for Cov Holy Cross after his Freshmen year?

 

True. This year's version of the Colonels would probably be the best that many have seen. But on the flip side of that, had Corey not left he wouldn't have probably gotten all of the touches he's gotten over the years and might not be where he is today since he wouldn't have probably seen much varsity action until his junior year and even then it wouldn't have been a given that he starts which Jacobs and Bovard ahead of him.

 

I think Corey made a great decision leaving CCH. Of course so he could develop more.

Gee, two can play that game! Who in the Ninth beats CovCath, if Sorrell doesn't leave CovCath for Cov Holy Cross after his Freshmen year?

 

Wow, I had no clue on that but its only one player and not D-1 caliber like Roberts was at Highlands. You would potentially have 3 D-1 type players in the starting 5 if he stuck around and didnt leave to go average 2.3pts a game as a Crusader.

Wow, I had no clue on that but its only one player and not D-1 caliber like Roberts was at Highlands. You would potentially have 3 D-1 type players in the starting 5 if he stuck around and didnt leave to go average 2.3pts a game as a Crusader.

 

Why did Roberts leave in the first place? Didn't it have to do with football? Or was that Dillon Ruby?

I don't like the wouldve, couldve, shouldve game, it only irritates me. What if Simpson had not got cleared to play and McGraw had such back problems he was done at Christmas. I am happy that the Birds have what they do. You can't blame Stein for not playing the kid has a scholly to get a free education and play football. I also believe if the cards fall right the Birds can go the Rupp with the lineup they have now, and I know Holmes will have thier hat in the ring as well. I love this time of year!!

From the what if department.....Michael Romes doesn't transfer from Cov. Cath. to Beechwood. Add him as a senior to the Danny Noll, Tim Tierney, Todd Jacobs, Kurt Bovard team that won the region and as a junior to the Brennen Votel, Noll, Tierney, Jacobs, Bovard team that was upset by Connor in the region.

I think with the CCH transfers while it might have helped some, it may not have been as big of a help as we think. Players like Romes and Sorrell excelled because they went somewhere they could be the man and it allowed them to develop more. Had they stayed at CCH we may have never even heard their names.

 

But I could be way off base. JMO since Covcath is loaded with talent every year.

I don't like the wouldve, couldve, shouldve game, it only irritates me. What if Simpson had not got cleared to play and McGraw had such back problems he was done at Christmas. I am happy that the Birds have what they do. You can't blame Stein for not playing the kid has a scholly to get a free education and play football. I also believe if the cards fall right the Birds can go the Rupp with the lineup they have now, and I know Holmes will have thier hat in the ring as well. I love this time of year!!

 

The only what if we are talking about here is the scenario I posted above in the opening of the thread. If you want to comment on that fine but we can add 30 different "what ifs" if you really want to get technical about it. What if Ryan Ball plays? What if Greg hurts his back in the 5th game and never plays again? What if Nic falls out of a tree? What if this, what if that?

 

My point is to say that if that team would have formed they would have been a very dominant force in NKY basketball.

 

I think the Birds do have a shot at winning the whole thing with what they have and will be rooting them on.

Sorry to press your buttons, yeah, Highlands would've been a power with the Roberts kid, Stine, and Simons. But they still aren't shabby right now. Just my opinion, and yes I will route them on as well.

Does anybody think Nic learned a valuable lesson last night by not getting the sure lay in late in the game by missing a dunk. I was sitting right there and Willie yelled get him out of the game. Not something you should have to worry about with your senior leader. What if that possession would of came back to haunt them!!!! It didn't but what if!!!!! Newport gave the Birds everything they wanted last night.

I think with the CCH transfers while it might have helped some, it may not have been as big of a help as we think. Players like Romes and Sorrell excelled because they went somewhere they could be the man and it allowed them to develop more. Had they stayed at CCH we may have never even heard their names.

 

I would say that statement is accurate, but we are in a "what if" thread.

I don't like the wouldve, couldve, shouldve game, it only irritates me. What if Simpson had not got cleared to play and McGraw had such back problems he was done at Christmas. I am happy that the Birds have what they do. You can't blame Stein for not playing the kid has a scholly to get a free education and play football. I also believe if the cards fall right the Birds can go the Rupp with the lineup they have now, and I know Holmes will have thier hat in the ring as well. I love this time of year!!

 

I think he has alot to do with why he's not playing.....:madman::madman::madman:

Stein would have been nice to have the other night against Geisler and NCC but for the most part I thought the Birds did a good job on him. But to have the inside/out game they would have had if Roberts would have stuck around would have been just sick. Simpson a threat to drive, McGraw pulling up from 23 feet at will, Roberts on the block, Kowolonek slashing in the lane. Eaton and Hurtt battling on the weakside and locking down the opposing team's best player. All I can say is it would have been a team that may have put together a string like Holmes did this season.

 

With that said, the Birds that are on the team now are primed and ready for the post season. Let the fun begin.