I need a history lesson here. With Holmes atop the state polls, and alot of talk about them being the best team ever from Northern Kentucky (still have to fulfill the destiny, of course), I am trying to remember: how many teams from Northern Kentucky have ever been ranked No. 1 in the state? Off the top of my head, I've got NCC in 1984 - who am I forgetting?

 

I want to say that NewCath spent some time there in '00 during Ronnie Dawn's senior year.

No, there has never been basketball team from northern kentucky ranked number one in the state during the regular season............this is coming from a very reliable source.:thumb:

 

NewCath definitely was in 1984.

NewCath definitely was in 1984.

 

As I said in the first post, I am certain that NewCath was No. 1 in the state that year heading into the state tournament. I was wondering if there were others I was forgetting.

 

As far as the debate about SK81 being the best team ever from No. Ky., we've had this debate before - if state championships is the ONLY criteria you apply, then, yeah, they are "the best". But it's hard to put them ahead of 67 CovCath and 78 Holmes (who both missed the state championship by last second shots in the finals). The 78 Holmes team produced alot of college basketball talent, including two Div 1A players (Schloemer, Beal) and at least a few others (Davis, Wimzie, Moeves) that played at the next level.

 

This year's Holmes squad still has some chapters yet to write. I'm not, however, willing to concede "most talented" or "best" at this point, though. Superlatives are within their reach, but I gotta tell ya I'd love to be able to see 78 Holmes (with Dicky running the point and a good size front lcourt including Mr. Basketball Schloemer) take on this year's squad.

That I think is fair. But I will tell you that 4 or 5 of Simon Kenton's key players played college sports, so don't sell them short. McKinley at UK, Meier played baseball at TMC, Dixon played college basketball (Berea?), Mullins played football at Western, Ponzer played football at Hanover. I believe I am right about those. Not sure about others. How many of Holmes' players will go on to college sports? That is a good indicator of talent.

 

I think it's be safe to assume Holmes has ATLEAST 6 kids who play sports at the next level:

 

Riley- D2 basketball, POSSIBLY small D1 or NAIA

Rice- football

R. Johnson- D1 basketball

J. Johnson- D1 basketball

E. Pittman- D1 basketball

Arnold- D1 basketball

 

I know there's a few kids in the soph class that will likely play football at the next level as well. (Chris Hayes)

 

And then all signs point to Mcclendon (8th grader) playing somewhere at the next level as well.

 

That's 8 right there.

 

Like Henry Steele said though, this team still has some unwritten chapters. They might be better next year though to be honest with you..

NewCath definitely was in 1984.

 

You are absolutely correct. :thumb:

How about most TALENTED team then to ever come out of the 9th? I think that's a fair assessment.

 

I think Highlands back when they had Smith, Lorenzen, Stegman, Glacier and those guys were the best athletes. Smith and Lorenzen had a shot at pro football, Stegman played with Roetlisberger at Miami, and Glacier was drafted by the Red Sox. IMO they were more athletic than this Holmes team, but Holmes seems to have better basketball guys, I guess it could go either way.

No, there has never been basketball team from northern kentucky ranked number one in the state during the regular season............this is coming from a very reliable source.:thumb:

 

Your very reliable source isn't very reliable!

I know for a fact that Holy Cross was ranked #1 in the 94-95 season and I'm 90% sure they were in 64-65.

This is only one team in the region. I guarantee you there were others ranked #1 at some time in the regular season too.

Your very reliable source isn't very reliable!

I know for a fact that Holy Cross was ranked #1 in the 94-95 season and I'm 90% sure they were in 64-65.

This is only one team in the region. I guarantee you there were others ranked #1 at some time in the regular season too.

 

I agree. I'm not sure about the 64-65 team but I am 100% sure that they were in 94-95

Of the teams mentioned as being #1 in the state, how many actually finished ranked NATIONALLY? Being ranked #1 in the state is nice but national recognition is much bigger.

 

Last year Holmes finished ranked I believe #37 in the USA Today Top 40 and this year's team is currently ranked #24 nationally.

Lets be careful here. According to the powerful Atari computers being used in Louisville and Lexington Holmes is not ranked number 1 and never has this year. A team that Holmes beat and a powerhouse from somewhere in KY is ranked higher than Holmes. Holmes needs to beat Cooper by around 90 points because showing up weaker competition is obviously criteria #1 in the rating systems Litkenhous and Mr. Cantrall use.

I think it's be safe to assume Holmes has ATLEAST 6 kids who play sports at the next level:

 

Riley- D2 basketball, POSSIBLY small D1 or NAIA

Rice- football

R. Johnson- D1 basketball

J. Johnson- D1 basketball

E. Pittman- D1 basketball

Arnold- D1 basketball

 

I know there's a few kids in the soph class that will likely play football at the next level as well. (Chris Hayes)

 

And then all signs point to Mcclendon (8th grader) playing somewhere at the next level as well.

 

That's 8 right there.

 

Like Henry Steele said though, this team still has some unwritten chapters. They might be better next year though to be honest with you..

 

Is Rice getting looks at for football and if so where to?

I think it was the 03/04 Covcath team that was favored to win it all. Lost in the semi's.

 

The '04 CCH team was not favored to win it all. Mason County was the defending champs (with Chris Lofton, Grutza & an 8th grader named Darius Miller) and they made it to the Finals again. They beat Scott County in the Semis, who had handed CCH it's last loss in the Toyota Classic.

Your very reliable source isn't very reliable!

I know for a fact that Holy Cross was ranked #1 in the 94-95 season and I'm 90% sure they were in 64-65.

This is only one team in the region. I guarantee you there were others ranked #1 at some time in the regular season too.

 

TheoldGuy would know better than I, but I feel confident that Cov Cath was ranked highly in the late 60's.

 

They won region 5 years in a row, losing once in the finals on a last second shot. I'm sure there were ranked #1 somewhere along the line.

I'd say that 03/04 Covcath team and this year's Holmes team would probably be the two best teams to come out of the 9th this decade. Not sure who I'd give the edge to. Covcath had a lot of size that year but didn't really have that "superstar" like Holmes has this year.

 

Who needs a superstar when you play team defense & get each other open?

There is a lot of basketball left to be played this year but from what I have seen of this Holmes team they are the best team I have ever seen in NKY (for me that would only cover the last 20 years or so). Great defensive team, great athleticism, some great individual players (how many teams in NKY have had two high division one basketball player play together and keep in mind they are still only juniors) yet very well balanced in that the other players are also very good players, ability to score in multiple ways inside and out and very disciplined and well coached. I suppose another way to look at it is what team can you remember that you would have favored to beat this team on a neutral court. Even though all teams have off nights I expect them to run the table in NKY play. I have no affiliation or connection with them in any way but I wish them the best in hopefully a successful quest to represent and win NKY's second state titile.