5wide--Agree 100%. Everyone in the tournament has a legitimate shot at winning the championship or they wouldn't be in the Sweet 16 to begin with.

 

I can concede that both Holmes and Elliot are great teams with their own styles of play and either team could very well be the next state champion.

 

And either could be out the first round with a sub-par performance. Christian Co. and Anderson Co. are both very good teams.

Do you really think teams in Lex. are going to slow the ball down as much as 9th region teams did in the region tourney?

 

BTW, that 42 average would have been enough to beat high scoring Ballard...Holmes held them to 41 points.

 

I think some may be looking too much at their average ppg during the region tourney. When they play teams who want to get out and run and score, they put up big numbers. They've put 70 or more on Scott Co, Bryan Station, Franklin County, Tates Creek, and Seneca...all of whome were in the BGP top 20 at some point during the year, with Seneca being the only team who didn't finish in the BGP top 20.

 

If teams don't try to slow the ball down against Holmes in Lex, you'll see them put some points up on the board.

Maybe not, but please beat both sides of the drum. Holmes held those teams to those #'s in a stall game, so let's not anoint the defense yet in the past 5 games if you acknowledge that it was a stall game. Nothing wrong with homerism, but let's call it what it is.

And either could be out the first round with a sub-par performance. Christian Co. and Anderson Co. are both very good teams.

 

I agree Plato.

I'm beginning to wonder why anyone besides Holmes and Elliott County are making the trip to Lexington.

 

From what I can gather, we have the unstoppable force (Elliott County) and the immovable object (Holmes). One cannot be stopped, running teams ragged and scoring at will. And the other, well, you're lucky if they let you breathe, much less score.

 

I say we petition the KHSAA to go the BCS format, so we can get these two on the court to settle the matter and save the rest of the participants the embarassment of having to face them.

 

Would it be too much for either side to concede that both are great teams that play contrasting styles and are capable of beating anyone they play? And, that there are a few other teams in the tournament that are capable of doing the same thing?

 

Just wondering.:idunno:

 

AMEN!

Plato--I agree with your comment as well. Anderson County came very close to beating Elliott County once already. As for Christian County I have not seen them play but everyone talks very highly of them and if they were not a legit team they wouldn't be in the Sweet 16.

Maybe not, but please beat both sides of the drum. Holmes held those teams to those #'s in a stall game, so let's not anoint the defense yet in the past 5 games if you acknowledge that it was a stall game. Nothing wrong with homerism, but let's call it what it is.

 

Good defense will make it seem like a team is playing a stall game. Again, unless you were at the games, it's hard to understand where people are coming from as an outsider that simply chooses to form an opinion based on the scores.

Good defense will make it seem like a team is playing a stall game. Again, unless you were at the games, it's hard to understand where people are coming from as an outsider that simply chooses to form an opinion based on the scores.

One post you say 9th region teams stalled against them. Now because that doesn't fit the argument you made about their stellar defense the last five games you argue that it was the good defense that made it seem like a stall game. I am totally confused so I'll leave this one alone. I wish them well, stall or up and down game.

1. Elliott Co.

2. Holmes

3. Shelby Valley

4. Eastern

5. Lex Catholic

6. Corbin

7. Mason Co

8. Anderson Co

9. Christian Co

10. Adair Co

11. Bowling Green

12. Hazard

13. West Jessamine

14. Central

15. Grayson Co

16. Graves Co

 

I think this is Elliots year:ylsuper:

 

I think your list looks great. I hope you are right about it being Elliott County's year!:thumb:

A few things to point out from your post:

 

1. Elliott relies on offense to win games. Key word is IF they shoot above 50% they can beat anyone, and I agree. But eventually a team isn't going to shoot that well every game. Law of averages catches up to the offense, but defense never quits and is constant. Holmes isn't too shabby from outside either though. If I recall correctly, they actually have a higher 3 pt % than your EC Lions at 40% and Riley is one of the top 3 pt shooters in the state. Pittman, JJ, DJ, and Rico have all shown the ability to hit shots from anywhere on the floor.

 

2. The way EC fans talk, you'd think they had the USA Dream Team of high school basketball. (No disrespect meant to the fans or their team, but some go WAYY overboard) Never once have I said Holmes was the most atheletic team this state has ever seen, and honestly that'd be foolish thinking by ANYONE considering some of the Ballard, J'town, Scott Co, and other L'ville teams we've seen throughout the years. But for THIS YEAR, I truly believe Holmes is the most athletic team in the state. Very rarely do you see a teams' 5'11/6'0 PG grabbing 8 and 9 rbs a game when there is a 6'4, 6'5, and 6'7 kid out there as well with just as much athleticism. You'll realize what I'm talking about next Thurs. Holmes plays above the rim more than any team in the state and Pittman plays above the square. He's jumped up and not blocked, but GRABBED balls out of mid air several times this year.

 

3. Individual talent doesn't carry a team. Especially with a group like this one, you have to play as a team to be successful. Holmes has had some pretty talented teams in the past that didn't do squat because they played too much "Me" ball. Not the case with this group and that's evident by the fact that Holmes' TEAMS have been to the state tournament 4 of the past 5 years. Rico, JJ, Pittman, and Rice have also been playing together on the same AAU team pretty much all their lives, so let's not act like EC is the only team who has been playing together for a while and that makes them a superior TEAM. :ohbrother:

 

4. As far as EC having a different style that I've never seen or witnessed, I'd say Scott Co runs and pressures just as much as EC and Holmes faired pretty well against them I believe. I'll return the comment back though, and say EC hasn't seen a team that will play as good of defense as Holmes does. If you think Holmes doesn't play together as a TEAM, you obviously haven't seen them this year in person. They've lost just 5 games over the past two years and they've beaten some pretty good TEAMS over that span, including a Covcath team (3 times), that pretty much took EC behind the woodshed last year ...BTW, this Holmes teams is MUCH better than they were. Having athletes is nice but 66-5 over a two year span with the same core group speaks for itself. :sssh:

 

5. If Holmes does get beat, I'll have no problem giving the other team credit, but if they get beat it won't be because they aren't a good team...it will be because they ran in to a team that was just better and executed better THAT NIGHT (which is evident by the fact that Holmes has avenged BOTH losses this year).

 

All of these arguments become moot if neither team advances to the semi's. For right now, I think EC fans need to worry more about Anderson Co and then a potential match up with the only KY team to beat them. Same goes with Holmes fans....Christian Co and Lexcath are both very capable teams.

 

Until the games decide each teams' fate, good luck and hope to see you down the road. :thumb:

 

We could go on for days about who is the best and why they will win. I think that we would agree that these two teams are defanetly in the top three of the tournament and we both hope that they meet each other. If it does work out the way we hope for then our teams can battle it out on the court. Goodluck to your team! :thumb:

The first round game I am looking most forward to is Corbin vs. Eastern at 8 on Wednesday, the two teams' combined record is 59-5, with Eastern being 30-2 and Corbin being 29-3. Eastern's only losses are to J-Town, in which they lost both regular season matchups. Corbin's only losses are to Knott Central, Scott and South Laurel. IMO, whoever wins this game has the best chance to win state, as the top of the bracket is substantially weaker than the bottom and the whomever comes out of the top half will not be as drained as the team that makes it out of the Lower Bracket, whether that be Elliott, Holmes, Mason, Shelby Valley, Christian County, Anderson County, Catholic, or Bowling Green

We could go on for days about who is the best and why they will win. I think that we would agree that these two teams are defanetly in the top three of the tournament and we both hope that they meet each other. If it does work out the way we hope for then our teams can battle it out on the court. Goodluck to your team! :thumb:

 

Well said and good luck to the Lions as well. :thumb:

I haven't seen Eastern play so I can't comment on them, but Shelby Valley, LexCath and Elliott Cty are every bit as good as Holmes. Elliott is the most fun to watch team I've seen all year. Look out if their hitting their outside shots. Shelby Valley is big with a very good point guard.

How does Shelby Valley compare to the Paintsville teams in the '90's?

 

Those Paintsville teams had solid PG play with an explosive 2 Guard (Todd Tackett), an athletic big man (Ratliff, 6-8) and a dominant presence in the paint (J.R. Vanhoose, 6-9).

 

Are there any similarities?

How does Shelby Valley compare to the Paintsville teams in the '90's?

 

Those Paintsville teams had solid PG play with an explosive 2 Guard (Todd Tackett), an athletic big man (Ratliff, 6-8) and a dominant presence in the paint (J.R. Vanhoose, 6-9).

 

Are there any similarities?

 

I think the teams aren't that similar other than being small schools from the same area. Paintsville had a far better presence in the paint with Vanhoose and the offense ran through him. But Shelby Valley has a far better point guard with Justice. Shelby Valley is more of a run and gun team and Paintsville was set it up and give it to the big man with Tackett as their next option. Vanhoose was one the better big men to ever play in the state of Kentucky.

 

I can't wait to see both of these point guards play again, Justice and Ethan Faulkner of Elliott County. They are both great floor generals and players. For anyone that hasn't got to see both of these guys play you are in for a treat at Rupp.

I think Adair could be anywhere in the 9-11 range ... I have them at 11. I don't think there is a great deal of difference from #3 or #4 to about #11 or so.

 

Personally, I think a lot of people are underestimating Central ... the Yellowjackets are 16-6 since they started using their football players.

 

I agree...will be watching them. I listed them at #11...but they could be higher.