I agree with the top four and can't argue with Bell, but I think No. 5 is open now.

 

Bell County loses Zachery and Wilson. Harlan County loses Caldwell and Polson. Harlan County won both meetings last year even though both games were very close.

Bell had a bad season last year. I thought talent wise they was in the top 4 or 5 in the region last season. It would be hard for me to put Harlan Co. in front of Bell next season because they will not be able to match up with Bell on the boards because of Robbins and Chambers. Harlan will also have to get a boat load of scoring out of the two returning senior guards.

Loaded with talent? They are good, but loaded? Umm, don't think so. Plus, they don't match-up well with South Laurel, thus, they are not the team to beat.

 

 

So, I assume Clay has already been tagged the team to beat next year HDE in the upcoming pre-season previews? :ohbrother:

 

 

 

I picked Clay No. 1 in my newspaper column, just ahead of Corbin and South Laurel.

 

The coaches vote in the stories I do for preseason publications, so Corbin may have the edge there. I think it will be real close between those three with Knox Central fourth. Several teams will be in the mix for No. 5 including Harlan County, Bell County, Whitley County, North Laurel etc...

 

What's your early top 10?

 

 

I have Clay County, Harlan County and South Laurel in the girls rankings.

I picked Clay No. 1 in my newspaper column, just ahead of Corbin and South Laurel.

 

The coaches vote in the stories I do for preseason publications, so Corbin may have the edge there. I think it will be real close between those three with Knox Central fourth. Several teams will be in the mix for No. 5 including Harlan County, Bell County, Whitley County, North Laurel etc...

 

What's your early top 10?

 

 

I have Clay County, Harlan County and South Laurel in the girls rankings.

 

1. Clay Co

2. Corbin

3. South L.

4. Knox Central

5. Bell Co.

6. North Laurel

7. Whitley Co.

8. Harlan Co.

9. M'boro

10- B-ville

 

Harlan Co. could jump up a spot or two if they develop a third option in the "O." I also think M'boro could be dangerous because they will also have good size. The big question for them is if they can develop a PG.

My guess is that Green will play point guard.

They lose a lot of scoring though with Brown and Smith graduating.

My guess is that Green will play point guard.

They lose a lot of scoring though with Brown and Smith graduating.

 

If they have to play Green at the point then I would maybe take them out of the top 10. My reason behind that is teams could double him out front and make him give the ball up. If he is not able to post or spot up on the wing for M'boro next season they could be in trouble. This is not to say he could not play the point, but M'boro needs him to score big next season not run the team.:thumb:

Rumor is that is wrong.

 

Les, better check your sources, You stated in a thread that Elam would be back at KC as well. Sometimes people have a change of heart.

How does the coaching change at K.C. effect these predictions? The Sizemore kid at South is a perimeter player at South also. I believe that Coach Broughton was saved from eating crow. His kid will be at K.C. next year. South, Corbin, K.C., Clay will battle it out next year. Where will Miller be at next year? North Laurel has the inside tract. That would make them very competitive.

How does the coaching change at K.C. effect these predictions? The Sizemore kid at South is a perimeter player at South also. I believe that Coach Broughton was saved from eating crow. His kid will be at K.C. next year. South, Corbin, K.C., Clay will battle it out next year. Where will Miller be at next year? North Laurel has the inside tract. That would make them very competitive.

 

 

Clay would be my pick, due to the number of players they have returning. I am not sure the Tigers can beat Corbin and South on back to back nights to win the region though. So, I would say the winner of the 50th district will again be the 13th regional champion for the fifth consecutive year thereabouts.

South is still going to be South. With St John and one of the best, if not the best coaching staff in the region with Wright, Denny, Sizemore, etc, ... South will still be tough to beat in the 13th.

I could use some help.

 

These teams will be ranked in the top 10:

Clay and North from the 49th; South, Corbin and Whitley from the 50th, Knox Central from the 51st and Bell County, Harlan County and Middlesboro from the 52nd.

 

That's nine teams. I need 10. I think you can leave out Williamsburg, Jackson County, OBI and Red Bird.

 

That leaves Pineville, Lynn Camp, Harlan and Barbourville for 10th place. Who saw them play this summer? What does everyone think?

I could use some help.

 

These teams will be ranked in the top 10:

Clay and North from the 49th; South, Corbin and Whitley from the 50th, Knox Central from the 51st and Bell County, Harlan County and Middlesboro from the 52nd.

 

That's nine teams. I need 10. I think you can leave out Williamsburg, Jackson County, OBI and Red Bird.

 

That leaves Pineville, Lynn Camp, Harlan and Barbourville for 10th place. Who saw them play this summer? What does everyone think?

 

I did not see Barbourville play, but I would expect them to be pretty good this year. Any idea what happened to Middlesboro at the tourney last weekend? They lost 4 games by an average margin of 25 points per game.

Middlesboro doesn't have much depth. Powers wasn't at the game I saw, which left Green and Cowan as the only scorers. Middlesboro could start five seniors, but after that they drop down to a couple of freshmen.

 

Barbourville is going to be small after losing a 6-8 guy and two 6-4 guys to graduation. They can be pretty good if the shots are falling. They missed something like their first 19 3-point attempts in the regional game last year and got blown out by Middlesboro.

Middlesboro doesn't have much depth. Powers wasn't at the game I saw, which left Green and Cowan as the only scorers. Middlesboro could start five seniors, but after that they drop down to a couple of freshmen.

 

Barbourville is going to be small after losing a 6-8 guy and two 6-4 guys to graduation. They can be pretty good if the shots are falling. They missed something like their first 19 3-point attempts in the regional game last year and got blown out by Middlesboro.

 

I think Mboro will struggle this season. I saw them play last weekend and they didn't look very good at all.

I watched a summer game recently and Williamsburg beat Barbourville without a few of their starters.

Edited June 24, 200917 yr by gold sunrise
Rule #13

I could use some help.

 

These teams will be ranked in the top 10:

Clay and North from the 49th; South, Corbin and Whitley from the 50th, Knox Central from the 51st and Bell County, Harlan County and Middlesboro from the 52nd.

 

That's nine teams. I need 10. I think you can leave out Williamsburg, Jackson County, OBI and Red Bird.

 

That leaves Pineville, Lynn Camp, Harlan and Barbourville for 10th place. Who saw them play this summer? What does everyone think?

 

I would go with Lynn Camp. They were 15-5 during the summer and beat Barbourville during the summer and they've got a couple of new faces. One kid came from Michigan and they played tough in Lexington without Bargo and Siler playing. Broughton played with them in Lexington and if he stays then Lynn Camp is a No. 5, 6 or 7 team IMO.