What does East Ridge need to do to improve in 2009/2010? What do they need to keep doing to be successful? Remember, please be constructive.

With Coach Justice taking over, there will be changes and improvements in all levels of the program.

With Coach Justice taking over, there will be changes and improvements in all levels of the program.

 

 

What, coach Justice, I thought Eric Ratliff was the head coach, what happened? I thought that Justice was the principal.

What, coach Justice, I thought Eric Ratliff was the head coach, what happened? I thought that Justice was the principal.

 

Raymond Justice, who coached at Letcher Central and Belfry before that. He replaced Ratliff.

I think the team will be better, but everyone is playing for 2nd in the 15th.......

I think the team will be better, but everyone is playing for 2nd in the 15th.......

 

:thumb:

 

Cannot argue that.

 

 

From everything I have seen and heard about East Ridges is that they may surprise some people next year. Pretty sure they have most of the core coming back, and if they can get used to the coaching change and respond to it, then they should compete. They have a couple speedy guards in Williams and Fields, however, they are both undersized (maybe not for the 15th).

 

East Ridge also has some size down low with Jake McClanahan who is one of the biggest in the region, however, Jacob's work ethic is something that has been in question throughout his years there. Know from reliable people in and around the program that Jake had the chance to attend UK's elite camp for the past two years and declined, as well as declined a spot he was offered for one of Indiana Elite AAU teams. I'm not saying he would have been playing with Dominique Ferguson or anything, but they have like 5-10 different teams that travel, and he was offered to go with them to Vegas, Florida, etc. He's pretty quick for his size, but like I said so far his heads just not been into basketball. If that changes, then East Ridge could be one the of the few teams in the region who can match up with the size of Shelby Valley.

 

 

 

 

So to sum it up, I believe they will be a better team next year than they were last. Raymond Justice has been there before and he has hung a couple of banners. He will get the most of his players, and that includes McClanahan. In the words of Randy McCoy, that is the best thing that has happened to Jake so far. If Jake will not get after it for Justice, then he won't for anyone. They lost a couple of guys, but in most part it was nothing they cannot replace. They lost a kid who seemed to throw up twenty shots a game to only hit one or two. They'll likely replace those shots for a better percentage. They did lose a hustle guy with some size, who scored nicely in the paint, and had some range, but again nothing they cannot replace. They will be better next year, but as someone alluded to, on paper SV should not get beat.

The style of basketball that Coach Justice wants: high % shots, unselfish play, pound it into the big man will work against Valley. Halfcourt game vs full court game. The season will tell the tale.