Holmes/Covington Catholic Predictions 2/26

[Reality Check]

35th District finals. What do you think? CovCath played Holmes tough the first time they met. The finals on CovCath's home floor. Do the Colonels have a shot at winning another District title? Anyone know what time they tip?

[CATS2017]

Holmes by 15

[kinglouie]

They tip at 8:00pm friday

[Voice of Reason]

Will CCH's guards be able to get anything done at all against Holmes? That is the key to the game for CCH. They have to handle Holmes' pressure and get into a half court game to have any chance at all. Defensively they need to keep it tight, get Holmes to become impatient and start chucking up the outside shots, and then control the boards to take away second chance baskets. How much of that can CCH execute for a full game? Holmes by double digits.

[Reality Check]

Will CCH's guards be able to get anything done at all against Holmes? That is the key to the game for CCH. They have to handle Holmes' pressure and get into a half court game to have any chance at all. Defensively they need to keep it tight, get Holmes to become impatient and start chucking up the outside shots, and then control the boards to take away second chance baskets. How much of that can CCH execute for a full game? Holmes by double digits.

 

Careful what you wish for! If Ricardo or Jeremiah start firing away from outside CovCath could be in trouble. Ricardo has a very smooth shot and if he gets hot look out. Just ask Beechwood.

 

Holmes put a ton of pressure on Beechwood's guards last night and I expect the same to be done against CovCath. CovCath guards will need to the get the ball inside to Thelan and Wellbrock, Holmes pressure may keep them from doing that.

[Voice of Reason]

Careful what you wish for! If Ricardo or Jeremiah start firing away from outside CovCath could be in trouble. Ricardo has a very smooth shot and if he gets hot look out. Just ask Beechwood.

 

Holmes put a ton of pressure on Beechwood's guards last night and I expect the same to be done against CovCath. CovCath guards will need to the get the ball inside to Thelan and Wellbrock, Holmes pressure may keep them from doing that.

 

I am not wishing for anything. I am just commenting on what I think is the best game plan against Holmes. No doubt Holmes hitting those threes early pretty much ended the Beechwood game before it got started. But I would still take my chances playing zone, making Holmes run half court offense and then hopefully settling for threes. You just need to close out well so it isn't a totally uncontested three, make sure you keep them in front of you and then hope they miss.

[masonmatthew]

Why they are playing this game in a rathole is beyond me.

[Clyde]

They tip at 8:00pm friday

 

Why so late?

[kinglouie]

Why they are playing this game in a rathole is beyond me.

 

nice.....

[Tiger1]

Holmes comes out and plays a complete game.

 

With that said, Holmes wins by 17

[Reality Check]

I am not wishing for anything. I am just commenting on what I think is the best game plan against Holmes. No doubt Holmes hitting those threes early pretty much ended the Beechwood game before it got started. But I would still take my chances playing zone, making Holmes run half court offense and then hopefully settling for threes. You just need to close out well so it isn't a totally uncontested three, make sure you keep them in front of you and then hope they miss.

 

No I agree, its really a double edged sword. They can hit the three on you if you pack it in, but if you spread it out they can attack the basket. Plus with all of their length they are a matchup nightmare. I was only trying to make the point that they can hit the three. :notworthy:

[Flotsam]

Why they are playing this game in a rathole is beyond me.

 

What's not to love? Park Hills is a very nice and welcoming community. The Cov. Cath. campus is well lit, safe and has plenty of free parking (including Town and County's parking lot next door). The gym is from the 1950's but it is meticulously clean, well run and family friendly. Cov. Cath.'s hosting organization of faculity, staff, teachers, parents and police are second to none. The games last night were well attended. The crowd was enthusiastic but there was plenty of seating for both games. (The gym was filled 85%- give or take- to capacity). No one had to be in line for hours before the tip to get a seat. The gym was not emptied between games. No one was turned away. While Cov. Cath's gym is not as big as Holmes' (which, in my opinion, is also a great place to watch high school basketball) I would match the experience of attending a game at Cov. Cath. against any in the country.

 

As for the game, I agree that a defense that gets Ricardo and Elijah away from the basket is Cov. Cath's best hope to keep the game within striking distance. I would much rather have them putting up shots from beyond the arc, even considering the fact that both players can fill it up from the outside.

[Walter]

I see a similar result from the Beechwood game in this one. The fact that Covcath played Holmes so close through the first 3 quarters in the first game will keep Holmes focused from tip to finish.

 

If Holmes presses and puts pressure on the CCH guards like they did against Beechwood, we could see a blowout on the Colonels home floor. I'd expect Holmes' length and quickness on defense to bother the smaller Covcath guards which will lead to easy points in transition. Holmes seems to be clicking on all cylinders right now at both ends of the floor.

 

I'm going to say the Dogs get up by double digits in the second quarter and cruise from there. Since the game is AT Covcath:

 

Holmes 58

Covcath 45

 

Colonels go on a late run with Ricardo, JJ, and Elijah on the bench to make the score a little more respectable.

[masonmatthew]

What's not to love? Park Hills is a very nice and welcoming community. The Cov. Cath. campus is well lit, safe and has plenty of free parking (including Town and County's parking lot next door). The gym is from the 1950's but it is meticulously clean, well run and family friendly. Cov. Cath.'s hosting organization of faculity, staff, teachers, parents and police are second to none. The games last night were well attended. The crowd was enthusiastic but there was plenty of seating for both games. (The gym was filled 85%- give or take- to capacity). No one had to be in line for hours before the tip to get a seat. The gym was not emptied between games. No one was turned away. While Cov. Cath's gym is not as big as Holmes' (which, in my opinion, is also a great place to watch high school basketball) I would match the experience of attending a game at Cov. Cath. against any in the country.

 

As for the game, I agree that a defense that gets Ricardo and Elijah away from the basket is Cov. Cath's best hope to keep the game within striking distance. I would much rather have them putting up shots from beyond the arc, even considering the fact that both players can fill it up from the outside.

 

 

Enjoy the game Richie Cunningham.

[Theoldguy]

I see a similar result from the Beechwood game in this one. The fact that Covcath played Holmes so close through the first 3 quarters in the first game will keep Holmes focused from tip to finish.

 

If Holmes presses and puts pressure on the CCH guards like they did against Beechwood, we could see a blowout on the Colonels home floor. I'd expect Holmes' length and quickness on defense to bother the smaller Covcath guards which will lead to easy points in transition. Holmes seems to be clicking on all cylinders right now at both ends of the floor.

 

I'm going to say the Dogs get up by double digits in the second quarter and cruise from there. Since the game is AT Covcath:

 

Holmes 58

Covcath 45

 

Colonels go on a late run with Ricardo, JJ, and Elijah on the bench to make the score a little more respectable.

 

One thing to remember about this game compared to the first game, is that Trey Evans did not play in the first game due to injury!