Sure, he had good players, but separately, other than Justice, none of those guys would really wow anybody and make recruiters flock to Robinson Creek. The whole was much more than the sum of its parts at SV, and that's because of his coaching.

 

The SV kids were successful at the middle school level and in AAU before they made it to Booher. I do think Booher's defensive style contributed heavily to SV's ability to play against more athletic or taller teams. The biggest thing I think Booher brought to the team's success was that he expected to win, and I think that carried over to the kids. It was more than thinking they could win on the statewide level, but expecting to win...

 

Booher was widely criticized for SV's schedule the past couple of years. Many were opposed to Booher electing to play out-of-state tournaments rather than the top in-state tournaments. It was said that he wasn't getting his team prepared for the postseason, and that he was being unfair to the kids in not getting them statewide recognition. After bringing home the Sweet 16 title, Justice winning Mr. Basketball, and 4 of 5 starters signing with colleges, I guess we have our answer.

 

IMO, the success at SV the past few seasons can be attributed to an extraordinary group of young men and a coach that seemed to push all the right buttons... :thumb:

To the contrary I have heard that Shelby Valley will be reaching out to East Ridge coach Raymond Justice to fill the void if Booher does leave. Although I'm sure they are more interested in Raymond's son (who will be a frosh) than they are him.

 

 

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

The SV kids were successful at the middle school level and in AAU before they made it to Booher. I do think Booher's defensive style contributed heavily to SV's ability to play against more athletic or taller teams. The biggest thing I think Booher brought to the team's success was that he expected to win, and I think that carried over to the kids. It was more than thinking they could win on the statewide level, but expecting to win...

 

Booher was widely criticized for SV's schedule the past couple of years. Many were opposed to Booher electing to play out-of-state tournaments rather than the top in-state tournaments. It was said that he wasn't getting his team prepared for the postseason, and that he was being unfair to the kids in not getting them statewide recognition. After bringing home the Sweet 16 title, Justice winning Mr. Basketball, and 4 of 5 starters signing with colleges, I guess we have our answer.

 

IMO, the success at SV the past few seasons can be attributed to an extraordinary group of young men and a coach that seemed to push all the right buttons... :thumb:

 

What I bolded is the A-Number-One-Key to it all. Bill Mike Runyon started seeing the light a bit late in the game, realizing that trying to outscore everybody worked at home but not once you ventured out into the state, but I'm of the opinion that the defense they played at SV the past 4-5 years really hammered the point home that it's not enough to outscore a team, but that you've actually got to stop somebody. Booher learned a few lessons from watching South Laurel's state championship team, and applied them masterfully to his own team, IMO.

 

And please, don't anyone take my comment as a swipe at Hatfield, Newsomes, Curby Tackett, et al, but had those kids not learned to play defense, they don't get many oppos to play college. Scoring 50 points in a game is great if you have a kid who can do it every now and then, but playing good defense is what gets the college recruiters interested. Did Landon Slone ever score as many points in a game again as he did in that region game when he was a freshman?

He interviewed today for the Holmes job.

What I bolded is the A-Number-One-Key to it all. Bill Mike Runyon started seeing the light a bit late in the game, realizing that trying to outscore everybody worked at home but not once you ventured out into the state, but I'm of the opinion that the defense they played at SV the past 4-5 years really hammered the point home that it's not enough to outscore a team, but that you've actually got to stop somebody. Booher learned a few lessons from watching South Laurel's state championship team, and applied them masterfully to his own team, IMO.

 

And please, don't anyone take my comment as a swipe at Hatfield, Newsomes, Curby Tackett, et al, but had those kids not learned to play defense, they don't get many oppos to play college. Scoring 50 points in a game is great if you have a kid who can do it every now and then, but playing good defense is what gets the college recruiters interested. Did Landon Slone ever score as many points in a game again as he did in that region game when he was a freshman?

 

 

By late in the game are you talking about the mid 90s?

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

 

Not saying it will happen 100%. Just saying I've heard that as one of the options SV will be looking at if Booher does leave.

Cameron Justice will be an 8th grader, but is expected to start for ER...

 

Pretty sure he will be a frosh next year. Started JV this year at East Ridge.

Pretty sure he will be a frosh next year. Started JV this year at East Ridge.

 

He will be an 8th grader.

By late in the game are you talking about the mid 90s?

 

No. They may have been playing good 15th Region defense, but I didn't see Paintsville teams play lock-down defense comparable to what you see outside of the mountains until the last few years of his tenure.

No. They may have been playing good 15th Region defense, but I didn't see Paintsville teams play lock-down defense comparable to what you see outside of the mountains until the last few years of his tenure.

 

I was young and didn't see them play, but what about the Paintsville teams with Vanhoose and Tackett that won it all and made it to the championship game?

I was young and didn't see them play, but what about the Paintsville teams with Vanhoose and Tackett that won it all and made it to the championship game?

 

As much as anything, it seems to me they were able to "out-talent" the competition.

It seems this is a good time to move on. Hes a hot name right now, as he should be, and Shelby Valley is obviously going to be down next year (not saying they can't be good, but down from the past couple years).