The majority of D1 athletes played multiple sports during their HS career. Silly for a kid to not participate in as many sports as possible during HS. If the kid enjoys playing more than one sport, he should be able to do so without any pressure from coaches. Just my two cents. I don't know if Rick asked this of his bb players or not, but I would like to think he did not.

Voice of reason you are way off base saying Coach Shumate has talked kids into giving up other sports, Period! Kyles decision to give up football was his and his alone. Not a single coach on Beechwoods basketball staff would ever tell a student athlete to give up another sport to focus on basketball. Get the facts striaght!

 

Yes the bar is raised at Beechwood for basketball, as it is in football, baseball, band, academics and anything else you can think of.

 

Thank you for the clarification, especially in regards to Daniels. However, as to the rest of your comments, it contradicts what I have heard from numerous other people but I hope you are right.

There are probably a half dozen or so that will be on this year's team that are basketball only. I wonder how Kyle Daniels feels about his basketball only career at Beechwood? I don't know. Maybe he feels great about it. But there is an example of a kid who gave up every other sport to play basketball and my guess is he may regret it. Again, maybe he doesn't regret it at all but at a small school like Beechwood, kids have opportunities to contribute in more than one sport and the sports teams need these kids to contribute to more than one sport. If the kid chooses to be one sport only, more power to him. But even as a freshman, who knows where an athlete's talents will best take him? I think the players should play everything they can and see where they are best suited as they mature.

 

To answer other posters as well, let there be no doubt that Shumate can coach. He has done a great job at Beechwood taking basketball toward the same level of competitiveness of the other main sports. I am not insinuating at all that he is in danger of losing his job or anything like that. My point is, he has raised the bar for his players and the results should reflect that.

I think that is false that Shumate wants them to be one sport athletes. If you examine the teams from the last couple of years they are only a handful. I mean most of the team play atleast 2 sports.

I think a few of you are seriously over-estimating Beechwood this year.

 

They will be solid with Maus, Nussbaum, and Fangman, but solid is as far as I'd go with this group. They'll dominate DIII but finish 0-3 in the district and have another first round exit in the district tournament.

 

Covcath will be too big for the Tigers and Thelen will abuse them down low as the Tigers have no real post presence at either end of the floor.

 

Holmes will run and press them to death and show the Tiger's youth. Beechwood simply doesn't have the athleticism to run with Holmes for 4 quarters and I don't think their guards are good enough to break Holmes' press enough to outscore the Dogs.

 

Holy Cross returns everyone but one player from a team that beat the Tigers at Beechwood last year. Add Christian McClendon to the mix of players for the Indians and it's easy to see that Beechwood will struggle in the district this year.

 

Beechwood is a year or two away from having another team that will compete with the bigger schools in nky....IMO, of course.

I think that is false that Shumate wants them to be one sport athletes. If you examine the teams from the last couple of years they are only a handful. I mean most of the team play atleast 2 sports.

 

It's great that the boys have the guts to do what they want, isn't it?

I think a few of you are seriously over-estimating Beechwood this year.

 

They will be solid with Maus, Nussbaum, and Fangman, but solid is as far as I'd go with this group. They'll dominate DIII but finish 0-3 in the district and have another first round exit in the district tournament.

 

Covcath will be too big for the Tigers and Thelen will abuse them down low as the Tigers have no real post presence at either end of the floor.

 

Holmes will run and press them to death and show the Tiger's youth. Beechwood simply doesn't have the athleticism to run with Holmes for 4 quarters and I don't think their guards are good enough to break Holmes' press enough to outscore the Dogs.

 

Holy Cross returns everyone but one player from a team that beat the Tigers at Beechwood last year. Add Christian McClendon to the mix of players for the Indians and it's easy to see that Beechwood will struggle in the district this year.

 

Beechwood is a year or two away from having another team that will compete with the bigger schools in nky....IMO, of course.

 

The district is probably the best it has ever been. You make good points on all the above. And Beechwood is still young. But they do have size. Maus is 6'5",strong in the middle with a great shooting touch from 12' in. Cruse is 6'5". McKenzie is 6'5". They do have speed ... Nussbaum, Prewitt, Estrala, Vocke(?). There are a lot of tools there to use to match up with and/or take advantage of opponents.

Walter, the season is about to begin, should be a fun one! Only time will tell if you are correct in your assessments of the talent in this district!

Edited November 17, 201015 yr by spindoc

The district is probably the best it has ever been. You make good points on all the above. And Beechwood is still young. But they do have size. Maus is 6'5",strong in the middle with a great shooting touch from 12' in. Cruse is 6'5". McKenzie is 6'5". They do have speed ... Nussbaum, Prewitt, Estrala, Vocke(?). There are a lot of tools there to use to match up with and/or take advantage of opponents.

 

Are Maus and Cruse really 6'5?

 

I don't remember either being that big the few times I've seen them. Both have good size but I would've never guessed they were in the 6'5 range.

Are Maus and Cruse really 6'5?

 

I don't remember either being that big the few times I've seen them. Both have good size but I would've never guessed they were in the 6'5 range.

 

Let's just say somewhere between 6'4" and 6'6". Does that sound right?

I think a few of you are seriously over-estimating Beechwood this year.

 

They will be solid with Maus, Nussbaum, and Fangman, but solid is as far as I'd go with this group. They'll dominate DIII but finish 0-3 in the district and have another first round exit in the district tournament.

 

Covcath will be too big for the Tigers and Thelen will abuse them down low as the Tigers have no real post presence at either end of the floor.

 

Holmes will run and press them to death and show the Tiger's youth. Beechwood simply doesn't have the athleticism to run with Holmes for 4 quarters and I don't think their guards are good enough to break Holmes' press enough to outscore the Dogs.

 

Holy Cross returns everyone but one player from a team that beat the Tigers at Beechwood last year. Add Christian McClendon to the mix of players for the Indians and it's easy to see that Beechwood will struggle in the district this year.

 

Beechwood is a year or two away from having another team that will compete with the bigger schools in nky....IMO, of course.

 

I saw Beechwood a few times over the summer and thought that they had all the parts to compete in the district and region this year. Their bigs are a legit 6'4" and have some skills. They got a lot of good experience at the varsity level last year. They have already matched up with Thelen last year so there won't be any surprises this year. Fangman is a legitimate scorer and has improved athletically. Nussbaum is solid at the point and is a fearless competitor.

 

I do question their depth but you can say that about anybody in the 9th Region this year. I think in most years they are a middle of the road team but in this years 9th Region where there is so much parity and no outstanding team why not Beechwood? Shumate is a good coach and he is going to play his young guys early and he usually plays a good non conference schedule to prepare for the district. If Beechwood gets hot at the right time they can make a run just like 8 other teams in the region this year.

I saw Beechwood a few times over the summer and thought that they had all the parts to compete in the district and region this year. Their bigs are a legit 6'4" and have some skills. They got a lot of good experience at the varsity level last year. They have already matched up with Thelen last year so there won't be any surprises this year. Fangman is a legitimate scorer and has improved athletically. Nussbaum is solid at the point and is a fearless competitor.

 

I do question their depth but you can say that about anybody in the 9th Region this year. I think in most years they are a middle of the road team but in this years 9th Region where there is so much parity and no outstanding team why not Beechwood? Shumate is a good coach and he is going to play his young guys early and he usually plays a good non conference schedule to prepare for the district. If Beechwood gets hot at the right time they can make a run just like 8 other teams in the region this year.

 

I don't doubt that they won't be a solid team. I just think they won't beat the bigger schools in nky and will end up as the #4 seed in the district.

Any one else hear the hot rumor around Fort Mitchell? Taylor Smith[brother of AJ Smith] may play basketball. He is 6'5 and could be a force in the post! Any truth to this?

Any one else hear the hot rumor around Fort Mitchell? Taylor Smith[brother of AJ Smith] may play basketball. He is 6'5 and could be a force in the post! Any truth to this?

 

I am hearing about some "big" things possible for next year.

Any one else hear the hot rumor around Fort Mitchell? Taylor Smith[brother of AJ Smith] may play basketball. He is 6'5 and could be a force in the post! Any truth to this?

He could definitely add some more depth to the post but I dont think his skills will be as sharp as AJ's

Shumate has been extremely lucky with the players he has had in the past. I don't think he is a "great" coach, but very fortunate to have the talent he has had. I disagree with the comment that a basketball coach would tell a kid to give up other sports. It happened to one of my best friends at BW. He was told to give up what he was doing over the summer and concentrate on showing up at basketball if he wanted any playing time. Unfortunately, he listened to the coach and regrets having done so!