You forgot Turner and Collinsworth. Roughly 1/3 of the roster is made up of football players. There simply are not many basketball only players in these classes.

 

I stand corrected. With Jac out most, if not all of the gridiron season and Luke missing time too, I forgot both of them.

I will go along with some of this. What I'm not remembering is the influx of talent that came from St. Thomas. I can think of a couple guys, but am failing to come up with any names, when they really started rolling around 1979

 

'76-'77 would be the first year of St. Thomas influence. Jerry Becker & Mark Buten are the only names I can recall that would have been players. Both solid players but it's not like an "all-region" guy transferred in. Now if they closed a year earlier, THAT would have been a different story! Carl Hafele, Matt Giesler, Mike Hardesty would have been nice additions! But they most probably would have gone down to the "school on the hill".

'76-'77 would be the first year of St. Thomas influence. Jerry Becker & Mark Buten are the only names I can recall that would have been players. Both solid players but it's not like an "all-region" guy transferred in. Now if they closed a year earlier, THAT would have been a different story! Carl Hafele, Matt Giesler, Mike Hardesty would have been nice additions! But they most probably would have gone down to the "school on the hill".

That's about the way I remember it. I wasn't too sure about McManus or Mallory.

That's about the way I remember it. I wasn't too sure about McManus or Mallory.

 

Bobby McManus was a HHS guy from St. Catherine, as was Mark Wendel. I forgot about Mike Mallory...he was a very nice point guard. I got a question: Would Highlands be a downtrodden program if Jake Giesler (Ft. Thomas native) were on the team? We'd probably be in tall cotton! The point being, players make the program. Keep the interest level high in the younger grades and give kids time to develop. Don't focus on playing 5-6 kids and winning a "grade school title"...develop kids and prep 8-9 for the next level.

Bobby McManus was a HHS guy from St. Catherine, as was Mark Wendel. I forgot about Mike Mallory...he was a very nice point guard. I got a question: Would Highlands be a downtrodden program if Jake Giesler (Ft. Thomas native) were on the team? We'd probably be in tall cotton! The point being, players make the program. Keep the interest level high in the younger grades and give kids time to develop. Don't focus on playing 5-6 kids and winning a "grade school title"...develop kids and prep 8-9 for the next level.

 

I agree. I just can't buy the stance, that since Highlands is a football school, we really shouldn't have high expectations for the basketball program. We've always been a football school, and from the late 70's through the early 2000's we've had a pretty successful basketball program.

Bobby McManus was a HHS guy from St. Catherine, as was Mark Wendel. I forgot about Mike Mallory...he was a very nice point guard. I got a question: Would Highlands be a downtrodden program if Jake Giesler (Ft. Thomas native) were on the team? We'd probably be in tall cotton! The point being, players make the program. Keep the interest level high in the younger grades and give kids time to develop. Don't focus on playing 5-6 kids and winning a "grade school title"...develop kids and prep 8-9 for the next level.

 

How do you suggest they keep the interest level high in the younger grades? Where does one focus on playing 5-6 kids and winning a "grade school title" as you put it? Who should develop the 8 or 9 kids for the next level as you suggest? I am curious to hear your answers to these questions. You pointed out what the problem is when you stated that players make the program, however when you only have 15 players in the program things are going to be a little tough. There is not one player walking the halls of Highlands that would be a difference maker on this team IMO. There are several that would help with depth however. You only have 4 seniors, 3 of which saw very limited varsity time if any at all over the past few years. Then the only one that saw extensive varsity minutes has missed almost the entire year due to injury. You have a junior class that includes a grand total of 3 players, all of which participate in another sport in the fall and to be quite honest is the best sport for each. There is some promise in the upcoming classes, however there are very few if any that will be just basketball players. Coach Flynn and his assistants need to find a way to keep these kids involved in the basketball program while also affording them the opportunities to play football, soccer, baseball, track and field, cross country and/or golf. Those kids that are basketball only players need to get better and allow these multi-sport athletes to be the good role players that they can be. Lower levels are currently having some success, but the question will be how many will stick to playing basketball when they start to get the football itch.

As a coach you must get the most out of the players you have and adapt to their abilities. HHS offense seems complicated and little to no movement towards the basket. Maybe they are afraid to shoot or lack confidence since they are not given much confidence. I guess we will wait till the current freshman are JRs till we will see Highlands back near the top of the region. That is unless football becomes more important then basketball for them too. I really dont think that HHS football has the best talent at the freshman level but the players get better and become skilled enough to win state championships. If the numbers are down in the basketball program there is a reason and it isnt always because of football like most would like to argue.

As a former Shield's player in the late 70's, I've really enjoyed following this thread. Just curious if the armory is still a haven for pick-up ball during the summers. I've been away from Ft. Thomas for about 30 years but as best as I can remember if you played Bball for Highlands you were expected to be at the Fort sweating your bottom off every night during the Summer. Coach Shield's was often there checking out who was serious about their game. With the likes of the Arnzen brothers, an occasional Dave Cowans appearance, Doug Schloemer and Dicky Beal, plus your usual past and present Bluebird players it made for an unbelievable basketball experience and all and all made Highlands Basketball a much better program. Just curious , any body still play at the armory and is it even open? Maybe that's what is causing the impending demise of Highlands basketball. No Jr. Pro basketball and no pick-up ball at the Armory. Not likely but that was some serious basketball played at the Fort.

Edited February 7, 201115 yr by jbckentucky

As a former Shield's player in the late 70's, I've really enjoyed following this thread. Just curious if the armory is still a haven for pick-up ball during the summers. I've been away from Ft. Thomas for about 30 years but as best as I can remember if you played Bball for Highlands you were expected to be at the Fort sweating your bottom off every night during the Summer. Coach Shield's was often there checking out who was serious about their game. With the likes of the Arnzen brothers, an occasional Dave Cowans appearance, Doug Schloemer and Dicky Beal, plus your usual past and present Bluebird players it made for an unbelievable basketball experience and all and all made Highlands Basketball a much better program. Just curious , any body still play at the armory and is it even open? Maybe that's what is causing the impending demise of Highlands basketball. No Jr. Pro basketball and no pick-up ball at the Armory. Not likely but that was some serious basketball played at the Fort.

 

The Armory is still up & running with pick-up basketball BUT, it does not have the "summer series" that you are recalling. Unfortunately, the gym does not serve to attract the "better players" from the region as it perhaps did in the past. This is in part because there are quite a few more venues to play and mostly due to the influx (and buy-in) that kids must always be involved in organized play. AAU, blacktop leagues and other indoor leagues have the kids committed to league play and they miss the "open" pick-up game experience.

 

I personally would love to see a summer pick-up opportunity with some history to play a part (former players,etc) but someone has to oversee it and make it happen. Coach Shields had it figured out......do current coaches not see that !

I can see the team has a little work to do after a 4 point loss to a St. Henry team that lost by 25 to Cov Cath. and a ten point loss to BB.

Three key players out tonight. 6'5 Pat Towles, 6'2 Luke Turner and 5'10 PG Carter New. Not to mention 80% of the team was winning a state football championship last weekend. Give em a month....jeeeeez

As a coach you must get the most out of the players you have and adapt to their abilities. HHS offense seems complicated and little to no movement towards the basket. Maybe they are afraid to shoot or lack confidence since they are not given much confidence. I guess we will wait till the current freshman are JRs till we will see Highlands back near the top of the region. That is unless football becomes more important then basketball for them too. I really dont think that HHS football has the best talent at the freshman level but the players get better and become skilled enough to win state championships. If the numbers are down in the basketball program there is a reason and it isnt always because of football like most would like to argue.

 

You are clueless. Nine of the 14 Varsity players play football and 8 of those 9 probably dont pick a ball up between March and Dec 10th except for maybe 2 weeks in June when they do team camps. You cannot get better if you DONT work on your game outside of the season. It will take those 9 kids atleast 30 days to get in basketball shape, stop bricking layups, catch passes(yes I said that...they struggle to catch passes in December) and get into the flow of what Coach Flynn is trying to accomplish.

 

Coach Flynn is adapting to his players, he realizes that he has athletes and that a very high % of his team plays football 9 months out of the year and doesnt pick a ball up in the offseason. This is why he has changed his style of offense/defense. He realizes that he cant depend on these kids to develop their skills in the offseason because he is up against Football so he figures lets run, lets gun and lets get after it physically. Come out and see a game and then lets see what you have to say but comparing the Football success with Basketball is apples to oranges anymore.

You are clueless. Nine of the 14 Varsity players play football and 8 of those 9 probably dont pick a ball up between March and Dec 10th except for maybe 2 weeks in June when they do team camps. You cannot get better if you DONT work on your game outside of the season. It will take those 9 kids atleast 30 days to get in basketball shape, stop bricking layups, catch passes(yes I said that...they struggle to catch passes in December) and get into the flow of what Coach Flynn is trying to accomplish.

 

Coach Flynn is adapting to his players, he realizes that he has athletes and that a very high % of his team plays football 9 months out of the year and doesnt pick a ball up in the offseason. This is why he has changed his style of offense/defense. He realizes that he cant depend on these kids to develop their skills in the offseason because he is up against Football so he figures lets run, lets gun and lets get after it physically. Come out and see a game and then lets see what you have to say but comparing the Football success with Basketball is apples to oranges anymore.

 

Q-you are right about many of the things you state with your intimate relationship with Bluebirds basketball. As an outsider, let me say that Coach Flynn has had remarkable success in different parts of the state taking various clubs to the Sweet 16. So to me he is not the issue. Obviously the players give it their all. I simply believe Highlands is a football school (like Michigan or Alabama) and that is where the community, school, etc place their emphasis. Now that doesn't mean the Birds cannot, and have not, had hoops success, because they have. It just means in basketball that success will be more sporadic than the constant success of the football program. The opposite is true at a place like Holmes where basketball is sport #1.

 

Good luck to Highlands this basketball season, and to you and your family Q, enjoy the Holidays!!

I see plenty of games and I do want the team to do well, however I'm sure the Beechwood,NC,HC all have football players on the team. IMO the problem is there is nothing like FTJFL for basketball in Ft. Thomas. Teams are formed and go in different directions chasing down the w's and not teaching the fundamentals and developing more kids. I know if you don't play at a high level during the AAU season you have little chance of winning at the HS level. It has become the same in other sports where your scholarship comes from your club season and not your HS season. If this is the trend for the future then HHS basketball will always struggle because of the football first mentalitity and the lack of boys enrollment. In HS sports the coach is worth his weight in gold because he must take the fringe players and make them important pieces of the puzzle. He also has to developed a program that basketball players seek out not only in the school but in the area. In the end I wish the boys well and hope their season is successful.

I see plenty of games and I do want the team to do well, however I'm sure the Beechwood,NC,HC all have football players on the team. IMO the problem is there is nothing like FTJFL for basketball in Ft. Thomas. Teams are formed and go in different directions chasing down the w's and not teaching the fundamentals and developing more kids. I know if you don't play at a high level during the AAU season you have little chance of winning at the HS level. It has become the same in other sports where your scholarship comes from your club season and not your HS season. If this is the trend for the future then HHS basketball will always struggle because of the football first mentalitity and the lack of boys enrollment. In HS sports the coach is worth his weight in gold because he must take the fringe players and make them important pieces of the puzzle. He also has to developed a program that basketball players seek out not only in the school but in the area. In the end I wish the boys well and hope their season is successful.

 

Myself and 2 other fellas have been coaching a group of 5th graders who have been together since 2nd grade. We played grade school ball and now we are playing AAU ball. These kids have developed very well over the past 3 yrs and we stress fundamentals, teamwork, passing, etc. If other parents would do the same thing then that is all we can hope for at this time. We have 10 kids on our team and 6 of them are kids that I can see right now playing HS basketball. The other 4 are kids with potential who could shoot up and even develop at a later age but as long as we are working with them we feel they all have a shot. The Moyer Basketball League in Ft. Thomas is a nice offering but it should not be considered a feeder system. They definitely need to develop a feeder league to keep the kids interested early. Moyer is a great start but I think they need to seriously look at that league because for now its a fun league and there is no pressing allowed, etc. The kids need to learn as early as 3rd / 4th grade how to break a press, how to play the game correctly and not be given breaks when they travel, etc. Just my opinion.

 

NCC has 2 football players on their roster. Hightchew and Morse. Siebert, Dupont, McDonald, Beuter, Schulte, Miller, Ryan, do not play football and they start in the gym as early as September with open gyms and can officially practice on Oct 15th. Hightchew got an earlier start than normal because they were bounced by Holy Cross early in November.

 

Beechwood does not and will not contend for a 9th Region title. This year they have 3/4 kids that played football and they will struggle early but they wont contend for the Region, trust me. They are in probably the toughest district in the Region and may not even make it out.

 

Holy Cross has a few kids who played football but Burger, Campbell, Avery, Thompson, McClendon, Fortner do not play football and they have been in the gym since September. Holy Cross also hasnt contended for the Region in basketball for many years and they do get their share of transfers who played Varsity sports at other High Schools the prior year. See MClendon (played Varsity at Holmes 9th grade year and then smoothly transfers to HC and plays Varsity as soph), Pouncy- (played varsity at Ludlow and smoothly transfers in this year and is playing as a Soph) and the 6'8 Antonio Campbell (played varsity at a Cincinnati school last year and transferred in a few weeks ago and is on the roster and playing).