Good win by the Raiders! I still say this team wins in spite of their coach. From the outside it may look like these kids play hard but I promise you that except for his son, the kids have a hard time playing for Allan. The thing that gets missed is he has perhaps the best player in the ninth region in Bobby Stauffer and a good amount of talent around him. There is also more talent sitting on the bench, but never sees the court. Allan plays favorites and will always be a mediocre coach in my opinion. He could win the district back to back but I, and others around the program, know this team and last year's team could do more.

 

Ouch. Sounds like both coaches have some doubters. At least Alan has a winning record and I see no difference between talent levels at the 2 schools. Bobby probably works harder than the bigs at Conner and he played very unselfish basketball last night. Alan is all business but every team he puts out on the floor plays in your face defense and that's a credit to good coaching, not an accident. Next year might be a different story at Ryle without an excellent post player. Time will tell but who really cares about next year right now. I see the Raiders making some noise this year. They already have exceeded my expectations for sure.

The talent on this team was not properly utilized and became overshadowed by inability in the coaching staff. Gloves are off. The season is over for these boys. A better coach and Conner goes to regional. Most likely still as a favorite.

 

Let me start this by saying I like Coach Hicks. My perception is that he is a good coach. His reputation amongst his peers is that he is a solid coach.

 

I see him coach 4-5 times per year and he is very animated and works hard the whole game. When I have spoken to him away from the gym he comes across as being very passionate about the game and his teams.

 

Without being at practice on a daily basis I think it is tough to determine just how good any coach actually is. When you say talent is not being properly utilized thats a pretty open ended statement

 

I think it is tough for any coach to live up to the expectations of all of the parents.

 

I have never been convinced that the talent on this team was as good as some of the preseason hype. I saw a team that lacked leadership on the floor and wasn't able to execute in critical situations.

 

Sometimes you have to hold the players accountable? Did they execute the game plan as put in place by the staff? Did they set the picks to get other guys open? Did they box out? Were they committed to getting the 50/50 balls?

 

All coaches stress these things but if the players don't buy into the system then they are not going to be successful no matter who is coaching.

Edited February 24, 201115 yr by 4pointplay
spelling

Is Ryle now the District favorite?

 

Based on last night's games, I would pick Ryle over Boone right now. But, each game has a flavor of its own. Much credit to Cooper for what they accomplished this year - Coach Sullivan has done an OUTSTANDING job at the helm. Should be a close game Friday night.

IMO Player were not properly utilized. Hodges saw very limited minutes in the second half. He could have been a serious mismatch, but I don't believe he was properly instructed on what was needed from him. I beleive it is the coaches job to motivate the players. If a player isn't performing, by all means take him out. But make sure you coach him as to what he needs to do and get him back in. Hodges was too good to be sitting.

 

I guess we see that differently as I have always felt that effort was demanded by the coach or the players get to pick splinters. So, all 5 players should be giving maximum team-oriented effort at all times or I blame the coach. Lots of selfish shot selection in the second half for the Cougars and certainly showed no hunger to win.

 

Notice the difference in these two replies. I'm sure that was the crux of the problem with the Cougars all year. Bench because of lack of effort, or play and get what you can out of the talent (and lack of effort you've been dealt, when benching hasn't worked)?

So the kids have a hard time playing for Ryle's coach because he's hard on them and forces them to play hard so there are complaints.

And Conner's coach didn't push the kids hard enough demanding that they play harder or with more passion...

 

Sounds like either way the coaches in this district are wrong in the eyes of some.

 

 

 

 

I once heard a coach say, "Potential will get you fired."

Edited February 24, 201115 yr by Plato
added the quote

Ouch. Sounds like both coaches have some doubters. At least Alan has a winning record and I see no difference between talent levels at the 2 schools. Bobby probably works harder than the bigs at Conner and he played very unselfish basketball last night. Alan is all business but every team he puts out on the floor plays in your face defense and that's a credit to good coaching, not an accident. Next year might be a different story at Ryle without an excellent post player. Time will tell but who really cares about next year right now. I see the Raiders making some noise this year. They already have exceeded my expectations for sure.

 

This has to bode well for coach Sullivan @ Cooper. If there are as many doubters as it sounds like at both these schools I would think that given an opportunity to have their kids play for a coach like coach Sullivan they would do everything possible to make it happen. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the talent at the younger levels at these two schools migrate Cooper's way in the future. Who knows they might just become the powerhouse in the 33rd district

My guess is that Jim agrees with you.

 

I'll parse my words and just say that this team lacked the right talent.

 

It also proves what I've said for many years. Pre-season coaches polls are worthless and done with very little thought.

 

I couldn't agree more. I have seen Conner 4X this year and each time I walked away thinking how was this team #1 preseason. Preseason polls are worthless and often times most of the polling is done off of who is returning for a team from the previous year. That does not mean that they got any better.

Good win by the Raiders! I still say this team wins in spite of their coach. From the outside it may look like these kids play hard but I promise you that except for his son, the kids have a hard time playing for Allan. The thing that gets missed is he has perhaps the best player in the ninth region in Bobby Stauffer and a good amount of talent around him. There is also more talent sitting on the bench, but never sees the court. Allan plays favorites and will always be a mediocre coach in my opinion. He could win the district back to back but I, and others around the program, know this team and last year's team could do more.

 

HE'S BACK!!

Notice the difference in these two replies. I'm sure that was the crux of the problem with the Cougars all year. Bench because of lack of effort, or play and get what you can out of the talent (and lack of effort you've been dealt, when benching hasn't worked)?

 

Don't take the posts out of context. Players should be benched when they don't perform. But a benching should be an opportunity to coach the player as to what needs to be done. Especially when he should be one of your best assets. You don't bury your 6'8" guy.

I couldn't agree more. I have seen Conner 4X this year and each time I walked away thinking how was this team #1 preseason. Preseason polls are worthless and often times most of the polling is done off of who is returning for a team from the previous year. That does not mean that they got any better.

 

They may not have been the preseason number one, but they should not have been the end of season 11-18 that they were.

I see him coach 4-5 times per year and he is very animated and works hard the whole game. When I have spoken to him away from the gym he comes across as being very passionate about the game and his teams.

 

 

There are Sports of All Sorts coaches that posses these qualities.

Bottom line. Coaches have to know their players. They have to be able to adapt to the strengths for that year. They have to stress the fundamentals early in the season. Conner defense was "lacking" all year. They played hands down. As a coach, you fix that early in the year. As a coach, you make sure your players know how to rebound. As a coach, you review game film to work on mistakes so that they only happen once. As a coach, you take the time to scout the opposing teams and develop a strategy for taking away your opponents strengths. As a coach, you develop your strengths and force teams to counter them. As a coach you motivate your players. Every player has a different personality and requires different motivation. If there are problems, you eliminate them early. You do not allow your 6'8" guy to become a non factor. If it is work ethic and lack of interst then you fix that early. As a coach, you need to be able to make adjustments on the fly to counter the opposing teams hot hand. As a coach, you need to stay focused on the game at hand and not get distracted by one call. Every possesion is critical. As as coach you need to be able manage the bench and asign a leader on the floor. You need to devop that leader throughout the year. If he doesn't accept that role, then you make a change early. You do not wait until districts to figure all of this out.

I guess it is unfortunate that Conner has been cursed with such poor talent for the last eight years. I just know that I have seen coaches do more with less. That is my opinion of a good coach.

I only see Conner a couple of times per year (did not make all 4 games this year) and have noticed the part about Coach Hicks getting distracted by a call, even carrying the whining into time outs or half time. I'm simply not impressed even though people talk over the years, even earlier this year, about Coach Hicks being a good coach. A record speaks for itself (104-124). I feel your pain, Eyes and Ears. You must be pretty close to the Conner program. Lots of great kids out there in Hebron.

People may think that I am too harsh on Mullins but I have known him for longer than most and have been around him since he was a freshman coach at Ryle. He is a "great" coach when there is talent, but a mediocre coach when there is no talent. A team's defense always looks better when you have a strong big like Vollett and a 6'7" post to block shots inside. I just would like to see Ryle make it to a Regional final. This might be the year but I'm sure Mullins will find a way to lose in the first round like he did last year.