chucktaylors

Mike is a fantastic high school player. I would pay to watch him play anyday in high school. However, from having played 4 years of college ball, IMO being a great high school player does not mean offers of college scholarships. I hope that he gets a D-I offer but you should compare the recent players locally who got D-I rides and Mike, (ie Neltner, Brock, Doellman, Penick, the CCH kid that signed at Penn) All of those guys are 6'6" or better. The last D-I guard that I remember from 9th Region was the coaches son from NewCath who played at Marshall. Unfortunately, college coaches usually recruit the smaller guards last. They are just more plentiful. If you go into Cincinnati right now into the GLC , you will find guards with as much skill and bigger than Mike. He is IMO more along the lines of Jeff Vories who is also very good and signed to play with a lower division team. No shame in that. Mike could be a liability in college in a man to man defensive set. He did not guard the other teams best guards this past year. Schambach did. He is quick on the ball, however, D-I guards will post him up or take him into the lane. When Mike was on the floor with Slaughter from Shelby this year it was obvious who was the D-I player. I think he could make a wonderful point guard for a D-II or NAIA school. Even then, it will be no cake walk.

I can speak to this personally. Does not mean that I am right, however, I can share with you my experience. First, I played baseball until my sophomore year at which time my basketball coach encouraged me to concentrate on basketball only. I had a good sophomore basketball season making all district. This was before AAU tourneys every weekend. My parents were divided on the choice to play only sport, however, they let me make the choice. I concentrated on basketball year round, made all state my junior and senior year and played 4 years of college basketball on a full ride. My son just graduated from high school. At the end of his freshman year he had good seasons in two sports. He considered dropping one and concentrating on one. I explained to him my choice and actually advised against it. He made the choice to play two sports. At the end of his senior year he made all state in one and is the all time leading goal scorer and was named one of the top five players in the region by the coaches in the other scoring more than one thousand points in his career. Offers to play college sports came to him. Once again my wife and I allowed him to make a choice. He decided to attend college with his friends and just be a student. I respect his decision because I know how tough playing college sports can be. As a former player and a dad that has seen his son be successful I would advise you to let your son make the choice. Do not impose your will upon him. If he loves to play he will play both and play them well. Please do not try to live your glory through your son. High school athletics should not be the highlight of his life. It is friendship, being a good citizen and a good student. If you push him into one thing and it does not work out (remember there are hundreds of middle school all stars that never pan out - that is the subject of a different thread) then he will resent it in the long run.

Nobody has mentioned the behind the scene politics that will occur. Will the players coaches and administrators get on the phone or e-mail and work other coaches for the vote for their kid? This happens all the time. Will all the coaches in the region vote for the player from their region or area? If an area or region split the vote this can hurt a kid. The other factor is one coach one vote vs. a weighted vote of naming the top three players or five players with more weight being assigned to first and then on down. The player named as the 8th region player of the year at the state tourney is not always named as the player of the year at the annual banquet. The player of the year named at the state tourney is voted upon with every coach in the region who is a member of the Basketball Coaching association (including jv, freshman, middle school) getting one vote. The player of the year at the banquet is decided by a weighted vote with only the varsity coach naming his list of the best 12 players with more weight being assigned to 1 then down to 12. The top 15 players are then chosen. IMO if the weighted system was used for Mr. Basketball you would get the best choice. I think Slaughter would win under this system. Otherwise I'm not so sure.

Oldham and Shelby's gymn are just as old as Henry's.They are similar in size to Ryle and Holmes. Fans in the 8th kind of look upon going to the Region there as a tradition. When Grant won in 79 we played the last game on Tuesday night, Wednesday night and the finals were Thursday night. At the time we had the longest trip in the region and we packed the house every night. I simply do not think it is going to change because even the new gyms, Grant, South Oldham, North Oldham, Owen, Gallatin are being built to hold no more than 2,000 people. Grant's new gym is smaller than the old one. If you talk to the architects now drawing schools, gyms are being downsized because attendance is less. ESPN has two or three games per night and unless a basketball fan has an extraordinary interest in a particular player or team he/she comes home from work, plops down on couch and watches the game. It is simply easier than getting dressed and driving wherever to watch a high school game. Personally, I would rather watch high school ball and I played college ball. The extraordinary athletes have taken some of the "purity" of motion offenses, backscreens, blocking out etc. out of the college game. Dont get me wrong, I still watch ESPN when I am not at the local high school. As for Henry going to the region, there chore just got a little easier by being placed in the 31st with Owen, Gallatin and Carroll. They were the third seed this year. They are much improved.

Sandman read my post. I did not say that Shelby had a better team than Scott County in the late 90's. I said they were more athletic. There is a real difference. Look at Adam Morrison, JJ Redick, Gerry McNamara, Chris Lofton as guys with more skill than athleticism but I would take any of them to start a team. I stand by my post that Shelby this year is more athletic than Scott in the late 90's.

The thread tends to indicate that Scott dominated the 8th until they left. Error! They had a great run in the 90's however they only won the region 1 time in the last 5 years in the 8th. Oldham 2001, 2002, 2003-Scott 2004-Bullitt East 2005. They are good, however, the 8th region was on to BillyBall after the great players of Jones, Hundley, Alsop and especially the unsung best player on that group A.W. Hamilton moved on. Shelby was a better team this year and would have won the 8th even if Scott was still there.

The one thing that SK cannot do is think that we always have next year with most everybody coming back. Shelby will play with a sense of urgency knowing that their two excellent guards will not return next year. Sometimes in that situation there are players who just refuse to lose. SK must understand that the time is now. Too many things happen (injuries, transfers into other schools, off nights) that can end a season. It is Shelby's to lose--however-- I have seen that happen on more than one occasion. Look at Ohio County over Owensboro Cath this past Wed in the Third Region where O-Cath won by more than 20 in January and had lost the best player in the region to a car wreck. On a given night----- Good luck to both. The 8th will be proud to send either team to Rupp.

I watched Grant play SK three times and Shelby two times. Clearly the best two teams in the region. Shelby is the most athletic team I have seen in the eighth region including the state champs of Shelby in 78 and the great Scott County teams in the late 90's. What is overlooked though is that they are skilled as well. They shoot the ball well and the guards do a nice job distributing to the big men. The key for SK will be making shots from the perimeter. It is difficult to get much going from the inside because of the size and athleticism of Shelby's post players. Even if Hester breaks down the defense and gets to the rim he will be challenged on the shot and if he dishes Shelby has more than one interior player who will challenge the SK player receiving the ball. Shelby is susceptible to the ball fake. I think SK will handle the pressure from Shelby when it comes. Shelby uses the press to score in bunches. However, unlike Scott County's red heat or LexCath's 2-2-1 press Shelby will abandon the press if SK starts breaking it down. Officiating could play a big role especially on the glass. If the refs let em play on the offensive glass SK will have to do a great job of blocking out. Shelby has 3-4 kids that will play above the rim. I think most of us here in Brave country would like to see the 32nd district prevail. Good luck pioneers. You have the team that could beat the Rockets.

Anderson beat Grant by 4 at Grant. They grab and hold as much as they can get away with. Nothing dirty but just physical with a belief that the refs won't call everything and they are usually correct. SK is the better of the two teams. I would pick SK in single digits.

Gallatin might have wanted Grant but Grant beat them double digits during the season. The only team that Gallatin would beat is Carroll and they could not draw them. Anderson beat them double digits, Oldham beat them double digits and Grant beat them double digits.

The draw is at 2:00.

Lost in Rupp Arena to eventual state champions Lafayette in 1979. One of the truly great high school teams (Dirk Minnefield -UK, Celtics, Tony Wilson -Western Kentucky University, Jr. Johnson- University of Cincinnati, Kurt Rose- Transy, Jeff Parrott-pitcher in MLB)

Comment on #3 Pat Steele of Williamstown, #5 Boston Howe and #8 Bailey Tabor of Grant County. All three are class kids who not only get it done on the court but also in classroom and outside of school. Pat excels in other sports such as baseball and golf. He lived in the shadow of Zach Mefford for the past three years but everyone who played Williamstown knew of his abilities. Should be commended for playing hard without any help this year. It was nice to see the coaches recognize his talents. Boston has had a nice two sports career. He is all state in soccer and is the all time leading goal scorer in Grant County with 20 more goals than #2. He has scored 1000 points in his basketball career. It s nice to see all around athletes in this day of AAU basketball and select soccer. He has been a joy to watch in both sports. Bailey is the poster child for middle school kids who want to get better but get no recogntition early. He never played an organized sport until his 7th grade year. Had athleticism but no skill. He has passion for the game. He worked on his game at the park in the summer and worked with coaches year round. He was the most improved player on the team every year from 7th grade through 11th grade. He has now been rewarded by opposing coaches. Congrats to all three.

Grant's killer B's (Boston and Bailey) too much for the Bearcats. Walton shot well in the first half (16-28) including 4-5 threes in second quarter.Game was 40-38 Grant at half. Grant pushed the lead out to 7 in the 4th quarter but Walton went on a run to take a 67-66 lead on a 3 with about 27 seconds left. Howe made shot and got fouled with 10 seconds to go. He made free throw for final margin. W-V got off two shots as time ran down but made neither. Adam Riley of Grant did nice job on Hensley. Daughtery not much of a factor. Tungate had a nice game for W-V with 19 including a three to tie the game at 64. Howe had 20 of Grant's 29 in second half. Grant won game at FT line 28-32 (87.5%)

Boston Howe of Grant County scored his 1000th point of his career in a district win over Walton Verona. Howe tallied a career high 33 for the game. He hit the game winner on an and 1 with 10 seconds left and Grant down by 1. Made the free throw for 69-67 win. Congrats to Boston and the Braves on a good win! Boston was also all state in soccer and is the career goal leading scorer at Grant with 20 more goals than the player in second place. Nice two sports career.