WVFrank

Why would Boone even want to play? When Dixie decided not to play it eliminated any chance for Boone to win the overall Frosh championship in a playoff. And they had already sewed up the Boone County Frosh championship :thumb: having beaten Ryle and Conner to go 2-0 (Cooper game cancelled) for best record in the county! By the way, some Boone players felt they played poorly against Ryle first time around and would have beaten them more handily if they played again. Yeah I know, but it's as good as yourall's "assurances" Ryle would have won. At least Boone has a win to stake their claim on, a win that makes them COUNTY CHAMPS! Hey guys it's almost basketball season and I gotta start getting warmed up for that somehow! :lol:

Should be a good one, I agree. Notice that the Cat's Pause 9th Region preview lists ND as second behind Boone. They apparently recognize what the Pandas have coming back. Looks like their only loss was Katie Hill and they will need to find someone to replace her 3-point shooting. She made 41 of the 81 3's ND had last season. But then the Pandas only shot 230 3's last season (as compared to Boone's 519) so it wasn't that big a part of the ND game. Along that same line I'd expect the 3 to be a lesser part of Boone's game this year too with the loss of Shrout and Browning and the inside strength they should have. In any case I'm ready to get started to see how things play out!

That is an answer I would offer as well. Far as I know I've not seen Gayheart play at all but I have seen Whitfield and her play this summer was very impressive. I'll get to see her again in a couple weeks or so in a scrimmage and am looking forward to that.

Man, what a logical and spot-on post! :thumb: This season is a wrap without a Frosh Champion for this year no matter how many attempts are made to "create" one on a messageboard.

Thanks! I figured Jenna would be good to go but to hear that Ashley may be able to start back in November is great news! She must be working her tail off which doesn't surprise me. If I recall correctly she battled through injuries at the beginning of last season and was playing great basketball the last third or so of the season. Interesting about Smith. I was aware of her softball skills but hadn't heard of her playing BB. But I think she is just a ninth grader now so perhaps she's been playing at one of the Ryle feeder middle schools.

Perhaps you need to add another emoticon! This one:

I know both Coach Fookes and Sydney Moss like what they've seen of Zuri so far! :thumb:

Boone is having their own tournament just before Christmas. I'm not sure who is playing in that as yet. I think it's a three-day event. The Lady Rebels will also play in the Gateway Classic in Mt. Sterling after Christmas. That one should be good with four of last year's Sweet Sixteen participants (Clay County, Montgomery County [host], Walton-Verona, and Madison Central) along with Bryan Station, Marshall County, South Oldham, and Boone. The Toyota Classic at Scott County in January will include the host Scott County, Franklin County, Clay County again, and Boone. The only other "tournament" regular season appearance is at the Duke Valentine Shootout in February, I believe at E-Town. I think that's a one game deal and I'm not sure who the opponent will be. The best two out of area opponents for Boone County, IMO, are Cincinnati Princeton, with the top rated sophomore in the country (Princeton beat up on Boone pretty soundly last year in their early season match up) and Louisville Sacred Heart although Sacred Heart lost some good seniors. But they are always fundamentally sound and seem to just reload. I wish the Lady Rebels had match-ups against some of the better out of area teams like, for example, Marion County and Manual, but that isn't in the cards. I think their schedule is plenty tough enough and, if they come together as a team and improve as the season progresses they should be ready come tournament time.

Thanks Clyde, good stuff! I knew some of that from the research I did but that bio puts it together really well.

Transfer to Boone County from Virginia Beach, VA. Played last year for Princess Anne HS who won the Virginia top school state championship. Was a part time starter on a HS team about as good as any I've seen on film (check them out on UTube for confirmation). Princess Anne was 31-1, was ranked No. 3 in the country by ESPN and had the No. 2 rated recruit in the nation, 6-3 Elizabeth Williams, who is going to Duke. The young lady is Zuri Hill who is 5-11, athletic, tough, strong as an ox, and has a great attitude. She played with the Kentucky Premier AAU team with Sydney Moss this past weekend and held her own against some very good AAU teams, including the Tennessee Flight who the Premier beat for the first time. Zuri was particularly tough on the boards. By the way, although I was not at the tournament, reports I got, including from the Premier staff, were that Moss was incredible and hands down the best player there. She had the crowd oohing and aahing and brought the house down with a drive and finger roll over the Flight's biggest player. That led Tom Insell, Flight's coach, to exclaim, for all to hear, "I've never seen a girl do that!" Add Hill to a front line including Moss, Lydia Nash, and Elizabeth Switzer and Boone County is going to be really, really tough on the boards. Hill also gives Boone another tough defender and her addition will free Moss to play more 3. If the name sounds familiar I did some internet checking when I found out about Hill and she was a freshman starter at Holmes three years ago. Even had a 15 rebound game that year against Scott. She moved to Virginia when her guardian aunt took an assistant coach's job at Old Dominion. The head coach at OD was released after a long career and the aunt has moved back to Northen Kentucky. Big addition for Boone County!

Speaking of health, how are Jenna Crittendon and Ashley Cheeseman doing? Last I heard this summer Jenna was dealing with a stress fracture and Ashley with a torn ACL. I would expect a stress fracture to be healed and to create no problem for Jenna, but a torn ACL is a different animal. Any idea when Ashley will be good to go?

By: Marc Hardin - Kentucky Enquirer Players Sydney Moss, Sr., 5-11, F - Boone County Jenna Crittendon, Sr., 5-11, G - Ryle DeAsia Beal, 5-10, Jr., 5-10, G - Holy Cross Olivia Voskuhl, Jr., 5-10, F - Notre Dame Academy Ashley Cheeseman, Sr., 5-7, G - Ryle Lydia Nash, Sr., 6-0, F - Boone County Meredith Hartfiel, Sr., 5-6, G - Dixie Heights Leah Schaefer, Jr., 5-11, F - Highlands Jesse Daley, Jr., 5-10, C - Highlands Nicole Kiernan, So., 5-10, F - Newport Central Catholic Teams Boone County Notre Dame Academy Ryle Highlands Newport Central Catholic St. Henry Holy Cross Conner Cooper Dixe Heights Thoughts? I'm aware of an additional player not known about when this was written that will likely impact this region.

Nice to meet you as well! By the way, meant to tell you last night that I thought your son played a terrific game.

I too thought CCH was well coached. Their misdirection plays had Boone off balance much of the night and they made excellent use of the screen pass on several key plays. I thought Boone County's tackling was less than stellar last night and they let a huge opportunity slip away late in the third quarter when, after punting CCH to the one yard line and holding them three and out, they failed to field the punt and had it roll to their own 36 yard line. That flipped field position in a big way. I said to my wife at the time that could cost them the ball game and I think it ultimately did. Another example, I feel, of the parity among the frosh teams. Seems that anybody can beat anybody else on a given night depending on who plays well and who gets breaks at the right time. Or who makes a big play at the right time. Good game to watch though, and even worth the 3+ hour trip each way when the team you're pulling for loses!

I heard Boone was down 24-0 at half. Is that correct? Pretty nice comeback! Can you give us some detail? Thanks!

I wasn't there and I do agree with you that most things sound like excuses. But, in a brief conversation I had with Thad, he indicated there were a number of changes because of the injuries from the Beechwood game. It's tough to lose your QB but when that tumbles to moving your FB to QB, a lineman to FB, etc., then trying to revamp your offense to compensate for those changes, the results are typically not going to be very good. And, from what I've seen over a lot of years, young guys often don't respond very well emotionally to tough times, particularrly after a string of success. At least not without a ton of leadership from somebody, be it a coach or a player or group of players. Please understand I'm not pointing fingers with this, just stating what I've seen. I also agree that the BC team that showed up the second half against Highlands would be tough for anyone to handle. But with the injuries there is no way that team can show up. Boone will have to "start over" with the players they have. And hopefully some of the injuried will be back. Tough way for the season to go for these young guys but perhaps it will make them tougher down the road. Missing your pictures, by the way!

I think they will, Clyde. Could even be Moss. She shot 35% last HS season from three although not taking a lot of shots. She shot the three a bit more in certain games on this summer's AAU circuit and shot at about a 40% clip. Harrison shot 42% from three last season in limited duty so is a capable shooter. Also, double teaming Moss in the paint will lead to feeds to Nash for scores, IMO.

I think Moss' supporting cast will be fine. Other returning starters for the Lady Rebels include senior center Lydia Nash who at 6-0 averaged 10 points and 6 rebounds in her first year as a starter and junior point guard Jessica Jones who should be more of a scoring threat this year. She was very good as a defender as a sophomore and, with the year's experience, should be even better running the offense. Those three form a solid base for Boone County. The fourth starter will likely be athletic senior Elizabeth Switzer who at times over the past couple of seasons has shown explosive play. I think she could well be the key to Boone County's ultimate success this season. She can jump out of the gym and with Moss and Nash should make Boone County a very tough team on the boards. The fifth starter? Good question but I expect Coach Nell Fookes to come up with a good fit. I've heard that junior-to-be Brianne Popp had a real good summer and could win that spot. Popp is long for a guard and very quick and athletic. Senior Hinako Harrison is a possibility as well. Harrison is short like departed second leading scorer Stacy Shrout but is a good outside shooter and will be one of the players to fill that role, as a starter or off the bench. Krissy Hickman who is one of those scrappy players who seems to always come up witht he loose ball is another who could potentially start in some situations but will be a contributor even if not starting. Boone has a number of other good support players who gained valuable experience last year on the Boone County JV team which played very solid basketball. Within that group there is a nice distribution of size and guards that can handle the ball. Tough to lose multi-year starters, three point shooters like Shrout and Annie Browning, but I think Boone County will be fine. I watched Moss all summer whip double teams from some really good AAU teams, but she was more impressive in getting the ball to the open player when double teamed. And I think the other players Boone County has on the floor will benefit from that. I expect the Lady Rebels to be just as tough as ever. How far can they go? To be determined but should be fun to watch!

No. 5 in the Class of 2013 (juniors) by Hoopgurlz.

I agree. And soph to be is what I understand as well.

Saw both teams play and they were great! The Elite team had a really flat game in the third game of the tournament and had to scratch and claw back from 9 point halftime and 12 point early second half deficits to win by 5. But they really showed their capabilties in the semi's against a Spiece Gym Rats Green team (IN) that beat them by 5 in the Battle of the Boro in Murfreesboro. The Premier jumped all over the Gym Rats early and continued to build a margin throughout the first half, ending with a 45-23 lead. The blitz was a shared one as numerous players contributed. Sydney Moss was very effective as she contibuted 12 points and 5 boards. The second half saw the Premier go to more of a controlled attack to assure preservation of the large lead. On one occasion the Gym Rats set up in a zone and the Premier simply held the ball. The Gym Rats eventually went man and, after running nearly 2 minutes of clock the Premier ended up with an open lay-up. Can't do it any better! Their ball protection was excellent and they had very few turnovers. The Gym Rats had a 6-2 or so girl who had 28 against the Premier at Murfreesboro and she was the hub of the Gym Rats attack and scored a bunch in the first half. Moss switched to her in the second half and got very physical, pushing the big pivot off the blocks by denying entry passes and bodying her up all over the field. That pretty much ended her scoring night and The Gym Rats were left to resort to shooting three's. Final was 68-41 which I guess could be called exacting revenge! The Premier Fothergill surprised a lot of people, including me, and beat several teams most folks thought they couldn't handle. They played really tough defense and Whitfield simply took over games at times. As was mentioned, lots of really good talent among this group also. I really don't know all the girls on this team and haven't watched them as much as I have the other team so it is difficult to pick out players. But in addition to Whitfield, who I knew from a 2010 HS scrimmage, I liked Brown, and of course Pittman who started with the other team. But honestly I saw nobody in that group I didn't think could play. Speaking of Moss, she is having another excellent summer. Here is a Hoopgurlz article that says a lot: http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/womens/story/_/id/6783007/battle-boro-showcases-talented-field She continues to improve her skills and, if the article is any indicator, is becoming more intense. All that makes her even tougher. She apparently has risen as high as No. 12 in the 2012 Class in one recruting service. I heard recently that UConn is interested and would be on her hard if she was not already committed. They simply will not tamper with a committed player. Wonder what would happen if she decided she was going to wait and sign late and reopen her recruitment?

Wow, I'm really sorry to hear that. Ashley was just getting better and better and is such a nice young lady. I join with you in wishing her a speedy and complete recovery.

Congratulations to Jenna and to her family! :clap: Great for you too Shock as you'll be able to continue watching her play. :thumb: By the way, when I saw your post yesterday I guessed Xavier.

"Turnabout is foul play"? Indiana coach and players clearly state they came out with the intent of being more physical than Kentucky and they get 33 foul calls in their favor as opposed to 17 against them, many of which came toward the end of the game when it seemed the officials were trying to make it look more even. Wow! "Turnabout is foul play"? In the first game foul calls were 23-21 in favor of Kentucky and free throws were 30 by Kentucky and 26 by Indiana. That seems pretty even overall, particularly in a "home court advantage" situation for Kentucky. Guess Indiana showed what a real home court advantage is! They get the victory but one I see as highly tainted and one I wouldn't be too proud of if I was a member of that team. My two cents.

Even the Indiana announcers, about as bias a pair as I've heard, have questioned a number of the calls against Kentucky. Wish we could see it because it certainly sounds bad.