BigSpikes

Ok, I am not going to argue but your post has me puzzled. The EC kids have played in some big games: but how many have they won? Also, Coach Renner from Ballard has coached in the State title game, Coach Mays has won one state tournament games. Another thing, Ballard's tough schedule will help them in one aspect of the game: end of game experience when the game is on the line.

Hopefully E will be ready to go for the District and regional tournaments, his health will be vital if Holmes plans to cut down the nets at District, Region and State.

It's no worse than Carter, Morgan, Bath, Parts of Boyd, Parts of Rowan or Greenup. It's Eastern KY, it's pretty much all the same.

That may be the case, but only about 500 people would see it.

Does anyone know what Ballard's size is like, will it be a factor? I haven't seen much of them this season.

I think Ballard will win because they are more battle tested to this point, they could have one of the tougher schedules in the state if they did nothing but play other LV area schools. I'm impressed with the big victory over Mason, I was not expecting that. Elliott defends their home floor very well-I think they haven't lost since the Big 3's Sophomore year. I will not be surprised if either team wins and wins big; it is a toss up. But Ballard is more battle tested-and no that isn't a knock on Elliott, Ballard plays in a brutal part of the state in a Brutal region-and I'll take them by 4. Ballard 84 Elliott 80

I've watched both teams play and I'll take EC by 3. I think Ballard gets them saturday

I'd agree with East being Elliott's biggest rival. They should cruise to this victory IMO.

Hazard is a good team, I thought they would meet Elliott County in the All-A instead of Shelby Valley. I feel that Holmes will have a little too much and win by 12-15. Go Bulldogs.

I was the president of my school's pep club for my Junior and Senior years. I played football so I wasn't able to ever pass the buck on to someone else for the football games, so we focused on Basketball my Junior year. I wasn't able to play my Senior season due to a torn labrum, so I focused all of my efforts on going to each and every football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball game I could and attempted to even get a pep section at the sports that usually didn't have pep sections (Softball, Baseball and Volleyball). We had a pretty strong turnout for Basketball and I was always looking up different chants and things for our pep section to recite. I would use a lot of UCLA's pep-section chants and things like that, but I never tolerated making a personal attack on a player from the other team. We always had 50+ kids in the section and I think our teams fed off that energy that resonated from the pep section. Our boys team won a school record 26 my senior season, was the favorite to win our region-but we lost in the first round of the district tournament. But my point is: I find no problem shouting things like "air ball" or even the thing about Drew Ellison, we never got so personal that we got in trouble and we never shouted obsecenitites. An effective pep section is one that displays school spirit and gets under the opposing team's skin but doing it in a way that offends none of the other team's players or fans.

You know what,I'll tell Coach Hicks to drop out of it. And EC fans, here's something to chew on while arguing how to best get a jab at me for not saying what you want to hear: A tournament that accepts/invites a team that has won ONE game in their school's history in the state tournament doesn't seem like it is on par with some of the other tournaments across the country. Seems like the field watered down. So can we drop it, I said something you didnt like, but I am sure there are some posters that may actually want to discuss who the top five teams in the state are and I don't want to ruin it for them by getting this thread closed. IF you care to discuss this more PM me, I'm more than happy to discuss Elliott County basketball and their fans' attitudes until the cows come home.

No, no he doesn't but if it is as prestigious as some have claimed it to be, shouldn't it field a dynamite group of teams each year?

No, no I wasn't. But it is a wonder that they haven't played any tough in state teams to date, considering they were a top 3 team in the state in the preseason. I'm pretty sure they would be more than welcome at any tournament in Kentucky this season.

It worked for me, I had to try and boot it up a couple of times.

Well my mistake, as you can see I edited my post when I read that they had scheduled Ballard. But I stand by everything I posted and if you want to say I don't know anything about sports, bring it on, I can argue from sun up until sun down. http://www.t-mobileinvitational.com/ looks like a good tournament to me, check it out.

Did they win that tournament? I don't remember...no, they didn't and I am referring to their in-state scheduling before I found out about the Ballard game.

I'm not jumping on the Wagon, but I will be very very impressed and my negativity about them will stop. I plan on going to both. I think they go 1-1, lose to Ballard and get Mason

EDIT: I just read where Elliott has scheduled Ballard for Saturday, I am very impressed, either way we will get a good idea of how they will fare in the State Tourney.

Boise State got beat by TCU this season in their bowl game so maybe you should have put them there instead of Boise. And at least Utah and Boise and TCU schedule. EC doesn't. And they've won one State Tournament game. So maybe comparing them to Ball State would have been better. Or possibly Hawa'ii or BYU

Holmes is the best team in the State. They beat Scott County head to head. Wait until the State Tournament to make your case. Right now it is a moot point. Holmes Scott Eastern J'Town Shelby Valley And on another note. I don't think Elliott belongs among the top ten teams of the state. They have not played any of the tough competition in the state, aside from Shelby Valley, you play in a weak region and have for the past 3 years. I know that scoring 120 a night looks good, but it is against some bad teams. Take a look at some of the top teams in the state and the way they schedule. There is a reason the same handful of teams are always given a legit shot to win, they schedule.

Any 16th Region District, take your pick. It has one team of relevance.

I've heard this as well. I think he is retiring from everything-AD at EC and Head Coach. I wonder if this will have anything to do with the mass exodus of the big three and rumors flying around that Timmy Knipp is leaving

^^ Coach Mays does what he thinks is best for his team. You may not agree with it, but it's what he wants to do and none of you are going to change that. I'm not an Elliott fan, but I'd like to see a nice debate on this game without the thread being closed for getting off topic.

I think Elliott wins this one close or going away by 30 or more. You know they're mad about today's loss and they will be playing with emotion. Either they will come out fired up and everything will be going their way. Or they will come out fired up like they were against West Carter in Olive Hill, let their emotions get the best of them and have to come back. Say what you will about EC not being a legit state champion contender, but they are easily the best team in the 16th and have proven that over the past 3 years. I think that they will come out fired up and lock this up at the end of the first quarter. I don't know if any members of the team get on this site and read up on what people in Kentucky think about them, but you know fans and maybe some parents do get on here and some of the negative things being said about them will get back to them and they will be fired up and have something to prove IMO. Elliott-88 East Carter-53

I'm not bashing EC, and I am not just another "hater" that has never seen them play. I am a Holmes fan yes, but I have had the opportunity to watch both Elliott and Holmes. I don't think that an Elliott County team that starts 4 players in the 6'1-6'3 range and one at 6'7 matches up favorably with a very long and athletic team. No hating, but I don't think it will be the hardest test of the Sweet 16 for them. Of course, I am writing off some very good teams; but it was something I have felt all year-that EC did not match up well with Holmes-not just something I wrote to start an argument.