bigmarc78

11-10 Newport

Newport responds, then JJ answers with a basket 10-9 Holmes

8-7 on a basket for slusher...

Rice with a basket, newport answers right back, 7-6 cats

4-3 Holmes on a pittman put back, 5-4 Newport on a duece for the cats

3-2 newport

2-0 Holmes on a Rice basket

Pittman, Rice, Slusher, and the Johnsons starting for Holmes

About 10 minutes until tip, from the Lloyd Invitational. Elijah Pittman is dressed and warming up, Avery however is on the bench in street clothes

I love the emotion and demeanor he plays with. He is the energy for this team, but he just has to knock off some of the knuckle head things.

Hopefully, with Elijah back in the lineup, Holmes can get that intensity back on both ends of the floor they were lacking vs. PC and vs. Villa. He is a player that not only provides you shot blocking ability, scoring threat, and rebounding, but he wears his emotions on his sleeve, it got him into some trouble against Ballard, getting hit with 2 technical fouls, but that is the player he is. He talks alot, but most of the time he has a smile on his face, he just wants to have fun and play hard. I think when he is on the floor it seems give Holmes a little more energy, a little more pep in there game that they have missed with him out of the line up. Newport coming off a 17 point win vs. CC looking for there second shot at Holmes, after they bricked there way to a loss the last time from the foul line, seem like they have improved since the first meeting and are looking to avenge their only loss so far. Should be a good game early on, I look for Holmes to pull away a bit in the second half and take this one by 12.

Solid win for Newport, now we get that rematch that they wanted so badly. If they hit from the line and Holmes plays even close to the way they played the first half against VM, Newport has a fighting chance. Congrats either way for the Wildcats

I like the birds in this one, maybe because I am slightly biased of the 9th region, but I haven't seen Seneca play this season, I have heard good things about them, but I am impressed with Highlands when their whole team is availible and it will be tomorrow night.

I don't think anyone is arguing the fact that the production is down from last year, but to label this team as "high powered" or even somewhat of a high scoring team this year or last is off based. Elliott Co last year = High Powered, Holmes = Defensive ball club there is a huge difference. I have said many times, it isn't how much you score, it is whether or not you have a bigger number on your side of the scoreboard than the opponet has on theirs. Holmes will have that bigger number more time than not this year, whether they have to score 100, or can do it scoring 45.

I was at both of those games, and I don't think Holmes was very happy at half with both of those games, but by the end of the game they were on the winning side of the scoreboard by double digits. Holmes and Henley's motive is not to blow people out, look at the 45-24, 55-41 games vs HC last year, heck look at most of there games against teams they could have had there way with, they were all between 15-25 point wins with the exception of cooper who they only put up 58 on and won by 38. Henley doesn't want to blow teams out, he wants to beat teams comfortably but he isn't they guy who is going to run it up just because he can. With all that being said, I do agree however that this Holmes team is not as good as last year. With the loss of 2 starters and a 6th man most teams will take a hit talent wise, especially early on while the new guys are learning there role and the returning 3 starters are adjusting there game to there new roles (Rico handling the ball more, Eli playing in the post more, and JJ having to increase his scoring output). They will be a tough team to contend with as the season goes on, and should get better and better every game. Is it happening as fast as me or other Holmes fans would like it to, no. But Henley has stated several times in the paper and talking to people out, that this team is a work in progress. If come regional tourny time, that progress is complete and this team is clicking on all cylinders they will still be a threat to cut down the nets, if not, well they will be like every other school in KY other than the 16 that go to Rupp. I think the talent of the big 3 and the experience in the big games over the past 2 years will help this come region time though.

Agreed. :clap:

I had heard about this kid right before tip off, and how despite his size he scores and this and that by the person that I was sitting with. I think he is solid, he will hoist it up from anywhere and despite his size he will try to get to the rim. However when you have someone as big and athletic as RJ guarding you, it can make it tough.

Nice win for Trinity, solid ball club here... Big game vs Male tomorrow

I thought the same thing. If so, this will be the second suspension issued by Henley to Pittman this year.

Avery, Pittman or not, there is no reason for Holmes to be down at half, I was there and was very disappointed with the way they looked. They were down 12-9 with 1 second left in the first, then Holmes hit 4 3's in a row to take a lead only to let Villa close the half on a 12-4 run and with the lead. They looked awful. 2nd Half the Dogs imposed there will with a very nice press and playing uptempo and in transition. Once the dogs were in control they went back to a slower pace and made more mistakes. This is not a half court team, they have to play uptempo or they are playing to the advantage of weaker opponets.

When you are a team like Holmes, you will always get everyones best. Congrats to PC, but Holmes should have put this team away before sitting someone like RJ. Unless Henley was frustrated with his play or trying to send him a message I don't see the reasoning to pull him after one second half possession when you were only leading by 7 at half time. This isn't the Indianapolis Colts, you are not 14-0 and your ticket isn't punched. Play your guys.

They played in it last year and won the state championship and it wasn't that competitive last year either. I don't think it is a big deal. I think the big deal is Holmes getting there act together before Princeton, Christian Co and some of the other top 9th region teams show up on there schedule, hopefully vs lesser competition it will help them work on some of the unforced mistakes they have been making.

I think it was the wrong call, and I am really curious what the technical foul was for. It is got to be tough for him to make that call with that ammount of time left in that game if he didn't feel he was 100% correct on the call. I think if there is any doubt he should have swallowed the whistle. And I think it is clear that there is no way he could have been 100% positive on that play.

Either way you shake it, Newport beat a very good Highlands team. A Highlands team that I felt was the 2nd best team in N.Ky this year. Regardless who played or who didn't play with a final as lopsided as this one is I have to say Newport is a solid team. Hopefully they will get a second crack at Holmes to show there might. I don't think they will fair so well, but at least they can get a shot. At the LMI this weekend we will see what kind of a difference 2 weeks can make.

Congrats to the Rocks on a very impressive tournament run... Coming into the tourny you heard alot about Clark Co., Holmes, and Ballard, then Memphis Central was expected to make a little noise, then after round one people were dying to see Mceachern Ga, after they handed it to Holmes, but the Shamrocks snuck right in and too this tourny by storm.