Perfect Practice

He is 6'4" and can jump out of the gym.

The NKY Bulldogs had an excellent season. Congrats on the Nationals Championship in Ft. Wayne. If what I have read is correct, there were quite a few teams in Ft. Wayne that had several D-1 caliber players who have received big-time offers. Why didn't they go to Orlando? Probably because they felt the competition in Ft. Wayne was worthy. And, Im sure it was. Sure there are many teams that go to Orlando, but you cant discount a team for going to Ft. Wayne.

I think the NKY Bulldogs have clearly proven they can hang with the big dogs. A good showing for the Adidas invitational, a final 13 appearance at HoopFest, and a USSSA National Championship. Not to mention, they have gone gold in just about every single tournament they have been in. Quite an accomplishment for "just a bunch of kids from Northern Kentucky" (plus Robbie Barber who was a very solid addition).

Travis Montgomery is an awesome dunker, and an even better kid. He will be tough to defend in the 9th because of his ability to attack the rim. His jump shot seemed to also liven up as the summer went on. He seems to want to dunk on everyone once he gets inside the lane. This aggressiveness is not something that many kids have in NKY. Looking forward to watching he and the Rebels do work this season. GREAT WORK TRAVIS!

Robbie really gutted it out this weekend. He tried to play Saturday and got sick and had to leave. Sunday he really wanted to do what he could to help and played pretty well for dragging as much as he did. Great kid with a great attitude.[/QUOTE]

 

 

Thanks for the kind words about Robbie.

Now you know why this GRC team is so special to me. All of our players are great kids, on and off the court. Very proud of them.:thumb:It will be very difficult to see this group graduate.

 

I just hope we can see them on the next level. Any ideas where they might be going?

The technical foul call was lame. Don't know what the official was thinking. Bobby was just trying to give a foul to stop the clock. Very bad call.

 

The Bulldogs played very well all weekend. I had a chance to see a couple of their games this weekend. Montgomery looked pretty good for not playing a whole lot this summer. He should really help the Bulldogs the rest of the AAU season. Bobby is almost an automatic double-double. He works so hard around the basket. I was very impressed with Matty Trammell's ability to shoot the 3. The Bulldogs play very well together, good group of kids.

 

Northern Kentucky had a great representation. Almost all of the kids from the Bulldogs are from Northern Kentucky and a majority of the players from the Price team are also from the same area. These kids know each other very well.

 

Jake Thelan (17pts) Kellen Smith (8 assists) and Kevin Shaw (12pts) had nice games against the bulldogs. Jake really got them off to a nice start in the first quarter with his play and Kevin Shaw made some key baskets down the stretch.

 

The Shining Star Sports-Price team is going to continue to get better every week. Coach Price does a great job with his teams and they usually get better and better as the year goes on. They have a nice inside game with Jake Thelan, Jake Geisler and Trevan Brown. Solid point guard play with Kellen Smith and Chris Taylor and great scorers with Scott Schuette and Kevin Shaw.

 

Kevin Shaw really impressed me all weekend with his play. He has been a great addition to Coach Price's team and gives them a great combo with Shaw and Schuette.

 

I really look for good things to come for the Shining Star Sports-Price team and the Bulldogs.

I agree with much of this. Good post.

Remy Abell would have to be the MVP of this tournament in the 17u age group. He was amazing all weekend.

 

In the 6 games he scored a total of 165 points (27.5 per game) while shooting 67% from the field. He was also one of the best defenders all weekend. He plays with amazing energy and focus.

Wow! Kudos to the kid. Thanks for the update.

The NKY Bulldogs had a decent weekend.. Stauffer (who had a big double-double), Flesch (especially defensively) and Trammel all seemed to have really good weekends. Hodges and Stewart came alive in the game against WKY Elite, really showing what they are about and what they can do. Montgomery was a big addition (blocking, scoring, rebounding). Once he gets is court-legs, this team will be ready to roll. Robbie Barber was also a big addition to this group. Barber will likely start at Scott County next year and he can really play. Someone who doesnt get enough recognition on this team is Todd Vollet of Ryle. He does most things well and is strong under the basket. This team was a team of runs this weekend, unfortunately they couldn't pull of one last run against the SS-Kentucky team. However, i will say I watched the last game and the ref that called that technical for the foul when the Bulldogs were trying to foul, down 4 pts, with 40 sec. to go, should be let go. Terrible call.

SS-Kentucky did a nice job in the paint against the Bulldogs. Thelen started the first quarter with like 13 or 15 pts I heard. Huge lift. Finished with 17 or so I believe. Solid footwork under the basket. Geisler runs the floor so well and has good hands and feet for a big man. Impressive to watch. Nick Gray of Simon Kenton also played a key role in this victory, knocking down some big free throws and had a nice two-handed jam in the open floor. SS-KY was just over matched in the game against SS-Davis. Geisler seemed to be the only one who could get it going consistently in that game with running the floor and muscling up under the basket. Smith had a couple nice passes as well. SS-Davis is just tough for anyone, which is why they won it.

Yes he was sick, but still shot around 75-80% in the limited timed he did play. Congrats to coach Davis and team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

I think Stenzel is one of the best players on this team, if not the best. Abel is very good, and I like the potential of Gaines as well, but Stenzel just seems to make things work very smoothly on the floor. And he works very hard on the court. Nice.

Great, I felt like once they had all of their players they would be tuff to beat.

 

Some team members I know are:

 

Stenzel and Purvis of GRC, Abell, Kimbro, Shanklin and Knipp.

Kimbro appeared to be a non-factor in each of the games I saw. I guess because he doesnt usually play with this group...???

It was off for a reason . I would have thought that DSAS would have been in the finals Vs SS-Davis. I did not get to see much of CC this weekend so I do not know who they have on that team.

This team is loaded. Barkesdale, Walter Alexander, Seth Beckham, and another kid from Seneca, #2, a very nice player. They also had another solid post player, #14 (dont know his name), but he was also solid. This team is completely different from last year.

I said people needed to watch out for the Charlotte Court

I said I didnt think they could win it, but they would make a run. And they did. Job well done to them. I like this team and program.

KY Select run ends. Fall to Hoops Elite 73-60 in Quarter Finals. After falling behind 17 at the half, never could get over the hump. Nice run this weekend for this bunch. Good luck to a nice Hoops Elite team.

I saw this game. They did seem to struggle a bit, but it seems like they had a real nice weekend. Congrats to the team!

Went to watch the NKY Bulldogs Vs. WKY Elite tonight. Josh Forrest is a nice player, finished with 12 to 14. He can really get up. An all around athlete. Jesse Anderson, I believe his name is, # 14, is also a good player. The kid can shoot and does a nice job of getting to the basket. Has a nice up and under adjustment that gets the points and draws the and 1. The NKY Bulldogs just brought it tonight in this one though. Won by 10 or so. Flesch did a great job on Forrest when he was guarding him. Your talking about a 5'11" guard defending a 6'5" player. Stauffer and Vollet (both Ryle) and Stewart (Highlands) and Hodges (Conner) had big games. Stauffer had to have had a double-double. Barber (Scott County) did a nice job as well, a good shooter and rebounder. The Bulldogs have bounced back nicely, but have a solid test tomorrow.

Sorry to hear about Team KY. Anyone know how Perkins did? A hard-nosed kid who hustles the whole game.

Tomorrow should be a GREAT day of basketball.

What Shining Stars beat Ky Blazer by 20? SS-Davis Im guess.... Did Behanen play?

From what I saw today, SS Davis has to be the favorite...

Why do you say? The BA Hoyas took them to 3 OT's. I guess I can see your point of "favorite." Just curious. Who do you see other than SS-Davis. Royal Family seems to be playing tough, and Charlotte Court. The NKY Bulldogs and SS-KY have bounced back as well. Granted.

So this KY Select team is 14U, but they are playing up in 15U? Congrats to them on the nice run. I hope they have continued success tomorrow. Who all plays on this team? Where are these kids primarily from?

I saw the BA Hoyas put one on Clay Co. I believe the Hoyas won by 28 or 30 points. The Clay Co. boys can really shoot it, but I think the athleticism of the Hoyas took over.

The Charlotte Court looked fantastic in both games. They beat the NKY Bulldogs and the Louisville Bengals. Walter Alexander and Seth Beckham have looked very good. Alexander can shoot it and penetrate, and Beckham is a scrappy player that plays with a lot of heart. Alexander penetrated straight down the lane and threw one down.

The NKY Bulldogs lost to the Charlotte Court, but did a very nice job defensively on Barkesdale, holding him to 2 pts in that game. They also had a tough game at the FT line. They bounced back nicely in their second game against the Louisville Bengals. They won the game and it appeared that the vast majority of the team contributed. They have a very nice core and some of the new guys are still working on the chemistry. Travis Montgomery is playing with them this weekend and he looks solid for his first weekend back.

SS Davis has loaded back up and from what I heard they were able to beat up on Clay Co (JV Hooker played with this team some last year, and i think they miss him).

Team Kentucky lost to The Truth Stanton. I believe they are back to full capacity, but I dont know how long they've been all together this summer. I did see Jalyn Daniels walking around, so I assume he has been playing. I heard they have a player from Cleveland... Anyone know his name? Talent level? I just hadn't heard this.

Anyone heard anything on SS-KY, I havent even seen many of their players. I know they were in a pool with Royal Family, and I believe a team dropped out of their pool, the Hoptown Hoyas.

Darryl Hicks was as advertised when i watch him. Tall, long, and nice defensively too. This kid has a lot of talent.

Good Luck to all teams.

And... Basham and Purvis. Why did SS-Davis feel the need to bring on Kimbro?

In that situation, I believe that team had injured, sick, or missing players who were just as good as the replacement. Tate Nichols had a broken foot. They had to add a player because of that. I think they only had 8 players for the tournament. The kid from Ohio was a contributor but by no means carried that team in that tournament by himself. McDaniels, Gabbard, Earls, and Popp all had good tournaments. Gabbard, Earls, and Popp led the scoring in the championship game for the SS-KY McFarland team.

 

Like it or not, this type of thing happens all of the time, and in this situation, it was perfectly legal.[/QUOTE]

 

I agree with this. "Like it or not," is a good statement as long as everything is legal. I am an advocate of following the rules, but if the rules allow players from different grades or states, then everyone has the opportunity for the same advantage. No complaints there. Get out and go pick up the players you want for your team, within the rules.

I think many people are forgetting about the Royal Family. This team is tough. Many of these guys played for the Louisville Legends in a few tournaments last summer. This team has all kinds of talent. Many people are calling favorites, I like the NKY Bulldogs, SS-Kentucky, and SS-Davis. However, I wouldnt count out Royal Family by any stretch.

Charlotte Court is always a solid team also and I havent seen their name mentioned once. They have some really nice players and their coach is a stand-up, knowledgeable coach. I dont know that I'd look for them to win, but they could make some noise. WKY Elite is the same way. Boy, Josh Forrest is a really versatile player. I am guessing he will be in uniform even with the verbal to UK for football. If so, they have a chance to beat some teams.

Should be a great state tournament in the 17's. I can't wait to watch it all unfold.

This happens on many websites by the way.

Not sure what you mean by very little changes? What I am talking about is a specific situation where a player who was NOT on the SS-KY team (McFarland) roster for the entire season, but was conveniently brought in to capture a state championship. The kid was part of the SS family, but from OH. I have no dog in this fight, but you can decide for yourself if you think this is ethical or not. I could care less. As far as I am concerned, beat who is on the court as long as eligibility requirements (age) are satisfied. I think the SS program is a good one, but they do like to pad their accomplishments on their website. It is what it is.[/QUOTE]

 

I agree with this. There is no doubt that the SSS teams are loaded with good talent, and a few nice coaches. But, the website isn't always updated with a loss. The wins usually tend to make it on the website though. I have noticed this. No big deal as it's just a website and sometimes they are a lot to maintain. But, i can see where you are coming from w th the "padding".

I think that SS-KY is a dangerous team. Adding Thelen to that team along with the other bigs (Geisler and Brown) allows this team to go deap into the bench. They also have solid guard play with Shaw, Smith and Schuette. I've seen shaw play for this team, and according to the SS website his numbers show he is the real deal. Anyone know how Nick Gray of SK is doing on this team?

I also think that SS-Davis will compete for the state championship. This team is loaded, the issue is that they just arent very deep right now. Adding Fucci is a huge addition. I also think that Lyonell Gaines is one of the better players on this team. His game has come so far in the last 2 years.

I also like the NKY Bulldogs in Lexington because the core of this team has been together for years. They have talented, strong and atletic bigs who work hard under the basket. Vollet should get way more credit than he does. The guard play is also solid with Trammel and Flesch. The newcomers on this team have also added solid defense and quickness. Anyone know if Montgomery will be with this team for the State tourney?

I have heard the BA Hoyas are a real nice team. Should be interesting to watch with Marks, Sweat and company.

I feel the same way about WKY Elite, Forrest is a stud. I've heard he has football scholarships though.... wonder if he'll be down in lexington???

Anyone know who all plays for the Charlotte Court now?

Good luck to all teams!

I look for the NKY Bulldogs and SS-KY to compete for a top spot. SS-Davis hasn't been overly impressive IMO, still a great team that can compete and beat anyone (especially with Fucci, wow!). I have also heard that the BA Hoyas are a team to watch for. DSAS has been a good move for Gilbert from what I understand and they are really good. Should be a great tournament.

Thanks for the update on the Bulldogs. I plan on getting out to watch them some this summer.

 

Also good to hear that Hayes continues to play well. I said it before this past season and I'll say it again...he is one of the top 2 or 3 guards in the area for his class. Most athletic guard in nky, IMO.

 

 

 

Surprised to hear these two are playing AAU ball.

 

JaKeith wasn't even on Holmes JV team this past season as a sophomore and while Stephens is 6'8 or 6'9, he's very raw offensively. (to say the least)

 

From seeing JaKeith in person, he is a VERY QUICK (understatement) guard but very small and lacks strength.

 

Hopefully both have improved though and will continue to improve and be a help to Holmes this upcoming season.

Chris Hayes (Holmes) has been a very solid performer for the NKY Bulldogs this season. From what I've seen, he is quite the contributer for them. Good kid as well. Looks very quick and has nice handles. Finishes decent around the rim, once he locks that down, he will be one of the best 2 or 3 in NKY. I think he will do this with no problem. This summer will help him I think. Good shooter, good defender.

Shining Star Kentucky wins the Gold Bracket with a 52-33 win in the finals against Shining Star Black.

Congratas to SSS-Kentucky. Any stats from the game?