Perfect Practice

Who would you like to see the kid play for? He has been with this team for a long time.

Is this the only local tournament this weekend? Where at in Louisville? What all teams will be here?

I agree with you. IMO his fire for the game seems to put him above the other big men in his grade in NKY.

Sounded serious when I first started reading this post. I am glad everything is okay with Vinny. The kid is a really solid player and I am glad he'll get to be on the court.

I report about the kids that I get to watch every highschool season. But, I will also tell you about the kids that I see from all over the state if I get the chance to watch them in a tournament. You say to look at Demlings blog and you will see stuff from kids all over the state, which can be true at times. Rarely do you see anything about any player from up north in the state. But, if you look at his blog on a regular basis, he is generally reporting info about kids from the DSAS or Indiana Elite teams. My point to this whole thing was this: If your going to write a report about kids to look out for over the summer and those same kids are performing really well, then you should see it as your duty as a reporter to give an update once in a while. You know, for people who dont have the luxury to get out to each tournament over the summer. Instead, we hear about and see the same kids on the blog every week. The Shining Stars 16's had a heck of a tournament and he barely said 2 words about them. That team is stacked. The NKY Bulldogs took down the best team in the state. Why no report? Demling is a good writer and I read his pieces on a regular basis. But, It is my opinion, and doesnt have to be yours, that Demling is bias towards certain teams and players. Just like Pat Forde is a Louisville homer! :thumb:

Highlands fans, how do you feel abou this?

He does do a good job. A really good job of covering the kids that he does cover. I also enjoy reading his blog becase I like to know about all the local kids and I hope they all achieve high success. I know that Jody Demling does a lot for many different kids in regards to publicity and getting their names out there. I just think that sometimes he focuses a tad to much on guys that are being talked about nationally. He seems to focus on the exact same kids in each blog. There are other kids out there that are making noise. I dont mean to sound like a Demling-hater by any means. It just seems that if you are going to mention a kid, you should follow up on them, thats all.

Well a mention is good. But, dont you think that some follow up would be the just thing to do. They kids were mentioned and some of them are performing fanstatically, yet they get no further word. Some people may construe that is them not performing well, when in fact, they are.

I could not agree more with you here. I saw all of these kids play in the Adidas It Takes Five and HoopFest. They all seemed to be really good or atleast really solid players. Some of them deserve more pub then they are getting IMO.

Then why mention kids to look out for at the beginning of the summer. Then those kids perform and they get no mention. It makes it seem like they arent performing well, when in reality they are, they just dont get mentioned.

This could be considered an exception if your team isnt playing. But, if you start with a team and they are playing, where is the loyalty? And, most of these kids transfer to different teams because of the organization or name, but then they sit behind other players. This doesnt help them get better. And, lets not kid ourselves. It's very much about winning for the players. If it wasnt, there would be many more teams with lesser talent on each team, and less websites showing record information and which tournaments were won.

I hope they do! The more elite competition the better IMO.

Jody Demling is bias IMO. He only reports on the kids from Louisville or Lexington or Indiana. There were many many kids that performed extremely well this weekend from all parts of KY and he doesnt say anything about them. This is a shame IMO.

Before the AAU summer started, Jody Demling had Bobby Stauffer pegged as a young player to watch out for this summer. He has not disappointed in any game that I have seen him in. He just works hard and can do a lot on the floor. If he contintues to develop that 10-13 ft jump shot, he'll be hard to stop.

I do partially agree with you. Sometimes I think the switching teams after each tournament is ridiculous. I can somewhat understand playing with one team prior to the live period, and another team during the live period. But, where is the loyalty in basketball? If you play with a team, you should win with a team. Or, lose. You should have some since of loyalty. Changing from year to year is one thing, but from tournament to tournament is wrong.

I guess it would be Shining Star-Pittman. I just didnt know what they go by. Some of the Shining Stars teams go by "SS Blue" or "SS white" and some go by coaches names. I just didnt know this coaches name. I have seen them at a few tournaments and it does appear to be the same kids I have always seen, except Zeke Pike, who i believe usually plays for them. They're a good team. Anyone know if they won the 16's gold bracket?

I know that he plays for the NKY Bulldogs, and I think his number is 31. I dont really pay attention to the numbers in AAU basketball. I just look for local players that I have seen on a highschool team before. All though, I do think I recall his number being 31. The kid is a stud IMO.

I had a chance to see Bobby Stauffer again at the Eddie Ford HoopFest (which was a GREAT tournament) and he was doing really good things. Ryle coaches, players, and fans should be stoked about this kids ability and future. He was scoring, rebounding and defending well. He seems to have really learned how to put the ball on the floor and drive in and can really finish around the rim. HIs jumpshot seems to be improving rapidly also. Had a great game against the Derek Smith All-Stars, and led his team to a win. Someone also said that he seemed to be a "hot-head" of sorts, but that is incorrect. The boy just seems to have such a passion for the game. Lots of intensity and tenacity and that's what you want. Good for him. I hope he gets some looks.

There was a Shining Stars 16's in the Gold Bracket that I had a chance to see beat "Legion" today in the elite 8 of that bracket. Im not sure who the coach is, or if they are blue or white or any color, but I know that Scott Schuette (LexCatch), Jordan Gilbert (Mason County) and Treg Setty (Mason County) played on the team. Does anyone know how they finished?

I have heard this as well. I think KY has some really good stuff to offer right now (DSAS, Shining Stars, etc.), but I dont know how well these teams are known nationally (Like an Indy Elite organization). I have heard, and this may just be rumor, that there is going to be another basketball organization, or assembly of teams, starting up over the off-season and coming into next summer. I have heard its in the beginning stages and not much else was said. If this turns out to be the case, it would be great if the state of KY had a few fantastic organizations with players that can prove themselves and compete on a national level. After watching many games at the Adidas It Takes 5ive tournament and the Eddie Ford HoopFest, I thought all the KY teams showed pretty well. Keep up the great work players and coaches. We love our KY basketball.

How are the Shining Stars 16's doing? Who have they played?

DSAS 16U won the game against Common Bond by 17 from what I saw on the board. Great game between Common Bond and the United Celtics. 3 overtimes! The United Celtics won it.

A live video feed would be great. If you recieve anymore info on that, please share, I would like to tune in. I hope Team Kentucky does very well. Best of luck to them.

Does anyone know where Team Kentucky is this weekend? Thought I would see them at Hoopfest.

Its funny to me how people just cant wrap their heads around the fact that the DSAS lost a game. Much less to a team from NKY, that from what I know is made up of all kids that live close by, and arent pulled from all over the state. I guess thats what you get when a team is so well known and beloved because they represent so well. A congrats to the NKY Bulldogs is in order and that's all that needs to be said. Just like to any other team that wins a game. Surely the coaches dont use that as an excuse, or the players, and as fans we shouldn't either. We all know about DSAS. They are a very good team and a great group of talent. They will bounce back just fine. And, it amazes me that people talk about them needing Fant and Shanklin. You can say "no disrespect to anyone," but what disrespect that is to the other great talent on that team. Funny how saying "no disrespect, but..." always turns out to sound disrespectful. On another note: DSAS plays Common Bond tonight at 8:30pm. I will be watching and hope that they represent the state of KY very well, as they always do, and I'm sure will do again tonight.