SixthRegionHoops

PRP's junior class is laden with college prospects. Antonio McDaniels (NKU offer, with high interest from EKU and WKU), LaMontray Harris (Samford offers, with WKU likely to offer); and D'Angelo Hunter (Manhattan offer, with EKU and several other schools very interested). Bryce Byrd and John Oyler will be collegiate players at some level, perhaps at a high level if they perform well this year and next. Fairdale juniors include Kaleb Longacre, a gym rat who can play at the college level with his shooting ability and IQ, and Cory Thomas, who is extremely talented and explosive. Doss junior Montrell Little developed into a force last year, and should be able to play at the collegiate level. Fern Creek's 6'5 junior Joe Jackson has the look of a college player as well, and can rebound, run, and jump with anyone. Bullitt East juniors Rhett and Ezra Troutman will be seen by a lot of college coaches because of the senior talent on the team, and may make an impression this year.

I omitted a key reserve in the first post. 5'10 senior Richard Clemons will provide additional depth to McDaniels, Taylor, Byrd, and Oyler in the back court. Excellent ball handler and defender. PRP's practices are extremely intense and competitive because 15 high quality players are challenging each other every day in practice. Should be a great year this year, and even better in 2014 with their junior class. PRP's best regular season games in 2012 should be: at Jeffersontown (Dec. 4); Butler (played at Valley's new gym on Dec. 7); at Trinity (Jan. 29); and at Fairdale (Feb. 8). They will also be playing in the King of the Bluegrass, LIT, and a Christmas tournament in East Aurora, IL against some of the best teams in Illinois. If PRP plays up to expectations, the Trinity game in late January will be a top 5 match-up. Dale Mabrey needs 11 wins to reach 800 all time, and should have that number well around Christmas. He currently ranks third on Kentucky's all time wins list, behind only William Kean (856) and Billy Hicks (815).

This will be one of Dale Mabrey's best teams, and certainly his deepest and perhaps biggest. Three juniors currently hold Division I offers -- 6'7 junior LaMontray Harris (Samford); 6'7 junior D'Angelo Hunter (Manhattan); and 5'9 junior Antonio McDaniels (Northern Kentucky). 5'10 senior Taywon Taylor and 6'5 senior Robert Sawyer are likely starters, and Taylor is a big time football recruit who is a ferocious defender and excellent scorer. Sawyer is a post player who is very strong and physical and can score. 6'3 senior Jovante Lavender brings tons of athleticism and quickness. 5'9 junior Bryce Byrd has 50 varsity starts under his belt from Elizabethtown HS, where he averaged 11 ppg as a sophomore. 6'3 junior John Oyler is an excellent perimeter shooter and high efficiency scorer, and led the Panthers in scoring at 20 ppg in the Kentucky State AAU tournament in June, losing only in the championship game to highly regarded Henry Clay 77-71, while defeating Bryan Station, Dunbar, and Scott County en route to the title game. Sophomores Khalid Raheem and Greg Davidson will add further depth and quickness in the backcourt, while 6-4 sophomores Richard Gaines and Drew Glass will support the front line players. Freshman Hunter Stevenson is a great shooter who knows how to play the game. The big question is, can PRP get by Bullitt East for the first time in the region? Butler and Fairdale should have strong teams again.