Ole Kentuckian

I understand your reasoning, but don't agree with it in that I lean towards feeling all of them are deserving. In Woods, Blevins & Stearns, Wayne County has three of the Region's better players. Woods' best attribute is undeniably his outside shooting which enables he (& his team) to garner points at a rapid rate and early in the season the opposition quickly picked up on that and started having whomever they had guard him to give him as little space as possible when he got the ball, so he drove and began racking up some huge free throw numbers because he would either make the layup & one or get two free throws. THEN the opposition began always making sure that they had whoever was closest (aside from whomever had him) collapse to create a defensive 'wall' and making it much more difficult for him to drive. So rather than push the issue WC's offense shifted more to Blevins and Stearns because they're both excellent offensive threats in their own right (Blevins from three AND driving, and Stearns from the outside, especially mid-range and driving). Ultimately, in each game it came down to how each team choose to guard WC's trio of offensive players and thus, who had the most room to shoot or drive. Rarely did it matter much (who scored) because WC averaged 80 ppg and managed to distribute the ball in a manner that had good results. Sometimes, the opponent would play zone, but attempt to 'cheat out', that is, have the players on Woods or Blevins' side move out to try & deny them their shot. Any of the three could have averaged more than what they did had they been on a team where they would be the "featured" offensive player, but in WC's case, they typically took what was most reasonably available to them, rather than attempt to force their shots. At the State, McCracken did a great job on defense (not allowing Woods or Blevins to get shots) and Woods admittedly did have an off shooting eye, PLUS Stearns (played only 14 minutes) and Perkins (played only 18 minutes) were both tagged with fouls early & often which killed WC since they were the ones who were picking up the offensive slack in place of Woods & Blevins. The fact remains that of their overall season record of 31-2, Wayne County was 16-0 against 12th Region competition with 7 of those victories attained against the best in the Region: 4-0 against Southwestern; 1-0 against Lincoln County; and 2-0 against Boyle County. It took some outstanding basketball to achieve those results. My point being, I think it logical to assume that WC's players deserve whatever kudos come their way.

Nope, because that would require making some critical remarks about some players that I prefer not making in a public forum.

And I should have noted, that this is BGP's 12th Region Team, not a selection of the players who stand the best chance of excelling at the next level. Selecting a team using those criteria would be cause for some radical changes in BGP's choices as well as what we all had to say about those choices. But it isn't, it is for what these players have done this year individually and as contributors to their team's success.

PP92, thanks for all the time & effort towards posting this - a thankless task. Regarding comments praising or demeaning certain players who are on teams who feature 2, 3 or perhaps 4 players of considerable merit, I find many of the comments out of line or simply ignorant. Why? Because what skills each player brings to their team are enhanced or lessened to some extent by their teammates and their coach's choice of responsibilities given to each of them. Players who can shoot exceptionally well or are capable of scoring a lot of points tend to get exceptional attention from their opponents as would be expected. The better the opponent, the more skilled their players and the greater the likelihood that they will reduce the number of open shots available to any player to whom they choose to focus their defense. Correspondingly, some players could score 30 or more points per game if their coach's philosophy was to depend primarily upon or feature one player rather than spread the offensive responsibilities among several players on the team. The downside of this choice is that when the player in question has an off game (whether his failure or the opposition's defense brings it about) the team usually fails to live up to expectations and perhaps potential (but not necessarily). I think some of you need to hone your "watching" skills to observe who actually contributes what to their team and how it is brought about by their coach's choices AND teammates' contributions (or lack there-of). In the four decades plus I have observed the game, I've seen a lot of 30 PPG players, a lot of All State or All State Tournament players/performances and many different coaching styles*. The depth of a player's skills and what he can contribute to making his team the best it can be vary for each player as dictated by that player's mental toughness, the role he is given to play for his team, his teammates' contributions and the consistency each player (& the coach) bring to each game. In the end it isn't always as easy as picking out great or off games (of a particular player) by which to judge them. Sometimes players benefit from playing a in a system that rewards the player who works within the system which correspondingly rewards all of the players on that team because they become the best team they can be with each of them playing the role for which they are best suited. Sadly, some players never heed their coach's attempts to help mold them into a better (all-around, team-oriented, unselfish?) player, certainly a better teammate and as a result their teams never reach the goals that might attained if they had. As Star Trek's Mr. Spock so ably stated, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few . . . or the one." * Off-topic, but worth noting how many coaches find success only when the right marriage of their personalities & styles are matched up with the right school/program/administration and certainly in most all cases, sufficient talent (Karma?).

I think he (Gilbert) was exhausted, mentally & physically. Late in the game & overtime I saw him repeatedly lose the handle on the ball when pressured. He tried to do too much which often has the results you saw today. I felt even his teammates resisted passing him the ball late in the game because they had lost faith in his judgment. The one time I saw him dish out a good pass from a drive was when he was called for a charge, otherwise is was pretty well all Gilbert, all the time, when he had the ball. Even the best need to learn when to give it up and rely on their teammates that helped get them to that point. Prior to today's game, he was the man - among the best in point guard play.

Which should OBVIOUS. You can win the (basketball) State Championship with 5 outstanding players and some decent subs (w/luck) or maybe 6 or 7 good players, but Lord have mercy to win in football against schools that have such huge enrollments or player advantages is impossible. The big schools have HUGE numbers of boys from which to choose and field a team while smaller schools know what it is like to be UK trying to compete against Alabama. If you don't have the numbers it ain't happening!!!

I personally don't want to lose "the Sweet Sixteen". Even though the school I supports may never win (for any number of reasons) I still like the magic of that possibility being out there. If the "All-A" tourney satisfies those few small schools that remain, more power to them. outofbounds mentions a factor that influences it all - consolidation. I know that in 1953 there were 16 teams in what was then the 47th District (consisting of McCreary, Pulaski, Russell & Wayne Counties). Pulaski County alone had nine high schools: Burnside, Eubank, Ferguson, Mt. Victory, Nancy, Pulaski County, Science Hill, Shopville & Somerset. Now it has three (PC, Southwestern PC and Somerset) and 16 teams make up the entire Region. Time is going to eventually remove all but very few of the smaller independent public schools via their being voluntarily or forced to merge with other schools in their respective counties. Time will also knock schools like Scott County from their mountain top view advantage by forcing them to split. Laurel County used to have four high schools, each with GREAT traditions in basketball: Hazel Green, Lilly, London & Bush. Then they were merged into one school and thereafter split back into two schools. Now they're talking that they may split the two into three high schools. Their location (intersection of I-75 and KY80 (gateway into much of Eastern Kentucky) has seen huge growth come about and thus more children to educate. Ultimately time will even out the differences to some degree (in enrollment sizes) although some schools will always be larger and some smaller (somebody has to be). The biggest fly in the ointment are private schools and public schools who draw from a huge population base which does give them a built-in advantage. I'm not fond of having to make a choice between a Scott County (although I know & like their coach, Billy Hicks-who can blame him for making the most of what he has available to him?) and a private school as to who wins this year's State Tournament because both have advantages that most of the schools in this state will never have, but life isn't fair. You just have to work that much harder and on those rare occasions when someone does overcome and prove it can be done, hooray for the "little guy" (even though what we consider "little" may have to be ratcheted up somewhat). Anyway, I love the Sweet Sixteen and I'm willing to be frustrated (at being unable to win it) until my team either wins it or I am six feet under (which is more likely-LOL). Kentucky High School Basketball is a great thing. The Sweet Sixteen makes it even greater. JMO.

You can buy at Amazon.com for $30.57+tax. See: Kentucky High School Basketball Encyclopedia 1916-2013: Jeff Bridgeman: 9781938905186: Amazon.com: Books It is published by Acclaim Press who also put out Kentucky basketball-related titles such as: "Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association" "Banner Years, Murray State Basketball" "The Boys from Corbin: America's Greatest Little Sports Town" "Legacies of Kentucky Mountain Basketball: Champions and Palaces of the Mid-1950s" "King Kelly Coleman: Kentucky's Greatest Basketball Legend" "Pioneer Spirit: One High School's Rise from Tragedy to Glory" "Factors Unknown: The Tragedy that Put a Coach and Football on Trial" I received my copy of "The Kentucky High School Basketball Encyclopedia, 1916-2013" last Tuesday. There are errors, but that is to be expected as the amount of information in this massive assimilation of Kentucky High School history is nothing short of extraordinary. The author (Jeff Bridgeman) acknowledges in the foreword that there will be errors and he wants to hear from readers about them so he can update & correct them. This is something special, indeed.

Worse (for Trinity fans) they'll ALWAYS be the winner of this particular game which is the only one that counts. Everything in the regular season is just so much preparation to get to here. Whoever wins tomorrow will be remembered forever and the other 15 were "just there". Not trying to be a smart aleck rather just telling it like it is as one whose team has been here fairly frequently and always come up short of the ultimate goal. There are no moral victories in championship tournaments.

1. McCracken is a better team than their record would indicate and if you scrutinize their schedule you realize that most of their eight losses came early and that once the coach was able to get all of the players on the same wavelength the talent & depth carried over from the original three teams (that formed the newly merged school) paid off. And I very much liked what their coach said about their approach to playing in the State (businesslike). 2. Wayne played a strong schedule and beat some excellent teams. Regarding their 12th Region and District foes, it was high quality - Southwestern & Lincoln were certainly good enough to compete in at the State level and Boyle also. Someone commented earlier about playing in-Region, Wayne played fewer 12th Region teams than any of the top teams in the 12th and defeated all that they did play. 3. What McCracken did was execute Wayne's game plan precisely and do to Wayne what they had done to everyone else all season. Control the tempo & shot selection, their opponent's shot selection, drive and score or elicit fouls (creating open threes which they convert) and then convert on those fouls at that time and after the bonus & double-bonus kicks in. 4. The game was anybody's until the foul situation for Wayne made it untenable defensively (no longer able to aggressively guard the opposition) and when they did starters fouled out and Wayne was playing with only three and then only two starters. While in the game Stearns was able to score at will, but he only played 14 minutes and Perkins was helping to make up for the other starters lack of contribution early with 13 points but he only played 18 minutes (plus Wayne lost his defensive prowess). 5. McCracken made 34-43 free throws (most every one earned-a few questionable & key fouls, but certainly not enough so as to blame the loss on them), took 29 fewer shots from the floor (!), had only 4 offensive rebounds (but who needs more when your opponent shoots 37.1% from the floor and you shoot 43 free throws) while Wayne shot 60.0% from the free throw line including some big misses on the bonus attempts when the game was tight. Gee, what McCracken accomplished sounds identical to a vast majority of Wayne's wins throughout the season! As Wayne's coach said, throughout the season the team had maintained an unusual ability to play at a high level of play with a few bad quarters sprinkled here and there, and only once can I remember that they had more than one bad quarter in a single game (against Knott County Central) but yesterday between the fouls and bad judgment they far & away had their worst game of the season. Credit McCracken for forcing them into playing uncomfortable and drawing fouls that 32 previous opponents all season had not been able to accomplish. McCracken outplayed Wayne and I wouldn't think that the loss will be forgotten by Wayne when they begin preparing for next season. Congratulations and best of luck to McCracken and congrats to Wayne on an outstanding season.

Wow! Past that I'm speechless.

I agree whole-heartedly. However if a team plays a noon or 1:30 game then the school administration should allow the students to be out to attend. If it is a night session then that's more of a matter of how far the school is from Lexington. Scott County is only 15 miles while McCracken County is 260 miles. LOTS of variables to take into consideration.

1. No coach with any experience or sense will overlook anybody at this point. 2. No coach with any experience or sense will say otherwise (that their opponents are dangerous, etc.). Coach Hicks is both experienced and obviously has good sense. Just sayin' . . .

Was going to question difference between two divisions, but you more or less did that.

Yeah, you come out and adjust to the "floating goals" (what I call them because there is basically no apparent background behind them) or you don't. If you zone in, then all is good. If you don't, then all the other parts of your offense had better be on target or you could be in trouble.

Would love to see them and Wayne County make it to the Finals. It would be a real track meet. The last time Wayne County played someone this season who wanted to run the whole game the final score was 115-103 (the score was 60-59 at halftime). Good luck to Hop-town.

I only know Coach Adams from the games I've watched Boyle County play since he's been there and he's obviously an excellent coach. I'm not a huge football fan, but am proud when our school does well as they did this year. The problem you run into is that high school coaches that are really into their profession and are teachers (some aren't so what I say hereafter doesn't apply to them) generally prefer and like to have class assignments that make doing their job less difficult. Some will say, "Well, they're teachers first & coaches second," to which I say that at 95% of the schools coaches are hired & fired based on their won-loss record and level of success, not what great teachers they are. When that changes, THEN and then only come back with that argument. So, when you have a situation where when several sports are highly valued by the school's community of supporters, it can become almost impossible for the principal to come up with enough classes of a type that allows all the coaches to have enough time off to be working on what actually matters most to the community's supporters (and thus the school board & superintendent by proxy). It appears at least part of what is going on at Boyle is a tug-of-war between which of their programs is to receive the most favored status (via their coaches and their work schedules). For Boyle County High and their supporters' sakes, hopefully the administration can figure out how to possibly satisfy all fractions, but I know it isn't easy. Best of luck.

Tidbits - * According to Cantrell's post-regional tournament ratings the Knott County Central - Bowling Green game will be the closest first round game. * The top three rated teams (Trinity, Scott County & Hopkinsville) are in the upper bracket and the next four (Wayne County, Covington Catholic, Bowling Green & Knott County Central) are in the lower bracket. * Unusual to see a 6th or 7th region team not rated in the top six (6th Region's PRP at 9th)? * Mike Fields pointed out in his column this morning half of this year's field is made up of teams who were there last year.

1. Trinity (29-5)...................84.8 2. Scott Co. (32-3)...............83.2 3. Hopkinsville (30-2)...........83.1 4. Wayne County (31-1)........82.7 5. Cov. Catholic (29-2)..........82.1 6. Bowling Green (27-6)........80.5 7. Knott Central(25-6)...........80.1 8. Johnson Central (25-6)......79.4 9. PRP (26-7).......................78.8 10. Bardstown (26-6)............76.3 11. Owensboro (21-10).........75.8 12. Clay County (23-8)..........73.4 13. Campbell County (21-8)...72.0 14. South Oldham(22-4)........71.8 15. Fleming County (24-9).....71.2 16. McCracken Co. (24-8)......70.0

If Wayne plays their game and doesn't get wound up in the frenzy of being in the State Tournament they could accomplish great things. All they have to do is play the game they way they've been playing it all season long. They had a great season, emerged from an unusually tough district and region (the 12th has much to brag about) battle-tested. Now they need to put their experience and effort together and see just how far they want to go.

I live in the sticks of rural Kentucky, worked 20+ years here and worked 20+ years for a company (as consultant) based in Louisville, but from my home office. I did periodically visit the office & Louisville. Also, I have attended probably 40+ state tournaments spanning a lot of years. * Yes, a great many Louisville residents "look down" on the rest of the state. Some don't realize it & some don't care, but their vocal or written expression voices that pretty clearly. * Yes, a great many in the rest of the state have a dislike for Louisville (perhaps an inferiority complex?). * Yes, most of the state looks at the metro areas (Louisville, Lexington & NKY + several others heavily populated cities) and feel that they have extra advantages over the rural areas because their schools are larger and the private schools have open school district boundaries. * Yes, you will see prejudicial fan support exhibited at the State Tournament in favor of the "rural schools", some of which may be danged near as large as some metro area schools. But by & large I don't perceive any particular bias against NKY teams that's any worse than any of the other metro area schools. It's all human nature and I don't think you're going to see that change. You live in a metro area and you have certain advantages that those who live in rural areas don't have. You live in rural areas and you have certain advantages that those who live in metro areas don't have. Big deal, by & large I think the officials do their best to call it fairly as much as it is possible for a human being to do (although sometimes some of them come up a lot shorter of accomplishing it than others :no:). Ultimately it all balances out, although not always just right in any given year.

And think - Wayne loses one senior (Perkins) and returns 2 juniors, 3 sophomores and some younger talent. Lincoln loses no one. They started four juniors. Southwestern loses one senior (Edwards), but their #4 & 5 slots were young and will improve considerably. Boyle loses one senior (Ray) and look to improve considerably also. And I'm not even touching the others in the region. The 12th will roar in 2014-15. Each team needs to play more out-of-region games so as to inflict losses on our opponents rather than each other :up: NOTE: Classes mentioned above reflect the class each player is in this year, not next.

"Could have" being the operative question. They won the region in 2011-12, brought Kapinga, Edwards, Collier and others back last season but were 22-9 with six of those losses to in-region teams and lost in the first round of the Region. This season they don't have Kapinga or Collier and they are thus far 26-6 (with 3 of those losses to Wayne), are a much better team than they were last year and are challenging Wayne County for the title tonight. Who is to say what part team chemistry plays in all of it? I am not placing blame on the two players that did not return, only saying that for some reason it worked better this season than it did the previous season (when they obviously should have been overpowering after their powerful finish in 2011-12).

Well said. The incident occurred 20' in front of me and I apparently didn't see everything that happened and suspect only by watching on videotape multiple times and perhaps from various angles could anyone know for sure exactly what occurred. I saw them go the floor, fight for the ball and suddenly Elkins draws back and takes a shot at Blevins. Elbows, pushing & shoving are part of what happens in tightly played games and officials will call what they catch, but if a player directs his action (whether it be fist, elbow or forearm) above the trunk of the body at the face or throat, then you're gone. Elkins likely responded to the physical contact incurred as they went after the ball and down together then what occurred after that is one of those things where sometimes we just react in a physical way with no premeditated thought given to it. The kid had never shown me anything to indicate that he's that kind of individual and I still don't think he is. He's a good kid who over reacted to a physical situation. And I'm not going to allow anyone to attack Wayne County about "being physical" because the word was apparently out early that the way to attack & possibly beat Wayne was to "get physical" with them which over the course of this season has brought about a great deal of punishment inflicted on WC's players by the opposition in an effort to intimidate them and throw them off their game. Much of it was out of line and difficult to stomach, but the players have not allowed it to deter them from reaching their goals thus far. Wayne plays HARD. They run, run some more, hustle, stay in your face, out jump much taller opponents and just generally wear most opponents out physically & mentally. More often than one should see opposing players react out of frustration because they're tired and their coach is still yelling at them to "work harder" or to "take it to them". They may or may not win tonight - regardless, they are as hard working of a group of young men as I have see in the many decades I've watched high school basketball.