Drunk Johnny

Holiday fan I think you may be related to another person that doesn't get more than a 10 mile radius away from their home and thinks their team is going to win state every year. For him though it is always next year. It looks like Hoptown is having a very good year so far but there are a lot of other "big dogs" in state to content with. Beating up on an average at best region doesn't mean its time to cut down the nets at Rupp in March. A lot of basketball left to be played.

Holy Cross has the players to give anyone in the region all they want and then some. They have to get more bench production to stay with the top teams and stay fresh late in games. Not a team that people want to face come tourny time.

Congrats to the Mustangs for winning another regional title. Good luck at Frankfort.

Ncc did look like the were sluggish through most of the first half. Beechwood had a very good game plan and Ncc kept settling for outside shots for the most part in the first half. (Not making many). The Breds were able to get a late spurt to take the lead at the half. Beechwood in the 3rd period had the offense clicking and Ncc was still cold and the Tigers took a small lead at the end of the 3rd period with a (things are going your way) bank three by Stuempel. In the 4th period Ncc hit a couple hugh three's by Neace that gave the Bred's the lead for good. With only one player subbing in off the bench for Beechwood they simply ran out of gas but played with a heart of a lion. Stuempel isn't overly fast, quick, or flashy but just makes things happen. Played an excellent game under constant pressure. Ncc is going to have to figure out how to get off to a faster start if they want to make a deep run in the all A.

Give a ton of credit to Holy Cross, they came out with great intensity and it looked like until about 4 minutes left to go in the second period that Holy Cross may run away with the game. Ncc turned up the pressure and Holy Cross got a little winded at the end of the half for Ncc to close the gap. Ncc looked like they might run away with the game at the end of the 3 period but Holy Cross did not buckle and they came back to take a four point lead midway through the fourth period 37 to 33. However Holy Cross would not score the rest of the game due to the combination of Ncc pressure and lake of a bench for Holy Cross, Ncc tied it up and then each team looked a little tight and were taking low percentage shots. It took a drive by Ware at the end of the game that was the difference. Great atomsphere the whole game. Both sides were into the game from the start to end.

I would say realalistically it is a three horse race between ND, HHS, and NCC in the 9th region. Depending on who gets hot down the stretch and stays healthy. I think there are too many questions on the rest of the teams in the region to make a run through the regional tourney.

How about public schools that allow the "out of district students" on their teams. Should there be a limit on the amount of out of district students that you have on the team and it would move them to the Private school division? Then there are counties with open enrollment? Should they be excluded also from the "Public school" division as well. There are only two things that would help keep student/athletes in their true home school area. The best way is to build a winning program and get the support of the administration behind the programs to get the students excited to play for that school. Or do what Ohio does and do not allow students to play sports from out of state that attend an Ohio school. They can go to school but not play a sport. However, you would have to do that from phyiscal address of the student. They could attend another school but not be allowed to play sports. (But ways around that as well).

At the beginning of the year games were almost unwatchable due to the foul crazy referee's. It seems like as the year has gone on it hasn't been as bad, but lately it seems like the refs have gone whistle happy again. Is Campbell County in a rebuilding year or has the coach getting ousted at the beginning of the season just destroyed the chemistry of the team?

Tough day for the Bred's. Kiernan got 2 fouls in less than two minutes into the game and Mayes got her second with less than three minutes into the contest. They had to play tentative on defense the rest of the first half and couldn't challenge SH inside. At the half the score was 30 to 18. Ncc made a run and cut it to five midway through the 3rd period spurred on by Kiernan but then SH made a run and Ncc went stone cold and couldn't make a basket. Was hard for Ncc to get into the flow with constant foul trouble. SH has a very good team with quickness all over the court and seemed to get almost every loose ball. Ruffin was a force. Tough stretch playing Brossart, Simon Kenton and SH in four days. The Bred's now get ready for the all A tourney.

It seem that all the offense went through Owings for Simon Kenton. (Which she can flat out play and I like her toughness and not afraid to take it to the basket). However, outside of her, the offense really didn't seem to have a lot of direction. I thought the coach for Simon Kenton was a little early on taking all the starters out with about 6:30 left to go in the game, but I think he knew it was not their night. One other thing that was interesting was the varsity rooster for Simon is all Seniors, only 1 Jr. and the rest freshman. Not sure if other Jr. and Soph. are playing JV.

The ball movement was much better against Brossart and didn't have nearly the amount of turnovers. Also, Brossart could not get anything going in transition.

The main difference in the game was unlike the other night against Highlands the Bred's were hitting enough outside shots that Brossart pretty much dared them to shoot. Also, the speed of Ware was difficult for the Mustangs to handle. Also, Brossart had a lot of close shots that just didn't fall. Both teams have good depth and should go a long way in the all A tourny.