cahall

More than anything else I blame the economy. Add to this, everyone connected with the tournament tries to find out some way to lay the knife with charges. From the cost for parking to motel rooms, everyone wants to take advantage of the fan. If there are people who don't believe me then you aren't talking to fans who struggle just to pay their electricity bills. Hotels required a three night minimum to get to stay with their team. I can't afford that and many others can't either. Bottom line, the concession prices are enough to keep fans home.

When coaches play money, money keeps them there but they don't win.

JC 82 Campbell Co 73 Shane Hall scores 32 and pulls down 20 rebounds, blocks 6 shots. Memories come back of a Paintsville star.

The disappearing act you speak of I want to put on some of the guard play. I feel like the guards are looking to make a name for themselves and want to be the star. Shane Hall is the star of this team and victories against difficult competition goes through him. When you don't get to touch the ball for three or fours minutes you see lapses in his play. I'll put this on their coach. Get the ball to Shane then the others are in a position to make more significant contributions. I saw Shane try to play last year, when injured and should have been in a walking boot, push himself to try to help his team win. I kept saying to myself, why are they playing this kid as severe as his injury is. It takes guts to go out there and play like that. I hope a mountain team from the 12th to the 16th wins it all.

Offensive foul, defensive player stayed vertical, offensive player jumped into the defender

Chicken Wing? Hummm! Yes, I have seen that on occasion. However, I have also seen constant double teaming, even when he doesn't have the ball. Check with the coaches in the 14th Region and they will tell you that their strategy is to keep fresh bodies on him and push and shove him all night long. Remember this kid is tough and confident as nails. He gets into trouble sometimes because he tries to do too much but that is usually because his team expects him too. Guard him one on one and you will pay. Cam is a super student athlete. Enough said!

Can someone in Northern Kentucky explain to me how Newport Central Catholic lose in the regionals? What strategy do the teams employ that works. They seem so big and shoot the ball so well. Same question relates to Holmes?

No one in the 14th wanted to play them in the tourney. It took 49 FT to take them out. Add those 2 players. The recipe was tere, is what I am saying.

They were those two players, IMHO.

Cordia lost to Hazard in the first round of the 14th Region Tournament. There is no question that the Lions were among the Top 4 in this region but do you realize how close he came to winning the State Tournament this year. Start by admitting that they definitely would have won the region if they still had Hudson. Let's go one step further. The number 2 player in the state of Mississippi, Malik Hines, was at Cordia at the beginning of the school year. At 6'8, and 220 pounds, I insist that these two kids would have put Cordia in a position to win the State. Cordia has a bunch of seniors this year. It will be interesting to see how Rhodes reloads. If you evaluate how close he was this year it should be fun to see the strategy he employs to win the 14th, and then the state.

Ironic that one of the first to come to Cordia ends up being the one that keeps them from going to the Sweet Sixteen. Chris Hudson has only touched the outer edges of how good he could be. He still hasn't tapped the full dimensions of his athletic abilities. I hope that he continues to develop as he moves on to Miami of Ohio.

I was proud of the officiating. They called fouls because the fouls were committed. The two most physical teams in the 14 are Cordia (1) and Hazard (2). When the fourth or last Cordia player fouled out Rhodes raised his hands and told the referee that he didn't have anyone to put in. The game was already clinched at that point anyway. The thing that impressed me about the officiating was that they called what they saw, right or wrong. Schools that try the Pitino style of committing 30 fouls and hoping that only have of them will be called is not basketball. Teams should not expect the balance of fouls to be even when there is constant pressure by one team. If you don't have a bench one has to play conservatively on defense.

Cordia came out on fire. The crowd was at a fever pitch and it looked really gloomy for KCC after Cordia extended their lead to 23-6. A couple of timeouts were called by Knott before they regained their composure. The next score update was Cordia 25-24. A complete change took place as the rest of the game was nip and tuck. Free throw shooting was not good overall by either team. The effort was there by both teams and the game was very physical. In the end the game could have gone either way. Cam Justice sank 4-4 from the FT line with under a minute to go. The game was in doubt as the buzzer sounded as Cordia was down two and was shooting the second FT. They purposely missed that shot and the ball went to the floor as the game ended. Both teams should be complemented on playing a tough game well. Don't count any of the Big 4 out in winning this region. 4 major factors will highlight the regions. Knott has been there. Perry has the home floor advantage and the duo of JJ and Braxton. Cordia is getting better with every game and their quickness will be a factor. Hazard has Big Al who can put together a game plan to spoil any competitor's night. The draw could be very important.

This team will only be as good as Holland. When Hazard must get the job done he provides the intangibles that makes the Bulldogs work.

I would like to give a triple S/O to Carson Williams of Owen County. I watched him play last season against KCC and he did a remarkable job. He plays hard and plays clean, just the way I like to see kids perform. WOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH! Carson!

I like Wolfe in an upset.

Anyone want to place an Over/Under on the police officers assigned to the game? I am going to say 18. I like Knott by two. Free throw shooting may be the deciding factor. Enthusiasm will be sky high. Everything will be at a fever pitch. Might also need a Over/Under on the number of ejections, including fans.

Glad to see my cousin Chase Hall get into double figures. It has been frustrating for me to see him go from a starter last season to limited playing time. Sacrifice for the team, I'm sure he is willing in order to get to Rupp.

Hypothetical???? Did it surprise you that Johnson did not retaliate? If he had, according to the rules, would he have to sit out two games? If he had been suspended would PCC have been able to make it out of their district? Do you think the penalty should be flexible when the player retaliates? Would this open a can of worms where the KHSAA has to be the jury? What are your thoughts? Do really good players receive excessive physicality based on their athletic abilities? Should these players receive constant pushing and shoving, goal to wear them down and ultimately frustrate them? Was it your understanding that the rule changes for this year were designed to clean up the game? Is it difficult to see how a touch foul can be called in one part of the floor and a mugging not result in a foul in another? These are some issues that have been bothering me all season. I would like to hear your opinions.

Beverly had 20. Cordia was 12-22 but PCC was worse.

All Star Night in Knott County! Girls defeated Hazard 60-52, Glen Combs honored, Cam Justice became the all time scoring leader at Knott, he had 2631 going into the game, and Evan Hall was honored for having scored 1000 points. He had 1107 going into the game. Topping off the night were three of Vanderbilt's coaches. Coach Stalling's and two assistants watched Cam and Evan put on an offensive show. I just wish KCC didn't have to be so protective to keep from getting in foul trouble.

Any time a kid makes a high percentage at the line I give him credit. It is a lost art.

I read about players recording triple doubles, scoring 40 points and 25 rebounds and the first thing I do is look at the record of the teams they are playing. If I check out the individual records of my school I find our players having the poorest records against the weakest teams. Percentages are higher than usual but our totals are lower because they don't play much more than 10 minutes for the whole game. I just wonder how much stock you put into these record performances against 7 wins and 18 loss teams. Most importantly, we have a running clock to protect our schools against self promoting individuals. :madman:

Other than the WYMT and the Catholic Tournament Hazard has played a very easy schedule. SV will take it to Hazard and wins by 10. Hudson will be in foul trouble quickly.

Mercer County VS Knott Co has been cancelled.