hittheboards19

I believe previous was 1994, when MC Napier beat Highlands 88-56. That 88 remains the most points given up by a defense in a championship game tho

Despite the disadvantage in height, Boyd County held their own on the glass. I don't know what the final rebounding numbers were, but it was much closer than anyone would have probably guessed.

Boyd out-rebounded Manual, 32-30

Any details on how this one ended?

62-55 Mercer with 1:48 left

1:38 -- OC’s McKay hits jumper, 62-57

(then four straight fouls by OC to create bonus)

44 sec – MC’s Davis hits 2 throws, 64-57

34 sec – OC’s Keelin hits a 3, 64-60

31 sec – MC’s Robins misses front end of bonus

14 sec – OC’s Clemens scores on stick-back, 64-62

14 sec – MC’s Robins misses front end of bonus

8 sec – OC’s Mitchel hits 1 of 2 throws, 64-63

6 sec – MC’s Robins hits 1 of 2 throws, 65-63

4 sec – OC turnover

4 sec – MC’s Faith Lake hits 2 of 2 throws, 67-63

2 sec – OC’s Keelin hits a 3, 67-66

Mercer out-rebounded by 13 today and by 10 against Murray.

Impressed by both teams' ball movement. 20 assists and 18 assists. (For comparison's sake, 7 and 11 in the Mercer Co.-Murray game.)

First time seeing GRC play in a couple of years. A lot of poise. Even after the one player got thrown down on the rebound, just went about their business.

Igo. Wow. 4 of 4 from the line, 4 of 4 from three-point range, 22 points, 6 assists.

And Behanan? 21 points (9 of 9 from line), 8 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals. It was a joy watching her play.

(Not much chatter leading up to the Sweet Sixteen, so …)

Was curious how well the teams knew each other. Did research. Mercer County, for example, hasn’t played a single other team in the state tournament.

Obviously, that’s not indicative of the strength of the Titans’ schedule, so I also looked at records vs. teams in the BGP final week Top 20 (could easily have used any poll, I guess).

Please correct any errors and omissions.

And by all means fill in the underlying narrative, caveats, perspective and intangibles. For example, which teams are hot (hmmm, Manual is 4-7 against Top 20 but 4-2 in last six such games)? … Which are not? … Which teams have players injured? ... Which have had injured players return (SK’s Niece)? ... Which teams (like Mercer Co.) have also played tough out-of-state competition? ... Which players have been here before (interestingly, only six teams return from last year’s tournament)? ... Which coaches thrive in these games? ... Which will have the biggest crowds? And so on.

In bracket order, with overall records:

Johnson Central (20-12):

----- 1-1 vs. Sweet 16 (beat KCC. … lost to Boyd Co.)

----- 1-2 vs. Top 20 (beat Shelby Valley. … lost to Shelby Valley, Boyd Co.)

Owensboro Catholic (26-7):

----- 0-3 vs. Sweet 16 (lost to Etown, Webster Co., Murray)

----- 0-4 vs. Top 20 (lost to Etown, Sacred Heart, South Warren, Murray)

Murray (32-2):

----- 4-0 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Webster Co., GRC twice, Owensboro Catholic)

----- 6-2 vs. Top 20 (beat Lincoln Co. twice, Conner, GRC twice, Shelby Valley. … lost to South Warren, Male)

Mercer County (32-3):

----- 0-0 vs. Sweet 16

----- 7-1 vs. Top 20 (beat Sacred Heart, Campbell Co., Butler twice, Male, Lincoln Co. twice. … lost to Sacred Heart)

George Rogers Clark (26-7):

----- 1-3 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Mercy. … lost to Murray twice, Manual)

----- 3-7 vs. Top 20 (beat Mercy, Lincoln Co., Campbell Co. … lost to Sacred Heart, Campbell Co., South Warren, Murray twice, Manual, Male)

Harlan County (28-2):

----- 1-1 vs. Sweet 16 (beat KCC. … lost to Etown)

----- 1-2 vs. Top 20 (beat Anderson Co. … lost to Anderson Co., Etown)

Elizabethtown (33-2):

----- 4-0 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Mercy, Harlan Co., Simon Kenton, Owensboro Catholic)

----- 3-1 vs. Top 20 (beat Mercy, South Warren, Simon Kenton. … lost to Campbell Co.)

Bowling Green (20-12):

----- 1-0 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Webster Co.)

----- 1-3 vs. Top 20 (beat South Warren. … lost to South Warren three times)

Ryle (28-6):

----- 2-2 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Simon Kenton twice. … lost to Mercy, Scott Co.)

----- 6-3 vs. Top 20 (beat SK twice, Conner three times, Lincoln Co. … lost to Campbell Co., Mercy, Scott Co.)

Simon Kenton (20-10):

----- 0-4 vs. Sweet 16 (lost to Ryle twice, Scott Co., Etown)

----- 3-6 vs. Top 20 (beat Eastern, Conner, Anderson Co. … lost to Ryle twice, Scott Co., Etown, Male, Campbell Co)

Mercy (22-9):

----- 2-2 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Ryle, Manual. … lost to Etown, GRC)

----- 5-6 vs. Top 20 (beat Anderson Co., Ryle, Manual, Male, Butler. … lost to Eastern, Etown, GRC, Conner, Butler, Sacred Heart)

Knott Co. Central (24-9):

----- 0-2 vs. Sweet 16 (lost to Harlan Co., Johnson Central)

----- 0-1 vs. Top 20 (lost to Eastern)

Boyd County (27-4):

----- 1-1 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Johnson Central. … lost to Scott Co.)

----- 1-2 vs. Top 20 (beat Male. … lost to Male, Scott Co.)

Webster County (28-6):

----- 1-2 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Owensboro Catholic. … lost to Murray, Bowling Green)

----- 0-1 vs. Top 20 (lost to Murray)

Scott County (31-2):

----- 4-0 vs. Sweet 16 (beat Boyd Co., Manual, Ryle, Simon Kenton)

----- 4-1 vs. Top 20 (beat Boyd Co., Manual, Ryle, Simon Kenton. … lost to South Warren)

DuPont Manual (21-8):

----- 1-2 vs. Sweet 16 (beat GRC. … lost to Mercy, Scott Co.)

----- 4-7 vs. Top 20 (beat Eastern twice, GRC, Sacred Heart. … lost to Eastern, Male, Sacred Heart twice, Mercy, Scott Co., Butler)

Brutal loss but Southwestern did all of the right things to win the game. They made free throws down the stretch, got timely stops and rebounded the ball well when they needed it. They played a great game.

 

I hate it for the entire team and coaches. I know they had higher expectations for this year’s team but you can’t win them all.

 

Much love from me always to the coaching staff. Steve Adams, Dennie Webb, Brian Britt, Jeremy Britt and my dude Darryl Adams. I’ll miss you guys and thanks for everything. I’ll always appreciate everything you guys have done and tried to teach Baby J. Love you guys always!

 

To Bryce Slone, my guy, my dude...keep your head up. There’s no doubt in my mind that you will be successful in whatever you choose to do in life. I’m grateful to have gotten to know you and your family very well over these last 4 years. You are welcome to travel with us anywhere at anytime. Our doors are always open for you. I’ll miss watching you play but I look forward to seeing what the future holds for you. Love you Bryce!!!

 

To Will Bramel, Big Willie Style!!!! Your footwork has always been special and I knew that from the first time I watched you play in the 8th grade. I’m so happy that those feet got you to Purdue University to play for Jeff Brohm. Know that my family will be watching you closely and look forward to seeing you out there on Saturday afternoons doing your thing!!! I’m grateful to know you and your family as well and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for you.

 

To Reese Smith and Grant Hotchkiss...this is your team now and I know the team and program is in good hands with you two as leaders. It has been a true pleasure to watch you both grow from freshmen to sophomores and now juniors. You both have the talent and potential to pick up the pieces and finish the job. I also look forward to watching you both on the track, on the diamond and on the gridiron. You guys are the future and I am glad to have been able to witness the both of you play. Keep shining!

 

To Baby J, well crap, not the finish that I know you wanted but Son I am so proud of you. I’ve been your biggest fan and your biggest critic and you made me eat all of my words this season. You had an outstanding year this season and I loved every minute of it watching you grow as a player. I’ll always cherish the time we have spent on the courts all throughout the state as you played the one game that you loved. Like I told you, it has been such a fun ride. I knew the day would come where we would embrace after a game and that there would probably be tears shed. Neither of us expected it to be tonight but life happens like that. I know much bigger things are in store for you going forward and I know that you know I am there for you every step of the way. Thank you for all the joy you have given me watching you perform on the basketball court. The memories I have of you on the court are memories I will cherish for forever. This chapter is closed and now it is time for us to make new memories in life. I love you Son. It’s been an amazing ride watching you play.

Haven't written on this site in a while, don't know PP92 or his son ... but 7x70 likes to this post and to this father. I'm drink a coffee or a bourbon with him anytime, I'd gladly listen to him talk about basketball or anything, and judging from what he's written here after a devastating loss, I'd take advice from him as well.

I want to publicly thank him for this example of how it should be done.

- hittheboards19

FWIW:

Ohio (seven divisions), five of the seven games decided by a touchdown or less:

Ohio High School Athletic Association

Attendance:

D1: 13,690 (Clev. St. Ignatius vs Cin. St. Xavier)

D2: 6,750

D3: 7,396

D4: 8,646

D5: 5,954

D6: 6,270

D7: 6,725

2196 seating capacity @ Bellarmine compared to 7,326 @ E.A. Diddle for girls basketball. Would have to look @ the attendance numbers to see from the GBB state tournament.

When tiny Covington Holy Cross played in (and won the state championship) at E.A. Diddle two years ago in women's basketball, attendance for its four sessions was listed at:

4,461 (opening game against Bell County, with E-town v. Mercer County right after).

5,521 (quarter-final against E-town, with Male v. Henderson County before).

4,604 (semis vs. Male, with Mason Co. v. Allen County afterward)

5,335 (championship vs. Allen County).

My understanding at the time was that these were fairly high attendance figures historically but by no means a record.

So Bellarmine would seem a bit small.

Guard from Dixie Heights used the Euro ("did" the Euro? "Performed" the Euro? "Took?" "Utilized?" "Demonstrated?") the other night in the women's game at Holy Cross. Refs did NOT call traveling.

Lost McClendon, Beal and Gabbard. First, third and fourth top scorers from last year.

No.

Dixie played with passion and hit shots. Holy Cross played phantom defense, missed what seemed like a gazillion free throws and threw sloppy passes. Ah, youth. Ball-handlers Tucker and Crigler sat most of 2nd Q with two fouls each, and Holy Cross played confused. But second game, you know? Lots of season left. Kes will get them together. Again, congrats to Dixie, and without Davis too.

Score was 62-48, I believe.

The Indians jumped up early but Boone never let up and kept within striking range most of game. No. 32 (Kylie Anderson?) was Boone's leading scorer. Had 13 or 14, I think. She was tough on the blocks with short turnarounds over Holy Cross' young bigs (who were pretty quiet). Was kinda surprised Boone didn't set Beal to slashing her way to the basket more than she did.

HC's Alehia Tucker played on another level, with a little of everything figuring into her 27: 3's, mid-range pull-ups, drives, foul shots. Displayed a little of that state championship poise.

Holy Cross, however, is really young -- three seniors and no juniors. Along with Tucker, it started an 8th grader, a freshman and two sophomores.

Did absence of Janna Lewis have impact?

Congrats to Danville on the hard-fought win, thank you to the Indians for an exciting season that kept pulses racing until the final minute. Wish it could have lasted one more game, but .... Meanwhile, good luck to the seniors who move to the next level. And finally, thank you from this Holy Cross fan to @85_Rebel for the updates, and to anyone else who contributed.

Actually it's worse than you describe, Clyde.

Amid all the criticism and bad-mouthing of teams is an equal barrage aimed at individual players. So-and-so is slow, or doesn't have good field (or court) vision, or doesn't play with heart, or has a weak arm, or can't handle the pressure, or is soft compared to players from years' back, or isn't a leader, or can't shoot or has any number of weaknesses and deficiencies that people two and three and four times the kid's age have identified and felt compelled to bring to everybody else's attention.

What, do we think these kids don't know their limitations?

Most of these kids -- who are 14 to 18 years old, remember -- have no intention of pursuing their sport in college, much less as a career. They play for fun, or the camaraderie, or school pride.

And for that they get pummeled.

And when the critics are called out, how do they respond? That by golly this generation is soft and sissified blah blah blah. To that I say: Yeah, and how would we as adults feel if a couple of dozen older, more experienced people tore into our work performance every day? Heck, most of us get all bent out of shape if our boss alone gives us constructive criticism, much less a couple of dozen anonymous strangers just flat out being critical.

This might be common knowledge to 9th region volleyball fans, but...

Discussion over whether Cooper would beat Notre Dame Academy in the semis made me curious, so I checked:

Dating back to 2003 (as far back as I could find), and including tonight, Notre Dame and St. Henry have met in the championship game 9 of 14 years. And in all 5 of the other years, one of those two teams knocked out the other in the semifinals. In other words, Notre Dame and St. Henry are undefeated in 14 years of regional play against every team that isn't the other. That's a collective 51-0 record against the other 9th region teams in regional tournament play, or 64-13 altogether (which of course is because they're 13-13 against each other, or 14-14 after tonight).

Boom.

And let me clarify that even IF the adult espousing a criticism, put-down or hateful opinion about a player DOES know something about the situation, that doesn't make the negativity any less hurtful.

To me always disappointing when people post negative comments about individual players. To me these are young women doing their best both athletically and academically and to point out a perceived weakness as an adult is just sad. As I have always stated thank the good lord these dedicated young women do not read this crap!!!

Your lament and admonishment is spot on, 12willyp12, but the problem is they DO read it. Or their friends, parents and teammates read it and it gets back to them. I could give you countless examples, hurtful examples, of that. And being closely tied to some of those particular situations that were being discussed, I can tell you that the adults posting the negativity really did not and do not know what they were talking about.

These are young women who are playing a game, most of them just for fun. It would be nice if all the adults remembered that.

Will be fun to watch Simon Kenton this year. Those young women can play ball.

If I were the coach, I’d end every practice from now until March shooting free throws with music blaring, air horns, cowbells and players yelling.

Here’s how the last four seasons have ended, with team record heading into that game:

• ‘15-16 – (24-5, regional championship) 62-54 loss to Trimble Co. --- 5 of 16 from foul line.

• ‘14-15 – (27-4, 1st round in state) 52-43 loss to Graves Co. ---- 7 of 22 from foul line.

• ‘13-14 – (29-3, regional championship) 49-38 loss to Anderson Co. ---- 6 of 14 from foul line.

• ‘12-13 – (28-5, regional championship) 70-68 OT loss to Anderson Co. ---- 10 of 19 from foul line.

Get over that mental hump, and they'll be that much tougher to handle.

Defending champs have a lot of talent and experience coming back.

Curious who their "bigs" will be, besides McClendon-Englemon and Keith (who are what, 5-8 and 5-7?).

I don't think Maurissa Brown got nearly enough credit for her game down on the blocks last year. I loved watching her play. And if Amori Gulley hadn't gotten hurt early in the season last year, the Bulldogs might well have slid into the finals against Butler. She was a force.

It will be interesting to see how they progress & what identity they settle into...........

This.

Holy Cross will be very young, with just a few seniors and no juniors, as I understand it. Fans, onlookers should be patient.

This also dawns a new era: Holy Cross will have a new point guard after 5 years of Dajah McClendon.

I think Indiana teams are only allowed one game outside of the state. Limits them on holiday tournys

Not sure I'm reading this correctly. Limited only for out-of-state travel, or limited also by how many out-of-state teams they can play at a site in Indiana?

Kentucky-Indiana would make for some good games. Two seasons ago (2014-15) Covington Holy Cross traveled to Indianapolis to play in the four-team Roncalli Lady Rebel Holiday Tournament, where they met Lawrence North (which made it to the semifinals of Indiana 4A later that year) and Oregon Davis (also later made to the state semifinals, but in Indiana 1A). Holy Cross was 1-1 despite playing without its leading scorer and despite losing its point guard to a turned ankle in the 3rd quarter of the first game.