hydraman

Agree completely about the challenge of where to play the 32 team part of the tourney. Maybe some type of seeding with a regional emphasis like NCAA does? As to your last thought about fair being subjective, I think what you mean is how to make things more fair is different to different people. Again, I agree. The current system is old and outdated. For the kids sake, maybe someone could try to use any of the solutions you suggest to help make the kids have a more fair and better experience.

First thank you for proving the point of my argument. Sweet 16 purists are “deaf to the” fact that it’s NOT better for the kids. You don’t even address what I was saying, instead try to pick a fight about some detail of the Sweet 16. Second, the NCAA has what’s called “at large bids”, maybe you’ve heard of them? The sole purpose is to ensure the “fairness” of the tournament. It ensures that any team essentially ranked in the top 50 will have a chance to compete for the title. If any top 25 team was EVER left out of the NCAA tournament you better believe the small “conference champ bids” would be the first schools to go. Third, my comment was to work on getting the best teams there. No one is advocating to just do some RPI based Sweet Sixteen. Every team in Kentucky should get a chance at the title. Kentucky has that luxury the NCAA does not have. So if some Cinderella rural team has a good run they can still go at it. (Then Kentucky can make a Hoosiers movie so they stop feeling like they take a back seat to Indiana in basketball). Why not have the top two regional teams qualify for some round of 32 that’s seeded? That’s how teams go from district to region? Then the 16 winners make up the Sweet Sixteen. Any effort to make it more fair for the kids I would advocate for. Lastly, I can’t believe how ironic that your user name is Sweet 16! You would jump on my post first.

This argument seems to fall on deaf ears when it comes to the fact that there’s no Sweet Sixteen seeding. Or somehow figuring out a way to get the 16 best teams to Rupp instead of the current outdated system. But hey it makes for a great game for the fans to watch in the first round. Who cares that it’s unfair to the kids cause one whole team goes home earlier than they should. Or one whole team never got there because they didn’t grow up in some rural area.

These games are being played Monday correct? What time?

Emma Taylor. IMHO she would have had a better season and stood out more at Campbell. Coach Menefee was ready to make her a big part of things and for a better team.

I am pretty sure all the head coaches around the state get to vote as well. Can someone confirm? All the head coaches, media and former Miss Basketball winners have until February 22 to vote now that the official ballot has been released.

This shows well the point of the surrounding players and strength of schedule impact. Schwartz’s stats are better in every category but because Wheeler has 30 ppg she could get the award. We only affirm to young players to get on a bad team with an east schedule and play selfish! Schwartz shoots 14 shots per game. Schwartz has two players on her team also that shoot, one that shoots 12.6 per game and another that shoots 9.7. Wheeler shoots 23.5 shots per game! Her shooting percentages (against easier defenses) is worse is every category than Schwartz. Painter who is a high level player only shoots 11 shots per game. Maybe the head coach is trying a little too hard to make Wheeler look good. How does a player as good as Painter shoot less than half the shots Wheeler does. And now Wheeler gets rewarded for taking all the shots instead of others with a Miss Basketball award? Somethings not right here...

Completely disagree here. Shooting threes from an open spot is far different than shooting threes off the dribble or with a strong defender on you. I see no reasonable way to disagree with the statement that a weak schedule produces better stats for players. Consider Kelliones counterparts for the POY award. Kennedy Igo‘s stats from her eighth-grade year at Montgomery county versus her stats now is a clear representation of what a weak schedule does. Seems unreasonable to punish Igo for playing on a better team vs better opponents, she made herself better this way. I don’t see anyway Kellione catches up to Igo, Harrison or Meredith for POY in part because Harrison County’s weak schedule. Sorry to say that but your coach should have thought of these things before finalizing the schedule this year.

I get what your saying. I think you maybe misunderstood some of what I meant. Of course it’s a “high school award” but college offers should factor into people’s opinions the same as stats, team success and strength of schedule. It’s like saying “it’s a high school award, not whoever has the best stats award”. Which is of course true also. The biggest problem is that most if not all the voters (media and coaches? Or just coaches?) have a very small amount of actual in game action of the candidates. In my opinion the coaching staffs for the Kentucky colleges should vote and pick the winner. They have watched 100x more on court action for the top 10 candidates than anyone else. Unfortunately in girls basketball the media have a very small amount of viewed games. And then media and coaches probably usually vote their region just cause they aren’t sure or have only seen the girl near them. Doesn’t seem very fair?

Well that says it. You do believe your better to judge than the numerous D1 coaching staffs who disagree with you. They livelihoods depend on getting it right, but you’ve seen them play so let’s go with your thoughts. Thanks for helping me prove my point.

Disagree, but would love to know if anyone who runs the award lists a way to discern. If it’s an award for the “best senior female basketball player in Kentucky” then college interest is a big factor. According to your logic Seygan Robbins would not even be in the top 5 this year. 14 ppg, 2.8 rpg last year. Yet she won because she was the best player. Same with Boley over Creech before that. If you think Kentucky coaches who are paid a million dollars a year to figure out through intense scrutiny are LESS qualified than the average Joe fan to determine who is a better basketball player than your crazy. Is Kentucky mistaken to go after King over Wheeler in your opinion? You feel you’ve watched those two play enough basketball (in the summer of course because school ball is a different playing field) to know more than Mitchell and his crew know? in addition Boyd County’s schedule seems weak relative to the other schools. You take out the Lexington tourney and the good West Virginia team and they have a very easy schedule.

I agree that Lincoln should be higher. Although I understand there is a lot of parity amongst the top teams. Scott was AA runner up and played CAL better than Webster. Scott should be I top 20 now. GRC had a rough couple days at Scott County but #14 seems way too low. Still a top ten team IMO. I think top 5 but the losses don’t justify it. I think once they get into sync they will challenge for the state title.

Hayley Harrison GRC Lauren Schwartz Ryle Emma King Lincoln County My opinion is that Wheeler is too one dimensional. Great shooter but not an all around player like these others. I think we give too much weight to points and not enough to rebounds, other stats and college potential level. Schwartz and King have a higher level of college interest than Wheeler and Harrison.

Easily handled might have been the wrong words. Agree with you that it was not a blow out or easy win for SC. But SC showed they are a step ahead of SK from what I’ve heard. Scott County is a legit top 3 team in Kentucky despite not playing a tough schedule. Of course they have to get past Lincoln County and GRC this weekend. I still think GRC is a top 3 team also but would like to hear more about what happened in their game against Lincoln County.

Agreed! Any one able to post details about Lincoln County’s double digit victory over GRC? Was Igo full go? Lincoln just get really hot shooting wise? SK was easily handled by Scott County as expected. But I’m sure even the BGP rankers were surprised by the GRC Lincoln County result Any details out there?

I have very little knowledge of that area of the state. And like you said, we don’t have a lot of info posted on here about those teams. However I do know that the guys that oversee the rankings have a good working knowledge of the girls players and teams around the state. They are active in the Kentucky Premier AAU program and other organizations that work closely with girls all over the state. They would be better to answer your question about how the far west regions compare to the Cincinnati, Louisville and Lexington area teams. Have any really good teams from your area played against any of the top 20 teams? Close losses maybe?

I don’t understand your comment here? Are you saying the nine teams from those three regions are not actually 9 of the top 16 teams in the state? Or are you just advocating for the current format in some deflecting round about way?

There are 10-12 teams that could but that won’t be the case once they get to state. At that point only 4-5 of those teams will remain. They will have knocked each other out. Four top 15 teams in the 7th region. Three top 10 teams in the 9th region. Two in the 6th region. Someone please remind me again on how this “16 region one team only advances state tourney” set up is fair for the kids? (With a random seeding! really, a random seeding!). After you remind me please be sure to remind all the Conner, Ryle and Highlands kids, coaches and families. I’m sure they will see the wisdom in it and completely understand

Anyone familiar with Scott County knows they are in the top 5 in the state. GRC has been lower ranked since the injuries but is now back at full force. GRC at full strength is the best team in Kentucky and Scott County is right behind them. Ryle is good but the Boyd loss exposed them, just not deep and consistent enough. GRC vs Scott County will be a great game. Get a good picture of what team is at the top. SK and Lincoln are a level below the top two. Pending some unique situation neither SK or Lincoln will challenge GRC or Scott Co this weekend.

This was a main thread/problem many were working on in the Campbell vs Calvary game thread. SOLUTION. Divisions for Kentucky basketball. Multiple state champions every year. MORE kids get the joy and experience of winning and making a fun post season run. And, oh yeah, it’s MORE fair. Just because some small school team 6 years ago made a nice run does not negate the “more fair” argument. There is a reason; a good, logical, for the kids reason that all other states have gone to divisions. Kentucky’s stubbornness is not a testament to our great tradition, it’s a testament to our pride and backwards non-forward thinking.

Can anyone see the wisdom in Ky going to divisions based on this? I know it’s hard for the hardcore traditionalists to be open minded on this issue, but we have Silver Grove AND Calvary Christian In our district. Who is that helping? Are we for the kids or are for having a great “product” for fans? Cov Latin in with NDA and Holmes? Heritage with Ryle and Conner? How does this make any sense other than Kentucky ego?

This is not true.

Lind sounds like a good player. And Destiny Thomas too. Are they considered the top 8th graders in Kentucky then? How good are they? They have offers already?

Campbell County is 8-4 with only losses coming to teams in top 10 of Kentucky or Ohio. Hopefully they will break into the top 20 soon. Team is playing stronger every game. Coach Menefee doing a great job building into this group. By tournament time they will be hitting all cylinders

We saw Male this year and they were very good. Not sure who they lost but they had really good size. And one inside player playing Center who was really good, Browning. Their guard Striverson was awesome too. Male will likely beat Ryle IMHO just because of the inside advantage