Pete Mitchell

Pretty sure Schwalbach and Cramer are only 14. Both nice players with exceptional skill sets. And even though they are both multi sport kids, I hope both continue to play baseball through high school. That becomes difficult at Highlands sometimes.

No Bryce Ziegler for Highlands? Is he strictly varsity?

Strong frosh class at Highlands. Love Cramer and Schwalbach, and several more.

Southwest Ohio tournament ... They beat a very solid Omega team (came down to the last two minutes) in the semifinals, then won big in the finals. In pool play they played a very talented Cincy Ducks squad which, in addition to shooting the ball very well, included Bryce Hunt of Purcell Marian. He had six dunks in the game against the Royals, including a couple where his forehead was rim level. I'd never seen the kid before, but his vertical had to be in the 36-40 range. Not really that skilled, but man oh man he had some hops. Allen's twelve dunks were for the tournament, by the way (5 games). I think the most he had in one game was 5.

I'm going to speak with a measure of allegiance to Holmes, Holy Cross, Highlands and NewCath ... But more importantly, as a ninth region fan ... I could not be happier for NCC for many reasons, but I really think if you can't appreciate and love the passion that Jimmy Pangallo and Ron Dawn have for the sport, and for their school, and be happy for them getting the shot at the gold ring, you should choose a different past time than high school basketball. The guys live and breathe the game, they're great friends, respected adversaries, gracious winners and respectful losers, to coaches and players at all the schools in NKY, and I can't think of anyone that I would say "deserves" this shot more than them. Actually I find the thread ironic because I can't think of another team from NKY ever that had as nearly unanimous support as this one ... Makes for good traffic on the site though .... Go Breds!

Wow!! Did anyone see a 20 point win coming?

Wow! How did I miss that one? Sorry Joe!

Ron Dawn played in the Sweet Sixteen with Newport Catholic in the early/mid 70s (1973,74), his son Ronnie played in the Sweet Sixteen with NCC in 2000, and now his grandson Steven Pangallo is playing with NCC in the 2016 Sweet Sixteen. Anyone else out there got a 3 generational Sweet Sixteen family? I don't think its happened in northern Kentucky, if ever, in a very long time because all of the "power" schools over the past 40 years (Holmes, CovCath, NewCath, Highlands) have had long droughts in between clumps of dominance. Am I forgetting anyone? My first thought was Jim Shumate at Dixie in the 50s, and his grandson played at CovCath the last couple years, but I don't think any of his sons won a regional at CovCath in the 80s. Then there is Dick Maile, Rich Maile, Luke Maile, the Mahers at CovCath now ... do they have the trifecta? Anyone?

I looked it up too, but I still can't figure out what it means because Louisville doesn't have a circle freeway around it that can be intersected at only a single point ... oh wait, maybe that was the wrong definition ... (kidding OD, but you should appreciate it when I tell you that I am trying to make Gary Huhn's day by dragging out the mathematical definition)

For those of us that weren't at the game, can someone clarify or supplement what AFI says. Was the conflict between her and the crazies limited to one Bird flip and the crazies response to that? I obviously have no idea who she is, and I'm not making excuses, I just want to put this all in context. Thanks.

OK I am going to add some levity to this. I am going to make another reference to Dicky Beal's years at Holmes and point out that the games at Covington Catholic, before they were known as the "crazies" I saw some things for the first time. I remember distinctly the student section turning their back on player introductions, breaking out newspapers during player introductions, and a huge banner put up one time about Dicky, but I can't remember exactly what it said. Just wondering if anybody remembers that and can refresh my memory about what it said.

No one ever makes a comparison to Holmes from 1976–80. In that span of five years, there were four regional championships, a state semifinalist, the state runner-up in 1978 (which could be called state championship with an asterisk) and, something that seems left out of these discussions, 2 high-level Division I players (Doug Schloemer at UC and Dicky Beal at Kentucky). For that matter, also a Mr. Basketball and a Mr. Basketball runner up who missed out only because Ervin Stepp averaged 54 points per game (something that I don't think would happen again - see Erin Boley vs Whitney Creech debate). I still consider those Holmes teams to have played the best besketball in the history of NKY.

Is there a completed bracket out there somewhere?

Congratulations Holmes - my alma mater - strong squad, even after losing its best big early in the year. Your speed and athleticism will create some interesting matchup problems for other teams in the state tourney. I hope northern Kentucky takes the opportunity to support the ladies from Holmes, playing in a local venue. Wouldn't it be great to see another unexpected run like HolyCross had last year! On the other side of the floor, tough for the seniors at Ryle but you can't get much closer than you did tonight. Great run and congratulations on taking Ryle girls basketball to a new level. As for Maddie Scherr, I look forward to watching her carve out a place in northern Kentucky high school history by the time she's finished. Love to watch her play the game. Good luck Bulldogs!

Can't happen anymore. KHSAAbylaw precluding it.

Let's try to keep our best player from getting hurt. They failed.

How did they guard Allen? Straight up man or zone?

Yuck ... What happened?

They kept it close after Beazell one out, but I think before he went out it was a one or two point back-and-forth game. If the HC team theat showed up in the third quarter against Dixie, NCC will have their hands full. And, contrary to many, I think either team (HC or NCC) could take down CovCath in the finals should they get past Conner. I agree that CovCath has looked strong of late, particularly the play of Von Handorf, but both NCC and HC have elements in their offense, NCC with Weyer and HC with their wealth of shooters, that could be difficult for CCH to contain. We will see, indeed.

Should have said it before, but congratulations to the Highlands seniors, McKenzie Leigh, Haley Coffey and Brianna Adler. Great careers, with four trips to the regional semi-finals ... You were the heart of an outstanding program for years ... Good luck going forward. All are fine athletes and could continue their athletic careers at the next level if they choose to, but regardless, I know all three families and mean it sincerely when I say, as an outsider looking in, you have much to be proud of with those three. Winners all the way.

How'd scoring wind up? Sounded like Leigh was the whole show early, and Scherr came through again. Scherr with two outstanding games, and I hate to jinx her, but if they pull off one more win, she would certainly be in the conversation for MVP of the regional. Has that ever happened before, an 8th grader MVP?

Wow! Great job LB! Almost as good as radio play-by-play… how gutsy was it to block the three?

Fabulous LB!

Maggie starting?

Thanks Jim!