dragon man

A big "thanks" to Colonel Mike & Pegasus Sports! We really appreciate your time and broadcast of these games! This is been a difficult season, full of set backs and challenges. Its also been incredibly rewarding to see these young men play basketball and compete week in & week out. Your support of high school basketball is noticed & greatly appreciated. I believe North & South are both better than their records would indicate. Both teams have had their ups and downs... and really want this victory. Whoever comes out on top will certainly redeem what has been a difficult season... and move into the region 8 tournament with some confidence. (PS. Go South! )

I completely agree with the assessment above from Mojocat. The quarantines have been super tough on this Dragon team. Over the next few weeks, the chemistry for South on offense can & probably will get better, simply because of more time on the court with practice and games. Last night they, shot over 30 three pointers & made maybe 8? They're actually getting open shots, they're just not shooting well at all. Not a good sign for a team that plays this style of offense - but, again, I think this can improve. I'm most concerned about the defense that's completely broken. The past 4 losses, the opponents point guards have gone for career highs of 41, 35, 36 and 30. South has tried man-to-man, 2/3 Zone, 1/3/1 Zone, and other schemes, yet cannot seem to play defense on guards who can penetrate. This has to change in order for them to improve.

I really enjoyed watching this on Pegagus last night - nice job Colonel Mike. Give all the credit to Simon Kenton, especially Kelly Niece. He's fundamentally sound in every aspect of his game & very level headed. 27 points at half, 41 points overall shows this kid can really play. South came out rusty in the first quarter, by missing some easy shots, and turning the ball over. Very expected after not being on the court with one another for 10 days. In the 3rd period, Dragons made a strong run by stepping up their intensity... and also finally moving to a zone defense. I was impressed by South showing some heart and some grit to bring the game close. I'm not blaming the refs at all.. but, it was at that time there were 3 very questionable calls in a row, which took the momentum out of South, and also put Michel on the bench with his 4th foul. This clearly stifled the momentum, and led to SK extending the lead in short order. SK will be a real force to recon with in the 8th region tourney. South simply needs more time in the gym together to sharpen their passing... and execution. We all know South wants to shoot more 3's in order to win. So, the next few weeks should be very helpful for the Dragons.

As always... a solid write up on this game Colonel Mike. Simon Kenton is a good team, and Niece is a really tough player. He can shoot, drive, and pass to his teammates. I think these teams are fairly evenly matched. So, I expect a close one. South has had its ups and downs... and these quarantines aren't helping anything. After losing the last 2 games, the Dragons need to come out & play hard & fast. Ball movement, getting the extra pass & finding open shooters is important for them. I expect the Dragons will be hungry for a win.

St X brings more talent and more experience into this matchup. They've played a tough schedule, and have competed well. Varga can really handle the ball and shoot, Smith is strong & crafty, while Mudd is likely returning with some pent up energy / motivation. I assume most folks expect St X to win this game. South has lost 2 consecutive games, and still seems to still be finding its identity. This fairly inexperienced team has had its ups & downs so far. Both defense and offense have been inconsistent. They'll need to move the ball around to find open shooters, and hit shots. South shot poorly against North, including missing not only open 3's, but also free throws down the stretch. I expect that will change / improve on Saturday.

This was a solid win for the young Dragons. Its not merely the win that is significant, but it's the dominant fashion. Henry Co had a good record, and some confidence coming into the game. The Dragons picked them apart from the start. Good ball movement, and shot selection was improved... so, scoring was fairly balanced. South got open looks all night long. When Henry stepped up the pressure, South outmatched them with more speed, energy and execution. The Dragons continue to grow & mature, this game was a positive step for them.

Kaleb Glenn and Reed Sheppard are certainly tops on the list. These guys are both high D1 talent, they can play!

I'm really looking forward to this game! I believe this South Oldham vs Bullitt East game will be the most telling game of the season for both clubs. From my perspective, both teams trying to find their way & their identity with some limited experience. South has an emerging core of players (Michel, Davis, etc), while BE has the Blanford brothers that can really play. South probably wants to play fast, and shoot 3's (not a surprise), and BE probably wants to drive to the basket & score or draw a foul. BE is scrappy and tough. I'm a dragon fan, so I'm rooting for them. This will be a real test. I think the winner of this game will probably take a big step forward, with momentum & confidence.

Wow, this is an excellent preview of the 8th Region! Thanks so much! It may take a few games to get going, but I think we're going to see some scoring in the 8th region this year with many offensive threats. OC is certainly the team to beat. Their length at many positions, along with considerable experience... they're going to be tough.

Most of the KHSAA discussion seems favorable toward having a season, and the majority certainly support a delayed start (early January). The delay and limiting fan attendance all makes sense to me... as long as the kids get some kind of season in. The question I have is about the restrictions on "red counties"? Currently, there are nearly 100 counties in the "red", which is defined as 25 covid cases per 100,000 (this is a crazy conservative definition compared to other states). That being said, I don't think most counties will be out of the "red" by January. Up until this point, the schools in the red, are deciding not to travel, not to play, etc.. So, will we be able to play? Will the KHSAA weigh in on this? Or will the districts / counties just decide on their own if they will play.

I completely understand attendance restrictions in basketball gyms, and out of state travel restrictions for tournaments. However, I'll be very disappointed in the KHSAA simply cancels the season. I don't believe the virus poses a greater risk to these athletes, than the risks of not playing. These athletes need to exercise, run, jump, compete, experience teamwork, etc. Let's join with Indiana to our north, and Tennessee to our south to offer sound guidance to the teams, while playing safely.

I completely understand attendance restrictions in basketball gyms, and out of state travel restrictions for tournaments. However, I'll be very disappointed in the KHSAA simply cancels the season. I don't believe the virus poses a greater risk to these athletes, than the risks of not playing. These athletes need to exercise, run, jump, compete, experience teamwork, etc. Let's join with Indiana to our north, and Tennessee to our south to offer sound guidance to the teams, while playing safely.

I like both of these teams. Fun, high-scoring offenses, and they play with a lot of heart. If South moves the ball & finds open shooters, they're tough to beat. Kelly Niece is a well rounded player with a good shot, strong passing skills and he can penetrate the lane. Both teams will want to score a lot. The team that can step up defensively has the best chance here in my opinion.

I was at the South vs North game last night. In my opinion, the refs took control early in the game by calling alot of fouls on both teams (over 20 fouls in first half) fairly equally. So, the game might have been "choppy" based on the all the stoppage of play. Its disappointing Higdon's high school career ended on a technical, he's an outstanding player. However, in this case, I believe the technical was warranted. What he yelled is unacceptable and should not be allowed. So, I believe that was a "no brainer" and justified. Its unfortunate timing and sad to see his career end that way, but I don't think the ref had a choice.

King of the Bluegrass is going to be a blast! I love the North Oldham vs Bardstown match up as mentioned earlier, watch out for Powell to show why he's a lead Mr Basketball candidate. I also think Collins will have a chip on their shoulder from last year... and will bring their "A" game vs Trinity. I'm a South Oldham fan, so I'd love to see them compete on this stage with Male or anyone else in the field. Fun stuff!

This assessment of the 8th is very well thought out.... and I think its "spot on". In my opinion, the 8th is deeper than any region in the state this year. In year's past, the 6th and 7th have been strong, talented, and very deep. I'm not sure that's the case this year. Seems like I'd put the top 5-6 teams in this region up against the top 5-6 in any region in the state.... this is gonna be fun!

This last post by Cardrule1972 is spot on. I've been watching the 8th region for many years. I think any of these 5 teams can win the region, and any of these teams can beat each other on any given night. Collins clearly has an amazing back court with 2 D1 recruits, North has perhaps the best player in the state, South gets back just about everyone from last year, and Spencer keeps getting better, and better. All have a lot to prove, since last year Walton Verona was the best team in the region. I think the 8th will be the strongest its been in years, and perhaps among the top 2 or 3 regions in the state.

It won't be close... South wins big. This senior class for South is a hard working, talented bunch of kids. They've been playing together a long time, and have a system that's tough to beat.

Male & Cov Cath are really good... maybe separating themselves from a host of other perennial contenders. Trinity does not look strong in the offseason / summer ball... not sure if they're missing some players or not?

I think your write up is spot on. The 8th region is going to be very strong next year. Not only will there be some superstars like you've called out... but, there will also be some emerging underclassmen trying to prove themselves. Lots of talent, with several solid teams competing for the title... should be a lot of fun!

Great atmosphere last night at South! Packed house, students going crazy... high school basketball at its finest - big win for South!

Hats off to Gallatin County! I'm a South Oldham fan. But, Gallatin wanted this win more. They hustled for loose balls, they finished at the rim, they made their free throws when they needed to.... Gallatin is a good team, and they deserved the win! (South needs to step up defensively if they want to compete down the stretch)

Packed house... great energy, amazing shooting, down to the wire! this is what high school basketball is all about!

Dragons trailed most of the game by 6-8 points... kept their heads up... and pulled ahead in the 4th quarter. Smart play & key shots in the 4th quarter sealed this one for South Oldham.