Hoops Junkie

As much parity as there was last season with more than a couple of teams that could win it. IMO, it has flipped right around and become very top heavy. Newport and CovCath are really the only 2 teams I believe that can win it, with maybe a huge upset with Highlands, but I don't see anyone else able to hang with the top 2. I thought last year there were 7 teams that wouldn't have surprised me if they came out of the 9th. Just not the case this season.

I remember there being some controversy there. Jacob Meyer wasn't initially selected to the junior squad. (which is laughable). I believe the Ky committee realized what they had done, and immediately tried to fix the situation, but the damage was done. Let's be honest along with other stories I have heard it seems like the Ky side of things is not very organized in there approach. I read maybe in another thread the question was posed does it need to be discussed about doing away with the game. I don't believe that is the way to go, but maybe different leadership could fix some of the issues. Things like leaving Meyer off the list last year and miss spelling players names in post should never be an option.

Who is Zack Tobler?

Another big get for Centre College. Congrats Landen and to the Hamilton family. 3 big signee's that I know of with Landen, Hudson Sparks (Lex Cath), and Riley Mastin (Mason County). Great class coming in for Centre. Congrats to their staff.

Latest on his Twitter was an offer and visit to Coastal Carolina. I would think Myrtle Beach would have to be intriguing. From everyone I have talked to the portal has everyone scrambling and tied up for a bit, especially on the HS senior front. Might be a bit for some folks that haven't committed yet. Wouldn't be surprised one bit if he ends up at a P5 though. He definitely has the talent to do so. I heard Pitino wanted him at Iona, wonder if he still wants him at St. John's. UC lost Davenport to the portal, do they finally make a play? He would look great in a Muskie's uniform too. I think wherever he lands he will have a bright future and will make some coach happy. Every coach is looking for guys that have skills they can't teach/coach. Meyer can flat out score, and score in bunches. Being able to drop 40 on any given night is a skill that coaches want and need on the highest level. Will be interesting to say the least.

Like @Baseball Nut 24 I too agree with the top 4. I would include Baker and Gibson somewhere to make it the top 6. Should be a good offseason and another exciting season of parity in the 9th.

Much like Newport it seem too.

DD please chime in as well.

All good. Let's keep the discussion going though. After Green who are your next 9 to make your top 10?

You can switch NCC and Highlands. You make a good point about beating them twice last year. I think you are referring to Green as being the best player in the region. I am not in that camp. She has improved greatly since her 8th grade year, but I think she is 4th among bigs in the region and maybe in the top 10 overall. Yes, I know the coaches in D2 gave her player of the year, but let's be honest Julia Hunt should have gotten the award. She has a bright future, but maybe pump the brakes a bit on best player.

Just for the sake of discussion and debate. I agree with your top 2 DD, but would shuffle 3-8, make it look something like this. 1 - Cooper 2 - NDA 3 - Ryle 4 - SK 5 - Holy Cross 6 - Conner 7 - NCC 8 - Highlands *Debating on putting Dixie ahead of Highlands, but we can go with it.

Thought Jerry Gross might get the gig. Congrats to Coach Sowder. Anybody know if Gross will stay on staff?

I would love to have a night where I was off and score 47.

Can't disagree with anything you have in at this point. Yes, Meyer for POY. Should be an easy discussion and that is no disrespect to Ipsaro, but what Meyer has done this year and last for that matter is just mind boggling. I think the bigger discussion and better question should be Meyer for Mr. Basketball. I know Reed is going to UK and is a McDonald's All-American, but if you remove those forces, I would take Meyer. Great write up Woj!

You can always count on @Brcatzto be that guy.

The Indians have to be the most entertaining team in the 9th. Only seen them play twice, and I am a little biased because I know a couple people close to the program, but damn they are fun to watch and follow.

I think Frakes said it best in a tweet. And I'm paraphrasing here , but I think the tweet was some like "Reed will get the award, but damn Jacob Meyer." I couldn't agree more. Sheppard will get it for a number of valid reasons, but for purely entertainment value Jacob Meyer is the best ticket in the state. 49 in the All A finals followed by a 38 point triple-double followed by 58 the next night. Plus Sheppard's 4 point performance at CovCath while not coming out of the game makes me scratch my head a bit. Not that 1 bad game should be the killer, but its Mr. Basketball after all.

Mason County's only 2 losses for the year are against N. Oldham and Lyon County. Not too shabby. I will also take Mason County in a close one. However, if Conner can shoot 50%+ from 3 tonight they might squeak one out. Has the makings of a good one.

I went back and looked at some schedules to dive a little deeper into the information. Snapp seems to be a popular pick so I started with Newport. They have 1 signature win. Highlands would be the best win on their slate so far, and losses to Brossart and Beechwood send up red flags to me. We will see how they finish especially vs. Harlan County, Cooper, and St. Henry. Don't get me wrong they have played well in more than a few games (ex: Conner and HC). Snapp doing a tremendous job no doubt, but I think Otte or Sorrell get the nod IMO. Going to Conner next, and if you wanted to argue Otte has done the most with the guys he has, I wouldn't have much of an arguement. No doubt he has some real talent in Hamilton, Lohr, Campbell, and the emergence of Kramer. However, with no big at all they have some signature wins. CovCath, HC, and SK. They have a couple of head scratchers though too, losses to Grant by 27 (still haven't figured out that one), a sub .500 Henry Clay team (1st game of the year), and Hamilton (OH). The signature wins are great and the losses are better than Newport's. Lastly, Sorrell and HC. Sorrell should probably get it up to this point just for the fact that he seems to have this groups attention. Sometimes it's difficult to have the necessary buy-in when you have an Uber talented bunch that can improvise at the level Meyer and Ward can, and keep everything together. He probably has the best and most pieces at his disposal with finishing out his starting 5 with a 7 footer in Gibson, a floor general soccer player in Dreas, and capable 3 point shooter in Smith. Their schedule boasts of good wins against Highlands, Newport, Danville, Hazard, and OCath. They have 1 bad loss to CAL, and you could through in the Conner game because it was by 20. 5 of their 6 losses came to current top 25 teams and 4 of them in the top 14. I am giving the edge to Sorrell at this point, but not by much. Go ahead and pick me apart.

I would think it would be a coach that has over achieved the teams expectations above and beyond any other teams. Much like Walker and Lloyd last year. In addition to being one of the 4 or maybe 5 best teams in the region.

I know there is still a lot to be determined, and some of this will work itself out, but who ya got up to this point? Could make a case for a number of guys this year, Ruthsatz, Otte, Sully, Sorrell, Snap, Faust, or someone else. Love to hear the discussion.

Is it possible Holmes doesn't win a game this year??? Looking at their schedule Dayton, Bellevue, and Pendleton might be the only possibilities, and from looking at Dayton, Bellevue, and Pendleton's scores nothing seems to be a given. It is hard to believe that Holmes might go a season without a win. I hope the Bulldogs can find one some where.

On the girls side. Stowers family. Jeff and Brendan.

What happened to Barnes?

The angle I had was pretty good. There was definitely a kick 100%. If you don't see a kick that means you weren't there and are trying to evaluate from the top row of a video. As @Baseball Nut 24put it I guess you can see it differently from which side you were on, and I guess I was rooting for HC so take with a grain of salt if you would like, and I know you are an anti-HC and anti-Meyer guy so I guess that's where the difference lies.