BasketballFan24

Nice win for Mercer on the road to start the season. Played most of game without Barnes. Whitaker and Godfrey are as good as advertised.

So after scrimmage season and at the start of the season we are still where we thought all along. Anyone can win this region. I’ve seen several of the teams and nothing has changed my mind. DCA is most athletic but lacks depth and can’t seem to figure out what they need to do. Lincoln is a question mark but with great coaching. I’ve seen this group of seniors play since 6th grade and they are smart and have high BBIQ. Conner Davis and Blayde Nuckles are legit. Somerset I think is better than we are giving credit outside of their top two Whitaker and Godbey. Boyle I don’t think is being talked about enough. My opinion they are more athletic than DCA and have size and physicality with the Driver kids and Hager. Just won’t know till football ends. Mercer has two legit top ten players in the region and are still figuring things out. I thought if the Hazard scrimmage was called properly and kids could foul out it changes that game completely for both teams. Don’t forget Ellis left 2 minutes in with ankle injury but returned. Probably not 100%. Rock has been underrated from the start. Craig is a great player and they have some good players around him. Especially the kid that transfered from Berea a year or so ago. His name escapes me. Wayne is most solid team and has 3 legitimate top 10-15 players in Phillips, Farmer, and Dumphord if he indeed is playing. Woods will figure the rest out around them. Southwestern had some nice pieces I saw so can’t count them out. If the rumor I heard that Fraley is out at PC I think that hurts them tremendously. East I think deserves to be talked about a little. Radford and Jones can fill it up and they have a transfer from Woodford that is going to give them more of an inside presence and will help them. What am I missing? Looks like it’s going to be fun and it starts tomorrow.

Pretty sure Harris is at East Jessamine as well.

They built a new school on the other side of town but didn’t build a big gym with it. Built just a small one and they still use the old gym at the old school for games.

Reading through all of this I see a lot of teams with a tandem of a couple players that are pretty good. Phillips and Dumphord ( if playing) Farmer if not at Wayne. Whitaker and Godfrey at Somerset Qusinberry and Brown at Boyle Barnes (if eligible) and Ellis at Mercer Davis and Nuckols at Lincoln Jones and Radford at East Dut and Aiyel at DCA Just to name a few So now I’m thinking who develops players to go with them and got to thinking about the coaches in the 12th. This region is loaded with coaches that are outstanding. Just off the top of my head I came up with this. Jackson- multiple State appearances Woods- multiple State appearances Fraley- multiple State appearances Webb -State appearance Adkins- coached an NAIA National Champion game and multiple appearances Oddly enough these teams are all being mentioned as contenders for the region and I may have missed some that have coached state tournament teams Should be fun

I will agree agree with Wayne with their talent and Woods on the bench. I think Lincoln depends on if Bishop is healthy. Jackson always gets it out of whoever he has. West I don’t see. Lost everything including one of the best coaches in the region. East is best team in Nicholasville. The 45th is just stacked again. I agree DCA has to prove they belong and get out of that tough district and anything can happen in region. Somerset has two guys that can get you 25 each every night but don’t know if they have enough help otherwise. Everything I’ve heard Barnes has moved to Mercer with his dad and will be eligible if not already. Been enrolled in school since opening day. Rock, Southwestern, Pulaski all have young talent so can’t count any out.

Davis, Knuckles, and Bishop (if healthy) from Lincoln Jones from East. Region does have a lot of talent.

15 hours later and no responses, no opinions. Must be everyone agrees or it’s so far off they don’t know where to start. Lol

I was thinking they were getting them to subscribers first and then to public but that doesn’t look like the case.

I agree with this and also think Donavon Stone should be mentioned.

Give it time. They get a new coach hired the kids will come back. When you have a father as coach and his kids take 57% of the shots and three kids take 76% of them it tends to sour the other kids.

Just saw announcing new coach tomorrow. This quick it has to be in house or I’m going to throw out a name that hasn’t been mentioned, Cliff Berry.

McRay still the leader?

I agree and was under the impression they had offered. That’s why I think a year of intense training at prep school is probably more beneficial than another year at Woodford, regardless of the families ties to KHSAA or the school. Only thing left really is to win a state title, which they made a run at this year but we all know that doesn’t guarantee anything next year.

I think the Johnson’s will do what’s best for him and not worry about being involved in KHSAA or the school. He has already secured the D1 status and the next 2 years are going to be training to get better and see how high he can go and looking toward possible NBA draft status. Can he do that at Woodford, maybe? Is it a better chance at prep school, maybe? Don’t forget he is a Covid hold back and probably has the grades and credits to reclass as well so may just be one year.

Looks like a great hire for the Titans.

Also took a team to the NAIA National Championship game and won 402 games in his college years.

Michael Noe is an alum also. Currently coaching middle school there and has kids coming into the program.

Hearing an announcement may be coming soon and it’s not a name mentioned here. Although any of the ones mentioned here would have been great hires, the one I’m hearing is a very, very qualified coach with an outstanding college resume.

Don't think there is any way this happens. He left Mercer for a better program with all he needs to be successful and to be close to family to raise his daughter so why return.

While that is a connection and I'm sure Mr Booher will throw it out there, if you look at what he is returning at Pikeville next year I don't think it will happen. They return several juniors that were in the 15th Championship game this year.

I agree with you and must have watched the same game. The charge on Ellis when catching the pass was horrible and gave him a foul early in the game. He’s probably not the teams best on ball defender to begin with (pretty good shot blocker out of help position though) and was charged with guarding Fraley with an early foul and not wanting to get his second. Smart by Fraley to attack that situation and not so smart the other way. There was no help either on defense. Somebody has got to slide over and take a charge because they were giving them away if you just get in position. Bad coaching decision by Mercer not to adjust.

I have never been able to get an answer on how the money is being divided up doing it this way either. I have been told that gate is split between all region schools but not 100% confirmed. No one can answer about concessions. Are these two schools being given the concession profit annually that no other school has a chance at? It is a lot of work but that can add up to a lot of money for their booster clubs if they get it all.

Yea, but they get to play home… again.

I would say a lot. They have a superintendent that is sports minded especially basketball as a former coach(state champion). Building a top notch baseball/softball facility I think currently so not afraid to put money in sports. They have a nice weightlifting complex. Looks like a lot of talent coming up and program is about at bottom so can’t get much worse. Looks like only way to go is up for a new coach.