Ordell

Well I don’t believe Owensboro Red Devil basketball, from 6th-12th grade, is broken. The issue, IMO, was that the current Seniors, and Juniors, didn’t come out for basketball. (And of course we had some talent that transferred out.) But if you look at the current Sophomore’s, and Freshman, their numbers were what they should be. Actually they were probably the majority of the varsity roster this year. The middle school program is running at a high level as usual. OHS just needs someone proven that can come in with an exciting brand of ball. When I say proven I mean someone that has shown they can relate to kids and parents and win games at a high clip. As far as Hayworth goes I have no idea if he has any interest in the job. I just used him as an example because someone brought him up. But Louisville/JCPS is a totally different animal than anywhere in KY. While there is more talent then anywhere in KY the coaches in the 6th and 7th Regions are fighting to maintain their rosters year after year. Folks that think kids are constantly transferring in Owensboro have no idea. I could see a coach wanting to leave that hustle and bustle. OHS has historically had a strong group of kids come through the program every 2-3 years. There’s a reason the Red Devils have been to the Sweet 16 forty plus times. With the right hire they’ll be back in 1-2 years IMO.

Yes. Rod Drake had been an assistant coach at OHS for several years before getting the head coaching job. (He had also starred at OHS which never hurts when you’re talking about getting a head coaching job at your alma mater.) But, IMO, the big difference in then and now is OHS was coming off of back to back Sweet 16 appearances when Coach Breeden left and Coach Drake took over. The program was flying high. The Red Devils have won 16 games combined the last 2 seasons. Only 4 wins this year!! This is the lowest point ever in the basketball program. I just don’t think they’re hiring an assistant coach to right this ship. The AD has got to get this hire right. So just as an hypothetical situation….let’s say Tim Hayworth from Hopkinsville/Male wants the job. Do you give it to a guy who has 6-7 regional titles on his resume or do you give it to an unproven assistant coach? And as it relates specifically to Tyler Brown….the bigger question for me is why didn’t Apollo give him a shot at the job when it was open??

Listen I wouldn’t be upset if Brown got the job. He’s one of the best basketball players to ever come out of Owensboro/Daviess County. He trains tons of kids and he’s out in the community. I just don’t think OHS is going with an unproven coach unless their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd options say “no”. At that point you do what you have too. But I think there will be proven coaches, and by that I mean regional title winning coaches, that will apply for this job.

2014/2015 Apollo was like 18-13. That was with Ben Moss, JR, Eli Wright, & Trace Young. In 2017 they were 22-7 when they got upset by Daviess County. The following year they went to the Sweet 16 with James Graham, Alex Gray, & Hayden Shelton with a 16-16 record. Barker is an all time great Eagle, and was a solid college coach, but he struggled on Tamarack Road. If my math is correct Barker’s record was 73-104.

Barker didn’t do what I thought he would at Apollo. Even the year he did go to the Sweet 16 they struggled through the regular season. And that was with him having, what I believe, was the best talent in the 3rd Region.

Looks like a few 2026 kids are getting D1 offers. Ty Ashley(Linebacker) committed to UK over several high major offers. Cornerback Trey Shemwell is reporting recent offers from Troy University, Hawaii, & UT-Martin. I think he gets more offers before the start of the season. Kobe Pullom(Defensive End) and DeMarcus Ganaway JR(Quarterback) are also reporting offers from Troy University. 2027 Wide receiver Kingston Dillard has offers from Kent State and Troy University.

While I believe Tyler Brown would relate well to the kids, and parents, in the OPS system I just don’t see an unproven coach getting this job. But whoever the next head coach is should try and get Brown on staff. He knows basketball and his oldest son, who I believe is in 6th grade, is going to be really good.

I didn’t say it was a bad hire. It’s just not a hire that would excite me. Looks like he took Oldham Co. to back to back Sweet 16’s back in like 2013-2014. Then he bounced around to 3-4 programs before finally landing at Brescia. (Maybe having been let go at at least one of the high school programs along the way.) I think if he’s hired it’ll set off a collective “Who?” in the fan base. His name has been on nobodies wish list that I know.

You heard he applied?!?! I don’t speak for all Red Devil fans but I wouldn’t be excited by that hire.

Anybody hearing anything??

Love them adding Ironton, OH to their schedule!

I can’t see him back at OHS but I could see them trying to get him to Apollo. Smh

Micheal Acton is a Junior.

I would be ecstatic if Daviess County and Henderson were taken off the schedule. I think the Red Devils state wide profile could be raised by adding Louisville area, Lexington area, or Northern Kentucky area teams to the schedule.

There were a few years in the early 90’s where Owensboro didn’t play Henderson.

I’d love to see that one too.

I wish OHS would drop the Henderson game and add Manual, Ballard, Frederick Douglas, South Warren, Male, Ryle, or Bryan Station.

Historically I would say Owensboro has been a top 5 program in Kentucky. Most Sweet 16 appearance's all time with 44. 2nd most victories in the Sweet 16 all time with 47. Third all time with thirteen Sweet 16 semi final appearances. Tied for third all time with three Mr. Basketball winners. Tied for second all time with Lville St. X, Lville Male, Lville Manual, and Ashland Blazer with 4 state titles(1949,1972,1980,& 2015). The right hire will have some young talent coming down the pipeline.

I watched the video of his introduction at the RHS Girls game. Loved his energy! Is this his first head coaching job?

I like it. Let’s go back in time for a minute. The last time Apollo won the region they upset a good Owensboro team in the 1st round of district play. If there was a super regional that Owensboro team would have still had an opportunity to make regionals and possibly go on a run. I think that Owensboro team would have beat everybody else, not named Apollo, in the region that year.

When Apollo went to Daviess County earlier this season the game was really “chippy”. So I could see an ejection happening the 2nd go round. D.C. is going to have to stay focused during regionals or they might go home earlier then they expect too.

I’m not sure there’s a simple answer for why the program is where it is right now. AAU mentality, NIL mentality, social media, helicopter parents, and several other things are very prevalent in high school sports. Some folks will say it’s Coach Drake being old school and set in his ways. And kids don’t want to play for him because of it. Personally I don’t think there’s a lot of basketball talent walking the halls right now. (I do think there’s enough talent in the hallways to not be 2-14 though.) But I don’t think the Red Devils would be district, or regional, contenders if they somehow got all the kids out of the hallways on Frederica Street right now. Especially taking into account the kids that transferred out of the program. Madisonville seems to be going through the same thing.

Sounds like Coach Payne took one for the team.

So many great programs are in Southwest Ohio that any KY team looking to “beef” up their schedule doesn’t have very far to travel. And it doesn’t have to be the private GCL schools. Public schools like Anderson, Princeton, Winton Woods, Middletown, Wayne, Springfield, Lakota West, Kings, Taft, Withrow, etc. will give you all you can handle.

Nice!!