Log Mountain Boy

Fred Hoskins helps out with basketball and football at Bell Co. He does a great job with the kids. He pretty much coaches year around.

The problem is that some players on strong teams are unselfish and don't put up huge numbers. Their greatness doesn't necessarily standout in the stat sheet. So how is a coach in say Hopkinsville going to know about a great player at say Perry Central that may be unbelievably good, but because of the help around him doesn't put up huge numbers? Thats the reason why I think what happens in March should really weigh in heavily.

On a year like this the award is about circumstances. That IMO is what elevates guys like Sewell, Justice, Polson, and Watts. Those guys are by far their team's go to guy and their teams revolve more around them. There are other great players like from Ballard, Scott Co, Holmes, etc who have multiple great players, but will split votes in their area possibly or play on more balanced teams. Then there are other guys who haven't got recognition because their teams are average in their regions and aren't well known like Vance Hall, Thomas Jackson, and Brendon Carruthurs. There is no Chris Lofton this year who is a no doubt Mr. Basketball lock.

Ballard has several leapers with Chiles, Jones, and Means just to name a few. Scott Co. has Jackson and Guyn that get up really well. Also, Butler has some guys that while not very tall can get up.

There are so many players a good part of the state will be introduced to. This is Ballard and Scott Co's first Sweet 16 trips since 07 so none of those guys played in the Sweet 16 I don't think. Also, you have Newport with a couple of great players. Then there is Fant and Shanklin from Warren Central. Most people have never saw those guys. I believe this shapes up for a very exciting Sweet 16!

:ohbrother: This maybe one of the most questionable post I've ever seen on BGP. How has Coach Hicks not earned respect?

Who is on the team then? That is ridiculous if thats the case.

Both guys would be very good players on either team. They are different than each other. This year there are so many great players that circumstances IMO will decide the award. Its not a year like Lofton's senior year when he was hands down the best player. You have Justice that is had a great career and been very good this year and is a star in the mtns. You have Sewell who was the star of his team and was surrounded by a tough bunch of role players and they had a great season. Then you have a kid like Polson who has been amazing all year yet under the radar. Also you have Ricardo Johnson who has been amazing throughout his career, but with him it doesn't show up in the stat sheet and Pittman has had a great year too. So they may split some votes. Then you got 3 players at Scott Co. who are D-1 guys that don't put up the numbers they could in a different situations. I could go on and on with other examples too. There is a lot of very good seniors this year. A lot. Picking the Kentucky-Indiana All star team will be very difficult!

Could someone name the 7?

Snap of the finger? That wasn't a difficult call and he blew it. Maybe it was an honest mistake, but its one thats hard to accept.

Yes, I'm sure his parents did.

That is a very good point. I don't think anyone expected him to be POY in the 13th region going into the year outside of some in Corbin. Hes an impressive player and seems like a fine young man!

He needs to be in the Mr. Basketball conversation as well!

Yes. Last year he led them to the Final 4 (granted they had a really weak portion of the bracket). He put up 40 last night and is a great player.

A name no one is mentioning that IMO should be a candidate is Polson from West Jessamine. He is a player! And has accomplished so much over the last 2 years. Although this year is the only year that matters for the award.

I watched the game on wazoo. Great game by Ballard. I'm happy for them, but felt bad for Male. They had a great post season run. Both teams played extremely hard!

Congratulations to Mason. Big win for them. They just keep winning region tournaments!

Who knows whats going through the refs head. It was a horrible call. I would like to think he didn't miss it on purpose, but we just don't know. (Not accusing anyone of cheating, we just don't know what was going through his head).

Yeah I think a 45 second shot clock would be good too. I don't think it would be noticed that much, but it would keep teams from stalling as much. I don't think anyone wants to go to a game and watch a team hold the ball 2 or 3 minutes at a time.

:thumb: Good post

The problem I have with that is the award should be solely about this season. I do think he still has a decent shot at the award. But I don't think previous accomplishments should matter. If you did do the whole career it would actually hurt Johnson because he played in Ohio as a freshman. Justice led his team to a Sweet 16 as a freshman. Hes a great player and by all accounts a fine young man. If he wins the award I believe it will and should be on what he does this year.

I think it would be good to get replay for region and Sweet 16 games just to make sure a buzzer beater call is correct. I believe at these big arenas they can have the technology to make this possible. Also, I think its time to really consider putting in a shot clock. Maybe one thats like 40 seconds. It would rarely be needed, but at the same time keep teams from stalling too.

Jenkins had a shot if he stayed healthy. Also, if Phares wouldn't have tore his ACL in the regional semis and if Scott Co. won the region and made a run in the Sweet 16 I believe he would have had a shot. He had a great sr. year.

I watched highlights on WYMT on the internet. Looked like quite a game. The foul in OT that put Smith to the line with Bell up 2 was a tough call. They were both going after a loose ball. When I first watched it I thought it was a bad call, but after watching it over and over....lol, it was really close. The question I had was did Smith get posession of the ball and it appeared he may have. That would be a tough situation for a referee to be in to either make the call or not call anything.

Have you seen Aaron Watts play? Hes been outstanding all year and has done it against teams like Scott Co, LexCath (twice), Seneca, Male, and Corbin who has a quality team. He put up huge numbers in all those games. I think its awful that he isn't considered for Mr. Basketball. Hes had an outstanding year and deserves credit. It would not be a travesty for him to lose if someone performs great in the post season making a deep run in the Sweet 16 and also had a very good regular season. Now that is yet to be seen.