Henry Steele

Pretty strong numbers for frosh debut. Will he get more opportunities this week, or did he just get chances last night because they have some backs hurt?

Does anyone have McGinnis statistics from last night? Had he played much varsity before this game?

I was going to sit this out, but the inaccuracies and innuendo are too much. First, it is not an entire AAU team. It is 2 8th grade girls, one of whom lives closer to Holy Cross High School than any other high school, the second of which (the most recent transfer) has a parent that coaches at Holy Cross. I would submit that both of them BELONG at Holy Cross. It is truly unfortunate I think that people in Ft. Thomas will, if Remmac is correct, resent or feel alienated or create a stir because 13 year old girl is going to go to a different school. Why would they feel that way? As far as parenting issues, if a parent decides, for example, that it is more efficient, a better use of resources, etc., to have his/her child at the school where he/she coaches, I question why anyone would raise an issue. I am finished. I just hope the 13 year old can go to school and play the sports that she enjoys without resentment or heightened expectations. She is 13 and has done nothing wrong or inappropriate.

One player from Macke's team. One. And she lives closer to Holy Cross than any other school. No busing. No whole team coming in. Your information gathering sucks.

Congratulations to Matt and the Wilson family. Great, great decision. Athletically and academically, great choice, but that choice says a lot about leadership too, and I am impressed that he made it. Good luck Matt.

Congratulations Ben. Its been fun watching you develop into the player that you are. Very happy for you, and for your Mom and Dad.

Kentucky Royals 14U won the AAU Division 2 national championship. Roster is: Spencer Macke Dontaie Allen Tanner Lawrence Ty Houston Blaine Walters Chad Ohmer Zach Deatherage In the state AAU tournament, the roster also included Jack Coldiron, Alex Starkey and Quentin Becker, all of whom were unavailable to play in the national tournament.

Never said or implied lock ... Also never said or implied they were out of it or not a contender ... I do believe, though, that HHS gets a significant late season improvement from her return, and I like their chances given that they were near the top all year long without her. Not a lock ... Not a non-contender without her ... words mean what they mean ... And everyone has their opinions ... We'll see whose opinions are correct soon enough ...

Let's review where we are ... This thread started as a discussion about a possible trend upward for girls basketball in northern kentucky based upon recent middle school success .. Condescending comments are then thrown around that the best players don't play in these middle school AAU events ... Okay, I ask who is it that is not playing, and the answer comes kentucky premier. Now, I've seen a number of Kentucky premier teams play, and they really don't compete YET in those age groups. I am, however, fully expecting that in the next 5 years Kentucky Premier will build a competitive exposure team, perhaps from the girls on the very teams I am talking about .... Many have already been approached by Kentucky premier... But none of that changes my original point... Even if the best players in the state leave their current aau teams and go to Kentucky Premier and that organization continues to have success, those girls are still staying at their current schools in northern kentucky ... My point was, and is, simply that it appears from recent middle school success, and the fact that 3 of the best teams in the state this past year, including the state champion, were from northern Kentucky, girls basketball in northern Kentucky is trending up ... Others interpreted it as an indictment of other organizations. It was not that. When others marginalized that middle school success with "the best players and teams don't play" and "Kentucky Premier will never play" in AAU, that wasn't me questioning the success of Kentucky Premier ... All I did was respond to those implications with a "what am I missing" ... And that is still where I am ... If the middle school success of northern Kentucky teams is not reflective of improved girls basketball in northern Kentucky, tell me what teams and players are missing because the don't play aau. That's all.

Lack of competition at the 7th grade level isn't a problem for kentucky premiere teams... with the exception of a premier team at that level that the royals played in louisville (that the coaches told me was a tennessee team that would be playing in the tennessee AAU state tourney) I have never seen a competitive premier team - I know the premier have aggressively recruited players from the royals and shining stars, but the premier teams in that age group are not at the level of the royals, shining stars, or louisville focus....

Recognizing that we are talking about middle school age girls, what's the reason for the strong "kentucky premier teams will never be at a AAU state tourney" statement? Is there an issue with kba or AAU rules?

Well aware of last night ... she is barely back ... and I marginalized myself as it is merely my opinion. My observations are based more upon their not really hitting their stride yet because they have been missing one of, if not their most, important defensive players. They have struggled at times without her when I have seen them play ... and have still remained among the region's elite. We will see, I suppose, but if they suddenly become the defensive juggernaut that they were last year at this time, after a somewhat lackluster season defensively up til now, I won't be surprised .....

I appreciate the sentiments everyone has expressed here, but I think it is a mistake if you don't think that Highlands is getting a late season push from the return of Haley Coffey to the lineup... she is irreplaceable defensively and a lot of their struggles this year, which haven't been that many, would have been diminished if she was in the lineup ... in my opinion, at least....

I assume you are referring to the AAU Division 1 State tournament, and, because the statement sounds like more of a generalization based not based on specifics, I will ask if you are aware of any really good teams or players in the 7th grade who have not played for the Louisville Focus, the Kentucky Royals, the Shining Stars, Legacy, Kentucky Premier or out of state teams Indiana Blizzard or the West Virginia Thunder. For that matter, can you identify any girls or teams that have chosen not to participate in the AAU state tournaments currently in grades 6-8 that would make up "the best players/teams"? I don't mean that to sound argumentative; I would really be interested in hearing who the really good girls are in those classes that don't play AAU because we've been to a LOT of tournaments around the state and region and we always see the same girls at the highest levels of competition.... would be interested to hear who is flying under the radar....

Who played for the U14 Shining Stars?

Just watching this "discussion" on the sidelines, but I'd like to see rosters for the NKY teams... Thunder is NCC/Holmes/Newport kids, right, and Kryptonite is predominately Campbell County, is that right?

With Holy Cross winning northern Kentucky's first girls state championship this year, when you look at the dominance of northern Kentucky AAU teams winning the state Division 1 championships over the past several years, are we seeing a shift in girls basketball power to the north? For example, the Class of 2018 has always been dominated by Legacy, 2019 by the Shining Stars, and 2020 by the Kentucky Royals, all predominately northern Kentucky teams. Do northern Kentucky girls' teams just play more AAU than other parts of the state, or is this a trend that will see more northern Kentucky high schools competing for state championships over the next 5-6 years?

So the results of the state AAU tournament show how things change when everything is age based... In 13U boys, northern Kentucky team, the Legends wins D1. In 14U boys, KY Royals, also a northern Kentucky team, wins handily. I do not believe either of them had won a state championship before. On the girls side, 8th grade D1 winner is the Shining Stars (4th straight year I believe), and the 7th grade D1 winner is the KY Royals (3rd D1 state championship in 4 years). So the boys AAU tournaments have changed to being age based, and northern Kentucky is winning championships. The girls is still grade based and the same teams keep winning ... sort of confirms to me that a lot of successful teams were winning with "older" kids .....

Way to go HC... first ever for northern Kentucky! Props to Hassert for the gutsy take to win it!

Legends rolled over the Rockets by about 20, although I didn't see that one. When I saw the Legends warming up for their next game, Salter wasn't there.... anyone know if Salter played against the Rockets?

The Kentucky Royals 14U won the Midwest Tournament in Louisville last weekend and will play D1. They won 5 straight last weekend in a good field (Louisville Hustle, Western Kentucky Elite, Illinois Bears, the Ville) and now pick up momentum because Dontaie Allen is now back in the rotation since his Pendleton County Wildcats got knocked out of the regionals.

Great find Stinky, and an interesting read ..... thanks for doing the research .... and in the event that your wife is like mine and sees this and says "how do you have time for that!", know that there are those of us out here who appreciate your effort....

I heard a stat on TV last night that Taylor Klos was 14 for 15 from the field... is that right? If it is, I am wondering why she didn't take more shots!

So is your question whether the Legends have any older kids that won't be eligible for 13U, i.e. 7th graders who turned 14 before August 1? Anyone know?