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The two best teams were Elk Horn and South Laurel. They were head and shoulders above all the other teams. I know the UK coaching staff loved both teams speed, hands and QB's. South Laurel's Defensive speed killed the other teams...the allowed the least amount of points by any team in the tournament. Their Offense was high high octane... I heard the scored over 33 plus points in all but one game. I heard...the only practice for 2 hours the day before the tournament. Their QB had not threw the football since last season...had only 4 INT's all deflections. They said he's been playing AAU basketball and had been at a camp over the last 4 days before the tournament . One of their best starting receiver had been hurt for like 2 MOS..he just got back a week before and one had not played in over 3 years. Their other receivers had been playing baseball and basketball all spring. " That crazy High Octane Offense" How good could South Laurel, had been if the had working out and practicing football? Elk Horn, had a high octane offense....speed as well!!! Their QB was very good as well! He could look you off and get it to his open receivers in a heart beat. Their receivers had great speed the fastest over all...in the tournament. They had a very high octane offense with the short passes under neath. I think both teams went undefeated in regular season this past year. The split their two games in the tournament. Elk Horn, winning in pool play and South Laurel winning in tournament play. A Elk Horn and South Laurel Middle School, football game last year could of drew a crowd to watch that show!! You...talkin about a shoot out :flame: that would of been a game for the OK corral. The team that scored last...would have won! All the teams did great and their players played great...but I loved these two teams. They were flat out gunning teams and fun to watch.

The Breathitt, county QB, looked good. He had a good arm...threw the deep ball with some touch.

Good guy, He will bring a very nice young player with him. Coach Thacker's a class act on and off the court.

Great camps, I have only been to the Robert Morris University, camp. My son has gone for the last 3 years...and he really likes them. Their not for the faint of heart... there very long days and lots of drills and skills training. You must be a gym rat, to like them. I finally got our HS South Laurel interested last year. They liked the camp and their going back to the July 5th camp, with a lot more kids. This will be the first year he may not get to attended 5 star camp because of 13 under nationals and other commitments. The do have junior camps...but I know nothing about them.

I don't think a second HoopFest, is being added. HoopFest, is moving to Laurel County, in 2009. This is what I was told back in January, before it was made public knowledge. Someone may know something diffrent... by now about the event. This will be a great sporting event for the Southeast, KY area.

Pikeville College, had a very good team camp last year. Middle Tn has a very good team camp for Middle and High School age teams.

Sanders, turn the ball over twice, on a double teams from Manning and walls. The first To came in the second Qtr. Manning tip the ball on a pass over the top and walls pick it up. The second TO came in the 3rd Qtr again on a double team...Manning back tip Sanders as he broke the double team and Ivey, pick it up. Walls never stole the ball or deflected the ball from Sanders. Wall's, did have some steals and deflections. I was not discrediting him or saying he was not a good player. I just think Manning and Ivey was the deferents in the game. They scored 43 of SC 60 points and had 20 plus rebounds. Sanders, did cause SC problems getting to the lane...if you kept the stats you know. When Sanders, hit the deep 3 point in the 1st Qtr, SC extended their defense. This allowed Sanders, to go off the dribble into the lane. Manning, guarded him 99% of the time to try and keep him out of the lane.

crimsonfan, It' hard to tell about these two because they play two different positions. I think Dorsey, is a little more skilled but...I really love the energy and intensity Gray's brings too a game. I think if both continues to improve their games. They will be two of the top players in the Louisville, area... may be the State. I hate trying to rate a player over another player at this age there's just to many "IF's" with this age group. I do think you see things in their game that can set players apart from other players in the future. Athleticism, Size, Speed, Foot Worker, Hands, Shot, Shot Selection, Handles, Energy, Defense, Heart and Knowledge of the game. I like to see a player that can play the game with out the ball in his hand. Just my opinion !!! You know everyones got one!:thumb:

I respectful disagree!!!!:thumb: I watched The Ville, Scott County, game and with out Manning or Ivey, they don't win the game. Wall's is a nice player but he couldn't stop Sanders, The Ville's PG 7th grader from South Laurel, from getting to the lane. It took Manning, guarding Sanders, and Ivey guarding Dorsey and Gray the two 8th graders from Louisville, on the inside. Manning had 20 points and Ivey 23 points out of SC 60 points. I don't know if Manning or Ivey, can play varsity...but both can flat out play. I don't think SC, beats The Ville, with out either of them! Yes..Walls is a very good player...but I don't think he's heads and shoulders above Manning or Ivey.

KHSAA, leave middle school sports decisions up to their school districts. I've been told by members of KHSAA... they only rule high school.

Congratulations, to Scott County, a very strong team. This could be the strongest incoming freshmen class in the state next year. Their absolutely loaded with unbelievable talent at ever position. :thumb: "Billy Ball" is alive and well in Scott county!!!! Hats off to the runner up team The Ville 13 under. They did have 2... 8th graders playing up with them for the tournament.:ylsuper: They played with a lot of heart the whole game and would not go away. Scott county, proved to be big and strong for the young Ville, in the end. Great game!!

Yes!Yes!Yes!Yes!Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I go to California with work in December about every year. I love finding a high school basketball tournament while there. They play with a 45 second shot clock the game is so much more exciting. I like the speed of the game and it demands more discipline in order to execute the quicker game plan.

Congratulations, to all the girls, Especially to Lauren and Maggie two very deserving young ladies.

Huff, lived in South's, district. He played basketball for North, only in the the 6th grade. He left his 7th grade year and had to sit out. He wanted to go to North, because his Mom, at the time was a teacher at North, but he lived in the South district. He left for reasons I feel is not to be air out on the net. Gilbert's dad became a assist baseball coach at South, high school. North, could have hired him like South. He only went to North, his 8th grade year. He attended his grade school and middle school years at East Bernstadt school system. Watkin's family moved to South, at the end of his 6th grade year at Clay Co, he play at South in his 7th and 8th grade years. His family received a jobs and moved to laurel county. "Yes South side of town":ylsuper: North, has kids from South's district and a local county on their Middle School teams. Their is no transfer 2006/2007 kid on the basketball team from North. " NORTH is NORTH's problem not South" :fire: Sorry, but I get tired of South, being bashed when North, is their on worst enemy. They get more transfers than any school in the 13 region, more than most any ways....I must say I like the debate.:banana:

South's, best Middle School, players are all South, kids. North, has not had any players defect to South, in middle school. Please name one if you know of one. South, has had a few Dad's and Grand parents, coaching AAU basketball, Little league football and travel baseball. Thats what has made the different in South Middle School program, not transfers from North. I will tel you this North's Middle School has several transfers in their program. South 7th grade is the hard work of the Kid's, Dad's and Grand Parent's. Madison, transfered to Corbin, in his 8th or 9th grade year from Lynn Camp.:thumb:

North's biggest problem is "NORTH's" not South's. The last transfer to the county plays at North, and is a very good player. I think it's funny how there is a missed conception about every good player in the area wanting to come to South. I do know North, has gotten two of South's Middle School players this year and there is a influx of basketball players at or coming to North. To play basketball and football, from a County close to the North Laurel School district. Question, how many kids on the Corbin or Barbourville, teams lives in their school districts or transferred in to them? "Thats OK", I really don't care how many kids transfer in to their schools. Every school has transfers to come in to them at one time or another. Hazard, for one had a great transfer to come in this year. He helped them to get to the Sweet 16, and to beat South. Please, don't go down under and blame, South for North's problems "Mate"

Les, how does Hopson, play look early in the game. Thanks

Thank you, for your updates. :thumb:

South Laurel's, Roscoe Denny, is the man. He's mentors one of the best young up and coming coach's in the state. Brad Sizemore, remember this kids name, he coach's South's JV team. He has tons of potential and with Coach wright and Roscoe's, tutelage he could be a great one.

South, had Zack Smith, a junior to be make the NCAA 5 star, all star team. Blake Sanders, a 7th grader made the 5 star freshman, all star team. He ran PG for Sizemore's all star team. South, has a bright future because their 9th and 7th grade team are loaded. Their a few 8th players that will make a difference in the future as well.:thumb:

Thank You! Les,

:laugh: Les, picks South, this puts the curse of doom on South. "Hazard, wins":thumb:

A typical cry from most Corbin, fans. "not all" I've never heard them say we got out coached or out played in any loss, football or basketball. It's alway the men in stripes fault. I can tell you the men in stripes missed calls on both ends and let the kids play. A big call the ref's missed was in the 1st qtr when a South player flat out ran over top of Corbin's big man and the called a blocking foul. Mann's, fouling St John's, on about every rebound. By just flying into him not trying for the rebound from his back side. Bumping him very hard keeping him off balance while other Corbin players got the rebound. Good hard play jamming him on rebonds is OK, but just flat out mugging??? Corbin players pushing off to get spacing because the can't do it out of triple threat. Johnson's push off in the third qtr was just a missed call. Players hooking trying to get by the defender off the dribble is a offensive foul. Corbin's player under cutting South on 3 different lay ups, and nothing being called. A rec league ref makes that call. "Yes" South, got by with a slap and reach here and their, and Corbin, got by with some hard play under the basket at times. "OK" "but" to say South, won because of the Stripes PLEASE!!!! What South did to Corbin, in the second halve and OT. Is what Corbin, did to South, at the end of the first halve and start of the second. South's coach's made adjustments in the 4th qtr by keeping their players heads in the game and hearts on the floor. Corbin's coach's never made the adjustment for South's 4th and OT runs. Except to come out of the zone and go man to man after the Bortnem, hit two big three's. They never hedge out on Bortnem, I guess out of the fear St John's, would slip the screen. They just came under the screen leaving Bortnem, open for the 3 point shoot. Then South went off the dribble on Corbin's man to man. Corbin, never switched to help out or was late getting over on the drives from the weak side to stop South's, dibble penetration. The Dean, kid made some big shots off the dribble for South. Corbin's coaching staff down 5 with a little over a minute left in OT sat in silence defeat. "WHY"? Did the stripes make them quit coaching? Their players quit playing because their coach's quit coaching. They flat out got out coached in the second halve. Fourteen points down little over 6 minutes, left South calls a TO. Coach Wright, met his team on the floor encouraging them. This game was not over. Corbin, never set up any offensive plays in the last few seconds of regulation or in over time. The players just tried to create on their own. After a missed shot the fouled to make the big gap on going to the line. Please!!!! I'm not bashing any of the Corbin, players. The are some great kids and very good basketball players.:ylsuper: Just some of their fans! :fire: The Truth: Some were between the chants from Corbin's fans of Rupp Arena!!!! Corbin's players celebrating after South's TO in the 4th qtr with Corbin up 14 points. Corbin, lost their game focus. Coach's forgot to tell them who they were playing and the game was far from over. I think the Corbin's coaching staff forgot who they were playing as well. Began to celebrate along with their fans and players. Which gave their players subliminal permission to relax and think the game was over. At that point South's coaching staff took over. Coach Denny, the best asst coach in the state with his clip board in hand flipping pages looking at game plan notes. Coach Wright's intense antics relaying encouraging game instruction to his team. While the other coach's spoke words of encouragement. The South players came out of the TO, playing with fire and defensive discipline. :ylsuper: "Gave South the win" "Not the Stripes" Sorry for a long post " but" This is years of frustration buldt up over "some" Corbin, fans blaming stripes and bad calls in all their losses. :madman:

Les, please pick South, to lose every game at Rupp!:thumb: I know your truly a wolf in sheep's clothing ! In short your a ture Card, fan!!

I don't think any one has any love for South's. I do think Corbin, will win. I don't think either of these two teams are good enough to defeat the other team three time in a role. Corbin's has a bitter taste, over the district loss and the big loss at home. I do think Corbin's has been the most consistent of the two teams all year. South, has been a very inconsistent team for the most part of the year. Their like a box of cracker jacks, you just don't know, what the prize is until you get to the bottom. We shall see what that prize is tonight. :banana: