americanman

I don't want anyone to get their feathers ruffled. Let me just say that I think Madison Johnson is one of the best young players that I've seen this year. I read Coach P's comment in the Times today about Johnson being the best freshman in the state. Has anyone watched Aaron Watts of McCreary County play? He is only a freshman and has already scored 1000 points. This child is truly underrated. If he was in the 13th District, he would give Crawford and Johnson a run for their money. Lets all remember that Crawford is a 17 year old sophmore playing against other sophmores in his district that are only 15. When these kids are 17 they will be seniors. 2 years makes alot of difference in size and maturity. I believe that Crawford will turn 19 in December of his senior year. Teague from Williamsburg will turn 17 the summer before his senior year, Prewitt from Whitley turns 18 the spring before his senior year, Petitt from Williamsburg will be a 17 year old senior. We often forget that there is a big age difference between players. I wonder if you put these players together at the same age if the talent would be closer?

I thought that you would have known Coach Stricklin. I've heard that Coach Connell was a good coach. I've never had a kid play for him but he certainly is a nice person. No, Williamsburg doesn't have everyone returning from last year. We lost three of our starters... Cody Harrell, David Smith, and Chase Fields and a couple of players that didn't start. I think we lost 5 total. Harrell, Smith, and Fields were great players and will be missed but we should be fine. Yes, Corbin will be good. Hopefully, it will be an interesting season. I looking forward to it starting. By the way, our 1st. game is on March 26th.(Hint, Hint) You could meet most of the basketball team at the baseball field. Mark your calender! All of the basketball loving people are going to run us off this thread.

We are definately going to have to discuss baseball, Les. It's Coach Stricklin now and Middlesboro and South???? Oh my. I'll see you in the Baseball threads when basketball is over.

Thank you. I realize that you have a large area to cover and I commend you covering the entire area and not just part of it. I'm sure that keeps you hopping from one game to another all season. Your picture is a good one but it doesn't do you justice. I'm sure the boys would like to meet you sometime. By the way, how do you feel about Baseball? I know a lot about Baseball. :banana:

You are one of my favorite posters, Les. I love to exchange opinions with you. I think that it is great that you know the teams so well that you cover and are quick to defend them when you feel that they have been wronged. All of the players returning to Williamsburgs' team next year have played ball since middle school and I don't think that any of them would be able to recognize you. You have mentioned them in a lot of your articles and it would be nice if they could put a face with your name. Maybe if you got to know the team a little better then you would understand why the fans found Coach Wrights comment so offensive.

Lighten up a little, Les. I think South has a great team. Notice I said they had good reason to be confident. They will most likely win the regional tournament. I just like rooting for the underdog. Maybe I didn't make myself clear. Yes, I am still upset with Coach Wright. Not because of South's win over Williamsburg but because of his odd comments after the game. It's over and done with though and I wish the players the best of luck. Like I said, it would be great to have a team from our area play at Rupp.

South is coming into the Regionals with a lot of confidence, well deserved confidence, but maybe a little too much after their wins over Corbin and Williamsburg. IMO, it is always wise to have a reasonable amount of respect for your opponents and not take anything for granted. Corbin is capable of beating any of the other teams in the tournament but I'm just not sure that they can pull it together to make that possible this time around but, watch out for them next year. With that said, I'm going to go with Bell. Best of luck to everyone. It will be nice to see any team from our area playing at Rupp.

Well said. Straight to the point.

You are exactly right. It was a horr-i-Burr-ble thing to say. You're good, Bubba. I think the coaches were trying to get the maxeymum point across.

I think that somehow you have missed the point here, Apex. No one that I know of has questioned the talent of the South Laurel team nor do we claim to be at the same level of play at the moment. (Notice I ended the sentence with "at the moment") I do not consider it to be promoting when you simply recognize an opponents effort. It is called Sportsmanship.

Please excuse me for not knowing this stuff. So, there is still a chance that Corbin and South Laurel could meet again? How do they pick who plays who? Do all the district champs play one another first?

How many teams will play in the regionals?

Any thoughts on who will win? South looks great as always but Bell played them closer than anyone else as far as I know. Corbin is much better than they played last night. I still have hope for them in the regionals.

Who is in the 13th. Regional tournament as of right now? Knox Central, South Laurel, Harlan....?

This may be a stupid question but, has Bell played yet? What district are they in?

Coach Wright has been blessed to have an older, experienced, talented group of players. I cannot take one thing away from his team. They have always conducted themselves with respect on and off the court as far as I could see. I was shocked and truly disappointed by Coach Wrights comments after the Will./S.L. game. He had a good chance to say something positive to a young coach and a young team who had struggled earlier in the season, but instead he choose to be demeaning and down right rude. It wasn't called for. It was mean. Not that it matters to anyone but me, but Coach Wright has definately lost my vote for COY. A true coach does not raise his team by knocking others down. He raises his team higher through kind words to teams that have not experienced the same level play as his team has. Not for his kids sake, but for his own, I hope that his comments come back around to bite his prideful little bottom. If not, I'll be sure to file his little interview in the paper away for future uses. Who knows, maybe I can give to back to him myself some day.

I didn't watch the game but I listened on the radio. The radio didn"t describe what was happening very well? What went on with Corbin in order for South to get such a led? I really figured that this game would be much, much closer with Corbin maybe winning? The reporters at one point said that there was a medical emergency in the stands? Sounds like there was a lot going on outside the game?

Each of the coaches that have been listed in this thread could be worthy of COY depending on what factors you take into consideration and place the most importance on. Do you rate a coach with an established program, that includes experienced players, and has a better record, higher than a coach who starts with a so-so team and builds it up to a region contender? I like to look at which coach has had the most challenges set before him and has rose to the occasion. IMO it would be easier to coach say a team like South, who has experienced, talented, older players who have been contenders for years than for a coach to take a young program and build on it.

South 86 Corbin 71

I agree that there shouldn't be any reason why he would be upset with Williamsburgs' basketball team. The intent of his comment may have very well been to show people that he can play with restraint. For whatever reasons he made the comments they were mean and uncalled for. He could have just as easily complimented Williamsburg on their effort and left it at that. The comment came off making him look a little full of himself and a bit overconfident. We all sometimes forget that the players read the sports sections of the Newpapers front to back and they read the comments Wright made. I think that for the comment "We didn't play all that well, but then again, we didn't have to.". he should have to apologize to the team. Those boys went through a lot this Summer & Fall and they worked very hard to get where they are today, even if it's not on the same level as Coach Wright. I didn't see Coach P get on his high horse after their game with Whitley. His comments were classy. unlike Coach Wright's.

Les, What do you think Coach Wright was meaning by his comments made after the S.L. / Williamsburg game Momday night?

Very well said, Hound82. Great comments on both teams.

With all due respect, Cat-n-the-Hat, you are mistaken. The coaches, players, and fans care greatly when it comes to Williamsburgs' team. The current coaches, nor the players, had anything to do with last years decision not to play in any district games. I don't think that had anything to do with Coach Wrights' statement. This years team, the one Coach Wrights' comments were made about, played hard last night and gave it their all. He could have just as easily recognized the team for their effort and left it at that. We teach our players to lose gracefully, some people need to learn how to win gracefully.

A wise man understands that it is never smart to under estimate your opponents abilities or over estimate your own. I would like to think that Coach Wright spoke before thinking. We've all been there. Comments like his often have a way of coming back around. Maybe some time in the near future a coach will be quoted as saying the same thing about his team.