Intentional Foul

First of all let me say that I hope Queen's injury isn't serious and that she is back on the court soon. I also want to congratulate RH for winning at Boyd, a very difficult thing to do in any year. Against my better judgement as a new member of BGP, I am going to put in my 2 cents worth about all this officiating controversy (which I know I will reget) I want to make it clear that I was not at tonight's Boyd - RH game so all of my comments deal with all the many past RH games I have attended both at Stewart gymnasium and away. I cannot and will not make any direct comments about tonight's officiating. I keep hearing that RH, especially Terry and Queen, is being unfairly treated by area offcials. In the games I have attended I don't see it. I agree that Terry and Queen are going to be physically defended and double teamed night after night, but physical defense does not always equate to fouls. Both Terry and Queen are very physical players themselves and this is what makes them such great competitors. At times both will push, pull, go over the back, etc... of their opponents because they want to win every game. I have seen both players not called for some actions that I feel were foul worthy. However, on the very next play, I have heard comments from the RH stands about how Terry/Queen defenders are always fouling them but with no call. I realize that a fan of any team is going to object to some questionable calls, but after watching many RH games, I just don't see the officiating conspiracy that I read about on BGP. Possibly since RH is more seriously affected by foul trouble due to their lack of bench depth, RH fans naturally want to protect their players more. This is understandable, but as a generic fan of 16th region basketball I don't see RH being a target any more than any other team. RH may have have been the recipient of poor officiating tonight, but as I said earlier, I cannot respond to that. Regarding the technicals received by Faulkner, I can say that I was at the Raceland - RH game and I did hear what she said the the ref and it did justify(IMO) a "T". If (and I say"if") Faulkner used the same language in tonight's game within earshot of a ref, IMO she should be assessed another T (even if it was not said to the ref's face). Unfortunately refs are human and if they are 50/50 on whether to make a call on a certain player, and that player has recieved a T earlier in the game, it might sway them to make the foul call. Is this right -no! Is it human nature - probably. My advice to anyone who thinks they are becoming a "technical target" is to always be on their best on-court behavior. In this way there is NO WAY a ref can justify assessing a technical foul. OK, I'm sure that this post will generate a lot of criticism,and that is OK. Just know that I don't like or dislike RH (or any of its players) any more or less than any other 16th region team. These are just my thoughts about this issue.

When I said "win at all costs" I was referring strictly to playing strategy within the parameters of the rules of basketball. I was afraid this might be taken the wrong way, hence my comment in parentheses - "While hopefully playing fair and sportsmanlike". I, of course, believe that the best lessons learned from sports have nothing to do with the score.

I would hate to see a shot clock used in girls high school basketball. I also believe that shooting percentage would suffer and the number of poor shots taken would skyrocket. I also believe that most high school teams have trouble holding on to the ball for any considerable amount of time without committing a turnover, unless the other team is playing a very soft defense. In that case, the defenders should apply more heat. If slowing down the game is to a team's advantage, then they should give it a shot. If a team is disciplined enough to not turn it over -more power to them. I myself like a fast-paced and high scoring game, but I can also respect a discliplined and methodical style as well. I think its very interesting to watch 2 team compete with differing styles. Its fun to see which of the 2 strategies are ultimately successful. One more comment and I'll get off the soapbox. Many times fans complain of a boring strategy that incorporates a slow-down half-court set. But if my team goes 20-2 with this strategy, you won't find me complaining - and I don't think many of the players will either. After all, the players and coaches want to win at all costs (while hopefully being fair and sportsmanlike). No coach should ever change what he feels to be a good strategy just to appease the fans. IMO a coach that only caters to the whims of the fans will not be successful for long.

There has been so much dialogue on this thread that I may have missed some info on Miss Vanderhoof's condition. Can anyone give an update on her. It would be a shame for her not to be able to play in the championship game after playing so great in the semi-final.

I did not "leave" her out. Anyone that watched RH last year knows that she was a vital part of the team (possibly even the glue that made it all work). I did not think that she even needed to be mentioned. I was stressing that Yates and Spradlin, while not possibly considered high profile players are missed very much this year.

First of all ket me say that RH is definitely one of the top teams in the region, but they are also unlike any of the other contenders. No one disputes that they have 2 bonifide all-staters on the team, but then the problems begin. After Queen and Terry, the basketball talent level really drops off. This is not meant to criticize the other RH players. I do not know Britt Faulkner personally, but have seen her play many many times. I believe that Faulkner is a very good athlete and does some good things on the court, especially defensively, but RH does lack a natural point guard. I agree with Himmelfarb when he says that it may not be possible for the young ones to "step up" when needed. They work their tails off, do all they can to follow the coaches' game plan , but in the end -they just aren't ready to play consistently at this level of high school ball. And thus the problem - it will be very difficult for RH to sustain any momentum, winning streaks, etc..against really good competition because they have a problem that can not be solved this year - youth. No one doubts the abilities of Queen and Terry, but for them to always be expected to beat teams all by themselves is slightly unreasonable. Throw in foul trouble, the rare off-night that each will surely have at one time or another, and you have an unbalanced team. I think that many people are starting to realize what key players Spradlin and Yates were for RH last year. They were consistent and they were experience-tested seniors. I wish nothing for the best for RH and especially their seniors and hope that they do contend for the regional title, but I think that we must all temper our expectations with reality as well.

Anyone know the seriousness of Vanderhoof's injury? It would be a shame for her to miss part of another season after going down last year. She is one of the hardest workers in the region and doesn't need any more setbacks.

I can't believe that she is finally graduating. It seems like she has been playing for Lawrence for the last ten years. She has always been quick and had the ability to pass but this year it seems like she is really stepping up to take some of scoring burden (like a senior leader should). I see nothing but good things in her college career. Best wishes for her basketball future.

Let's face it, whether it is intentional or not (and I hope it isn't), it seems like any visiting team playing outside of any region has to deal with what the visiting coach sees as "questionable" officiating. Most coaches accept this and realize that their team must play at least 10 points better than if playing within their own region. I submit that any Eastern KY team playing in NKY would probably also disagree with many of the calls made against them. Bottom line, if the coaches and ADs find that they are continually being "cheated" by playing outside of region, the solution is simple - don't play anyone outside of the region.

Yep, PRESSROW, we're definitely on the same page.

PRESSROW, I would agree with you in 90% of the circumstances, but if the game was a blow out I assume that the winning team had its second or even third string playing. If a kid that never gets any varsity clock has a chance to score in a game, I don't fault them for doing so even if up by a large margin. That being the case, if the scorer was a regular starter I agree that it would show better sportsmanship by dribbling out the clock.

This is definitely a pivotal game for bragging rights in the 16th. RH can expect solid, if not exceptional, performances from Queen and Terry. A lot is riding on the contributions from RH's young ones. If Gamble and Dundun can contribute like they have lately then RH's chances are greatly improved. Of course foul trouble can always rear it ugly head for the Lady Royals. Another key for RH is for Faulkner to play under control and shoot a good percentage from the field. For Raceland Seales MUST have a good game for the entire game and not disappear at the offensive end. Porter must also have a good shooting night from the perimeter. As much as I love the way Vanderhoof plays, it may be difficult for her to get shots off inside against Terry and Queen. But Trimble has his girl's playing well and home court advantage could tilt the odds in his favor. I think this game will go down to the wire with Raceland edging RH by less than 5 points. Really, its anyone's ball game........

My prayers go out to Troy Lee. He is a very good coach and an even better person. Wireman, without getting too personal, can you give us any details or at least how long Troy Lee will be be laid up?

First of all, I want to say that I support all 16th region teams when they play outside the region. However, I think that there is a middle ground between the comments of bjim and GottaRebound. bjim is being fairly harsh by downplaying a win when played in another region. Additionally Rose Hill's bench actually seems to be contributing some offensively with Dundun and now Gamble. IMO Rose Hill is playing much better and with more team-wide chemistry than at the beginning of the season. They will definitely be one of the teams to beat come tounament time. However, I don't agree with GottaRebound when he says that no other 16th region team could have competed with Lex Cath. I have no doubt that Russell could have competed as well or better than RH. RH's foul trouble and having to rely on the bench is just part of the game. Whose to say that Russell or any other team may have played more disciplined and stayed out of foul trouble. And why shouldn't Rose Hill have played the game? If they have any State Tourney aspirations they better get used to the grind.

I agree with marooncat. Although it was not the best officiated game, most teams know that they must bring their best game when playing out of the region. Officiating did not lose this game for the young Kittens. You don't win many contests by shooting 7 for 23 from the line . On a positive note, Ashland's offense (besides free-throw shooting) seems to be getting back on track. 3 Ashland players had double-doubles (points and rebounds) - Stringer, Ward, and Strait. As for Lawrence, their team and new coach should be commended on the positive turnaround in their program (currently 10-5). Led by Frasier at the point, they should make some noise in the 15th come tournament time.

I agree that the worst thing a coach, parent, or any other adult authority figure can do in front of a player is blame a loss on a ref. Yes, there are definitely good and bad refs and sometimes even good refs have bad games. But in my experiences, the final score is usually the direct result of how well or how bad a team plays. When the kids begin focusing more on the refs than the game itself, that is when they begin to make mistakes. The good players and coaches will adjust to the call made. Also, it should never be a surprise when the home team gets the nod in terms of favorable calls - it is usually expected. This is why most people believe that a team has to be 10 points better when playing away. I love sports for the competition but also about the life lessons it teaches. Life, like sports, is not always fair. The sooner high school kids understand this, accept it, and work harder to overcome these obstacles is when they are truly ready for success in the real word. Bottom line - play the game, quit making excuses, and good things will eventually happen.

OK, am I the only one who is now totally confused!!!!!!!!

As much as I would love to see Rose Hill (or any 16th region team for that matter) upset the Lady Knights, I don't think it will happen. With the talent and bench that Lex Cath has, it will be very hard for Terry and Queen to stay out of foul trouble and the young ones aren't ready for this yet. Without meaning to sound too critical of the 16th region, I believe that Lex Cath would beat any of our teams by at least 25 on any given night (and this still might be a little optimistic). But in sports anything can happen so---GO GET 'EM LADY ROYALS!!!!!!

Looks like Lewis hung in there with Russell. Anyone with any stats?

Lawrence is off to a great start. The new coach seems to be hitting all the right buttons. Ashland is really going to have to slow down Lawrence's game with Frazier at point and Bowen running the floor. Chafin is an impressive 3 pt shooter and Moseler (?) is beginning to score more. Of course playing at Lawrence is always an adventure. If Ashland isn't hitting their 3s and the freshmen big girls aren't productive then it could be a long night for the young Kittens. But, Bradley always scouts well (he's all over the place) so he probably has some funky defenses to throw at Lawrence. Due to the home court advantage - I say Lawrence by 5.

Just curious - Did Lex Cath cancel first or did Rose Hill? Its understandable for Towson not to want to make the trip just for one game.

I just read in the Ashland Daily that the RH - Towson game scheduled for this Sunday has been cancelled. I had been looking forward to this game. Do any of the RH posters have any info on why the game won't be played?

Excellent achievement!! I have watched Okoro play for several years. She is not only an exeptional athlete but also a great role model to all the young girls that look up to her.

When it comes to statewide awards there will always be the problem of regional voter bias. Due to contraints because of time or geography, even well intentioned coaches cannot see all the viable candidates for Miss Basketball. It is only normal that they will place more stock in the the players they are most familiar with. Unfortuately these coaches must rely on the media or hearsay to make their final decisions. Maybe the answer is to award regional players of the year instead of an overall state player. Of course, this would dilute the prestige of the Miss Basketball award. I myself have never been a big supporter of individual awards such as All - Area teams or even all-tournament teams. Too many times I have seen hard feelings caused between team-mates or the "team player" be ignored by the selection committee. I think these awards are adverse to the team concept and may cause some players to think "me" instead of "team" But since these awards will not be eliminated from high school sports in my lifetime, let me say that I truly hope one of the talented and hard-working girls from Rose Hill wins Miss Basketball. a Another trip to Diddle could go a long way to making this a reality.

First of all, I want to make it clear that nothing would make me happier than to see Either Terry or Queen be selected as Miss Basketball. They are definitely as deserving as anyone for the award. I don't know if I necessarily buy the fact that Gray is more of a lock for this honor just due to geography. Queen has been well known to Kentucky coaches and media since she was a sophomore. Both Queen and Terry have definitely recieved a lot of attention (and rightfully so) from their impressive state tournament performance last year. This is evident in Rose Hill's preseason #3 state ranking. In any type of subjective award, there will always be biases and ulterior motives from those casting the votes, many of which are solely due to where the voters live. The only way to eliminate all bias would be to eliminate the award.