bballorange

Oldham probably feels the same way about the draw as SK. The 8th region is basically wide open but that opening round game will be a good one.

Most players can adjust to game play if the referees are consistent with their calls, inclusive of handchecking. Whether there will be a tight whistle or "let them play" status should be determined in the first few minutes of a game. Getting ran over on a moving screen on one end and a touch foul on the other frustrates players, coaches and fans. The game has changed and most have adjusted. Strength is valued just as much as any skill set. However, the vast majority of players making it to the next level (college, pro) have skills and strenth. Basically, they can score the ball in addition to being a physcial presence. If that is not the case (strength with no skill set), the game can be brutal to watch at any level.

Handchecking and overall physical play has taken a lot of the athleticism out of basketball. It definitely hurts a player who has an advantage in speed and overall quickness if a defender is allowed to utilize this tactic. When allowed, a team that is physically stroger can defeat a team that may be much more athletic by a score of........38-33....fun to watch.

I like Boone County in this one by 8. I believe the toughness of their early season schedule willl have them better prepared. If SK can get an early lead and make Boone go man to man, it will change the game and I will give the edge to SK if that happens.

WV stands at 7-3 now and putting together a pretty nice season thus far.

For those that remember, I believe the Simon Kenton vs. Knott County is a re-match from the first round of the '81 state tournament. That was a very close game and Simon Kenton went on to win the state that year. I also believe that Knott County's coach (B.B. King) was a nice player for Knott County that year. This should be a good match-up.

Boone is the team to beat right now in the 9th but there are several teams that will have a shot at winning the region. They do play a lot of zone (1-3-1) but their size will give most teams a lot of problems. They are well drilled in applying pressure with good position defense and getting a hand in the shooters face. If they get beat off the dribble, they have the size to challenge shots in the paint. They also do not allow a lot of second chance opportunities.

Jordan Olinger is the first cousin of Jonathan who played for Hazard in the late 90's and went on to play football at UC. The Olinger family has a long history of excellent student/athletes playing for the Bulldogs.

Nice win for the Camels on the road.

Good call, you're right, Ryle made it to the big dance it 2002.

I am only going by the season records the KHSAA has posted on their website since 2003-04 (six years). From those records, SK is 81-94. If you go back 7 years they improve to 103-102. I also think they will improve on that this year. Historically, over the past 15-20 years (probably even longer that that), SK has been one of the best programs in the area. Until last year, they were the only 9th region team to win a state tournament (they are currently a member of the 8th). They have a history and tradition of winning but I feel the post is accurate per what the KHSAA has posted on their website.

I don't disagree with your comments. Most would think that being a larger school can be an advantage in regards to success. However, this has not been the case overall in Northern KY in regards to wins and losses in basketball. Again, Boone County is the only 6A school with a winning record over the past six years. I could be wrong but I think Campbell County was the last 6A school in Northern KY to make a state tournament appearance and that was in 2001. That may change this year as Boone and Ryle will compete for the spot in the very tough 9th region.

Only five players can play at a time and most teams will have a rotation of 6-9 players. It seems that many times the size of the school has less to do with success than the talent pool at the time. Over the past six years, only one Northern KY 6A school has a cumulative winning record in basketball per KHSAA scoreboard. Most have had winning seasons and losing seasons but have not been very consistent. However, I think Campbell County has the highest winning percentage 48.7% other than Boone who has been pretty consistent over the past six years winning 66.1% of their games. Other than Boone County, only Simon Kenton has had a 20 win season. The camels have only had two losing seasons in the past six. They still have some good players but the overall talent level is not what it has been the past couple of years.

Kids (and parents) have a difficult time evaluating their own/child's talent. I agree a kid should approach the coach rather than the parent but sometimes it is almost impossible as some coaches will not communicate with players and their record speaks for itself. Typically, they are not successful. I also believe if coaches kept accurate statistics on everything (steals, assists, rebounds, turnovers, FG%, FT%, block shots, fouls/including offensive, deflections, etc.) that you are awarding playing time based on performance, not opinion or favoritism. It is difficult to argue with statistics and surprising how many coaches don't keep them. If an athlete thinks he should be playing over someone else, match them up head to head (by position if necessary) in practice and may the best man win. Many times a player thinks they are outperforming someone else but they are actually finding the weakest player in drills and scrimmage situations so their performance may not be a true reflection of who they are competing with for playing time. I also agree that premier athletes do play and the cream always rises to the top but athletes that are very comparable should have their playing time based on performance. This is where politics, personal favors and things like the family tree all attended the school and played a particular sport sometimes have an impact. Ultimately, playing time should be earned and in most cases it is but unfortunately in some cases, it is not. Lastly, as to shouting from the stands, I do not have a problem with stating words like rebound, hustle etc. that are positive words of encouragement and not directed at individual players whether you are a parent or a spectator.

The style of play for each of these teams does not result in many lop-sided victories. Every now and then one occurs, but not often.

I thought hand checking was going to be a point of emphasis this year but I have been to many games where a defenders hand is literally "glued" to the offensive players hip and no warning or foul occurs. The only time many officials get involved with blowing their whistle is when an injury or a fight is about to break out. This is unfortunate but it is a trend that is repeated in the college and pro games also.

Thanks ColonelMike, I also agree with your assessments of quality coaches along with many of the posts on this topic. One last thing that I would like to add after watching many games over the years. Some coaches tend to overcoach. Basketball is an imperfect game. It is played imperfectly, coached imperfectly and yes, sometimes officiated imperfectly. I hate to see players look like robots because they are afraid to make a mistake. I like to see teams that play loose and with determination. Yes, strive for perfection but understand mistakes are made and can be teachable moments. I also like to see players smile every now and then. Ultimately, this is a game to be enjoyed. It is a detriment (IMO) to the team that a coach sometimes forgets this and takes all the fun out of the sport. I like to win as much as anybody (this is why they keep score) but true success in inspiring young men is not always measured in wins and losses.

I believe I am correct in stating that Knott Co. is 2-0 against the Bulldogs this season. Hazard is still my regional favorite but the 14th region has at least three other teams that can beat them on a given night with one of them in the same district as Hazard. The regional should be interesting.

Walton returns all of the players in their rotation. How many underclassmen does SK return that are getting quality varsity minutes?

I would say (IMO) that some varsity coaches do not want an assistant coach who challenges the status quo and are self-thinkers. A good assistant would not air opinions in the public arena but would/should in coaches meetings, game film breakdown and overall discussion among the staff in regards to strategies, etc. If the coaching staff really respects each other without letting ego's get in the way, this is not difficult. Some coaches would not want someone who may know more or relates better to players to promote their own job security. Coaches should teach players to play to their strengths, not their weaknesses. They should also be flexible enough to adjust their style of play to their personnel as it will change from year to year. As to politics, if a coach is playing politics, shame on him. You are not coaching just basketball, you are coaching young men. All players should be treated fairly, with respect and be held to a high standard. When they reflect on their high school careers ten years from now, this will be their measuring stick. Finally, I believe you can do these things and win also.

Simon has only had two winning seasons in the last five. Of course, those two seasons were impressive in the number of wins and being in the region finals. Hopefully, they will be hungry. I will take SK in this one.

Nice win to beat the pioneers without one of your top players. Hope Nerl gets well soon.

Beechwood is a solid team. They will need to develop some depth but will not be an easy out come tournament time. The ninth region is very strong this year. I am not surprised that they won but did not expect the winning margin.

Per the KHSAA website, Grant County 56 and Simon Kenton 47.

Congratulations to Harrison and Coach Reitz. The team will improve as the season progresses.