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10th Region Player Profile: Brent Bach- 6'1" Sr. (Augusta) There are two photographs, taken almost exactly one year apart, that best tell the Brent Bach story up to this point in his high school basketball career. The first one was taken on February 23, 2012 and shows a distraught Bach lying face down on the gym floor of "The Igloo"--the home of the Bracken County Polar Bears. The picture captures Bach's obvious disappointment after scoring 27 points, but missing a putback basket at the buzzer that would have given his Augusta Panthers an improbable 39th District championship win over Mason County (see the photo here). Though we see the young Bach in a moment of defeat, we were at that moment introduced to a player who was on the cusp of something special. The second photo, taken on February 19th, 2013, shows Bach wearing the same road black #15 Augusta uniform, only this time the 6'1" guard is shown dribbling with his left hand while holding his right index finger high in the air--a gesture of triumph. It's a fitting pose for the smooth Bach, whose 31 points and 12-12 free throw shooting, had just helped lead his Panthers to a coveted first-round victory over Mason County in the 39th District Tournament (see the photo here). And it is with this photo that we see the fulfillment of that "something special" we knew was coming from photo #1. Time will tell what photos await Bach's future, but as the Augusta star prepares for his senior season, he hopes they more resemble the second as opposed to the first. When asked about his goals for the 2013-14 season Bach answered, "We want to win the District, Class 'A', and Regional tournaments." Lofty ambitions, but the standout guard has proven himself more than capable of helping his team achieve them. Bach's 26.5 ppg placed him among the state's top scoring leaders last year and his unlimited shooting range is well-noted. But there's more to his game than splendid scoring ability. Opposing coaches are well-aware of Bach's athleticism, court-awareness, and ability to make those around him better. His own coach also knows he has something special on his hands. "Brent has been such a good teammate to the younger guys we have. He is a great player and works 24/7 on his game," Augusta head coach Jason Hinson stated. High school coaches aren't the only ones aware of the big-time talent in this tiny, Ohio River town. Bach has been courted by several college teams at various levels. Most recently, Augusta's star has visited Charleston (WV) and Coastal Carolina. He plans to stop by Shawnee State, Bellarmine, Xavier, Cincinnati, and Pikeville. There are other schools that have shown interest and Bach says he hopes to narrow his options in the very near future. "I plan on picking my top five in the middle of the season, or maybe sooner," he told us. For now, Bach is focused on the season ahead and he is well aware that most prognosticators have him tagged as the 10th Region's top overall talent. "It means I'll have a target on my back, but as long as I have my team and fans on my side, I feel like I'll do just fine," Bach said. When asked about players he'll share the limelight with throughout the Region, Bach first mentions Montgomery County's Bryan Wallace--a teammate of his over the summer. He goes on to say, "Corey Holbrook, Shawn Johnson, Alex Trentman, and Darius Jones are all great players. It will be fun to play against all those guys this year." Bach also heaps praise upon the town and fan base that have been beyond supportive. "The fans are great down here in Augusta," Bach says, "and they were a big reason for our successful season last year. I'm very thankful to be a part of a great coaching staff, great school, and great town. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than Augusta." They wouldn't want him anywhere else either.

Final. Missed free throws for both teams in the 4th quarter.