Bluegrassrivals

Thoughts/Predictions.


Apollo shocked the 3rd region by winnning, can they continue to shock the world and pull another upset?


Clark Co-30-5

Apollo-17-14

Clark Co. 65-48.

Apollo with the biggest upset in the tournament

Believe that GRC's defense will carry them again in this game. GRC is averaging holding their opponents to 48 points a game.

It’s not unusual for George Rogers Clark and Mason County to meet in the 10th¿Region finals. However, sometimes, it can be a surprise.
Such was the case Tuesday night when the two region powerhouses met for the fifth time in the past seven seasons to determine who received the elusive ticket to the Sweet Sixteen. Clark defeated the Royals 61-39 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in six years.
Throughout the season, Clark was establishing a new identity after losing a senior-dominated star cast last season that finished 30-6 and reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament. That squad was expected to be playing on the big stage in March. This one had fewer expectations, but had a senior cast that had one chance to return to Rupp Arena, this time in the spotlight instead of watching from the sidelines.
“That just proves that preseason rankings don’t matter,” Clark senior Bopper Stenzel said. “It feels amazing (to be going back to Rupp Arena), because everybody doubted us at the beginning of the year and saying we lost everybody, but I knew this team could come back (and win the region). I knew we were going to be good.”
On paper, many didn’t expect the Cards to be one of 16 teams competing for a state championship. The preseason rankings had the Cardinals listed below the top of the pack and Clark opened the season by splitting four games, losing to Madison Central and Montgomery County, but caught fire following a 58-56 loss to the Indians and won 17 straight games. During the Christmas break, Clark won the Whitaker Bank Fort Herrod Classic at Mercer County High School and edged Rowan County to capture the prestigious Ashland Invitational at Ashland Blazer.
“We just went out there and played and then realized how good we were,” Stenzel said. “We weren’t trying to prove anything, we were just playing our style of basketball.”
Based on the team’s response following the loss to neighboring Montgomery County, it appeared the team’s successful turnaround began at that moment in time. However, the team’s mission to return to Rupp Arena began immediately after the 2010-11 season ended.
“After last year ended everybody told us how bad we would be, but we knew we were good,” Clark senior Adam Fatkin said. “We just worked hard every day during the off-season.”
During the final month of the regular season, the Cards lost in a rematch to Rowan County in Morehead, followed by setbacks to Woodford County and Simon Kenton. Clark rebounded down the stretch and carries a seven-game winning streak into the state tournament.
“People were doubting us, but we made it,” Clark senior Charlie Rogers said. “We proved people wrong.”
Whether it was making a point or simply just playing the game, the Cards gained trust in each other and the team chemistry carried over onto the court throughout the season.
“They trust each other,” Clark coach Scott Humphrey said. “You can tell that on the court. We don’t have to have one player have a special night for us to win.¿We talked about that coming into the (regional) tournament. Every team we go against has a really good player, and we need to try to keep them from having a special night and trust our team.”
The win over Mason County was indeed a special night, but the Cards are looking ahead to Wednesday’s 8 p.m. contest against Owensboro Apollo in the opening round of the Sweet Sixteen at Rupp Arena.
“I really don’t know what to expect yet,” Clark senior Taylor Howard said. “I’m just going to got out there, play ball, play good defense and hopefully get wins out of it.”
http://www.centralkynews.com/winchesters...3402.story

Anyone know much on Apollo?

Clark co should win this one

Gold Charger Wrote:Anyone know much on Apollo?

They have an absolute beast down low in Hunter Bivin! He is a junior and being highly recruited in football. He is 6'7'' or 6'8'' and weighs 290. He's currently averaging 13 ppg and 9 rpg. Their leading scorer is only a sophomore in Hunter Shelton who is very athletic at 6'4'' and is averaging 14 ppg. He is also deadly from the perimeter. They have another athletic big man in Michael Berry who is 6'5'' and he is averaging 11 ppg and 8 rpg. I think their PG has been starting for three years and he is a senior so they have experience where it's needed and they definitely have size. So I think that they're a legit team.

Pulling for Clark County in this one.

LeeCoUKFan Wrote:They have an absolute beast down low in Hunter Bivin! He is a junior and being highly recruited in football. He is 6'7'' or 6'8'' and weighs 290. He's currently averaging 13 ppg and 9 rpg. Their leading scorer is only a sophomore in Hunter Shelton who is very athletic at 6'4'' and is averaging 14 ppg. He is also deadly from the perimeter. They have another athletic big man in Michael Berry who is 6'5'' and he is averaging 11 ppg and 8 rpg. I think their PG has been starting for three years and he is a senior so they have experience where it's needed and they definitely have size. So I think that they're a legit team.

I have heard all of this too. Wonder why they are only 17-14?

GetChili Wrote:Pulling for Clark County in this one.

You have all year, really appreciate it!!!!
:Thumbs:

Gold Charger Wrote:I have heard all of this too. Wonder why they are only 17-14?

I wonder the same thing because on paper I can see why they won the 3rd Region and it seems like they should have been more like in the range of 22-8 to 25-5.

LeeCoUKFan Wrote:I wonder the same thing because on paper I can see why they won the 3rd Region and it seems like they should have been more like in the range of 22-8 to 25-5.

I agree. Most info I saw was Ohio Co and Muhlenberg Co was picked to come out of the 3rd. Guess we will see Wednesday night at the State tourney.

Four months ago, George Rogers Clark boys basketball coach Scott Humphrey knew his team was a work in progress.
“We had talent, but we just didn’t have experience,” he said.
The Cardinals were coming off a state tournament appearance and replacing the core nucleus of a squad that went 30-6 and lost to Louisville Eastern in the quarterfinals of the Sweet Sixteen. Clark split its first four games before turning heads with a 17-game winning streak that included two tournament titles over Christmas break, one of which was a win over defending state runner-up Rowan County in the finals of the Ashland Invitational Tournament.
Although the odds were stacked against Clark before the season began, the overachieving Cards will take a 30-5 record into Wednesday’s contest against Owensboro Apollo.¿The appearance will be Clark’s second straight and the third in the past six years. Humphrey was aware of the noise before the season, but said his team refused to be part of the conversation.
“You can’t control what goes on around you,” he said. “In our locker room, they thought from¿Day 1 this is where they would be and it just didn’t happen. They put in the Work to get here. This started two or three years ago when some of these guys were freshmen and sophomores. Especially in the summer and then you add a piece with someone like Taylor Howard, who comes in and contributes. I think the Christmas holidays was really huge for us, playing in two tournaments and winning them both. We gained a lot of experience.”
Like Clark, Apollo overcame big odds to reach the big stage. The Eagles lost to Daviess County 68-54 in the finals of the 9th District Tournament, but caught fire during the 3rd Region Tournament to earn a spot in the state tournament.
Apollo escaped with a 52-51 triumph over Ohio County in the opening round, rolled past Meade County 82-55 in the regional semifinals, before concluding a successful run in the region with a 64-62 triumph over Muhlenberg County in the finale.
Clark won all three of its region contests by double digits, including a 61-39 rout of Mason County in the regional finals earlier this week at the MCHS¿Arena in Mount Sterling.
Prior to the three regional games, Clark defeated Bourbon¿County and Montgomery County to win its seventh consecutive 40th District title.
Humphrey said his team’s mental approach sets them apart than any other team he’s coached at¿Clark and previously at Simon Kenton.
“I’ve said it often,” the Clark coach said. “This is the mentally toughest team that I’ve had. We’ve played in four tournaments (this year) and we’ve won them all. That’s not an accident. They know how to prepare, know how to win and they definitely take care of it.”
In addition to the team’s mental toughness, Humphrey likes his team’s unselfish approach.
“Bopper (Stenzel) is the one who leads us and he’s the most experienced (player),” he said. “Our guys feed off that, but we don’t feel like any one person has to have a special night for us (to win).
“Their character what sets them apart (from other teams).”

G. Rogers Clark vs. Owensboro Apollo

When: Wednesday at Rupp Arena
Time: 8 p.m.
Records: Clark: 30-5. Apollo:17-14
Radio: 107.7 FM WKYN
http://www.centralkynews.com/winchesters...8923.story

Apollo has one of the best sophmore shooters in Kentucky and is a very good shooting team and playes very smart, I thank they have a good chance of beating Clark,Co Apollo big man is pretty good also they are young, Stinzel for Clark is not as good as people think and these 2 teams are about even.

Clark should roll in this one IMO. Apollo made an amazing run to win their region when no one thought they had a chance but they have ran out of gas with no gas station for miles.

GRC-74
Apollo-55

ballboy Wrote:Apollo has one of the best sophmore shooters in Kentucky and is a very good shooting team and playes very smart, I thank they have a good chance of beating Clark,Co Apollo big man is pretty good also they are young, Stinzel for Clark is not as good as people think and these 2 teams are about even.

If Apoll has such good shooters why are they 17-14. I would think they would be more like 27-4. Disagree on Stenzel. He may sscore 30 one game and 5 the next, but look how many assists he will have in the 5 point game. He gets all the players involved or he can take over if he needs too....all round player. Also look at his tunover ratio. Several games he would not have any. Very valuable in a PG.

Stardust Wrote:Apollo with the biggest upset in the tournament

If Apollo wins it may not be that big of a upset. Just heard that Apollo had several players hurt during the season. They are all back now and playing very well. Guess that explains thier 17-14 record. Also they have lots of size. GRC does not and limited bench. Just hope that GRC's defense can pull them through again.

I'll go with Neighboring County, Clark County Cardinals!

Game 4

Apollo vs. Clark Co.

Apollo

Region: 3rd • Record: 17-14 • Enrollment: 1,350

Coach's résumé

Steve Sergeant is in his second season at Apollo. He also coached at Seneca for six years. He played at Male in the early 1980s (a year ahead of Winston Bennett) and at Kentucky Wesleyan.

Starters

Player Height Class Points

Nick Porter 5-10 Sr. 6.6

Sam Sergeant 5-11 So. 6.8

Hunter Bivin 6-7 Jr. 12.3

Michael Berry 6-6 Sr. 10.8

Hunter Shelton 6-5 So. 14.3

Scouting report

Apollo struggled through the regular season and district, but three wins in the region cured their ills. "It seemed like everything came together for us at the right time. I don't know how to explain it," Sergeant said. A switch to man-to-man defense provided a spark, but it was mostly players executing better, he said. Bivin is a big man in the middle. Point-guard Porter is an effective distributor (averaging 6 assists). Berry's a force inside (17 rebounds in region finals). Shelton is a great three-point shooter (82 of 162 for 51 percent). Sam Sergeant, back from a knee injury, is a stabilizing factor. "We're big, slow and pretty effective in the half-court," Steve Sergeant said.

Region redemption

Apollo's loss to Daviess County in the district finals dropped its record to 14-14. But the Eagles had the magic touch in the region. In the first round, Bivin's shot with :08 left upset Ohio County (which was on a 20-game winning streak) 52-51. In the finals, Berry's tip-in at the buzzer toppled Muhlenberg County 64-62.

Player to watch

Bivin is one of the top football prospects in the nation. Among those offering the junior offensive lineman are most of the SEC schools, Miami (Fla.), Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin, among others. "He's a very good basketball player, too," Sergeant said. "He's pretty athletic, very strong and is in great shape for his size." Bivin is shooting 70 percent from the field and is averaging 9 rebounds.

Sweet history

This is the ninth time Apollo has reached the Sweet Sixteen. In 2006, it reached the finals before falling to Jeffersontown.

Clark County

Region: 10th • Record: 30-5 • Enrollment: 1,662

Coach's résumé

Scott Humphrey in his ninth year (216-72) at Clark County. He was previously at Simon Kenton for six seasons and has an overall record of 348-117. He's taken the Cardinals to three state tournaments.

Starters

Player Height Class Points

Bopper Stenzel 6-1 Sr. 17.2

Charlie Rogers 6-1 Sr. 9.5

Taylor Howard 6-0 Sr. 7.5

Adam Fatkin 6-7 Sr. 19.7

Dominic VanCleve 5-11 Sr. 4.3

Scouting report

Stenzel was the only experienced player returning from last season's Sweet Sixteen squad, but these retooled Cardinals came together quickly, with everybody filling their roles. Stenzel is the leader. Fatkin made himself into a legit post player (20 ppg, 10 rpg). "He changed his body and turned himself into an athlete through hard work," Humphrey said. Rogers' transformation came through emotional maturity. "He turned the page in mid-December, and he's been rock-solid ever since," Humphrey said. VanCleve provides defense and Howard outside shooting.

The trust factor

Clark County stamped itself as the surprise team of the season when it put together a 17-game winning streak, including taking the Fort Harrod Classic at Mercer County and the Ashland Invitational Tournament. The Cards trailed in the second half in nine of those 17 games, but rallied every time. "When things got tough, these guys trusted each other enough to pull it out," Humphrey said. "That showed me this was a special group with a unique mental toughness."

Player to watch

Stenzel's motor is always revving at high RPMs. "He's as fierce a competitor as I've ever had," Humphrey said. "He loves the big moment, the big game. His toughness and grit permeate our program." Stenzel averaged three points on last year's senior-laden team. Now he's averaging 17 while running the point and leading the defense. He's getting looks from some Division II colleges.

Sweet history

This is Clark County's 23rd trip to the state tournament. It won the title in 1951 and was runner-up in 1923 and 1950.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/03/13/21082...rylink=cpy

^ Apollo gets hot at the right time. They are very tall, will be hard for GRC to rebound with them. GRC's defense has got them where they are, need a great defensive effort to pull out the win today.

GRC by double digits