what a terrible decision this school has made by letting LeMaster go after just one successful season. He takes this team to the regional finals with a winning record and doesn't retain the head coaching position? Total nonsense
Guess the "good ol boy" system is in place around that school too. Sounds like all the other school systems in Eastern KY.
LeMaster is on his way to becoming a quality coach and he will establish himself in a much better place where someone actually shows that they care about having quality people teach their children.
East Ridge HS, not only did you screw up your basketball program by making this ridiculous move, but you have show how pathetic you are as a school system.
Hmmm. Lets keep the personal stuff off the board, eh?
Ray Kasongo via facebook "Am going wherever Coach Preston LeMaster going. Nuff said."
So seems like LeMaster will be just fine.
This is one of the more ridiculous things I have seen in sometime, but it does not surprise me that ER would do this one bit. 3rd coach in 3 years is not good for a program. LeMaster is one heck of a young coach and will be successful whatever job he takes next. In his first season as a Head Coach, he led ER to a 22-12 season and made it to the Regional Finals with a young team and a bunch of knuckle heads playing for him from what I have heard. I tried to contact LeMaster but of course he probably won't get back to me, but anyone else know what exactly this awful change was done for? I know it had something to do from people in the political realm, but just don't understand what they are benefitting from it. Looks like a few players will be transferring via Facebook so they may have just done something to hurt their program once again.
Announcing on Facebook you are transferring to follow a coach is not a smart move. Definitely concerning eligibility.
McCoy is going to be the new coach at East Ridge. It's actually a pretty good move. Kasongo and Wolter are both coming back.
Make sure to take a look at the message from torQQue at the top of the forum page.
Threads like this can go south quick when we don'tthink before we post :-)
Tony and Ray will both definitely be back at East Ridge??? Are u sure about this comment? I know them both fairly well, so are u definitely sure about that?
Ray Kasongo - 6-foot-8, PF, Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy, 2014: Kasongo is a native of the Toronto area who is relatively unknown in the United States. Currently staying in Kentucky and enrolled at Oak Hill Academy for next school year, the powerful forward is a standout for Ohio Basketball Club. Kasongo is a high-level athlete who can attack defenders off the bounce from the wing or score in traffic with physicality. He displayed toughness, a high motor and some serious raw potential in two Saturday outings. Right now he has interest from DePaul, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Indiana, UCLA and Kentucky, while his AAU coaches expect him to really raise his stock during the July period.
http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/c...ID=1369447
East Ridge High School star Ray Kasongo is visiting DePaul this afternoon.
Unfortunately for East Ridge, Kasongo is likely taking his basketball talents to Oak Hill Academy next season.
Kasongo, who is currently playing on the AAU circuit with Ohio Basketball Club, has already enrolled at Oak Hill.
According to a source close to the situation, "it's 90% a done deal that Ray will be at Oak Hill next season. He still has to visit the school and that is the last step."
Kasongo has earned national attention with his AAU play this Spring. According to Rivals.com, he has interest from DePaul, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Indiana, UCLA and Kentucky.
http://www.allkyhoops.com/2012/05/ray-ka...sibly.html
I've talked with some people close to Ray and Ray has said that he was staying at ER. Just have to wait and see how everything plays out here in the next couple months
Not sure which one is true. I wouldn't think Ray would say something that isn't true and we all know how these "sources" can get way out of hand with stuff they say...
I to scratch my head at why Lemaster was fired after such a great season.
This situation was created when Justice left ER at the end of last school year. over last summer McCoy was courted for the job. Rumors abound but the most commom one I heard was he got the job but a political power in the area black balled it. Lemaster was a last minute hire and I far as I saw did a good job. But this summers rumor mill had several parents unhappy with him, stories of recruitment by KCC and McCoy getting the job. By the way lemaster had nothing to do with the Canadians coming to ER. The previous coach did that.
fedscreekviking Wrote:This situation was created when Justice left ER at the end of last school year. over last summer McCoy was courted for the job. Rumors abound but the most commom one I heard was he got the job but a political power in the area black balled it. Lemaster was a last minute hire and I far as I saw did a good job. But this summers rumor mill had several parents unhappy with him, stories of recruitment by KCC and McCoy getting the job. By the way lemaster had nothing to do with the Canadians coming to ER. The previous coach did that.
May be, but Lemaster coached them and made two superstars play with a bunch of kids they hardly knew. And was 1 game away from a trip to Rupp.
Several parents unhappy with him, I don't know about that. If u mean John Miller & Keith Fields unhappy with LeMaster then that's more on the right path. Two parents who think they are coaches and won't let whoever the Coach is do their job. That's insane. I don't even know these two parents but I've been told from a pretty reliable source those 2 Dads that LeMaster is gone. The Fields boy was probably mad and poured bc Wolter started in front of him, but what did he expect when u aren't better and can barely dribble sometimes u don't start over a D-1 recruit he is young and a sophomore as well. Now the Miller kid I don't see where he is coming from. His son averaged 15-19 Pts a game as a Freshman, johnny was Player of the Year in the 15th, etc....so I hope these 2 parents don't too upset when things change and they aren't as good and aren't happy. So this may be on you Keith & John.
No worries for East Ridge, Randy recruited internationals players before it was cool to do so.
Randy McCoy is not one to be trusted.
I know for a fact that a lot of the parents wanted Randy last year when Raymond left to Knott Central. Rumors have been flying around all season that Randy was going to be the next coach at ER, so no one should be suprised. Has Randy officially gotten the job?
Not sure, we know Preston is officially gone.
Randy McCoy will not be the next Coach. I am hearing the name of someone from Central KY.
And how do you know Preston is officially gone????? And it will be Randy McCoy as the next coach, who else would it be from Central Ky? Nobody would be stupid enough to take that job when they know they will crapped on just LeMaster just did. NO stability at ER.
He already posted it on his facebook.
So was he rude and childish on his Facebook post like most coaches are when they get let go or what?
So was he rude and childish on his Facebook post like most coaches are when they get let go or what?
Dude, you need to chill. You keep showing your stupidity over and over. Coach Lemaster wasn't rude and childish on his Facebook, he made a post thanking all the players and fans and saying goodbye. So get your shit straight.
Secondly, you're a liar. You can't be close to either Kasongo or Wolter, because you couldn't be more wrong.
And finally, parents didn't have anything to do with this. Michael Fields wasnt "mad" at Tony or anyone else for not starting...he knows he needed to get better and earn the spot.
You, like most on this board, seriously have no idea what you're talking about.
Anyway, this decision by ER to let coach go is ridiculous and embarrasses me as an ER alum. Coach Lemaster is a hell of a dude and is going to be a GREAT coach some day. I'm really going to miss him.
Calm down Vundy, I just figured LeMaster would be rude and childish bc most young coaches that don't return have stupid childish FB posts blaming people for why they got let go. So are u sure his post was not at all childish??? And btw, how do u know LeMaster so well and say he will be missed? Aren't they gettin a seasoned vet as their new coach? Figured you would like that for your alma mater at ER. Do u know what Ray will do Vundy since you two are so close?
I just posted what he's going to do, as of right now. Like I said, that can always change.
And coach will be missed by me for sure, and quite a few others who love him, especially the players. I don't want some old cheater at my school. He's not wanted by those of us who do things the right way.
I thought I read something from Kasongo on FB that said he was following Coach Preston LeMaster wherever he went to next. Any truth to this comment Vundy??? Are u friends with LeMaster or something?
I don't think it works that way pal...
KnowledgeOfTheGame14 Wrote:I thought I read something from Kasongo on FB that said he was following Coach Preston LeMaster wherever he went to next. Any truth to this comment Vundy??? Are u friends with LeMaster or something?
Yes, I consider him a friend, but even more important, the boys and his students loved him...he isn't a cheat, he's a good leader, and does things the right way. He also doesn't see money signs when he looks at Ray like so many other coaches do, and doesn't take advantage of him or the rest of the team. He's just a good coach and an even better person, so obviously I hate to see him go.
Also, anyone who believes everything they see on Facebook clearly needs to take a look in the mirror. ESPECIALLY those who believe a kid's emotional post just a day after his coach was let go. When Ray was going through a hard time adjusting to a new team, new friends and new country at the beginning of this year, he made a post saying he was going to Valley or Pikeville. It was a partly a joke, he likes to joke around because that's the way he is and the fact that he's just a kid. But part of it also is that he wants to feel wanted, like every other kid on earth. He was in a new country, school, and team and just wanted someone to be there for him, which at the time he felt he didn't have.
That's changed now, and that's a big reason he's staying, at least for right now...because it feels like a second home. I usually don't post on these threads because of the sheer amount of stupid rumors and people who think they have all the right info, and the pure hate a lot have for my boys...but I wanted to finally square this away because it's so ridiculous.
I have had Ray and Tony's back since I met them at the first of the season, and the rest of the team's as well. Especially Ray, because so many have nothing but hate for him without knowing how great of a kid he is, and he needed someone to be there for him no matter what, without trying to exploit him. I've always had his back, and will always have his back, no matter what school and college he goes to. I love the kid because he's a good kid, not because he's a great basketball player.
So, obviously, I have no reason to bullshit or spread dumbass rumors. I care about Ray, the team, and our coach who I will always call coach even though he never coached me, but because of what he did for my school and our boys.
Like I said, I usually don't post about this stuff because it gets so ridiculously stupid, but I can't sit and watch so many people hate on my school, my coach, and most importantly my boys when they don't even know them or know what they're talking about.