[Panther Thunder]

I agree. There seems to be alot of drama on this team as tournament time approaches and it shows. Of course the point could also be made that when 6-7 kids are all that see the floor and the bench isnt properly developed then those 6-7 kids are gonna be gassed come tournament time. Ever notice that most of those kids on the bench not getting in are football players?

2 of the 4 football players start. The other 2, one is a sophomore that is a raw basketball talent. The other a set shooter, who hasn't even proved that can consistently hit the 3 and has an attitude problem- thus quitting the team. All that statement is is an attempt to stir up more controversy of football vs. basketball. With the rejuvenation of the football program recently, we should all put anything past behind us, and focus on building all the programs at PHS to prominence.

[KentuckyGent44]

The Box and 1 worked against Pikeville's boys the same way it worked against their girls team. Good coaching by the staff at Belfry. I didn't see much activity in the middle by Pikeville's offense. I'm sure that Pikeville's coaching staff knows that is where you attack a 2-2 defense, but it seemed like there was too much passing along the perimeter.

If the other team is using the chaser to guard your best player, you got to use him against his own teammates, creating traffic in top of the key. Overload one side with a corner, a post, and a shooting guard. Have the your 4 come into the elbow on the weak side. Usually, the corner or the post will have the best shots. Most guards on the box will try to cover the elbow area, giving the corner shooter the open shot most of the time, and if the 5 defense man leaves the 5 post player to cover, your post player gets the pass.

[Mr.Rainman]

Wow! Big upset. Everyone thought that it would be Valley and Pikeville in the championship. I guess that just goes to show you cant look past anyone. Good Win Belfry. Good Luck in the Tournament.

[Ballhandler]

Good win for Belfry....You never Know at Tournament Time....Good luck to all teams.....

[bull]

Coach Williams got outcoached again - did not adjust to anything Belfry done all night. he has said all year he has trouble winning when they don't shoot good - why not bring some shooters off the bench - who knows who on the bench might get hot?

[KentuckyGent44]

Look as if Belfry used the same offense on Phelps as on Pikeville. Worked even better tonight.

[SwildcatV]

i really hate this for matt clevinger because he was a great basketball player and hopefully will prove himself at the college level. bart williams just got outcoached big time. why did he have gatlin clark up on the ball when he had 4 fouls. that don't make any sense. oh well goodluck matt and represent pike county well wherever you go.

[1977]

i really hate this for matt clevinger because he was a great basketball player and hopefully will prove himself at the college level. bart williams just got outcoached big time. why did he have gatlin clark up on the ball when he had 4 fouls. that don't make any sense. oh well goodluck matt and represent pike county well wherever you go.

I hate this for Clev as well. He is a fine player but has a great attitude about the whole thing. He realizes that high school is such a small part of life. I saw him in the weight room on Wed afternoon, working hard as usual. He will play at the next level. I know he has been contacted by several colleges. His grades are fantastic and couple that with his talent, he'll succeed at the next level where he will be with others that share his passion for the game. That is where Matt will make his mark, beyond high school. Good Luck Matt!

[Mr. Sportsfan]

Way to go Belfry Pirates. I knew you had it in you!!!

[SportsKing]

If the other team is using the chaser to guard your best player, you got to use him against his own teammates, creating traffic in top of the key. Overload one side with a corner, a post, and a shooting guard. Have the your 4 come into the elbow on the weak side. Usually, the corner or the post will have the best shots. Most guards on the box will try to cover the elbow area, giving the corner shooter the open shot most of the time, and if the 5 defense man leaves the 5 post player to cover, your post player gets the pass.

In that offense, you better be a threat at shooting the three ball and have a low post player that can score around the basket. Easy to guard when your post gets the ball 6ft. from the basket and never looks to score, but looks to pass it back out to a guy 23ft. away from the goal. I guess it depends on what you want to do as a coach( either play an inside-out game or an outside-in game). The best place to attack a 2-3 or in this case a 2-2 is in the middle. I didn't see alot of action from elbow to elbow in the game I watched. I know Pikeville likes the 4-5 out offense, but you have to be able to adjust. Why not try to work the ball to a player at the high post and create some kick downs or kick outs to the perimeter. When Pikeville went into their 2-3 zone that's exactly what Coach Casey did and it worked, as alot of streakers shot layups or had some easy shots.
This game should have never even been close. To me, the difference in the game was the physical play of Belfry. Rowe, Baker, and sometimes Keene were the only players not affected by the roughness of Belfry.
Watch Shelby Valley attack the 2-3 zone tonight against Belfry, always someone flashing to the middle.

[Commanche]

I hate this for Clev as well. He is a fine player but has a great attitude about the whole thing. He realizes that high school is such a small part of life. I saw him in the weight room on Wed afternoon, working hard as usual. He will play at the next level. I know he has been contacted by several colleges. His grades are fantastic and couple that with his talent, he'll succeed at the next level where he will be with others that share his passion for the game. That is where Matt will make his mark, beyond high school. Good Luck Matt!

He had others that shared his passion, coaches made some questionable mistakes. Nothing else. The team was not prepared for the chaser and that is the coaches fault.

Part of the problem when Matt was not hitting his shots and others did not step up is because all year long when some others took shots the coach would be visibly upset. He would look on in disgust and roll his eyes if they missed a shot. That was not the case for all but a select few who could have contributed a lot more had they felt as though they were not going to get sent to the bench for a miss. Attitudes have to change for Pikeville to be good next year and I am not talking about the players. Positive reinforcement might have prevented the Belfry upset, along with some adjustments to the chaser.

Matt is a great player who will be sorely missed, but dont think noone else on the team cared.

[Pikeville OT]

Bart williams just got outcoached big time. why did he have gatlin clark up on the ball when he had 4 fouls. that don't make any sense.

That was the point I was making in that the last 2 fouls were not necessary had another player been coached into "taking the foul" to keep Clark in the game with defensive pressure and adding another outside option in the offensive sets.

I was touched by the outpouring of emotion that Clevinger displayed on the court after the upset loss. It is never easy to accept the closing of one chapter of your life and I know that in time the happier basketball moments will outshine the disappointing loss.

It's only one game in the overall schedule of life....Let's hope all these students win in the bigger game! Good luck to all the Seniors for life after basketball!

[SwildcatV]

does anyone know where matt is looking at going to college. i haven't heard anything about where he is going.

[Gazelle]

Anyone who knows Matt Clevenger very well knows he is a very private individual. He would never brag or tell of any of his accomplishments. His friends know this about Matt and like and respect him for it. That is probably why noone has heard about the colleges who are contacting him.

Pikeville OT, I too was touched by Matt's emotions when they lost, but I was touched even more by the outpourig of kids on the floor consoling him. Did you see some of Valley's players out there with their arms around him? I did. That says a lot!!!

[Clark Kent]

wow this belfry team is realy turning around

[Chuck Taylor]

Coach Williams got outcoached again - did not adjust to anything Belfry done all night. he has said all year he has trouble winning when they don't shoot good - why not bring some shooters off the bench - who knows who on the bench might get hot?

Totally agree...this is the worst offense I have seen in a long time...if you dont make the threes you have no chance to win...time for Bart and Denny Paul to find a new offensive set...:please:

[Chuck Taylor]

Hate to stir controversy but with 2 consecutive 1st round district losses is Bart Williams on the hot seat at Pikeville?

Yes...

[bull]

Bart has always only played a 7 or 8 players. Some kids work there butt off to impress him he tells them they are gonna play and then he sits them on the bench.You can't build a kid up then break them down, eventually the kid gives up and dont try as hard in practice it takes its toll on the whole team. Then when the team loses a few games it funnels down to the rest of the team. When you treat kids like this your team will never prosper. There where kids on his bench that might not have been as good as some of his starters but they could have give him quality minutes. When you look a pikevilles bench it didnt matter how big of a run they got on or who they were beating there was no emotion. If Bart wants to run the offense he has, he needs to have a ten or eleven man rotation make the kids get up in somebodys face for 3 or 4 minutes then rotate them out keep the kids happy and involved in the game then kids will look forward for each game and come ready to play every night.
Untill then his teams will never prosper.

[Pikeville OT]

At any level, a team will suffer when tournament time arrives if they are only running 6-7 players (1-2 subs) in the rotation. The unforseen quick fouls, an ankle twist, or other unplanned illness (flu, cramps, whatever) will force a player with little to no court-time into a pressure situation and that seldom turns out well.

Most coaches with a history of success have a 8-9 player rotation if only to rest a starter for a 2 minute spurt. I do realize the talent drop-off from 6-9 might be significant however the positives outweigh the negatives in turns of the 3rd or 4th reserve player can "take the extra foul", and isnt counted on to be spectacular on the court. If the lead doesn't increase or the deficit doesn't get worse, that reserve has typically done it's job in getting the starter a needed break.

In Pikeville's system, only counting on 6-7 players will certainly cause problems with fatigue.

[Panther Thunder]

At any level, a team will suffer when tournament time arrives if they are only running 6-7 players (1-2 subs) in the rotation. The unforseen quick fouls, an ankle twist, or other unplanned illness (flu, cramps, whatever) will force a player with little to no court-time into a pressure situation and that seldom turns out well.

Most coaches with a history of success have a 8-9 player rotation if only to rest a starter for a 2 minute spurt. I do realize the talent drop-off from 6-9 might be significant however the positives outweigh the negatives in turns of the 3rd or 4th reserve player can "take the extra foul", and isnt counted on to be spectacular on the court. If the lead doesn't increase or the deficit doesn't get worse, that reserve has typically done it's job in getting the starter a needed break.

In Pikeville's system, only counting on 6-7 players will certainly cause problems with fatigue.

That argument is only valid if the team is in the 3rd or 4th game of a tournament.