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Dixie 2012
#1
It had been 54 years between Ninth Region boys' basketball championships for Dixie Heights High School until it won the title last season, but it may not have to wait too much longer to win another one, even though it lost a two-year starter for the season within the last week.

The Colonels are the prohibitive pick by area coaches to win the region again this season, even though it lost starting center Zeke Pike when he opted to skip basketball to graduate early to enroll at Auburn University, where he is expected to sign a scholarship to play football.

While head coach Ken Chevalier admits his team will miss Pike it isn't so much the 13.5 points per game Pike provided that Chevalier is most worried about.

"I think it's going to be more difficult for us to replace him defensively, because he had really good footwork in the post and was such a hard-nosed kid," said Chevalier. "You're talking about a 6-5, 225-pound kid who's athletic in the post and an animal on the glass and just such a presence defensively."

Dixie certainly has plenty of firepower to make up for Pike's scoring as it tries to repeat as regional champ, led by sophomore guard Brandon Hatton, who averaged a team-high 18.5 points per game and is not only considered one of the top players in the state in his class, but one of the top players overall. Also back is 6-5 senior forward Parker Stansberry, who averaged 11.4 points, averaged a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game and blocked a team-high 48 shots. The Colonels also return starting swingman Jordan Hassel, who tallied 6.4 points per game, and landed one of the top sophomores in the state when Jordan Fox transferred from Jackson County, where he averaged 13 points and 5 assists per game last season. He will step into the lineup to replace last year's point guard Matt Trammell, who graduated.

"We have plenty of options to score," said Chevalier. "We don't have that low-post threat right now that Zeke was, but we're going to post up Hatton some and Parker will play down in the post more, too. He needs to understand with no Zeke he needs to buy into playing in the post and playing with his back to the basket a little more. This is an opportunity for him to expand his horizons. People know he can shoot the ball from the perimeter and he has great range, but he can show he can be that versatile guy."

Chevalier is counting on high-flying 6-foot senior Juwan Evans, last year's top sub, to help fill the rebounding void and is hoping 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior Alex Milligan can fill that defensive presence. Milligan, who also plays football, was cut last season.

"He has some real upside and if he can just give us defense and rebounding, we have enough scorers," said Chevalier.

Also in the mix to fill some of Pike's minutes is 6-3 freshman Nick Niehaus.

With the region losing several key big men to graduation (led by Jake Giesler of NewCath, Jake Thelen of CovCath and Ryle's Bobby Stauffer, who are all playing in college), Chevalier said if there's any year the Colonels can miss having a major threat inside it's this year.

"I think you can win a lot of games with good guards and we have them, and they're big, too," said Chevalier.

Still, repeating as regional champion isn't an easy thing to do.

"It's going to be hard, because it rarely happens, but every day in practice we just have to practice like a championship team, because it will help us play like a championship team," said Stansberry. "You can't really make up for Zeke, but need to do everything we can to try. We have the talent to just pick up right where we left off."

Said Hatton: "We can't settle. We have to keep working harder than we did last year. Everybody's really committed to that and they know what we need to accomplish to get where we want to get. I think we have a team to make a deep run not only in the region, but at state, too. Zeke was a big part of what we did, but we have kids willing to step up. We're all going to have to contribute rebounding and helping out in the paint on defense. It will be a disappointment if we don't (repeat) because we have the team to do it."

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...111190326/
#4
Dixie Heights
Coach: Ken Chevalier (8th season, 128-87).

Last Season: 29-4 (Won 34th District championship; won Ninth Region championship; lost in first round of Sweet 16 State Tournament to Lexington Catholic, 69-60).

Key Players: Soph. G Brandon Hatton (18.5 ppg); Sr. F Parker Stansberry (12 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 50 blocked shots); Sr. G Jordan Hassel (7 ppg); Soph. G Jordan Fox (transfer from Jackson County where he averaged 13 ppg, 5 apg).

What's New: A uniform that has a deeper shade of gray as its base color.

Outlook: The Colonels appeared loaded for not only a run at a repeat regional title, but perhaps a state title, too, as all but one key player returned from last year's team and the highly-regarded Fox transferred to the school, but then last year's starting center Zeke Pike elected to skip basketball to enroll early at Auburn. Even without Pike, who averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, this is still the team to beat in the region. Hatton is a Division I college recruit, Stansberry is at least a Division II recruit and Fox may have the biggest upside of all. The key won't be making up for Pike's absence offensively, but defensively and on the boards and that's where Chevalier is hoping last year's top sub Juwan Evans should help despite being only 6 feet, along with 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior Alex Milligan and 6-3 freshman Nick Niehaus.
#5
I really like the Hatton kid. Watched him the last couple summers. He may look like a skate boarder when he comes on the floor but he can really fill it up. I love his game!! He doesnt look like the typical player but sure gets it done on the floor. I sure hope he has a great season....

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