[LCDawg]

If the lady from the online broadcast has anything to do with it Hickey will get Mr. Basketball hands down! She spent the entire game praising Hickey... :biggrin:

[Stardust]

Congrats to CC. What an incredible run during the tourney

[sstack]

That is pretty amazing. I do think this brings up another issue in Kentucky high school basketball. I think that Kentucky is one of only a few states that do not have a shot clock in effect. I completely know and agree that if you have a lead, are tied, or want the last shot, etc., why not hold the ball and force pressure out and chew up time. It just seems like it should have been changed by this point.
Nothing to take away from Christian Co, but they got three chances to do that hoding the ball for a minute at the end of regulation, the first OT and yes, the game winner at the end of the second OT. What does everyone else think?

I thought I was the only one thinking this. I do not follow HS basketball much and did not know there is no shot clock. It is silly that a team held the ball for one shot for 1 1/2 mins in both overtimes. Let's implement a shot clock and make both teams play the game instead of holding on to the ball just to try to win by taking the last shot and not giving the other team a chance. Sounds like a shot clock would make for much more exciting games and really make the best team earn the win. Congrads to CC on the Championship!

[DragonFire]

I've always thought the reason we do not have a shot clock is the cost of implementation statewide. It would be easy at the Sweet 16 level, and for some regional levels. But beyond that, there are 200+ schools that would have to install one and absorb those costs. That's before you even get to the fact that some have scoreboards that barely even work and scoreboard operators that can barely start and stop the clock right. Adding a shot clock reset might throw that even further.

I don't think you can just put the shot clock in for just the Sweet 16, you need to have it for the entire way so a team knows how to play with it. I do wish we had a shot clock, but I think there are logistical barriers that block it.

[LClion4life]

I've always thought the reason we do not have a shot clock is the cost of implementation statewide. It would be easy at the Sweet 16 level, and for some regional levels. But beyond that, there are 200+ schools that would have to install one and absorb those costs. That's before you even get to the fact that some have scoreboards that barely even work and scoreboard operators that can barely start and stop the clock right. Adding a shot clock reset might throw that even further.

I don't think you can just put the shot clock in for just the Sweet 16, you need to have it for the entire way so a team knows how to play with it. I do wish we had a shot clock, but I think there are logistical barriers that block it.

It wouldn't be to hard to get a small timer and put it on the scorer's table, would it? Sound a buzzer when it goes off.

[toussaints]

That was one of the best state championship games i've seen in person (Holmes vs. Central in 09 is #1). Neither team deserved to lose that game. Congrats to Christian County and I'm pretty sure we'll see Rowan County back in it next year. Wing and Townsend were phenominal

[goldenbucs]

I was there...AWESOME GAME...I am from Rowan County...there is NO DOUBT that the three call was missed. However, everything would have gone different if the shot is called a three...perhaps DJ forces a two, off-balance, misses and we lose in first overtime (who knows). It hurts like crazy to lose a game like that, but if we would have not let them go for the last second shot in regulation and the second overtime and have forced the issue, the ball could have been in our hands for the state championship.

Congrats Christian County. Very memorable game to watch!

[LCDawg]

I was there...AWESOME GAME...I am from Rowan County...there is NO DOUBT that the three call was missed. However, everything would have gone different if the shot is called a three...perhaps DJ forces a two, off-balance, misses and we lose in first overtime (who knows). It hurts like crazy to lose a game like that, but if we would have not let them go for the last second shot in regulation and the second overtime and have forced the issue, the ball could have been in our hands for the state championship.

Congrats Christian County. Very memorable game to watch!

That was my thoughts exactly... after the first time it happened I fully expected Rowan to come out of the zone when they saw it was happening again... but no they didn't and it burnt them in the end IMO.

[Football1]

Clearly, this was a 3. And to say we don't "know" if that cost them the game is to ignore the math and the reality that they did hit a final 3 that should have won them the state title. The worst part of this is that mistakes like this echo for a lifetime. Each Rowan player is robbed of an accomplishment that was rightly earned by a poor call initially and even poorer system that fails to provide a review and correction.

And this takes nothing away from a great team who ended up getting the win. It simply must be said that situations like this should not be simply passed. Provide reviews of critical plays so the outcome is always right.

[LCDawg]

Why doesn't KHSAA allow for the review in KY? WV high school does it... just saw it this past weekend in one of their championship games, AAA George Washington/Wheeling Park game I believe it was.

[thegame45]

Congrats Christian County!

[9-POINT]

Id just like to say I love how hickie plays. this kid plays his heart out and never runs his mouth to officials or to other players. he's got that swagger about himself that every player should have. good luck in the rest of your career!

[HD28]

Id just like to say I love how hickie plays. this kid plays his heart out and never runs his mouth to officials or to other players. he's got that swagger about himself that every player should have. good luck in the rest of your career!

Hickey talked stuff the WHOLE game...ask any RC player, and some of it was pretty rough language. Great player, but you're wrong on that part.

[HD28]

To sat that RC "might not have gone for 3" is overlooking one fact...time may have dictated that Cross shoot the 3. An open 3 is better than a rushed 2 IMO.

[McCameraMan]

Congrats CC. Tough loss for Rowan though.

[kentuckykeith]

Rowan had the game won with a 2 that should have been a 3 pointer....I was there and witnessed it!

[DragonFire]

Clearly, this was a 3. And to say we don't "know" if that cost them the game is to ignore the math and the reality that they did hit a final 3 that should have won them the state title. The worst part of this is that mistakes like this echo for a lifetime. Each Rowan player is robbed of an accomplishment that was rightly earned by a poor call initially and even poorer system that fails to provide a review and correction.

And this takes nothing away from a great team who ended up getting the win. It simply must be said that situations like this should not be simply passed. Provide reviews of critical plays so the outcome is always right.

We will never know because they HAD to shoot a three at the end BECAUSE they were down three. On the very same play there was a player wide open in the paint - there's a good chance they go for the tie, maybe even pass in to him. This isn't a Morehead State/Louisville situation where they call a timeout to tell the team go for the win. Many in that situation would've been coached to extend the game, and the smart play down two in transition is to get the two points. You will never, ever know for certain whether they would have shot a three or a two, and you cannot simply add a point to their score and say "See, they won!" The situation is totally different.

To sat that RC "might not have gone for 3" is overlooking one fact...time may have dictated that Cross shoot the 3. An open 3 is better than a rushed 2 IMO.

See my above. There was a guy wide open in the paint with position. Down two, I'm passing to him or driving to the hoop.

[DragonFire]

It wouldn't be to hard to get a small timer and put it on the scorer's table, would it? Sound a buzzer when it goes off.

I'd love to be a player trying to figure out my shot clock was running out when I had no visual representation.

[LClion4life]

To sat that RC "might not have gone for 3" is overlooking one fact...time may have dictated that Cross shoot the 3. An open 3 is better than a rushed 2 IMO.

That's what I was thinking. They were rushing down the court and found Cross WIDE OPEN. IMO, there isn't any other option than to kick it to Cross.

[LClion4life]

I'd love to be a player trying to figure out my shot clock was running out when I had no visual representation.

Just giving schools without the money the cheap way out. Lol If we had a shot clock, Saturday may have been a different game.

[OrangenowBlue]

Just giving schools without the money the cheap way out. Lol If we had a shot clock, Saturday may have been a different game.

The problem with the "cheap" way out is keeping the home team from cheating the visitors. Shot clock is not going to happen in the near future. If it does, there will be a timeline of about 2 to 3 years so that can schools can purchase clocks to put above the backboard.

[DragonFire]

I still say even if you overcome the barriers of getting the shot clocks themselves installed (cost of wiring, equipment, labor), there are great many scorekeepers that can barely start and stop the clock at the right times, and I don't trust them to reset the shot clock properly. I'm all for a shot clock, but there are legitimate reasons it does not work nearly as well at this level.

My personal feeling is that if you are going to do a shot clock, make the amount of time very long, like 45 seconds even up to 1 minute. The goal is to stop a team from being able to bleed literally the entire quarter if they so chose.

[neverguesswhoiam]

hickey is a heck of a player. rowan put up a fight and played better than anyone expected.

[Scotty doesn't know]

I still say even if you overcome the barriers of getting the shot clocks themselves installed (cost of wiring, equipment, labor), there are great many scorekeepers that can barely start and stop the clock at the right times, and I don't trust them to reset the shot clock properly. I'm all for a shot clock, but there are legitimate reasons it does not work nearly as well at this level.

My personal feeling is that if you are going to do a shot clock, make the amount of time very long, like 45 seconds even up to 1 minute. The goal is to stop a team from being able to bleed literally the entire quarter if they so chose.

Completely agree. I really do wish this issue would be tackled soon.

[cougarpride08]

It is good to see public schools winning state championship. How many since they turn down the proposal to separate have they had a public school win the title?

[Colonels87]

It’s been almost a week now since that remarkable game. Great game by both teams and congrats to both of them as well. We all have our opinion on things and should not let it take away from what we witnessed. Thought i would watch it again before commenting. That being said the ending will almost always have controversy attached to the discussions about the game. Besides the shot by Townsend, that in my opinion and many others it is clearly a 3, go back and watch the game and look at that tremendous effort on Hickey's part to save the ball after block shot. I think most will agree he was out of bounds before saving the ball, 100% on effort, but the ball should have went back to Rowan. Look at the 3 point shot to tie the game by Cross, could have been an and one, Hickey got a lot of arm on that shot. The charge that fouls Townsend out, looks as if the ref closes has it a block, and defers to his counterpart. If you watch the whole game things were missed both ways. Down the stretch it appears that CC definitely got their fair share of breaks. All in all a great game with no loser's. The entire State got a win on that one, definitely a fans game.

[MVP2]

I was there the 1st half, it seem like a great game. I wish I would have stayed the entire game but something came up. Both teams were playing great, Hickey is Mr. Basketball IMO. Kid can play but Congrats CC!.

[John Wayne]

Congrats Christian County. Hickey is a player!

[Spud6]

I was there the 1st half, it seem like a great game. I wish I would have stayed the entire game but something came up. Both teams were playing great, Hickey is Mr. Basketball IMO. Kid can play but Congrats CC!.

If he's not. I'll be very disappointed. And I've never met the kid.