[Downtown10]

Final.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Great effort by both teams. Perry got the calls, but that was expected. Clay had no organization in last minute. Looked like they had never practiced scenario.

[zaga_fan]

I'll give you my run-down later.

I have to go play some organized basketball really quick so I can form an opinion.

[Brother Cecil]

Perry was lucky to win this one. Couldn't throw one in the ocean. Clay was actually leading 41 to 33 and had the balll with about 5 or 6 minutes to go and only scored 2 points the rest of the way. Perry struggled all nite against the zone Clay was begging them to shoot. Couldn't hit one tried everyone on the bench. I would like to know what the shooting percentage was if any one knows. Peace be among us. Brother Cecil.

[Brother Cecil]

Nothing to be ashamed of Tigers you played your heart out. Peace be among us. Brother Cecil.

[FIRST]

Clay co. played a great game, other than the last 1 or 2 minutes of the game.

[MVP2]

Good teams find ways to win.


PCC had a ton of unforced turnovers and I don't know what they shot from the field but it couldn't have been over 25%. Struggled all night from beyond the arc and didnt do much better from the FT line either. I hope they shoot the ball better friday night.


Congrats Dores.

[greenstuff22]

I'll give you my run-down later.

I have to go play some organized basketball really quick so I can form an opinion.

im so glad you took what i said to heart. its about time you done something smart.

[zaga_fan]

I went over and played a quick game at the sportsplex.
There was some really stiff competition but luckily I was playing with my buddies that played HS ball at Riverside - They really carried me through some tough stretches.

Anyway...
Clay played a 1-3-1 and really packed it in on Perry's bigs all night.
Either one of them was double-teamed at all times and when they swung the ball to the weak side they did well at shifting the zone to the other side.
This left Perry with WIDE OPEN 3s all night and they simply couldn't convert. They were 1/17 from behind the arc in the first half (The one that they made was a buzzer beater by Johnson at the end of the second).
btw - that 3 by Johnson was HUGE! Clay led by 5 at the break.

Second half opens up and Braxton had a quick surge to get the Commodores' first seven points and they took the lead. Clay put the clamps down again, forced some turnovers, got some easy buckets and they started to pull away again.

I think Spurlock waited too late to start the full-court press, but he knows his team better than I do, and it obviously worked out for him. They pressed some in the first half but it wasn't a full on press, it was more of a soft full-court man-to-man. Perry got two turnovers right off the bat and the second one ended in an alley-oop. It cut the lead to one and big plays like that down the stretch can really change momentum.

Dalton with two big charges late in the game. They definitely looked like flops but he could have run a clinic on how to set up and take one to the chest. He stood his ground and got his feet lined up both times, then he sold it. Matt Day made a living off of them on the defensive end.

Overall, I think Coach Marcum had the right game-plan and he had his team in a position to put the game away with under 4 mins to go in the 4th but they just came up a little short. My only problem with Clay tonight is that they had their big man at the top of the key with the ball in his hands for almost the entire last minute of regulation - surely with the shooters and ball-handlers on their team they could have drawn up something a little more effective than what they ran.

but hey - good teams find ways to win games that they shouldn't have won in the first place.

I'm sure Clay will compete hard in their next game and Perry has their hands full with the Bulldogs on Friday.

Everyone try to watch the Ladies Invitational tomorrow - it should be a good game.

[UKCC]

Outside of the last 2 minutes, Clay County really impressed me. Someone earlier made a great point about Perry Central's shooting. I really felt like Johnson rattling in his 3 before the half was huge. I was at the game and sat about 5 rows behind the Clay County second half basketball. There was an absurd missed goal tend with about 2 minutes to go that I really felt like killed the Tigers, along with the two charge calls. I agreed with the first but the second was a little sketchy. All in all, Clay County showed that they may be the best team in the 13th region. Playing Perry Central to the wire on their floor and was the better team. If someone will work with Justin Johnson on his free throws, he could easily play small D-1 ball.

[SmileyTown]

very great game exciting. commodores lucky to come away with a win. people got to see the potential of justin johnson tonight. when the game was on the line he kinda took control of the commodores. the best five dollars i have spent in a long time. the game was well worth the price of admission. looking forward to friday night. -TURN YOUR FROWN UPSIDE DOWN CAUSE SMILEY'S COME TO TO TOWN

[zaga_fan]

Outside of the last 2 minutes, Clay County really impressed me. Someone earlier made a great point about Perry Central's shooting. I really felt like Johnson rattling in his 3 before the half was huge. I was at the game and sat about 5 rows behind the Clay County second half basketball. There was an absurd missed goal tend with about 2 minutes to go that I really felt like killed the Tigers, along with the two charge goals. I agreed with the first but the second was a little sketchy. All in all, Clay County showed that they may be the best team in the 13th region. Playing Perry Central to the wire on their floor and was the better team. If someone will work with Justin Johnson on his free throws, he could easily play small D-1 ball.

The kid isn't in basketball shape right now IMO
He was sucking wind in the first half and sweating through his jersey.

I think the long lay-off has hurt him but he should have it together by the end of the season.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Johnson has never been a good shooter. Kid is a manchild. Still, Bowling for Clay played a heck of a game against him despite giving up 3-4 inches and 30-40 lbs. Spurlock coached a heck of a game.

[UKCC]

The kid isn't in basketball shape right now IMO
He was sucking wind in the first half and sweating through his jersey.

I think the long lay-off has hurt him but he should have it together by the end of the season.

zaga_fan - He did look tired at times. I definitely saw the huffing and buffing. He got the majority of his points on those tip ins.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Clay isnt a bad team, and neither is Harlan County.
Both are a top ten team in the mountains, its just Perry, and especially Hazard a little higher up on that pole.

[Mister B]

The problem for PCC was obvious they needed another player to confidently shoot the open 3 besides Beverly. Clay Co played zone all night packing it in like a can of sardines. They played more 2-3 in the first half then some 1-3-1 in the second. They were matching up on Beverly's side and dropping completly off to double down on the opposite side in the post. Good coaching move when it works and it did tonight because the Commodres could not buy one from behind the arc. Thought the two bigs played well and scored when they were able to get the ball in the low post. I thought the turning point in the game was when Spurlock finally swithched Beverly off Clay's point guard. The kid looked great he was driving, hitting contested jumpers and scoring at will until Austin Pray defended him. Spurlock should have made that switch the previous timeout but he did not. After that it seemed like none of Clay's other players could score off the bounce. Clay played really well and could have just as easily won the game. The Commodores dodged a bullet on this one and unless the perimeter shooting improves they can expect to see this type of defense the rest of the year.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Beverly had no shot of guarding McDaniel. Too quick, and can shoot over him. Pray is a heck of a defender. When the ball left McDaniel's hands it never came back. Good game, great atmosphere. Good win by Perry. Glad to see Clay stepped up and played hard.

[nedreader]

I saw most of the game, probably from the middle of the 2nd quarter on. PCC was awful and Clay wasn't much better. McDaniel crossed his man over and hit a step back 17 footer, then he missed his next 4 shots in the 2nd qtr...all of which he was out of control on. He's a nice player without much help at all. Besides him, Bowling hustled and played aggressively but that's about it. If Clay had another half decent ball handler they would've won by 10. If I was Marcum I would've tried to put McDaniel at mid court instead of Lyttle when PCC was pressing. Not sure if anyone could've gotten it to mid court for Clay though and Spurlock may have backed up the D to half court anyway. Even with McDaniel bringing it up, when they double teamed him and he got it to the middle Clay had numbers, just no one to convert. I didn't understand Lyttle being in the middle when the press was on. I thought Reed could score off the dribble? Anyway, McDaniel kept Clay in the game in the 2nd half. I'm not sure Clay has an offense. Whoever has the ball takes it one on one. I thought they did play hard though. Was that Jerry Combs on the bench as an asst. at PCC?? My final thought is that every Clay team from '85-'92(with exception of '91) would've beaten both teams by 25+!

[ballboy]

If Perry dont get any better they have no chance of winning this tournament or any other tournament this year. They have 2 big men inside and stand out side and jack up the threes, I know Clay was playing a zone and had it packed in but Perry kept jacking up the threes and if that happens friday night it will be a loss. I thought Perry should have pressed more on defense also. The two big men looked out of shape, I know this team has potentual but their to much inconsistancy of this team, Another thing that I seen was the coach and players had no urgency to them. They was getting out rebounded and with the two bigs that should have not happen either, I hope this was just an off night and I hope for a great game friday.

[zaga_fan]

I saw most of the game, probably from the middle of the 2nd quarter on. PCC was awful and Clay wasn't much better. McDaniel crossed his man over and hit a step back 17 footer, then he missed his next 4 shots in the 2nd qtr...all of which he was out of control on. He's a nice player without much help at all. Besides him, Bowling hustled and played aggressively but that's about it. If Clay had another half decent ball handler they would've won by 10. If I was Marcum I would've tried to put McDaniel at mid court instead of Lyttle when PCC was pressing. Not sure if anyone could've gotten it to mid court for Clay though and Spurlock may have backed up the D to half court anyway. Even with McDaniel bringing it up, when they double teamed him and he got it to the middle Clay had numbers, just no one to convert. I didn't understand Lyttle being in the middle when the press was on. I thought Reed could score off the dribble? Anyway, McDaniel kept Clay in the game in the 2nd half. I'm not sure Clay has an offense. Whoever has the ball takes it one on one. I thought they did play hard though. Was that Jerry Combs on the bench as an asst. at PCC?? My final thought is that every Clay team from '85-'92(with exception of '91) would've beaten both teams by 25+!

LoL
Not saying that I disagree...
but that is a really random thought.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Nedreader: good points. Clay doesn't have an offense identity. McDaniel passes off the ball isn't coming back. He has to do so much for the team. Reed hasn't played well all year and is playing injured too. And the days of Clay's dominance from the 80's to early 90's is a thing in the past.

[kneeburn]

Wondering if Clay held for last shot, or had a mix up?

[mad dog]

This was the same perry central that played in lexington. They have no scorers. They just can't shoot.

[OldSchoolTiger]

Should be a good game on Thursday with HCC, and by the way, that was Jerry Combs on the bench for PCC.

[OldSchoolTiger]

The WYMT tourney has become a preview of the 14Th region tourney, does the winner of this tourney take the drivers seat until then?

[TheTigersEye]

I would think so on the 14th region. We played hard and just came up a little short, we will get to where we need to be.

[ballstar]

Beverly had no shot of guarding McDaniel. Too quick, and can shoot over him. Pray is a heck of a defender. When the ball left McDaniel's hands it never came back. Good game, great atmosphere. Good win by Perry. Glad to see Clay stepped up and played hard.

Yeah ur right!!! That's y CC won didn't they??? Lol, close only counts n horseshoes and hand grenades!!! If Mcdaniels was the true player like u say he is wouldn't he have won this game for them??? Enough said!!!!

[zaga_fan]

The WYMT tourney has become a preview of the 14Th region tourney, does the winner of this tourney take the drivers seat until then?

Too much basketball left to be played for anyone to be in the driver's seat.
The 54th District draw, Cordia players still getting eligible, Hollan's injury and Johnson still working himself into shape and into the mix at Perry....

There is way too many questions left to be answered lol

[X Factor]

Johnson has never been a good shooter. Kid is a manchild. Still, Bowling for Clay played a heck of a game against him despite giving up 3-4 inches and 30-40 lbs. Spurlock coached a heck of a game.

You have to be family!

Just firing up 3's, not hitting the 3's, which produce long rebounds which allowed the other team to run out while your two bigs are still under your own basket. Instead of working inside out, with 2 of the best big men in Eastern KY (which was finally done in the 2nd half) and having your bigs score which then allowed you to set up your press with your big guys back under the other basket!

Perry (Spurlock) made the Clay Co guard look much better than he is. He is a nice player, but not great.

[zaga_fan]

[/B]

You have to be family!

Just firing up 3's, not hitting the 3's, which produce long rebounds which allowed the other team to run out while your two bigs are still under your own basket. Instead of working inside out, with 2 of the best big men in Eastern KY (which was finally done in the 2nd half) and having your bigs score which then allowed you to set up your press with your big guys back under the other basket!

Perry (Spurlock) made the Clay Co guard look much better than he is. He is a nice player, but not great.

He looked just as good against Harlan County last night.