[Van Hagar]

Saw in the Clay Co. newspaper that starting guard TaLaura Mathis, and her sister, who subs for them (only a sixth grader I think) had left Clay and enrolled at North Laurel. An official at North confirmed it for me, but is not sure if they will be able to play this year. Mathis' dad, who was an assistant at Clay, resigned his spot as well. A falling out with Burchell apparently. While this will not make North a contender this year, it will certainly help them down the road, and will be a big blow to Clay, because Mathis was arguably the best outside shooter in the region, at very least one of the best.

[Warthog]

Ppl don't get their way and they transfer.
This is crazy

[HDE]

This could make North a little more dangerous for an upset in the regional if Mathis plays and she has a big game.
It probably does more to hurt Clay's chances of advancing in the regional. They don't really have a consistent perimeter threat without Mathis. They also don't have any depth.
The younger Mathis looked like Clay's best player in grades 6-8.

[Olred]

This is what I was alluding too in a previous post.(this is all second hand) I had heard she almost made the move before the school year for academics but had been talked out of it. I hear burchell has gone crazy since he has been losing and is making it miserable. Well losing for his program which is still not much... I'm also hearing another starter is leaving after the season. Like I said this is all second hand from another players parent. This would make North rather loaded for the future with guards, but still not much on the inside. It would be interesting seeing Bruner sophomore , Lawson 8th , Mathis sophomore, Sheppard 8th, Bridges freshmen and Gray junior, share minutes. That's a pretty good group of guards. We will see how it works out though. I do think its funny that just because they aren't dominant things are falling apart for clay. People get used to being on top. I don't mean that in a negative way but just ironic. Clay will find a way to stay competitive one way or another though. I have wrote them off so many times and they prove me wrong.

[walterwhite]

I hear otherwise on the problem issue. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Interesting that the father resigned his position, as he is director of transportation for Clay County Schools.

[64SUR]

:welcome: To North girls....South will be mad eriously:

[ky playmaker]

it is true from what I hear. idk the rules exactly so somebody may be able to help. I think the older mathis has to sit a year unless there is a move. younger one can play right away. I like both girls games.

[ky playmaker]

lol. have you watched south. lol we got our share of problems and our share of good talent to develop. We have hard enough time worrying about ourselves.

[Coachinthestands]

it is true from what I hear. idk the rules exactly so somebody may be able to help. I think the older mathis has to sit a year unless there is a move. younger one can play right away. I like both girls games.

I don't believe she is eligible right away if she has played in a varsity game this year, one of the few restrictions on middle schoolers!

[RunItUpTheGut]

Clay and North have a reciprocal agreement with there athletes....nicker:

[icecreamandcake]

Wish the Mathis girls the best-

[JagNation]

This should vault the Jags to near the top of the heap next year. Look at who everyone else is losing.

[ky playmaker]

I have not seen the older mathis play. is she that good? she just avg 8.6 pts a game for clay thru 15 games

[UKCC]

I have not seen the older mathis play. is she that good? she just avg 8.6 pts a game for clay thru 15 games

Pure spot up shooter. Bad knee. She's a sweet girl but just being honest. The little sister was the one to look out for in the future, Kaylee.

[ky playmaker]

yea I have seen kaylee alot. she smart and can play. everybody saying this makes north loaded. I dont see it helping next year. they already have guards. shepard will be as good an option as mathis next year and north is loaded with young guards

[JagNation]

the older Mathis can shoot as well. And you can NEVER have to many guards. There aren't any great posts in the Region that are Jr's and under anyway.

My way to early ranking for 2014/15
1. Bell - UK signee equals top team
2. Harlan City - brock is a big timer plus a good group around her
3. Harlan County - they are young this year
4. North Laurel - Guards will carry them
5. Clay - Cotton makes them this good
6. South Laurel - Young players this year will be experienced next year.

Whitley and Corbin fall off the map after graduating top players.......

[UKCC]

Mathis 3 point percentage is only 27% as of now. Not really that impressive. Like I said, she's a nice young lady but very one demensional at that. Clay is missing the inside presence that they have had for almost a decade.

[Van Hagar]

Agreed, I think the older Mathis makes North only marginally better. We need an inside presence to drop in out of the sky somewhere. The real payoff may be with the younger one, because North has some potential in the 6th-grade class she is part of. But it will take some time.
As for next year, I don't think Whitley will fall nearly as far as Corbin. They will graduate two outstanding players in Smith and Craig, but that younger group that Estes coached over the years has a lot of potential. Corbin on the other hand graduates four starters I believe, and doesn't appear to have nearly as much coming up.

[HDE]

That's wishful thinking on Whitley and Corbin.
Whitley will still be a top five team. Corbin will drop a little, but Jewell and Wilson could start for most teams in the region.
Harlan County loses three starters, but they have a really strong eighth-grade class.
Bell will be No. 1 coming in next season. It's tough to say right now who will be after them. I don't think North or South will be ranked ahead of either Whitley or Corbin.

[walterwhite]

Older sister has to be wide open and hasn't shot a high percentage in her career. Younger one is going to be very good but who knows where she will play at or how many places as she continues her career. If they are being moved now and the dad on the bench as an assistant, I can't see it getting any better just by changing the scenery.

[JeanClaudeVanGraham]

TaLaura is a streaky shooter but when she gets it going she can fill it up. 49th district championship a few years ago at North she hit 7 threes if my memory is correct. She already set the record for made three pointers at Clay County and she is only a sophomore. If she has the bigs inside to draw double teams she can be lethal.

[Olred]

Around 36% and 37% for an 8th grader and freshmen year is not bad percentages. She is just a sophomore and is having a slump. I think this does take North to another level as she is a smart guard who can shoot to go with some of the athletic guards they have. I say that but trust me Whitley won't be as down as you think. They have a good young group. We (corbin) will still be competitive. We have better young kids than some give us credit for!! The young mathis is a stud and will fit in with what I think is already the best 6th grade group outside of Pulaski county. The problem is tons will change before that all matters. Kids move or stop playing or whatever. Some schools don't have a true 6th grade team to compare them too. Trust me it's never as good as what people think it will be. I do see South being much better next year but not top 5. They probably will still not get out of a very tough district.

[insideinfo]

the older Mathis can shoot as well. And you can NEVER have to many guards. There aren't any great posts in the Region that are Jr's and under anyway.

My way to early ranking for 2014/15
1. Bell - UK signee equals top team
2. Harlan City - brock is a big timer plus a good group around her
3. Harlan County - they are young this year
4. North Laurel - Guards will carry them
5. Clay - Cotton makes them this good
6. South Laurel - Young players this year will be experienced next year.

Whitley and Corbin fall off the map after graduating top players.......

This may help North some but they are still a long way from catching Whitley and Corbin both schools will be top 5in the region next year.

[insideinfo]

Bell will be the Early favorite next year.
Clay will be in the hunt with Cotton and Burchell.
Harlan Ind. has good coaching and some really good young talent.
Whitley Whitley always has talent.
Corbin the third Wilson may be the best pure point guard of the Wilsons
Harlan Co. Good coaching and a couple good young players.
IMO These teams will be way ahead of the field next year.

[HDE]

That's the same top six as last year.
I think it changes below that though with Lynn Camp and Barbourville getting hit hard by graduation. It's harder to overcome that at a Class A school.
Everyone talks about South being young, but I had them with a senior and three juniors as starters in the preseason.

[ky playmaker]

hde, south has 2jrs and a sr and 2 freshman that start. What most people talk about south being young are those 2 freshman and 2 8th and another freshman coming off the bench. South has 3 freshman and 2 8th on the court alot. south will do better next year than this year but I aint even sold on how good. time will tell. The 2 jrs and the sr hadnt played many games till this year either. not much experince

[walterwhite]

The older Mathis hit those threes because of the post presence Clay had at the time. Wide open looks and plenty of time to get the shot off. When she's in that situation she is a deadly shooter. I don't know how it'll go with a team with zero post play. The diamond in this deal is the younger sister. She can play now and is going to do nothing but get better.