[HDE]

South always seems to be waiting for a football or a baseball player show up to help with basketball. I was there around Christmas two years ago and they were still waiting on two or three players. It always seemed odd to me for a 5A school to do that.
It's unusual for guys who haven't played in two or three years to help, but they probably could give them a boost since so many graduated. It seems a little surprising that Neal would show up after not playing in two or three years with a Division I commitment in baseball. I wonder why he didn't play before if he's that athletic.

[SixthMan]

Top Teams: Clay, Knox, Corbin, and North Laurel

I feel like Clay should be the early favorite. However, I do believe they will be a totally different team from the past two seasons. They return some talented players, but I don't think anyone will be able to play the role that McDaniel played the past couple of years. I just think it will take some time to adjust.

[ky playmaker]

HDE I will only say this that the kids decided to play when baxter was no longer around

[ky playmaker]

I wasnt saying south would contend for region. only meant the kids will have better chemistry and enjoy playing this year. I think they will be more consistent this year. They lost 14 games last year and 10 of those was by 5 pts or less. I think they fix that this year.

[HDE]

They lost 14 games last year and 10 of those was by 5 pts or less. I think they fix that this year.

Most of the guys who lost those close games are gone now. Usually, the idea is that they get a year older and will improve. It will be interesting to see if the new team is better than the old one. Normally, the JV team would just be moving up. South has had a good one the last few years, but I didn't see them last year.
Who will start now for South besides Grubb and the new kid inside?

[HDE]

HDE I will only say this that the kids decided to play when baxter was no longer around

I hadn't thought of that reason.
Still, Baxter was awfully good, maybe the best player in the region. It will be hard to replace those 20-plus points.
I've seen teams move up a bunch of seniors from the JV team the previous year and end up having to start over again the next year instead of just starting the rebuilding process now.

[ky playmaker]

who knows at this point who will start who finishes is all that matters anyway and that will work itself out. south has 4 kids that started at some point or played alot last year miller, holcomb, grubb and ryan anders those 4 and new big kid (caleb) I see playing alot. ball dethrage, neal and allen will all have a shot at starting. ball and dethrage played mainly jv and freshman last year both soph now. south will not contend for region but will be very dangerous by mid season. imo

[Truth99]

Top Teams: Clay, Knox, Corbin, and North Laurel

I feel like Clay should be the early favorite. However, I do believe they will be a totally different team from the past two seasons. They return some talented players, but I don't think anyone will be able to play the role that McDaniel played the past couple of years. I just think it will take some time to adjust.

I gonna have to disagree , I think clay will be better without Mcdaniel, he was a high volume shooter and played absolutely no defense. If u give any of clays 4 starters the amount of shots Mcdaniel took they would all average what he did. Now that said the kid could play and when he was hot he was as good as anyone on the offensive side of the ball, I think clay will miss big Jake Allen far more than Mcdaniel. JMO

[E's Army]

South needs to steal Roscoe back from North if they want to compete in the 13th.

[HDE]

I gonna have to disagree , I think clay will be better without Mcdaniel, he was a high volume shooter and played absolutely no defense. If u give any of clays 4 starters the amount of shots Mcdaniel took they would all average what he did. Now that said the kid could play and when he was hot he was as good as anyone on the offensive side of the ball, I think clay will miss big Jake Allen far more than Mcdaniel. JMO

If I was a Clay fan, I would have wanted him to shoot more than he did. He played a huge role in Clay winning back to back regional titles. I doubt they could have won either without him, certainly not in 2013 when he took over the game at Harlan County.
Allen was a good player, but I thought Bowling was a better overall player the year before.
Smith is very impressive. He's only one I'd put in McDaniels' league at this point.

[JeanClaudeVanGraham]

Clay County's height concerns me. Farmer and Wolfe will probably be their biggest players and that'll be tough for them when they go up against North Laurel with Rice and Asher. I would put Knox Central 1 and Clay 2 to start the year. Knox returns a lot. Don't count out Corbin or Williamsburg either.

[SixthMan]

I agree HDE. I don't think they win two regional titles without McDaniel. McDaniel relieved a lot of pressure and basically took over the game at key stretches. The only player I could see filling this void is Smith. What about Clay's depth? Is this a concern?

[Count]

I think CC will play an up tempo this year which plays to the strengths of Smith and Wolfe. North and Knox seemed to have trouble with that style during summer ball. So I'm confident they will return to Rupp.

[Truth99]

[quote=HDE]If I was a Clay fan, I would have wanted him to shoot more than he did. He played a huge role in Clay winning back to back regional titles. I doubt they could have won either without him, certainly not in 2013 when he took over the game at Harlan County.
Allen was a good player, but I thought Bowling was a better overall player the year before.
Smith is very impressive. He's only one I'd put in McDaniels' league at this point.[/QUOTE

I will agree on the smith comment he is a stud, but I totally disagree with the bowling better that Allen comment. Allen was in the top ten in the state in fg% and blocked shots. If clay had fed him the ball more his numbers would have been impressive. I watched even single game last year with the exception of the Florida trip and chip shot us out of several games and once again couldn't or wouldn't guard his own shadow. What I'm saying is the big man will be more missed on this team than chips 18 pts per game. I just hope that farmer and smith can coexist and be team players. I'm hearing crazy rumors that farmer will be the point guard. If so this could be either the dumbest or most politically motivated move I've ever seen.

[UKCC]

Wow, let's get the record straight, Tyler McDaniel was Clay County's best player the last two years. I will take absolutely nothing from Lyttle, Reed, Bowling, Rice, Smith, House, Farmer, Wolfe, and Allen but CC isn't in Rupp without Chip. Only those jealous of his success ever speak down on that kid. He was a 90% ft shooter, 40% from 3, 45% from the field and with another year would've been a top 3 scorer in that rich tradition's history. Yes, he took off on defense some, especially early in the year and I will agree with that some. But do not take away his leadership. People said he couldn't play on the big stage and costed them the 2013 game against Knott, well he scored 29 against the state champs on nearly 73% from the field in 2014. He's on to better things but let's not get it twisted.

As for 2014, I would put Knox at 1 with Clay 2nd. Depth may be an issue but they will be able to score. Chip opened up a lot of things for Smith and everyone knows I love Blake's game. Size is down so they'll have to work their way around that. I expect them to be in Rupp once again but like always, we'll have to wait and see.

[Truth99]

Wow, let's get the record straight, Tyler McDaniel was Clay County's best player the last two years. I will take absolutely nothing from Lyttle, Reed, Bowling, Rice, Smith, House, Farmer, Wolfe, and Allen but CC isn't in Rupp without Chip. Only those jealous of his success ever speak down on that kid. He was a 90% ft shooter, 40% from 3, 45% from the field and with another year would've been a top 3 scorer in that rich tradition's history. Yes, he took off on defense some, especially early in the year and I will agree with that some. But do not take away his leadership. People said he couldn't play on the big stage and costed them the 2013 game against Knott, well he scored 29 against the state champs on nearly 73% from the field in 2014. He's on to better things but let's not get it twisted.

As for 2014, I would put Knox at 1 with Clay 2nd. Depth may be an issue but they will be able to score. Chip opened up a lot of things for Smith and everyone knows I love Blake's game. Size is down so they'll have to work their way around that. I expect them to be in Rupp once again but like always, we'll have to wait and see.

I ant saying chip couldn't play or wasn't the best offensive player. I'm saying u give his shots to smith or farmer and they look as good or better. And I agree we wouldn't have been to rupp without him. But outside of his core fan group (family). The rest of the gym seen and would talk about the lack of defense, selfishness, and poor shot selection. I like the kid personally and if I was him I wouldn't have even played basketball.

[Count]

I would like to look forward to this year. Chip has moved on to bigger and better. I firmly believe smith and farmer will shock people this year. Last year I saw smith get 15 to 18 in a single qtr when needed but also when needed he could shut down the opponents best scorer. This year he and farmer will be more free to score at will. No one can guard these guys man and now smith is shooting the three as well as farmer so I don't know how teams will handle them.

[UKCC]

I ant saying chip couldn't play or wasn't the best offensive player. I'm saying u give his shots to smith or farmer and they look as good or better. And I agree we wouldn't have been to rupp without him. But outside of his core fan group (family). The rest of the gym seen and would talk about the lack of defense, selfishness, and poor shot selection. I like the kid personally and if I was him I wouldn't have even played basketball.

I'm by no means in his family and I do know "those" people but just like when Richie played, people talk down on those that have success. At the beginning of the season, he would make mistakes and roll his eyes and took off on the defensive side of the ball so I agree with that. But, I watched many absolutely filthy passes he would make to his teammates so I can't buy the selfishness. Shot selection may have been iffy but like I said, he shot 40% from 3, that's very impressive and 45% from the field. I know many people at the same time who loved Chip and knew what he brought to the table. As for Smith and Farmer, they can play. Farmer is the best pure offensive player in the region IMO and Smith is about to take off.

[UKCC]

I would like to look forward to this year. Chip has moved on to bigger and better. I firmly believe smith and farmer will shock people this year. Last year I saw smith get 15 to 18 in a single qtr when needed but also when needed he could shut down the opponents best scorer. This year he and farmer will be more free to score at will. No one can guard these guys man and now smith is shooting the three as well as farmer so I don't know how teams will handle them.

I agree, if Clay County wants to, they can be really really hard to stop on offense. Hopefully everyone else buys in which I expect them to. Smith is what every coach wants, a guy who you can go to on offense and can shut down the opposing team's best player.

[SixthMan]

True, McDaniel is moving on to greater things. I hope and wish the best for him. His shot selection was not always the "best" shot, but I think I would have been upset if he was open and he didn't pull the trigger.

Smith is an impressive player,, but last year he had a defined role. If his offensive production increases(which it will), I don't think he can fall into his previous role of defensive-stopper or guarding the opposing teams' best player. He may be able to, but I doubt it. I just think depth will affect Clay. What about the two transfers from South?

[Count]

Not much talk around about the two from South so I'm not sure where they will shake out. CC will be able to go about 8 deep with a couple of big kids that will surprise folks. Smith will prob split defensive duties with house

[ky playmaker]

the 2 from south will not help clay. one will maybe next year but doubt it. One would help south a little this year.

[JeanClaudeVanGraham]

So Clay got two players from South Laurel?

[ky playmaker]

yes one is a jr and played jv last year and one is a jr and didnt play last year

[ky playmaker]

one actually lives beside me. lol

[JeanClaudeVanGraham]

one actually lives beside me. lol

Okay thanks lol

[Count]

I believe these two kids just enrolled at CC then started showing up to open gym. I don't think anyone associated with the program was aware of them prior to them showing up. But I really don't know anything about these kids. :eyeroll:

[HDE]

Not much talk around about the two from South so I'm not sure where they will shake out. CC will be able to go about 8 deep with a couple of big kids that will surprise folks. Smith will prob split defensive duties with house

Smith, Wolfe, Farmer and House are solid. Where do they get eight? Sams and Sexton were impressive in JV, but who else.
I doubt anyone from South not named Baxter or Grubb would be in the top eight.

[UKCC]

Smith, Wolfe, Farmer and House are solid. Where do they get eight? Sams and Sexton were impressive in JV, but who else.
I doubt anyone from South not named Baxter or Grubb would be in the top eight.

Agree with HDE on this one, don't see CC playing 8. Solid 5 with Sexton now in the lineup, Sams would make 6.

[ky playmaker]

maybe I am wrong the one kid from south if this is the case that clay is just 6 deep with sams being the 6th will help alot. he is fairly athletic and 6 4. he has always had alot of potential. I just not sure if they will get eligible. south is fighting it I hear. south aint fighting it because they left. It became personal with parents and some south staff. anybody know if they have been ruled on as far as eligible or not