[rallo316]

Clay County, Cumberland, Knox Central from 13th and Brethitt Co., Hazard, June Buchanan,and Knott Co Central from 14th and Pikeville from 15th.

[jammin' jamey]

Wonder what the story is on why there is only "1" 15th Region representative?

[nolookpass]

Shelby Valley or Paintsville should have been put in

[More Cowbell]

Wonder what the story is on why there is only "1" 15th Region representative?

I think it's an absolute joke that the 15th gets only one team while the 14th gets four. I mean, I know that WYMT is based in Hazard, right in the heart of the 14th region, but the station supposedly claims to represent the entire mountain region.

The 15th only had 2 teams last year, so one would assume that they should have gotten 3 teams this year, with one of the other regions getting the short stick. Instead, WYMT not only gives the 15th the short stick once again, they also then take said stick and put it in the 15th region's collective you-know-what.

No excuse for shortchanging one of the regions in its coverage area.

[BasketBallonlyfan]

In WYMT's defense, they tried to get other 15th region teams in it. I dont know about Paintsville, but I know they tried to get another one in it. If the schools dont want to get in the tourney, then there isnt any way that WYMT can force them to play.

[jammin' jamey]

In WYMT's defense, they tried to get other 15th region teams in it. I dont know about Paintsville, but I know they tried to get another one in it. If the schools dont want to get in the tourney, then there isnt any way that WYMT can force them to play.

I may be wrong, but I believe an invitation is extended to all teams within the mountains to "apply" for entry into the tournament. Then, a panel chooses the teams and matchups from those who apply. Maybe Valley/Paintsville didn't apply? Do you take a bottom-feeder 15th region team that applied to be in the tournament just for the sake of having another representative from that region or do you field the strongest team in the application pool no matter what region they are from?

I'm speculating on the whole "application" process.

[BasketBallonlyfan]

In my opinion, it would be better for the 15th to only have one rep in the tourney that can compete with the top teams in the other regions than have one in that will get blown out by about any team in it. I think that the teams from this region are shying away from the WYMT because they think they are getting the short end of the stick when they go over there. But yes, I think they send apps out to all schools in the region then they powers that be decide who is going to represent each region. I personally think that either Shelby Valley, Paintsville, or even Betsy Layne should have been accepted if they returned their application.

[FOX SPORTS]

I think that the teams from this region are shying away from the WYMT because they think they are getting the short end of the stick when they go over there. .

Are you saying that the officiating is not fair and balanced???

[BasketBallonlyfan]

Are you saying that the officiating is not fair and balanced???

Nope, I am not saying that. I just think that in what is supposed to be a high profile tourney like that, in a close game, one blown call can make it appear to not be fair. Refs will make mistakes in every game. That is a part of life. But what happens and what people perceive happing is two different things. Watching a game in real time looks a lot different than watching it later on at home on tape. I think last years WYMT was called as fair as it could have been called without using the instant replay. At least the games I seen play. Some players gets away with more than others, but the big name players usually do.

[MVP2]

Where is the classic held at ??

[all_region_player]

why isnt powell in it?

[uk96]

Where is the classic held at ??

Knott County next year.

[uk96]

Wonder what the story is on why there is only "1" 15th Region representative?

If the schools in the 15th did apply then the 15th did get the shaft.

[NEXT]

15th region schools are tired of going and getting screwed.


Belfry played Clay Co. in the 1996 championship game and got screwed as hard as anyone in the 2nd half.

They MADE 21 FT's in the 2nd and we had 4 guys foul out, after a 1st half in which we held them to 4-5 field goals I think......

I missed a shot at the buzzer to send it to he 2nd OT.....

Seen it happen many, many times

[UKisN1]

IT is on Tv. Sours grapes. Players win the games. These refs are the same ones that call all the time in the regionals.

[BasketBallonlyfan]

If WYMT sent out all the apps like they say they do, and if they only got one response from a 15th team. It seems like the execs at WYMT would be trying to figure out why the top teams in a certain region doesnt want to play in their high profile tourney. Or do they think to themselfs, "Well, another 15th region team doesnt want in it so that gives us an opening for another 14th region team."? It seems that there are other reasons for the top teams to not want to play or not being sent applications to get in it.

[FOX SPORTS]

The YMT tourney may be losing it's luster among some former participants.

The NEW Big Dog showcase is becoming the KY Farm Bureau Classic....see related thread.

[And1]

why didn't perry central or buckhorn get in it ?

[jammin' jamey]

The YMT tourney may be losing it's luster among some former participants.

The NEW Big Dog showcase is becoming the KY Farm Bureau Classic....see related thread.

The Farm Bureau will need the media attention that the Mountain Classic receives in order to become the "big dog". The one glaring difference is the Mountain Classic is "mountain" teams only - which sets it apart.

I believe basketball junkies will enjoy seeing the stronger outside competition of the Farm Bureau Classic, but it's not a tournament and will not have large crowds that an all-mountain tournament like the YMT brings in.

[jammin' jamey]

If WYMT sent out all the apps like they say they do, and if they only got one response from a 15th team. It seems like the execs at WYMT would be trying to figure out why the top teams in a certain region doesnt want to play in their high profile tourney. Or do they think to themselfs, "Well, another 15th region team doesnt want in it so that gives us an opening for another 14th region team."? It seems that there are other reasons for the top teams to not want to play or not being sent applications to get in it.

Maybe Paintsville and Shelby Valley have other plans involving tournaments? The Tigers will host their own classic and probably go out-of-state like they have the last several years again, maybe go down-state and play. Of course Shelby Valley may want to play down-state as well with their talented team.

Is there a bias against 15th Region teams? South Floyd won this tournament several years ago. It has been nicknamed the "Clay County Invitational" in it's past. Maybe the difference many fans see is the fact that 14th Region officials let teams play more aggressive, while 15th Region officials call fouls for coughing too loud in the court.

I'm interested in seeing some kind of response from WYMT as to why only 15th Region team is in the tournament. Someone needs to stand-up and give a solid reason why, or this tournament will suffer and 15th Region teams will stay away from the event.

[LarryLargemouth]

Hearing that the refs are agains the 15th region is a bunch of crap. If the 15th and 14th play they use officials from the 13th. They use officials from a different region than the participating schools. You should try to go to the 15 region and play if you don't live there!!!!!!

[More Cowbell]

In WYMT's defense, they tried to get other 15th region teams in it. I dont know about Paintsville, but I know they tried to get another one in it. If the schools dont want to get in the tourney, then there isnt any way that WYMT can force them to play.

I seriously doubt that Pikeville was the only 15th region team that wanted to play. I guess that's possible, but very unlikely.

It has been mentioned that Valley and Paintsville did not apply because they have other plans this year, and that's fine. But there are still many other teams from the 15th who would go down there and give a good showing (Betsy Layne, Pike Central, Johnson Central, etc.) who should have been given a chance. At least then it wouldn't be the 14th Region Invitational...

[jammin' jamey]

I seriously doubt that Pikeville was the only 15th region team that wanted to play. I guess that's possible, but very unlikely.

It has been mentioned that Valley and Paintsville did not apply because they have other plans this year, and that's fine. But there are still many other teams from the 15th who would go down there and give a good showing (Betsy Layne, Pike Central, Johnson Central, etc.) who should have been given a chance. At least then it wouldn't be the 14th Region Invitational...

But again, if you are on the Mountain Classic committee, do you field a mediocre(s) team from the 15th Region for the sake of having 2 or 3 representatives from that region if Paintsville/Shelby Valley turned you down...or do you take the best teams available to fill out the classic, no matter what region they are from?

[More Cowbell]

But again, if you are on the Mountain Classic committee, do you field a mediocre(s) team from the 15th Region for the sake of having 2 or 3 representatives from that region if Paintsville/Shelby Valley turned you down...or do you take the best teams available to fill out the classic, no matter what region they are from?

I don't think that Valley, Pikeville, and Paintsville are the only 15th region teams worthy of going. If you're implying that anybody outside the Big 3 is mediocre, then I have to disagree.

Granted, taking the fourth team from the 14th may make the field a bit stronger than taking somebody from the 15th who may be a notch below the Big 3, but I think that it is even more important that the tournament be an equal cross-section of WYMT's entire viewing area. If that means taking a team from the 15th like a Betsy Layne, who won't win the thing but will give a competitive game and maybe even spring an upset, then I think it is worth it.

JMO...

[jammin' jamey]

I don't think that Valley, Pikeville, and Paintsville are the only 15th region teams worthy of going. If you're implying that anybody outside the Big 3 is mediocre, then I have to disagree.

Granted, taking the fourth team from the 14th may make the field a bit stronger than taking somebody from the 15th who may be a notch below the Big 3, but I think that it is even more important that the tournament be an equal cross-section of WYMT's entire viewing area. If that means taking a team from the 15th like a Betsy Layne, who won't win the thing but will give a competitive game and maybe even spring an upset, then I think it is worth it.

JMO...

Do you think that for the last couple of years, the WYMT has fielded a "less than impressive" representative or two from the 15th Region just for the sake of keeping things equal?

Betsy Layne (12-16) in 2006 and had lost 8 games when the tournament rolled around. Although, they did have a nice run in the latter half of the season and regional tournament. Phelps also was a part of the tournament that year, and they upset Harlan.

In 2005, South Floyd upset Clay County, but lost their next 2 games in the tournament, including an 89-68 blowout at the hands of Perry Central. South Floyd would win the 15th Region All-A-Classic. Prestonsburg and East Ridge were also in the tournament that year and were considerably stronger than the 06 teams would be.

Last year, the tournament picked the two of the stronger 15th Region teams in Shelby Valley and Pikeville. Each team lost in the opening round.

It looks as if the compeition from the 15th has gotten weaker in the past 3 years and if two of the top 3 teams in the region decline invitation to the tournament, do you gamble and take a lesser squad?

[More Cowbell]

Do you think that for the last couple of years, the WYMT has fielded a "less than impressive" representative or two from the 15th Region just for the sake of keeping things equal?

Betsy Layne (12-16) in 2006 and had lost 8 games when the tournament rolled around. Although, they did have a nice run in the latter half of the season and regional tournament. Phelps also was a part of the tournament that year, and they upset Harlan.

In 2005, South Floyd upset Clay County, but lost their next 2 games in the tournament, including an 89-68 blowout at the hands of Perry Central. South Floyd would win the 15th Region All-A-Classic. Prestonsburg and East Ridge were also in the tournament that year and were considerably stronger than the 06 teams would be.

Last year, the tournament picked the two of the stronger 15th Region teams in Shelby Valley and Pikeville. Each team lost in the opening round.

It looks as if the compeition from the 15th has gotten weaker in the past 3 years and if two of the top 3 teams in the region decline invitation to the tournament, do you gamble and take a lesser squad?

Like you just said, even the teams that come in lightly regarded can make some noise (SF in '05, Phelps in '06). Yet this past year two of the better teams in the 15th went out in the first round. Just goes to show that you can't predict what's going to happen in the tournament.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, because I still feel that even if one of the regions is weaker it should still get at least two teams in. If you can't fill two spots from the top 3 teams, move down to number 4.

[jammin' jamey]

Like you just said, even the teams that come in lightly regarded can make some noise (SF in '05, Phelps in '06). Yet this past year two of the better teams in the 15th went out in the first round. Just goes to show that you can't predict what's going to happen in the tournament.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, because I still feel that even if one of the regions is weaker it should still get at least two teams in. If you can't fill two spots from the top 3 teams, move down to number 4.

My point though was to show you that the competition from the 15th has gotten weaker and weaker in the last 3 years. The '05 Raiders & Blackcats got by the first round. The '06 Hornets were underdogs and won. Then last year's "power" teams from the region failed to get past the 1st round. I don't think it's fair for the YMT Committee to keep banking on an upset from a lesser 15th Region team where there are stronger teams in other regions that can make the tournament more competitive.

[jammin' jamey]

From a very good inside source...

I was told that Shelby Valley in fact was invited as the 2nd team from the 15th Region to participate in the YMT '08 Classic, accepted the bid and then declined for reasons unknown. It's also my understanding that the committee ranks all teams that apply to participate in the tournament and once SV declined, the committee settled with the next best team in terms of their rankings and it was a 14th Region team. Sounds like some other good teams from the 15th may not have been interested in playing or they were ranked below the next best team in the committee's rankings which was a 14th region squad.

This settles the discussion about whether they should take a certain number of teams from each region across the board no matter their talent record OR take the best teams who applied no matter what region they are in.

I for one think you should create the best tournament possible by having the most talented teams play.

[More Cowbell]

This settles the discussion about whether they should take a certain number of teams from each region across the board no matter their talent record OR take the best teams who applied no matter what region they are in.

I for one think you should create the best tournament possible by having the most talented teams play.

I'm not disagreeing with you about what their method of picking teams actually is, I simply don't agree with that method. By that logic, if the best 8 teams in the mountains were all from the 14th region, then WYMT should just take all of them, in order to have the most competetive tournament. I disagree, because then no one outside that region would even care.

It's not like you even earn your way into the tournament. You are picked based on preseason projections of how good you will be.

[UKisN1]

Scheduling is done in March and you can not wait until November to set the tourney.