[bball_fan]

Vally will be good next year, but there is a lot of teams that could win Region next year. You also have to consider, though a lot of these boys did play on the team last year that won state, but how many of them were major roleplayers? They're going to have a few heart breaking moments next year as the year goes along because a lot of them are not truily battled tested yet. Yes I know practicing against the team they had last year goes a long way, but being in a game when it matters adds a bit more reality to the game. I think this team will need to make a serious run at All A before you could start saying they are the favorites to win the Region. And please do not take that as me hating on Valley, but take it from the point of view that this team has a lot to prove and everyone else has a lot to learn about them. I think after the All A tournament you will get a better understanding of where they stand because Betsy Layne and Johnson Central are very popular picks to win Region, and to win All A this year, Valley will have to go through Betsy Layne.

As for in the years to come, Valley will be really tough in the next two or three years but so will the rest of the region. Winning the 15th is not going to be easy as the current grade schoolers start to get to the upper grades. Remember how good everyone else around here was! Betsy Layne's grade school finished third in state last year and added big Tyler Daniels from South Floyd. Johnson Central beat Betsy Layne multiple times, along with Hazard and I believe Virgie (not 100% sure about that so don't execute me if I am wrong.) Valley brings Dorton and Virgie together which will be tough. East Ridge will have last year's Pike County championship team together along with the kids from Elkhorn who made the final four last year and scared Virgie in the that game to death. And lastly, Pike Central will have this talented Johns Creek team that is coming up along with some of the key players from Mullins team last year that showed at times they could be as good as anyone in the County. Fact is, there is no favorite to control this region over the next few years, and winning this region will make any team either battle tested for State or beaten to death for it. I know winning state is hard for schools around here, but I would not be surprised if the 15th pulls it off again within the next 5 years...just not sure with who.