[rebel204]

Just saw that Lukas Manns earned a 3rd scholarship offer. Congrats to a great kid, and the victim of one of the MOST awkward and strange situations that not only myself but many others, including some former longtime coaching greats. 2 former 15th Region and 1 a former 14th. 2 of the 3 I’m pretty sure have their place in KHSAA HOF. All 3 have won it least 1 Regional tournament. All  3 of these men speaking together during the state tournament, along with some former players and longtime followers of Mtn basketball all agreed, that Manns was treated WORSE THAN ANY ONE PLAYER THAT THEY COULD EVER RECALL AT ANYTIME IN ALL THEIR YRS COACHING OR JUST FOLLOWING HS BASKETBALL AROUND THESE PARTS!

The fact that a kid 6’5” who has proven himself as a 40% or plus 3pt shooter, a consistent 80% or plus shooter at the ft line, with a very high ceiling bc he was a late developing player, who had only played out and on the wings and perimeter since his Soph yr. A player that once it was brought to my attention, following his first few games as a Panther last yr, his jr season, when it is official that the kid played the entire season, not only hurt but injured on a fractured foot with some torn ligaments. Yet after his first few games going all the way back thru his Soph season he had a streak of 24 out of 30 consecutive games of scoring it least 9 points or more. Basically double figures plus, but to be technical, there is 5-6 of 9pts. Although in those of scoring 9pts, he had rebound totals of 12, 9, 8, 8, 7 & 6.. Also grabbed it least 5 rebs in 20 of those 30 games. Even though his numbers dipped his jr season, which would be forgivable just with his injury. But it was brought further to my attention that his odd situation began early in his jr season. After coming out of the gates avg near 12.5ppg 5.6rebs shooting team best fg%, 3pt %, and ft % with 2 of his first 3-4 games being perfect from the field including at N.Laurel with dbl figures and 6rebs and 1st game @ S.Valley and Worrix big rivalry with perfect from the floor and 17pts 8rebs. Also had 14 & 6 in the return game at Pikeville avg 15.5ppg & 7rebs in the 2 district games vs SV. 5-7 from 3pt! Not including him leading Pikeville injured to what I believe was their first victory in a All A state tournament at Knott Co. Central with 23pts 8rebs, and 7-10 from deep. Yr before at BLHS, with no Howell or No Robinson, they won multiple ot game vs Knott where he delivered 17pts 8rebs. This past season he chipped in 11pts vs Knott Central in just 14mins going back and watching the film. The odd thing his jr season after coming out of the gate clearly looking like their best #2 option, after 1 poor outing at Madison Central in which he would pick up 2 early fouls going to the bench, and in the 2nd half a 3rd and 4th, putting him back to the bench. Watching it, was completely on Manns for a poor performance, one spent in foul trouble which is just part of basketball, and going to happen. But after coming out so effective, 2nd leading scorer, tied 2nd leading rebounder and leading the team in fg %, 3pt and ft%. 1 foul trouble filled game and the very next at East Ridge, he losses starting spot, then gets only 4-5 mins tops, but strangely even less in the 2nd half of no more than 2-3mins. It got worse from there at Harlan Co he comes off the bench for 4-5mins of time, scoring 5-6pts at the line, and then ZERO time in the next half! So really if you go back, it was very strange, where he seemed to have a very short lease, even games that he may not be hitting his jumper early, would result in him coming out, and sometimes it was brief trips in and out, others it may result in long trips out. So he ended up avg around 8 & 5 with 42% from 3pt, also leading them in ft shooting, as he did again this season at 83 or 84%.. If shown correctly, he missed 12 ft’s over the 2 seasons going 20-24 this yr. Just very odd bc there is a very large sample size showing that when given the time and minutes and the all important trust and confidence from the staff with some leash to play freely he has proved over a Soph season and when he received that his jr yr, that he was a consistent dbl figure scorer, would consistently grab you it least 5-6rebs and will do so shooting around or better h than 40% from deep, around or better than 80% from the line.. 

He would have easily gave Pikeville a lineup this past season of 5 starters avg dbl figures, and also add a 3rd starter shooting 40% or more from 3pt with Sammons and Hall.. With the deserved time of that of a starter this season and all of last season, even with the shortened Covid season if he was a main starter with the mind that comes with that, in which Stevie Wonder btw could see that he was and should receive, he could have safely finished as a 1k pt scorer and 400 plus rebs. 

But to put things in perspective, this kid was treated his senior yr after a off season of pt rehabbing and even early season bump of a turned ankle that he came back fine from, and regardless of the excuse given when anyone asked anyone in the Pikeville circle that he was hurt, he practiced with no limits everyday they had practice every week. Plus if really hurt to where a bk 2 bk 2 different districts All District player, who was receiving lot of interest from colleges heading into this season from anywhere of NCAA D-II to NAIA and even JUCO. Picking up an offer before the season from King University, who is a D-II program. Yet this kid was treated as if he was a end of the bench scrub suddenly??? He consistently was checked in during 1st half’s of games and you can find them over and over, that I didn’t realize it was that bad until I saw for myself. He goes in for stints that are from as brief as under a minute to the absolute MAX of 2 mins and some change! A few trips up and down the floor, regardless of what transpired he was always jerked back out where he would remain often. Maybe put in during the last minute or 2 of a game that was decided as if it’s now safe to put Manns in the game! Had to be humiliating to such a great kid, who btw him and his family both deserve MVP of the season bc I never saw anything but him behaving as incredibly as a kid could ever behave during games knowing his season and opportunities are being wrongfully taken from him. Everyone I asked, there was no public outrage or even gossip of his family talking negatively to anyone that could listen or act out at any point during the yr! Idk IF any other player or family could swallow that without snapping when you have a kid that obviously college’s are interested in, even receiving what was the 2nd highest level of an offer after Sammons with King. There’s no explanation for inserting a kid from 45-50 secs to 2 mins and change max repeatedly in 1st half of games! Not basketball wise. That is not even enough time to provide a breather! Lol 

At the regular seasons end the 2 players who was just awkwardly getting playing time inexplicably ahead of him proved with numbers how ridiculous it was. Before post season play you had a kid shooting 23-84 from 3pt on the season, who is billed as an outside shooter for 27.3% compared to Manns who ONLY SHOT 37-3’s on the entire regular season! Anyone knows basketball understands how hard it is to shoot like that anyway when only getting to put up 1 here in there in not even spot mins, still had hit 14-37.. So player SHOOTS 84 to his 37, and ONLY made 9 MORE 3’s!!! Took 84 to 37 and ONLY MADE 9 MORE! It took 6-14 in the post-season, including a 3-5 game just to finish at 30% on the season! The other only made 10-3’s on the entire season bc he is just not a threat to even shoot them! 

Which looks worse when you needed outside shooting vs GRC, and continued to try any and everyone before giving the kid 1 minute, the FINSL minute! A kid who got lots of whispers from ppl who did not know Pikeville as who is the tall kid with the pretty shot who keeps hitting them from the K in warmups, but doesn’t get to play?? He got 1 MINUTE, 1 SHOT from 3pt, in which he hit to cut lead to 4pts. Finishing with a 2 game total of 1 minute 1 shot 3pts where the 2 who STRANGELY PLAYED OVER HIM finished with 5 & 3 for 2 GAME TOTALS!!!! Another starting guard finished with 11pts over a 2 game total. In the GRC GAME HAD 2pts 0pts from the 2 who no one person unbiased speaking basketball can explain them playing over him as their game totals. Even Sammons with 2pts with quicker and stronger defenders. When needing outside shooting off the bench, went with Rogers who ALSO DESERVED LOTS MORE PT, as he along with Walters imo should obviously been 2 main rotational pcs off the bench, with the little guard getting spot min relief for Worrix and Hall. But desperately needing some outside shooting for a boost, potentially open and space floor a little more for Sammons, Worrix capability to drive and create more, go with Rogers who gave a little boost, but went 1-7 from 3pt??? Hmmm If Manns could have gotten those 6-7 3pt attempts, you have to think there’s a LOT better chance that he it least hits you 2 or 3 of them, and he’s also capable of seeing 2 go down close together and rattling off 4-5 or even hitting all of them when hot? Season on the line and you reluctantly put him in with around a minute. The shot he hit sure didn’t look like a fluke! It was running the floor contested greatly, but his size and pure shooting stroke gives it a great chance and what do you know he drills it! What if he got 6-7 attempts over 2nd half? Even hits 2-3, it’s a completely different game, possibly the ONLY game you had a shot to really knock them off, and from there May had won entire thing! 

Looks REALLY BAD! But not as bad that 2 of Manns 3 College offers came after the season began when he was treated like a scrub for some obvious and intentional reason, if not explain?? Esp 2min or less 1st half no matter what ur out, and if you Coached you understand how hard it is to consistently do that if NOT TRYING TO DO SO! You would forget, flow of game it would vary. It least 5-6 mins, playing well maybe 9-10, other times 2-3 mins. But like clock work he was allowed to run the floor a cpl times making a kid dying to play only thirst for action that much more and pull him out! Play kids who HAVE ZERO OFFERS, ZERO INTEREST who I just don’t see ever receiving any. Not a knock, just not much of a ceiling as a college basketball player.. 

But the worse is the fact he was still able to add 2 more offers when he was purposely held out! 

THE WORST, was gaining interest and thenan ACTUAL OFFER FROM UPIKE (a consistent Top 25 NAIA Program) JUST FROM WATCHING HIM PRACTICE AND WORK OUT!!!!!!!!! ? I mean how if ur the Coach are you able to look at ur player when you refuse to play him, and from everything I heard NEVER even pulled aside and given any type of explanation of why his HS career was being destroyed! Got a offer from practice! Gained another recently based on potential, but he couldn’t play over 2 players that avg CAREER HIGH’s of around 5ppg. 1 added around 4 plus rebs.. 10 makes from 3 ALL YR FOR 1, 6-14 post season really district and region bc failed to make 1 at state just to finish at 30% from 3pt. 1 finishing season 50% from ft line. Together they avg at least what Manns would by himself, but shooting far less % and no where near the offensive threats. All the while he would have added another option to the lineup at 6’5”, although they refused to play him in the post or even 15’ in, run him off anything for shots, like the many things they did with him at BL his Soph yr. Sad part with 3 offers, how many more opportunities and offers would he have earned if he started like anyone else would have started him, adding his 10 or plus pts, with his size as a 40% plus outside shootist and excellent ft %??? 1-2 more tops?? I have to think it least 2-3 or more!!! Everyone loves size, that can really shoot it!!!!


The worst part, if there is…, I doubt Manns or his family will EVER receive an explanation or know the truth behind wha some great coaches called the WORST they seen, speaking of his treatment! They also agreed he starts for EVERY OTHER TEAM IN THE REGION, and off the top of their head believed he would have started for ANY TEAM IN THE 14th Region as well! But he enters District tourney finals games with 50 secs left!!! Lol Verysad, couldn’t have happened to from everything I have seen a better kid! 

I was surprised nobody commented or publicly said anything about this all season!!!! That’s why after seeing another offer to make things look worse on that Pikeville staff and program, that he deserved some recognition and the side told to those who just never realized or had any idea… So I’m sorry kid, you deserved a LOT BETTER!!