[BlackBear3]

Final from Harlan County.

[footballfever]

Aaaaa WOW

[EKYBubbaWatson]

No shock here. Harlan County is simply another team in the 13th. Having region at home will help them, but they, like anyone else in the 13th can be beaten any given night.

[Black Bear Cuz]

I guess the 13th region is more wide open than anyone could actually imagine? What the heck happened in this game??

[FIRST]

I agree, not a team in the 13th region that can play bad and still win on most nights.

[Granny Bear]

Well, Harlan County couldn't throw it into the ocean first half. If memory serves me, and it may NOT, I believe we only had 19 points at the half and down by 10 or 12.

Congratulations to the Barbourville Tigers on their victory. Coach Vencil (Dinky) Phipps always has a disciplined team. This coach always gets the best out of his players, and is always competative. I have nothing but respect for his program.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Clay is the best team in the 13th. Harlan, Corbin, Jackson, North and Knox are probably you're 2nd tier and then Bville, Bell, South, and Pineville still have enough talent to make a run.

[Black Bear Cuz]

:igiveup:

Clay is the best team in the 13th. Harlan, Corbin, Jackson, North and Knox are probably you're 2nd tier and then Bville, Bell, South, and Pineville still have enough talent to make a run.

Clay has as many or more issues as anybody from what I have seen and heard sir! Our region is clearly wide open, with nobody really looking like a team that you could label as the favorite IMO.. It is pretty hard to believe that HC can't take care of business at home against an average team (Barbourville) at this late point in the season? Pretty alarming to say the least!

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Look as of late at Clay Black Bear Cuz. They've lost twice in the region (none at home) and both games they were not near 100%. Clay has improved, it is no longer just the McDaniel show some of the younger players have stepped up and the seniors are wanting to go out with a bang. With that said, they have to bring their A game. If they play a B game to Harlan Co's A at HC then they probably won't advance. I still think its them two and the rest but the loss to Barbourville at home is shocking and can't be ignored.

[Mountain]

This region is wideopen this year, with 4 or 5 teams that could make a run. Early foul trouble and poor shooting in the first half really hurt the Bears. Congrats to Barbourville.

[TheIceman3]

Can't believe this, 13th is really wide open this year. The 13th is so bad this year absolutely anybody can win. Collecitively the talent is way down, and I haven't really seen good basketball from any team this year. Harlan definitely has the advantage at home, but if they can't even handle B'Ville it will definitely be a challenge.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Team talent in the 13th just isn't there. Individually it is but no teams have meshed and put it together consistently.

[HDE]

Look as of late at Clay Black Bear Cuz. They've lost twice in the region (none at home) and both games they were not near 100%. Clay has improved, it is no longer just the McDaniel show some of the younger players have stepped up and the seniors are wanting to go out with a bang. With that said, they have to bring their A game. If they play a B game to Harlan Co's A at HC then they probably won't advance. I still think its them two and the rest but the loss to Barbourville at home is shocking and can't be ignored.

What's Clay done "of late" to put them in a different league as Harlan County.
Clay beating Bell by two at home is that much better than HCHS losing by two at Bell?
Clay beat Pineville by 14 at home. HCHS beat Pineville by 20-plus at Pineville.
Clay beat Jackson by one at home. HCHS lost by three to Barbourville at home.
Both teams have two region losses and HCHS won on a neutral court over Clay. Yes, not having Reed was a big factor, but I think that just puts them back even since HCHS led all the way.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

HDE you obviously haven't watched them play as of "late". They were up 24 with 2 mins to go on Pineville before Marcum threw the 3rd string in. He doesn't believe in burying opponents just like last yr when Clay was up 40 on North and called the dogs off. Didn't turn out so well later on though did it? Clay embarrassed Williamsburg on the road with their starters playing half the game. I'm just saying you can see it clicking for them. Harlan hasn't and isn't clicking in my opinion.

[HDE]

They both have been up and down.
HCHS beat Middlesboro and Harlan by 30-plus last week and looked good. How is a 31-point win over Middlesboro not as good as a 14-point win over Pineville?
Not so good tonight, but Barbourville is the No. 1 seed in the 51st and beat Knox Central.
The Bell game was three games ago. Pineville was two games ago, and like I said, HCHS beat them by 27 at Pineville. I think Harlan County subbed, too. Most people do.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Its one thing to sub with a minute or two left. But clearing the bench when its a 25 point game is not my style. Bobby Keith believed in hammering teams. You play to win, not make friends. And yes you are correct they have both been up and down. But if you have watched Clay play the last 2 games there is a completely different flow.

[vundy33]

Come on Harlan Co! Get it together!

[Granny Bear]

Bobby Keith was actually there last night.

Harlan County has the potential, we just need to get it together to where we're firing on ALL cylindars. I don't think we've had one game where everybody was playing to their potential.

One thing about it, we don't have a lot of time to get there!

[Black Bear Cuz]

This HC team has not played against any strong competition all year and that has effected their development as a 13th region favorite. When the 3rd and maybe 4th best team in the 14 region (Hazard) is the toughest team you have played all year there is something wrong.. I know weather has effected their most recent opportunity to play some strong competition, but IMO, they should have been playing a lot tougher schedule early and often to help prepare them for a tournament run! Instead of traveling all the way to Hilton Head and playing against VERY mediocre comp, they should have been playing in Lexington and Louisville against some of the best teams in Ky..... That's just my opinion, I'm sure some will agree and some won't.... I do believe this bunch can still overcome this, but it's not going to be easy!!!

[UKFan8]

Bubba,

First of all, you put WAY too much emphasis on how good the little McDaniel kid is. He's average at best and Clay NEVER has been the McDaniel show. Now if we're talking golf, that's a different story. The kid has an opportunity to do something that has never been done around these parts in golf IF he keeps working hard and fine tuning his game. But as for basketball, there's nothing close to Division I or II talent in this region.

Secondly, Clay Co. and Harlan Co. are the best two teams in the 13th Region and clearly to me, they're pretty evenly matched. Clay Co., just like Harlan Co. are capable of being defeated on any given night; neither can have an off night and come away with victory. However, in the WYMT victory, McDaniel was a non-factor as Brewer's athleticism and size really seemed to bother him. In the next matchup, it could be the other way around. The beauty of this situation is that hopefully Harlan Co. and Clay Co. meet in the Regional Finals and then, we shall see!

Third, this Harlan Co. group, for the most part, has been together now for four years. And yes, while they haven't done anything in the Regional Tournament to think they will automatically win this year on the simple fact that they are playing at home would be somewhat of an obtuse way of thinking.

Finally, I cannot understand why people, especially you, keep bringing up Bobby Keith. The man has not coached since the Spring of 1999 and yet, people act like he's still coaching. The question that I have is, if Bobby still wanted to coach and be as involved as he is in Clay Co. basketball, why isn't he? It is obvious to me that some people just CANNOT let go of the past and move on. It's history folks and that's all it is! Robert Marcum is the coach there now and the people of Clay Co. should SUPPORT whomever is coaching there NOW and quit hanging on to memories of two decades ago. As long as the "Bobby Keith Legendary Act" continues in Manchester, who could EVER feel comfortable coaching there?

Until then, we shall enjoy the last couple of weeks in the regular season with anticipation of what is to come in early March. But I leave you with one final thought: This year, the proverbial ROAD TO RUPP will go through Harlan Co.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

You obviously don't understand the program and to say a player like McDaniel is "average" is just absurd. Saying a player like Rice is average is a more understandable. You must have just watched the HC game when Clay played their WORST game of the year without their 2nd option Reed. As for Bobby Keith he'd give anything to be coaching to this day but the man has had health problems for over 20 years, but you wouldn't understand any of that as your making "observations" without having any knowledge on the situation.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

Anyways, HC and Clay will both be there when the time counts. They both have some talented players, they just haven't completely meshed as a team YET. Good luck to all teams and hopefully we are in for an exciting regional tournament.

[WBA]

I agree that both HC and Clay have to be the favorite to win the 13th region. One team I would not want to draw in the tournament right now would be Bell. They have really improved and they will be a very tough out.

[EKYBubbaWatson]

I agree 100% WBA. They play hard, have a great scorer in Potter and probably the best coach in the region.

[Black Bear Cuz]

I agree that both HC and Clay have to be the favorite to win the 13th region. One team I would not want to draw in the tournament right now would be Bell. They have really improved and they will be a very tough out.

Bell could get hot and beat anybody in the region on a given night, but they do not have the kind of talent around Potter to win 3 region games in a row! Potter is a nice player, but he is kind of limited with his lack of size, the Patterson kid is a decent player too but outside of these two they mostly just have young kids.

[WBA]

Bell could get hot and beat anybody in the region on a given night, but they do not have the kind of talent around Potter to win 3 region games in a row! Potter is a nice player, but he is kind of limited with his lack of size, the Patterson kid is a decent player too but outside of these two they mostly just have young kids.

Who thought North Laurel had the talent to win 3 in a row last year? Not many if any other than their fan base.

Bell could easily win the region along with 3 or 4 other teams. They play as hard or harder than any body in the region. They beat HC at home then lost by 2 to Clay on the road. They could win it. Not saying they will, just saying no way I would want to play them right now.

Honest opinion from someone who does not have a favorite team, just enjoys watching basketball games.

[UKFan8]

Bubba,

As far as the 13th Region is concerned and Eastern Kentucky as a whole, McDaniel is not "average". He's a very good player. But when you start talking about statewide and nationwide, the "average" word seems somewhat more reasonable.

I've always felt that the biggest problem is players get "played up" way too much around here. If a kid is good, people will notice. You don't have to promote someone if they have the talent. That's why I made the golf comment "IF" the kid keeps working hard because there are no guarantees in life regardless of the individual talent someone may have. I have personally seen the kid on numerous occasions play golf and basketball. He's a good basketball player, but a great golfer.

Concerning Bobby Keith, it just really irks me that people in Eastern Kentucky compare him to the likes of the great John Wooden and people that truly influenced basketball. Bobby Keith's run at Clay Co. was amazing, but it's unfair to every coach that wears the Black and Gold to constantly be overshadowed and compared to him. It was a different era, a different time, kids were different, etc. At some point, you MUST let it go for his legend has ZERO effect on the outcome of any other Clay Co. basketball game forever. My message is quite simple, STOP the Bobby Keith talk and START supporting Marcum. That is, if the Clay Co. folks continue to desire him as their coach.

As for Harlan County and Clay County, two good teams, two terrific coaches. The fans of the 13th Region would be blessed to see these two square off in the finals. As for me, I can only hope it comes to that!

[icecreamandcake]

Coach Keith did last coach in March of 1999, but I recall the last time Clay was in the state tournament was 2001. It may be history, but Keith will never be forgotten. TRADITION

[Tellithowitis]

A Great upset pulled off by the Tigers.. Harlan County will still be considered the favorite with Region being hosted on their home court. However, many teams in the Region are just getting healthy such as North Laurel and Knox Central. KC has not had a healthy and complete lineup the whole season.. North just recently returned star center Jake Allen not too long ago.. Should be interesting come region time.