[From Downtown]

Good game. Harlan down 1 held the ball the last 1:30, turned the ball over. Bell hit two FT with 8 seconds left. Harlan had a great look at a 3 and just missed. Great game.

Patterson and Partin played well for Bell.

Simpson and Davis played well for Harlan.

[Granny Bear]

This was the best I had seen Harlan city play all year. Great great game!!

[TheProfessor33]

I was baffled at the strategy Coach Parks used at the end of that game. To ask your young point guard to hold the ball for the last 1:30, down one, and roll the dice with one shot on one posession may be the dumbest thing I've seen a coach do. The Harlan D actually played very good the second half. I don't understand why you wouldn't try to score earlier and put the pressure on the Bell Co. offense. I know the point guard felt terrible for the untimely turnover, but the coach should have NEVER put him in that situation. DUMB move by the coaching staff at Harlan Ind.

[rojas]

I was baffled at the strategy Coach Parks used at the end of that game. To ask your young point guard to hold the ball for the last 1:30, down one, and roll the dice with one shot on one posession may be the dumbest thing I've seen a coach do. The Harlan D actually played very good the second half. I don't understand why you wouldn't try to score earlier and put the pressure on the Bell Co. offense. I know the point guard felt terrible for the untimely turnover, but the coach should have NEVER put him in that situation. DUMB move by the coaching staff at Harlan Ind.

I'm sure coach David Parks has forgotten more basketball than you and I know. He had his reasons.

[From Downtown]

I would have to agree. You would think you have to score down 1. Tied a different story, but down 1 I would have tried to score.

[Granny Bear]

I'm sure coach David Parks has forgotten more basketball than you and I know. He had his reasons.

Dave Earl is a great person and coach! But I absolutely do not understand why he made that decision either. I would've gone for the score and not try to hold the ball for 1.30. But then, I'm no fan of the stall tactic. It's used by a great many coaches, but I think it harms the momentum.

Harlan's team impressed me more last night than they have all season. I saw a lot of heart and determination. I know they probably feel terrible with the loss, but IMO they should hold their heads firmly.

[TheProfessor33]

I'm sure coach David Parks has forgotten more basketball than you and I know. He had his reasons.

I can't see inside the guy's mind, so I don't know how much basketball he "knows or has forgotten". He could have playbooks and X's and O's floating around in his head for all I know. Let's assume that he does have this wealth of knowledge that you speak of Rojas. Even if Coach Parks is all knowing, like you say, it hasn't translated to success in coaching. He has been very mediocre (and that is saying it nice) in his career. He wasn't very good at Evarts in 16 or 17 seasons, and he has been even worse in his two seasons at Harlan Ind. So, your argument is invalid. It doesn't matter how much he knows. It seems as if he has a hard time winning basketball games. Whether you want to admit it or not, that decision in the last 1:30 was terrible. Draining the clock, down a point. Holding the ball and giving your team only one chance to win that ball game was absolutely absurd.

[Mountain]

I also question the call at the end.

[rojas]

I can't see inside the guy's mind, so I don't know how much basketball he "knows or has forgotten". He could have playbooks and X's and O's floating around in his head for all I know. Let's assume that he does have this wealth of knowledge that you speak of Rojas. Even if Coach Parks is all knowing, like you say, it hasn't translated to success in coaching. He has been very mediocre (and that is saying it nice) in his career. He wasn't very good at Evarts in 16 or 17 seasons, and he has been even worse in his two seasons at Harlan Ind. So, your argument is invalid. It doesn't matter how much he knows. It seems as if he has a hard time winning basketball games. Whether you want to admit it or not, that decision in the last 1:30 was terrible. Draining the clock, down a point. Holding the ball and giving your team only one chance to win that ball game was absolutely absurd.

I am going to respectfully disagree concerning the success of coach David Parks' career. Other than Billy Hicks, I don't know anyone that has been more successful at Evarts than Coach Parks. His teams, though usually undermanned, always played hard. He won one of only 3 district championships in the history of Evarts High School. Most years he had a winning record.

At Harlan Coach Parks took over a team that for the previous few years simply couldn't compete. Now, Harlan is at least competing with the other teams in the 52nd district.

[TheProfessor33]

I am going to respectfully disagree concerning the success of coach David Parks' career. Other than Billy Hicks, I don't know anyone that has been more successful at Evarts than Coach Parks. His teams, though usually undermanned, always played hard. He won one of only 3 district championships in the history of Evarts High School. Most years he had a winning record.

At Harlan Coach Parks took over a team that for the previous few years simply couldn't compete. Now, Harlan is at least competing with the other teams in the 52nd district.

I guess we all measure success differently. Just as easily as you can say his teams now compete and play hard (I thought Casey Lester's teams competed and played hard), I can likewise as easy, point out that he is 1-14 against district competition in two seasons at Harlan. He was 0-8 this season. Most people will agree that he had a pretty good team. I promise you, Mike Jones would not have gone winless with the talent he had. I don't think Casey Lester would have gone winless with that roster, and there is a guy coaching the girls at Harlan Ind. who many people think could really do some things with the boys.

[rojas]

I guess we all measure success differently. Just as easily as you can say his teams now compete and play hard (I thought Casey Lester's teams competed and played hard), I can likewise as easy, point out that he is 1-14 against district competition in two seasons at Harlan. He was 0-8 this season. Most people will agree that he had a pretty good team. I promise you, Mike Jones would not have gone winless with the talent he had. I don't think Casey Lester would have gone winless with that roster, and there is a guy coaching the girls at Harlan Ind. who many people think could really do some things with the boys.

One thing we can probably agree on is if a idiot parent stormed into Mike Jones locker room at half time he would have been beaten to a pulp.

[HDE]

Most seem to think it was a bad idea, but I think Bell's approach was more interesting.
The point guard didn't really have to hold it for 1:30. Bell let him hold it. They didn't put any pressure on from what I remember.
I remember Dave did the same thing in the 1992 tournament against Harlan (the game may have been tied though), and I thought Harlan made a mistake by letting them hold it for one. Scott Russell won the game with a layup in a huge upset.
Harlan was the underdog in this year's game and the Dragons had a chance to pull off the upset by executing one play at the end. I think that's a pretty good gamble in a game where they were a big underdog coming into it.

[Granny Bear]

And I'm sure that's what Parks was thinking, too. After all, had those kids pulled it off, he would've been touted as a genius!!

[TheProfessor33]

I wouldn't have a problem milking the clock in a tie game, and playing for the last shot. If the '92 game was tied, that would be apples and oranges in my mind. I just can't fathom using that strategy trailing in a ballgame.

[rojas]

It all depends on what type of defense Bell Co was in. If they were playing a tough man-to-man, pressuring the ball, trapping etc. Yes. Try to score. If Bell Co. is playing a sagging zone and I am an underdog with a chance to win on a last second shot or foul, then I go for one shot.

[HDE]

A former coach pointed out to me tonight at the girls finals that Harlan was in the double bonus, so I guess that adds to the argument for attacking.
I still think there is something to be said for controlling your own destiny at the end, especially if the opponent is letting you. Bell better play a lot better in the finals.

[Granny Bear]

^
You are correct about that one HDE. If they play like they did against Harlan city, and Middlesboro plays like they did against us, Bell will go to the tournament as a runner up!

As far as Bell playing a sagging zone, they didn't even do that. They packed it in pretty solid, and didn't even try to pressure any player until with about 45 seconds left.

[WhyLie]

I think it was a good move...Harlan was not even close to being a favorite. Without the kid that quit, I felt no chance to win. To have a chance to win it at the end, proves that most like me were wrong. Harlan did a great job....Most just need someone to blame it on so Coach Parks is the guy. Harlan fans you were not that good this year. Sorry.