[Old School Hound]

I figured the Hounds would be better by this point in the season, and just a few short weeks until district tourney. They have been looking like a candidate for a quit exit from postseason play. A loss at home to a poor Whitley County team last night was the cake topper. Whitley was a team that was down to South Laurel, what was it, 42-4 at one point? Corbin pounded them in WBurg a couple of weeks ago. Since then, Corbin has been embarrassed by South Laurel, scoring only 35 points in defeat. Then they lost at home to an Evangel Christian team that had only won about 4 games on the season. Then last night's debacle against the perennial, and not very lovable losers from Goldbug.  Why is Corbin playing poor basketball this late in the '24-25 campaign???

I'll be watching the North Laurel, Bell County and Clay County games coming up this week and next to see any signs of life in these regressing Hounds. I'd like to see a couple of wins and at least a good competitive showing on Log Mountain against what I think is the region's best team.  What are the possible reasons for Corbin's funk ?

1. Injuries--  Let's face it. Corbin likely wins easily if Akins plays against Whitley. However, he played against South Laurel and Evangel and his team lost both of those. So, their problems seem to go deeper than just a missed game by Akins.  Getting Ellis on the court should help. It will be interesting to see how he and Ryder work together.


2. Youth---  I hate the youth excuse. But people always point to it. Corbin has some very young kids that are key components to their success. But even the freshman are almost sophomores at this point in the season. So youth is sort of a cop out, in my opinion.  Focus and desire are more serious concerns, however.

3. Focus---  This teams loses focus, at times, during games. They'll get a lead, like in the Evangel game, lose their focus ,  and either lose the game(as with Evangel) or have the game become more competitive than it should have been. They led Whitley by 27 points at Whitley and allowed the Colonels to shave the lead down to 16, before closing out the win. 

4. Desire--- Sometimes these Hounds just don't bring it. Just don't have that "want to" motor that a team needs to have. They had it for 32 minutes against South Laurel at Corbin but , other times, they just don't seem to have the drive, energy , or intensity they need. They didn't have it at any point in the game last night against Whitley. Why is that?   Where's wrong with the tickers in their chests?  More heart...please!

5. Tony P --- I've always said Tony is a good basketball coach. I think he has showed that, with over 500 victories. You don't suddenly forget how to coach basketball. Tony hasn't forgotten how to coach but late in last night's game, with a 1-point lead, then a 1-point deficit, the Hounds were just throwing the ball around the perimeter with seemingly very little purpose and very little urgency. I kept thinking , "What in the hell are they doing?"  Didn't seem very intent on even looking for a shot.  They just looked very confused last night. A couple of guys got serious minutes that don't usually play.  I don't question Tony's ability to coach, just sometimes question whether he still has that fire in his belly like he once did.

6. Johnny Crawford---Why is that chump still on the Corbin bench? What in the name of Lex Dixon's fat belly does Crawford add to that bench. He is just a sad sack with grandiose delusions of self-importance. Even when he played, he would never listen to the coach. The coach would give him instructions and John would look behind the bench where his daddy was sitting and take his instructions from daddy. That's right, he listened to DADDY, instead of the coach.  Has anyone ever seen that sad sack crack a smile? Tony, tell him to kick rocks and pound sound. The only thing he makes high school kids want to do is give up basketball and join a doomsday cult in the Amazon rainforest , canning pickles all day long.

7. Chemistry--- when teams underperform, this is always a possible reason. I have no reason to suspect this being the case but Corbin has added a couple of players to their roster. There's a fine balance between putting the best talent on the floor and maintaining good chemistry on the team. Hopefully, this isn't an issue and the kids pull together and decide to go out out in making a run to Rupp Arena.

This team has the talent to be a good basketball team, if it has everyone healthy, happy, driven, and enthusiastic about closing the season on a high note. Things haven't been good in a while. But with North, Clay and Bell on the horizon , there's an opportunity to turn it around here in the next couple of weeks.

I'd like to hear from our basketball gurus on here about what you think is up with the Hounds. Why are they underperforming just a few weeks before tourney time? Three really bad games this late in the season is atypical of T.P-coached teams. Usually, the Hounds are playing their best around this time. Can they turn things around in time to make a run?

I've spoken. Now, I'm listening to you ....

[RunItUpTheGut]

It’s been all down hill since Tim short sold out

[Black Bear Cuz]

The Hounds best player and arguably their 2nd best player are both FRESHMEN in high school….Before all you brilliant basketball know it alls ramble on about this team please just take a little time and give a little thought and let that sink in……… The strength of their team is in the class of the 9th grade!!! Do you guys remember what growing pains are like ? They hurt sometimes!! Let these kids grow without laying too much expectation, too quick on them!!! I saw them play early in the year and was very impressed by some of their players, but I felt and said then that they are too young to expect too much out of them too quick after they played HC really well in the 1st game, I knew the growing pains would come, so let them learn and grow a little…..

[Old School Hound]

The Hounds best player and arguably their 2nd best player are both FRESHMEN in high school….Before all you brilliant basketball know it alls ramble on about this team please just take a little time and give a little thought and let that sink in……… The strength of their team is in the class of the 9th grade!!! Do you guys remember what growing pains are like ? They hurt sometimes!! Let these kids grow without laying  too much expectation, too quick on them!!! I saw them play early in the year and was very impressed by some of their players, but I felt and said then that they are too young to expect too much out of them too quick after they played HC really well in the 1st game, I knew the growing pains would come, so let them learn and grow a little…..

That's a salient point, definitely has merit, and thank you for your input. I must, however, retort with this. Those 9th graders are now closer to being 10th graders than 9th graders, plus Mr Akins is not a typical freshman. He was one of the top players for Wburg varsity as a 7th grader and one of Corbin key cogs as a 8th grader. Point is, Ryder is essentially a grizzled veteran as a freshman. I refuse to blame a loss to Evangel Christian on Ryder and Dalton being in the 9th grade. Corbin also has true veterans, like Seniors Middleton and Blackburn and Junior, Pietrowski. They also have an experienced player in Brittain, who has seen the court a lot in previous years, and that just added a 6-6 senior in Hyde. 

It seems to me that this Corbin team, heading into the second week of February still has yet to find its identity. And as they look for an identity, they are still adding new pieces to the puzzle.  It's clearly still a work in progress at a time when it should be that everyone understands their clearly defined roles. There's still too much flux going on with this team. The guys looked totally lost against in their own home gym against a sorry Whitley County team. The problem, as I see it , is lack of an identity as a team and too much loss of focus and drive. They were focused and on fire for South Laurel at home and won easily. Then it's like someone turned the power switch to off. Again, I refuse to put all of that on youth when you have plenty of experienced players and a star freshman who is in his third year as a varsity starter.  There's something else going on besides kids being too young.


Comments anyone ???

[Black Bear Cuz]

Hey OSH, A pretty good Bell County team last year (25-8 record) with the entire same team as this year’s team but younger lost to HC 3 times by a combined 67 points and look at them now with another year of experience under their belts! Of course Trent Noah was on that HC team, but Bell’s 2 best players were sophomores with age compared to Corbin’s two best players being Freshmen with age.. Just saying I think if I was a Corbin guy I would not be too quick to be too critical of their team this year because the future appears to be bright for them…..They will take some lumps from good teams and lose a game or two to mediocre teams, especially when Akins is out, so hey from what I saw of them earlier this year, just try to enjoy watching them through their growing pains and have a little faith in them along with Tony P, he can coach a little as we have seen over the years..

[Old School Hound]

Hey OSH, A pretty good Bell County team last year (25-8 record) with the entire same team as this year’s team but younger lost to HC 3 times by a combined 67 points and look at them now with another year of experience under their belts! Of course Trent Noah was on that HC team, but Bell’s 2 best players were sophomores with age compared to Corbin’s two best players being Freshmen with age.. Just saying I think if I was a Corbin guy I would not be too quick to be too critical of their team this year because the future appears to be bright for them…..They will take some lumps from good teams and lose a game or two to mediocre teams, especially when Akins is out, so hey from what I saw of them earlier this year, just try to enjoy watching them through their growing pains and have a little faith in them along with Tony P, he can coach a little as we have seen over the years..

You make a good point. They just have to learn how to be a good team. Good individual talent doesn't always equal good team.  See Pikeville football '24 and Corbin football '21. Internal issues can be a problem, along with a learning curve. I appreciate your input. Barring injuries and players transferring they should be the next few years. They need some new coaching blood on the bench, as well. Crawford needs to leave. He adds nothing.

[Granny Bear]

I'm so glad I saved this!!  Useful much sooner than expected!!


Quote from OSH:

"Fans like me that know basketball is really not all that important just enjoy the ride and entertaining moments of a season The journey should be as important, or more important than the necessity of winning a title."

[jetpilot]

I'm so glad I saved this!!  Useful much sooner than expected!!


Quote from OSH:

"Fans like me that know basketball is really not all that important just enjoy the ride and entertaining moments of a season The journey should be as important, or more important than the necessity of winning a title."

LOL! He constantly contradicts himself and can convince himself that anything he wishes were true but isn't actually is true.