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03-09-2015, 01:53 AM
I'll take a shot, based strictly on who everybody has coming back right now.
1. Harlan Ind.-Only lose one senior, Brock an excellent player returning.
2. North Laurel-Also lose only one and Bruner is excellent as well.
3.Whitley Co.- Lost three seniors, but don't forget they had good players miss the whole season. Probably the most interesting team, because they could be really good.
4. Harlan Co.-2 seniors gone, but good young talent.
5. Corbin-3 seniors lost, but have built a real nice program, will be in it.
6. Clay Co.-Love Burchell's coaching, but losing Cotton and Woods will be tough to overcome.
7. Bell Co.-Only 2 seniors, but when one of them is Morris, you will drop off, and Sanders was very good too.
8. Knox Central-I thought Messer did a really nice job her first year, and they lose no one.
9. South Laurel-Lose two seniors, desperately need a player that can carry them, maybe Cromer can become that.
10. OBI-Better than you might imagine. Lose 2, but return Kehler, a really good guard.
1. Harlan Ind.-Only lose one senior, Brock an excellent player returning.
2. North Laurel-Also lose only one and Bruner is excellent as well.
3.Whitley Co.- Lost three seniors, but don't forget they had good players miss the whole season. Probably the most interesting team, because they could be really good.
4. Harlan Co.-2 seniors gone, but good young talent.
5. Corbin-3 seniors lost, but have built a real nice program, will be in it.
6. Clay Co.-Love Burchell's coaching, but losing Cotton and Woods will be tough to overcome.
7. Bell Co.-Only 2 seniors, but when one of them is Morris, you will drop off, and Sanders was very good too.
8. Knox Central-I thought Messer did a really nice job her first year, and they lose no one.
9. South Laurel-Lose two seniors, desperately need a player that can carry them, maybe Cromer can become that.
10. OBI-Better than you might imagine. Lose 2, but return Kehler, a really good guard.
03-09-2015, 03:29 AM
I think this ranking is very good and well thought out. Here is a few of my opinions...
1. Harlan is very good but I never see them change or adapt in a game. I watched three of the bell and Harlan games and not muched changed in what they tried to do. Brock is my favorite player to watch. Pure joy to see her with her ability and skill. North Laurel did beat Harlan without Norths PG but Harlan beat which north couldn't do. That is why I will go harlan 1.
2. North Laurel much improved, well coached, but consistency was an issue. They start two FR and that could have been a reason why but I think it comes down to no real leader on the team. Bruner, Lawson, and Sheppard is a very athletic bunch and they have some special young kids who may challenge even those three for playing time. They will be very deep next year and I could see them winning it all, but the lack of a leader scares me. They are my pick for next year but will start at the two spot.
3. Whitley this could depend on what I was hearing today though. I heard some kids might be leaving or just focusing on other sports next season. If not and estes comes back from her knee injury I could see them being very competitive still. Whitley was good defensively this year but struggled to score and now you take Dingess and jones out and that could cause even more offensive struggles. I have them 3 but they could fall quickly.
4. Corbin and yes I'm biased. I know what we lose but I still think our guard play and jmac will keep us very competitive. Rebounding will be a concern. Especially for a team that likes to run we will really need to improve our rebounding next season.
5 Harlan county WOW, they should have been in the top three all of this year but it never came together. I believe the same problems that kept them from success this year will continue next. If they can come together with that young talent and play as a TEAM, they could win the region.
6. Clay will be interesting. I think talent wise they may even be below this but EVERY time I have counted them out they have surprised me. Burchell is the best system guy I have seen in some year around here and if he can get the pieces to fit they will still compete.
7. South Laurel at seven is probably my biggest "going out on a limb" pick but let me explain. I think they over scheduled for this years team and to be honest I think coach Snyder would not bench some of her older kids for the better young ones. I think some speed and athleticism will be playing next year and they will be improved. However, I will say that just some of what I'm hearing on the outside is many are losing interest in playing and if they don't turn some things around this coming year south may not turn it around for awhile as many kids will just focus on other sports or could leave. It's been 4 straight years not getting out of the district and finishing under .500. Neither corbin or Whitley will be much more talented than them so they can't be an excuse.
8 Bell county will not fall off the face of the earth but it will take some time to adjust to basketball after Morris. Sanders was also one of the headiest players in the region and could flat out shoot to. May move up through the year but it will take some time.
9. Knox Central was improved this year and Wendi messer did a great job. She dummied down the schedule and built confidence which was a big first step with a young team. She will need to keep it together which has been an issue with Knox in the past. Keep this core together and they could be competing very soon.
10 OBI kehler has been pretty good but the improvement of booher has been the difference maker. Decker who was a renta player as she only played half of the season after transferring was VERY good and graduates but she has a sister who is in 8th grade this year and as a FR next year will be able to contribute.
Very few differences from your list Van Hager.
1. Harlan is very good but I never see them change or adapt in a game. I watched three of the bell and Harlan games and not muched changed in what they tried to do. Brock is my favorite player to watch. Pure joy to see her with her ability and skill. North Laurel did beat Harlan without Norths PG but Harlan beat which north couldn't do. That is why I will go harlan 1.
2. North Laurel much improved, well coached, but consistency was an issue. They start two FR and that could have been a reason why but I think it comes down to no real leader on the team. Bruner, Lawson, and Sheppard is a very athletic bunch and they have some special young kids who may challenge even those three for playing time. They will be very deep next year and I could see them winning it all, but the lack of a leader scares me. They are my pick for next year but will start at the two spot.
3. Whitley this could depend on what I was hearing today though. I heard some kids might be leaving or just focusing on other sports next season. If not and estes comes back from her knee injury I could see them being very competitive still. Whitley was good defensively this year but struggled to score and now you take Dingess and jones out and that could cause even more offensive struggles. I have them 3 but they could fall quickly.
4. Corbin and yes I'm biased. I know what we lose but I still think our guard play and jmac will keep us very competitive. Rebounding will be a concern. Especially for a team that likes to run we will really need to improve our rebounding next season.
5 Harlan county WOW, they should have been in the top three all of this year but it never came together. I believe the same problems that kept them from success this year will continue next. If they can come together with that young talent and play as a TEAM, they could win the region.
6. Clay will be interesting. I think talent wise they may even be below this but EVERY time I have counted them out they have surprised me. Burchell is the best system guy I have seen in some year around here and if he can get the pieces to fit they will still compete.
7. South Laurel at seven is probably my biggest "going out on a limb" pick but let me explain. I think they over scheduled for this years team and to be honest I think coach Snyder would not bench some of her older kids for the better young ones. I think some speed and athleticism will be playing next year and they will be improved. However, I will say that just some of what I'm hearing on the outside is many are losing interest in playing and if they don't turn some things around this coming year south may not turn it around for awhile as many kids will just focus on other sports or could leave. It's been 4 straight years not getting out of the district and finishing under .500. Neither corbin or Whitley will be much more talented than them so they can't be an excuse.
8 Bell county will not fall off the face of the earth but it will take some time to adjust to basketball after Morris. Sanders was also one of the headiest players in the region and could flat out shoot to. May move up through the year but it will take some time.
9. Knox Central was improved this year and Wendi messer did a great job. She dummied down the schedule and built confidence which was a big first step with a young team. She will need to keep it together which has been an issue with Knox in the past. Keep this core together and they could be competing very soon.
10 OBI kehler has been pretty good but the improvement of booher has been the difference maker. Decker who was a renta player as she only played half of the season after transferring was VERY good and graduates but she has a sister who is in 8th grade this year and as a FR next year will be able to contribute.
Very few differences from your list Van Hager.
03-09-2015, 04:51 PM
Great minds think alike Ol' Red, lol. Seriously, next year should be much more competitive for the title, Bell was clearly the class of the region this year and deserved to represent us. But from this far out, I could see at least five or six teams begin legitimately in the mix next year.
03-09-2015, 05:10 PM
Dead on about South. They have some good young talent but been inconsistent up till this point. I will say the younger girls got some valuable experience this year.
03-11-2015, 05:37 AM
I'm not trying to be rude and if it's just hometown bias I understand but just wondering how anyone is putting at team that went 11-14 only won 3 total games in January and Februrary and lost a really good guard to graduation (second leading scorer) 2nd in the preseason rankings. Like I put in my description I think they are one of the teams that could win region but for the preseason you have to go off of what you seen this season returning. I am just trying to understand the justification.
03-11-2015, 05:47 AM
You could go several ways from 2 through 6 and HCHS was bad the second half of the year after starting 7-1.
But, HCHS loses only one starter and to be honest she didn't play very well the second half of the year.
Corbin and Whitley each lose three starters (granted Whitley brings back two from injuries) and HCHS played both close last year, including at Corbin, even when they were playing really bad. When HCHS was playing well, they beat Clay and lost to Leslie by 3 at Leslie.
Harlan County has tremendous talent and size, plus the best freshman team in the region the past two years. I think their talent and depth should put them, on paper, as one of the best teams in eastern Kentucky. Even playing awful, they were probably a top six or seven team last year and lost fewer players than anyone except Harlan.
But, HCHS loses only one starter and to be honest she didn't play very well the second half of the year.
Corbin and Whitley each lose three starters (granted Whitley brings back two from injuries) and HCHS played both close last year, including at Corbin, even when they were playing really bad. When HCHS was playing well, they beat Clay and lost to Leslie by 3 at Leslie.
Harlan County has tremendous talent and size, plus the best freshman team in the region the past two years. I think their talent and depth should put them, on paper, as one of the best teams in eastern Kentucky. Even playing awful, they were probably a top six or seven team last year and lost fewer players than anyone except Harlan.
03-11-2015, 06:02 AM
I completely agree with the talent. I don't know if they replace Bella Noe by a talented young girl and while no doubt they started well 3 games in the last two months is just to much for me to put them second and points to some form of an issue. North laurel only lost one player as well and she was a role player. However, that's what it's all about is believing in our opinions. Good luck next season I was just wondering the justification.
03-11-2015, 06:22 AM
Point guard is the key, no doubt.
Everyone seems to have them in the top five, including one other poster at No. 2.
I can't argue with North being second and I may still put them there in the newspaper version. Also, I would not be at all shocked to see HCHS lose to Bell, Corbin, Whitley, Clay etc....if they don't fix their issues between now and next year.
But as I said, even when they were playing bad in the second half of the season they played Bell within 12 (only Harlan played them closer in the region during the season by one point) and they led Harlan much of the game in the district tourney.
Blair Green is perhaps the most talented player in the region returning and Kaylea Gross may be the best center. Rebecca Middleton and Noah Canady are two of the best freshman guards in the region and Breann Turner may be the best eighth grader (a starter on two freshman regional championship teams already).
Everyone seems to have them in the top five, including one other poster at No. 2.
I can't argue with North being second and I may still put them there in the newspaper version. Also, I would not be at all shocked to see HCHS lose to Bell, Corbin, Whitley, Clay etc....if they don't fix their issues between now and next year.
But as I said, even when they were playing bad in the second half of the season they played Bell within 12 (only Harlan played them closer in the region during the season by one point) and they led Harlan much of the game in the district tourney.
Blair Green is perhaps the most talented player in the region returning and Kaylea Gross may be the best center. Rebecca Middleton and Noah Canady are two of the best freshman guards in the region and Breann Turner may be the best eighth grader (a starter on two freshman regional championship teams already).
03-11-2015, 02:32 PM
Harlan
North
Harlan co on paper
Whitley
corbin
the rest is hard to rank. I also think Harlan co whitley and corbin will have to play well to stay there a number of the rest could be in those spots
North
Harlan co on paper
Whitley
corbin
the rest is hard to rank. I also think Harlan co whitley and corbin will have to play well to stay there a number of the rest could be in those spots
03-11-2015, 04:07 PM
Obviously, losing Morris and Sanders is a huge blow, but Bell could start five seniors next year who either started or played a lot this year. I think Kelli Smith and Katrina Johnson would probably start for anyone in the region. Zoe Taylor is a pretty good center and Allison Howard did a better job on Brock than anyone I saw. I have a hard time not putting them in the same category as Whitley, Corbin, North and HCHS.
03-12-2015, 01:59 AM
1- Harlan. Gonna have to develop some depth before they will be able to win region.
2-N.Laurel.
3- Clay. Will always be in the mix
4-bell. I think they can still be pretty solid.
5- Harlan Co.-has the potential but seem to lack continuity as this past season progressed which causes concern
2-N.Laurel.
3- Clay. Will always be in the mix
4-bell. I think they can still be pretty solid.
5- Harlan Co.-has the potential but seem to lack continuity as this past season progressed which causes concern
03-12-2015, 11:48 AM
Agreed, I thought Cotton was the second best player in the region, and as you said, they had no bench with the exception of Phillips, who at this stage is strictly a shooter. They have no size, and I'm not sure who will handle the ball. As I said earlier, I have total respect for Burchell as a coach, but I just don't see enough material there, I think a .500 season or less is a real possibility.
03-12-2015, 03:17 PM
Van Hagar Wrote:Agreed, I thought Cotton was the second best player in the region, and as you said, they had no bench with the exception of Phillips, who at this stage is strictly a shooter. They have no size, and I'm not sure who will handle the ball. As I said earlier, I have total respect for Burchell as a coach, but I just don't see enough material there, I think a .500 season or less is a real possibility.
I'd go with Cotton at 3 after seeing Brock dominate against her in the regional, but Clay had a lot of trouble playing without her. Plus, Woods may have been the best center in the region. Their JV team was better than it had been, but in the game I saw it seemed that Mathis scored over half their points.
03-12-2015, 04:00 PM
1. Harlan ind----loss of Massingill will hurt complimented Brock very well. lack of depth
2. Harlan co----alot and i mean alot of talent plus 2 very good freshmen teams coming thru
3. North Laurel---alot of talent and athleticism and good young players ..question coaching!!
4. Bell co.---great nucleus of returning players. will be a different team after losing majority of shooting and someone with ability to score at will.
5.whitley co---some good young talent...return two players from injury
6. knox central---returns everyone and will improve and had clay on ropes in region big confidence booster
7. corbin---good young talent lose of gallagher will hurt
8. clay co---about 2-3 years away
9. south laurel---good talent returns....just never know when it show up.
10. lynn camp---returns top 3 scorers plus a freshmen team that got beat on last second shot by bell co or would have played harlan co in region final
2. Harlan co----alot and i mean alot of talent plus 2 very good freshmen teams coming thru
3. North Laurel---alot of talent and athleticism and good young players ..question coaching!!
4. Bell co.---great nucleus of returning players. will be a different team after losing majority of shooting and someone with ability to score at will.
5.whitley co---some good young talent...return two players from injury
6. knox central---returns everyone and will improve and had clay on ropes in region big confidence booster
7. corbin---good young talent lose of gallagher will hurt
8. clay co---about 2-3 years away
9. south laurel---good talent returns....just never know when it show up.
10. lynn camp---returns top 3 scorers plus a freshmen team that got beat on last second shot by bell co or would have played harlan co in region final
03-12-2015, 04:28 PM
Sorry mis informed on massingill but still #1
lynn camp has coe will be freshmen top 10 state 3 pt per game most of year and 2nd leading scorer
bryant top returning scorer will be a junior
white will be only senior 3rd leading scorer had 21 against north in region
lynn camp has coe will be freshmen top 10 state 3 pt per game most of year and 2nd leading scorer
bryant top returning scorer will be a junior
white will be only senior 3rd leading scorer had 21 against north in region
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