Calling the Shots

The South Laurel Cardinals are no doubt the top pick to won the 13th region come March, but who’s next. Harlan, Barbourville, North Laurel or Bell County. That’s the way the teams were ranked in the preseason poll in the Kentucky Basketball Yearbook. The second five were Clay County, Corbin, Middlesboro, Cawood and Pineville.
Of the 10 teams ranked by John Henson of the Harlan Daily Enterprise, only three teams remain undefeated. Barbourville, who beat Cumberland, Middlesboro, Williamsburg and Whitley County, is 4-0.
Bell County is 3-0 after beating Lynn Camp, Middlesboro and Lee, Va. And the Mountain Lions are 3-0 after beating J Frank White, Evarts and Berea.
Harlan, Clay County, Corbin and Cawood have suffered just one loss each at this stage of the season.
So, whose second? Harlan, led by junior guard John Smith. The Green Dragons have opened the season with wins over Cumberland (51-49) in overtime, Knox Central (72-66), also in overtime. They also beat Newport (66-54) but lost to Elizabethtown, 70-52.
Is it Barbourville? The Tigers, led by senior Chris Good. They have impressive wins over Cumberland (70-57), Middlesboro (99-71), Williamsburg (73-25) and Whitley County (80-48).
How about those Jaguars of North Laurel? They did beat Cawood rather handily, 73-58 and Madison Southern 64-57. But they lost the big game against South Laurel, 65-47. They also lost to Bryan Station, 98-82.
Bell County is undefeated with wins over Lynn Camp (86-72), Lee (59-40) and Middlesboro 77-59.
Clay County looked impressive in the preseason and are off to a 3-1 record under new coach Glen Gray. The Tigers enjoyed impressive wins over Evarts (71-38), OBI (74-58) and eased past mediocre Carroll County, 56-54. They lost to Knoxville Catholic, 51-46.
Middlesboro beat Cumberland, but lost big to Barbourville and Bell County. Pineville is off to a 3-0 record but wins over J. Frank White and Berea are just not that impressive.
How about Cawood? The #9 Trojans did beat Corbin (68-65) in overtime and beat Cumberland (64-51).
On to the Redhounds of Corbin. The Redhounds are 2-1 with a easy victory over Whitley County (87-42) and a surprisingly easy win over Knoxville Catholic (66-52). The Fighting Irish came in with an 5-0 mark and had not given up more than 42 points. Corbin hung 66 points on the Irish but rebounded the next night to beat Clay County in MANCHESTER, 51-46.
So, who stands behind the South Laurel Cardinals. Harlan, who has struggled early in the year. Barbourville, who has yet to beat a top notch team. North Laurel, who did beat Cawood or Cawood who beat Corbin. Or is it Clay County who lost to a team that Corbin beat by 14 points.
Then you look at Corbin. Ah! But the Redhounds lost to Cawood but knocked off Knoxville Catholic.
You know, I guess it’s just too early to tell. But, I do have my first ranking of the year in this column, so that might help a little.
•Speaking of the Redhounds. They did look impressive against the Irish Friday night. They took apart a good defense and made it look weak. When Ryan Tate and Ryan Swim play like they played Friday night, the Redhounds could very well capture a second straight regional title.
The two stepped up and played like champions. Tate is quickly getting back into basketball form and Swim just keeps on getting better. If he continues to work hard the sky is the limit for the ‘Hounds.
And what about Josh Crawford! All I can say, if he is not one of the top five freshman in the state, show me the others.
•I went to see the University of the Cumberlands play Saturday against Brescia College. The Patriots came into the game undefeated and led 41-34 at the half. But, the second half was a nightmare for coach Donnie Butcher and the Patriots. After hitting 54.8 percent in the first half (17 of 31), the Pats hit only 25.8 percent in the second half, 8 of 31 and where 0 of 8 from three point range. Cumberlands went one stretch of seven minutes without a point.
Like Joe Bailey might say, It wasn’t a good day to be at the O Wayne Rollins Center.
•Darrell Singley and Dusty Evans are doing an outstanding job with the Whitley County wrestling program. They have put the Colonels back on the state map and are making some noise.
The Colonels finished fourth in last weekend’s Bearcat Invitational at Anderson County High School. Junior Jaron Singley (189-pound class) was 5-0 and now has an undefeated streak of 15 wins. D.C. Evans won his 103-pound class and is now 12-2 on the season. His only two losses were to the defending state champion from Wayne County.
Jacob Chancellor, a junior in the 145-pound class was third in the tournament. Chancellor is fighting to get back to the state tournament this year.