LOOKING BACK

 The Redhounds picked up their fifth consecutive win by beating Whitley County Friday evening.

The first two quarters and a half of the third quarter were as well played by the Redhounds as it could have been, Corbin opened up a 25-point lead as they played flawlessly. Zack Farley was on fire and the Redhounds could do no wrong. Something clicked and the game changed, the Colonels fired back and made a game of it.

There is evidence that the Redhounds are going to achieve the level of success that I have expected, as they appear to be getting that swagger about them, but they must put it together for a whole game. Down the stretch it was Travis Smith who sealed the deal, finishing with 20 points.

A few years back Coach Al Holland was coaching Perry County Central in the 14^th region and doing quite well when Perry Central’s rival Hazard painted the grass to where it looked much greener to coach Holland and he left to coach the Bulldogs. Perry Central looked to western Kentucky for a coach to replace Holland and found a veteran named Allen Hatcher.

I am going to predict that Hatcher will lead the Commodores over Knott County Central to win the 14^th Region and then win the state championship at Rupp Arena, March 17^th.

 Future is bright

I went to the middle school gym last week with the future on my mind as I watched a sixth grade game and half of a seventh grade game to see what these future Redhounds looked like.

Andrew Taylor and Dawson Branstetter really caught my eye as sixth graders, Taylor handles the ball really well and has a nice shooting touch, Branstetter is a small kid who plays with a big heart, and you have to love him. The two of them take me back to when I first saw Madison Johnson and Isaac Wilson play.

On the seventh grade team, I really liked A.J. Moore and  Cameron Harmon.

Yeah I know it’s the Middle School gym, but to me it is still Edwards Gymnasium and is still the Mecca of basketball of the 13^th region as it was in the 50’s.

It is still Jerry Bird, “Zeke” Perkins, Darrell Storm, C.D. Vermillion and Lavon Lewis playing Clark County and Linville Puckett and Lewis Snowden.

 District memories

It is about the 50^th District Tournament with Corbin, Barbourville, Knox Central, Lynn Camp, St. Camillus, Barbourville Rosenwald, Williamsburg, Rockholds, Pleasant View, Woodbine and Poplar Creek.

It is Saturday morning with Converse shoes squeaking on the glossy floor and the heat from the coal stoked furnace is confined within the rock walls while the windows reveal a heavy snow pelting down outside.

I cannot look into the future without glancing over my shoulder at the past.

 The 60’s

Phil Hutson pointed out to me that I had omitted Alvah Byble from the list of those who earned a football scholarship in the 50’s and 60’s. Alvah signed to play at Tennessee in the late 60’s. This was a good team that Byble played on. Phil Hutson was an excellent defensive back on that team as well as Jerry Lankster and Jimmy Mobley at linebackers. Dennis Witt was a strong running back with Mobley.

 Greatest coach

Coach John Calipari has to be on pins and needles, as the Kentucky Wildcats have reached a level of play that is scary. When you reach a certain pinnacle it becomes extremely difficult to maintain that level of play. Coach Calipari has been masterful to lead the Wildcats to where they are now; Coach Cal has an even more challenging task as he drives them through the stretch run.

I have never seen a more balanced team at the University of Kentucky. I have also never seen a better coaching job than that of John Calipari.