To Do List

Only three weeks remain in the high school basketball season before the “second season” starts. The one that eliminates teams day by day, week by week until only one team remains in Kentucky.
I’ve seen a lot of games this year, some good, some bad and a lot in between. Some are March ready and some are looking to get out of the hole and join the party.
Here’s my to do list for those to do, to keep doing and to stop doing lists that might help the teams come February 28.

Corbin Redhounds
Needs To do: 1. Rebounding. Like Coach Tony Pietrowski said, “Offense brings in crowds, defense wins games but rebounding wins championships.” How true and the Redhounds have improved on rebounding, but a little more work may see even bigger results. 2. Be patient with the ball, know where you are on the court and how much time is left in a period and what the score is. They did an excellent job with that against Dunbar and Hilton Head. It may be just a little thought to you the fans, but on the court it can be a big thing. 3. Take care of the ball and limit turnovers.
Keep doing: 1. Being unselfish. There is some really good chemistry on this Redhound team and it will spell DANGER to the rest of the district and region come tournament time. 2. Understanding their roles as players. Pietrowski does a good job of getting the right people on the floor at the right time.
Stop doing: 1. Like most of the teams, stop making unforced turnovers. That is the biggest area of improvement from the first half of the season to this date. Corbin has improved in that area, but there’s always room for more improvement. 2. Looking back to the first half of the season and I think they are doing that as well. They started the season 2-5 and were 4-6 at the Christmas break. They have won seven of their last eight games. Corbin no doubt has one of the top three schedules in the region which should pay off dividends in March. Don’t look back at last year, ’04 is gone and is in the history books. 3. Putting pressure on themselves. I can certainly see why they do because so much is expected of them. It’s easy for me to say, but go out and enjoy the game. It’s fun, really it is!

Lynn Camp Wildcats
Needs to do: 1. To get better from the free throw line. A lack of free throws nearly cost the Wildcats the game at Pineville last week when they hit just 9 of 21. Against Middlesboro the Wildcats hit 8 of 20. What has happened to the 90 and 80 percent free throw shooters? Every player should take time out of his day to shoot 100 free throws before or after practice. These 20 or 30 percent free throw shooters are ridiculous. 2. The Wildcats need to become more consistent on defense. One game they may play a tough nosed game, like they did against Whitley County, but the next night they play like they did at Pineville.
Keep doing: 1. They need to keep getting the ball inside to Nathan Tanner and Chris Smith. When they have their inside-outside game going, Lynn Camp is hard to beat. They have some excellent guards in Kyle French, Chris Eggen and Adam Bray. 2. Going to the boards. Lynn Camp is one of the better rebounding teams in the area. 3. Keep scoring. The Wildcats are capable of putting a 100 points on the boards rather easily.
Stop doing: 1. Making silly mistakes. They have an uncanny way of coming up with some bone-head mistakes from time to time that could have cost them a couple of games. 2. Making so many unforced turnovers. Again, that is a lack of concentration. 3. Bad passes and bad shots. Wanting to be the star of the game leads to those two things. When Lynn Camp plays as a team, watch out, when they play as individuals, they are vulnerable.

Whitley County Colonels
Needs to do: 1. The Colonels need to believe in themselves. This is a very good Whitley County team with an excellent coach. They just need to listen to Coach Darrell Guffey and carry out the game plan. 2. Of course win some games in February. The Colonels are very capable of winning all seven games left on their schedule, beginning with Russell County Friday night. 3. Get everyone healthy. There was some good news out of WCHS Monday. Senior Jeremy Taylor’s ankle was not broken but the bad news it was a severe sprain which is even harder to heal. Travis Raper was still on crutches Friday night, they need him back as well. Guys do what your coaches and doctors tell you and GET healthy.
Keep doing: The Colonels do a lot of things right. 1. They handle pressure defense as well as anyone in the district. 2. Their half court offense is getting better each week. 3. And they are capable of making the other teams turn the ball over with their pressure defense. It’s all about confidence.
Stop doing: 1. Go to the boards a little harder and quit allowing the opponents to get second and third shots. 2. Allowing their opponents to penetrate as easy as they do. 3. Most of all, quit worrying about the past. I’ve heard talk in the last two seasons about Whitley County basketball. I’ve been impressed with the individual talent they put on the floor but it’s not showing in the games or on the scoreboard. Guffey was the right man for this job, the players just need to believe in themselves and his system. Let him start a whole new tradition in Whitley County basketball. You have the horses. but you can’t be in the Kentucky Derby in the first season. It takes time.

Williamsburg Yellow Jackets
Needs to do: 1. Another team that needs to believe in themselves. The Yellow Jackets lost just two players from last year’s team. Granted they were excellent scorers, this team is capable of putting up some big numbers. They too, like Whitley County, lack confidence in themselves. 2. Play harder on the defensive end of the court. They often face much bigger teams but heart will take you a whole other step. 3. Shoot better at the free throw line. I’ve heard coaches say, how can you hit field goals from all over the floor but miss from the free throw line with no one in your face. I was a horrible player in high school but I once hit 31 free throws in a row, I think that was the only reason I got to be on the floor. But, I worked at it. Being a gym rat, that’s all I ever did, practice and shoot free throws. If I can do, anyone can do it!
Keep doing: 1. Despite having 11 losses, the Jackets have been in a lot of close games. As matter fact, seven of the loses were within 10 points, five were within five points. They need to keep giving themselves an opportunity to be in the game at the end. 2. Keep going inside to big man John McRay when possible. He has turned into one of the best players for his size (6-3, 190-pounds) in the region. 3. Keep that good attitude. You can tell they enjoy playing the game. Being one of the smallest high schools playing basketball, everytime they win it’s probably considered an upset. Keep on pulling those upsets Jackets.
Stop doing: 1. Stop turning the ball over, especially unforced turnovers. 2. Stop shooting bad shots and concentrate on the good high percentage shots. “We haven’t shot the ball well this year,” said coach Donnie Haynes.