The Scribe
11-27-2006, 04:15 AM
15th Region
By Jerry Boggs
Appalachian News-Express
1. PAINTSVILLE — Not since the Tigers’ state championship run in 1996 has so much excitement been based around one team.
Arguably, Paintsville has been building to the 2006-2007 campaign since Landon Slone burst on the Kentucky hoops scene as a freshman. Slone is one of a handful of starters back to try to lead the Tigers to the promised land this season.
With returnees Shane Grimm and J.D. VanHoose, Paintsville simply has every other team in the 15th Region out-gunned.
2.. SHELBY VALLEY — The Wildcats have been fixtures in the 15th Region Finals for a long time and last season was no difference.
Despite the loss of Cade and Mitchell Riddle, coach Jason Booher seems to have the pieces to solve the puzzle. With returnees Jacob Bryant, Jeremy Jackson and point guard Elisha Justice, Booher will mix in Jonah Justice and Kyle Goodson, who is returning to the team after sitting out last season.
A couple of talented freshman could help Shelby Valley answer their questions in the post and lift the speedy Wildcats back into the regional finals.
3. BELFRY — The loss of Matt Maynard’s 20-points per game was a blow for the Pirates, but point guard Jamie Case will make sure the Pirates are in the mix at season’s end. Case averaged nearly 20 points a game a season ago and directs a Belfry offense that could be one of the more potent attacks in the region.
Football standouts Dustin May and Chad Steele give the Pirates an inside presence to balance the sharp-shooting Case.
4. PIKEVILLE — It wasn’t pretty for Pikeville last season, but it was effective. The Panthers used a gritty, grind-it-out attack to edge Shelby Valley for the 59th District Title and take eventual champion Johnson Central down to the wire in the first round of the 15th Region Tournament.
Pikeville averaged less then 53 points a game last season, but playing an active, cloying defense. The progression of youngsters Tim Honaker, Matt Clevenger and Deven Adams will determine how far the Panthers go this season.
5. JOHNSON CENTRAL — Not many outside Johnson County foresaw the Golden Eagles’ run to the 15th Region Championship last year and repeating the feat will be a tall task with coach Mark Starns replacing four starters.
Johnson Central will look to guard Jamie McCarty, already a 1,000-point scorer, to lead them back to the postseason for another run. The addition of standout point guard Jaryd Crum, who averaged 14 points a game at Sheldon Clark a year ago will ease the pressure on McCarty.
6. PIKE CENTRAL — The loss of one of the top scorers in the state will not be one that Pike Central will absorb easily. The Hawks underachieved in the 15th Region Tournament with Brad Lowe and will have to find a consistent scoring threat since he has taken his nearly 30 points a game down the road to Pikeville College.
Gritty forward Tyler Hamilton could be the Hawks’ best scoring option. Starters David Hess and point guard Colby Slone will also help pick up the slack.
7. BETSY LAYNE — The Bobcats surprised the crowd at the Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center last season when they knocked tourney favorite Pike Central out in the opening round.
Betsy Layne then pushed eventual champ Johnson Central to the wire in the semifinals before bowing out. The Bobcats played their best basketball late in the season, winning six of eight going into the postseason.
The loss of standout center Brandon Kidd will be tough to absorb, cut guard Pat Stapleton has the potential to be one of the better players in the region.
8. PHELPS — The Hornets opened the season strong with wins over Knott Central and an upset of Shelby Valley in the 15th Region All “A” Classic, but a season-ending injury to Charlie Hunt was too much for Phelps to withstand.
Standout guard Robert Gannon proved himself one of the top scorers in the region, but postseason aspirations were short-lived without Hunt.
Gannon is back and Hunt is looking to make a remarkable comeback after a devastating car accident early last season.
9. SOUTH FLOYD — The loss of speedy guard Ryan Johnson will mean that South Floyd has to replace its leading scorer, but the travel-ready Raider faithful will look toward sharp-shooting guard Ethan Johnson and his 37 percent 3-point shooting to fill the gap.
10. SHELDON CLARK — The Cardinals are facing a major rebuilding task with the loss of rebounding and scoring leader Dustin May, Crum (see Johnson Central) and Juan Lomeli.
The Cardinals underachieved their way to a 10-16 record and a first-round district exit a year ago and coach J. R. Hammond will have to find some players to step up in a hurry if the Cardinals want to make a run at the regional tourney this season.
Top Players
1. Landon Slone, Paintsville — Slone has been starring for the Tigers since he first donned a varsity jersey. He averaged nealry 21 points a game, made 39 percent of his 3-pointers and went to the free throw line nealry 200 times last year. Slone simply knows how to score.
2. Jamie Case, Belfry — Belfry’s emotional leader and coach on the floor, one of the best natural scorers to play point guard in eastern Kentucky. Case
3. Jamie McCarty, Johnson Central — McCarty has the size (6-foot-2) and skills to score both inside and out for the Golden Eagles. Will carry the load with the graduation of Kyle Rice.
4. Robert Gannon, Phelps — After the injury to Charlie Hunt, everyone knew Gannon was Phelps’ top scoring option, but not many teams were able to stop him. Gannon showed the ability to get to the rim virtually at will last season.
5. J.D. VanHoose, Paintsville — One of two 1,000-point scorers back for Paintsville this season, VanHoose wears his well-known name ably, shooting 32 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
6. Tim Honaker, Pikeville — Honaker used his natural athletic ability to make make up for his lack of polish as a basketball player, but expect coach Bart Williams to help the junior take a step forward this season.
7. Ethan Johnson, South Floyd — One of the top pure shooters in the region. Johnson hit just shy of 40 percent of his 3-point trys a year ago.
8. Tyler Hamilton, Pike Central — Hamilton is not the biggest post player, but proved himself adept at getting shots off inside.
9. Jaryd Crum, Johnson Central — A lightning fast playmaker, the undersized Crum seemed to have no trouble getting his steady mid-range jumper off against much larger guards. Averaged 14 points a game last season as Sheldon Clark.
10. Shane Grimm, Paintsville — Can be overlooked behind teammates Slone and VanHoose, but give Paintsville a physical player who’s not afraid to do the dirt work needed to win.
By Jerry Boggs
Appalachian News-Express
1. PAINTSVILLE — Not since the Tigers’ state championship run in 1996 has so much excitement been based around one team.
Arguably, Paintsville has been building to the 2006-2007 campaign since Landon Slone burst on the Kentucky hoops scene as a freshman. Slone is one of a handful of starters back to try to lead the Tigers to the promised land this season.
With returnees Shane Grimm and J.D. VanHoose, Paintsville simply has every other team in the 15th Region out-gunned.
2.. SHELBY VALLEY — The Wildcats have been fixtures in the 15th Region Finals for a long time and last season was no difference.
Despite the loss of Cade and Mitchell Riddle, coach Jason Booher seems to have the pieces to solve the puzzle. With returnees Jacob Bryant, Jeremy Jackson and point guard Elisha Justice, Booher will mix in Jonah Justice and Kyle Goodson, who is returning to the team after sitting out last season.
A couple of talented freshman could help Shelby Valley answer their questions in the post and lift the speedy Wildcats back into the regional finals.
3. BELFRY — The loss of Matt Maynard’s 20-points per game was a blow for the Pirates, but point guard Jamie Case will make sure the Pirates are in the mix at season’s end. Case averaged nearly 20 points a game a season ago and directs a Belfry offense that could be one of the more potent attacks in the region.
Football standouts Dustin May and Chad Steele give the Pirates an inside presence to balance the sharp-shooting Case.
4. PIKEVILLE — It wasn’t pretty for Pikeville last season, but it was effective. The Panthers used a gritty, grind-it-out attack to edge Shelby Valley for the 59th District Title and take eventual champion Johnson Central down to the wire in the first round of the 15th Region Tournament.
Pikeville averaged less then 53 points a game last season, but playing an active, cloying defense. The progression of youngsters Tim Honaker, Matt Clevenger and Deven Adams will determine how far the Panthers go this season.
5. JOHNSON CENTRAL — Not many outside Johnson County foresaw the Golden Eagles’ run to the 15th Region Championship last year and repeating the feat will be a tall task with coach Mark Starns replacing four starters.
Johnson Central will look to guard Jamie McCarty, already a 1,000-point scorer, to lead them back to the postseason for another run. The addition of standout point guard Jaryd Crum, who averaged 14 points a game at Sheldon Clark a year ago will ease the pressure on McCarty.
6. PIKE CENTRAL — The loss of one of the top scorers in the state will not be one that Pike Central will absorb easily. The Hawks underachieved in the 15th Region Tournament with Brad Lowe and will have to find a consistent scoring threat since he has taken his nearly 30 points a game down the road to Pikeville College.
Gritty forward Tyler Hamilton could be the Hawks’ best scoring option. Starters David Hess and point guard Colby Slone will also help pick up the slack.
7. BETSY LAYNE — The Bobcats surprised the crowd at the Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center last season when they knocked tourney favorite Pike Central out in the opening round.
Betsy Layne then pushed eventual champ Johnson Central to the wire in the semifinals before bowing out. The Bobcats played their best basketball late in the season, winning six of eight going into the postseason.
The loss of standout center Brandon Kidd will be tough to absorb, cut guard Pat Stapleton has the potential to be one of the better players in the region.
8. PHELPS — The Hornets opened the season strong with wins over Knott Central and an upset of Shelby Valley in the 15th Region All “A” Classic, but a season-ending injury to Charlie Hunt was too much for Phelps to withstand.
Standout guard Robert Gannon proved himself one of the top scorers in the region, but postseason aspirations were short-lived without Hunt.
Gannon is back and Hunt is looking to make a remarkable comeback after a devastating car accident early last season.
9. SOUTH FLOYD — The loss of speedy guard Ryan Johnson will mean that South Floyd has to replace its leading scorer, but the travel-ready Raider faithful will look toward sharp-shooting guard Ethan Johnson and his 37 percent 3-point shooting to fill the gap.
10. SHELDON CLARK — The Cardinals are facing a major rebuilding task with the loss of rebounding and scoring leader Dustin May, Crum (see Johnson Central) and Juan Lomeli.
The Cardinals underachieved their way to a 10-16 record and a first-round district exit a year ago and coach J. R. Hammond will have to find some players to step up in a hurry if the Cardinals want to make a run at the regional tourney this season.
Top Players
1. Landon Slone, Paintsville — Slone has been starring for the Tigers since he first donned a varsity jersey. He averaged nealry 21 points a game, made 39 percent of his 3-pointers and went to the free throw line nealry 200 times last year. Slone simply knows how to score.
2. Jamie Case, Belfry — Belfry’s emotional leader and coach on the floor, one of the best natural scorers to play point guard in eastern Kentucky. Case
3. Jamie McCarty, Johnson Central — McCarty has the size (6-foot-2) and skills to score both inside and out for the Golden Eagles. Will carry the load with the graduation of Kyle Rice.
4. Robert Gannon, Phelps — After the injury to Charlie Hunt, everyone knew Gannon was Phelps’ top scoring option, but not many teams were able to stop him. Gannon showed the ability to get to the rim virtually at will last season.
5. J.D. VanHoose, Paintsville — One of two 1,000-point scorers back for Paintsville this season, VanHoose wears his well-known name ably, shooting 32 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
6. Tim Honaker, Pikeville — Honaker used his natural athletic ability to make make up for his lack of polish as a basketball player, but expect coach Bart Williams to help the junior take a step forward this season.
7. Ethan Johnson, South Floyd — One of the top pure shooters in the region. Johnson hit just shy of 40 percent of his 3-point trys a year ago.
8. Tyler Hamilton, Pike Central — Hamilton is not the biggest post player, but proved himself adept at getting shots off inside.
9. Jaryd Crum, Johnson Central — A lightning fast playmaker, the undersized Crum seemed to have no trouble getting his steady mid-range jumper off against much larger guards. Averaged 14 points a game last season as Sheldon Clark.
10. Shane Grimm, Paintsville — Can be overlooked behind teammates Slone and VanHoose, but give Paintsville a physical player who’s not afraid to do the dirt work needed to win.