The Scribe
11-27-2006, 04:09 AM
14th Region
By Perry L. Powell
Special to Bluegrasspreps.com
The 14th Region proved to be one of the most balanced in the state last year, with both regional semifinals going to overtime. Things aren’t expected to be much different in the 2006-07 season with around five teams likely to make a run at Rupp Arena.
1. June Buchanan (23-6) – The Crusaders saw their improbable run at their first region title come to an end with a double-overtime loss to Hazard in the 14th Region Tournament semifinals.
Guard Clark Stepp, the nephew of 1980 Mr. Basketball Ervin Stepp, averaged 26 points and nine assists as a sophomore – which mirrored his totals from his freshman season.
The 6-3, 170-pound junior has developed into one of the best players in the mountains and will be counted on to help lead JBS on the floor.
Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky are among the schools interested in Stepp, who teams with Tate Cox to form one of the state’s best backcourts.
Cox (5-10, Fr.) averaged 17 points and shot 80-percent from the free throw line as an eighth grader.
Head coach Gary Stepp is also looking for a breakout season from 6-9 sophomore Garrison Collins, who averaged 8.1 ppg., and 6.2 rebounds.
Ryan Conley is the only senior projected to start for the Crusaders, who are hoping 6-3 Brent Hall and 6-6 Trey Short can bolster their inside game and improve on their 32 rebounds a game average.
The Crusaders have beefed up their schedule, which includes a trip to the Fifth-Third Classic in Lexington and the WYMT Mountain Classic.
2. Hazard (22-11) – Hazard outlasted the region field to claim the school’s 25th region title and first in five years.
Kevin Spurlock left for Clay County after an 89-32 record in four seasons as Bulldogs head coach, and former coach Lewis Morris returns to the Hazard sidelines.
Morris will have the services of senior guard Justin Hicks, who scored 19 points a game and was deadly from 3-point range, shooting 38-percent and averaging 3.4 treys a game. Hicks, who handed out 3.2 assists a game, also shot 83-percent at the free throw line.
Michael Campbell, a 6-3 sophomore, averaged 7.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a game and will provide some strength in the paint.
Guard Matt Williams (7.1 ppg., 3.4 rpg.) and Presley Campbell (4.0 ppg.) also return for the Bulldogs, who could see region challenger June Buchanan in the WYMT Mountain Classic, the 14th Region All-A Tournament (where they have won four straight titles), and the 14th Region Tournament this year.
3. Lee County (24-8) – The Bobcats won more games (24) than any other team in the region and brought home the 56th District title, but saw their season end quicker than they would have liked with a first-round region loss to Leslie County.
For Danny Wright to bring the school’s first regional championship home to Beattyville since 1973, he will need his backcourt to provide leadership on the floor.
Senior point guard Kenny Brandenburg joins Stepp and Hicks as the elite guards in the region after scoring 13 points and dishing out seven assists a game.
While Brandenburg’s moves make opponents feel like there are two of him on the floor, the Bobcats actually leave the opposition seeing double with 6-2 twins Justin (9.7 ppg.) and Dustin (7.1 ppg.) Liesengang.
Wright’s senior-laden roster also includes wing player Caleb Fetters (10.5 ppg., 4.9 rpg.) and 6-2 forward Landon Johnson.
4. Perry County Central (21-6) – Perry Central saw their two-year reign atop the region end with a loss to Hazard, and the Commodores missed the region tournament for the first time in a while.
However, Al Holland feels his team can get back to Rupp Arena for the third time in four years and sixth time in the last eleven seasons.
The ‘Dores feature one of the region’s best frontcourt players in 6-4 senior Tyler Bailey, who averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 rebounds last year.
He’s joined on the frontline 6-3 junior Jason Kelly (12.7 ppg., 6.4 rpg.) and 6-3 Heath Brashear.
The backcourt returns Justin Stacy but has some question marks at the other spot, with a handful of player vying for a starting job.
The Commodores’ frontcourt ranks among the best in a region dominated by guards. If Holland can get his backcourt to produce, you may see PCC back at Rupp in 2007.
5. Powell County (8-17) – While Powell County isn’t atop many people’s list to win the region, a new coach combined with a senior cast could be enough for the Pirates to win their first region title in four years.
Kyle Lively, who helped turn around Jackson City’s program into 17-game winner last year, inherits a senior-dominated roster, led by 6-2 center Ryan Romans, who averaged 14.2 points and 9.4 boards a game.
Senior guards Jantzen Merriman, Danny Dennis, and David Johnson also return and will be looked upon to increase their scoring output. Lively is looking to make the Pirates more competitive against 14th Region opponents, who they lost nine of ten games to last year.
6. Leslie County (20-10) – Leslie County endured a pair of one-point losses in the postseason, including the season-ender to Jackson City in the semifinals of the region tournament.
With the losses of frontcourt players Quentin Morgan and Daniel Day, the Eagles will look to their returning backcourt of Brian Hubbard and Ryan Howard and hope to draw Buckhorn in the first round of the 54th District Tournament.
Tim Sizemore’s squad will need to find someone to step into the vacancies in the frontcourt if the Eagles are to reach 20 wins for a third straight year.
7. Cordia (12-15) – Head coach Jeff Honeycutt is hoping Zach Hurt’s offseason improvement rubs off on the rest of the team, who could provide the same kind of turnaround Jackson City did last year.
Hurt averaged 12.7 points and is one of three starters returning for the Lions in 2006-07.
6-5 junior Josh Taylor provides the size in the middle after scoring 10.8 points and grabbing nearly eight boards a game.
Cordia proved to be competitive in the season’s final month, losing their last six games by seven points or less, including a seven point loss to Jackson City in the first round of the region tournament.
8. Buckhorn (17-10) – Despite playing in one the mountain’s most competitive districts that includes Hazard, Perry Central and Leslie County, Buckhorn won 17 games and took Leslie down to the wire in the first round of the district tournament.
However, the Wildcats haven’t won a game against a district opponent since 2002 and will need several underclassmen to step forward if they are to advance in the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade.
Zach Gay, a 6-6 sophomore, had a nice summer after averaging 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds as a freshman.
Justin Rice (6-3, Sr.) also returns in the frontcourt after scoring 9.2 points and grabbing ten rebounds a game last year.
Buckhorn’s top priority will be to replace Kevin Davidson, a 1,000-point career scorer and the school’s all-time 3-point shooter.
One thing is for sure – Buckhorn will travel farther than any other 14th Region team this year, playing in tournaments in Somerset, Murray, Louisville, and Florida.
9. Jackson City (17-12) – After leading tiny Jackson City to the school’s first district title in decades, Kyle Lively left for Powell County.
Brian Hall moves over from Breathitt County, who went from 24 wins to 23 losses last year.
The Tigers return starters Michael Watkins and Dustin Kilburn from last year and will look to a talented junior class to fill the remainder of the starting positions.
10. Breathitt County (4-23) – In a season full of odd coaching changes in the 14th Region, Brian Hall left Breathitt County for Jackson City, two years removed from a 24-win season.
Steve Banks takes over a Bobcat program that was 4-23 last year, but returns several key components from last year’s team.
Junior guard Justin Hollan averaged 17 points a game last year, while 6-6 junior Travis Smith averaged 11.8 points and 6.9 rebounds.
One thing is for certain. With a weaker schedule facing Breathitt County this year, there’s no reason why the Bobcats can’t put together a .500 season in Banks’ first year on the bench.
11. Letcher Central (16-10) – Letcher Central’s first season after consolidation proved to be a streaky one as Cougars put together a winning streak of six games and a losing streak of four.
Head coach Raymond Justice must replace his two leading scorers – Cam Wright and Eli Warren – from last year’s team that lost to Cordia in the first round of the 53rd District Tournament.
Devin Blair and Skyler Sexton return in the backcourt for a club that has a lot of other questions to answer.
12. Knott County Central (12-11) – Justin Amburgey takes over a Patriot program that returns three starters and some underclassmen who could contribute.
Guards Stewart Stamper and Scott Mosley both averaged nearly 14 points a game, while senior forward Michael Lindon scored 10.3 points and grabbed 6.8 rebounds a night.
The Patriots overcame a January slump that saw them lose eight of nine games by ending the regular season on a six-game winning streak.
Patriot fans can expect the same kind of ups and downs in Amburgey’s first season in Hindman. They will also put some miles on the odometer this season, with the Pats playing in tournaments in Ashland, Wolfe County, and Morgan County.
13. Estill County (15-15) – Estill County doesn’t return a wealth of size but four returning players from last year’s 15-15 has head coach Lawrence Tiller excited about his team’s prospect’s this year.
Senior Cody Berryman plays the center at just 6-foot-1, but his scrappy play saw him average 14.7 points a game last year.
Junior point guard Blake Christopher chipped in with nearly ten points and over five assists last year for the Engineers, who are looking for more contributions from senior Tristan Cackling and Tyler Nolan.
14. Jenkins (9-16) – Junior Chris Puckett was among the leading scorers in the 14th Region last year, averaging 20 points even and shooting 39-percent from behind the 3-point stripe.
While the Cavaliers have some decent guards, they lack the inside presence to challenge consistently and pulled down just 25 rebounds a game last year.
15. Owsley County (5-20) – New head coach Greg Parrott saw his transition get a little tougher when point guard Daniel Neely and his 14 points a game transferred to Owen County.
6-3 senior Trey Congleton is the only other starter returning for Parrott, who built a strong girls’ program at Jackson County in the 1990s
16. Wolfe County (6-22) – The Wolves underachieved last year and must find a way to replace Cody Gilbert and his 29.2 point scoring average.
Coach Robert Scott Creech will look to returning starters Steve Evans (6.2 ppg.) and Preston Wilson (7.6 ppg.) to pick up the scoring slack.
17. Riverside Christian (3-22) – The Rams haven’t won more than four games in a season in six years and enter the season having lost 44 straight games to 55th District opponents.
Head coach James Turner is hoping the return of four starters – including seniors Brett Stacey (16.6 ppg.) and Brandon Hudson (13.7 ppg.) – can put an end to that streak
Top players
Clark Stepp (June Buchanan) – Should have a breakout year against an improved schedule
Justin Hicks (Hazard) – Main reason behind Bulldogs’ run to the Sweet 16 last year.
Kenny Brandenburg (Lee County) – Another of the region’s talented point guards who has improved his game
Tyler Bailey (Perry County Central) – Region’s best big man ready to make an impact on the glass
Zach Hurt (Cordia) – May be the most improved player in the region from the end of last season.
Tate Cox (June Buchanan) – Sometimes hard to believe the kid is only a freshman
Zach Gay (Buckhorn) – Could develop into the best post player in the region
Ryan Romans (Powell County) – A 6-2 center with 6-8 skills
Chris Puckett (Jenkins) – One of the region’s best offensive players
Michael Campbell (Hazard) – Starting to develop all facets of his game.
By Perry L. Powell
Special to Bluegrasspreps.com
The 14th Region proved to be one of the most balanced in the state last year, with both regional semifinals going to overtime. Things aren’t expected to be much different in the 2006-07 season with around five teams likely to make a run at Rupp Arena.
1. June Buchanan (23-6) – The Crusaders saw their improbable run at their first region title come to an end with a double-overtime loss to Hazard in the 14th Region Tournament semifinals.
Guard Clark Stepp, the nephew of 1980 Mr. Basketball Ervin Stepp, averaged 26 points and nine assists as a sophomore – which mirrored his totals from his freshman season.
The 6-3, 170-pound junior has developed into one of the best players in the mountains and will be counted on to help lead JBS on the floor.
Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky are among the schools interested in Stepp, who teams with Tate Cox to form one of the state’s best backcourts.
Cox (5-10, Fr.) averaged 17 points and shot 80-percent from the free throw line as an eighth grader.
Head coach Gary Stepp is also looking for a breakout season from 6-9 sophomore Garrison Collins, who averaged 8.1 ppg., and 6.2 rebounds.
Ryan Conley is the only senior projected to start for the Crusaders, who are hoping 6-3 Brent Hall and 6-6 Trey Short can bolster their inside game and improve on their 32 rebounds a game average.
The Crusaders have beefed up their schedule, which includes a trip to the Fifth-Third Classic in Lexington and the WYMT Mountain Classic.
2. Hazard (22-11) – Hazard outlasted the region field to claim the school’s 25th region title and first in five years.
Kevin Spurlock left for Clay County after an 89-32 record in four seasons as Bulldogs head coach, and former coach Lewis Morris returns to the Hazard sidelines.
Morris will have the services of senior guard Justin Hicks, who scored 19 points a game and was deadly from 3-point range, shooting 38-percent and averaging 3.4 treys a game. Hicks, who handed out 3.2 assists a game, also shot 83-percent at the free throw line.
Michael Campbell, a 6-3 sophomore, averaged 7.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a game and will provide some strength in the paint.
Guard Matt Williams (7.1 ppg., 3.4 rpg.) and Presley Campbell (4.0 ppg.) also return for the Bulldogs, who could see region challenger June Buchanan in the WYMT Mountain Classic, the 14th Region All-A Tournament (where they have won four straight titles), and the 14th Region Tournament this year.
3. Lee County (24-8) – The Bobcats won more games (24) than any other team in the region and brought home the 56th District title, but saw their season end quicker than they would have liked with a first-round region loss to Leslie County.
For Danny Wright to bring the school’s first regional championship home to Beattyville since 1973, he will need his backcourt to provide leadership on the floor.
Senior point guard Kenny Brandenburg joins Stepp and Hicks as the elite guards in the region after scoring 13 points and dishing out seven assists a game.
While Brandenburg’s moves make opponents feel like there are two of him on the floor, the Bobcats actually leave the opposition seeing double with 6-2 twins Justin (9.7 ppg.) and Dustin (7.1 ppg.) Liesengang.
Wright’s senior-laden roster also includes wing player Caleb Fetters (10.5 ppg., 4.9 rpg.) and 6-2 forward Landon Johnson.
4. Perry County Central (21-6) – Perry Central saw their two-year reign atop the region end with a loss to Hazard, and the Commodores missed the region tournament for the first time in a while.
However, Al Holland feels his team can get back to Rupp Arena for the third time in four years and sixth time in the last eleven seasons.
The ‘Dores feature one of the region’s best frontcourt players in 6-4 senior Tyler Bailey, who averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 rebounds last year.
He’s joined on the frontline 6-3 junior Jason Kelly (12.7 ppg., 6.4 rpg.) and 6-3 Heath Brashear.
The backcourt returns Justin Stacy but has some question marks at the other spot, with a handful of player vying for a starting job.
The Commodores’ frontcourt ranks among the best in a region dominated by guards. If Holland can get his backcourt to produce, you may see PCC back at Rupp in 2007.
5. Powell County (8-17) – While Powell County isn’t atop many people’s list to win the region, a new coach combined with a senior cast could be enough for the Pirates to win their first region title in four years.
Kyle Lively, who helped turn around Jackson City’s program into 17-game winner last year, inherits a senior-dominated roster, led by 6-2 center Ryan Romans, who averaged 14.2 points and 9.4 boards a game.
Senior guards Jantzen Merriman, Danny Dennis, and David Johnson also return and will be looked upon to increase their scoring output. Lively is looking to make the Pirates more competitive against 14th Region opponents, who they lost nine of ten games to last year.
6. Leslie County (20-10) – Leslie County endured a pair of one-point losses in the postseason, including the season-ender to Jackson City in the semifinals of the region tournament.
With the losses of frontcourt players Quentin Morgan and Daniel Day, the Eagles will look to their returning backcourt of Brian Hubbard and Ryan Howard and hope to draw Buckhorn in the first round of the 54th District Tournament.
Tim Sizemore’s squad will need to find someone to step into the vacancies in the frontcourt if the Eagles are to reach 20 wins for a third straight year.
7. Cordia (12-15) – Head coach Jeff Honeycutt is hoping Zach Hurt’s offseason improvement rubs off on the rest of the team, who could provide the same kind of turnaround Jackson City did last year.
Hurt averaged 12.7 points and is one of three starters returning for the Lions in 2006-07.
6-5 junior Josh Taylor provides the size in the middle after scoring 10.8 points and grabbing nearly eight boards a game.
Cordia proved to be competitive in the season’s final month, losing their last six games by seven points or less, including a seven point loss to Jackson City in the first round of the region tournament.
8. Buckhorn (17-10) – Despite playing in one the mountain’s most competitive districts that includes Hazard, Perry Central and Leslie County, Buckhorn won 17 games and took Leslie down to the wire in the first round of the district tournament.
However, the Wildcats haven’t won a game against a district opponent since 2002 and will need several underclassmen to step forward if they are to advance in the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade.
Zach Gay, a 6-6 sophomore, had a nice summer after averaging 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds as a freshman.
Justin Rice (6-3, Sr.) also returns in the frontcourt after scoring 9.2 points and grabbing ten rebounds a game last year.
Buckhorn’s top priority will be to replace Kevin Davidson, a 1,000-point career scorer and the school’s all-time 3-point shooter.
One thing is for sure – Buckhorn will travel farther than any other 14th Region team this year, playing in tournaments in Somerset, Murray, Louisville, and Florida.
9. Jackson City (17-12) – After leading tiny Jackson City to the school’s first district title in decades, Kyle Lively left for Powell County.
Brian Hall moves over from Breathitt County, who went from 24 wins to 23 losses last year.
The Tigers return starters Michael Watkins and Dustin Kilburn from last year and will look to a talented junior class to fill the remainder of the starting positions.
10. Breathitt County (4-23) – In a season full of odd coaching changes in the 14th Region, Brian Hall left Breathitt County for Jackson City, two years removed from a 24-win season.
Steve Banks takes over a Bobcat program that was 4-23 last year, but returns several key components from last year’s team.
Junior guard Justin Hollan averaged 17 points a game last year, while 6-6 junior Travis Smith averaged 11.8 points and 6.9 rebounds.
One thing is for certain. With a weaker schedule facing Breathitt County this year, there’s no reason why the Bobcats can’t put together a .500 season in Banks’ first year on the bench.
11. Letcher Central (16-10) – Letcher Central’s first season after consolidation proved to be a streaky one as Cougars put together a winning streak of six games and a losing streak of four.
Head coach Raymond Justice must replace his two leading scorers – Cam Wright and Eli Warren – from last year’s team that lost to Cordia in the first round of the 53rd District Tournament.
Devin Blair and Skyler Sexton return in the backcourt for a club that has a lot of other questions to answer.
12. Knott County Central (12-11) – Justin Amburgey takes over a Patriot program that returns three starters and some underclassmen who could contribute.
Guards Stewart Stamper and Scott Mosley both averaged nearly 14 points a game, while senior forward Michael Lindon scored 10.3 points and grabbed 6.8 rebounds a night.
The Patriots overcame a January slump that saw them lose eight of nine games by ending the regular season on a six-game winning streak.
Patriot fans can expect the same kind of ups and downs in Amburgey’s first season in Hindman. They will also put some miles on the odometer this season, with the Pats playing in tournaments in Ashland, Wolfe County, and Morgan County.
13. Estill County (15-15) – Estill County doesn’t return a wealth of size but four returning players from last year’s 15-15 has head coach Lawrence Tiller excited about his team’s prospect’s this year.
Senior Cody Berryman plays the center at just 6-foot-1, but his scrappy play saw him average 14.7 points a game last year.
Junior point guard Blake Christopher chipped in with nearly ten points and over five assists last year for the Engineers, who are looking for more contributions from senior Tristan Cackling and Tyler Nolan.
14. Jenkins (9-16) – Junior Chris Puckett was among the leading scorers in the 14th Region last year, averaging 20 points even and shooting 39-percent from behind the 3-point stripe.
While the Cavaliers have some decent guards, they lack the inside presence to challenge consistently and pulled down just 25 rebounds a game last year.
15. Owsley County (5-20) – New head coach Greg Parrott saw his transition get a little tougher when point guard Daniel Neely and his 14 points a game transferred to Owen County.
6-3 senior Trey Congleton is the only other starter returning for Parrott, who built a strong girls’ program at Jackson County in the 1990s
16. Wolfe County (6-22) – The Wolves underachieved last year and must find a way to replace Cody Gilbert and his 29.2 point scoring average.
Coach Robert Scott Creech will look to returning starters Steve Evans (6.2 ppg.) and Preston Wilson (7.6 ppg.) to pick up the scoring slack.
17. Riverside Christian (3-22) – The Rams haven’t won more than four games in a season in six years and enter the season having lost 44 straight games to 55th District opponents.
Head coach James Turner is hoping the return of four starters – including seniors Brett Stacey (16.6 ppg.) and Brandon Hudson (13.7 ppg.) – can put an end to that streak
Top players
Clark Stepp (June Buchanan) – Should have a breakout year against an improved schedule
Justin Hicks (Hazard) – Main reason behind Bulldogs’ run to the Sweet 16 last year.
Kenny Brandenburg (Lee County) – Another of the region’s talented point guards who has improved his game
Tyler Bailey (Perry County Central) – Region’s best big man ready to make an impact on the glass
Zach Hurt (Cordia) – May be the most improved player in the region from the end of last season.
Tate Cox (June Buchanan) – Sometimes hard to believe the kid is only a freshman
Zach Gay (Buckhorn) – Could develop into the best post player in the region
Ryan Romans (Powell County) – A 6-2 center with 6-8 skills
Chris Puckett (Jenkins) – One of the region’s best offensive players
Michael Campbell (Hazard) – Starting to develop all facets of his game.