Sunday
Cardinals Rule the Roost
As far as Sweet 16 title games go, this one wasn’t so pretty. Scott Co. and Ballard battled nerves and fatigue, combining to make only 36 of 112 shots. But in the end, the Cardinals, ranked #1 in Kentucky all season, found a way to pull out a 56-50 in front of 18,377 boisterous Rupp Arena fans.
Scott Co. trailed for most of the game thanks to Ballard’s unyielding full-court pressure. The Bruins are incredibly quick at all five positions, making their defense as good as any around. Ballard forced 19 Scott Co. turnovers.
But the Cardinals have Bud Mackey, and the Indiana recruit, sporting socks bearing the interlocking IU logo, put the Redbirds on his back and scored nine straight points late in the fourth quarter to turn a seven-point deficit into a one-point Scott Co. lead.
Ballard didn’t score in the last 3:41.
Mackey finished with 22 points and took home MVP honors. Coming into Saturday’s championship game, the 6-foot-4 guard had struggled in the state tournament with his shot. And in Saturday morning’s semifinal game against Holmes, Mackey fouled out.
Joining Mackey on the all-tournament team were teammates Matt Walls and Cam Hundley. Walls, a 6-foot-3 guard, didn’t particularly shoot the ball during the tournament, but impressed with his heady play and on-court leadership. He’s bigger than most guards, which makes him difficult to double team at the high school level.
Hundley was a perfect 13-13 from the free throw line in the Cardinals’ win over Holmes. Hundley also hit a free throw in the closing seconds to help seal the win against Ballard.
This is Scott’s second state title. The Cards won in 1998 and lost in the finals the following year to Ballard.
Were you at the game? Let me know what you thought of Saturday’s championship game.
Georgetown Pipeline
Scott Co. coach Billy Hicks has taken advantage of one of the best youth basketball programs in Kentucky. When he won his first title in 1998, Hicks’ Cardinal squad had an influx of talent groomed at an early age by the Scott County Youth Basketball organization.
This year’s state championship team features a number of SCYB graduates.
Before AAU basketball stole many of its good players, SCYB was one of the largest in the state. On any given Saturday, over 500 Scott Co. kids, ranging in age from 6 - 14 were playing games at four gyms in Georgetown.
It is with the blessing of Scott Superintendent Dallas Blankenship that elementary and middle schools are used for practices during the week and a day-long schedule of games on Saturday.
It’s no surprise, then, the success enjoyed by both the girls’ and boys’ high school teams. Each has won a state title and the boys are adding yet another this weekend.
Rumor Control
Thursday’s surprise announcement from Tubby Smith led to a day of speculation on Friday. If I heard one rumor about the UK basketball program, I heard a thousand. I didn’t enjoy the day at the Sweet 16 because of all the unsubstantiated rumors.
One that quickly made the rounds at Rupp Arena was about UK guard Joe Crawford. The popular gossip has Crawford flunking out of school and heading on to pro ball. We checked into the situation and UK is adamant that there is nothing going on with Joe Crawford at this time.
I’ve heard rumors about Jodie Meeks leaving, Derrick Jasper transferring, Billy Donovan buying a horse farm (presumably, near the same farm once owned by Al McGuire), and my favorite, Rick Pitino in town to listen to Mitch Barnhart’s pitch.
None of these are true.
What I do know is that we won’t know anything until the NCAA Tournament is over. Most coaches UK MIGHT get involved are probably either still playing, or are attending the coach’s convention at the Final Four.
Carter Still in the Fold
UK big man Jared Carter IS staying at UK. His father told the Georgetown News-Graphic that the 7-foot-1 center is “very adamant about staying at UK.”
Jeff Carter told the newspaper that the family was “shocked” to hear of Tubby Smith’s move to Minnesota. “The last time that I talked to coach, he told me he was here to stay,” the elder Carter told the newspaper.
Carter had nothing but praise for Smith, who ended a 10-year run at UK with Thursday’s announcement he was accepting the head coaching job at Minnesota. “He was a good coach. He loved all the boys and was respectful to all the boys’ parents,” Carter said.
Those are the highlights… Stay tuned.
March 25th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Steve: I went to the games on Friday afternoon and took my good friends from Georgetown Dr Warren Nash and Janet. Ashley sat on the floor with Janet and we were a few rows up in 29. I thought the basketball was a little helter sketeler, and I’m sure the 11th Region tournament was played at a much higher quality. I know the 12th has been down for many, many years.
Just sending a note to say great camera work all year at all levels you are working. I didn’t see you in Frankfort, but I’m sure you were probably working somewhere during the Mid-South event.
March 26th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was a truly magical season for the Scott Co. Cardinals. They went through a brutal regular season schedule, defeated one of the top teams in the country, won the 42nd District Title, the 11th Region Title, captured the Sweet 16 Crown, and finished the season 30-0 against Kentucky Teams. What a season. The Cards showed great teamwork all year and were just a joy to watch. These young men have made their school, town, county, and state proud. GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 26th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Well I hope that any of the UK current basketball players will hold off on making any decisions about transfering until a new coach is hired. Hopefully Mitch Barnhart or someone in the athletics dept. met with the team and assured them that a top notch coach would be brought in ….. and asked them to stand pat until a coach was hired. Hopefully this was done when Tubby Jetted North???
March 26th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
John… thanks for the kinds words. After 18 years I’d better have it right, don’t you think? All kidding aside, it’s always a great pleasure when I run into you and the family at games.
As for the Sweet 16 championship game, I agree — helter skelter. But both Ballard and Scott Co. are up-tempo teams and both play incredibly hard on defense. Apparantly Scott Co. had just a little more in the tank and Bud Mackey got it going at just the right time and when it mattered most. Thanks for checking in.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Thanks for stopping by Doug D. I agree with you — it was a magical season for the Cards. Coach Billy Hicks said as much after the game. He also credited that tough 11th Region schedule for preparing his team for the post-season.
Hicks did a masterful job with this team this year. Mackey and Matt Walls were the stars, but Cam Hundley, Jordan Lee, Jimmie Warren and Tyler Portwood were valuable role players.
11th Region foes might want to watch out next year: the Cards return three starters, including Mackey. Scott CO. will be loaded again next year.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Michael, you shouldn’t read too much into the rumors flying around about the current UK players. Randolph Morris’ decision to leave was a no-brainer, considering the way he performed in the post-season.
Joe Crawford should be back — I wouldn’t think a junior would consider sitting out a year to transfer. Same with Ramel Bradley.
Jodie Meeks is the one I worry about. He’s said before that he is close to Tubby Smith. Meeks is also the one player UK’s new coach could build around. He’s ready to become a star.
March 28th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Yeah Steve, Meeks is the one I was worried about too. Hopefully he enjoyed his freshmen year enough to want to return for the rest of his college career at UK.
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:19 pm
been thinking the whole weekendabout what other newspapers having been saying about the so-called ky. fans. they should consider a coach such as bobby knight or billy packer