23-24 SW Ohio

It's a good question. Simply put, the younger players are better. Last year there were no Juniors which translated to no Seniors for this year. There were a couple Juniors this year that unfortunately were cut. This was due to a good Sophomore class, good Freshman class, and a good Freshman class coming in next year. The coaches felt there were only so many spots available for this year's Juniors. Good problem to have.

The coaching change a couple years ago could have something to do with this year's Senior class not coming out that last two years. The other factor is that volleyball and soccer hold reign on the Westside. While basketball attendance is improving, it's still little sister to the other sports. Girls high school basketball loses some good athletes because the attention soccer demands give these girls little chance to play. Some girls and their clubs can make it work, seems most can't.
Good to know. No issue from my end then if they are picking the best players.
 
It's a good question. Simply put, the younger players are better. Last year there were no Juniors which translated to no Seniors for this year. There were a couple Juniors this year that unfortunately were cut. This was due to a good Sophomore class, good Freshman class, and a good Freshman class coming in next year. The coaches felt there were only so many spots available for this year's Juniors. Good problem to have.

The coaching change a couple years ago could have something to do with this year's Senior class not coming out that last two years. The other factor is that volleyball and soccer hold reign on the Westside. While basketball attendance is improving, it's still little sister to the other sports. Girls high school basketball loses some good athletes because the attention soccer demands give these girls little chance to play. Some girls and their clubs can make it work, seems most can't.

This is a real problem for a lot of high schools, in particular those who have a lot of overlap in their basketball and soccer/volleyball players. Too many club coaches demand that their players don't play basketball and play their club team throughout the winter. A little ridiculous in my opinion and it's hurting the sport. I worry that as volleyball's popularity grows, this will only get worse.

Regarding Seton - I think they knew exactly what they're doing. Coaches at Seton aren't allowed to cut Seniors, so they cut borderline kids as Juniors instead. Any current Junior who wasn't going to be a big part was cut and they don't have to worry about keeping them as a Senior. With an influx of kids coming to Seton (helped by the decline of MM), they should be in good shape over the next few years.
 
It's a good question. Simply put, the younger players are better. Last year there were no Juniors which translated to no Seniors for this year. There were a couple Juniors this year that unfortunately were cut. This was due to a good Sophomore class, good Freshman class, and a good Freshman class coming in next year. The coaches felt there were only so many spots available for this year's Juniors. Good problem to have.
Regarding Seton - I think they knew exactly what they're doing. Coaches at Seton aren't allowed to cut Seniors, so they cut borderline kids as Juniors instead. Any current Junior who wasn't going to be a big part was cut and they don't have to worry about keeping them as a Senior. With an influx of kids coming to Seton (helped by the decline of MM), they should be in good shape over the next few years.
I have no respect for this at all and if that is in fact how Coach Mark Lucas is running the program than Seton fans don't get to use the "young team" excuse every year for not being competitive when its "young by design." And a take that says on the one hand not as many girls are coming out due to soccer and volleyball club teams, and on the other hand saying that you have to cut this year's juniors to already be making room for 8th graders you have coming in next year just makes no sense. Sure, when you have 20 girls at tryouts and have to make those last 5 cuts you make those long game choices, but coach has 10 girls on varsity and this is high school basketball, not AAU, you don't have to only roster the girls who have a chance to play in college. If you have 5 roster spots and girls who want to play with their friends and for a school they love so much they are willing to pay $10K+ a year for it, then roster the upperclassmen and get over yourself. Let those girls have the benefits of being a part of team sports, extra-curriculars are an important part of high school memories and college applications, and athletes are amongst the people most likely to continue to engage with their school as alumni, which for a private school leads to needed donations. And whether they are strong players or not, they can still have an impact as student leaders for all those 8th graders.
 
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It's a good question. Simply put, the younger players are better. Last year there were no Juniors which translated to no Seniors for this year. There were a couple Juniors this year that unfortunately were cut. This was due to a good Sophomore class, good Freshman class, and a good Freshman class coming in next year. The coaches felt there were only so many spots available for this year's Juniors. Good problem to have.

The coaching change a couple years ago could have something to do with this year's Senior class not coming out that last two years. The other factor is that volleyball and soccer hold reign on the Westside. While basketball attendance is improving, it's still little sister to the other sports. Girls high school basketball loses some good athletes because the attention soccer demands give these girls little chance to play. Some girls and their clubs can make it work, seems most can't.
Seton has a team that will probably be in that upper end of the second tier of basketball schools in Cincy – they shouldn't lose to mediocre teams but don't have the fire power to compete with the MND & Mason’s of the world. Currently 6-1 – lost to MND by 20 at home and hasn’t beat a team with a winning record (total record of teams they beat not including the Seton loss is 6-24).

For the most part, the GGCL schools will work around club schedules and the schools do enforce if there is a mandatory club practice/games and a school practice/team function is missed, the player cannot play a certain amount of time in the next game. This is one of the reasons why hardly any of the GGCL schools don’t schedule a game one of the weekends in December as this is a big weekend for a soccer showcase. With club volleyball players, Jan & Feb are heavy club tournament months. Hard to justify skipping a day in a weekend volleyball tournament for a high school basketball game especially when you are committing that time & $'s plus none of the big tournaments are in Cincy.

The GGCL schools that market to the westside will always be behind the 8 ball as the GWAC basketball league doesn’t start until mid-January as their volleyball’s season is Nov-Dec after the grade school soccer league. A lot of grade school girls electing to play club soccer/volleyball typically bail out of basketball around 5/6th grade.
 
Seton has a team that will probably be in that upper end of the second tier of basketball schools in Cincy – they shouldn't lose to mediocre teams but don't have the fire power to compete with the MND & Mason’s of the world.
I think this goes hand and hand with having to recruit mostly westside kids. Elder is in the same boat. They will be better than most, but will struggle to get to that elite level because they don't recruit the whole city. It's much more difficult to do and be successful at it having a school that lacks accessibility.

In saying that, Seton has drastically improved most of their sports programs over the past 5 years. State contenders in soccer and volleyball. Can they get there for basketball? It will be tougher because of the popularity of soccer and volleyball, as mentioned above.
 
Some good matchups coming up tonight in the ECC with West Clermont vs Winton Woods, Milford vs Lebanon, and Kings vs Walnut Hills. Then on Saturday we have Mason vs Princeton in the GMC.
 
Some good matchups coming up tonight in the ECC with West Clermont vs Winton Woods, Milford vs Lebanon, and Kings vs Walnut Hills. Then on Saturday we have Mason vs Princeton in the GMC.
Some big time finishes in the ECC today.

West Clermont beat Winton Woods 57-54
Milford beat Lebanon 45-43
Kings beat Walnut Hills 44-39

Great day of hoops!
 
Some big time finishes in the ECC today.

West Clermont beat Winton Woods 57-54
Milford beat Lebanon 45-43
Kings beat Walnut Hills 44-39

Great day of hoops!
Very Surprised WC beats WW
Some really interesting stats from the game.
WW had 3 starters foul out and 2 starters end up with 4 fouls.
WC shoots 7-13 from 3
WW OutRBs 37-26.

As mentioned above Princeton @ Mason Saturday, Round 1 of this huge SW OH and GMC matchup
Gerton DNP @ Fairfield on Wednesday
Anyone know if injured, sick, will she available for Mason game?
Can Mason handle Fortson and Givens?
Coach D had Parrish' # in Reg Semis LY, will she throw something special at Mason guards again?

Interesting game Saturday w Bellbrook (4-0) @ MND (7-0)
MND DESTROYED BB (67-27) in Districts in '22 but BB has built on recent success. 65-13 since start of 20-21 season.
Coach has done great job of scheduling much tougher out of conference since they play in VERY weak SWBL.
 
Very Surprised WC beats WW
Some really interesting stats from the game.
WW had 3 starters foul out and 2 starters end up with 4 fouls.
WC shoots 7-13 from 3
WW OutRBs 37-26.

As mentioned above Princeton @ Mason Saturday, Round 1 of this huge SW OH and GMC matchup
Gerton DNP @ Fairfield on Wednesday
Anyone know if injured, sick, will she available for Mason game?
Can Mason handle Fortson and Givens?
Coach D had Parrish' # in Reg Semis LY, will she throw something special at Mason guards again?

Interesting game Saturday w Bellbrook (4-0) @ MND (7-0)
MND DESTROYED BB (67-27) in Districts in '22 but BB has built on recent success. 65-13 since start of 20-21 season.
Coach has done great job of scheduling much tougher out of conference since they play in VERY weak SWBL.
A ton of fouls in that WC v WW game it looks in general. 26 for WW and 20 for WC. Also, if Gerton plays I say Princeton wins by double digits.
 
Did anyone see the foul on WC where the girl boxed out the shooter on the FT and got called for it? I believe it was her 5th and WW got two more shots. Glad that bad call didn’t cost them the game .
 
Did anyone see the foul on WC where the girl boxed out the shooter on the FT and got called for it? I believe it was her 5th and WW got two more shots. Glad that bad call didn’t cost them the game .
To be honest there were a lot of terrible calls made last night on both sides…. There were a couple of college coaches there absolutely dumbfounded…
 
Did anyone see the foul on WC where the girl boxed out the shooter on the FT and got called for it? I believe it was her 5th and WW got two more shots. Glad that bad call didn’t cost them the game .
You may want to read the rules. Didn’t see it, but it is against the rules to displace the free throw shooter.
 
I saw the WW vs WC game. WW is very one dimensional. Take Trammel out and they’re in big trouble. They need someone to step up. They have girls who are capable. A lot of dumb fouls by both sides.
 
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All the comments on here made me watch 4th Q of WW WC game
Many 50 50 calls that went both ways
That’s what happens in high intensity game

BUT, refs have to be better on timing issues
3 game pics above

Not a follower of either team so unbiased observation:
Top photo: How does ref wave final shot off? Said it came after buzzer. Clearly time left when she released (missed) it.
Middle photo: Clearly a foul on WC box out of FT shooter. Defender not allowed to cross FT line when boxing out FT shooter.
Bigger problem, Trammell was fouled w 2:47 left.
:13 ran off clock during ensuing foul call, maybe :01 but :13, come on WC scoreboard operator and officials.

Bottom Photo:
Ref making call w 2:39 left, clock running, ended up being stopped at 2:34 but no mention from scoreboard operator to officials.
She shot 2nd set of FTs at 2:34
I‘m certain Carlton would have LOVED :13 extra seconds at end of the game

Bad look!!
 
View attachment 51462View attachment 51463View attachment 51464
All the comments on here made me watch 4th Q of WW WC game
Many 50 50 calls that went both ways
That’s what happens in high intensity game

BUT, refs have to be better on timing issues
3 game pics above

Not a follower of either team so unbiased observation:
Top photo: How does ref wave final shot off? Said it came after buzzer. Clearly time left when she released (missed) it.
Middle photo: Clearly a foul on WC box out of FT shooter. Defender not allowed to cross FT line when boxing out FT shooter.
Bigger problem, Trammell was fouled w 2:47 left.
:13 ran off clock during ensuing foul call, maybe :01 but :13, come on WC scoreboard operator and officials.

Bottom Photo:
Ref making call w 2:39 left, clock running, ended up being stopped at 2:34 but no mention from scoreboard operator to officials.
She shot 2nd set of FTs at 2:34
I‘m certain Carlton would have LOVED :13 extra seconds at end of the game

Bad look!!
To clarify.....

The defender may cross into the FT semi-circle, however they may not do so until the FT touches the ring or the FT ends.

Neither can be determined in this photo,
 
View attachment 51462View attachment 51463View attachment 51464
All the comments on here made me watch 4th Q of WW WC game
Many 50 50 calls that went both ways
That’s what happens in high intensity game

BUT, refs have to be better on timing issues
3 game pics above

Not a follower of either team so unbiased observation:
Top photo: How does ref wave final shot off? Said it came after buzzer. Clearly time left when she released (missed) it.
Middle photo: Clearly a foul on WC box out of FT shooter. Defender not allowed to cross FT line when boxing out FT shooter.
Bigger problem, Trammell was fouled w 2:47 left.
:13 ran off clock during ensuing foul call, maybe :01 but :13, come on WC scoreboard operator and officials.

Bottom Photo:
Ref making call w 2:39 left, clock running, ended up being stopped at 2:34 but no mention from scoreboard operator to officials.
She shot 2nd set of FTs at 2:34
I‘m certain Carlton would have LOVED :13 extra seconds at end of the game

Bad look!!
I was at the game live. Good assessment of officiating, especially in high level/energy game like this one. Questionable stuff both ways, and I thought the players and coaches did a great job leading their teams through it all.

However, the clock WAS not an issue. I think you have a lag with NFHS, which I’ve seen before watching games on there. The clock never ran after a whistle, and the last shot was clearly after the buzzer. The NFHS stream struggles at time.

With that being said, it was an enjoyable game to watch, WC got them on that night, but Winton Woods will have the better season and will return the favor when then host them later in the season
 
Finals from 2 of the big games today.

Princeton 72 vs Mason 69 OT
MND 51 vs Bellbrook 22

Surprised to see Mason take them to OT. Mason better than originally thought. They also beat up on West last week.

MND comes off a big win over a very good Ryle team on Thursday to beat an undefeated Bellbrook team by almost 30.
 
Huge win for Princeton @ Mason
That‘s what great teams do, win in tough environment/situations.
Takeaways
Fortson too much for Comets to handle inside, she’s a beast!! And looks extremely solid in late game FT attempts.
Habra is the engine for Mason
Gerton is an offensive force
Parrish looks oddly different (forces?) in games vs Princeton
Vikings Freshman Kiara Harris is a STAR in the making
Mason is much better than expected

Fans/Coaches stop complaining about EVERY call that goes against you
Unless a girl is 6’6” all players foul 90% of the time when they “think” their arms are straight up.
Defensive post players almost always bring their arms forward into the offensive player in the post.
That is a foul.

For an adult to get kicked out of a HS game is embarrassing
Coming onto the court to confront an official is reprehensible


Mason Freshman Gilman fouled on 3 pt attempt with 1.5 secs left in regulation down 1
Missed 1st two attempts but made 3rd to send to OT.
Both Mason losses this season they’ve been up double digits in 4th Q. OUCH!!
 
First...... All I did was clarify your statement. The defender can step into the semi-circle once the ball hits the rim.

Next...... The Center did call a foul on #22 for displacing the shooter on this play.

Furthermore..... looks like nobody knew (coaches, officials, fans) knew the clock erroneously ran fr 13 seconds. If the coach did, he didn't put up much of a fuss. If there wasn't an issue with the feed, that's a big miss by everyone involved.

Last ...... while the video does not show the whole play, the girl takes a couple of dribbles and the clock remains at :03. (why no tenths?) Then the shot goes off with :01....... The Trail and Center Officials both wave off the shot. Nobody from the visting team says a word about it. Classic example of the camera on the clock and the audio not being in synch with the main feed.
 
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WW losing to WC was surprising. Is WC better than we thought or is WW worse than we thought? ECC should be up for grabs now.

Princeton and Mason closer than expected. Mason-Princeton games always seem to be close. I think Princeton goes as far as Gerton takes them, which is probably far. She's a force.

MND looks good so far. They've been better than expected, in my opinion.

The GWOC looks like it will be Springboro and Fairmont with Centerville as a distant third. Both Springboro and Fairmont are pretty young and will only get better.
 
Huge win for Princeton @ Mason
That‘s what great teams do, win in tough environment/situations.
Takeaways
Fortson too much for Comets to handle inside, she’s a beast!! And looks extremely solid in late game FT attempts.
Habra is the engine for Mason
Gerton is an offensive force
Parrish looks oddly different (forces?) in games vs Princeton
Vikings Freshman Kiara Harris is a STAR in the making
Mason is much better than expected

Fans/Coaches stop complaining about EVERY call that goes against you
Unless a girl is 6’6” all players foul 90% of the time when they “think” their arms are straight up.
Defensive post players almost always bring their arms forward into the offensive player in the post.
That is a foul.

For an adult to get kicked out of a HS game is embarrassing
Coming onto the court to confront an official is reprehensible


Mason Freshman Gilman fouled on 3 pt attempt with 1.5 secs left in regulation down 1
Missed 1st two attempts but made 3rd to send to OT.
Both Mason losses this season they’ve been up double digits in 4th Q. OUCH!!
Any fan coming on to the floor to confront an official, coach, player, etc. should be an automatic OHSAA ban for 1 year. That’s how melees start and we don’t need it in the game.

I also agree it’s ridiculous to watch fans complain about every call in a tight game. Get a grip and learn to be an adult already. Even if it’s a bad call it can be a great life lesson to learn how to overcome adversity.
 
Any fan coming on to the floor to confront an official, coach, player, etc. should be an automatic OHSAA ban for 1 year. That’s how melees start and we don’t need it in the game.

I also agree it’s ridiculous to watch fans complain about every call in a tight game. Get a grip and learn to be an adult already. Even if it’s a bad call it can be a great life lesson to learn how to overcome adversity.
This happened in the Mason-Princeton game?
 
This happened in the Mason-Princeton game?
Yes, Princeton fan sitting on the baseline at the end of regulation. Official calls administrative staff over to have him removed after multiple incidents and the guy comes all the way out on the floor and gets in official’s face. Fortunately it didn’t get worse from that point. Officials don’t need this garbage.
 
Yes, Princeton fan sitting on the baseline at the end of regulation. Official calls administrative staff over to have him removed after multiple incidents and the guy comes all the way out on the floor and gets in official’s face. Fortunately it didn’t get worse from that point. Officials don’t need this garbage.
Let's be honest the fans behavior was uncalled for but the officiating was horrible. The foul call at the end of regulation was terrible.
 
Yes, Princeton fan sitting on the baseline at the end of regulation. Official calls administrative staff over to have him removed after multiple incidents and the guy comes all the way out on the floor and gets in official’s face. Fortunately it didn’t get worse from that point. Officials don’t need this garbage.
I was at the game. I did not see multiple incidents from the fan, but rather one big incident. The individual in question blew up on the official/yelled at him after a call he obviously disagreed with while sitting down/staying off the court. The referee then signaled to the AD to have him removed. When the AD came across the floor to have him physically removed, he then came out on to the floor himself, and blew up on the ref (did not touch him). The referee showed amazing composure. While leaving the floor, fan then kicked a garbage can full of trash over. That is how I remember it.
 
Let's be honest the fans behavior was uncalled for but the officiating was horrible. The foul call at the end of regulation was terrible.
1. Fan WHO WENT ON COURT was WAY OUT OF LINE.
2. Foul call at end of regulation was beyond bad...a hand wrapped gift to win the game with 1.6 second left.
 
Here's the end of regulation. Sadly it goes to commercial during the fan ejection.


It looks as though the defender does step into the shooter's cylinder with the left foot and puts her left arm down and possibly into the shooter's body momentarily. Not the angle to tell one way or the other.

Coaches need to make sure their players aren't in any position to put a foul call on the table in these sorts of desperate shot situations. Sure you want to challenge the shot, but not to the point where the referee is considering whether the game needs a call in that moment. Even on Princeton's three quarter court heave which will have virtually no shot of going in, the Mason defender puts herself in position that a foul call is debatable.
 
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