Pre-Season Preview: Region 4, District 14
Many of Kentucky’s high-school basketball teams are starting to prepare for another season of hoops. Yes, I know we’re still five months away from tipoff of the 2016-17 campaign, but that doesn’t mean we can’t begin to look into some…
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Continue ReadingMany of Kentucky’s high-school basketball teams are starting to prepare for another season of hoops. Yes, I know we’re still five months away from tipoff of the 2016-17 campaign, but that doesn’t mean we can’t begin to look into some of the stronger regions and districts throughout the Bluegrass State.
In the first of many “Pre-Season Previews,” we look at the 4th Region’s 14th District.
2015-16 Season in Review: Just like the season before, Bowling Green High School highlighted the 14th District, and most of the 4th Region. With a record of 30-3, the Purples captured their third-straight district title with a 67-65 win over Warren Central on their home court before defeating Barren County by three in the region championship at Western Kentucky’s E.A. Diddle Arena to also claim their third-straight.
2016-17 Team Previews/Predictions:
Bowling Green: The Purples, led by head coach D.G. Sherill, return most of their roster from last season. Starting point guard DeAngelo Wilson will be a senior along with forwards Terry Taylor and Kyran Jones. The trio combined to average 39.4 points and 24.6 rebounds per game a year ago. Along with that three, flashy guard Jamale Carothers and young up-and-comers Trey Jones and Jarius Key will all return and most likely highlight the starting five.
Prediction: Bowling Green should have no problems with its competition in 2016-17. Except for Warren Central, its other three district foes have lost a significant amount of their production from a season ago and will not have what it takes to get a single win against the Purples. Sherill’s club will have another 30-win season that is highlighted by a fourth-straight 14th District title.
Warren Central: The Dragons return some key players that helped guide them to a solid season in 2015-16, but they also loose a significant amount of production. With floor leader Chance Shanklin off to be the quarterback at Campbellsville University, guard Rajee Anderson graduated, and big-man Darrell Bowman and sharp-shooter Tristen Murray both headed to play college ball, coach William Unseld will turn to his next guys up to lead the young squad — with the main being senior guards Luke Bailey, Ziyan Milliken and Datravion Jewell, senior forward Josh Moss and junior guard Skyelar Potter. Those five will highlight the club this year.
Prediction: Warren Central will have a better season that it did a year ago. With the roster being loaded with outstanding guards, the Dragons will finish second in the 14th District regular-season and will fall to Bowling Green in the 14th District championship. Dragon fans will be happy with what they’re presented with.
Warren East: The Raiders had one of their best seasons in quite a while a year ago. After an 8-1 start, head coach Brandon Combs’ club went on to win many more games before falling short to Warren Central in the 14th District Tournament. Although they lose stellar point guard Kaleb Britt to Shawnee Community College, East has some dominant players that can help the squad record a solid season, with those being senior guards Patrick Satterfield and Logan Carter, senior forwards Jamison Richardson and Jacob Howard and junior forward Tashawn Neal. Satterfield, Richardson and Howard were all three starters last season and are experienced with helping the team get going early.
Prediction: Warren East will do nothing but improve this season. With third-year coach Combs now very comfortable with the program and his players, his leadership and coaching ability will be significant in the Raiders’ run in 2016-17. With Satterfield leading the charge, the team will have a 20-win season and will win at least one game in the 14th District Tournament.
South Warren: The Spartans had a pretty down season a year ago. The team lost fifteen games under first-year head coach Tony Hopper while having a span of six-straight loses towards the beginning of the season. Although it may of not been a picture-perfect year, South Warren still finished the season on a solid note. For this season’s sake, the Spartans lose a lot of production from its roster, highlighted by starting point guard Dayton Gumm and forward Brandon Stacker. The two combined for 34.8 points per game. They may have lost those two, but Hopper still has senior big man Dylan Beckham, who averaged 7.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest a season ago.
Prediction: South Warren will have a rough season. The Spartans will lean to Beckham for most of its scoring and rebounding, but other than that, they’ll be a standstill. I expect South to win around 15 games and fall in its first game of the 14th District Tournament. On the positive side of things, Beckham should be a member of the All-District Team.
Greenwood: Just like South Warren, the Gators were a little down last season. Although the team just won 12 games overall on the year, Greenwood’s season came to an end with a tough 70-66 loss to the Spartans in the 14th District Tournament. G-Wood loses some key players in Caleb Miller, Stephen Sanders and Scotty Harris, but it returns stellar point guard Dawson Crump, who will be a senior. Crump led the Gators in just about every statistical category a year ago.
Prediction: Greenwood will have an OK season in 2016-17. With Crump being the floor leader, he will guide the Gators to a 15-win year that’ll include a win in the 14th District Tournament. Along with Crump, third-year head coach Jordan Carter is beginning to find his rhythm at the school, so things should be just fine.
The 14th District is a very strong district loaded with talent, and now you know what it presents. Check back here at PrepHoopsKentucky.com soon as the “Pre-Season Previews” will continue. Next up, we take a look at the 8th District in the 2nd Region.