Another season of hoops is almost here
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
I'm starting to dream about basketball. This year I'm not missing the NBA because, well … I just don't care right now (eventually, I will). The last couple years I've fallen back in love with the NBA like it was the '90s (remember the Jordan years? I was a fan of Hakeem Olajuwon. Such a cool name), but this lockout makes me realize the NBA will never be as fun to watch as it was back then.
Speaking of the NBA, if there is no season, here is what I will miss the most: the excuses for the Miami Heat not winning the NBA title; Mark Cuban being the best – and most excited – owner in the league; Derrick Williams’ transition into the league (unfortunately, he plays for the Timberwolves); watching Steve Nash make passes; Charles Barkley on pre-game shows; seeing Shaq and Barkley on the same pre-game show; playoff basketball; the Cleveland Cavaliers’ rookies; John Wall getting even better; Jimmer Fredette as a Sacramento King; and trying to pronounce the names of all the new foreign players.
Without the NBA, as basketball fans we currently have it at the collegiate level. All I have to say about the NCAA is there is the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball program, and well … then there is everyone else. (Yes, I love UK basketball.) Sadly, the "everyone else" is full of very good teams.
But here in Highland County, this is what I, along with many of you, am looking forward to … the return of high school basketball. I need games to watch.
The past couple weeks I've been traveling around the county to interview coaches from Hillsboro, McClain, Lynchburg-Clay, Fairfield and Whiteoak about their upcoming boys and girls seasons. I've also interviewed over 20 players for profiles from both the boys and girls teams.
My life right now is like the Cheech and Chong song from the '70s, "Basketball Jones," where it says: "I loved that basketball/I took that basketball with me everywhere I went/That basketball was like a basketball to me." For those who were alive in the '70s, I have to ask this … What was up with the short shorts in basketball? Was the fabric back then that rare or expensive to have shorts near the knees?
Speaking of previews, the 2nd Annual Highland County Press High School Basketball Preview Section will be published (and available for free) later this month.
OK, enough self-promotion … who else is excited about the upcoming season?
One item that has come to my attention at a few high schools is the lack of overall participation in an entire program. Some programs have just enough players to field a JV team, some have more. We saw some of the same problems in fall sports, but I guess that is the way of the world these days, and one day, maybe the numbers will increase. I hope so, and I applaud all the student-athletes who are playing this season.
Here are some opinions for the upcoming season:
• The winner of the Southern Hills League boys small school division (Division II) will win it by a single game. I say this because there are some sleeper teams (they may or may not reside in Highland County) in that division, plus … just for the fact teams did lose top players, many of the schools have players who will make their mark in the league this season. For the SHL as a whole, the league will be a battle.
• The tradition of the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs program will keep on going like it always has. Just talking to new head coach Whitney Lewis for the season preview, she is focused, and it is easy to see this team will not lose a game due to lack of effort or lack of defense. They will be an interesting team to watch this season, no doubt about that. I'm very interested in this team and if they can reach or even exceed the district finals this season.
• If there is one team that everyone can cheer for this year, it should be the Fairfield Lady Lions. They have eight players that are mainstays at the varsity level, and get this … they have no seniors or juniors. Not a single one. I interviewed their sophomore class (four players), and they are prepared for their leadership role on the team, as they said they learned a lot from past senior leaders. Coach Matt Hodson has a high-character group of ladies taking the court for him this winter.
• One team that I am intrigued the most by is the Hillsboro boys varsity team. The program will enter this season as the reigning co-South Central Ohio League champions (with Miami Trace). They return players who were a big part of last year's championship, although they lost a lot of key players as well. Another new part of the team is the coach for the Indians, with Brett Prince taking over the program as former coach Tim Davis took an administrative position with the school district last year. Will be fun to watch the new-look Indians this year.
• Speaking of SCOL boys basketball this year, the league has two new coaches (HHS and Washington), and this season, I'm predicting, will just be as close as last season. I hear good things about a lot of the teams, but many of those teams lost key players from a year ago. In the 2011-12 season, the championship could (and probably will) come down to the final game of the season. Headed into the season, I don't see a clear-cut favorite, and I find that very exciting.
• Fans of Whiteoak boys basketball should be excited about their junior class this season. They will be a fun group to keep track of for the next couple years. Just wait and see … you will be impressed.
• Here's to hoping I get to hear the theme music of the Chicago Bulls, which is actually called "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project, many times this season. I'm not lying, I'm listening to it as I type this column, and yes, I'm getting goosebumps. The Bulls theme is absolutely perfect for basketball introductions. In fact, the Patriots of Southern State used it this week. (Some other good pre-game music includes: "Jump Around" - House of Pain, "Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes and "Till I Collapse" - Eminem.) Just don't play Justin Bieber, that's all I ask.
• This one has a Highland County twist to it, but I'm happy for Mowrystown's Brandon Walker as he will enter his first season as a varsity head coach, taking over the Symmes Valley girls basketball program. He will do good things at that school.
• You can still call me crazy, but a 45-second shot clock wouldn't hurt anything in high school basketball. If it takes longer than 45 seconds to find a shot, maybe a new play is in order. (Remember, I'm an impatient person, so that might have something to do with it.)
• I'm ready to see what school has not only the loudest, but most creative student section this season. I hope there is a lot of creativity this season.
• I'm looking forward to "More Cowbell" at Hillsboro games this season. I hope the HHS Pep Band is ready to cure my feva' … no really, I have this cough and it won't go away, so I think cowbell is the only cure. I'm not joking.
I'm out of space (this was my print column) … I'll have more basketball opinions/predictions next week.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]
Speaking of the NBA, if there is no season, here is what I will miss the most: the excuses for the Miami Heat not winning the NBA title; Mark Cuban being the best – and most excited – owner in the league; Derrick Williams’ transition into the league (unfortunately, he plays for the Timberwolves); watching Steve Nash make passes; Charles Barkley on pre-game shows; seeing Shaq and Barkley on the same pre-game show; playoff basketball; the Cleveland Cavaliers’ rookies; John Wall getting even better; Jimmer Fredette as a Sacramento King; and trying to pronounce the names of all the new foreign players.
Without the NBA, as basketball fans we currently have it at the collegiate level. All I have to say about the NCAA is there is the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball program, and well … then there is everyone else. (Yes, I love UK basketball.) Sadly, the "everyone else" is full of very good teams.
But here in Highland County, this is what I, along with many of you, am looking forward to … the return of high school basketball. I need games to watch.
The past couple weeks I've been traveling around the county to interview coaches from Hillsboro, McClain, Lynchburg-Clay, Fairfield and Whiteoak about their upcoming boys and girls seasons. I've also interviewed over 20 players for profiles from both the boys and girls teams.
My life right now is like the Cheech and Chong song from the '70s, "Basketball Jones," where it says: "I loved that basketball/I took that basketball with me everywhere I went/That basketball was like a basketball to me." For those who were alive in the '70s, I have to ask this … What was up with the short shorts in basketball? Was the fabric back then that rare or expensive to have shorts near the knees?
Speaking of previews, the 2nd Annual Highland County Press High School Basketball Preview Section will be published (and available for free) later this month.
OK, enough self-promotion … who else is excited about the upcoming season?
One item that has come to my attention at a few high schools is the lack of overall participation in an entire program. Some programs have just enough players to field a JV team, some have more. We saw some of the same problems in fall sports, but I guess that is the way of the world these days, and one day, maybe the numbers will increase. I hope so, and I applaud all the student-athletes who are playing this season.
Here are some opinions for the upcoming season:
• The winner of the Southern Hills League boys small school division (Division II) will win it by a single game. I say this because there are some sleeper teams (they may or may not reside in Highland County) in that division, plus … just for the fact teams did lose top players, many of the schools have players who will make their mark in the league this season. For the SHL as a whole, the league will be a battle.
• The tradition of the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs program will keep on going like it always has. Just talking to new head coach Whitney Lewis for the season preview, she is focused, and it is easy to see this team will not lose a game due to lack of effort or lack of defense. They will be an interesting team to watch this season, no doubt about that. I'm very interested in this team and if they can reach or even exceed the district finals this season.
• If there is one team that everyone can cheer for this year, it should be the Fairfield Lady Lions. They have eight players that are mainstays at the varsity level, and get this … they have no seniors or juniors. Not a single one. I interviewed their sophomore class (four players), and they are prepared for their leadership role on the team, as they said they learned a lot from past senior leaders. Coach Matt Hodson has a high-character group of ladies taking the court for him this winter.
• One team that I am intrigued the most by is the Hillsboro boys varsity team. The program will enter this season as the reigning co-South Central Ohio League champions (with Miami Trace). They return players who were a big part of last year's championship, although they lost a lot of key players as well. Another new part of the team is the coach for the Indians, with Brett Prince taking over the program as former coach Tim Davis took an administrative position with the school district last year. Will be fun to watch the new-look Indians this year.
• Speaking of SCOL boys basketball this year, the league has two new coaches (HHS and Washington), and this season, I'm predicting, will just be as close as last season. I hear good things about a lot of the teams, but many of those teams lost key players from a year ago. In the 2011-12 season, the championship could (and probably will) come down to the final game of the season. Headed into the season, I don't see a clear-cut favorite, and I find that very exciting.
• Fans of Whiteoak boys basketball should be excited about their junior class this season. They will be a fun group to keep track of for the next couple years. Just wait and see … you will be impressed.
• Here's to hoping I get to hear the theme music of the Chicago Bulls, which is actually called "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project, many times this season. I'm not lying, I'm listening to it as I type this column, and yes, I'm getting goosebumps. The Bulls theme is absolutely perfect for basketball introductions. In fact, the Patriots of Southern State used it this week. (Some other good pre-game music includes: "Jump Around" - House of Pain, "Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes and "Till I Collapse" - Eminem.) Just don't play Justin Bieber, that's all I ask.
• This one has a Highland County twist to it, but I'm happy for Mowrystown's Brandon Walker as he will enter his first season as a varsity head coach, taking over the Symmes Valley girls basketball program. He will do good things at that school.
• You can still call me crazy, but a 45-second shot clock wouldn't hurt anything in high school basketball. If it takes longer than 45 seconds to find a shot, maybe a new play is in order. (Remember, I'm an impatient person, so that might have something to do with it.)
• I'm ready to see what school has not only the loudest, but most creative student section this season. I hope there is a lot of creativity this season.
• I'm looking forward to "More Cowbell" at Hillsboro games this season. I hope the HHS Pep Band is ready to cure my feva' … no really, I have this cough and it won't go away, so I think cowbell is the only cure. I'm not joking.
I'm out of space (this was my print column) … I'll have more basketball opinions/predictions next week.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]