KCK Preps - GET HYPE! - Play of the game

by David Brox, davidbrox@shukc.com, follow me on twitter at @OdoggBrox

I wanted to provide some feedback on what I saw last night at Sumner Academy before moving on to planning next Tuesday's broadcast.  Like I said last night on twitter I have never had so much fun and I am hopeful that I am able to improve the quality of the video and content of the broadcast over the coming weeks.

1.  The season will need to unfold but specifically because of the Vernon Vaughn injury Benny Parker almost by default is the most valuable player in the city.  He is a small point guard but he carried Sumner last night and I could not be more impressed with his heart and effort.  There were periods that he looked very tired but he kept coming.  I don't know his final rebound totals but there were at least 3 situations he rebounded and went the other direction to score or get to the free throw line. 

2.  I could not help but have a feeling of tough luck for Alex Garvin for Sumner Academy.  I want that young man to know that there will be nights like last night but at no point did I think he was taking bad shots.  He has a very clean stroke and very easily could have made half of those jump shots.  Alex I would not change a single thing.  Keep stepping into those shots.

3.  Benny Parker sparked the Sabres but I wanted to give a bit of credit to the twins Adrian and Sam.  I have watched these two for years now and they are 2 of the scrapiest defenders I have come across.  Sumners press really took hold with these two in the line up with Benny Parker.  I am hoping I see this line up later in the season as well.

4.  Nick mentioned the annimation on the side line from coach Parra and staff.  Especially on a late break where Sam Falcon was clearly fouled which resulted in a turn over.  It was very clear on our side that there was a hold and the Sumner bench reacted that way.  I couldn't help but notice that it was the same ref who called an intentional foul on Parker last year in Washington.  It was a huge miss call as Sumner had the ball 2 on 1 with the lead in single digits.  Huge play.

5.  Speaking of twins I would like it noted that we had something extremly rare.  2 sets of twins saw significant minutes in this game.  Sam and Adrian Falcon and obviously Colin and Ryan Murphy.

6.  I said this on the broadcast but thank you Colin for the haircut.  It helped me a lot.

7.  I got to meet and talk with coach McBride while we were setting up.  I asked about his starting lineup and he indicated that the 5th starter was Chase Younger.  I looked down and saw the 6'0 sophomore next to his name and immediately responded "point guard".  He responded to say essentially that we don't necessarily just stick our smallest player at point guard.

This comment did not hit home until late second quarter when it became clear that Colin Murphy was playing point guard.  Not only was he handling the ball against the trap he was setting up the offense and doing everything you would expect your point guard to do.  Yes that includes lights out shooting from 3-point range.  So what was obvious to everyone were the 6 3-pointers however Vernon and I noticed something a lot more important.  Colin frustrated Parker in the first half with his size.  Basehor surprisingly played man and Colin was tapped to hold Parker.

Colin won the battle in the first half which ultimately turned out to be the difference in the game.  However Colin had 5 points in the second half and I think the fatigue associated with chasing Parker for the entire game set in during the second half.  He had a few more turn overs as well in the second half but everyone that has watched and was there live got a treat in seeing that matchup.  Kudos to coach McBride for doing that.

Colin wins the GET HYPE! Play of the Game award.  If you get me out of my seat during the broadcast then you are a no brainer to win this award.  Congrats Colin!

8.  This game goes into the files for game of the year.  It reminded me a lot of the game that won the award this year in football.  Schlagle jumped all over Harmon to go up big just as Basehor did Wedensday night.  Only to see Harmon come back and tie it only to have Browning clinched it with a big run.  Same flow and exactly the type of atmosphere and energy I am looking for in that award.

9.  I don't know the final numbers but Sumner will have to clean up their free throw shooting.  They lost the game missing some point blank layups and free throws.  This will be a key for them as they enter league play.

10.  Thanks again to coach Parra for his support and allowing us to come to practice.  I understand there is some history as Nick noted in his article about coach but I am hopeful to be the bridge to keep the relationship between all the coaches and KCK Preps solid. 

11.  The Basehor girls won 35 to 25 against Sumner.  Sumner coach Allen has a very young team and I am hopeful they can get something going during league play.

12.  Hit me on twitter @OdoggBrox and don't forget to like KCKPreps on facebook.  We have to drive awareness which in turn provides exposure.  I saw today a conversation spawned because Vernon Birmingham spoke about our broadcast and site.  A coach of a womens basketball team and baseball team at a college was looking for some players.  Share the link, like articles and retweet articles you like.  Trust me the benefits will be beneficial for all of the young people in our area.

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KCK Preps - Game The Week Announcement

by David Brox, davidbrox@shukc.com, twitter @OdoggBrox

There were a lot of lessons learned the first time out but the broadcast was successful enough that we will continue on with this concept.  We will be developing a voting system to identify the game of the week we will broadcast over the next few weeks.  So we will choose the game for next week.

We will be traveling to the Wash House Tuesday January 10th to see Schlagle and Washington play.  We will be reaching out to coach Johnson and King for information about their teams.

I will again look to arrive early to air some of the game prior to varisty starting.  I will make an attempt to resolve some of the issues we faced on the first broadcast.  Your feedback is welcome via email and twitter.

I will again open the door to businesses if you are interested in having some advertisements read during the broadcast.  We will have a live feed and the videos will also be available for replay so there will be opportunity for good exposure for local companies.  Email me for details and questions.

Please be patient with us as we get this going.  I have my head down on finding a solid solution so we can get some good exposure for our local athletes.

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Ten thoughts on the Basehor victory over Sumner Academy

By NICK SLOAN, NJSloan212@gmail.com

A game as big as Sumner Academy and Basehor deserves more than one post, video or whatever.

The teams, in my mind, are the two best teams in 4A at the moment and in the past five years, they've been the best programs at the 4A level, along with Topeka-Hayden.

It's a heavyweight showdown when these two schools play.

That in mind, here are 10 thoughts on the Bobcats' 74-66 victory against Sumner Academy, it's first since I believe 1999.

1. The first 10 minutes of basketball Basehor-Linwood executed were the 10 best minutes I've ever seen a team play at the high school level in person. 

They were nearly flawless. They hit shots. They rotated the ball well. They played tough defense. The chemistry was perfect. The way Basehor-Linwood dominated Sumner during the stretch was amazing.

As I was watching that 10 minute stretch, it reminded me of the 2008 Final Four game between Kansas and North Carolina. As much as it kills me to reference one of KU's greatest wins in program history, this game was eerily similar to it. KU jumped all over North Carolina to the tune of 40-12; Basehor led Sumner Academy 34-8. Both Sumner Academy and North Carolina made tremendous comebacks, but each ran out of gas and could never cut the lead in one possession.

Those 10 minutes won Basehor the game.

2. Ben Johnson has arrived for Basehor.

I've written a Biblical amount of words about Ryan and Colin Murphy. Now it's time for some love for Mr. Johnson. Johnson was quiet against Piper this year. Against Sumner, Johnson looked dominant at times. He was aggressive inside, made some good moves in the paint and played his heart out. His 19 points were huge and anytime he got the ball inside, it was game over. I spent the second half watching the game behind the hoop on one side of the gym and seeing Johnson's athletic ability was fun. He's a freak.  

3. Benny Parker played in what my opinion was the best game of his career. 

It wasn't the most important game of Parker's career. But it was the best game I've ever seen him play - amazing considering that he had the flu this week. He didn't need any thing else to stamp his legacy at Sumner Academy, but this game was a special one.

He was all over the floor and he never quit. His 33 points led the game and 17 of them came in the third quarter as Sumner cut Basehor's 26-point lead down to 12.

Without Parker, Sumner loses that game by 30 or maybe 40. It was the single greatest one-man effort I've seen and you had to be there. His pressure defense was critical in Sumner's comeback.

Speaking of which....

4. Sumner Academy should be kicking themselves for not playing pressure defense earlier. 

How early? Maybe from the tipoff. I wrote this in my game preview, but if I was Sumner Academy's head coach, I would have played pressure defense from the beginning. Sumner played zero pressure defense as Basehor dug Sumner's grave in building a 34-8 lead. Once Sumner started putting some pressure on Basehor's defense, the Bobcats began to make mistakes on offense and defense, as Basehor was out of position after Sumner forced turnovers. This decision would haunt me as a Sabres supporter. Sumner outscored Basehor by 14-18 points during this stretch. This is a syndrome of most KCK coaches - they don't run a pressure defense until it's desperation time. Imagine if the team played desperate 32 minutes?

5. Basehor-Linwood head coach Mike McBride told me after the game that Basehor isn't close to peaking as a team. 

If that's true and if Basehor finds that peak, I wouldn't want to be the other teams in the Kaw Valley League or in Kansas 4A. However, he may be right. Basehor's guards need to provide some offensive production and if the sophomores and juniors at the guard position can do that, Basehor becomes an even more complete team.

6. Basehor will be prepared for the pressure if they see Sumner Academy again. 

Two years ago, Sumner Academy crushed Basehor-Linwood in the regular season at home. When they met seven weeks later, Basehor nearly pulled an upset on the Sabres, losing by just three points in the sub-state final. From a far, it seems like Basehor always plays better against the opponent in Round 2.

If they cross paths in Salina, Sumner will have to mix-in some different sets of pressure defense. Even in this game, Basehor was able to break the pressure occaisonally. Had the guards been more experienced, Basehor would have had some easy lay-ups in the game. Basehor is a nightmare match-up for the Sabres this season.

7. Even though this was Sumner's third loss of the season, this was the first one that truly made me realize how much the Sabres miss Vernon Vaughn. 

Each time Ben Johnson and Ryan Murphy got the ball in deep inside the paint, they scored easily. They would not have scored easily had Vaughn been healthy. I'm not sure Sumner wins if Vaughn was in the lineup, but there's no chance Sumner falls behind 26 with him in the lineup.

8. This is a touchy issue, but one that needs to be addressed - Sumner Academy head coach Dan Parra could cost his team down the road with his erratic sideline behavior. 

I won't lie - our personal relationship resembles that of Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton circa 1997-98. However, this is honest advice from the heart - be careful with the emotion. The coach won't receive a technical foul in games played in KCK, but an over-zealous officiating crew (potentially at state) will call one on him and Sumner's bench.

I have seen a fellow KCK coach be the victim of a stupid crew. Schlagle head coach David Johnson received a technical foul from an out-of-town crew in the final minute of a close game between Schlagle and Ottawa last season. It was a bad technical foul and you don't see a ton of technical fouls called at the high school level. But officials do call them once in a while.

There were times Wednesday where officials could have easily called a technical on Parra. The foot-stomping, the quick jump, the stepping on the court, the spin move and near towel throw after Sumner didn't box out on a free-throw, the yelling and the complaining could hurt Sumner down the road with a crew. Emotions are part of the game, but some officials have a strict-line between disagreement and behavior being worthy of a technical foul. A technical foul in a game where Sumner was looking to comeback would have been devastating. No coach should ever give an official an excuse to call a lame technical.

This point is especially important for a coach at an inner-city school. Inner-city programs often get a tough officiating crew.

9. Sumner Academy deserves tremendous credit for not quitting, while Basehor deserves credit for taking a punch or two. 

First, Sumner. Basehor's 34-8 run was one of the most demoralizing things I've ever seen as a fan. Basehor was making everything, Sumner was making nothing. Still, the Sabres showed tremendous heart and the players deserve great credit for it. They fought hard and showed some pride in cutting the game down to five. They left it all on the court, dove for loose balls and fought hard. My admiration for them is unmatched.

However, Basehor deserves some credit for taking the punch. Even though the margin of victory was not big, Basehor usually answered Sumner's runs everytime. Sumner had cut Basehor's 21-point halftime lead down to 11 in the third. However, Basehor extended the lead back to 18. After Sumner cut it down to six, Basehor pushed it back to 10. Again, Basehor did not answer point-for-point, but when a basket was needed, they found a way.

10. Kudos to the Sumner Academy and Basehor fans. 

The game had one of the best atmospheres and considering that it was only a Wednesday game, that's impressive. Had this game been played on a Friday, it would have sold out completely. The fans were very loud and the Bobcats and Sabres basketball teams should feel proud of the fans they have.

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VIDEO: Coach Springs retires Jeff Hawkins' jersey at Sumner Academy

By NICK SLOAN, NJSloan212@gmail.com

Prior to Wednesday night's showdown between the Basehor-Linwood Bobcats and Sumner Academy Sabres, two of the biggest cornerstones of Sumner Academy Sabres basketball history stepped back inside the gym that features four state title banners.

Legendary basketball head coach Randy Springs, the man who put Wyandotte Bulldogs basketball back on the map and the man who put Sumner Academy basketball on the map, retired the number of Sabres great Jeff Hawkins.

Hawkins, Sumner's all-time leading scorer, won two state titles during his four-year starting varsity career at Sumner Academy.

Hawkins later played for the University of Kansas, where he was on the roster of two Final Four teams. Hawkins provided Bill Self some key minutes during his senior season.

The honor was well-deserved and probably a little over-due. 

As a Sumner alum who went to the school when Hawkins played, he was nothing short of a basketball hero in our school and in the city. It was also cool seeing Coach Springs again.

Seeing Coach Springs and Hawkins back on the same court again at Sumner Academy brought back great memories as a fan.

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