Monday, November 29, 2010

Opener OK, showed potential

By Rex Kirts

A big traveling crowd proved there's still magic in South's basketball program, and the 2010-11 team showed some sparkle in the season debut Saturday at New Albany.
The Panthers started slow, and didn't shoot well for the game-long stats, but after the first quarter they shut New Albany down on the way to a 65-39 victory.
New Albany led 18-16 at the first quarter but scored only two points the second quarter and 21 total for the last three quarters.
South's defense created offense, especially off-the-bench defensive havoc created by junior Michael Bower. Spencer Turner started hot from 3-point range and Dee Davis joined him in 3-point mastery in the third quarter to lead the Panthers offensively. Davis finished with 19 points and Turner 18.
The game was a marked improvement over last week's scrimmage at North. The biggest difference was simply more spirited activity on defense and more purposeful movement of people and the ball on offense.
THE PANTHERS won the boards, too, 32-18, not because of a big size advantage but simple scrappiness. Turner, Bower and Desmond Marks led the way with seven rebounds apiece.
Shooting will need to come up. It was .373 from the field and . 631 at the free throw line.
Feeling their way, the Panthers started the game very deliberate on offense. They maintained control and got better shots as the game progressed, but they also began to run the floor and ripped New Albany pretty good in transition.
"We got off slow with our shooting and had five or six shots blocked inside," coach J.R. Holmes said. "At the half I told the guys to settle down."
The defense picked up in the second quarter when the Panthers stopped penetration. In the third quarter the offense got rolling when Davis, who was 2-for-10 the first half, bombed in three 3s.
"This is a good feeling," Davis said of winning the opener, on the road, in front of a large crowd, against a traditionally good program. "The guys played hard and as a team."
The defensive effort in the second quarter was the result of better communication, Davis said. In the third quarter, the offense executed better. "We did the stuff we worked on in practice," he said.
GETTING SCORING from others helped take the pressure off him, David added.
Holmes liked the play from his reserves.
"Michael Bower and Alex Forney were just great off the bench," Holmes said. "Bower did this all summer long - he really goes after it.
"This was a great game for us, on the road and playing a team of that caliber."
Holmes has said the sdchedule is the toughest he's ever had. The opposition continues strong next weekend at home when the Panthers host Bedford North Lawrence on Friday and Evansville Harrison on Saturday.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Trust is the key

By Rex Kirts

As South gets ready to open the basketball season, coach J.R. Holmes said the key element is trust among teammates.
"My word for this team is trust," Holmes said. "They've got to trust each other that they can do what they've practiced to do, that they can score. That trust comes through practice."
As the scrimmage against North last week showed, there is still much to accomplish in practice before the Panthers can live up to their pre-season No. 2 ranking in the state.
Shooting needs improved, free throw shooting needs improved, people movement needs to get better. Holmes' offense has always been a beauty to watch, but it wasn't in the scrimmage.
The potential for another outstanding year is there, with Dee Davis, Spencer Turner and Joey Forney back. The Panthers were 23-1 last year, and they were 18-2 in the summer even though Forney passed up basketball to play baseball.
HOLMES HAS SAID this is the toughest schedule he's ever had, and there will be no waiting to find out how the Panthers handle it. They travel to New Albany for the season opener Saturday night.
This will be a clash of two of the state's best programs in recent years. South has ranked first in the state in winning percentage in 14 of the last 16 years and is currently No. 1 with a percentage of .777. New Albany is fifth at .757.
Joining seniors Davis, Turner and Forney in the starting lineup will be seniors Desmond Marks and Ben Stowell.
Davis, headed for Xavier, is a spectacular point guard who averaged 15.7 points per game last year. Turner, going to Belmont, is a 3-point shooting whiz who averaged 11.2. Forney, going to Xavier for baseball, is strong inside and averaged 4.2. Marks, a hefty 6-5, 250 and counted on to get rebounds, averaged 3.4 in limited action. Stowell played only a few minutes on varsity last year but led the JVs in scoring.
This unit did not play well in the scrimmage at North.
"We missed layups, missed free throws, missed shots," Holmes said. "We didn't make the extra pass, didn't get the ball to the open man. I think we're straightening that out.
"Our rebounding was good, but our shooting was horrible. It was 'show me what I can do.' We had a lot of spectators (no movement)."
Oddly, Holmes said he wasn't discouraged by the performance. But that's because it can be used as a lesson.
"I WAS SORT of happy . . . because that's the way we practiced. I think it got their attention. We need more competition in practice. Our depth is not as deep as the last two years."
One of the great strengths of the last two seasons, the 26-0 state championship run two years ago and the 23-1 last year, was the second five pushed the starters hard in practice.
Holmes is anxious to see if the lessons learned from the scrimmage produce positive results at New Albany. "It will be interesting to see what happens."
This team has to learn its roles, he agreed. "Dee has to be the leader. We have to get an identity and a pecking order, but I don't want it to be predictable that Dee always has to take the shot."
And that puts it back to the trust factor.
Another emphasis in practice this week was working against a triangle-and-2 defense. "Everbody will play that against us," Holmes said.
That means teams will chase Davis and Turner, forcing the others to step up and score. Marks, Stowell and Forney can all hit from the perimeter.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Forney to Xavier

By Rex Kirts

Joey Forney and Dee Davis can share rides to college now, since they're both going to Xavier in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Davis long ago made his choice to play basketball at Xavier. Forney made his choice to play baseball there this week.
It was a welcome decision for Forney, who originally signed with Duke but had the offer withdrawn when he scored lower on the SAT than Duke wanted. It was only about two weeks between Duke backing out and Xavier coming in.
The first priority for Forney, a senior, will be third base, but he may also get a look as a pitcher
"I VISITED XAVIER last weekend," Forney said Friday. "They treated me really well and gave me a great offer. The players were great. I felt really comfortable there."
He described Xavier's program as "up-and-coming. Lately they've been one, two or three in their conference (Atlantic 10). If you win the conference you get to go to the College World Series."
Xavier has a converted shortstop playing third base, who will be a junior when Forney starts. Forney made the same switch, going from short to third, for South's program last spring. He was a force, at third and pitcher and at bat, for the Panther team that went to the semistate.
This winter Forney will start at forward on the South basketball team.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Holmes optimistic, rebuilding with Davis, Turner, Forney back as starters

By Rex Kirts

South ended last year with a crushing defeat in the regional final, a loss to Jeffersonville that ended the Panthers' winning streak at 49 games. It is the second longest streak in Indiana high school history.
That was followed by the graduation of center Erik Fromm and the early graduation of Matt Carlino, ceremonies which took two of the team's valuable starters.
These events could put a damper on prospects for 2010-11, but they don't. The Panthers are still in pretty decent shape. More will be known after practice begins Monday.
Coach J.R. Holmes, the fifth winningest active coach with 629 career victories, is beginning his 29th year as the Panthers' head coach and 40th overall. He has four-year starters Dee Davis back at point guard and Spencer Turner back on the wing. And senior Joey Forney, a two-year starter, is back at forward.
THAT'S A STOUT TRIO. Xavier-bound Davis was MVP on the unbeaten state championship team his sophomore year, and Bellmont-bound Turner can shoot the 3-pointer as prolific as anyone. Forney has looked good in fall open gym.
While the Panthers lack a proven big man and their depth must come around, they showed over the summer there is adequate talent and team savvy. Even without the Duke-bound Forney, who concentrated on baseball, they posted an 18-2 summer record. They lost to talent-loaded Hamilton Southeastern when all their players weren't there and to an all-star team from St. Louis in the national tournament in Las Vegas.
"We'll be senior-dominated for the first time in a while," Holmes said. "We'll probably start five seniors and have seven or eight on the team. Senior experience is good."
Starters in addition to Davis, Turner and Forney should be Ben Stowell on the wing and Desmond Marks in the middle. Alex Forney and juniors Michael Bower and Trae Washington will come off the bench.
"My concern is depth," Holmes said. "Do we have someone who can be a positive factor for us? My second concern is rebounding."
BOWER HAD a great summer and could provide a good spark off the bench. He plays a lot like David Blackwell did, aggressively, for the state champs two years ago. Alex Forney is like that, too, and Washington was consistent during summer play.
There's nobody with Fromm's height, 6-8, but Marks is 6-5 1/2, Joey Forney 6-4, Turner 6-4, Alex Forney 6-3 and Sstowell 6-1, so there is decent all-around size. Senior Gabe Hull, the state discus champion, is giving basketball a try this year and is 6-7.
The Panthers won't be as quick as last year, with the loss of Carlino and Fromm, but Davis is in a quickness league by himself because of his spectacular acrobatic, slashing play.
"The players like to get up and down the floor,' Holmes said. "It depends on how well we rebound. I think we can replace some of Fromm's and Carlino's points."
Despite his concerns, Holmes sees good things for this team. If the schedule permits.
"IT SHOULD BE a year in which we're competitive," he said, "even though this is maybe the toughest schedule we've ever had. Everybody has a bunch back."
The schedule includes 12 homes games and the Hall of Fame tourney in New Castle. Big crowds are exected at home because of the many quality opponents coming in.
The 49-game winning streak is over, but others are intact. "We've won 44 regular season games in a row," Holmes said, "24 straight in Conference Indiana (that's a three-year unbeaten streak),
and 34 straight games at home."
The Panthers scrimmage Bloomington North Nov. 18 at North. The regular season opens Nov. 27 at New Albany, and the home opener is the second game on the schedule, against Bedford North Lawrence on Dec. 3. Also, South will host the sectional this year.
"I think we're anxious to get going," Holmes said.
PANTHER SCHEDULE
Nov. 18: Scrimmage at North, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 27: At New Albany, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3: Bedford North Lawrence, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 4: Evansville Harrison, 8 p.m.
Dec. 10: Southport, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 11: At Terre Haute North, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 17: At Lawrence Central, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 18: Jeffersonville, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 21: Carmel, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 30: Hall of Fame at New Castle, 1 p.m.
Jan. 7: Bloomington North, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 11: Columbus East, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14: At Edgewood, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 21: At Martinsville, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 22: Franklin Central, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28: At Pike, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4: Columbus North, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 10: Center Grove, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 12: Warren Central, 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 18: At Perry Meridian, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 19: LaPorte LaLumiere, tba
Feb. 24: At Decatur Central, 7:30 p.m.
March 1,4,5: Sectional
March 12: Regional
March 19: Semistate
March 26: State