Calling last week a tough one for the Christian County Colonels would be an understatement.
Three difficult hard fought losses. First to Madisonville on Tuesday, then Paducah Tilghman on Friday, before turning around Saturday and dropping a game on the road at Lyon County.
However, it might not be the worst thing in the long run.
Consider this, two of those three opponents are possible region tournament foes, not to mention the Colonels will face Hopkinsville on Saturday which means Christian County will have faced three of last years four final region teams before Christmas. That is a massive advantage when you consider not just that coaches get an early look at the competition, but it quickly tells your players where they stand going forward.
Right now you are 0-2 in the region, after Saturday could be 0-3 or 1-2. Either way, you know you have work to do. The great part for Head Coach Toby Miles is that what they need to fix is not only correctable, but very coachable.
Things you cannot coach, at least not totally. Attitude, talent, size, speed, a desire to be disciplined, a high IQ for the game. Things you can coach, and the things the Colonels need to fix; Free Throw Shooting, Defense both on ball and help, Attacking both man and zone offensively, and staying out of foul trouble.
Truth be told Christian County lost to Madisonville and Tilghman, at least on paper, because they did not make their free throws. They lost to Lyon County because, agree with the calls or not, they got in foul trouble in the first half. Breland Morrison and Jordan Miles both had to sit for large chunks of the first half and it allowed Travis Perry and his very talented supporting cast, like Brady Shoulders and Jack Reddick, to flourish offensively.
The Colonels trailed by twenty plus at the half at Lyon County and ended up losing 85-72. That is just a thirteen point deficit and multiple times it was as low as eleven.
You cannot spot a state title favorite like Lyon County that lead on their home floor and expect to come all the way back, I would say that of anyone the Lyons play this year. Also give Lyon County credit, they made their free throws. The Colonels did the smart thing during a comeback and forced the Lyons to earn points at the charity stripe, the Lyons just executed.
The Colonels are more than capable of beating Tilghman and Madisonville, most people would argue they should have won both. Are they good enough to beat Lyon County? I do not know for sure, that verdict remains out.
However, what they proved in three losses last week is on a bad week they lose close in very competitive games to the Maroons and Blue Tornado, and they compete with and do not get blown out by a state title contender.
If they are playing their best basketball, they win their first two games last week, and Lyon County has a dog fight and a single digit back-and-forth battle for thirty-two minutes on their hands. Of those things, I am certain.
The Colonels next face off with Bowling Green on Tuesday night on the road. We will see if they can end the losing streak. Pre-Game will begin around 7:35 on 98.7 Lite FM.