Previewing Girls Basketball. Is Honaker team to beat in D2?

**PVVikings2006** · October 21st, 2008, 10:55 AM

Up here in the coalfields, the Lady Tigers still should be strong along with Virginia High from the CMD. Anyone have any info on any of the other teams from the CD, BDD, LPD or CMD?

**beamer_ball** · October 21st, 2008, 11:26 AM

What does Honaker return? Artip, Tiller, McGlothlin? Lose Perkins?

Va High loses 3 starters...Grimm, Shankel, and Jones. Pippin and Denton the two returning starters. A. Shankel and Hutt should be back.

Lee loses 2 starters, Wynn and Copeland. Cluesman, McPherson, Music, and Rutherford should be among the 7 returning.

Believe Casltewood just had a couple of seniors. Evans, Addington, and Gordon probably to return.

**cvcgrad** · October 21st, 2008, 11:27 AM

In the LPD, JJK will be re-building after losing a couple of good players in Kalen Collins and Sarah Saunders. Clintwood lost Kristen Mullins. JJK is always very well coached by Robin Dotson though and should start putting together a good team. Clintwood has a new coach I believe.

I think Powell Valley and JIB will be strong in the LPD. Burton has a very good young player in Miller.

Not sure about the BDD, but Ervinton should return a good Lady Rebels team this year.

**bkbasketball** · October 21st, 2008, 11:28 AM

In the Cumberland it will be between Castlewood and Ervinton, with Castlewood being the favorite.

**imported_Counts** · October 21st, 2008, 11:59 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Clintwood has a new coach I believe.
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You are correct. I think the new coach will be solid and will over the long term help Clintwood girls BBall but this season I think the Lady Wave will struggle

**dogfacegremlin** · October 21st, 2008, 12:15 PM

honaker and castlewood will be the definite favorite in d2. virginiah high has a heckuva player in pippen. j.j. kelly will be reloading but they still have a good player in brewer. powell valley could also contend, they are very athletic with trent and holdway. i believe burton could make some noise. council has a new coach and i believe ervinton does as well.

**Glory_Days** · October 21st, 2008, 12:53 PM

kelly wins it.

**sup-rbeast** · October 21st, 2008, 01:02 PM

Going by what I've heard from a lot of my very reliable sources out there, I would say that Region D preseason predictions girls basketball should look something like:

Black Diamond District
1. Honaker - With returning players, including the 5'11 guard and 5'11 post, should be one of the reps this year in the state quarterfinals.
2. Council - Always a sleeper in the BDD.
3. Twin Valley - Any Goodman coached team should never be overlooked.
4. Haysi
5. Hurley

Cumberland District
1. Castlewood - Girls program headed by Ruff is still strong and should bring home the CD crown this year.
2. Ervinton - Had the best player in Region D last year and should again be the best this year.
3. Rye Cove - Team unity is the biggest questions facing this years Lady Eagle team.
4. Thomas Walker
5. St. Paul
6. Coeburn
7. Twin Springs

Clinch Mountain District
1. Virginia High - Aside from Honaker, the other team that shoudl be the state rep in the quarterfinals this year.
2. Lee High - Could be the spoiler in this years playoffs. Lee boys and girls teams known for having their 1000 pt. scorers but no championships. Will this one girls basketball team be the one Lee team that focuses on what it takes to win a championship instead of worrying about how many 1000 pt. scorers they have.
3. John Battle - Played a lot of freshman and sophomores last year all year long. Return basically the entire team. Could be the ones on top when all is said and done.
4. Lebanon
5. Gate City - Long time JV coach has moved up to become the Varsity Assistant. Devils looking to improve over last years single digit win total. Also heard they have no one player that will be able to score at all in every game this year as well as have players that will be able to show the leadership needed with exception of this years three seniors. Single digit wins again...most likely a very real possibility. Program still trying to recover after losing 7 great senior leaders and scorers to state championship team.

Lonesome Pine District
1. JI Burton - Great guard / post players in a program that is very strong right now.
2. JJ Kelly - Program that has not been as strong as in the past but on the rise again with two 6'2 twin sisters coming into the program.
3. Powell Valley - Could be in the thick of the title chase in the LPD this year after a strong year last year.
4. Clintwood
5. Pound
6. Appalachia