Coaches Confidential: Which coach would you not want to face in a winner-take-all game?
For our "Coaches Confidential" series we asked Central Indiana high school boys basketball coaches several questions to answer with anonymity. Today's question:
“Which coach would you not want to face in a winner-take-all game?”
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“He no longer coaches, but Paul Keller (formerly of Delta) ALWAYS had his teams prepared. If you give Coach Keller time to prepare for a game, he will be ready to take away what your team is trying to accomplish on both ends of the court. He may be the most underrated coach of all-time.”
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“Probably Steve Lynch (Brownsburg). I think his teams are well coached, tough, physical, skilled and they guard as well as anyone in the state year in and year out.”
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“I know that we won't play them at anytime, but Steve Lynch always does a great job of getting his boys prepared for their opponents and play hard no matter what. Kyle Ballard also does a great job at Triton Central.”
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“Steve Lynch. His group is going to have a great plan and I know they are going to be tough as nails.”
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“Lutheran coach Remus Woods always gets the most out of his guys and never looks nervous and overwhelmed.”
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“Scott McClelland (formerly at Morristown, now at Noblesville).”
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“(Ben Davis coach) Don Carlisle.”
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“Kerry Brown. In my opinion, his team is going to be the best prepared team.”
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“Kerry Brown.”
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“Kerry Brown of Connersville.”
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“Andy Weaver (Plainfield).”
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“J.R. Holmes at Bloomington South.”
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“Mark James (Perry Meridian) or Criss Beyers (Franklin Central).”
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“Mark James. His team’s discipline and style is always a challenge.”
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“Mark James. I’m probably biased, but his preparation and attention to detail is unmatched. Others: Stacy Meyer (Greensburg), Kerry Brown, Scott McClelland.”
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“This is a really tough question. Going to say Mark James.”
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“If he has the players to go along with it, Mark James, best prepared coach I have even been around, a master of making a game plan, but the players executing is another story.”
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“Mark James (you aren’t going to out-prepare him or his kids).”
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“Mark James.”
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“Don Carlisle.”
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“If you remove talent from the equation and go strictly off of coaching — probably Todd Woelfe from Terre Haute North. No team ever comes in as prepared as his teams. The assistant coaches are calling out every set you call. His teams play tough. It’s always an extreme challenge.”
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“Bill Zych (Pike) and Don Carlisle.”
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“From years ago: Basil Mawbey (Kokomo and Lewis Cass) and Jack Edison (Plymouth). Current coaches: Todd Woeffle (Terre Haute North) and Steve Lynch (Brownsburg).”
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“Boy is that extremely difficult, there are so many good ones. Retired Jimmie Howell or Bryan Hughes. Current college coach Scott Heady (Marian). Current high school coach Ryan Osborn (Carmel) or Kerry Brown.”
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“Jake Turner of Southmont. Dave McCollough of Frankfort (has 617 career wins; might be a solid coach).”
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“The late Bill Harrell from Muncie Central.”
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“One that has better players than us … But Bryan Hughes (formerly of Barr-Reeve) and Kerry Brown are the first two that come to mind.”
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“Great question, there are a bunch. It is Indiana high school basketball. Lou Lefevre, currently at North Harrison, is great defensive coach. Retired Jimmie Howell and Basil Mawbey. Kerry Brown at Connersville is a great defensive coach.”
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“I would say Osborn at Carmel would be my choice only because you know it’s going to be a slow, low scoring game. If you have one of the programs that play fast or maybe have trouble in a half-court set, then Carmel will be extremely tough to beat.”
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“Ryan Osborn. One loss in the postseason in his head coaching career. Enough said.”
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“It is very difficult to point to just one coach, but I would choose any coach who has long offensive possessions. Coaches who coach not to win, but rather for you to lose can be the last ones you want to face in a ‘one and done’ situation. If you don’t have a team that can create turnovers and gain extra possessions, your kids can get frustrated playing defense for two-thirds of the quarter and having a quarter with limited possessions.”
Tough as there are many good coaches. I am going to take the easy way out and say any coach in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. I think this conference is not only loaded with good players, but also very good coaches.”
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“Not to be arrogant but there is no coach that I wouldn’t want to face. (Side note: Our team is capable of competing with anyone. We beat ourselves in many cases so we have to overcome our own self-challenges).”
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“Great question, but very difficult to answer because there are so many great coaches in Indiana, so many different philosophies. That is a tough one.”
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"That is a really tough question. There are a lot of great coaches who are really tough to play against.”
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“It’s difficult to pick just one coach, there are a lot of coaches that have been around that have different tricks and plays that they can pull out.”
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“Any of my assistants.”
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“Myself!”
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
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