Great Game at CPA!

[sportsnerd]

CPA held on barely to beat Ensworth tonight 52-51. CPA led all but about 2 minutes of the game, the biggest lead was about 9.  Ensworth never quite, made some great clutch shots and plays, and had a chance to inbound and win at the end, barely missing a three at the buzzer.

Most of Ensworth's players are also football players, so their record is a bit misleading as their players get back in basketball mode and shape after the state championship football game.  I believe they will make some noise in the tournament. They are a very good team, and CPA did not play very well. Blackwell was invisible in the first half but had a couple of big plays in the clutch in the 2nd half.

It was the biggest crowd I have ever seen in the CPA gym with more than standing room only. Great rivalry and a great game between two teams about 5 miles apart.

[BigBoy10]

CPA isn't quite the juggernaut when they play teams that also get to handpick their players... Hmmmm, that's interesting. No wonder they want to stay in Div 1. 

[ecu]

They need to be with them.

[UCSportsFan]

CPA isn't quite the juggernaut when they play teams that also get to handpick their players... Hmmmm, that's interesting. No wonder they want to stay in Div 1. 

Great post couldn't have said it better myself!!!!

[RedRobin1]

CPA held on barely to beat Ensworth tonight 52-51. CPA led all but about 2 minutes of the game, the biggest lead was about 9.  Ensworth never quite, made some great clutch shots and plays, and had a chance to inbound and win at the end, barely missing a three at the buzzer.

Most of Ensworth's players are also football players, so their record is a bit misleading as their players get back in basketball mode and shape after the state championship football game.  I believe they will make some noise in the tournament. They are a very good team, and CPA did not play very well. Blackwell was invisible in the first half but had a couple of big plays in the clutch in the 2nd half.

It was the biggest crowd I have ever seen in the CPA gym with more than standing room only. Great rivalry and a great game between two teams about 5 miles apart.

I agree - it was an awesome game.  Ensworth usually takes a while to get their basketball mojo going because as important as it is for the Ensworth players to get back on the court and in basketball shape, their coach also doesn't get back on the court until the football season is over as well.  As you could likely tell last night - they are a very well-coached team.  

[Playerscoach]

Great post couldn't have said it better myself!!!!

Ummm... yes they are. That team is not perfect but they beat schools just like them from all over the country and the local privates.

 

Folks can say what they want but Drew can coach and they win a rediculously high % of their games. I agree he has great HS players "somehow" but they beat almost everyone they play including upper echelon private schools. To suggest they don't is factually incorrect.

[BigBoy10]

Ummm... yes they are. That team is not perfect but they beat schools just like them from all over the country and the local privates.

 

Folks can say what they want but Drew can coach and they win a rediculously high % of their games. I agree he has great HS players "somehow" but they beat almost everyone they play including upper echelon private schools. To suggest they don't is factually incorrect.

 

I agree that Drew is a really good basketball coach. I'm just saying that Ensworth vs CPA is apples to apples. CPA vs Giles Co, Marshall Co, or any other public school is not a level playing field in any shape, form or fashion. How anyone at the TSSAA thinks that it is, is absurd.

[Fourpointplay]

Ummm... yes they are. That team is not perfect but they beat schools just like them from all over the country and the local privates.

 

Folks can say what they want but Drew can coach and they win a rediculously high % of their games. I agree he has great HS players "somehow" but they beat almost everyone they play including upper echelon private schools. To suggest they don't is factually incorrect.

You are just helping prove the point made by the first commenter.  Pretty sure they were saying that CPA should be with those other hand-picked teams and not with the public schools.  Nobody said they weren't good and nationally-acclaimed.  The fact that they are so good, with "hand-picked players", means the commenter is lobbying for them to go to Division II.  At least that's what I got out of the quote.

[SB1976]

The football to basketball transition for Ensworth has been happening every year for a number of years. They are always better in the second semester than in the first semester. Regardless, they still aren't a top tier team this year, much like last year. They've also struggled with BA, McCallie and other Div II teams in the last few weeks. I didn't see the game this year, and it's difficult to place too much emphasis on a single game, but CPA blasted Ensworth last year and they did not this year. That tells me that CPA is not quite as good as last year. I guess we'll see soon enough. I think Ensworth's title run will come to an end this year.

[UCSportsFan]

You are just helping prove the point made by the first commenter.  Pretty sure they were saying that CPA should be with those other hand-picked teams and not with the public schools.  Nobody said they weren't good and nationally-acclaimed.  The fact that they are so good, with "hand-picked players", means the commenter is lobbying for them to go to Division II.  At least that's what I got out of the quote.

You are correct and he is right on the money.  CPA openly and actively recruits players on a daily basis and should be put in Div II where they are allowed to do so per the rules.  One of these day's they'll get the axe just like Temple in Chattanooga did.  There is too much movement going on at this school for this not to be happening, not only on the basketball team but the football team, golf team,  and every other team they have.

[quizlo11]

When is this supposed Public/Private school split coming??? 

[ecu]

When is this supposed Public/Private school split coming??? 

Not going to happen. When CPA lost at state, no one cared anymore and theT$$AA could care less. Were suppose to talk about it in December but nothing happened.