Memphis sweep this year???

[OldSportsGuy]

On 3/6/2018 at 0:09 AM, terop said:

I could be wrong but I think this will be a year of Memphis teams bringing all three balls to the 901....thoughts??

Agree.

Douglas

Hamilton

East

[Osage]

East is a question mark for me. They are bringing more horses to the tournament than anyone in a long time. But the expectations put on this group might not have been fair. They had a lot of early season uncertainty around their roster and eligibility questions. That affects chemistry, makes people question their roles. Then they had a rough holiday spell where they learned maybe they weren't as good as everyone thought. (Simeon and University School I get, but Olive Branch?)

Then they haven't been tested since. Is that because the schedule got light all of a sudden? Probably. Or did they just put it together in mid-January and have been The Machine ever since? Maybe.

We'll find out. No TN team can take down East when they are right. Both Blackman and Bearden are good enough to beat them when they aren't.

[QSouth89]

22 minutes ago, Osage said:

East is a question mark for me. They are bringing more horses to the tournament than anyone in a long time. But the expectations put on this group might not have been fair. They had a lot of early season uncertainty around their roster and eligibility questions. That affects chemistry, makes people question their roles. Then they had a rough holiday spell where they learned maybe they weren't as good as everyone thought. (Simeon and University School I get, but Olive Branch?)

Then they haven't been tested since. Is that because the schedule got light all of a sudden? Probably. Or did they just put it together in mid-January and have been The Machine ever since? Maybe.

We'll find out. No TN team can take down East when they are right. Both Blackman and Bearden are good enough to beat them when they aren't.

The talent in Memphis is still strogner than most of the state so a "light" schedule in West Tennessee is still considerably stronger than East Tennessee. Metro Nashville has some strong teams.  But you can't play on paper you have to lace them up and handle your business on the court.  Having Memphis East, Blackman, and Bearden on the same side of the bracket is amazing but the power of the blind draw.  It appears that Whitehaven drew the 1.  I'm sure Mount Juliet is not a team to overlook.

[Osage]

6 minutes ago, QSouth89 said:

I'm sure Mount Juliet is not a team to overlook.

They probably playing the closest to their ideal level of anyone in the tournament. Well-coached, intense and physical and solid on the ball defensively, but not deep. The Anti-East, if you want to think of it that way. I don't know any of them personally, but I would have to think MJ is probably in the "happy to be here" category.

 

[TonyG]

Olive Branch is in the state championship game.

Whitehaven has Cameron Jones back, I'll say he's about 80% healthy but still will get thrashed if they were to beat East. 

AA is tough bc Memphis has never had a team with steady talent and a suitable area to produce it until the reclassification.  They now have Mitchell, Hamilton, Melrose, & Raleigh Egypt. Hamilton has the talent now but they are senior heavy but I expect Melrose and Mitchell to rise in the next 2 years due to coaches. But if the GSW East High thing is nearing its end, AA should welcome the Lawsons back to Hamilton for the next 3 years. 

But East will be fine, they will press, they will steal, they will dunk, and they will piss you off. 

[tomthetiger]

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 0:09 AM, terop said:

I could be wrong but I think this will be a year of Memphis teams bringing all three balls to the 901....thoughts??

East in AAA, Hamilton in AA and Douglass in A.

[tomthetiger]

6 hours ago, 2011Class said:

East TN sweep Oakdale Fulton Bearden 

Nope. They don't play to likes of the Memphis schools during the season.

[tomthetiger]

2 hours ago, TonyG said:

Olive Branch is in the state championship game.

Whitehaven has Cameron Jones back, I'll say he's about 80% healthy but still will get thrashed if they were to beat East. 

AA is tough bc Memphis has never had a team with steady talent and a suitable area to produce it until the reclassification.  They now have Mitchell, Hamilton, Melrose, & Raleigh Egypt. Hamilton has the talent now but they are senior heavy but I expect Melrose and Mitchell to rise in the next 2 years due to coaches. But if the GSW East High thing is nearing its end, AA should welcome the Lawsons back to Hamilton for the next 3 years. 

But East will be fine, they will press, they will steal, they will dunk, and they will piss you off. 

You hit it right on the head. If Hardaway leaves East, the Lawson's go to Hamilton.

[toinemac]

On 3/6/2018 at 4:39 PM, UCSportsFan said:

Why is AA do hard for Memphis?  

I think AA is just a more competitive classification statewide. Haywood Bolivar Fayette Ware  South Side Fulton Nashville Metro Howard just more programs that play at around the same level consistently 

[tomthetiger]

On 3/6/2018 at 0:09 AM, terop said:

I could be wrong but I think this will be a year of Memphis teams bringing all three balls to the 901....thoughts??

It has happened before

[dannyq]

East could play NCAA division 1. They are way to deep and talented for anyone in this tournament. Whitehaven vs East in the championship. Olive Branch would win AAA if East wasn't around. Olive Branch caught East at the right time. Whitehaven beat Olive Branch by nearly 20.

[warmachine7954]

6 hours ago, tomthetiger said:

You hit it right on the head. If Hardaway leaves East, the Lawson's go to Hamilton.

Unless Keelon Lawson gets the job at East and DJ Jeffries transfers to East.