WesVLT

BGA is outstanding. The Wildcats beat Ensworth by 22 Saturday. Although the Tigers are still recovering from football season, that's still an impressive win. BGA has now won ten straight games.

Last week's results: East/Middle Baylor: 5-0 (6-2 overall) W Tullahoma, 72-20 W Bradley Central, 69-44 W Sequatchie County, 60-35 W Glenwood (AL), 67-51 W Franklin County, 62-44 Brentwood Academy: 0-2 (3-6 overall) L MICDS (MO), 40-29 L Hamilton Heights, 62-31 Ensworth: 0-2 (1-7 overall) L Hamilton Heights, 59-38 L BGA, 79-57 Father Ryan: 0-1 (2-7 overall) L Stratford, 54-44 McCallie: No games this week (4-4 overall) MBA: 2-1 (5-4 overall) L Station Camp, 54-45 W Franklin, 54-43 W MICDS, 56-39 Pope John Paul: 2-1 (10-4 overall) W Smith County, 75-45 W Aaron Academy, 63-46 L CPA, 74-21 West Briarcrest: 0-1 (5-5 overall) L St. George's, 73-61 Christian Brothers: 1-1 (7-5 overall) L Columbia (AL), 59-47 W Vestavia Hills (AL), 51-26 Memphis University School: No games this week (5-5 overall) St. Benedict: 2-1 (5-5 overall) L Collierville, 66-49 W MHEA, 70-49 W Covington, 57-45

It ended up being a very good game. Nathan Moran is an outstanding shooter and came through for the Wildcats Tuesday night. The Eagles welcomed their football players into hoops action for the first time and hope they'll adapt to new coach Hubie Smith's system. We can expect BA to improve as they get integrated into the squad. The Wildcats look like they'll be excellent contenders this year in DII-A. They've already beaten McCallie and Father Ryan, as well as topping BA twice.

If you'd like to talk about hoops in Division II, this board can serve as ground zero. I'm a Brentwood Academy supporter and will have tidbits and updates throughout the season. Whether you're a DII-A fan or a DII-AA supporter, this is the place to talk about basketball. Good luck this season!

He's superb. I'm thrilled to be able to watch him for three more years -- whenever he isn't playing BA, that is.

Thanks!

I agree with you there.

When you put the DII championship games in Cookeville even though all but three or four teams are located far west of Cookeville, you can expect poor crowds. I would like to think that if the game were played in Nashville, residents of the state's second-largest metro area would make the 15-minute drive to see the game. Very few impartial observers -- even the most diehard football fans -- are going to drive all the way to tiny Cookeville -- and that goes for every classification. Also, these are small schools, and the weather doesn't lend itself to strong attendance figures.

Sandlot, your posts are derogatory, distracting and unnecessary. You have been reported to CoachT. Please either post respectfully inside the DII board or just post elsewhere -- if CoachT doesn't kick you off the message boards. Thank you.

Ryan's linebackers were really good. I look forward to seeing that program continue to progress. A good Father Ryan is good for DII.

Please post more. Also, thanks for your website, which has revolutionized the way I (and others) prepare for broadcasts.

If MUS is to beat Ensworth, it will need to force turnovers and win the line of scrimmage. The Tigers are incredibly physical, and Ferby -- slowed by injury for much of the year -- has had an extra week to heal and prepare. It will be hard for the Owls to shut down the Tigers' smashmouth offense, but if they can get some early stops and put some quick points on the board, they will put Bowers' run-oriented squad in a tight spot. I predict that the Tigers will control the line of scrimmage well enough to keep the ball out of MUS's hands. Ensworth will lead 14-3 at halftime and will win 27-10.

Then don't bother showing up in that league's message board.

Again, DII schools did not choose their present predicament. Please find a different tree up which to bark.

If I may, let me point out that DII schools didn't elect to be banished to their own classification. The public schools voted to put them there.

Would anyone like to talk about the game?

I don't even know what I don't know about DII-A. My DII-AA list came from seeing most teams multiple times and diving into the stats. I do love me some Webb Spartans! Best of luck next week.

Chandler is awesome. I'm making a list of top underclassmen at some point and he'll be on it.

Great info on Fitzsimmons. I've always envied those natural athletes who specialize in another sport, can take a year off and come back with ease. Best of luck to him during baseball season. Hotty Toddy!

Fritz is lightning-fast. I called the state track championship last year and was blown away by his speed. As far as evaluating those players, you would know more about them than I. I saw McCallie play once in person and watched some film of their other games, but I'm hardly an expert on the Tornado. I do think Coach Potter is building that program back to what it used to be, and I'm excited to watch the progression.

Thanks, good catch. The return stats listed his team as "MS." My brain apparently put a "U" in the middle. Fixed.

One quote I got from a Science Hill administrator: "You guys are the most athletic team we've played in years. How in the WORLD have you lost three games?" The folks in Johnson City were very kind. They also learned about the quality of this league.

St. Benedict is bad. Christian Brothers, while traditionally strong, was down this year -- and still beat 6A semifinalist White Station by double digits. JPII, the worst team in DII East/Middle, beat three playoff teams from other classifications, including 4A quarterfinalist White House and 5A first-rounder Lincoln County. Four of McCallie's losses were against the top team in Tennessee (Ensworth), the top team in Kentucky (Bowling Green) by four points, and two other teams ranked in the top 200 nationally (BA and MBA). Throw in a three-point setback against a strong 6A school (Siegel) and you've got one of the toughest schedules in Tennessee. If you want to call this league weak, please tell your school's athletic director to schedule a DII-AA school and prove it on the field. Not many teams want to play us these days, and it isn't because the league is overrated.

Brentwood Academy was called for a sideline warning in the first half.

Many of us have seen the majority of DII-AA teams in action this year. Since the official teams aren't out yet, I thought it would be fun to post and debate our own CoachT All-State team. I'm not out to slight anybody. If you see a player left off, tell us who and why. As always, the opinions expressed are my own and not representative of Brentwood Academy. Offense QB - Tyler Swafford, Brentwood Academy RB - D'Andre Ferby, Ensworth RB - Colton Neel, MUS RB - George Porter, Baylor WR - C.J. Sanders, Brentwood Academy WR - Kiambu Fentress, Ensworth WR - Devin Perry, MUS OL - Michael Sawyers, Ensworth OL - Jackson Pittman, Brentwood Academy OL - Alex Bars, MBA OL - Drew Richmond, MUS OL - Parker Wade, Ensworth TE - Chandler Gouger, Baylor Defense DL - Derek Barnett, Brentwood Academy DL - Xavier Forrest, Ensworth DL - Jahmel Perry, Christian Brothers DL - Jashon Robertson, MBA LB - James Prather, MUS LB - Andrew Busby, McCallie LB - Max Stoffer, Father Ryan LB - Joey Magnifico, St. Benedict DB - Rico McGraw, Ensworth DB - Hunter Hill, Briarcrest DB - Andrew Rector, Father Ryan DB - Donovan Sheffield, Ensworth Special Teams K - Rafael Gaglianone, Baylor P - Gary Wunderlich, MUS Returner - Jeffrey Coleman, McCallie Returner - CJ Sanders, Brentwood Academy Who did I leave off? Which players would you like to see on the list?