bucdaddio

Boone rolls 40 - 13. Don't see heads in the clouds. Seem to be pretty solid. Plenty of tests ahead, though. Science Hill, Tennessee High, and even Crockett will test the Blazers before it's over.

Oops! I think the Big 9 teams improved a lot in the last few weeks of the season. SH made great strides, TN solidified their team, and Central turned it on in the conference tourney. Also think the IMAC usually underestimates the Big 9. That being said, the lone IMAC team will still win the region. Probably over TN High.

Morristown West will not have too much trouble w/ Sullivan South...all the rest could be toss-ups...........

I will happily grant you that the system is the major factor, but you still have to have the athletes to carry out the system. That's why most teams ebb and flow, up and down, to some extent, with the level of talent. We are discussing this on a Big 9 thread, where lately there have been different teams rising to the top from time to time. Some of that has to do with coaching, some not. SH's success is due to the new coach coming in a few years ago, that had girls trying out that wouldn't try out for the previous coach. TN High's previous coach built the system back up, but there is a different coach there now. They're still on top partly because of the system, and partly because of the talent still there.

So Central beats SH, without Moody, to win the tournament championship. And nobody on this thread has a word to say about it? Fantastic job by the Lady Cougars. Is Moody done? how bad is the knee? C'mon. L. Ron Hubbard had a philosophy. I didn't buy his, either...................... /bored.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":bored:" border="0" alt="bored.gif" />

I'm pulling for Central, for a couple of reasons. First, the Moody girl is fun to watch, and secondly, because a long, long time ago i graduated from Central, (and back then, there was no South). Good Luck, Lady Cougars! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

/ohmy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":o" border="0" alt="ohmy.gif" /> WOW! /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> wouldn't have thunk it. That makes it interesting. Conventional wisdom would have Tennessee High and Sullivan Central in the championship. But It could get very exciting in both games. Don't think South can pull it off twice, but nobody thought they could pull it off the first time, either. TN High vs. SH will be speed vs. speed. Depending on who wins, the championship could be verrrrrrry interesting!

Never had that great amount of confidence in Tennessee High, but apparently Dobyns-Bennett can't handle them. I give the Lady Vikings credit in that other girls have stepped up, so that it isn't always a one-girl show. They should win the tournament. Dobyns-Bennett will take second. They had the personnel to be dominant in this conference, but had too many let-downs. Science Hill is improving every day, and could be peaking at the right time. Sullivan Central is a dangerous team, and could beat anybody, but I'm afraid there is a difference between beating anybody and beating everybody, which is how you win a tournament. Volunteer has picked it up at the end of the season, and could make a little noise, but not going to be top 4. David Crockett has the best player in the conference, but as the season went on she got less and less help, and are having a dissappointing end to there season. The other three are just trying to get one more win before it's over. I'll be surprised though, if a District 1 team makes it out of the Region.

Gotta say I'm proud of Boone for their win over rival Crockett. Particularly proud of the lone remaining senior on the team, Christa Baskett. She truly stepped up in a big way this week, both on and off the floor. Led the team like a senior should. On the floor, she took the responsibility of guarding the best player in the conference, and helped hold her to less than half her average, and kept her composure, even though late in the game, her coach called a timeout for the sole purpose of berating her for a mistake, which drew the ire of the Boone fans, and helped her team gut out the win in double-overtime. When kids learn these kind of lessons, it will serve them the rest of their lives..........

Now THAT was tinted orange!

Yes, as I said earlier, I look for those 2 teams to be the 2 that make it out of the Regionals

Not so sure about Science Hill. They keep dropping in the standings, and their tournament seeding may have them face either Crockett, or Central, which they don't matchup well against, apparently.

Drove up to Bristol Wed. night to watch the game between Milligan and King College women's team. Got to see a great game, that featured a lot of the players talked about on here in recent years....... Milligan featured Rikki Baughman from Elizabethton, Alisha Mainer and Hali Sparks from Unicoi County, and Brittany Kilgore from Daniel Boone, Renee Ensor from Unaka, Brit White from Chuckey-Doak, Rose Pezzimenti from Tri Cities Christian, and Ashlee Price from Cherokee. King featured Kristi Moody from Sullivan Central, Ashley Deans from Greeneville, Holly Nickels from Daniel Boone, and Jasmine Treadway from Elizabethton, Beth Raby and Allison Bosse from Farragut, Jessica Tharpe from Sevier County, Brittany Blank from Karns, and Anisha Buchanan from Shelbyville Central. It was a fast-paced, physical game, and King pulled ahead to win by 9. If you get a chance to watch either of these teams, do it. I know you'll enjoy it, and the cost is the same as a high school game. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

Crockettfan, I will agree with you on the statements about Murr. She is a great young lady, and the best player in the big 9. I know I will get some arguments there, but before you start, you better check the stats. There have been some good players come out of the Big 9 in recent years, but she's averaging about 28 pts per game, and let's face it she's the one everybody is keying on, and still she keeps lighting it up. If I'm a college college coach, I see a pure shooter who can also play all over the floor, and leadership qualities, as well as grace under pressure. As for D-B and TN High, well D-B hasn't exactly shone against the IMAC, but those are the 2 best teams in the Big 9, and it would be a huge, HUGE upset if anybody else beat MoWest, or even Cocke Co. would be a pretty good favorite.

The BIG 9 is not really that much weaker than before. 2 teams in the IMAC are just way ahead. MoWest is a powerhouse, and Cocke Co. is just reaching their prime. I would be surprised if anybody besides these to make it out of the Regionals alive. But Big 9 not win a game? Don't see that happening. Jeff Co. and MoEast are very talented, but not more so than the top Big 9 teams. And didn't Tennessee High just beat Greeneville? So it can be done. I could see the Big 9 winning 1 or maybe 2 (if the matchups are right) in the 1st round, but I see MoWest and Cocke Co. coming out in the end.....................

I don't think anybody's "hating" on SG. I do think if you polled people outside of the SG community, you would find that they have a certain reputation. I am a fan from afar. They are one of the scrappiest teams I've seen in a while, and my daughter used to play on a "scrappy team" from elsewhere in the area. Of course, you never want to hear the foul language, and I have heard it from other teams as well, but I think it comes from the emotional intensity that they play with, and that's what makes them good. That intensity. They are not afraid to foul, but that's why they give you 5 of them per game, right? I like to watch a team that hustles like that.

Don't think South will pose that much of a challenge. Crockett not nearly as bad as they looked against Betsy the first time. Not sure about MoEast. They were tough last year. Boone used to own this tournament, but not this year. These tournaments take one thing Boone is short on this year - experience. They will certainly gain some this year, which will help in the next couple of seasons.

Not trying to run anybody down, but before you get too excited, isn't Volunteer winless in the conference still? Boone has owned the Volunteer Christmas Classic for years, but that will end this year. Elizabethton, is probably the favorite. Crockett or Mo-East may make some noise, though.

Central is next, and Science Hill if they keep improving

My bad. score was backward on coacht's scoreboard....................................

Apparently, I was over estimating South and Crockett, as they both fell again last night. Looks like Central gave D-B a decent game, and the TN High win over Boone was expected, although they did it without Montgomery scoring a point, as she went down to injury in the 1st period. Hit her head and possibly hurt her shoulder. They can ill afford to lose her. Good wins for East and Volunteer.

D-B is definitely the team to beat. Tennessee High is most likely 2nd. They are still dangerous, but not as dangerous as they were last year. Central is probably next, though a cold shooting night can hurt them occasionally. Science Hill seems to be a team without focus right now. If anyone doubted the contribution of Jasmine Foster to their success last year, take notice of how they are faring now, without a solid force under the basket. Not sure yet how good East or Boone can be. Either one could gel into a factor before it's over. South will do fine, but they are easier to play without the two stars to focus on. Campbell is good, but easier to double-team. Gonna get good in the next week or so..................................

Tickled to death to see the Boone girls pulled off the win at South. The ladies from Gray gutted out a win over a Lady Rebel team that just took Tennessee High to the buzzer. Heard from many sources that those girls have been working extra hard, and I'm glad it paid off for them last night. They have had to step up a little earlier than expected, and looks to me like they are giving it everything they've got! Congratulations girls! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

/roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Not sure it was a fluke. Central has lots of hustle, but let's face it. They are a shooting team. Shooting teams can sometimes run hot and cold. If they are hot, Central can play with anybody, if they're cold, they are gonna struggle. Noticed last year that if you play them very physical, they tend to get flustered...............