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robpride, My bad. I didn't think you were trashing. Let me clear something up...the comment about the sweetest player had to do with one of the players that quit but she was not the sweetest player. The sweetest player was the player that was so frustrated with one of the quiters that she wanted the quiter off the floor. Did this just add to the confusion? Anyway, it can be looked at different ways re: the 2 players that left the team. It is always a bad thing whenever any player feels they have been "run off." Go Lady Panthers!

robpride.... Concerning Powell Lady Panthers, you forgot another important player in the mix. Junior post/forward, Kayla Mitchell. Despite the fact that this is her 3rd year on the team and the lack of playing time she has been given, she has a lot to contribute to the team. She was MVP for the JV team and played the best overall (of all the seasoned players with PHS) at Shelbyville camp. Regarding the two lost players... it was no longer fun because one of the girls loves golf over basketball. The other player, while a good athlete, is not a team player, nor has she ever run a play correctly. Not in middle school, not on the JV and not during scrimages with the Varsity. When the most patient, sweetest player on the Varsity is so fed up she wants that player off the floor, something is bad wrong. The ladies went to state last year because they played as a team. There does not need to be any complications to that this year. Ordinarily I agree with most of what you say. Not this time. You need to get your facts straight before you start laying blame. It is too early in the year to start ragging on the Asst. Coach. Yeah, he has his faults, but this time he is not to blame. Go Lady Panthers!

Powell did suffer two heartbreaks on Friday night. Everyone has their opinions on how that last inbounds play should have been handled. Why not show a little respect for the girls and stop insinuating things about the coaches. If you feel bad for the team say so, if not, then say nothing.

WCHS....I'd like to know where you get the idea that all Powell fans say that Craigmont plays middle schoolers in their district? I agree with barb. I think you are someone who just likes to stir things up. Everyone who gets on here brags about their favorite team and how they are going to beat so and so. Talk about being literal. Let people have pride in their teams.

Go Lady Panthers. Beat Brentwood! To the Terrific Ten....one game at a time. Stay focused, play hard, box out and give it your all. Don't forget to say thanks every night for this awesome talent you have been blessed with. We are so very proud of you. Nothing can change that. You have brought more excitement to Powell than we could hope for. Enjoy the attention but stay humble. Remember...NOW IS THE TIME! Halls, scbball...thanks for your support. rob,fife, mtn....YOU KNOW!!!

Ladies, Thanks for making the last several days so exciting. You all came to play and what hard fought games they were. Powell fans love those back and forth, hard fought games. You are all tough teams. It is a shame that so many talented teams are in the same area of the state. Good luck next year.

Willie.... Thanks for the good wishes. Oak Ridge definitely has a great girls basketball team. They make Powell work hard every year. Playing against teams like them helps make you better. My responses to thequestion9 has to do with Community pride, not about running down OR. We have a supportive, close knit Community. We are blessed to have a terrific girls basketball team and a bright future ahead. With all of this, why would we want to send our girls outside of Powell for school. We also have coaches that truly love the girls and when we loose a game, Coach Young's main concern is how the girls feel and not what it does to our record. Don't get me wrong, he wants them to play hard, give it their all and win every time they hit the floor. This is definitely a plus to the parents who have girls playing ball. They also treat opposing players with the same respect that they show the Powell girls by going through the line and shaking hands after a loss. We feel that there is so many positives in Powell to ever think of being anywhere else. thequestion9....glad to see the positive comments. I may ahve not grown up in Powell but I have lived here long enough to have definitely "caught the pride fever." It is still my opinion that you have lost the understanding of the Powell fan. Go Lady Panthers! Go Win the State!

thequestion9, No you don't understand, former Panther or not. It's about pride and Community. We are very proud of these girls who grew up in Powell. We don't believe that the way to win is to take girls away from another school or promise their daddy a job so they will come play for us. You act like the students at Powell are toothless, shoeless morons. It disgusts me to hear that you even attended Powell High (and I never attended any of the schools in Powell). Go Lady Panthers. Good Luck at State.

rangerbook06...what is Ronnie Carter's story? Thanks

Well said mtnbikerth. With continued focus and humility, these young ladies will go far. All of them are fine young ladies...the kind we hope all of our kids are friends with. Play as a team, Pray as a team, and Support each other. NOW IS THE TIME!!!! YOU KNOW !!!

Lady Panthers all the way. Win by 10.

TSSAA is a JOKE! Powell deserves to play at home. These young ladies beat Sevier County and Heritage (something that no one gave them credit for being able to do). The crowd at South-Doyle on Thursday night proves that it is all about money. The gym was over-filled with people standing everywhere. This had to have been a hazard. If there had been a fire many people would have died. Having it at Halls is not the answer. That gym could not support the fans for the District Tournament last year. THE SOLUTION: Hit TSSAA where it hurts...in the wallet. Only the players' parents should attend the game. Do not buy any concessions. Radio stations...somebody step up and Volunteer to broadcast the game. Community TV...Volunteer to broadcast the game. Everyone e-mail TSSAA and voice your disgust with their greediness. GO LADY PANTHERS! BEAT JEFF CO.

Well said robpride. This has gotten out of hand. We all love, admire and respect the Lady Panthers. Despite the differences posted, all of the coaches feel the same way about these young ladies. They had a great game and win tonight. I hope all of the Lady Panthers team (players and coaches) know how proud we are of them and that we are behind them. Go Lady Panthers. Beat Heritage.

Way to go Lady Panthers. Talk about an awesome group of players. You can win any game you set your mind to. We are so happy for you. It is great to see the smiles back on the faces of the players and coaches. This is just the beginning. Good Luck. Beat Heritage.

thequestion9....where there is smoke there is fire. I'll tell you why we wouldn't want to send our young ladies to OR to play ball. We don't need to. We have a great group of homegrown basketball players right here in Powell. They came from one feeder school...Powell Middle. Oh, by the way, our JV team beat Oak Ridge's JV team by 30 points this year. Enough said. Go Lady Panthers!

Hhsbball40....congratulations to Heritage. That was some game. I really enjoyed watching it. See you in the championship. etsubound1st...Good Night Sweetheart. Go Lady Panthers. We are so proud of you girls.

easttngth....I agree.

Kurtis...FYI,none of us made the comment about being a teacher to coach. I am well aware of the rules for coaching in high school. Now down to the game: Instead of starting with 3 posts and 2 guards, use 3 guards and 2 posts. Man 2 man defense and motion on offense. A shot had beter be set up by the 4th pass and somebody better be yelling shot and there had better be boxing out under the goal. If the guards can't handle defense then replace with 3 of the fastest posts(even if they are not starters or subs). Run 2-1-2 defense. If they can't get the ball inside , then the point needs to charge inside, draw the defense and dish the ball to the post who can either shoot or put outside for a 3. Also, the best 3 point shooters need to be in the game often.(one of them happens to be a benchwarmer) Transition needs to be run often and throw Panther in for a change. If a girls does not run transition or box out after each shot(if a post) then she needs to be pulled out. Powell needs to run the floor and charge the basket. They needs to hit the floor quick, hard and dertermined. Play all out. Use all players. They have nothing to loose and everything to gain. Forget all the hype and predictions. Just play their game. Go Lady Panthers...Skin Some Bear.

JanaLee...no offense taken. Both teams are great and this should be a great game to watch. Everyone wants their favorite team to win. Unfortunately both cannot continue on to substate. etsubound1st...Ogan does not throw her body around. She is a talented, clean player. I agree. Your comment was tacky. GO LADY PANTHERS!

LovinThe3Ball...you hit the nail on the head. The postings are not because the Lady Panthers have not won the number of games to suit everyone. The postings are because everyone sees that all the talent has not been used to the maximum potential. They have struggled in to many games where they should have dominated. All of the girls have not been allowed to participate/contribute. Changes have not been made in games to combat changes that the opponents make. Why not put the benchsitters in the game...it might end up being a sneak attack. No one has to plan to play against us...everyone knows that the focus is always the inside game and if you pack the middle you will shut us down. (Just like everyone knew that the ball would go to Sade for the last shot in the S-D game.) As I have said before, everyone knows that if you shoot the ball and you haven't been told to shoot you will be pulled out of the game. It is really a shame when those in the stands (who don't really know anything about basketball) can see when changes need to be made on the floor. Yes, it is tough being a coach, especially under the pressure of a big game. Instead of taking it as a personal insult, look at it logically. Someone could really have seen something that might work on the floor. It is easier to see something when you are not under stress. Why can't we agree to disagree? Just because the word coach appears before someone's name doesn't mean that they have all the answers. The bottom line is...we all think the world of these girls and we want them to get to the state tournament. In the end the coaches will get the credit. Why not take some suggestions along the way. It is a shame that most "suggestions" have been made in the heat of frustration. Unfortunately, the opinion is that no "suggestions" are wanted. Go Lady Panthers...go skin some bear!

robpride....Right On! showtime....no one has just jumped on the Powell bandwagon. The fans have been following these girls for years. The problem is that this is the most talented players that Powell has seen in a number of years and they have not been able to live up to their potential (and not by their own doings). When the seniors were freshman they only won 4 games. Look at them now. You think the fans should just sit back and shut up...we would if we didn't see lesser teams being allowed to make our girls look bad. There is no team in the area that has the individual and collective talent that this group has. There is not a bad player on the bench. Any coach would be lucky to have a team like them. baseline2baseline needs to get a perspective. It is not about the coaches. It is about the girls...and their dreams not being realized. They can only do so much. They have to depend on others for the rest. Coaching is like parenthood...as much as we would like to always be right...we are not. b2b...if you are in it for youself or you can't stand the heat...get out. You are dealing with people's most prized possessions...their loved ones. Go Lady Panthers...We Love You.

Somebody has definitely got to put it in the hole. Somebody has also got to box out and rebound. When many of those shots were missed there was not an offensive player down there to rebound. I would be equally upset about that. The point guards have also got to look down the floor...they missed some shots they way also. But, I guess it is difficult to look down the floor and look back at the bench at the same time. As I have stated before, these girls are really talented and one would think that they would be able to recognize when a teammate has an open shot. My question is...do they have the okay from the bench to do that or is it follow they play no matter what (double teamed, bad angle at basket, not the designated shooter, etc). The best these girls ever play is when they run the floor and the point guard takes it to the hole. You are either gonna hit the shot, fake the defense out and dish it to someone else or go to the free throw line. None of that is going to happen if you are just passing the ball aorund and running down the clock. Enough said. GO LADY PANTHERS, BEAT SOUTH-DOYLE.

Go Lady Panthers Beat South-Doyle! Do not let the loss to OR get you down. You are the most talented group of ball players around. Go out and play with all the confidence that we all have in you. Tomorrow is a new day and a clean slate. Start fresh, leave the past behind. Remember: BASKETBALL IS A TEAM SPORT. NO ONE PLAYER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A WIN OR A LOSS. Your main obligation is to support each other by stepping up when a teammate needs the help. You are the Lady Panthers, the pride of the Powell Community. We love you no matter what. You can win any game that you set your minds to win. But have fun. When you ladies are out there relaxed, having fun, playing your game, you are awesome. We know you feel pressure...you want to win and everyone wants you to win and go as far as possible. Just keep telling yourselves... will what happens each day matter 100 years from now. Cut yourselves some slack. Relax and have fun. Be your own competetor. EVERYONE knows what a great team you are and that nothing can be taken for granted when they play you. Now...go kick some Cherokee butt (for yourselves).

Yes, OR definitely did what it took to get the win. Powell missed a great opportunity in the 2nd quarter to capitalize and rack up some points. As much as I love the Lady Panthers, they did not play like they really wanted to win. In fact they didn't even look like they wanted to be out there. The real shame is that there is soo much talent on that team that they don't need the over-coaching that they get. These girls know how to play ball. Word has it that if you do not execute the plays and take it upon yourself to take a shot you will be taken out of the game (even if you scored). This is definitely not the same team that began the season. Where is their joy and love of playing the game? Also, could someone tell me why they dress out 10 girls? They only play 8. If those girls are good enough to wear the uniform then why are they not good enough to play? I have always been told that if you can't get the job done then you go to someone who will. Those two kids usually look pretty good during warm-ups. I guess they are just window dressing. Anyway, I hope the Lady Panthers can get the fire back in their bellies or they are toast. They are to good for their season to end like this.

hey kurtis... sounds a little like sour grapes. you do have a point about the tourney teams and mvp. however, how do you think the girls get to play in the important games...by playing hard and producing during regular season play. this is reflected by the stats. anyone can talk about how good a player is but if she is not getting any play time during regular season then she is not going to get any play in tournament games. she sure won't get a chance at al tourney honors. it's all in how you look at it. also, how many girls are all district that are lesser skilled players than their teammates?