smckinney

I have no problem calling a Spade a Spade, if you read my post; I said I really believe the best team won last night. I truly agree with you, despite any adversities your team may face during the game they should be able to adjust and win the game! Or do like Gibson County girls do, make it obvious who the best team is. Last night was Liberty's night; they made their shots and BTW didn't, BTW were clearly frustrated and didn't play like they did to defeat Sheffield. As for being one of the top high school basketball cities in the country I agree about that ANY YEAR. Unlike other locations in the state, Memphis has a huge pool of talent spread around the city.

First let me congratulate Liberty and Bolivar on their victories. Liberty came out and shot the ball very well. For some reason Memphis kids feel like they deserve to play in a game that is both fair and unbiased. BTW allowed the refs to frustrate them during the game with at least 4 very controversial offensive fouls so they stopped driving to the basket. The ref had three fans thrown out the game for making comments about what they felt was bias calls against BTW and the lack of call against Liberty. Martavious Newby was ejected when the same ref said he threw an elbow to the back of one of Liberty's players. Less than 1 min later, one of Liberty's players were whistled for an offensive foul for throwing an elbow, but was not ejected. Don't get me wrong, BTW did nothing to win the game by shooting less than 30% from the field. BTW is coming off a Runner-Up finish where they lost their top five players and still manage to make it to the sub state. People continue to act like they don't know, but TSSAA is about the money! Memphis teams don't bring the money to the BORO!! Last year Memphis sent five teams to the state with four of them playing for the championship. TSSAA stated it was the poorest grossing state turnout in history. This year will be worse because the boy’s state will not be held during spring break like last year. Liberty and Bolivar have proven to be very strong programs with multiply state championships, their teams seem to be very well coached and you can tell their kids put in the gym time. So I will never take anything away from a team that works hard to do their best. I can only speak for the game I saw, BTWvs Liberty, and say I think the best team won the game regardless of what happened or didn't happen. I think in the end that should always happen. BTW was not able to handle the situation where Liberty took advantage and made all the right plays. BTW's best player did not show up in the game and you can tell the sophomore was frustrated. I hope Liberty wins it all!!

Liberty came into South Memphis tonight and took a game from BTW. Liberty came out in the 2nd half and took over the game from a frustrated BTW team. BTW seem to let the refs get them out of their game. They were called for at least 4 offensive fouls and started jacking jumpers. Martavious Newby did not show up tonight and got ejected when called for throwing an elbow in the 3rd quarter. Liberty did everything they needed to win the game where BTW did everything they needed to lose the game. However, congratulations to a BTW team that no one thought would get back this far.

I tried to let them know, it is no joke in Gibson County. I've been up there TWICE and didn't like it neither time. The difference in Region 8 and Region 7 is Region 8(Memphis) has athletes, where Region(7) has teams. Our girls depend on their God given ability and spend less time in the gym working on the little things. You can tell Region 7 girls spend time in the gym working on their shot, attend camps and working with people on individual weakness. That comes with support, not just coach support, but family support. Most young ladies in AA Memphis play multiple sports so they don't have off season to work on their weakness. Regional 7 entire enviornment is very supportitave of their teams and it shows. When you pulled up at Fairley tonight you couldn't help but notice the 4 buses in front of the school. Manassas didn't have a change to win, but Fairley did, they missed freethrows and lay-ups down the stretch they casused them the game. Congrats to the winners and good season to the losers.

Regardless of what anyone will say, Fairley had their changes to win the game. ELo can not pick up silly fouls with 1.7sec to go in the 3rd quarter. Fairley needed to make freethows and giveme's down the stretch. "Hardwork defeats talent, when talent fails to work hard!!!!" Kevin Durant

Tell them again I don't think they heard you!!! We are hungry at South Fairley and we tired of eating hotdogs we want some steak!!! I heard they feed you steak at the state tournament. Bring the A1 and the Heinz 57 steak sauce!!! Fairley Bulldogs, MY Alma Mater!!! Fairley, PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. Remember the State Championships is a business and the business of the State is attendance. I promise you, ELo will not go to the line 32 times on Saturday. WHEN you win on Saturday, you will have to earn it outright. Ask Hillcrest, Mitchell, and BTW, the last four regional champions out of Memphis. Hillcrest and BTW where the only one to get out of here and make the trip so it can be done. They are going to bring the entire town with them and try and buy all the tickets. The Refs are not going to be on your side. But TALENT will overcome it all. I will be there rooting for the local team Good Luck Lady Bulldogs.

I was at the game last night. IT was a really good game. I really thought Fairley would win the game hands down. But Manassas came out and played the best game of their season. Yes ELo went to the line a lot, but I think she could have went even more. She is a very aggressive guard and Manassas rode her all night. Let's not take anything away from this young lady. She carried her team after her #2 and #3 players fouled out. She went and got the ball and put her team on their back. Manassas did not do enough to keep the ball out of her hands. Also, D. Phillips did not take a shot until the last two minutes in the 3rd overtime, after she scored 24 in regulation. I thought they should have did more to get her the ball and she, being the best player on Manassas team and a senior was not as aggessive as ELo was for her team.

Last year's BTW team lost the one player they needed to beat a GREAT Gibson County, their PG, who tore her ACL in December. BTW had strong post players, but their problem was Gibson County strength PG play. Fairley has great G's Eric Oasley is a scorer and Brandi James is a great "Scotty Pippen". But since Fairley won the Regionals and so did Gibson County this conversation is irrelavant. I think they have a really good chance to get past Martin Westview at home! They will be the 1st Memphis AA team to reach the State Championship since BTW beat Martin Westview three years ago. Good luck to both of you.

Congradulations to 2009 McDonalds All American Nominee Jessica Brown. Jessica "Cola" Brown will play next season with the Red Wolves of ASU. Her signing marks the completion of the 2009 class of Booker T. Washington High School. Cola was the 2009 15AA Most Valuable Player as well as a three time All District and All Regional Player while being named to the All Metro team twice. Brown chose ASU over a good ETSU team in a very hard decision. Good Luck Jessica and the rest of the 2009 BTW Lady Warriors.

When I read your post, I went to the NLI website and I did see exactly what you said. However, if you look on the NJCAA website it states in their bylaws "Section 5.A.8 8."The Letter of Intent is an institutional letter awarded for a maximum of one (1) year. Any student-athlete who is a United States citizen or holder of a green card and who becomes academically ineligible (Article V) at mid-year, may be replaced by another United States citizen or holder of a green card student-athlete for the remainder of the year. Non-United States citizen student-athletes may not be replaced by another Non-United States citizen student-athlete once the college expends any funds on that student-athlete." So, we where both right!! Regardless, all four seniors at BTW will attend school and play basketball next year FOR FREE!!!

When Jesscia Brown make her announcement tomorrow it will be the final singing for the Booker T. Washington Lady Warriors. Brown is set to decide between East Tennessee State University and Arkansas State University in the morning. Despite playing only seven games this season due to a torn ACL, Jaquita Burt signed to play with Northwest Shoals Community College in Alabama, Monique Ingram has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Jackson State Community College in Jackson, TN. Daira Hester chose Jackson State University in Jackson, MS over UT Martin, Jacksonville State, Alcorn State, and Southeastern Louisiana State. Over the last four seasons, this class has won three league, two city, four district, one regional, and one sectional championships while making it to the sectional each year with a state appearance in 2007. Arguable one of the best four year runs of any team in the City of Memphis.

Anyone have any infomation on the TACA All-Star game that was played today?

There are a lot of factors why the attendance is down in the State. However I am really concerned that some much attention is being giving to this. It makes me afraid that the State tournament will not be about the teams that have burst their butt to get there but which teams will bring the biggest crowds. When money becomes a factor people start to loose their conscience. At that point getting to the state will loose its credibility. I made the 4 hour drive from Memphis to watch the Championship game on Saturday. Now let??™s break down that trip for me. Gas is 1.89 per gallon in my Escalade that??™s about $70, $10 for the ticket, and $5 for parking. That 85 for a high school basketball game when I could have easily stayed at home and watched the game like many of the people in Memphis for FREE and even watched the Tigers BLOW OUT MARYLAND.

In the championship games you had 4 Memphis Teams, three of which, Manassas, BTW, and RE are inner city schools. For some of these families, transportation is a problem. It is a four hour drive from Memphis to the Boro, one way!! I made the trip three times last week, however not all people are like me and on spring break. If you charter three buses and if they are filled that is only approx 150 people. On the way to the Boro, there was a twenty car caravan from BTW which looks like a lot but when you put those people in the area it??™s a very small crowd. If you want a better crowd for the State, allow the sites to be determined based on the participants. I promise you if the finals where held in Memphis this year, at FedEx F it would have been a record crowd. For the last three years there have been at least three Memphis teams in the finals, like this year there was four last year as well.