BigRoyalBen

I love it when people try to tell me that MLK Basketball is all about Coach Shelton. I really believe that you have no idea, because that is not what he thinks at all. If you knew Doc at all you would see just how much he cares about his players. To some allumni and who knows maybe even to some players now, Doc is like a father. The love he shows for his boys and his determination and power as a coach, is like no other. That is why he is recognized. You mean to tell me that Doc does what he does, not for the team, but all for himself. Please... it sounds to me like jealousy is showing its ugly head. I mean just because Doc is in the paper and is recognized as a winning and dedicatied coach, doesn't mean you have to blast him for who he his and because he is good at what he does. BIG BEN

Yeah I do actually. MLK looked the poorest I have ever seen them this year. Lack of hustle in the first half led to a ton of easy buckets for the Jackets. They just didn't have the fire like they did at DL.. Johnny Lee played like he had already signed a scholarship deal, and Kris Smith tried to make everthing look pretty. They tried to play with too much finesse for a very athletic and quick Sprigfeild team. Down 6 at the half Doc layed it into them about playing with lack of hustle. They came back out and looked strong in the 3rd and 4th and took it home. But to be honest Springfeild drained everything under the sun.. turnovers cost them, but when they got the ball up in the air it seemed magnatized to the bottom of the net. 3 after 3 after 3..... BIG BEN

Yeah, even thought my opinion is biased, I believe that MLK is one of the top teams in AA and could have a real run at the title if they get a little luck and shoot the lights out like they did against Lipscomb. All of the componets are there... key role players like Johnny Lee and Kris Smith, good inside presence with Clarence Smith, and a deep bench with Gerald Robinson, Shawn Sims, James Kaminski, John Hopson, and others. And no one can argue with this fact.... they have the coach. I was very suprised when I say coach Doc Shelton walking torwards the MLK student section before the Springfeild game. He invited us into the lockerroom to listen to him speak to the boys at half-time. When it rolled around, MLK was down 6 at the break and Doc was not the happiest of campers. He talked to the team about being big-headed and how title teams play hard the enitre game not slacking in the least. He fired up the troops by letting them know that the team who was going to come out on top tonight was the team that played the hardest in the first 4 minutes of the 3rd quarter. With one goal in mind the Royals hit the floor running in the third, with numerous turnovers and hustle plays. Coach Shelton took a whole season and wrapped it up into 4 minutes of a third quater in a meaningless district game. Thats the type of effect Doc has on his boys. The Seniors played like it was their last game and came out with victory in the end. You see this is what is going to take MLK a long ways... a focused, non-selfish squad, with one star player, and no I don;t mean Johnny Lee or Kris Smith, but Coach James "Doc" Shelton. He is the real deal, a respectful, dedicated coach who will lead this team deep into the post season. BIG BEN

I think they would love another shot at Central after last years overtime loss. I mean I would love to play Boliver... It would be the first piece of REAL competition that we have seen this year. BIG BEN

Well 8AA is being held at MLK. Looks to be a clean sweep for the Royals, however, any team can go down come tourny time... Look for the Royals to be real AA title contenders... BIG BEN

Just thought I would get some opinions on this game before tip-off tommorow at 8:00 PM at M.L. King. My Prediction -- Martin Luther King 66 Springfeild 47 They held us close up there, so it might be a game... BIG BEN

Are you guys posting for Lipscomb attending Lipscomb University this year? I am planning to come their next fall, so maybe next time I lead a rushing of the court we can be on the same side of things LOL BIG BEN

I appricate you coming to my defense Yanks, but honestly I see no problem in college students posting about high school sports. I mean next year I will be right across the parking lot from the DLHS students at the university and I plan to come back and watch my Royals play there. So, keep up the posts BombSquad, because next year I know I will. BIG BEN

I love it how a board about High School Basketball can turn into a personal attack on a fan in the blink of an eye. Oh well, I guess that is it goes. I'm not going to be the one to start anything personal with any of you. I'm sorry thats just not what I believe in, and coming from Christian school students I wouldn't expect that out of you either. Never will I attack anyone by name in a personal way -- NEVER!! BIG BEN P.S. Sorry, I'm not going to lose the nickname....

I guess the Bomb Squad faithful left with Brent McPherson. But anywho, you might have stormed into MLK last year and got a win, however, I feel like we left with the confidence in knowing that we were still number one (as I stated when i led the cheer that made yall crawl back into your little section of the gym). But I mean what are you gonna do with a sea of MLK fans rushing at you like wild cattle. LOL. Anyways, I'm not a fan of living in the past unless I seek redemption. Well, I can check that one off of my list, because STOMPING DL at their place was sweet revenge for a c/o 2005 senior. So, before you go running your mouth about last year, let me give you a huge piece of humble pie.... SIXTY-SEVEN to THIRTY-FOUR... Enough said... BIG BEN P.S. I can agree with you on one thing though, an oops to Kris Smith to end the game would have been nice.

HAHA... I love it. It is so nice to get one back after DL beat us on our Homecoming last year. Thanks to all who posted and support MLK, I hope to see you all in the 'Boro competing for the state title. However, I am not going to put the cart before the horse. The Royals still have a lot of work to do, we still have Greenbrier twice, Station Camp twice, and Springfeild and DL once more. Just remember that the season is just a warm up for the real games (The District and Region tournies) BIG BEN P.S. GO ROYALS... 67-34... I wouldn't have it any other way.

Well , its all over... MLK let Lipscomb know that they will sit atop 8AA. Kris Smith had a huge game and led all point scorers, and Clarence Smith definatley did his job handling Brock in the post. With Smith fronting him the whole game, Brock had no chance to grab the ball and work his so call "dominant post play". This game was a turnover-fest, mostly on the Lipscomb side. Johnny Lee, John Hopson, and James Kaminski were all in foul trouble early and didn't sit, they kept the pursuit alive and took it right to the Mustangs. Pharr and Solomon were dominated by the suficating defense and seemed to inept to ge the ball to the post instead of looking for their jumpers. This caused a ton of steals and easy looks for the Royals. I was talking with my fellow students before the game and let them know that they picked the right one to come to, because we all thought that this would be a game. However, no one showed up. Not Brock, Mayes, Pharr, Solomon, or the Bomb Squad. This might as well have been another home beatdown for the Royals. Martin Luther King 67 David Lipscomb 34 What a blowout.... Oh I hope this is a message to everyone in AA.... THE ROYALS CAME TO PLAY, like it or not they will be a factor come tourny time. BIG BEN

Yeah, DL's gaurds can play, but I don't think that they can hang with Johnny and John. But something that no one has talked about is the post. Everyone assumes that Brock and Mays will take it to MLK; however, don't forget about the Smiths (Clarence and Kris). If MLK moves Kris to the inside, look for Brock to have a sub-par game. BIG BEN

Look for Brock and Mays to be held in check by the Smiths (Clarence and Kris) and also look for some dominating Defense by MLK. However, this game will still be close as it always is. My Predicition -- Martin Luther King 58 David Lipscomb 50 BIG BEN

It's that time of year when 2 of the top Nashville squads battle to see who will take the regular season in district 8AA. David Lipscomb and Martin Luther King will go head-to-head this Tuesday, January 18 at 8:00 PM. My Prediciton -- Martin Luther King 58 David Lipscomb 52 With this game taking place at DL, I can assume that King will come out with a double digit win, but I believe they will take this one to Lipscomb. I talked with some of the players after Friday night's demolition of Hume-Fogg, they told me that the coaches and player were looking forward to Tuesday and that they were going to prepare awful hard for this one. Look for Clarence Smith and Kris Smith to try to stop the interior play for Lipscomb. It will also be interesting who MLK will play on Pharr. I think in a close one MLK comes out with a 6 point victory. Turnovers will be key to this one. Hope you can come out and see this one, probably the game of the week. BIG BEN

Prolly the most underrated Sophmore in Middle Tennessee is Gerald Robinson for Martin Luther King. He just doesn't grab much attention because of the M. L. King supporting cast. Look for G-Rob to turn some heads in 2 years. With all the experience he is getting under Doc now, he should be a prime player come 2007. BIG BEN

1) Willie Kemp 2) JP Prince 3) Johnny Lee BIG BEN

HAHA... I love the story, one of pure defense and strategy. Looks like the teams took a page out of "Doc" Shelton's book if you ask me, (just to connect this thread to loacl high school basketball) BIG BEN

Being an MLK fan I would love to agree, but from a realistic stand point I can't. David Lipscomb and Greenbrier pose a real threat the the Royals. I believe that we will come out on top of the district, but look for those 2 teams to give us a huge run.

Looking forward to a great matchup on Friday. This game should be an easy win for the Royals, however the Blue Knights always come to play vs. King. Look for this game to be overshawdowed by a Lipscomb/Greenbrier match-up, but still a vital distrcit game. Any loss for the Royals sets them back when it comes to distrcit supremacy over Lipscomb and Greenbrier. My Prediction -- Martin Luther King - 57 Hume Fogg - 34 Post Predictions and 8AA Games here... BIG BEN

Can you say TOTAL DOMINATION?? Lipscomb by a landslide... I mean this is a team that can hang with MLK and MLK demolished the "Panters" by 50.

I can totally agree with all of you in saying that this is one very tough district. I also agree with the fact that Lipscomb and Greenbrier will give MLK a run. Even Station Camp played us close last year, a last second shot had to beat them. However, I still see us coming out on top of the district (maybe not perfect). I was talking to the coaches today and we all agree that we cannot wait to see DL and Greenbrier, becasue then all of the questions will be answered. But for now MLK has to look torwards Friday, not ahead of themselves. Friday marks the rival game vs. Hume-Fogg at Martin Luther King. Scrappy to say the least, the Knights come into MLK will some hard losses, but as proved in the regional tournament last year, they always come to play vs. King. So for now I am dropping the future and taking this season game by game. Can't wait to see all of you guys at the games. Oh and please if you ever come to M. L. King to see your team play, please feel free to introduce yourself.... I'll be the guy with the royal blue hair and Big Ben on the back of the White-T. I'll be the first to shake the hand of another true basketball fan.... BIG BEN P.S. GoBama.... Can't wait to see you and the Bomb Squad at MLK... looks to be a dog fight (just the way we like it )

I got a new one for everybody, even though his style isn't to dunk, I saw this man catch the sickest oop against East Literature... Kris Smith for Martin Luther King. Johnny Lee on the dish 2 on 1 and out of the corner he comes... behind the head and down. All over the defender.... BIG BEN

Yeah you could say that I "know" the answer, but nothing is over till its over. A strong favorite in the tournaments last year, MLK was closely played by many teams. Also, this district poses a lot of question marks, where any team could beat themselves and lose to another team. All it takes is one loss in the tournaments and its over. So, really I guess my question should have been Who is going to give the Royals a tough time and why? BIG BEN

With district games in full swing, it's time to make your early season projections. In my opinion 4 teams are going to battle for supremacy in the district. - Martin Luther King - Greenbrier - David Lipscomb - Station Camp However, any team in the district can beat themselves so look for the race to get heated as the season presses on. Post predictions here... BIG BEN