dgeeman

Ezell squeaked by MJCA tonight in the Battle of the Un Big Men 56-50. It seemed no one over six feet was allowed to play in this contest. (just kidding) As it turned out the Saints won the odd quarters, Ezell won the even quarters but the Eagles were lucky to leave the gym with a 6 point victory. Got to meet Gymrat and his tall son Ben, got to talk a little basketball and a little building up of each others sons. It is pretty nice to know so many kids in this Division...it is getting hard to root against any of them. Got some friends on both teams that are gonna face tomorrow in the FRA vs MJCA game. I hope all the boys play their best...and may the best team win. Ezell plays at Lipscomb tomorrow in a non - division contest.

You know unfortunately if you are in this division...you are gonna play some really weak teams...you have to. But we played BA, MBA, Friendship, DCA (2) David Lipscomb USN and FRA...there is some pretty good teams in that mix. We had to dodge a 3 pt shot at the buzzer to win today. "A close win makes for a better victory!"

I think I would say at this point that Ross Welch will help USN. Whether he would help DCA there has been enough discussion on that already. DCA is obviously solid enough to be at the top of the Division so enough is said there. Enough is enough...let it go and let's try to be more constructive here.

Good grief...why is it necessary to tear down 15-18 year old kids. We are talking about high school basketball players that have been given a chance or hope to get a chance to play a game. There have already been too many names of kids and parents thrown out here...My intention in beginning this board was and always has been to lift up players and parents...I would hope others would do the same. If you don't have anything good to say...then don't. It has taken about three weeks to get three pages on this board but in one day...because of all the negativity...three pages in 1/2 day. For you parents who have boys playing...enjoy the moment! Lighten up guys please. gman

Can you imagine how much better DCA might be with Welch playing for them...Well I hope things work out for the young man...it is difficult to see such a talented player not play as a result. You see different calls from the TSSAA all the time. It would be our luck he gets eligible and revoke some revenge on the Eagles...hopefully we will be on the other side of the bracket in the tourney. BTW don't discount Nilan...Welch is good...Nilan is good too! They will be an awesome duo once they get to play together.

Thanks for that information. I will have to post what the coach did...to me it seemed a silly call as he was just squatting down talking to one of his players...if he's yelling that is something else but he had his back to the court at the time. Even the Zion Christian parents mentioned this ref as one who had called 6 techs in one game for even more silly stuff. They said they tried to ban him from doing their games but apparently had no success with that request.

Speaking of appeals...funny thing happened at the Zion Christian game last night...our head coach got a tech for going down to the far side of the bench and talking to one of his players...he got a "T" for that...then I think once he got a "T" I was told that coaches are to remain on the bench and can not stand the rest of the game...is that true? I think then he again went down to talk to the same player and was "T'd" up again and thrown out of the game...does this make sense to anyone? None of this for arguing until he got the first "T" then the second.

At first glance the MJCA schedule seemed pretty weak, however, a win vs Knox Webb though down deserves some attention. Let's not count Nilan and the USN team out just yet...Big ENS was right in that one of the losses to Ezell...probably shouldn't have happened, however the door was open, maybe by the refs, maybe by the players, but even with two losses...who knows what might happen USN is still in the hunt for now. It could be fun down the stretch even as battles for the #2,3,4 spots develop.

Okay GC Pioneer, went ahead and added the Division II - A West Division...we expect to hear from some of yall west of the Tennessee River now. Forgive me for not knowing but probably don't want to meet some of yall till tourney time...that is if our little team makes it.

Won't be hard to find me...I'd be the chinese guy behind the video camera.

Hey I value your opinion...if your a dad, other, family, relative I know you've seen a few good playas out there. I'm not expert but I have an opinion and last I checked it is still a free country out there.

It is all good BigENS. Don't really see anything wrong with pumping up our sons though I usually have good things to say about most players. Despite what you say actually was rooting for FRA to beat DCA to make things interesting. DCA my guess as a result of tonights game has the inside track on the Division regular season championship. And you are absolutely right about the Eagles win over USN...awfully lucky would never deny that. The Eagles may have lost their high scorer tonight...prayers go out to Hayden Ray who may have suffered a bad injury on the ankle. Hoping it is just a sprain. BigENS sounds like you know a little about the good players in the Division...acknowledge a few players on the new post I started today. Would love to hear you input. Hey appreciate the details of the game tonight vs USN...you don't get the details like that in the box score. Like I have said in the past...gotta like the Hodge boy...I think he is quite the player. Congrats to DCA for getting it done...they look to be a young team that may win it all for the next two years. Gman

1/27 Nashville Christian (AWAY) 1/31 MJCA (AWAY) 2/10 FRA (HOME) So just who is the 9aafan? Come and talk to me at the next game...

I thought I would throw out a topic that might provide some additional encouragement to the ballers that are playing in our favorite Division. Gonna call it a DORFY (Dads, Others, Relatives, and Friends) so we are taking nominations for this now prestigious award. Be sure to post some reasons you want to nominate some of these players because we all know that points scored is not the only factor to consider. Be sure to nominate them by their class and according the name...don't be shy to nominate anyone you may be related to or not. Division II-A Mid/East Seniors Connor Maitland (FRA) Having a great mid season run Hayden Ray (Ezell) Leads the Eagles in scoring T J Roberts (MJCA) 1,000 pt club and scoring Miles Davis (Webb) Throwing up big numbers Bryan Duncan (Ezell) Best under pressure Blake Mitchell (Ezell) Comeback player of the year Juniors Nilan Hodge (USN) Leads the Division in scoring and smooth as silk Corey Teague (Ezell) Solid play throughout Josh Erickson (DCA) Most improved player in the Division Kyle Kennedy (DCA) Not bad after taking a year off Zach Jenkins (Ezell) Zone buster and he almost did not play this season Cham Cham Quao (Webb) One of the dynamic duo's for the Webb Feet Ben Wankel (MJCA) 6'7" nuff said (Newcomer of the Year) Sophomores Kessler Bell (FRA) Great year after being injured last season Austin Gee (Ezell) My vote for most exciting player to watch (my son) Liam Nash (USN) May be the only punch besides N Hodge on USN...for now. Freshmen Rob Marberry (FRA) Doing well in Pierce's platooning plan Chris Kennedy (DCA) 3 pt specialist (chip off the older brothers block) Division II-A West Seniors Juniors John Ross Glover (USJ) "Big Time Player" E.J. Miller (USJ) Sophomores Freshman Just a few to start us off..please feel free to add more players and detail...may want to do a copy and paste kinda thing. Gman

The FRA at Ezell game will be played on February 10th it looks like. Boy is that late in the season. Hopefully it will be a meaningful game to those other than the boys parents. Should both teams win out from here...it could be for the Division Championship. But there is too much play and bouncing balls to figure it out at this point. As it goes down the stretch it does look like you have 4 teams coming down to the wire. 3 teams are undefeated as of today...DCA, FRA, and MJCA. Ezell has one loss to DCA. It may boil down to Senior leadership (MJCA & Ezell) vs Youthful Talent (DCA & FRA). So Far...Youth 1 - Seniors 0. Hey gonna start a new posting and gonna call it the "Best of Class" chirp in when you get a chance. GMan

It starts with the first game...if DCA wins against FRA then you have to put them in the drivers seat with two big games in their pockets. A DCA loss puts the Eagles back in the hunt and makes it a 4 way race to the top. A win by DCA leaves it up the MJCS and DCA to battle for the top spot unless DCA hiccups unexpectedly. Of course anything can happen with a bounce of the ball...there will be a lot of deal breakers and heart breakers along the way....my opinion.

It starts with the first game...if DCA wins against FRA then you have to put them in the drivers seat with two big games in their pockets. A DCA loss puts the Eagles back in the hunt and makes it a 4 way race to the top. A win by DCA leaves it up the MJCS and DCA to battle for the top spot unless DCA hiccups unexpectedly. Of course anything can happen with a bounce of the ball...there will be a lot of deal breakers and heart breakers along the way....my opinion.

Well the Eagles did make the road trip to up on Sewanee mountain on Tuesday and both the Lady Eagles and Eagles were able to get the job done before coming down from the mountain. Before the game it looked like a scene from the twilight zone as the team arrived in a very dense fog. I felt bad for the locals that were behind my creeping car...it was almost as if I have to literally feel my way to the gym...or at least it seemed that way. Once the game started it was Zach Jenkins night on the mountain as Zach was literally stroking the ball with 7-11 from the cheap seats and ending up with 26 pts for the game. Friday night it FRA which is a huge game for the Eagles.

I'm telling you Mummert should use his feet to score in basketball...I have seen him play soccer.

You know 1000 pts is not an easy accomplishment, congrats to Mr. Roberts for that...I'm gonna have take a dig out last year's tape on the game and see who Mr. Roberts is...what number is he? Also I have noticed that Sam Mummert is on the basketball team and in the latest games he is averaging about 7 pts a game. He averaged more pts a game in soccer (really just kidding...but he is real good in soccer) My question is this, "Is he kicking the ball in the basket? He might ought to try it...he might average 10 pts a game."

Welcome MJCA from the world of Pretenders to Contenders...hats off to the Saints...although your wins include victories over Webbs one would have to think both are worthy opponents. Glad we have a little more time to prepare for your team now.

Hate to say it...but we may be owned by DCA last night... After last nights game the Eagles have been beaten by DCA at home now for 3 times in a row. Well another close but no cigar vs DCA. It was a good game vs DCA with a lead most of the game. Subpar night for the Gman but it happens. As coach Mel Brown use to say, "If you thought what you did yesterday was good...you haven't done anything good today." As senior Bryan Duncan said, "It was a tough loss...but we'll learn from it." There's a lot of basketball left...but DCA is a frontrunner now. For the Eagles I think we found another bump in the road and there will probably be a few more but put on your seat belts and strap yourselves in because we are all in for the long ride.

UTfan, Obviously these sportswriters don't know anything about basketball like we parents do of the kids and their teams that we voted for. I'm not sure any team should be in the same ranking as the DII Big Schools...not sure any of us can compete. It could be that those West teams may have a harder time scheduling opponents and have to play up a lot. Rankings don't really matter...it is really the end of the season that counts the most. Our ranking is just a fun kinda thing in hopes to get a little chatter going. It is an opportunity to talk about a few kids (all positive) and enjoy the season. Anyone know when the makeup game Ezell vs MJCA will be? Gman

Gymrat gotta 10-4 you on the Hodge's for sure...met Mr. Hodge at Brian Penny's camp when the kids were a few years younger...has always had good things to say about my boy. They are good people! So it is Wankel and not Winkel...that is good to know as well. I had heard the same thing about Ross Welch...I do know that DCA beat us last year to make it to the final four of our division...so all those teams got to play...I guess in a sectional games...so I would think the team has to make it to the State before he can play. Not sure why he left DCA...but USN will benefit from his arrival if it is this year or next.

SmokeStack, I would agree that was a huge difference on the foul line. The game itself was one that Ezell could not script out in another hundred years. 15 of those shots came in the OT once Ezell got their lead of five and it was all USN could do to get back in the game. Another 16 of those shots came in the 4th quarter in which USN enjoyed a 9 pt lead at the 2 minute mark. That is a lot of fouling by a team with a 9 point lead late. Interestingly enough I thought the only questionable fouls may have been two fouls on Nilan Hodge early in the 4th quarter...I am not sure what the ref saw...but I did not see it...had Nilan stayed in the game a couple of more minutes I really doubt Ezell could have made their run. There may have been one from my angle that looked like a clean block...but the ref who called it did not have my same view...but it happens. It is all part of the game...in a couple of our losses...a call here or there would have made a difference as it often does in sports. By the way...I like that Nilan Hodge kid, even in the loss, the questionable calls, etc...he came out as a very good young man. I'm glad that the Saints have something to cheer about this season...and I'm all for you guys upsetting everybody...except us. Gman