SB1976

Hate? Nah. Life's too short for that. There are pages and pages of other posts covering that topic. Some haters are on the money - some miss the mark. But, I do call em like I see em. You are correct about Graves though. He's a good player.

Jalen leaving. No problem. Recruit an out of state player (Marcus Graves). I think Maddux is too insecure to play with the hand he's been dealt (like other coaches in Division 1).

His silence is a little weird. His departure probably doesn't fit with Maddux's narrative for the program.

Definitely agree. When I watched Poythress that night I said to myself that's an NBA player. I've never said that about Lindsey despite his obvious athleticism and his accolades. A college coach I know told me that Blackwell is the better college prospect. I'll be interested in following all of their careers since I've been able to watch them at the high school level.

That reminds me, whatever happened with the Cheatham County coaching situation? Has someone been hired?

CPA wouldn't have had the horses to play with Findlay (if Findlay is anything like the last couple of years). White Station is a different story. Would have liked to have seen Lindsey and Black go head to head (although I think Black is the superior player). I think it will still be a good matchup. Have to give the edge to White Station, but they're an underachieving team and CPA should be able to hang with them.

I think it's a good move on Lindsey's part. He's high Division 1 good, but not Kentucky/North Carolina good (despite the Louisville offer). Hopefully, this will help him get there. I'm not so sure AAU is working that well in that respect. Competition is high caliber, but he's not setting the world on fire with the Stampede. He's received public congratulations from numerous well wishers - but his coach is conspicuously quiet on the subject (which is most unusual for someone who isn't quiet about much of anything). Of course, he did offer a criticism of the recruiting by the national basketball factories - an amazingly ironic statement coming from someone in his situation.

Would any of the other AAA teams in the tourney have stacked up with Ridgeway, White Station and the other elite Memphis teams? That's a question for a Southwind fan.

Best player I saw in public and private tournaments - Austin Nichols. That kid from Livingston (the guard) is a gamer. Liked watching him play.

Best player I saw in the tournament was Jejuan Johnson from Southwind. I'm interested in following him at the next level. I'm sure Hubbs will be great for the Vols but he wasn't the all-everything I was expecting. I guess I was expecting Poythress good - and there is no Alex the Great in this class.

Watch for Goodpasture in single A. Should be the best A team in middle Tennessee. Assume White Station will be loaded next year with Black, Chiozza, etc. CPA and JSS again in AA. East Nashville will be tough next year in AA. Whichever team other than CPA which makes it out of the sectional will be a really good team.

Looks like that foursome turned out to be the best sectional group in the state. I think Cheatham and Spring Hill were just as good as anybody in the field other than CPA (and maybe JSS). I bet if you ask Maddux the toughest team they played in the playoffs, it would be Spring Hill, and not any of the 3 teams he played in the tourney.

I don't want to bag too hard on a guy who coached his team to the finals, but having watched them a few times in this tourney, they sure don't play like a well coached team

I think you mean he is advanced beyond his grade, as opposed to beyond his age. And yes he is the real deal. Will be a better college player than Lindsey in my opinion

Have to go with CPA in this one. JSS has all of the pieces (players) but they don't seem to always have it together. They were outplayed for 3 quarters yesterday. Barford impressed me. Lindsey has played very well this tourney - better than he had in the post season up to this point. As another poster said, officials have favored CPA thus far. That could be a difference today.

Our section of neutral observers wouldn't agree. The technicals were kinda stupid but we were actually surprised at many of the other so-called 50/50 calls. Like I said it didn't influence the outcome of the game but it makes no sense to me that these are the best officials the tournament could find. They were weak.

Yeah, Mitchell's guards were better last year I think. Not familiar with individuals, but just seemed that way.

The officials in this game are garbage. Wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome, but they pretty much hosed Mitchell.

No contest so far. Spencer not looking too good. He needs to play big for Mitchell to hang.

Terrible coaching job by Blackman in second half. What's with holding the ball? Don't get it. Thompson did not play well in the fourth quarter. Very costly turnovers. I thought Blackman looked like a title team in the first half, but Brentwood took it to them in the second.

I didn't think East Nashville would make a long run in the tournament but I like their draw. Think they get by Howard. JSS would be an interesting semi.

Yep, I'm familiar with CPA's competition, including the out of state tournaments. It's hard not to be when we're constantly reminded that they have their winning streak over Tennessee teams. I agree that they don't duck competition, I just think for the spectating public it would be preferable for them to play some of the better AAA teams in Tennessee (as opposed to Brentwood during football season). It was great to watch them play Poythress last year, for example. They have a special collection of players for another year. Why not go to a tournament with Southwind, White Station, et al and still get to play the Oak Hills, Montraverdes, etc. A little off the topic from my earlier post, but just my two cents.

If I were associated with CPA I'm not sure Division II would be all that exciting. There aren't even a dozen teams in the entire state in the large school classification. None of the teams were really that good this year - including Ensworth, and frankly the division wasn't that good last year. I'd like to see CPA venture out and play Blackmon, one of the Memphis schools, etc - teams like that.

Would be interested in learning more about Mitchell - particularly the Mitchell guards. That will be the key to the game, not Lindsey and Blackwell in my opinion. Can they handle the CPA press? Can they keep Bonds under control and from penetrating? If the answers to these questions are yes, they have a decent shot at winning the game. Spring Hill couldn't handle the CPA press in the first quarter and it cost them the game. Otherwise they shut CPA down pretty effectively.

The drawing will be pretty darn important in AA. Sure would like to see CPA take on JSS or Mitchell. CPA is still the favorite but they aren't the invincible machine they were last year. Mitchell looks to be better than last year and JSS looks better than Liberty last year. East is dangerous in a one game scenario but I don't think they have the horses to make an extended run.