NotThatItMatters

Alcoa played good and was well coached tonight. Not sure how GP managed to throw that one away like they do most close games after coming out so lackluster and then commanding the game early in the 3rd. Noticed a couple of GP starters missing? Sick? Hurt? They'll need them back soon if they're going to be successful.

Any team that makes it to the state finals and returns most of its pieces should be a favorite to repeat in the Region. CAK was without both of their post players in the jamboree but could be playing short handed all year. Naler should return this week but word is Hooper is out until mid-December and Bryant, who is a very underrated piece of that team, could be out for the year. Fulton and CAK should still be frontrunners to play in the sub-state again this year.

No. She is not playing. The headmaster at CAK nixed the idea last week. Great decision by a real leader.

I'll eat those words. Some of the CAK girls played very uninspired basketball tonight. Congrats to Fulton. They are a very good team and those young girls sure have developed over the course of the season. I will still make these predictions however, and may eat them as well: Betsy over CAK by +15 Grainger over Fulton by +10 Not that it matters...

CAK will win this one. The two best teams in this region played on Monday night. I have a hard time believing either of these teams can win a sectional against Betsy of Grainger however.

There are a lot within the program upset about this move. It's hard to "vote" against bringing a player back when you're bullied to do so. There's one person running this program and it's not Coach!

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! You are WRONG. I speak from first hand knowledge!

I can 110% guarantee that not all of the girls are as OK with this move as some are making it seem. There are girls that have worked so hard during preseason and during the entire year who will lose playing time now, that they have earned, because it seems someone will try to win at any cost. What kind of message is that sending to these young ladies for life? Yes, some may say that it was "voted" on. But I'll tell you this, intimidation can play a huge role when it comes to high school females. Dad (MLB) seems to have made a move to win a state championship freshman year, came back because he thought he could make it happen sophomore year. Dad then got Coach fired mid season when things weren't going well, and now pulled out all the stops to turn things around. Will Coach get to stay if CAK wins the gold ball? I've been saying CAK is playing better and coming together as a team. I have said I thought they would make a deep post season run. And I'm sure they still will. However, I don't think this is fair to all of the young ladies in the program. As a disclaimer I will say, this is not the returning young ladies fault at all. If she wants to play with her friends then that is fine. Often times there are adults in power however who see the whole picture and care more about ALL of their student-athletes than just winning.

Great post.

I can 110% guarantee that not all of the girls are as OK with this move as some are making it seem. There are girls that have worked so hard during preseason and during the entire year who will lose playing time now, that they have earned, because it seems someone will try to win at any cost. What kind of message is that sending to these young ladies for life? Yes, some may say that it was "voted" on. But I'll tell you this, intimidation can play a huge role when it comes to high school females. Dad (MLB) seems to have made a move to win a state championship freshman year, came back because he thought he could make it happen sophomore year. Dad then got Coach fired mid season when things weren't going well, and now pulled out all the stops to turn things around. Will Coach get to stay if CAK wins the gold ball? I've been saying CAK is playing better and coming together as a team. I have said I thought they would make a deep post season run. And I'm sure they still will. However, I don't think this is fair to all of the young ladies in the program. As a disclaimer I will say, this is not the returning young ladies fault at all. If she wants to play with her friends then that is fine. Often times there are adults in power however who see the whole picture and care more about ALL of their student-athletes than just winning.

I'll go with: Elizabethon CAK Cannon Co. Smith Co. MLK Creekwood Dyersburg McNairy Central

I wouldn't count CAK out just yet. They are playing well. After losing a player like Hooper there's always an adjustment period. They have played a good schedule and will likely win their Region tournament to host a sub-state game again.

Not sure if that's possible. Usually only coaches and maybe newspaper reporters have that detailed of stats for their players. Scout of the year if they have minutes played in each game for each player scouted even before the coach comes out of the lockerroom!

Hasn't Melton missed the majority of the year with an injury? Both are great players along with teammate Micah Scheetz who was mentioned earlier.

There also must not be any other "scout"-able players in the state considering all FIVE posts are about Hodge. I never said Hodge wasn't deserving of being a candidate. She is good! VERY GOOD! I was just asking about numbers. I saw Grainger play CAK earlier this year and IMO Hodge isn't even the most impressive player on that team. To each their own. MTSU signee, Sissom has my vote hands down.

These are GREAT numbers. Level of competition should be considered here however. Until this year, Grainger's schedule has been extremely weak. One of the weakest districts in the state. What is she averaging vs. the Elizabethon's, CAK's, and AAA schools they have played?

They don't matter. It's already decided: Alexa Middleton, Abbey Sissom, Jaycee Coe.

Because I saw them play a week before the regular season started and they were sub-par at best then. I don't know if they were missing players or not that day but they definitely did not look like a typical McMinn Central team. Everyone in East TN has played CAK up to be a lock for a gold ball and after seeing Central struggle against middle of the pack district contenders, I thought CAK would take this one. Not laughable.

Surprised by the CAK/McMinn Central score. I thought CAK would win this one by 15+. Anyone there that can provide insight to what happened?

If granddadone is correct, it would have to be Whitney Donaldson. That WOULD really shake things up in the IMAC and region.

Showing your ignorance again pftigersfan1. The new coach at GP doesn't even have a daughter. How idiotic.

Too many of these private school "people" use the argument that their schools don't recruit because they don't "offer athletic scholarships." That is not the only way to recruit. If a private school contacts a student-athlete and waives their application fees and process to get them in, that is illegal. When student-athletes do not have to pay tuition, that is illegal. I have seen this happen in a prominent East Tennessee private school and I am sure it happens all over the state. Does it happen with every single athlete on every sports team? No. But that is not the point. The point is that it's illegal and T$$AA continues to allow it to happen. Do these schools get preferential treatment? Do the powers that be turn their heads because 80% of their children attend private schools? I'd say yes. Private schools have an unfair competitive advantage over public's. It is as simple as that. If my child was offered to go to a private, christian institution and guaranteed a better education and coaching from higher quality coaches because they are able to pay their coaches more, AND at no charge, I believe it would be hard to say no.

Same ole Insell. Different way of doing it. Come on over to Riverdale and play for my kin folk and we'll get you in here at MTSU in a few years...

The problem comes when the application and acceptance process is waived for students who play sports and they don't have to pay their tuition. That's the recruiting factor that people are speaking of. When the athletes' tuition is waived. What parent wouldn't take that upgrade on academics and athletics for free? And before anyone says that doesn't happen, don't. I've seen it first-hand.

Wouldn't be surprised. Seems as though we will be seeing more and more of this in the future. Wonder if TSSAA will ever make many changes that benefit student-athletes from all across the state?