GoBigOrange20

24 minutes ago, pioneer42 said:

McKenzie, Dresden, Gleason and Wayne County with nice wins. McKenzie put the glue on Anderson. I heard she fouled out with 7 points. What did they do to shut her down like that?? Great defensive performance. 

She didn’t start and didn’t do much. I was waiting for the Anderson we’d seen in previous years. Must still be getting back into game shape. 

Gleason 53-47! 

3 hours ago, gogold said:

Is she a preferred walk on for the Lady Vols ?

As a walk-on. 

16 minutes ago, pioneer42 said:

Give us a report. Game close at any time??

It was close at the half, 22-19. Gleason made a run in the 3rd and another in the 4th to put it away. They hit free throws down the stretch. Lots of missed layups for Gleason and Edie didn’t do much until the fourth for greenfield. Aleyna Anderson was also off for Gleason. But Lifsey and Sophie Wilson played well. Solid win for Gleason. 

Gleason won by 15. 

1 hour ago, pioneer42 said:

I haven’t seen Gleason lately, but the way they played Clay County and Summertown definitely they are getting better. They got two really good guards. Do they have some other girls playing well that has got them playing at this level???

Yes, the big girl is playing much better offensively, and other players - like Sophie Wilson - are shooting lights out. She hit 3 or 4 threes against Summertown and has shot the ball really well this year. There is also size off the bench, which really helped against the Summertown big girl. The main question for tonight is how Gleason handles the press. 

35 minutes ago, Tennesseepicks said:

Gleason must have had a great offseason! They are playing great basketball 

47-45 Summertown, rebound and shot at the buzzer. 

Not that the outcome was necessarily affected, but what an oddly officiated game. 

3 hours ago, pioneer42 said:

Gleason and Greenfield will have some battles this year. Gleason will be tough and top 5 or 6 in the state, IMO. Two of their girls Anderson and I can’t think of the other played on Madison Hart’s AAU team. Very good players. Will be interesting to watch these two teams.

I think it was Carrington Lifsey. 

40 minutes ago, NWhoopaholic said:

Hope this thread is headed back to it's intended purpose now, discussing who will be among the Best in Class A for the 21-22 season. That's the information I want to know. Debating the best ever has been done before, belongs in its own thread, and stirs a lot of passion. I wouldn't say any fan group has tunnel vision about their team but most all are inherently biased toward their school.

Greatest or best ever is such a subjective term. Different people quantify their opinions based on different criteria. To some it's the number of future collegiate players and the school's they go to. Others look at number of wins and strength of schedule. To some it's whether they captured the gold ball. An argument can be made for all of the teams that have been mentioned. I would also agree it's impossible to compare teams from different eras. Tess and Edie Darby have had so many more opportunities than their mother's teams did at Bradford. It doesn't make modern necessarily "better" but more "seasoned."

I've had the blessing of broadcasting games of all of the teams from West Tennessee mentioned in this thread. The Heather Butler led teams at Gibson Co. were loaded and benefited from two of the best coaches ever, Kevin McMillan & David Russell. They had some epic battles with really good Westview teams, however that was AA and this debate was about Class A. The Bradford-Gleason rivalry of the 1990's was really special. I would tend to agree with GBO that the 96' Gleason team may have been arguably Randy Frazier's best. I got to call Lake County's upset win at the "Devils Den" in South Fulton and it was a shocker. So some of the greatest didn't even make it to Murfreesboro. The recent Greenfield teams were very successful and might have been even more some things been different.

I look forward to being back on the sidelines this season after sitting out last year. I'm excited about how the new classifications will create some new rivalries and matchups and allow us to see some new teams. Members, keep sharing about your teams for the upcoming season.

Yes, happy to return to a conversation about this year. And, I do think Greenfield and McKenzie will be really tough. I love seeing the Class A trophy come back to West TN, especially northwest TN and hope to see it brought back again this year!

Amazing that you called that game! The loss to Lake County at SF with such a loaded team was absolutely heartbreaking for Gleason fans, especially given a non-foul call at half court when Ashley Mc was clobbered. But, that's how the cookie crumbles. That team was loaded and had beaten Bradford by 20+ each time we played - something that never happened in that rivalry. But Bradford was the '96 state champs, not Gleason. That's why we play the games. 

1 hour ago, Greenfieldfan said:

Oh me. You are comparing UTM and Union to the Lady Vols and Indiana and Eddie is going somewhere big time. You never see 3 girls that caliber from a small school going big time. Greenfield had a deep team their senior year with Biggs Peterson and Crouse so it wasn’t just 3 girls. Greenfield played defense so don’t go there  

 

The only girl you mentioned that played at a major school is Ashley Mcelhaney at Vanderbilt. Tennessee didn’t recruit Ashley and I don’t know why but they didn’t. I love those Gleason Bradford and Gibson County teams and pulled for all of them.  I followed them all to state and pulled for them. 
I really liked Michele Street and thought she was big time but their were no big time school offers. There’s nothing wrong with playing for Union or UTM. I followed both of them as well. Kayla Hudson was one of my favorite players off all time but she was a perfect fit for Coach Campbell at Union. I was so glad she went to Union when she signed. Coach Campbell is my favorite coach in the country barring none.  
 

Absolutely, I am. We're talking about players that played 15-30 years ago. They didn't have access to unapproved website and youtube and twitter in order to sell themselves the way that players do now. And, I didn't say Greenfield didn't play defense. I said they were a great team. It's just my belief that - even with three potential division one players-  that they are not the best of all time.  Just my opinion and you have yours. There's no way to settle it so there's no sense in arguing. I just couldn't let another "Greenfield is the best team ever" post go by without acknowledging some really amazing teams from the Bradford-Gleason domination days. 

Gleason should've won in 1996 - probably the best Randy Frazier team. Two eventual Miss Basketball winners and multiple All-State selections. Good inside and outside play. But, they got tripped up by a Lake County team that played out of their mind for one night for their first and only loss of the season. I still say that the most well-rounded teams from West Tennessee are the Butler-led GC teams. I'd bet on an Ashley McElhiney-led team against anyone and I think she remains the best player to come out of West Tennessee in any class. But those GC teams had great guards, great posts, everyone could shoot, and they played great defense. Russell was always blessed with a 6 foot post player (at Bradford and GC) that we rarely had at Gleason outside of Lee Ann Bell in the early 90s.  

And, yes, Kayla was a special talent. She absolutely dominated the Class A state tournament in 2007. 

20 hours ago, pioneer42 said:

I wouldn’t trade Butler for anyone that ever played anywhere in this state. She won back to back in AA and lost one game in that period. 70-1. McMillan was a father figure for her and she wanted her mom and sister to be able to attend her games. She broke the OVC record for the most points scored “ever” in the OVC and played in the WNBA. Gibson County has had pressure on them for three decades because they have made a lot of hay. I am giving Greenfield a compliment because I have seen them play and GCPioneer has them number 2 in the state and has seen them play many times this summer. I agree making the state would be a great accomplishment. Nobody is trying to put pressure on them. I hope y’all do win it all. I am proud of Edie and the way her game is progressing. 

I agree that those GC teams were better. Greenfield would've struggled with the press. Same with the Bradford and Gleason 90s teams - especially Bradford's 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000 teams and Gleason's 1996, 1998, 1999 (and 2006 teams). They would've beaten Greenfield by 8 out of 10 games, in my opinion because of the defensive intensity. Gleason had defensive specialists on the 98 and 99 teams (Valorie Todd, Melanie Green, Ashley McElhiney) that would've shut down down Tess and Chloe and no one would've stopped Ashley McElhiney from getting 30. She was just that good. Ashley, Michelle Street, Tonya Tuggles, Kara Sanders, Jessica Henson, and Kayla Hudson all had amazing careers that were as good as or better than Chloe or Tess.  The grit and determination of those Bradford and Gleason teams was unparalleled and they made each other better. 

I think the Chloe-Tess Greenfield teams were very good and one of the best. But, in my opinion not THE best.  Just because they had 3 D1 players (assuming Edie goes D1) doesn't equate to them being better. The role players matter in this instance. And, just because they went D1 doesn't mean they're better than the players that went the NAIA route. Recruiting was different than it is now. The 1999 Gleason team had 2 D1 players and all five starters played collegiate basketball. That's a stacked team and I'd argue more talented than the Greenfield team. Same with those Bradford teams like 2000 - when two played D1at UTM and two went to Union to play for national championships. Jessica Henson, Tashekia Brown, Kara Sanders, and Kayla Hudson were all D1 capable players that decided to play for (and win several) national championships locally rather than play for a D1 school. There's no shame in that. 

There's obviously no way to settle this, but that's my two cents. 

2 hours ago, westtn12 said:

Region 7 you mean. No region 8 team made it that I know of?

Yes, my bad. Region 7. 

What a disappointing showing for both Region 8 teams.

I second Ashley McElhiney from Gleason (All-SEC point guard at Vanderbilt) and Michelle Street from Bradford (All-American at Union later). Those two players had skill and grit. They'd run through a brick wall for their team. And both were undersized. Both led their teams to state championships without size and faced bigger and more athletic teams along the way. 

Those Gleason vs. Bradford games from 1990-1999 were something else. I know Jackson County and Clarkrange have had some battles and Gibson County and Greenfield of late, but I'd put those Bradford and Gleason teams up against any team that I've seen since 1999. It was the defensive pressure and intensity. Great teams folded under the pressure. I miss seeing that kind of defense played. 

1996 Gleason Lady Bulldogs (31-1). Two Miss Basketballs on that team (Kara Sanders was a Senior in 1996 and won the award (she was a finalist in 1995) and Ashley McElhiney was a freshman and would win the award in 1999 after being nominated in 1998), three strong post players, one of the best shooters in Gleason history, Alisha Lehmkuhl, on the wing. Ended the season with a 31-1 record after losing to Lake County in the region semifinals. A devastating loss and one that was very difficult to watch. Gleason had beaten Bradford by 10-15 each time they played (Bradford went on to win the 1996 state championship). 

That was one of the best class A teams ever assembled because they were so athletic, quick, could shoot and the press ran teams out of the gym.