CLASS AAA State Tournament

[o21putt]

Placing Oak Ridge in the glass house could be a stretch. They have lost to Heritage, a weak Maryville team and Karns that is barely above .500. Granted they are in the region tourney and depending on who they catch the 1st and 2nd game might not even make it to the sub-state. Then they would have to probably travel to the Region 1 site and beat Greeneville or Mo. West or Tn High on their home floor. They also have Walkey Valley tonight at home and Bradley in a week on the road. A tough road to hoe. A hard task for one player.

Edited February 9, 2006 by papatj

[floorburns]

What happened to Craigmont?

 

Craigmont's chances moved to Florida. Both Latoya Bullard and Jessica Jackson went to the Gators. Phylisha Mitchell went to UT Martin I think. Hard to replace those three.

[DUKnowDaGame?]

Floorburns you talk a mean game. To bad it doesn’t make sense. I can tell you this: Bartlett will not lay down in the run for a state appearance. I totally agree that Ridgeway is way underrated and very athletic. However, controlled and poised remains to be seen as well as their deep player rotation schemes are somewhat questionable.

 

I also know that Northside wants to play a “helter skelter” game and has NO legitimate outside shooting threat night in and night out (which was obvious when they played Memphis East and was losing by 21 - however East did not close the fourth quarter).

You will see as the competition rises – good teams won’t let them run the ball down their throats.

 

The state tournament finalists will be able to RUN the ball and effectively EXECUTE in half court.

 

As for the local and AP rankings: They are just that and mean nothing. So rank whoever you want to number 1; all it really seems to do is put a target on your back. The fact is you better bring your “A” game every night. Prime example: Bartlett had just beaten Bolton 2 weeks earlier by approximately 30 points and played their bench but did not come ready to play and got into foul troubles which lead to an upset. This may have been the best thing for them because now you have awaken a sleeping giant (or a sleeping panther) (I thought that last statement was cute )

 

Good luck to all.

[TdTbb]

Showtime, the only thing for sure from the east is who has the best coaching at the time and which team will get hot...they will run the table. You did not mention MoWest, Green town and Tenn Hi, these teams are tuff. They will make some noise. As far as OR is concern...it may come down to coaching and she is superior to most all of te coaches in Tenn. OR 73 WV 53. Now is the time to be pushing toward the real games, nothing else matters. I would not be surprised if a dark horse gets hot and comes out of the east. Without Cait, there is NO absolutes.

Edited February 10, 2006 by TdTbb

[hedgehog]

What happened to Craigmont?

 

 

Craigmont graduated six seniors, including Latoya Bullard and Jessica Jackson; both of whom began their freshman year at Florida. At the beginning of this season, Craigmont's coach either over estimated the strength of his team, or underestimated the teams in district 14-AAA. I believe Raleigh Egypt (a team with mostly ninth graders) is the only team in District 14-AAA they have beaten.

[floorburns]

Floorburns you talk a mean game. To bad it doesn’t make sense. I can tell you this: Bartlett will not lay down in the run for a state appearance. I totally agree that Ridgeway is way underrated and very athletic. However, controlled and poised remains to be seen as well as their deep player rotation schemes are somewhat questionable.

 

I also know that Northside wants to play a “helter skelter” game and has NO legitimate outside shooting threat night in and night out (which was obvious when they played Memphis East and was losing by 21 - however East did not close the fourth quarter).

You will see as the competition rises – good teams won’t let them run the ball down their throats.

 

The state tournament finalists will be able to RUN the ball and effectively EXECUTE in half court.

 

As for the local and AP rankings: They are just that and mean nothing. So rank whoever you want to number 1; all it really seems to do is put a target on your back. The fact is you better bring your “A” game every night. Prime example: Bartlett had just beaten Bolton 2 weeks earlier by approximately 30 points and played their bench but did not come ready to play and got into foul troubles which lead to an upset. This may have been the best thing for them because now you have awaken a sleeping giant (or a sleeping panther) (I thought that last statement was cute )

 

Good luck to all.

DUknow, I'm sorry I'm not making sense to you but I can understand what your saying. One- Polls don't mean anything. I agree. If polls don't mean anything then Bartlett ranked 2 in the state doesn't mean anything. Just like I said. Now about Bartlett wasn't ready for the Bolton game. Bartlett is a good team (like Bolton) but not a team that matches up with the best teams in Tennessee (like ridgeway, northside, mt. juliet, or shelbyville) That's my point. So normally they won't dominate good teams. I was told that Bartlett beat Bolton bad the first time because Bolton had at least one if not two of its top players out. The 2nd time all the players were available. Bolton is a good team. Not a great team, a good team like Bartlett.

 

Hopefully the Panther grew some big claws while it was sleeping because it's about to enter the lions den.

Edited February 10, 2006 by floorburns

[DUKnowDaGame?]

I was told that Bartlett beat Bolton bad the first time because Bolton had at least one if not two of its top players out. The 2nd time all the players were available. Bolton is a good team. Not a great team, a good team like Bartlett.

 

Hopefully the Panther grew some big claws while it was sleeping because it's about to enter the lions den.

 

Floorburns, floorburns, floorburns..... This is pointless. The time will come and we all will see. But just for clarification: Bolton had the exact same roster both times and all their players were present both times. Here is a thought: Maybe you should try attending the games and surely that will help you prior to submitting your posts. My opinions are based off of first hand observation and not what someone told me.

 

However, I really like the “big claws while sleeping” statement; that was very witty of you.

[brownhut]

Memphis Commercial Appeal top 12

 

1. Ridgeway / 26-2 AAA

 

2. Northside / 24-1 AAA

 

3. Hillcrest / 24-3 AA

 

4. Mitchell / 22-5 AA

 

5. Lausanne / 25-2 D2

 

6. Briarcrest / 22-4 D2

 

7. ECS / 19-4 D2

 

8. Bartlett / 23-2 AAA

 

9. East / 18-5 AAA

 

10. West Memphis / 15-7 Ark. AAAAA

 

11. Melrose / 18-6 AAA

 

12. Olive Branch / 19-8 - Miss. 5A

[MtJBears]

It is amazing to me that the best team that I have seen the second half of the season is not out of middle or east Tennessee but from the West. Memphis Ridgeway is 26 - 2 and are not even ranked. They beat Northside by 18 points early in the season. It just shows that the voters are really not doing there homework. Here goes my AAA predictions:

 

Oak Ridge vs Cumberland Co. - This will be a very sloopy game. Oak Ridge will look to get it in a half court game and pound it inside to KeKe Stewart. Cumberland Co will look to make it a up tempo game to try to take Stewart out of the game. I look for this game to stay under 50 points and Oak Ridge slide away with a win.

 

Mt. Juliet / Wilson Central vs. Memphis Bartlett - A very high scoring game. Bartlett Ashley Herring will show the state why she is the best junior in the state of Tennessee. This game will be exciting from start to finish. MJ and WC are both very well coached and will try to slow Bartlett down and if they are successful then MJ / WC will come out on top. I look for MJ / WC to win this game by 5 or less points but Herring will establish herself as the front runner for 2007 Miss Basketball.

 

Smyrna vs. Heritage - How many people thought that Heritage would be playing in the "Glass House" in March without Cait the Great? We someone forgot to give Rick Howard the memo. I believe the best coaching job in the state has been done by Rick Howard. Heritage has shown that they were more than just a one player team. Smyrna on the other hand has had the best season in many years. They are tough at every position and are well coached also. It is a shame that this is a first round match up but I look for Heritage to again find a way to win and move on to the state semi finals.

 

Ridgeway vs Shelbyville - WHAT A GAME!!!! What was the TSSAA thinking putting the possibility of these two teams playing in the first round? Easily would be the state final game if both were in opposite brackets. Insell has moved on to MTSU and Burkey has pick it up and has brought the Eaglettes back to there second home Murphy Center. Ridgeway is teams that is not getting any pub this season but are probably the most talented team in the state. Lakendra Phillips, Florida signee, is easily top five player in the state. I look for this game to go down to the final buzzer one of these two teams making a jumper with .1 seconds on the clock to win by 1. WHO EVER WINS THIS GAME WILL BE THE 2006 AAA STATE CHAMPIONS!

 

Semi-Finals

 

Oak Ridge vs. MJ / WC - Stewart will show why she is a finalist for Miss Basketball in a Oak Ridge win and will put Prudden one step closer to another Gold Ball.

 

Ridgeway / Shelbyville vs. Heritage - Heritage will put up a great fight but Rigeway/Shelbyville will pull the W out in the end. Katie Brooks soph from Heritage will be All Tournament.

 

Finals

 

Oak Ridge vs Ridgeway/Shelbyville - Stewart again shines on her way to end her high school career on the same floor that she will play college ball.

 

MVP: KeKe Stewart

 

Miss Basketball Finalist:

 

I have really thought long and hard over the past couple weeks on who the 3 finalist are going to be, so I really couldn't settle on three so I will give you who the the top 4 are and you can make your decision from there. People love to get on here and promote there own daughter / friend but these will be the four the voters pick between and if someone besides these four are put in the final 3 then not only will I be shocked but it will once again show how bright the media is:

 

KeKe Stewart - Oak Ridge High School

Lakendra Phillips - Ridgeway High School

Jackie Pickel - Bradley Central High School

Jessica Mooney - Hillsboro High School

 

 

Showtime in reference to YOUR COMMENT "What was the TSSAA thinking putting the possibility of these two teams playing in the first round? Easily would be the state final game if both were in opposit brackets"

 

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ! ! ! ! Granted Ridgeway could make the field. BUT Shelbyville WILL NOT make State for the SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR. In fact if I were YOU I'd be worried about getting out of the District.

 

Times are a changing and so is the changing of the Guard. Insell is gone and the Eaglettes are not what they once were.

[hedgehog]

Memphis Commercial Appeal top 12

 

1. Ridgeway / 26-2 AAA

 

2. Northside / 24-1 AAA

 

3. Hillcrest / 24-3 AA

 

4. Mitchell / 22-5 AA

 

5. Lausanne / 25-2 D2

 

6. Briarcrest / 22-4 D2

 

7. ECS / 19-4 D2

 

8. Bartlett / 23-2 AAA

 

9. East / 18-5 AAA

 

10. West Memphis / 15-7 Ark. AAAAA

 

11. Melrose / 18-6 AAA

 

12. Olive Branch / 19-8 - Miss. 5A

 

In an earlier post in this thread I commented that Bartlett would be hard pressed to make it out of West Tennessee to go to state because it would likely have to face a stronger, deeper Memphis Northside team. Some on here have used polls to bolster that argument. My opinions are not based on polls. Anyone that follows high school basketball can see that the polls are skewed by any number of factors. The most ridiculous ranking I've ever seen is the Commercial Appeal's Dandy Dozen. I would bet that they have not seen half the teams in their Double D (the grade one could give them for logic) play more than once. Is it based on won/loss record; quality of wins, severity of losses? There is no rhyme or reason. For example, now they have three D-2 teams ranked, and only one of them (Briarcrest) deserves to be if we are talking about quality teams. They have ECS ranked ahead of Bartlett, yet two of their four losses came at the hands of Bartlett. If its based on strength of schedule, then one could argue that Memphis Northside has not played any tough competition with the exception of a Florida tournament and district competition; so a good percentage of its wins were against teams that not only have losing records, they are no where near .500. I believe their ranking is simply a response to keep the local Memphis/Shelby County readership happy: They've got Arkansas, Mississipi, (urban) Memphis; rural and suburban (Bartlett); and private schools (Briarcrest, ECS, Lausanne) all represented. To summarize, I interpret the Commercial Appeal Dandy Dozen like I interpret their "best of preps" they do at the end of the school year: Each area I mentioned above is represented: urban, suburban/rural, private schools, Mississipi, and Eastern Arkansas (West Memphis, AR.). So you should probably think of the Commercial Appeal's "Dandy Dozen" as simply their idea of (in this order) the best AAA city schools, AA city schools, private schools, county schools, and finally Mississipi and Arkansas schools - again something for everybody. So their list DOES NOT represent the top overall schools in the area. It's simply a hodge-podge of schools from different classifications.

 

I have no idea - and I think no one else does either - what the AP poll is based on, except ignorance. EVERYBODY complains about it's accuracy. Having gotten way too long winded, I will repeat that I think that Bartlett will likely not make it out of the West. SIMPLY BECAUSE they will most likely face a more athletic team with deeper talent. Not to take anything away from Bartlett. They have three marquee players, but three against ten is not good odds.

Edited February 11, 2006 by hedgehog

[DUKnowDaGame?]

Great post hedgehog.....

 

 

Polls:

 

I totally agree with your observation and comments in reference to both polls. The Commercial Appeal’s Dandy Dozen is purely a poll to represent area classifications and to keep the local fans happy. The AP Poll like you said “who knows?” In addition, I also respect your opinion in reference to Bartlett’s chances of advancing. You definitely make some valid points in regards to their depth and my current post is not to try and discount your opinion but maybe add a ESPN Sports Center “Did you know?” or in this case a Bartlett’s “Did You Know?”

 

Did You Know? :

 

Bartlett is 10 – 0 over teams in District 15AAA and District 16AAA. (Ridgeway is #1 in 15AAA and Northside is #1 in 16AAA) Bartlett has beaten the #2 teams in both of these Districts twice each. Bartlett beat Memphis Central (#2 team in 16AAA) once in pre-season (not shown on Bartlett’s schedule) and once in regular season and cleared the bench both times. Bartlett beat Whitestation (#2 team in 15AAA) twice with both games being close battles. My point is this: Bartlett has competed and beaten the upper caliber teams in each district. So, in my sports mind, Bartlett will not be an underdog when they square off in post season. Bartlett will only go 8 deep on the bench but their up front fire power is more than capable of delivering a decisive knock out punch.

 

Young Players:

Lastly, player youthfulness: a true competitor in any sport or life doesn’t say “Well, I’m just a freshman and my opponent is a senior.” They will probably tell you something like this “when you hit the court you better bring it.” It is true that Bartlett is anchored by Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors (not to discount the two great seniors). However, I don’t think anyone gave them the memo that they are not suppose to win.

 

Well.... good luck to everyone as they start their post season play. Whoever comes out of West TN and makes it to Big Dance - make some noise at MTSU.

[showtime7]

Showtime in reference to YOUR COMMENT "What was the TSSAA thinking putting the possibility of these two teams playing in the first round? Easily would be the state final game if both were in opposit brackets"

 

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ! ! ! ! Granted Ridgeway could make the field. BUT Shelbyville WILL NOT make State for the SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR. In fact if I were YOU I'd be worried about getting out of the District.

 

Times are a changing and so is the changing of the Guard. Insell is gone and the Eaglettes are not what they once were.

 

Nice Post, seems that Shelbyville still gets under your skin. I wouldn't bet on your post saying Shelbyville will not get out of the district. Outside of the top 5 teams AAA is the weakest in years

Edited February 13, 2006 by showtime7