Tri-County Seven by Sports Edit

[screenandroll]

Both single A and double AA tournaments are complete without any major upsets. Normally during a tournament there is at least one. Each team finished where they belonged, with Unaka and Hampton the only teams they could have flip flopped and still would not have been considered an upset. The only change I see in my predictions now is Unaka getting put out in the second round instead of the first. And before anyone writes anything, yes they have a chance to get to the substate game, and yes anything can happen in tournaments, remember just a prediction.

 

To throw in my unbiased opinion on AM and MP, both are truely good players. You can't take stats from a game unless you take them all and compare players. Each team has a different philosphy on what to do with the ball and different style of play. Both coaches do a good job of making sure AM and MP get "touches". Each team has different type of surrounding players which make a big difference in so called "stats". Now for some of my comparisons, size: advantage MP, quickness: advantage AM, passing: advantage MP, ballhandling: advantage AM, shooting: left side: MP, right side: AM, shooting (outside): advantage: AM toughness: advantage AM, attiude: even (both have a little)(which helps) teammates: advantage MP. So looking at just a few, both players are pretty even. The best thing about each is they still have time to get better. Don't know about each ones' work ethic but they have a chance to get even better. Should be another good matchup next year. Will say that AM would play a little more on the perimeter on the next level and MP would remain a post player. If they do go Division I would have to play against players just as big and probably a little more physical. Will be interesting to see.

 

OB - can't say margin of victory means anything. Cloudland played an average Unaka team (not putting Unaka down) for the finals and Elizabethton played a pretty good Unicoi team. So still remains, 1a Elizabethton, 1b Cloudland.

[GLee]

Two Great Tournaments. Two very-deserving Champions: The Lady Cyclones; The Lady Highlanders!

 

And two very deserving MVPs:

 

GLee, (and All),

I think it's worth mentioning that though her team is not part of the Tri-County Seven per se, North Greene's Chelsey Wright scored 31 points in the Lady Huskies play-in game against University High; she followed that with 15 in the semi-final matchup against Cloudland and finished with 19 points vs Hampton in the consolation game. So, for the three-game tournament, Wright scored Sixty-Five Points! What's most significant here is that Chelsey's knee appears pretty much healed and rehabilitated from last Winter's ACL tear. Marti Bush, Sallee Taylor, can you relate? We easily get a little too caught up in "the game," without fully appreciating the extent to which these players have sacrificed to be on the court.

 

 

Don't know K. Pretty familiar with 'sacrifice'.......always been around it as a player and as a father. So yes, I appreciate what athletes go thru to compete, but I've also been one to 'push' for effort despite 'set-backs' which usually leads to confidence and success. That's the idea anyway

 

S&R......very nice 'comparison charting' of two excellant post players. They are both dandies as I have mentioned several times thru the year and yes, the surrounding casts of both teams makes a tremendous difference. Going head to head as post players, Big Pet has won the war so far and, just maybe, they might get to 'square off' again. They put on a great show for the fans as both are members of well coached, very talented teams. Eliz gets a major test Monday(trully hard to look at Claiborne as a #4 seed) and UC will encounter a very talented group Tues (CG....22-5). It only gets better.......hopefully both will survive.

Edited February 26, 2006 by GLee

[sportiemom]

Don't know K. Pretty familiar with 'sacrifice'.......always been around it as a player and as a father. So yes, I appreciate what athletes go thru to compete, but I've also been one to 'push' for effort despite 'set-backs' which usually leads to confidence and success. That's the idea anyway

 

S&R......very nice 'comparison charting' of two excellant post players. They are both dandies as I have mentioned several times thru the year and yes, the surrounding casts of both teams makes a tremendous difference. Going head to head as post players, Big Pet has won the war so far and, just maybe, they might get to 'square off' again. They put on a great show for the fans as both are members of well coached, very talented teams. Eliz gets a major test Monday(trully hard to look at Claiborne as a #4 seed) and UC will encounter a very talented group Tues (CG....22-5). It only gets better.......hopefully both will survive.

 

 

Where do they play and what time please?

[krichunaka]

BRUTUS!!!

 

PsychloneFan, I'm going to need your help for the "after-season" stuff, so I'd better shut up.

 

Can you believe it?; the Substates are this Saturday Night!

 

I'll make an All-Star page, publish rosters and request your input. I'll provide comments (you can also) on several players, simply because there's been very limited opportunity for you to see the "other" teams, especially since early-season.

 

And, like last season, consider that you're building your own travel squad, and YOU will be paid (or not) for wins and losses. I believe GLee, screenandroll, The Highlander, brutus and sportiemom can be somewhat unbiased. 17, gosh, man, you're Totally Disqualified; Fan, you're on the bubble.

 

Anyway, time for another top Seven.

Edited February 26, 2006 by krichunaka

[krichunaka]

Hey krich, I saw that you were on... What are the chances for the carter county teams monday... I don't know much about the teams they're playing.

 

District One A could Sweep, with Unaka baing the big question mark. Megan Johnson was sick for the Final, so, no doubt, others will be this week.

 

District One AA? WOW! What an interesting First Round! Unicoi County actually appears the most vulnerable. For Happy Valley, Keila Williams was also very sick for the Happy Valley vs South Greene game. Hopefully she'll be back to near-full strength, along with All her teammates.

 

The keys? With a couple key players sick for the last night of District play, how will their teammates feel this week? We could have Several sick players, which could eaisly lead to an early-round, season-ending defeat. Happens a lot this time of year.

 

And Coach Weems was battling the same bug last week. Gotta hope none of his players have contracted the same virus.

[CycloneFan]

Psycho!!, now thats like the pot calling the kettle black coming from you kman!

Cyclone team has had its share of sick players lately, but they have played through it.

Edited February 26, 2006 by CycloneFan

[wisemapletree]

thanks for the info krich. I was looking over the bracket for A and AA hope all the teams from carter county can make some noise down the road!!!

 

It kinda felt that unaka was missing something friday night against cloudland. well, lets hope all the girls will be healthy for the regionals.

 

Did you see your girl santana make the elizabethton star?? hmm my poor girl banner upstaged by santana.

[GLee]

Where do they play and what time please?

 

Mom, Eliz plays at 4pm Monday in Maynardsville. HV follows the Eliz game against Pigeon Forge. UC plays Tues at 8:30P.

Union County High School is the location in Maynardsville.

Edited February 26, 2006 by GLee

[krichunaka]

Psycho!!, now thats like the pot calling the kettle black coming from you kman!

Cyclone team has had its share of sick players lately, but they have played through it.

 

Good point, Kettle! But here's the problem: Megan Johnson was sick on Friday; Coach Weems was still sick on Thursday night. These Viruses tend to have about a 96 hour turnaround.

 

Michaela was sick a couple weeks back. But how'bout the rest of the Lady Cyclones? Have they had the "bug" yet? And the Lady Rangers? These viruses tend to get most everybody in a close circle of friends. And with the brackets being as they are, hey, just worrying out loud, I suppose.

 

mapletree,

I hope you didn't take my earlier comment about Megan as an excuse. Yes, M J is ill, and that hurt Unaka's chances; but the Lady Highlanders took the game to the Lady Rangers, plain and simple. It's like Coach Chambers said, "We just got pushed around, Again." He's been very disappointed with the response to pressure, especially in the paint. That's been a Unaka strength for several seasons.

 

Unaka began this season as a traditional inside-out team. Unfortunately, and for whatever reason(s), that just ain't happenin' lately. Now we're seeing the Unaka guards trying to penetrate to score, which is fine, but not as a first option. It's a huge concern. If the past couple weeks style of play continues, and there's no reason to think it will not, then Unaka is a prime upset candidate, even in Round One.