Prepextra Top 10

[Jesus Is Lord]

Irishbball,

 

Based on your logic of one game does not decide whether a team is better than another team then, Oak Ridge is better than Bradley because they barely lost to them at Bradley. I honestly don't think Fulton is number 1 but I have to rank them there because of the record and strength of schedule.

[IrishBBall]

Irishbball,

 

Based on your logic of one game does not decide whether a team is better than another team then, Oak Ridge is better than Bradley because they barely lost to them at Bradley. I honestly don't think Fulton is number 1 but I have to rank them there because of the record and strength of schedule.

I've got Bradley at #1 due to the strength of Oglesby(who just dropped 57 on a very athletic Red Bank) Dodd, and Grothius. Three D-1 signees should get you to a #1 ranking. Coach Smith does a very good job, as do 6 of the other coaches on my list. Fulton has done a great job so far but....as Turtle pointed out they really haven't faced the tough post play they would see against Bradley, O.R., Maryville, or Greeneville. I think Greenville is the team I really shortchanged earlier. My point to the 1 game thing gets back to Halls having 5 better players than Powell and I think they would beat them more times than not. Not knocking Powell but I think that Conner and Hargis would start at Halls and every Halls starter would start at Powell-back to the 3 player edge to Halls. The Super 16 may give us a better accounting shortly. As far as Powell making it to the sub-state, they've got a tough set of hurdles in Maryville, Farragut, Bearden, and Oak Ridge. They don't match up in the post with any of the above.

 

At least we've spurred some conversation since the paper hasn't figured out that basketball does start prior to UT ending it's football season.

[Know Nothing]

I've got Bradley at #1 due to the strength of Oglesby(who just dropped 57 on a very athletic Red Bank) Dodd, and Grothius. Three D-1 signees should get you to a #1 ranking. Coach Smith does a very good job, as do 6 of the other coaches on my list. Fulton has done a great job so far but....as Turtle pointed out they really haven't faced the tough post play they would see against Bradley, O.R., Maryville, or Greeneville. I think Greenville is the team I really shortchanged earlier. My point to the 1 game thing gets back to Halls having 5 better players than Powell and I think they would beat them more times than not. Not knocking Powell but I think that Conner and Hargis would start at Halls and every Halls starter would start at Powell-back to the 3 player edge to Halls. The Super 16 may give us a better accounting shortly. As far as Powell making it to the sub-state, they've got a tough set of hurdles in Maryville, Farragut, Bearden, and Oak Ridge. They don't match up in the post with any of the above.

 

At least we've spurred some conversation since the paper hasn't figured out that basketball does start prior to UT ending it's football season.

 

No way anybody does anyone from Halls start over Jason Seymore at Powell. He was All-Region last year and Sophomore of the Year. I'd take him in a heart beat over Cantrell or Cooper. No question about it. As far as getting to substate, none of those teams you mentioned match up well with Powell at guard play, which is critical at tournament time. Oak Ridge, Maryville and Bearden do not shoot the ball well. Farragut certainly does, and I think that they are the team to beat in Region 2AAA.

Edited December 22, 2006 by Know Nothing

[GovMan]

No way anybody does anyone from Halls start over Jason Seymore at Powell. He was All-Region last year and Sophomore of the Year. I'd take him in a heart beat over Cantrell or Cooper. No question about it. As far as getting to substate, none of those teams you mentioned match up well with Powell at guard play, which is critical at tournament time. Oak Ridge, Maryville and Bearden do not shoot the ball well. Farragut certainly does, and I think that they are the team to beat in Region 2AAA.

 

You're obviously not real familiar with Maryville's team. Jordan Damron, Wes Lambert, and Ryan Click are three of the best "outside bombers" in the district. Kent Basile, who is more of a slasher, can spot up and drain threes as well if you don't guard him. Maryville is still not at 100%. Once Maples in on the floor and everybody else blends in, the Rebels are the team to beat in their district, and along with Oak Ridge ... one of the top two teams in the Region.

[QSouth89]

You are selling Powell a little bit short, IrishBball. Conner and Hargis are neither one even close to 100%. Conner has a bad knee and ankle. Hargis has a minor, but very painful, hand injury that is clearly hampering his play. In spite of that, they are 8-3, with two of those losses coming by a combined two points, Clinton and Catholic. Give Clinton and Catholic credit for winning those games, but don't be surprised if Powell makes it back to substate or better this year when (if) everyone is healthy. And not to make excuses, but the Catholic game was the night after a very emotional win. Powell's m.o. lately has been to build large leads and surrender them late in games. That is a mental problem more than a talent problem. When (if) that is corrected, I think you will see that Powell starts winning most of their games convincingly. Powell is easily one of the most talented teams is the region.

 

On an unrelated note, do you know why every single year, Powell plays at Catholic. To my knowledge, Catholic has NEVER come to Powell. Why are all those games played at Catholic?

Coach Ogan schedules the game like that. It used to be that Powell came over and played in the St. Mary's, but over the last few years it's been a regular season game. Powell is coming back next week to play in the Pilot. They are talented team with really good shooters. You may be right about substate ot beyond. Good luck the rest of the year.

[IrishBBall]

No way anybody does anyone from Halls start over Jason Seymore at Powell. He was All-Region last year and Sophomore of the Year. I'd take him in a heart beat over Cantrell or Cooper. No question about it. As far as getting to substate, none of those teams you mentioned match up well with Powell at guard play, which is critical at tournament time. Oak Ridge, Maryville and Bearden do not shoot the ball well. Farragut certainly does, and I think that they are the team to beat in Region 2AAA.

Maybe it's just me but give me Cantrell and/or Cooper over Seymore. IMO you get more on both ends of the floor from Cantrell and he's more athletic. Cooper at least gives you an element of size that Powell lacks. I think that the Sophmore of the Year was a stretch for Seymore given the play of Florence from A-E and Walden from Catholic. He didn't even start for alot of the year. Oak Ridge doesn't match up with Powell??? I certainly believe that Jared Stephens won't have a problem with Hargis nor Quinche Dowdell with Conner. I think GovMan makes a good observation about Maryville. Damron, Lambert and Click are pretty effective especially if you have to help on Douglas and Maples. That 6'7" 2 guard you have at Farragut should/could cause Powell problems too.

 

Any Powell/Halls comments on the Seymore/Cooper/Cantrell debate since I've not seen the head-to-head battles?

Edited December 22, 2006 by IrishBBall

[mocs30]

Maybe it's just me but give me Cantrell and/or Cooper over Seymore. IMO you get more on both ends of the floor from Cantrell and he's more athletic. Cooper at least gives you an element of size that Powell lacks. I think that the Sophmore of the Year was a stretch for Seymore given the play of Florence from A-E and Walden from Catholic. He didn't even start for alot of the year. Oak Ridge doesn't match up with Powell??? I certainly believe that Jared Stephens won't have a problem with Hargis nor Quinche Dowdell with Conner. I think GovMan makes a good observation about Maryville. Damron, Lambert and Click are pretty effective especially if you have to help on Douglas and Maples. That 6'7" 2 guard you have at Farragut should/could cause Powell problems too.

 

Any Powell/Halls comments on the Seymore/Cooper/Cantrell debate since I've not seen the head-to-head battles?

 

I'll take Seymore, but then again, I coach him. Mark my words, if he works hard, when he graduates, Jason Seymore will play Division I basketball. And the Sophomore of the Year Award was not a stretch, he earned it. I've never seen a kid improve more during one season than Seymore did last year.

 

Cantrell and Cooper are both very solid players, so no disrespect to them. They are both a handful.

 

On an unrelated note, I am definitely a fan of Walden. He's an all-around solid player and he can create his own shot or spot up. He is definitely a college player in my opinion. Where he plays in college will depend on how much exposure he gets via AAU, etc. Irish, who does he play for in the summer time?

[ihavenofriendzz]

That's not exactly accurate. If you look at the current team, Ryan Walden came from Cedar Bluff, Matt Crawford came from West Valley, Mark Olberding came from Karns, Daniel Hood from Kigsport and they have all started at some point this year.

 

Winston Cruze came from Bearden as a transfer and started year before last. You could also throw John Abraham from Farragut onto that list. If he had stayed at Catholic, 4 of the starters this year would not have come from Catholic feeder schools. That is not to say that the work ethic, will to win, and coaching weren't the keys to their success. Over the last 5 years, I would put our record up against anybody's. These players haven't been actively recruited to Catholic but have certainly had an impact on the team even though most came directly from middle school to Catholic so they technically weren't transfers.

 

When you look at almost everyone of the schools in the Top Ten list that was started, almost all have players that could have conceivably ended up at other schools. Just in the Junior class, you could pick out several top players/starters who haven't ended up where they were initially zoned. Aaron Douglas -Maryville, Brian Sommers-Alcoa, Ryan Walden-Catholic, Will Bryant-Fulton, Michael White- Anderson County, Josh Gregory-Oak Ridge, Riley Hunley-Farragut, John Abraham-Farragut to name a few. It's not anything that hasn't gone on among all the schools both public and private. The transfer issue shouldn't come into play as we debate the merits of the Top 10 teams.

 

u cant be zoned for a private school can u. either u wanna pay to go there or u dont.

Edited December 23, 2006 by ihavenofriendzz

[PowellFan]

Seymore is a great player, he can post up and score, and go outside and bomb the three, PLUS hes a good free throw shooter, Hes an all around player.

 

Cooper, Cantrell both didnt impress me at all, Varner didnt either.

 

Cameron Sharp didnt play good till the last 2 minutes.

 

I think Powell will win the district this year.

[Jesus Is Lord]

Excuse me. Powell will win the district? Powellfan...You had to be drunk when you made that post. Oak Ridge will definately win that district and they might go undefeated. They have way too much athleticism. They have a couple of lock down defenders that will keep Hargis and Conner in check. Powell is a good team but be realistic.

[IrishBBall]

Seymore is a great player, he can post up and score, and go outside and bomb the three, PLUS hes a good free throw shooter, Hes an all around player.

 

Cooper, Cantrell both didnt impress me at all, Varner didnt either.

 

Cameron Sharp didnt play good till the last 2 minutes.

 

I think Powell will win the district this year.

I thought ORANGE tinted glasses were reserved for UT Football! Seymore is the third option for Powell which you wouldn't consider a "great player" to be. Didn't he only have 3 baskets against Catholic and let his man (a sophmore that hasn't played in 3 years) score 17? Wanna bet on Powell winning the district? Tourney- maybe in an upset. They have no post game which will lead to struggles against O.R., Farragut, Bearden and Maryville on down the line. Have you seen what Oak Ridge is doing against tough out of town competition?

Edited December 23, 2006 by IrishBBall

[BBallFan31]

If Oak Ridge can shoot the 3 consistently they are the best team in the area.