TNT Tournament 08

[CougarFever]

How did Crab Orchard play in the James C. Haile and the TNT Tourney I know they would not turn down a championship game just to play in the TNT. Nashville Christian was in the same situation last year and had to forfeit. What makes this any different for Crab Orchard???

[ptguard12]

How did Crab Orchard play in the James C. Haile and the TNT Tourney I know they would not turn down a championship game just to play in the TNT. Nashville Christian was in the same situation last year and had to forfeit. What makes this any different for Crab Orchard???

 

 

I believe their gametime was moved up at the TNT so that they would be able to play their first game there and then head down to Murfreesboro to play their Championship Game at the James C. Haile. It was reported to me that they played and won their first round game at the TNT, so they must have worked something out.

[GCPioneer]

Dang, didn't realize we won that bad. I was there, but didn't get a last look at the scoreboard. We played extremely well. Started the game on a 18-0 run.

[bobcat15]

Can anyone tell me anything about Dayton?

[ksgovols]

You are correct in that these tournaments are not truly "state" tournaments, but are more like "invitational" tournaments. However, they differ greatly from the sectional tournaments becuase they pull talented teams from all three regions of the state, whereas sectional tournaments only have teams from one region of the state. It has been my experience in watching all three, that the level of competition differs each year. Some years teams at the James C. Haile and TNT are a little better than those in the sectional tournaments, especially those that play in the small school division of the TMSAA. Other years, it is vice-versa. Many teams do not join the TMSAA because they restrict the number of games you can have, when you can practice, ect. If you don't join, then you are not limited by their rules. There is no true way to determine which teams are better because there is no one equal playing field for everyone. I too wish that everyone was under one umbrella and that there was one "state" tournament for all middle school and jr. high teams in Tennessee, but that would be nearly impossible.

 

 

I don't know. Last year Harpeth won the small school state sectional for middle Tennessee and lost to TNT winner St. Henry's in OT by a point. The biggest variable I've seen at the middle school level in general is a lack of uniformity and organization. I think the TSSAA should require all middle school feeder programs to be a part of the state organization if their high school teams are members. The game restrictions and other 'rules' are typically for the benefit of the players. There are similar restrictions at the high school level.

 

As it is, even the TMSAA teams won't participate in the area tournaments a lot of times unless they have a competitive team. I mean, this is the first year I've ever seen Greenbrier or Robert Ellis at the area tournament. Waverly, Houston County and William James left the MCAC conference, stayed in TMSAA, yet Waverly is playing at the TNT. What's up with that? Nobody from their new conference participated in the area tournament.

 

Let's put all the middle schools under one umbrella and have the state association run it like they do the high schools. This isn't rocket surgery.

[word]

I don't know. Last year Harpeth won the small school state sectional for middle Tennessee and lost to TNT winner St. Henry's in OT by a point. The biggest variable I've seen at the middle school level in general is a lack of uniformity and organization. I think the TSSAA should require all middle school feeder programs to be a part of the state organization if their high school teams are members. The game restrictions and other 'rules' are typically for the benefit of the players. There are similar restrictions at the high school level.

 

As it is, even the TMSAA teams won't participate in the area tournaments a lot of times unless they have a competitive team. I mean, this is the first year I've ever seen Greenbrier or Robert Ellis at the area tournament. Waverly, Houston County and William James left the MCAC conference, stayed in TMSAA, yet Waverly is playing at the TNT. What's up with that? Nobody from their new conference participated in the area tournament.

 

Let's put all the middle schools under one umbrella and have the state association run it like they do the high schools. This isn't rocket surgery.

 

I see no benefit in requiring all middle schools to be under the scrutiny and sanctions of the TSSAA. It would simply be a way for the state association to rake in more money at the expense of small schools just trying squeeze out enough gate money to pay referees.

 

What is the advantage of membership in the TSSAA? Playing in sectional tournaments? That is what James C. Haile and TNT and the like are for. To allow schools to go and play where they want to. Since there is no true "State Champion", I see no need to dictate where schools should have to play.

 

What's more, I don't see the TSSAA having the authority to require any school to be a member of anything. Any high school can drop out of TSSAA as we speak.

[ksgovols]

But they don't drop out do they? The benefits for middle schools to be in a state association (whether it be TSMAA or not) is the same as for high schools. While high schools don't have to be a part of the TSSAA, 95% of them are.

 

Middle school athletics is a lot like travel ball. There's several 'state' events, which usually means paying an entry fee and nothing more and there's no accountability by the schools to anyone. You can jump conferences or stay an independent and set your own rules for practice times and number of games played. The reward at the end is shallow too. TMSAA crowns how many sectional state champions? Then the independents have 3 or 4 invitational tournaments that water it down even more.

 

Rather than to rake in the money, a middle school association would mean uniformity of rules and regulations and a specified path to a 'state' champion for everyone. Divisions, classifications, regions and districts could all be drawn up similar to what's already in place with a common goal. It's as good an idea as the TSSAA or the NCAA. Why do those entities exist?

[crimsontide43]

Mt. Juliet Middle has beaten 8 teams in the TNT and/or Haile. I would say they are the best team in the state.

[rockytop032]

Mt. Juliet Middle has beaten 8 teams in the TNT and/or Haile. I would say they are the best team in the state.

 

 

Who have they beaten?

[PLAHARD]

You could say that about Greenbrier also,they have beaten quite a few of the TNT teams,and the J.Haile teams as well.maybe Mt.Juliet would like to meet the boys on the hill.I think Greenbrier wanted to scrimmage and Mt.Juliet never could get dates together,i think it would have been a great middle school game.

[SingleAFan]

Mt. Juliet Middle has beaten 8 teams in the TNT and/or Haile. I would say they are the best team in the state.

 

 

MJ may be the best team in the midstate. But I am sure they would not fare well in real "state tourney" format. Memphis teams would dominate them due to a lack of true presence in the post for MJ. MJ lives off their press and would struggle against teams with skilled post players and a couple of ball handlers. Some of their players have faced Memphis competition in AAU and didn't fare very well against that style of play. They are small but press well and feature very strong guard play. Although, having seen them and Greenbrier I would have to say MJ would win by 10+.

[SingleAFan]

Who have they beaten?

 

 

Southside with MJ winning by double digits at Christmas. They also played Allons B-team in a scrimmage and won handily. Who the others are I'm not sure. Some MJ players have faced Crab Orchard in AAU but with mixed results. However, MJ features about 1500 kids in their middle school. Southside has approx. 300 and Crab Orchard maybe 200.

 

Crab Orchard would give them all they could handle.