Tri-County Seven - Week of 3 February, 2008

[zAZa90]

Do I hear a hint of sarcasm and jealousy? /roflolk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflolk:" border="0" alt="roflolk.gif" /> Don't be mad that Cloudland is reaping the benefits of hard work and dedication. Roan Mtn. is dominating the creek right now in every turn and every corner. I give coach Chambers credit. He's a good coach working in a place where winning doesn't come often in academics or athletics. In fact, he is the only bright spot left in a place of shambles and faded glory. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[coachh17]

Scoreboard says Happy Valley 45-40 over Elizabethton. I knew Happy Valley had good players and it looks like they finally put it together. If I understand the tie breaker correctly, this is a significant loss for Elizabethton, as they will get the #3 seed and have to play an improving Chuckey-Doak in the first round of the District. I would have much rather they played Johnson County. Congratulations to the Warriors. The Cyclones need to regroup fast. Go Cyclones!!!!

[ballobserver]

Although Happy Valley pulled a win over Elizabethton...I don't think they've quite put it together yet....tonights game saw Hannah Banks with over half the Warriors total. The Warriors need contributions accross the board to be effective and that hasn't seemed to happen yet. It was good to see Hannah have such a wonderful night for her Senior Night, I just hope some other ladies start dropping some shots to help her out.

 

Tonights game was a very good, clean game and it could've went either way.

 

A side note...Fritz and Pietrowski are a class act. Heard the Betsy Pep club was screaming obsenities at one of our players and they personally came to her and apoligized. That was very nice...Fine young ladies!

 

 

Scoreboard says Happy Valley 45-40 over Elizabethton. I knew Happy Valley had good players and it looks like they finally put it together. If I understand the tie breaker correctly, this is a significant loss for Elizabethton, as they will get the #3 seed and have to play an improving Chuckey-Doak in the first round of the District. I would have much rather they played Johnson County. Congratulations to the Warriors. The Cyclones need to regroup fast. Go Cyclones!!!!

[00FANUC]

Congrats to the Lady Devils for thier win tonight.

You guys brought tears to my eyes when you presented the Sullivan North girl with the flowers and metal.

Payge and Amanda, I will miss watching you girls play.

Good luck in all you do.

 

 

I hope your Charley Horse is better btw Payge.

[krichunaka]

University School 15 - Unaka 12 after one.

Unaka 23-4 second quarter to lead 35-19 at half-time.

Unaka 13-10 in the third to lead 48-29.

Unaka 17-11 for final of:

Unaka 65 - University School 40.

 

The Lady Rangers started off well - 7-0; then it was 12-0 run by University School.

 

Coach Kenneth Chambers managed to play everyone a lot of minutes, and pressed throughout the second quarter take the game over.

 

Kayla Winters led the Lady Rangers with 18; Brittany Scott scored 15, to include 3 of Unaka's ten threes; Kaleigh Elsea hit two threes and totaled 10 points; Taylor Byars hit three threes, finished with 11 total; Kayla Wilson scored two; Taylor Nidiffer hit a three; Chesnie Cox and Danielle Jones each hit a free-throw - - Jones played another very good defensive game, Chesnie had a couple steals, and passed to Wilson for a great assist; and Natalie Johnson hit a three and a free-throw, for four points.

 

The close score at Hampton is about what was expected, even after Cloudland put a 32-point thrashing on the Lady Bulldogs in game one. Their first-game win over North Greene, their split with Unaka, and their close call at Elizabethton are collectively demonstrative of their improvement. The Lady Bulldogs have found/created ways to stay in games where they've had a decided disadvantage in height.

 

And the win by Happy Valley should surprise no one after comparing various scores among each of the Seven schools, especially when considering the Unaka-Unicoi County, Unaka-Happy Valley games. And remember, the Lady Warriors took Unicoi County into overtime in Erwin.

The schools that started off slow - specifically Hampton and Unaka - due to personnel changes or front-loaded scheduling, have ironed the wrinkles and moved forward.

[dog4life]

You are correct in your assessment krich of the Lady Rangers and Lady Bulldogs. Yes Cloudland won the game tonight at Hampton but had Hampton hit their LAYUPS, not jump shots close in, but WIDE OPEN layups, they would have beaten the Lady Landers. Don't get me wrong. Both teams played well and Cloudland shot the ball great. I would like to see what Hampton could do if they could hit those gimmes. they are definitely playing the best they have all season and the District is anybodys guess.

[coachh17]

Although Happy Valley pulled a win over Elizabethton...I don't think they've quite put it together yet....tonights game saw Hannah Banks with over half the Warriors total. The Warriors need contributions accross the board to be effective and that hasn't seemed to happen yet. It was good to see Hannah have such a wonderful night for her Senior Night, I just hope some other ladies start dropping some shots to help her out.

 

Tonights game was a very good, clean game and it could've went either way.

 

A side note...Fritz and Pietrowski are a class act. Heard the Betsy Pep club was screaming obsenities at one of our players and they personally came to her and apoligized. That was very nice...Fine young ladies!

 

I will agree that Fritz and Pietrowski are class acts. I also agree that Happy Valley needs contributions across the board to be effective, but I do not think it has to be balanced every night. Banks, as I stated in an earlier thread, is the key to the Warriors. When I coached against them, Banks was a jv player and we game planned to stop her. She has the ability to drive to the goal hard and create her own shot. If you do not stop her she can have a big game. She also has the ability to drop it off to Ward inside or kick it out to Byars, Toney, and Bowling for open threes. Apparently, the Cyclones did a poor job of stopping her last night. In my opinion, she is the only Warrior player who can control a game with her ability to handle the ball and create her own shot or create open looks for her teammates. Bowling has similiar potential, but as a freshman has been tentative at times this season. The Warriors are dangerous and in my opinion will go as far as Banks can lead them.

[ballobserver]

I agree that Banks can control the pace if the other team will allow it. I didn't say balanced...I stated the others need to contribute more. As you stated the Cyclones let her control the game, had they shut her down and nobody else stepped (like last night) where would they have been?

 

 

 

I will agree that Fritz and Pietrowski are class acts. I also agree that Happy Valley needs contributions across the board to be effective, but I do not think it has to be balanced every night. Banks, as I stated in an earlier thread, is the key to the Warriors. When I coached against them, Banks was a jv player and we game planned to stop her. She has the ability to drive to the goal hard and create her own shot. If you do not stop her she can have a big game. She also has the ability to drop it off to Ward inside or kick it out to Byars, Toney, and Bowling for open threes. Apparently, the Cyclones did a poor job of stopping her last night. In my opinion, she is the only Warrior player who can control a game with her ability to handle the ball and create her own shot or create open looks for her teammates. Bowling has similiar potential, but as a freshman has been tentative at times this season. The Warriors are dangerous and in my opinion will go as far as Banks can lead them.

[CycloneFan]

Elizabethton simply did not get out on Banks on the perimeter, until it was too late. She hit 5 3's including at least 2 during the spurt in the third quarter that allowed HV to open up a double digit lead. EHS was in a zone and just didnt get out on her. She and Bowling did dribble penetrate the zone several times, and got to the FT line, but the open looks from outside were the key in my opinion. EHS did not get the ball inside enough. Mariah made something happen every time she touched it, either scoring or getting fouled. To HV's credit they worked hard at denying her the ball.

HV played with more emotion and intensity and deserved to win. EHS better regroup quickly.

I am told that EHS will play Johnson County on thursday. The coin flip tiebreaker doesnt come into play as EHS's win over SG gives them the 2 seed over Unicoi.

[coachh17]

I like the Johnson County match-up better than Chuckey-Doak. This will be a good tournament.

[coachh17]

Elizabethton simply did not get out on Banks on the perimeter, until it was too late. She hit 5 3's including at least 2 during the spurt in the third quarter that allowed HV to open up a double digit lead. EHS was in a zone and just didnt get out on her. She and Bowling did dribble penetrate the zone several times, and got to the FT line, but the open looks from outside were the key in my opinion. EHS did not get the ball inside enough. Mariah made something happen every time she touched it, either scoring or getting fouled. To HV's credit they worked hard at denying her the ball.

HV played with more emotion and intensity and deserved to win. EHS better regroup quickly.

I am told that EHS will play Johnson County on thursday. The coin flip tiebreaker doesnt come into play as EHS's win over SG gives them the 2 seed over Unicoi.

 

You know my philosophy CycloneFan. I never could stand to sit in a zone and get beat with uncontested threes. I much preferred man to man, a match-up zone, or even a box in one or triangle and two to keep pressure on shooters. You run the risk of getting beat off the dribble, but you don't give up easy outside shots. I hope they can pull it back together for the tournaments.

[krichunaka]

Happy Valley didn't just suddenly become a bad team, but rather, the mid-January schedule took its toll. After losing at West Greene on Tuesday, 8 January, the Lady Warriors had to play at Unaka Thursday (10th), and the very next night at Elizabethton; and as I recall, fatigue was mentioned as one of the probable contributing factors for the third-game-in-four-nights loss. The Lady Warriors' next two games were to Unicoi County and South Greene, resulting in the five-game losing streak.

 

It's also worth noting that Tuesday, the Lady Warriors beat the Lady Buffaloes by 24 after having begun the aforementioned streak by losing to them 53-57. Summed up, Happy Valley split two overtime games with Unaka and lost an earlier one-pointer to Unicoi County. If we agree that Unicoi County is pretty darned good, then it stands to reason that so is Unaka, and likewise for Hampton, based on the split with Unaka and the five-point loss to Cloudland, after having been blown out by 32 in Roan Mountain on 11 January.

 

So, Elizabethton fans, take heart. You have a good basketball team. That you've beaten South Greene and Unicoi County speaks volumes. Monday's scare from Hampton was no fluke, nor was the reasonably close call in game one with the Lady Warriors. Five of the other Six are approximately your equal, and that's no insult. The Lady Bulldogs, Lady Rangers, and Lady Cyclones have weathered their early-season injuries/rehab/personnel changes to put themselves in serious tournament contention. Their resilience has been amazing. Unicoi County, Unaka and Hampton will also attest that Happy Valley is talented and tough as nails.