Tri-County Seven - Week of 10 February, 2008

[Lord Vader]

Edited to add: With respect to the "University High doesn't deserve to be in the district tournament" claim, it's only fair to point out that it was a loss to the Lady Junior Bucs that caused the possible play-in scenario.

 

So, does that mean if Hampton would have beaten UH, we wouldn't have a play in game?

[screenandroll]

As stated before, it is not really a play-in game. This is the District tournament. All teams in this district get to play in the tournament. With the number of teams this district has the lower seeded teams (4 & 5) must win a game to advance to the Regional tournament. The number 1, 2, and 3 seeds have an automatic bid to the regionals. Other districts with more teams normally have to win a game to advance, weither it be the number 1 seed or the number 8. Some conferences are starting to award their conference champion with a bye in the first round giving them an automatic bid to the regional. This conference just happens to reward their 1st through 3rd. The tough part about this is when you have a tie with 3rd and 4th and you have to flip a coin to determine the automatic bid to the region. That is the hard part. The way a lot of districts are set up now it is not hard to get to the regional. A few years ago you had to have a pretty good team just to make it out of the district. Just like football playoffs the TSSAA want more teams to participate in these tournaments for financial reasons. So there you have it......

[warts4u]

Wow, what happend to the lady Rangers last night??

[old24eagle]

Wow, what happend to the lady Rangers last night??

 

They played a Lady Eagle team who was at 95% instead of 50% like they were when they lost at Unaka early.

 

Unaka isn't even close to Cosby when the lady Eagles are at full strength.

[UNAKAMOM32]

They played a Lady Eagle team who was at 95% instead of 50% like they were when they lost at Unaka early.

 

Unaka isn't even close to Cosby when the lady Eagles are at full strength.

 

 

I must say, the Lady Rangers did not play well last night, but to say they are not even close to Cosby.....PLEASE!!!!! I don't think one game can show how good or bad any team is!!! If that were the case, what would people have thought about Cosby when they lost to Cloudland, whether they were 50% or not. Do you know if Unaka was at 50% or less last night? If they were, I bet you won't read them or Coach Chambers using it as an excuse for getting beat!!!! When you lose, you lose!!!!

[old24eagle]

I must say, the Lady Rangers did not play well last night, but to say they are not even close to Cosby.....PLEASE!!!!! I don't think one game can show how good or bad any team is!!! If that were the case, what would people have thought about Cosby when they lost to Cloudland, whether they were 50% or not. Do you know if Unaka was at 50% or less last night? If they were, I bet you won't read them or Coach Chambers using it as an excuse for getting beat!!!! When you lose, you lose!!!!

 

No one was making an excuse , all I said was that half the team was sick or injured the first time they played. By the thrashing yall took last night I would say youre not even close right now.

[CycloneFan]

Old Eagle, its not really my fight, but I did notice in the box score that Brittany Scott wasnt listed for Unaka. Did she play? Her absence would make a huge difference.

 

And why no talk of Unicoi's win over Cloudland? Seems the Seven standings are on their head at the end of the regular season!

[krichunaka]

Old Eagle, its not really my fight, but I did notice in the box score that Brittany Scott wasnt listed for Unaka. Did she play? Her absence would make a huge difference.

 

And why no talk of Unicoi's win over Cloudland? Seems the Seven standings are on their head at the end of the regular season!

 

 

I was in Roan Mountain last night. A great game that, hopefully we can discuss later tonight and throughout the remainder of this week. For what it's worth, Alisha Mainer is a MVP candidate. Her ability to defend, rebound, and then clear the ball out; and her role in helping the Lady Blue Devils against the press . . . .very impressive. She might play at ETSU. She's certainly good enough to do so.

 

Concerning Unaka at Cosby, I still don't have enough detail to comment, but I was told that Scott played, and Winters played, but both sat long periods with foul trouble.

 

Oldeagle is right that Cosby wasn't at full strength earlier; but he leaves out one huge detail: It was the Cosby versus Cloudland game in which two (or possible even three) starters were missing from the Cosby lineup - - I was told then that numbers "1" and "24" didn't play against Cloudland. But since it was second-hand information, I didn't comment on it at the time.

 

However, both the big post player 24 (Hall, I think; correct if I'm wrong), and the deadly shooter, "1" both started and played nearly the entire game at Unaka. Cosby will play in our Region One-A tournament next week. Everyone will have the opportunity to prove their worth on a neutral court.

[00FANUC]

At least the Lady Devils came to play, can't say as much for the boys though. Ladies weren't even 100% come tournament time when everyone has heeled up they should be very strong.

[Lord Vader]

Hampton beat Happy Valley tonight by 14 and led the whole night by the same amount. Pretty dominate performance for the Dawgs. I also heard that University High beat North Greene tonight. That will make Hampton and North Greene tied for 3rd. How will they decide who has to play UH in the play-in game? If I was Cloudland or Unaka, I would definately not want to draw the Dawgs in the first round right now...

[krichunaka]

Hampton beat Happy Valley tonight by 14 and led the whole night by the same amount. Pretty dominate performance for the Dawgs. I also heard that University High beat North Greene tonight. That will make Hampton and North Greene tied for 3rd. How will they decide who has to play UH in the play-in game? If I was Cloudland or Unaka, I would definately not want to draw the Dawgs in the first round right now...

 

 

Time to flip the coin to determine whether Hampton or North Greene will play University High.

[krichunaka]

Unaka and Johnson County went into overtime on Stoney Creek. The Lady Rangers can, and must play better, but the Lady Longhorns' recent, seven-point loss to Unicoi County and six-point, 51-57 game at Unaka should sound the alarm.

 

More later on the Lady Longhorns and Lady Rangers.

 

Cloudland and Unicoi County were tied at 10 after one.

And again at half-time - - 18 All.

In the third Unicoi County scored 16 to Cloudland's 13 - - 34-31.

Unicoi County 10 - Cloudland 7 in the fourth.

Final Unicoi County 44 - Cloudland 38.

 

Jordan Miller and Brooke Hughes each hit two Threes for Cloudland.

Payge Barnett hit Unicoi County's only long-range three, but Ali Gardner and Kara Lynch each converted traditional, two-plus-ones, and Alisha Mainer had two. Mainer hit five-of-eight free-throws, and the Lady Blue Devils were 11-of-17 total.

 

By my unofficial totals, Brooke Johnson led Cloudland with 11; Miller, Hughes, and Rebecca Tolley scored 6 each; Brittany Reece and Julia Wilson each hit two free-throws, and Shellie McKinney scored 5.

 

Mainer led all scorers with 15; Barnett scored 7; Candace Meadows played very well, and converted a one-and-one at :32.8 for 8 total; Lauren Trivette also hit a one-and-one at :53.8, and totaled 4 points; Jennifer Edwards scored 4; plus the three-point plays by Gardner and Lynch.

 

Two very good teams in a very competitive game. Unicoi County's three, six-footers, plus Gardner at 5'10"-5'11" are a tough order.

 

The keys:

Meadows, Trivette, Amanda Vahnoy, and Barnett provided steady guard play.

Unicoi County showed tremendous improvement against full-court pressure.

The Lady Blue Devils dropped five-of-six free-throws in the fourth quarter, while the Lady Highlanders were three-of-six.