Official Class A Miss Basketball Thread

[fanonly]

All good and deserving choices for the ones I have seen play. Hawn above Leonard. Heather Vann of Moore County is worth mentioning as well. She will be in the mix next year if not this. She is great inside and outside the paint.

[senator]

All the young ladies mentioned is deserving, and any of them would be a good choice, and the best is probably in the eye of the beholder hoping their favorite selection will win the award.I believe Leonard is playing the best of her career,doing more at every position, she at differant times plays all positions, plays excellant D rebounds and leads her team in assists. MTSU coach said it best after recruiting her " she is the total package ",handles the ball well, shoots the three well, penetrats and dishes the ball on offense and plays excellant defense and sees the court as well as anybody. My vote would go to Leonard who is the most versitle athlete in all factions of the game that I've seen in a long time.

[theCoach07]

I hope no one says anything negative against any of the girls mentioned here.

It is indeed an honor to be mentioned with this group. I just want to say that

Laken Leonard and JC have played the hardest scheduale, and have a great

record. Perhaps the best game against Blackman JC actually holding a lead

with 14 seconds to go, finally losing by 1 point to a great AAA team. I feel

that she is a true christian, living and leading by example. She loves her team

and they love her. I think this is what life should be about. Not saying the

others mentioned are any less. She does the things that go unnoticed a lot

of times. She lives for her savior, and I wish I could be more like her. Best of

luck to all the other girls the rest of the season.

[VIPHollywood]

Just my opinion, but I think Warden from Jackson Co. wouldn't be a bad nominee. She has played consistent throughout the year. I think she has been the better player on the team this year.

[MamaKin]

8 state championships, over 900 wins, the most successful single A team in the state, hall of fame coach, but not a single girl from Clarkrange has won the Miss Basketball trophy. Michelle Snow was a finalist, and was very deserving of the trophy, but did not win it. Lamar does such an outstanding job managing his teams, and his stars. That is why his teams are so scary when they get in the state tournament. I say all of that to say their is only one ball and what players like Heady and Leonard do on teams with other stars like Reed, Dickens, Wardin, and Bowman make them very special. I for one have enjoyed watching both of these young ladies play the game. They both have the same kind of qualities and when they play against each other it is worth the price of admission. Miss Hawn is also having an outstanding year, I just think the choice has to be Heady or Leonard, and I know it is a 1 year award, but these two girls have produced at the same high level for 4 years. Their stats are very similar if you take out Leonard's 8th grade stats. I think Leonard has a slightly higher average in points, but Heady has a higher average in rebounds. I will say this you will not go wrong with Heady, Leonard, or Hawn.

[utvols10]

Just my opionion, but Laken Leonard is the most versatile player i have seen play in a long time. I have seen most play that have been mentioned, at least the 3 mentioned. She plays all positions on the floor equally and very well i might add. I think it is very impressive when you see Leonard playing post and the game gets tight or the other team starts pressing and you see her come outside to handle the ball. Being from RBS i have seen this her entire career. I saw her lead RBS to the state tournament as an 8th grader, leading them in scoring and rebounding. This was only RBS's 3rd trip to the state tournament ever. Im not sure how someone from Clarkrange would know Ms. Leonard's rebounding stats but i would like to know all her stats for her career, scoring, rebounding, assist and steals. I bet that they are very impressive and im sure she has to be getting close to 3000 points. I watched her score some of those while at RBS, as an 8 th grader, and i know people that have to criticize will say that shouldnt count, but it does count and whats most impressive is she did it as an 8th grader against high school girls. This is not a contest between Heady and Leonard and it is not from past play. This is for the year 2010 and im sure many different girls are deserving. Again, only my opinion, but as an all around athlete and player that does it all for their team, scoring, rebounding, steals, assists, and defense, Ms. Leonard is one of the best and well deserving of this award again.

[MamaKin]

UT,

Not trying to make it a contest between these two. Beth Hawn is having a better year than either one of them. I think Leonard is awesome. I also think Heady and Hawn are just as awesome. Nothing negative meant. I agree Leonard's 8th grade stats should count. By rule she was under the same roof and she was able to play with the high school. Single A will be represented well by this award who ever wins it. Heck, we may be doing all this talking for no reason someone not even mentioned may win it.

[jasonss]

Actually Andrea Hall won Miss Basketball from Clarkrange in 1995. An two others have been a finalist. I think all three girls are very good and deserve the trophy. Of course, I also think the award should should take the post season into the thought process. I think if there are three finalist and one wins the state championship and the other do not make it to the tournament, that should be considered. Most other sports MVP awards comes from teams that win championships or at least make the playoffs. Otherwise it is just based on stats. If out of the three mentioned in the above posts, only one makes the state tournament and wins, it would be very hard to argue that one of the other two deserved the award? Any thoughts?

[MamaKin]

Jason,

That shows you what I know! For some reason I thought Snow in 2004 was the only finalist. Oh well, scratch what I said about Lamar not coaching a Miss Basketball winner. I thought it was ironic with as much success as that program has had that there wouldn't be a Miss Basketball. I still believe all three of the girls being mentioned are very deserving. I'll go study up on my history of CHS basketball now. LOL

[auntkim]

Well I kind of agree with your reasoning and for good reason lol.....Forrest has been to State for the last 4 years and won it in 2006 with thrilling victories over RBS, Madison Academic Magnet and JC for the victory...all by a margin of 6 points!!! Gaby Bussell had a fabulous year that year and was State MVP in Class A.....all while being snubbed for a Miss Basketball nomination....and she had all of the requirements of a Miss Basketball candidate and then some, including awesome stats during the regular season........well my point is, that year Miss Basketball went to a Perry County player, not saying that player was not deserving....she was awesome, BUT the team did not make it to State at all and lost in Sub-State (I believe). Forrest does not have the long and storied histories that some of the other Class A teams have (however we are working on it lol)..... with number of appearances at State and Gold Balls etc, but what we have had is an incredible run over the last 4 years and certainly have had 2 players..... Gaby Bussell then and Beth Hawn now who are every bit as deserving of the Miss Basketball nomination as those players from schools with the long storied histories of basketball prowess. I will now get off my soapbox!!! The bottom line is ..... Miss Basketball only takes into consideration performance during the regular season along with academics, character, and overall affect the player has on their team.......FINALLY and HOPEFULLY one of Forrests' players will be recognized for their contributions. Beth has worked incredibly hard this year and I can see the will to win on her face every time she hits the floor, and I have heard how she works with the younger players to bring them along also. I have seen both Miss Leonard and Miss Heady play this year and I feel they are deserving of this award as well .......so in order for my faith in this system to be justified these 3 ladies should definately be on the "short" list of nominees. I certainly wish all of them luck for the rest of regular season.... into the post season ......and on to a potential trip to the Boro!!!!

[MamaKin]

auntkim,

You are one of the classy posters on this board. Thank you for that. The people from Chapel Hill should be proud about how you represent them on here. Girls basketball brings out the best and worst in some us but the post I have read of yours always seem to be full of integrity. Not a single girl being mentioned will be a loser. They are all headed to play Division 1 basketball and I look forward to keeping track of them throughout the rest of their careers. One thing I think we can all agree on is that Hawn, Heady, and Leonard all have that "IT" factor.

[jasonss]

I agree with the posts above. I know the award is based on regular season stats, but it can be affected by the team schedule or lack of team schedule. If player A's team goes 25-1 in a weak district and region, not playing any AA or AAA teams, and averages 23 points and 10 rebounds per game...this player could very well be a finalist. They play at home in the sub-state and get beaten by 40 points by a visiting team (with player that has lost 9 games this year to AA, AAA, and a couple tough A teams. This player can still win the award? The team with 9 losses goes on to win the state tourney by an average of 20 points. Player B averaged 16 pts., 11 rebounds, and was the floor leader for the state champs. Which player is really Miss Basketball? The best players play their best games on the biggest stages. I know that EVERY player that has won the award has deserved it, but so many get slighted? I just really think if you can't get your team to the state tourney and another finalist or two finalists can, then they got the job done? Enough of my soapbox?