Melrose Goes 1-3

[GTL]

Melrose lost a close one to Chicago Whitney Young 38-37, beat Ft. Myers 74-45, lost to Dr. Krop 43-41, and lost their final game today to Riverside Academy 66-56. I know that this is the most competitive tournament in the country but I really hoped they would do better than this. Adonis Thomas had a good overall tournament scoring 16, 25, 8, and 30 respectively. I have seen them twice this year and he had to carry this team on his shoulders just to keep them in games. Thomas really needs someone to step up and help him out on a consistent basis for this team to be able to defend their state title.

[GCPioneer]

They miss nate rucker badddddddly. Adonis is playing out of position having to battle with other teams big men. Nate allowed adonis to play the three or four. Also, chris jones would've made a big difference as everyone knows. In the oak hill game, mcafee looked intimidated. Has anyone else seen this from him? I bet rivals is second guessing their number one ranking they gave melrose. However, I still think melrose wins the state championship this year.

[chipper_jones_4mvp]

I said it last year on a AAA Mr.basketball thread that Chris Jones should've been up for Mr.basketball. he was the 2nd best player in the state behind Joe.Chris was the key to the team.that is what this Melrose team need is a point guard.Hampton is really struggling.a lot of unforced turnovers.not very deep on the bench also with Parks not coming back either.still think they have a shot at winning state,but think that white station and central are better.

[howdoitknow]

Melrose is good but those Liberty Tech teams from 2005-2006 & 2006-2007 would mop the floor with them.

[GCPioneer]

Melrose is good but those Liberty Tech teams from 2005-2006 & 2006-2007 would mop the floor with them.

 

Not last years Melrose team. Last years Melrose team versus the 2007 Liberty team would've been interesting. Keep in mind, Melrose's final ranking by rivals last year was at like #10. I believe the highest either of the Liberty teams ever got was at like #17. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[GTL]

The Liberty 07 team was ranked 13 in Sports Illustrated final ranking and they played a tougher schedule than Melrose did last year.

[cmarquis68]

This was expected they are not the team they were last season they miss big Nate and his toughness Chris Jones was just a beast Bobby Parks was their best permiter defender and Jermaine Holliman was probly the best pure shooter in town last year plus i think when rivals gave them that ranking they thought that jones parks and Nino Johnson the problem i see is a lack of post game i wish JJ would play Darius Moore and Willie Atwood more i know Darius is not that good but he is 6-9 250 he would make it where Adoins would not have to play in the post and the lest he could rebound and block shots cause thats what they need

[yankees8589]

Melrose has plenty of talent. Talent is not the issue. The preseason ranking was well deserved.However, factors other than talent cannot be measured by outsiders that don't have their pulse on what goes on in regards to the Memphis high school basketball scene. If this current team played like a well oiled machine they would be hard for anybody to beat. Has anybody ever heard of the word coaching and chemistry? This has nothing to do with talent. Sure it hurts losing Chris Jones but it's no different that WS loosing Jackson. WS seems to being doing OK. Melrose has one of the top SR's in the country and most likely a NBA lottery pick and is surrounded by more than enough D1 players. Again, this has nothing to do with loosing Jones or Parks (Parks role wasn't even that significant last season anyway)

 

An example(on a smaller scale) Liberty lost TJ who was the heart and soul of the team and brings in a new coach and they seem to be doing ok because everybody is pulling the rope in the same direction.

[GTL]

Melrose has plenty of talent. Talent is not the issue. The preseason ranking was well deserved.However, factors other than talent cannot be measured by outsiders that don't have their pulse on what goes on in regards to the Memphis high school basketball scene. If this current team played like a well oiled machine they would be hard for anybody to beat. Has anybody ever heard of the word coaching and chemistry? This has nothing to do with talent. Sure it hurts losing Chris Jones but it's no different that WS loosing Jackson. WS seems to being doing OK. Melrose has one of the top SR's in the country and most likely a NBA lottery pick and is surrounded by more than enough D1 players. Again, this has nothing to do with loosing Jones or Parks (Parks role wasn't even that significant last season anyway)

 

An example(on a smaller scale) Liberty lost TJ who was the heart and soul of the team and brings in a new coach and they seem to be doing ok because everybody is pulling the rope in the same direction.

I agree with you 100%. I believe coaching is killing Melrose. I know they were a great team last year but I don't think that they were as good as they should have been. Talent is there but coaching and lack of toughness from Thomas' supporting cast is missing

[yankees8589]

Oh, just a point about the Liberty team that finished nationally ranked. They also played in the City Of Palms Classic and finished runner up by going 3 and 1, loosing the Championship by 5.

 

That Liberty team destroyed just about every team they played. I think they finished 37 and 3 with one loss at the Arby's classic, one lose to Oak Hill in a true road game at VA (not a neutral site), and to Mater Dei in the City of Palms Championship.

 

Liberty beat the number one seed in the first round in the City of Palms in the first round by double digits, a team that was led by Tyreke Evans. The also beat the Lake Howell, led by Nick Calathes and Chandler Parsons.

 

That year Liberty also beat White Station, Mitchel X2 and Ridgeway. I think but am not sure Liberty went something like 8 and 3 against ranked teams. Mitchell was ranked most of that season. Oh and the year before they knocked of Mitchell, led by NBA Thad Young, for the State Championship.

 

I have no idea who was better. But, Liberty had a special team and one of the best pressure DEFENSIVE teams you will ever see in High School. Liberty was one of the best TEAMS I have ever see, not the most talented but they were great.

 

Liberty won there game at the Marshall County Hoopfest, Runner up City of Palms and third place Arby's.

 

Want to know why the didn't win the Arby's Classic? Here's why.

 

Liberty played in the City Of Palms and Arby's back to back and played 8 total games between Dec 18th and 30th. That's 8 games in 12 days (Florida and Bristol) against some of the best team in the country going 6 and 2 in those 8 games. Liberty beat a lot of team loaded with D1 players and some with NBA players. The thing that made Liberty so tough is teams simply couldn't simulate in practice the kind of pressure they brought every knight and in these Tournaments they played in teams really couldn't practice at all for what Liberty brought.

Edited December 23, 2010 by yankees8589

[GTL]

Oh, just a point about the Liberty team that finished nationally ranked. They also played in the City Of Palms Classic and finished runner up by going 3 and 1, loosing the Championship by 5.

 

That Liberty team destroyed just about every team they played. I think they finished 37 and 3 with one loss at the Arby's classic, one lose to Oak Hill in a true road game at VA (not a neutral site), and to Mater Dei in the City of Palms Championship.

 

Liberty beat the number one seed in the first round in the City of Palms in the first round by double digits, a team that was led by Tyreke Evans. The also beat the Lake Howell, led by Nick Calathes and Chandler Parsons.

 

That year Liberty also beat White Station, Mitchel X2 and Ridgeway. I think but am not sure Liberty went something like 8 and 3 against ranked teams. Mitchell was ranked most of that season. Oh and the year before they knocked of Mitchell, led by NBA Thad Young, for the State Championship.

 

I have no idea who was better. But, Liberty had a special team and one of the best pressure DEFENSIVE teams you will ever see in High School. Liberty was one of the best TEAMS I have ever see, not the most talented but they were great.

 

Liberty won there game at the Marshall County Hoopfest, Runner up City of Palms and third place Arby's.

 

Want to know why the didn't win the Arby's Classic? Here's why.

 

Liberty played in the City Of Palms and Arby's back to back and played 8 total games between Dec 18th and 30th. That's 8 games in 12 days (Florida and Bristol) against some of the best team in the country going 6 and 2 in those 8 games. Liberty beat a lot of team loaded with D1 players and some with NBA players. The thing that made Liberty so tough is teams simply couldn't simulate in practice the kind of pressure they brought every knight and in these Tournaments they played in teams really couldn't practice at all for what Liberty brought.

Those kids played well together, something Melrose doesn't be seem to be doing this year. The 07 Liberty team was a crowd favorite that year in Ft. Myers. The whole gym was wanting Liberty to pull off the unthinkable and beat the GIGANTIC Mater Dei team. Mater Dei's starting lineup that game was 6'2, 6'7, 6'9, and two 6'10's. Liberty lost that game 85-80 and let the whole nation know they deserved the hype. Melrose hasn't done that at all this season.

[matt86]

Oh, just a point about the Liberty team that finished nationally ranked. They also played in the City Of Palms Classic and finished runner up by going 3 and 1, loosing the Championship by 5.

 

That Liberty team destroyed just about every team they played. I think they finished 37 and 3 with one loss at the Arby's classic, one lose to Oak Hill in a true road game at VA (not a neutral site), and to Mater Dei in the City of Palms Championship.

 

Liberty beat the number one seed in the first round in the City of Palms in the first round by double digits, a team that was led by Tyreke Evans. The also beat the Lake Howell, led by Nick Calathes and Chandler Parsons.

 

That year Liberty also beat White Station, Mitchel X2 and Ridgeway. I think but am not sure Liberty went something like 8 and 3 against ranked teams. Mitchell was ranked most of that season. Oh and the year before they knocked of Mitchell, led by NBA Thad Young, for the State Championship.

 

I have no idea who was better. But, Liberty had a special team and one of the best pressure DEFENSIVE teams you will ever see in High School. Liberty was one of the best TEAMS I have ever see, not the most talented but they were great.

 

Liberty won there game at the Marshall County Hoopfest, Runner up City of Palms and third place Arby's.

 

Want to know why the didn't win the Arby's Classic? Here's why.

 

Liberty played in the City Of Palms and Arby's back to back and played 8 total games between Dec 18th and 30th. That's 8 games in 12 days (Florida and Bristol) against some of the best team in the country going 6 and 2 in those 8 games. Liberty beat a lot of team loaded with D1 players and some with NBA players. The thing that made Liberty so tough is teams simply couldn't simulate in practice the kind of pressure they brought every knight and in these Tournaments they played in teams really couldn't practice at all for what Liberty brought.

 

 

Brentwood Aacdemy's team Brandan Wright's senior year won both the Arby's and City of Palms tournaments...not losing a game in either case. They should be in this discussion as well.