Miss Basketball Finalists

[tigerinvestigator]

I disagree about the comment that it's just a popularity contest. That is absolutely crazy. TeTe Flowers earned this PERIOD! How can a young lady from Lake County with no major media attention at all, more than an hour from the closest television station, and no one sending out flyers about her be considered a popular pick unless she EARNED it. If you've seen her play she is imho the best point guard in single A basketball. Can't speak for the other finalists but TeTe deserves it, has the numbers to back it up, has her team ranked number one in the state, and has worked as hard as anyone out there. She is a Miss Basketball finalist!

[GCPioneer]

Here's my honest opinion...

 

I do not believe it is a popularity contest at all. If that was the case, Jackson Co. would have someone nominated every year because Jackson Co. is always at the Single A state tournaments. Although, Jackson Co. does produce severeal Ms. Basketball winners/finalist, they're all normally deserving of their nomination and should've been nominated. As for this years finalist in Single A, I believe all 3 are very deserving. I've only seen Risner and Flowers play, but have heard about Garland a lot. I think all 3 are deserving.

 

Another point I will make... I do think that a state tournament showing from a particular team that will return a possible Ms. Basketball finalist for either their Junior or Senior year does make a huge impact on that particular player getting nominated that following year. For instance, there's no doubt in my mind that Brandi Goodman should've been a Ms. Basketball finalist this year as a Junior. That's not a knock on the other AA Ms. Basketball finlist that were nominated for this year. But back to Goodman, if Obion Co. would've made state last year, which was Goodman's sophomore season, she would've been nominated this year. I'm not sure on her exact stats, but I'm sure she is averaging atleast 20 points and 10 boards a game. She has also lead her team to a 2 loss season and in one of those losses she didn't even play. She is receiving interest from Big 12 school's as well as some interest from SEC schools as a Junior this year. Like I said, had Goodman been seen last year at the state tournaments as a Sophomore, I believe that Goodman would've been nominated this year.

 

Just my .2 cents....

Edited February 23, 2012 by GCPioneer

[B-O-B-C-A-T-S]

Here's my honest opinion...

 

I do not believe it is a popularity contest at all. If that was the case, Jackson Co. would have someone nominated every year because Jackson Co. is always at the Single A state tournaments. Although, Jackson Co. does produce severeal Ms. Basketball winners/finalist, they're all normally deserving of their nomination and should've been nominated. As for this years finalist in Single A, I believe all 3 are very deserving. I've only seen Risner and Flowers play, but have heard about Garland a lot. I think all 3 are deserving.

 

Another point I will make... I do think that a state tournament showing from a particular team that will return a possible Ms. Basketball finalist for either their Junior or Senior year does make a huge impact on that particular player getting nominated that following year. For instance, there's no doubt in my mind that Brandi Goodman should've been a Ms. Basketball finalist this year as a Junior. That's not a knock on the other AA Ms. Basketball finlist that were nominated for this year. But back to Goodman, if Obion Co. would've made state last year, which was Goodman's sophomore season, she would've been nominated this year. I'm not sure on her exact stats, but I'm sure she is averaging atleast 20 points and 10 boards a game. She has also lead her team to a 2 loss season and in one of those losses she didn't even play. She is receiving interest from Big 12 school's as well as some interest from SEC schools as a Junior this year. Like I said, had Goodman been seen last year at the state tournaments as a Sophomore, I believe that Goodman would've been nominated this year.

 

Just my .2 cents....

[B-O-B-C-A-T-S]

anyone getting sec or big 12 attention has to be good. aaa girls loaded in tn. whos the next big thing in a or aa?

[tradertwo]

I disagree about the comment that it's just a popularity contest. That is absolutely crazy. TeTe Flowers earned this PERIOD! How can a young lady from Lake County with no major media attention at all, more than an hour from the closest television station, and no one sending out flyers about her be considered a popular pick unless she EARNED it. If you've seen her play she is imho the best point guard in single A basketball. Can't speak for the other finalists but TeTe deserves it, has the numbers to back it up, has her team ranked number one in the state, and has worked as hard as anyone out there. She is a Miss Basketball finalist!

Maybe I misspoke when I stated "popularity contest",I was referring to the fact that most voters have not seen in person each finalist,and to the fact that it's not based entirely on stats(I used the example of Crystal Eason,the Scotts Hill standout who didn't win the award though her stats were better than the award winner in two seperate seasons).Maybe i should have used "most hyped" instead?For you to get so defensive concerning TeTe Flowers,well...no need for me to write a paragraph in my defense when I didn't bring her(or anyone else)up,just go to the "2012 Miss Basketball Ballot" topic started by coachT to find out who I feel deserves the award this year,I "bumped" my earlier post to the forefront JUST FOR YOU!

[GCPioneer]

anyone getting sec or big 12 attention has to be good. aaa girls loaded in tn. whos the next big thing in a or aa?

 

Obion Co. is only AA. Goodman from Obion and Massengil from McMinn will be the most sought after players in the state next year in AA as they're both only Juniors. There's no doubt in my mind, that Goodman is one of the top post players in the state reguardless of class. She's 6'3, mobile, and has a nice touch on a consistent 15 ft. shot. I'm surprised redbirdfan or VOREBS hasn't been on here adding a little in as well.

[senator]

I believe its a prestigeous award and certainly deserving of anyone who recieves it, but its a few peoples opinion who haven't even seen them or the others who may be deserving play. It seems to me a better way would be for sports writters or coaches from each region to select a player and the three finalist be selected from that group. Then I believe all phases of the game would be more significant not just scoring.

[swanson71]

There are only 9 athletes that get chosen as a finalists each year, 3 from each class. That is 9 out of every school in Tennessee, and we know for a fact that there are a lot more out there that are just as deserving as they've had wonderful high school careers. It's a tough job picking just 3 from each class, so to me that speaks volumes to what being picked as a finalist really means. Though we may think so and so should have gotten it; the one thing i'm sure we can all agree on is that everyone on the list does deserve to be a finalists and are very talented basketball players.

[Ericblair]

Here is the TSSAA comments on Mr/Miss Basketball....

 

"A statewide committee of sportswriters selected winners based on performance during the 2011-2012 regular season. Academics and character were also taken into consideration."

 

I am sure that the finalist and ultimate winners are fine players and more importantly young men and women and nothing here should take away from that. But how on earth is a sportwriter in Memphis going to define let alone judge performance and more challening (even for the enlightened mind of a sportwriter) character of a player in Bristol. And really, what worthy purpose does any of this really serve? Let golf, tennis, track recognize individual accomplishment and stop providing reasons why team players should be thinking of anything other that team and what it accomplishes.

[tigerinvestigator]

Maybe I misspoke when I stated "popularity contest",I was referring to the fact that most voters have not seen in person each finalist,and to the fact that it's not based entirely on stats(I used the example of Crystal Eason,the Scotts Hill standout who didn't win the award though her stats were better than the award winner in two seperate seasons).Maybe i should have used "most hyped" instead?For you to get so defensive concerning TeTe Flowers,well...no need for me to write a paragraph in my defense when I didn't bring her(or anyone else)up,just go to the "2012 Miss Basketball Ballot" topic started by coachT to find out who I feel deserves the award this year,I "bumped" my earlier post to the forefront JUST FOR YOU!

 

My post was simply defending someone I believe has earned the finalist nomination as much as anyone else. I understand you were not criticizing any of the nominees and I did read your nomination of TeTe. The only problem I had was calling this a popularity contest when I know that no kid in Lake County would win a popularity contest across the state. I misspeak all of the time in these posts and I understand that the system isn't perfect because it will be almost impossible for committee members to see every kid play. It is however fair in the fact that the finalists all have resumes that put them among the best players in the state. I am proud of TeTe and congratulate all of the nominees and finalists. Just hope TeTe is carrying a gold ball in one hand and the Miss Basketball in the other when she leaves Murfreesboro.

[Durrrin]

Here's my honest opinion...

 

I do not believe it is a popularity contest at all. If that was the case, Jackson Co. would have someone nominated every year because Jackson Co. is always at the Single A state tournaments. Although, Jackson Co. does produce severeal Ms. Basketball winners/finalist, they're all normally deserving of their nomination and should've been nominated. As for this years finalist in Single A, I believe all 3 are very deserving. I've only seen Risner and Flowers play, but have heard about Garland a lot. I think all 3 are deserving.

 

Another point I will make... I do think that a state tournament showing from a particular team that will return a possible Ms. Basketball finalist for either their Junior or Senior year does make a huge impact on that particular player getting nominated that following year. For instance, there's no doubt in my mind that Brandi Goodman should've been a Ms. Basketball finalist this year as a Junior. That's not a knock on the other AA Ms. Basketball finlist that were nominated for this year. But back to Goodman, if Obion Co. would've made state last year, which was Goodman's sophomore season, she would've been nominated this year. I'm not sure on her exact stats, but I'm sure she is averaging atleast 20 points and 10 boards a game. She has also lead her team to a 2 loss season and in one of those losses she didn't even play. She is receiving interest from Big 12 school's as well as some interest from SEC schools as a Junior this year. Like I said, had Goodman been seen last year at the state tournaments as a Sophomore, I believe that Goodman would've been nominated this year.

 

Just my .2 cents....

 

To back this post up the Union City Messenger stated the other night that Goodman was averaging 18 points and 16 rebounds per game. I think a player with these stats should have at least gotten nominated. But that's just me.

Edited February 24, 2012 by Durrrin

[WCHSGRAD]

I believe its a prestigeous award and certainly deserving of anyone who recieves it, but its a few peoples opinion who haven't even seen them or the others who may be deserving play. It seems to me a better way would be for sports writters or coaches from each region to select a player and the three finalist be selected from that group. Then I believe all phases of the game would be more significant not just scoring.

It's a great honor to make the 3 finalist. I really wish that people would just give each finalist a big ole pat on the back for their great year. I'm sure there are many players out there that have had really good years too. It doesn't really matter on how that they are selected because somebody is going to complain about it. To the three finalist, congrats on a great year and good luck finishing out the year. Keep doing what you are doing for your team and school.

 

 

P.S. Kelsey Risner is awesome and has lead the Wayne County Lady Cats for 4 years now. She has a State Championship under her belt and a great future at Union University ahead of her. Good luck Kelsey and finish strong.