Arby's Classic 2012

[MentorFan]

The field and bracket for the 2012 edition has been released. I look forward to following the tournament through this forum and the other TN media. This even sounds fantastic. Not having a real vested involvement (i.e. close relative playing) in my Mentor (OH) team - it just doesn't make sense for me to make the long trip to Bristol for the tournament. But if I had the means and/or a good reason, I would love to be there!

 

This year's even will be spanned over six days due to the 30th falling on a Sunday. That is a long (and expensive) week of basketball for all those traveling and staying in TN. It is good for Bristol business though.

 

Here is a link:

 

http://tricitiessports.com/arbys-classic-bracket-unveiled-p61972-1.htm

[MentorFan]

Last year's champions (Christ School, NC) and runner-ups (Mentor, OH) return to the Classic. I can only give a breakdown on Mentor right now.

 

Last year the team had 8 or 9 guys in their normal rotation led by leading scorer (and Ohio's Mr. Basketball winner) Justin Fritts. He is now graduated and playing DII ball in West Virginia. The other major loss to graduation was point guard Danny Wallack. One other loss is a current senior (Mitch Trubisky) who is a big time football recruit that is graduating early to enroll at North Carolina. His presence will be missed as well. Four of the top seven scorers do return, led by senior Jeff Foreman and juniors Brandon Fritts, Conner Krizancic, and Caleb Potter. These four all averaged around 8-12 points per game last season.

 

Mentor will continue to play their up tempo offense that looks to use a full-court press, run and run on offense, and utilizing the three-point shot as much as their talent allows. This year's team doesn't have quite the number of shooters as the last two Mentor teams that went to the Arby's Classic. This team has more size than the past two Mentor teams. I don't expect an offense as potent as the 2010 or 2011 tournament, but still one that should average about 70-75 ppg.

 

One thing that will work against Mentor is their successful football season. About half of the regulars on the team also play football. Mentor just won a regional title and will advance to the Ohio big school state semifinal game. A long football run for key basketball players may mean a slow start to the season. Hopefully by the time of the Arby's Classic the team will be ready.

[creekerballer]

Looking at the bracket there might not be a local team win a game in round one. Once again science hill got a beast in the first round and not to mention they took big graduation loses.

[voltnh]

Whenever I saw that the "blind draw" had once again given Science Hill the Memphis team in the 1st round, I couldn't help but laugh. Oh well, you got to play 'em sooner or late...

[MentorFan]

http://tricitiessports.com/extopper-standouts-back-to-defend-title-at-th-annual-arbys-classic-p61994-238.htm

 

Article on the draw

[AlumnI01]

Science HIll is very young and has a lot of inexperience at the Varsity level on the floor this year. They're still a good team but the losses to graduation/transfer really hurt them. They've got some young talent though. Freshman Patrick Good is going to be a star before he leaves The Hill.

 

Their draw against a Memphis team in the 1st round will be great experience for them if nothing else.

Edited November 20, 2012 by AlumnI01

[MrTSSAA]

Should be a pretty good tournament...

 

How large are the venues...? i.e. seating capacity...

[CDHSGrad]

Science HIll is very young and has a lot of inexperience at the Varsity level on the floor this year. They're still a good team but the losses to graduation/transfer really hurt them. They've got some young talent though. Freshman Patrick Good is going to be a star before he leaves The Hill.

 

Their draw against a Memphis team in the 1st round will be great experience for them if nothing else.

Really? Why so many freshmen on the SH team this year? According to the JC Press, DB, TN High, etc., don't dress any freshmen on varsity. That's quite interesting. Is there a lack of talent in the 2400+ student pool at Science Hill, or just a lack of interest?

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[SweetScience]

This should be in interesting tourney. I may try to make it up there to watch Oak Ridge against Va Episcopal (sp)?

[AlumnI01]

Really? Why so many freshmen on the SH team this year? According to the JC Press, DB, TN High, etc., don't dress any freshmen on varsity. That's quite interesting. Is there a lack of talent in the 2400+ student pool at Science Hill, or just a lack of interest?

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I'm not really sure why to be honest. I do know their JV squad did very well last year, so that's probably the main reason. The best players make the team, regardless of their class. Freshman Patrick Good could play on any Varsity team in the area, and start on most. He's Senior, CJ's, little brother and is very good. I think there's just 1 or 2 Freshman on the team but several Sophomores.

[MentorFan]

Anybody care to give an update of teams playing at the Classic? I'm sure tonight is the last game any of the teams have before next week's event. Mentor (OH) is currently 4-0 and plays their final tune-up tonight at home. None of the teams Mentor has played so far are at the level of the better teams at the Arby's Classic.

 

The Cardinals are ranked No. 5 in the Cleveland Plain Dealer seven county coverage area. If there was a Division I (Ohio big school) state poll, my guess is Mentor would be ranked somewhere in between 10-15. This team does not come in with quite the hype of the previous two Mentor teams, but they are still pretty good.

 

The biggest difference between this year's team and the previous two is no superstar. Two years ago it was Cole Krizancic (2010 Arby's MVP), the all-time leading scorer in Mentor history. Last season it was Justin Fritts - who became Ohio's Mr. Basketball. This year's team spreads the wealth and lacks a true "go-to" guy.

[MentorFan]

From my brief research, here is what I find:

 

Of all the TN schools, Science Hill (7-1) and Melrose (5-1) are the most highly regarded. The two play eachother in the first round.

 

Last year's champs, Christ School, are 12-4 - but they probably play a schedule as tough as any in North Carolina. Two of their losses are to the same team, Wesleyan Christian - the top ranked teams in NC. While four losses shows they are beatable, the Greenies are probably still the team to beat.

 

Princeton Day Academy (MD) is 8-5, but they are similar to Christ School in that they are loaded with talent and have a tough schedule to match. PDA has collected much of the talent in the Baltimore area this season through transfers. The record might not reflect as much, but they could be the second best team at the Classic.

 

Virginia Episcopal (3-0) is ranked highly in their state by Massey and other computer rankings, but I don't know much about them beyond that.

 

As for out of the country teams, I can't say anything about Urspring (Germany) except that their tradition speaks for itself. They will definitely be one of the tough outs at this tournament.

Edited December 23, 2012 by MentorFan