West Tennessee is DOMINATE in high school basketball

[SweetScience]

Yeah, just suck it up Non Memphis people, they are just better...I'm sucking it up pretty good myself.

[cofo]

Ok we are done here he said END OF STORY on caps..lol ppl amaze me

as a casual observer with no dog in the hunt....I believe Bigpurple is on the right of this arguement getto..

[1brutalchoctaw]

something I looked up on TSSAA's website, correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I saw, there AAA has existed for 37 years. 27 championships have gone to Memphis or schools in Shelby County. thats pretty impressive. speaks for itself.

I'm thankful that Dyer County caught the break it did, because it isn't easy to get out of West TN when you have to face deep Memphis teams in Region/Substate. good year for Memphis/West TN basketball!

[Norman Dale]

No question, West Tennessee basketball, especially Memphis, is better than the rest of the state, year-in, year out. The results don't lie. East Tennessee hoops has been way down for the last couple of years. The level of play will not be going down in the west so if ET teams want to compete at the state level, they are going to have to work harder and get better, pure and simple. It can be done, but it starts early and takes 100% commitment. It is especially tough in ET because the prevailing culture is all about football.

[kwc]

something I looked up on TSSAA's website, correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I saw, there AAA has existed for 37 years. 27 championships have gone to Memphis or schools in Shelby County. thats pretty impressive. speaks for itself.

I'm thankful that Dyer County caught the break it did, because it isn't easy to get out of West TN when you have to face deep Memphis teams in Region/Substate. good year for Memphis/West TN basketball!

 

1brutal:

 

That's an impresive stat. Thanks for doing the research. There are a lot of factors to why the city of Memphis has been dominant in BBall over the years. But recently, Memphis has an advantage that other parts of the state just don't have. Memphis is dominant in AAU basketball. There are those who don't like AAU basketball but it serves its purpose beautifully.There is a reason it exists. The college coaches can't make it out to high school games during the season to evaluate potential signees as much as they would like during the season. But thay can during the AAU season. They can't rely soley on recruiting services, they have to actually evaluate the players themselves. The guys in Memphis know this and the AAU culture in Memphis takes a back seat to no one. Penny Hardaway (Who is currently coaching a middle school team) is getting heavily involved in developing players in Memphis in the AAU circuit. (You know he understands the culture)

 

These guys get to work on their skills for a longer period of time and play against elite competition from all over the country. It takes hard work just to make one of these teams. They play the elite players against elite competition. They travel and play in different host cities. Then the city of Memphis has an annual summer league that all of the top players play in called 'The Bluff City Classic'. This league has the top high school players playing against some current an post college players. They may even have some pro players participate, who are coming home after their season is over.

 

This year's class of seniors has these players who are currently playing on Memphis high school teams:

 

Austin Nichols - Briarcrest (5 star, Univ. of Mem.)

Nick King - Memphis East (4 star, Univ. of Mem.)

Markell Crawford - Memphis Melrose (3 star, Univ. of Mem.)

Jujuan Johnson - Memphis Southwind (4 star, Marquette Univ.)

Johnathan Williams III - Memphis Southwind (4 star, Missouri Univ.)

 

The list is much longer then that, but those are the guys I can name off the top of my head going to "big D-1 basketball" programs.

 

The Memphis players have that going for them as well. There is a good reason why the city of Memphis is called "Hoop City".

Edited March 18, 2013 by kwc

[Norman Dale]

1brutal:

 

That's an impresive stat. Thanks for doing the research. There are a lot of factors to why the city of Memphis has been dominant in BBall over the years. But recently, Memphis has an advantage that other parts of the state just don't have. Memphis is dominant in AAU basketball. There are those who don't like AAU basketball but it serves its purpose beautifully.There is a reason it exists. The college coaches can't make it out to high school games during the season to evaluate potential signees as much as they would like during the season. But thay can during the AAU season. They can't rely soley on recruiting services, they have to actually evaluate the players themselves. The guys in Memphis know this and the AAU culture in Memphis takes a back seat to no one. Penny Hardaway (Who is currently coaching a middle school team) is getting heavily involved in developing players in Memphis in the AAU circuit. (You know he understands the culture)

 

These guys get to work on their skills for a longer period of time and play against elite competition from all over the country. It takes hard work just to make one of these teams. They play the elite players against elite competition. They travel and play in different host cities. Then the city of Memphis has an annual summer league that all of the top players play in called 'The Bluff City Classic'. This league has the top high school players playing against some current an post college players. They may even have some pro players participate, who are coming home after their season is over.

 

This year's class of seniors has these players who are currently playing on Memphis high school teams:

 

Austin Nichols - Briarcrest (5 star, Univ. of Mem.)

Nick King - Memphis East (4 star, Univ. of Mem.)

Markell Crawford - Memphis Melrose (3 star, Univ. of Mem.)

Jujuan Johnson - Memphis Southwind (4 star, Marquette Univ.)

Johnathan Williams III - Memphis Southwind (4 star, Missouri Univ.)

 

The list is much longer then that, but those are the guys I can name off the top of my head going to "big D-1 basketball" programs.

 

The Memphis players have that going for them as well. There is a good reason why the city of Memphis is called "Hoop City".

 

Good points kwc. Obviously Memphis produces more high major D1 talent than anywhere else in the state but there are also SO many very good high school players in Memphis who only go on to play juco/small college ball or no college ball at all. I know this is a result of the great competition these guys play from their early ages on the AAU circuit. These are the "nuts and bolts" guys that give Memphis teams the depth advantage over the rest of the state. Even if you take the high major guys out of the equation, Memphis teams would still be very successful.

[GCPioneer]

 

 

Good points kwc. Obviously Memphis produces more high major D1 talent than anywhere else in the state but there are also SO many very good high school players in Memphis who only go on to play juco/small college ball or no college ball at all. I know this is a result of the great competition these guys play from their early ages on the AAU circuit. These are the "nuts and bolts" guys that give Memphis teams the depth advantage over the rest of the state. Even if you take the high major guys out of the equation, Memphis teams would still be very successful.

Ive seen average Memphis players make great JUCO players. The city of Memphis is so loaded that alot of players fall through the cracks and go unheard of until they become good JUCO players and get seen by the D1s then. Ole Dick Vitale said that you can recruit a national championship out of Memphis... Same can be said still...

[kwc]

Memphis is who dominates Boys Basketball in Tennessee. Talked to a guy from Memphis at the tourney one year. He said Memphis is obssessed with hoops. Memphis is one of the best Basketball cities in America. I heard that Memphis produces more D1 talent per capita than any city in America. I just wish the UT Vols could tap into that Gold mine more. I know Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said he is going to tap into the Memphis pipeline.

 

Ron:

 

The University of Memphis can't get them all. It's been that way for decades. I've been baffeled as to why UT has had problems getting some of the BBall talent from Memphis. Quite frankly, If the University of Memphis would of had a scholly at the time Jarnell Stokes was looking to go play in college, i'm fully convinced that Jarnell would have been a Tiger. That being said ... UT has had very little success in gathering some of the best high school basketball players from the city of Memphis. I think the UT's lack of success in that regard is all due to perception. I think because UT is considered a football school that it isn't percieved to put a large emphasis on BBall. Let's see if coach Martin can change that. I believe that coach Pearl had put the work in to erase it. But his untimely demise erased all of the work done to put UT in the national BBall scene.

[REBELRON]

Ron:

 

The University of Memphis can't get them all. It's been that way for decades. I've been baffeled as to why UT has had problems getting some of the BBall talent from Memphis. Quite frankly, If the University of Memphis would of had a scholly at the time Jarnell Stokes was looking to go play in college, i'm fully convinced that Jarnell would have been a Tiger. That being said ... UT has had very little success in gathering some of the best high school basketball players from the city of Memphis. I think the UT's lack of success in that regard is all due to perception. I think because UT is considered a football school that it isn't percieved to put a large emphasis on BBall. Let's see if coach Martin can change that. I believe that coach Pearl had put the work in to erase it. But his untimely demise erased all of the work done to put UT in the national BBall scene.

 

 

Perception isn't always reality.I understand what you are saying though. UT has finished in the top 6 in attendance for 7 straight years. It has been proven if UT puts out a good product in basketball the fans will support it bigtime. I remember seeing Stokley Center packed to the gills when Ray Mears was coaching there. I also remember when Don Devoe started out at UT he won lots of games and Stokley was packed. What hurt Devoe is he never really adjusted to the shot clock and 3 point line. Devoe loved defensive basketball. A 45-40 game was his type of game.

 

After Devoe UT had a bad run of coaches. Wade Houston the worst coach in UT Basketball history. Kevin Oneill wasn't a terrible coach but he is a basket case big time. He was a heck of a recruiter. He set up the next coach in Jerry Green. Jerry Green had some success but got lazy and didn't recruit. Buzz Peterson was in over his head. Bruce Pearl came to UT and started kicking some tail. I thought back in 2007-2008 that one day Bruce Pearl would lead UT to a National Title. I thought Bruce Pearl would do for UT Basketball that Jim Calhoun did for UCONN. Bruce Pearl made a terrible mistake that cost him his job. Had Pearl just told the truth he would still be at UT. I remember his last team started out strong. Won the preseason NIT and killed Pitt at Pitt. From everything I heard the administration decided they weren't going to back Pearl and the team more or less quit. That team started out 7-0 and was ranked #5 after the big win over Pitt. It was all downhill after that. I like Counzo Martin. I think next years team has a chance to be really good. I want Counzo Martin to really succeed.

 

 

I have said this for years. UT Basketball is a sleeping giant. UT's Basketball facilities are 2nd to none. UT has proven over and over they will support basketball. Football will always be top dog though. Another reason UT should be good in Basketball is the State of Tennessee has really good basketball talent in this state. Memphis is one of the best basketball cities in america. Cities like Clarksville,Nashville,Jackson,Knoxville and Chattanooga have produced good basketball players.

[airstrip1]

Class A Lake County and Humboldt The District 14A invitational

 

Class AA Jackson South Side and CPA CPA the lone representative from

middle and east Tennessee in all classes.

 

Class AAA Southwind and Dyer County

 

5 of the 6 teams playing for state titles on Saturday are from the west of the Tennessee River.

 

No doubt that the west dominates round ball.

 

http://www.usnews.co...angerous-cities

 

And too in crime...congratulations are in order for both.

Edited March 19, 2013 by airstrip1

[gettozero]

 

 

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/02/16/the-11-most-dangerous-cities

 

And too in crime...congratulations are both in order.

lol...can't wait for these comments

[kwc]

lol...can't wait for these comments

 

It's no secret that Memphis is high in crime. It's a big city and crime has been a problem for decades. What kind of comments are you expecting?

 

That being said ... I'm so glad that the city of Memphis has such a strong BBall program. Because it gives a lot of young men opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise. Those crime number could be even higher as a result, and instead of having a young man grow up and become a productive citezen and fellow civic helper ... we could be looking at another statistic. There are plenty of statistics in Memphis. It's good to see that there are those putting in the time to help reduce the number.

Edited March 19, 2013 by kwc