white co. vs cookeville

[SPA1]

No excuses from me. Could of went either way. GReat game

[sparkman]

Close game, yep.  Great game, don't think so.  Sloppy, not well coached and was starting to become a personal battle between Payne and Henderson.  Cookeville missed Carver, Buford had some bad TO's.  I think the CHS/Stone game  @ CHS was a better game.

 

I

[Alumn89]

Would love to know why you didn't think it was coached well?

[sparkman]

ok, here's some of my reasoning.  5 starters played entire 1st half. Could have killed 1211 zone Sparta came out with and didn't know how to attack it. PG threw away at least 3 lazy passes, left in game, his backup never played.  3rd quarter 1st foul on your best inside rebounder and he's pulled.  then, middle 4th, put in someone cold for 1st time in game. Never called To's to stop Spartas in late 1st quarter. Calling the 2 to's with.12 sec left did help confuse Sparta, but overall, Bray's not good at making in game adjustments. Seems to have lost fire, laid back on bench and team takes on that personality.  Won't surprise me if the lose a district/region game late due to a bad coaching decision.

[Alumn89]

You clearly don't know what you are talking about.  Lets see...

 

1- Cookeville's 5 starters weren't in foul trouble.  It didn't look like they were trying to play fast pace... so don't think they were tired... so why take them out?  

 

2- I thought CHS "attacked" it quite well.  When we tried to get it inside, they had no answer.  The only thing they did wrong was shoot too many threes on some occasions.  Coach bray and his staff were clearly upset after those possessions in which a three was shot too quickly. 

 

3- That PG you speak of ended the game with 11 pts, 9 assists, and 4 turnovers (by my count, paper said 8 ast) AND... his backup was hurt and not dressed out.  Not an awful game by most standards?

 

4- The 3rd quarter foul on our best inside rebounder??  I dont know if you understand this, but Bates and Payne are the best rebounders, and they played the whole game. I can only assume you are talking about when Shrum came out... How do you know it wasn't an offensive sub?  The freshman they put in , by the way, is a good rebounder, if not better.  I haven't seen any freshman games but from what i've heard he can shoot it very well too.   (I love Shrum though, because he works very hard to do what he does).  

 

5- The sub in the 4th (other shrum) proceeded to grab a steal, and hit a 3 the first two times he touched the ball.... yea, bad coaching move there.  

Edited February 6, 2014 by Alumn89

[Alumn89]

Sparkman, come on. I don't know if you are an upset parent or what, but any unbiased person that knows anything about basketball couldn't say Bray has done a bad job this year, or in that game. 

 

Cookeville lost 6 seniors last year, 4 of whom had started at least 2 years.  Only 2 players coming back had any experience on the Varsity level whatsoever.  Granted, they were lucky in getting Bates by transfer but still it is impressive that they are 8-1 in the district and 3-1 against Stone/Sparta.  

[sparkman]

We'll have to disagree about many of your points.  Definitely about Payne being one of the best rebounders.  Doesn't like to play inside and gets pushed around a lot under the boards.  When Buford threw the ball away 3 times in a row, it's time to sit him for awhile.  I know Carver was hurt, but Phillips is a good PG and Bates handles the ball at the top well too.

 

I sat with others who had the same complaints, so I know I'm not alone.  I'm just not impressed with Bray as a coach. Just don't like how he coaches games. My opinion. I know what they lost this year, but this years Jr class dominated as freshman. 

[Alumn89]

Freshman ball and varsity ball are very different.  Have you ever seen Phillips play PG?  If so, you must be a parent.  Because he hasn't played any PG this year that I know of. (seen all home games, and prob 3/4s of away)  I'm not really trying to call out who you are, and don't want to know, but judging from what you've said it must be the case and so I understand you must be frustrated by something.  or a friend of a parent who is mad... but i digress. 

 

The Payne kid is the second leading rebounder to Bates.  That is a fact, weather you like it or not.  What is also a fact is that Kevin Bray has had only 1 losing season at Cookeville, and that was back in the Murfreesboro district (boy I'm glad those days are gone ha)  And has won 20 games in 9 out of 13 years that I recall.  

 

I know you are entitled to your opinion, I just don't understand it.  If you want to argue with winning, be my guest.  But sounds to me like those others around you that have "the same complaints" just can't be happy with winning.  

 

Is it your opinion, that he should not be the head coach? Or that you could do better? Someone else could?  

 

Not sure if you are a Cookeville "fan" or not, but either way I only want peace and love for you brother.  Not trying to get things heated here, just discussing.  

[cav4life]

Close game, yep.  Great game, don't think so.  Sloppy, not well coached and was starting to become a personal battle between Payne and Henderson.  Cookeville missed Carver, Buford had some bad TO's.  I think the CHS/Stone game  @ CHS was a better game.

 

I

Have to agree on it becoming a personal battle but I do like Bray.

[sparkman]

Freshman ball and varsity ball are very different.  Have you ever seen Phillips play PG?  If so, you must be a parent.  Because he hasn't played any PG this year that I know of. (seen all home games, and prob 3/4s of away)  I'm not really trying to call out who you are, and don't want to know, but judging from what you've said it must be the case and so I understand you must be frustrated by something.  or a friend of a parent who is mad... but i digress. 

 

The Payne kid is the second leading rebounder to Bates.  That is a fact, weather you like it or not.  What is also a fact is that Kevin Bray has had only 1 losing season at Cookeville, and that was back in the Murfreesboro district (boy I'm glad those days are gone ha)  And has won 20 games in 9 out of 13 years that I recall.  

 

I know you are entitled to your opinion, I just don't understand it.  If you want to argue with winning, be my guest.  But sounds to me like those others around you that have "the same complaints" just can't be happy with winning.  

 

Is it your opinion, that he should not be the head coach? Or that you could do better? Someone else could?  

 

Not sure if you are a Cookeville "fan" or not, but either way I only want peace and love for you brother.  Not trying to get things heated here, just discussing.  

In reading your post, I can see why we'd have different views. You're happy with CHS being the Big Fish in a small pond. Winning lots of games every year, against a weak schedule, playing into a region game and going home.  I see so much more potential that just isn't realized.  One of the 5 largest High Schools is the state has the opportunity to build a program, that just hasn't been done here.  Middle school coaches have no connection with the high school.. Summer camps? Nothing to build up support from the general community. Go to a strong holiday tournament against good teams, not to a very weak one in Fl because it's at the beach. CHS should be playing the boro & Wilson County schools. Not playing the 86th ranked scheduled in AAA. (By the way, Coach T still ranks both Stone & Sparta higher than CHS, even though we're 3-1 against them.) Plus, I've seen multiple players get frustrated, including varsity starters leave the team. 

 

I am a CHS fan, I'd love to see this team be mentioned as a team that can compete at a state tournament level every year.  haven't been following CHS basketball forever, only 5-6 yrs or so.  I've seen how many, many HS basketball programs have been run and see that there is so much more potential here.  Do get frustrated in that, but not trying to make it heated, just express my views. 

  Not trying to make this heated either, just expressing my view.

[Alumn89]

The talent just isn't here spark man... People say that all the time about this being such a big school, but the reality is, the talent has never been here. There are so many sports offered in our town for kids growing up that very few ever focus on basketball, which hurts as well

 

Cookeville is and always has been a football town, like it or not. I don't know who these varsity starters you speak of are that have quit?

 

I mean , bray has been the most successful coach here in a long time, if not ever.

[Alumn89]

The talent just isn't here spark man... People say that all the time about this being such a big school, but the reality is, the talent has never been here. There are so many sports offered in our town for kids growing up that very few ever focus on basketball, which hurts as well

 

Cookeville is and always has been a football town, like it or not. I don't know who these varsity starters you speak of are that have quit?

 

I mean , bray has been the most successful coach here in a long time, if not ever.