Memphis basketball and why they win

[pujo]

Valentine had 20+ against Mitchell so I'd say their defensive focus wasn't on him...they focused on stopping our senior and sophomore guards and did a dang good job!

With that said, we don't have a "best player" IMO Galilee.

When we play as a unit, we can hang with anyone...when we step out to be the show and forget our function(s) we struggle greatly.

We are starting to peak and have the pieces in the right places, and we have alot of work to get to the 'boro...but beating a UC or MM team is a huge climb.

Loved the balance we had against UH, you really don't need a best player just a legit threat at every position. 

[UCSportsFan]

Why do you feel the need to label all schools in Memphis with your posts?? Not just this one but many others. Yes Hamilton was busted this year and Ridgeway in the past but there are many schools in Memphis and Shelby Co whose players and coaches are working hard and doing things the right way. And you throw them under the bus with you accusations. Let me ask you this.... If a team in 7a or 8aa was caught doing the same thing should we just assume all the other teams are doing the same thing?? No because that would be wrong and degrading to the kids and coaches of those teams. If you want to speak of the facts involving the teams that broke the rules so be it. But lay off the ones that you know nothing about.

memphis is loaded with talent, and i'm all for the kids playing to get them out of the bad environment there.  Do i feel T$$AA affords them and unfair advantage by allowing them to move from school to school at any given time?  Yes i do but thats not the individual players fault thats a fault in the system so my apologies if i have offended anyone.  

[BIGPURPLEMACHINE]

memphis is loaded with talent, and i'm all for the kids playing to get them out of the bad environment there. Do i feel T$$AA affords them and unfair advantage by allowing them to move from school to school at any given time? Yes i do but thats not the individual players fault thats a fault in the system so my apologies if i have offended anyone.

You did not offend me personally. In fact I agree with you on some points like the unfair advantage. I just think that some of your comments paint with a broad brush. There are dozens of schools in Memphis and Shelby Co. And most if them do things the right way. No need to let the ones that don't taint the reputation of the others.

[wingman10]

You did not offend me personally. In fact I agree with you on some points like the unfair advantage. I just think that some of your comments paint with a broad brush. There are dozens of schools in Memphis and Shelby Co. And most if them do things the right way. No need to let the ones that don't taint the reputation of the others.

agree

[wingman10]

Central seems to be a very good team

[Dragonmaster]

Open enrollment only takes place when a student-athlete leaves 8th grade he then can enroll in a high school of his choice. Once he enrolls at that school he can only transfer if there is a bonafide change of address.

When you have a program that is producing in the classroom and off the court middle school parents wants their child to attend there. What coach would tell the parent no.

Galilee,

I have to disagree with you on the bonafide change of address.   We have two cases in our district that supposedly  there was a change of address but the kids still drive from the house/ apartment at the the old address to play at a new school.  In one case the coach set up the ride for the kid to get to school each day.  I am not going to name names because I have friends at both places but it makes it hard to swallow.   

[Galilee]

Galilee,

I have to disagree with you on the bonafide change of address.   We have two cases in our district that supposedly  there was a change of address but the kids still drive from the house/ apartment at the the old address to play at a new school.  In one case the coach set up the ride for the kid to get to school each day.  I am not going to name names because I have friends at both places but it makes it hard to swallow.   

Some will still break the rules.

[DougS]

memphis is loaded with talent, and i'm all for the kids playing to get them out of the bad environment there.  Do i feel T$$AA affords them and unfair advantage by allowing them to move from school to school at any given time?  Yes i do but thats not the individual players fault thats a fault in the system so my apologies if i have offended anyone.  

 

The school districts allow for the students to move from school to school.  TSSAA only controls the playing of athletics.  And yes, TSSAA should tighten up on players transfering from year to year.

[Dragonmaster]

Some will still break the rules.

yelp and they are supposed to be the adults/examples in the situations.  We just do what everyone else is doing is not a defense it is a cop out.  I wish people would grow up and be professional.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Dragonmaster

[kwc]

Why do you feel the need to label all schools in Memphis with your posts?? Not just this one but many others. Yes Hamilton was busted this year and Ridgeway in the past but there are many schools in Memphis and Shelby Co whose players and coaches are working hard and doing things the right way. And you throw them under the bus with you accusations. Let me ask you this.... If a team in 7a or 8aa was caught doing the same thing should we just assume all the other teams are doing the same thing?? No because that would be wrong and degrading to the kids and coaches of those teams. If you want to speak of the facts involving the teams that broke the rules so be it. But lay off the ones that you know nothing about.

 

 

BPM:

 

Even in both of those cases ... Hamilton and Ridgeway. Those weren't cases where the coaches/school 'cheated' knowingly. Case in point with Ridgeway a few years ago. That young man had graduated from school in Louisiana, moved to Memphis, forged documentation, had his WIFE act as his mother to get him enrolled. Had not the young man start flirting with a high school girl and his wife/mother not found out about his shinanigans ... he may have pulled it off. IT ... the young man's ileagal activity, fooled everybody. When the coach at Ridgeway got wind of what was going on ... they investigated and discoverd the transgression. The young man fooled the school board ... not just the school. The killer thing about it ... he was a bench rider, and Ridgeway was legitametly better the Southwind that year. THAT was a tough one for Ridgeway to swallow.

 

The Hamilton situation is different, but it follows a similar vein ... he, the young man playing ball, just slipped through the cracks. It can happen ... especially with the transferring issues. Now this player played a more significant role on Hamilton's team, then the young man that was on Ridgeway's team. However, when the coaches at Hamilton became apppearent of the situation, they sat him and waited for judgement from the TSSAA office.

 

I know the big Memphis schools win the championship more often then not and folks that are not from this area are going to think that there are integrity issues, when that's not the case. They, the big schools, DON'T HAVE TO CHEAT TO WIN. In almost every situation where you have a winning program, you have talent ON THE BENCH in bunches. Those teams are 10-12 deep easily ... and then some.  In fact, if you read a Ridgeway boxscore in the paper, you can see where he plays 10, 11, even 12 players at times. Some of those games are tight. Some are blowouts. It doesn't matter to him. Most of the time on these teams, an underclassman will have to subdue his game/talent, for the team, and bide their time until later in their career.

 

I know ... folks are just goiong to think that they cheat. Truth is ... they don't have to and it is more damaging to try and cheat and get caught, then to just play by the rules. Too much talent in the city to do that. WAY TOO MUCH TALENT! The coaches at Ridgeway and Hamilton, in particular, are bigtime names in the industry. Moms and Dads who THINK their son can play basketball are trying to get their son at those schools, to just name those two. Not to mention that the Hamilton coach coaches for Team Penny during the summer in AAU basketball. (Team Penny is BIG TIME in AAU) Makes no sense to cheat because all of the ballers know him and his history in the game.

 

However ... I know what some will think. Go ahead and think that.

 

By the way, BPM, I know you aren't trying to cast aspersions on either school ... I just thought I'd throw that in for defending those programs sake. I know how you meant when you stated what you stated.

Edited January 28, 2015 by kwc

[UCSportsFan]

BPM:

 

Even in both of those cases ... Hamilton and Ridgeway. Those weren't cases where the coaches/school 'cheated' knowingly. Case in point with Ridgeway a few years ago. That young man had graduated from school in Louisiana, moved to Memphis, forged documentation, had his WIFE act as his mother to get him enrolled. Had not the young man start flirting with a high school girl and his wife/mother not found out about his shinanigans ... he may have pulled it off. IT ... the young man's ileagal activity, fooled everybody. When the coach at Ridgeway got wind of what was going on ... they investigated and discoverd the transgression. The young man fooled the school board ... not just the school. The killer thing about it ... he was a bench rider, and Ridgeway was legitametly better the Southwind that year. THAT was a tough one for Ridgeway to swallow.

 

The Hamilton situation is different, but it follows a similar vein ... he, the young man playing ball, just slipped through the cracks. It can happen ... especially with the transferring issues. Now this player played a more significant role on Hamilton's team, then the young man that was on Ridgeway's team. However, when the coaches at Hamilton became apppearent of the situation, they sat him and waited for judgement from the TSSAA office.

 

I know the big Memphis schools win the championship more often then not and folks that are not from this area are going to think that there are integrity issues, when that's not the case. They, the big schools, DON'T HAVE TO CHEAT TO WIN. In almost every situation where you have a winning program, you have talent ON THE BENCH in bunches. Those teams are 10-12 deep easily ... and then some.  In fact, if you read a Ridgeway boxscore in the paper, you can see where he plays 10, 11, even 12 players at times. Some of those games are tight. Some are blowouts. It doesn't matter to him. Most of the time on these teams, an underclassman will have to subdue his game/talent, for the team, and bide their time until later in their career.

 

I know ... folks are just goiong to think that they cheat. Truth is ... they don't have to and it is more damaging to try and cheat and get caught, then to just play by the rules. Too much talent in the city to do that. WAY TOO MUCH TALENT! The coaches at Ridgeway and Hamilton, in particular, are bigtime names in the industry. Moms and Dads who THINK their son can play basketball are trying to get their son at those schools, to just name those two. Not to mention that the Hamilton coach coaches for Team Penny during the summer in AAU basketball. (Team Penny is BIG TIME in AAU) Makes no sense to cheat because all of the ballers know him and his history in the game.

 

However ... I know what some will think. Go ahead and think that.

 

By the way, BPM, I know you aren't trying to cast aspersions on either school ... I just thought I'd throw that in for defending those programs sake. I know how you meant when you stated what you stated.

What better way to get a kid to come into your program than to coach him in AAU? I would be interested in how many kids he has coached in AAU have played high school ball for him afterwards...

Edited January 28, 2015 by UCSportsFan

[kwc]

they don't have the best coaching...and that is why games are so close when they get to the boro. still I love watching them when they play at state and their crowds are getting larger every year...plus they bring their pep bands and that always livens up murphy center!

 

The teams that make it to the Boro from Memphis have excellent coaching. What you stated could be taken as a sleight, even though I don't think you intended it to sound like that. Look at it from a Memphians POV. Memphians hear, on a regular basis, that our teams have athletes, but the coaching isn't the BEST. It's quite a mantra. To the point that it can become irritating and down right insulting after a while.

 

Then you ask, "What's lacking in coaching from Memphis coaches that makes others think that way?" Usually, you hear various answers, but most of the time it comes down to what most folks declare as ... "discipline". The say ... "The coaches don't discipline this, and they don't discipline that, yada, yada, yada." In other words, the Memphis teams have so much of a talent edge, none of their games should be close, and from what I/we observe ... it all boils down to fundamentals and discipline.

 

I think that's a load of horse manure. You don't consitently make it deep into the playoffs, or to the championship games without fundamentals and discipline. Coaching acumen from the Memphis coaches is elite as weli.

 

What it really coems down to is 'Style of Play'. If a coach "coaches his team" to use their athleticisim to their advantage and be aggressive, it may appear to be sloppy, and undisciplined because it's chaotic. It's a different style then what you see played in rural or subburban types of environments. That doesn't mean that the more basic, half court, controlled 'Style of Play' means that the coach who coaches that way is a BETTER coach then the one who uses the athletic, aggressive, chaotic 'Style of Play'.

 

They are just different.

 

If you are use to one style, and you see another style that different, you may think that the other style isn't as good as the other. It's more of a PREFERENCE thing then anything else. It seems to me that the coaches who coach in a conservative manner, do so because their talent dictates that AND ... that's what they were taught when they learned the game.