What y’all think? Wooddale is back in the postseason!

[802Tomcat]

17 minutes ago, coachzero said:

who has two D1 players? Not Bolivar!

Haywood

[SayWhat]

Who D1 from Haywood?

[coachzero]

1 minute ago, Salami said:

Haywood

Maybe the big boy when he plays smaller guys but when I saw him play another big guy Catthadious Moore from Manassas he didn't look like one. Manassas beat them and Catt had a great game.

[802Tomcat]

4 minutes ago, SayWhat said:

Who D1 from Haywood?

Boyd and Douglas 

[SayWhat]

Markeston...good player..fringe d1 guy...should have put him on the wing years ago. Bit of an undersized post guy...

[kwc]

With ban lifted, Wooddale's Chandler Lawson can focus on chasing state title No. 4

 

Khari Thompson, Memphis Commercial AppealPublished 1:46 p.m. CT Feb. 12, 2019 | Updated 1:50 p.m. CT Feb. 12, 2019

 

 

The remainder of Chandler Lawson's senior season was nearly snatched away from him in the waning moments of a double-digit victory.

What started as two players throwing the ball at each other escalated into a fight that left both teams with two-year postseason bans. 

But after Shelby County Schools appealed the ruling, TSSAA lifted Wooddale's ban on Friday, clearing the Cardinals to play in the postseason.

 

"I knew we were going to get it because we didn’t fight," Lawson said. "The crowd got into it, and we just prayed on it and knew that God had our back." 

Chandler Lawson, shown with his AAU team Bluff City Legends, is trying to win his fourth consecutive state title. (Photo: Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

Securing a special meeting was the most worrisome part for Lawson's father, Wooddale coach Keelon Lawson. He was confident that he had done all he could to keep his players out of the melee.

"We know what we did trying to keep our players from running off the bench, so I just talked to them (the players) and told them that whatever judgment they (TSSAA) came back with, we have to bear witness," Keelon said.

Wooddale coaches corralled their players when the fight broke out, pulling them into the cafeteria at Melrose, site of the game. That kept them away from everything happening on the court. 

Wooddale (24-3) was the only one of three Shelby County Schools banned from the postseason for fighting on Jan. 25 to get its ban removed.

Fairley, a GreenDot school, will have a special-called Board of Control meeting on Wednesday to appeal its postseason suspension. 

 

"We were in the locker room just waiting, and it was either going to be good news or bad news, and we were just going to deal with it, and it was good news," Chandler said.

The Cardinals are still on probation for the next two years. A $3,500 fine placed on the program was reduced to $1,500.

But for now they're focused on making the most of their newly regained eligibility. 

“It’s a blessing to get another chance to play basketball again. I thought my season would’ve been over, but God made a blessing," Chandler said. 

Now the 6-foot-8 Oregon signee can focus on chasing a fourth state title. He won three consecutive state championships playing for Penny Hardaway at East before transferring to Oak Hill, a prep basketball powerhouse in Virginia. He returned to Memphis to play for his dad after he was named Wooddale's coach. 

Chandler was more of a role player on those teams, but now he has the opportunity to win a title at Wooddale as the go-to option.

"The past three years, he's just been part of the supporting cast, and now this is his team," Keelon said. "I don’t need you to be the supporting cast. I need you to come out and lead the way. I think he’s doing a great job."

[RealisticFan45]

I think they are good but not great. Lawson is well, Lawson, same as I saw the last 3 years at East. Lets see if he can lead them to his 4th gold ball

[dmm88]

Haywood has ONE D1 player and that's the big kid. He's probably OVC or SWAC/MEAC. When he gets some real coaching he's gonna take off. Boyd ain't D1, some of y'all Haywood fans not realistic. What does he do other than being a volume scorer with a broken shot???? Doesn't make others better

[802Tomcat]

4 minutes ago, dmm88 said:

Haywood has ONE D1 player and that's the big kid. He's probably OVC or SWAC/MEAC. When he gets some real coaching he's gonna take off. Boyd ain't D1, some of y'all Haywood fans not realistic. What does he do other than being a volume scorer with a broken shot???? Doesn't make others better

Boyd has already got D1 offers and we are real fans

[dmm88]

Name those offers my man???? Other than Eastern Kentucky (who pulled when the coach left) and UTM (I heard it was just interest) His best bet is the JUCO route.

[warmachine7954]

7 minutes ago, dmm88 said:

Haywood has ONE D1 player and that's the big kid. He's probably OVC or SWAC/MEAC. When he gets some real coaching he's gonna take off. Boyd ain't D1, some of y'all Haywood fans not realistic. What does he do other than being a volume scorer with a broken shot???? Doesn't make others better

A quick search shows that he has interest from OVC schools.

[RealisticFan45]

Just here for the comments.

Interest or offers?