Kudos to Temple and other tournament stuff...

[supersteve17]

Temple has repeated as state champion as I predicted very early on. They would have been disappointed in anything less. I am not ready to make predictions for next season yet.

 

I did hear an interesting rumor... Tony Fox is moving back to Chattanooga and enrolling at Temple. Is this true?

 

The best basketball player at this year's state tourney? Skogen? Wadley? Smith? Brewer? Bradshaw? Hare? Pickel? NO to all of the above. The best player there was Jerry West!

 

Best fans? Giles County by far. Greenfield's were also good and Portland had a good following. Columbia had a good number of fans. Trousdale County had a large number of vocal fans as well. Notice a pattern? Small towns away from metropolitan areas. What an unfair advantage they have! (tongue in cheek)

 

Best uniforms? My personal favorites were the green ones -- Notre Dame, Greenville, White Station. McCallie's and Hamilton's blues were also nice.

 

Most interesting fact? The first team that got to 71 points won each game. Now, not every game got to 71 points, but I have a new strategy. Try to get to 71 first and you will win!

 

Best coaching job? Tie between the USJC coach and the Greenfield coach. A close third to Holt of Giles County.

 

Most underrated coaches? Wadley of Temple and Tippett of White Station. When you win, most people say you have great talent.

 

Most expected team at the state tourney? Brentwood Academy. Why? Great recruiting? NO. Two words -- George Pitts.

 

Most acrobatic cheerleaders? Kingsport Dobbyns-Bennett (sp?) Those girls could really flip! Hendersonville was a close second.

 

Best performance by a player on a losing team? Andy Wicke of Hendersonville. Others were the kid fron Trousdale County (can't remember his name), Sir Lee Mason from Howard, Wadale Williams from Columbia and Vince Redd from Elizabethton. I'd take that five, wouldn't you?

 

Biggest oversight? By far it was Eric Howard not being on the all-tournament team in AA. His teammates realized it as all three of Giles County's selections (Smith, Fletcher and Shannon) put their medals around Howard's neck. An argument can be made that he was the MVP of the AA tourney! It just proves to me that the press (or whoever picks this stuff) just doesn't pay attention. It has happened many times before.

 

What do you think?

[gleasondawg]

I think that Jake Skogan was definitely the best player in the state tournament, in single A anyway.

[supersteve17]

Doesn't anyone have any comments on this thread?

[NCS03]

I have to give it up to Temple, I went and watched them play earlier this season and I didnt think they was gonna be able to take it but they did. Good job Temple. I will guarntee you that NCS will be in the state tourney next year. But good job Temple and all the other teams that made it.

[jozman]

Most acrobatic cheerleaders? Kingsport Dobbyns-Bennett (sp?) Those girls could really flip! Hendersonville was a close second.

 

I'm sorry but i think Hendersonville has the best cheerleaders in the world. I think if you win 6 championships in a row you are a little better than "a close second." (This is comin from a guy to.)

 

JOZMAN

[mas1821]

Nice lead up to Jerry West... But I have to disagree w/ you on a few marks... 1.) Skogen was good... real good... as was wadley, hare, and all the others you mentioned... But they shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as T. Smith, and C. Brewer... Those two are by far dominant of any other player in the tourney... And the state for that matter.... And you need to pay closer attention... It was Smith, Fletcher, and Givens that put their medals on Howard... Not Shannon.... As for everything else.... You were pretty much right on... Except for the most expected team to be at the state tournament... That would be by far White Station... I mean... Come on... #11 in the nation....

[bball33]

I have heard a rumor that football will be started at Temple. Is this True? If so, it will have a negative effect on their basketball team. Ask Boyd!! I do not know if their program will ever be the same. What do you think SSteve?

[nick32]

Skogan is very good. He will be able to play at Mercer. But there is a huge difference between playing A basketball and AAA basketball. Jake Skogan would have stood out for any team in the AAA tourney but he might be the only player for Temple that could have played for a team in the AAA games. It is a whole different game.Congrats to Temple for a great season and especially to Jacob Skogan who is as good as any of the players listed. Just my thoughts

[dprairiedog]

Yes Temple is starting football next season. There should only be a minimum amount of impact because I expect all of the true basketball players to stick with the roundball and hardwood. Basketball has been number one at Temple for forever so I expect it to stay that way.

[11833]

To Nick32. To say that only Jake could play on a AAA team a the state is a Farce. Ryan Wadley could have played on many of the teams up there. I saw many of the game and he can play the game. Ask Robert High of Brainerd he scored over 20 against them. He has guarded many AAA players in the summer as well as AAU Nationals. He has signed with Tn. Temple University. He turned down West Point this Year. Before you count out Temple as having any AAA players consider also Caleb Skogen. This is my opinion.

[quarterpounder]

With Unaka returning their entire team will Temple play them next season. I think this might be their best team ever next season.

 

For what is is worth, Jake and Ryan are to of the top players in the state. "AT ANY LEVEL" Not only good ball players but great kids. The Temple program is first class starting with the coaching staff.

[Edited by quarterpounder on 3-25-03 11:14A]

 

[Greenfieldfan]

Congratulations to a great Temple team, coaches and fans. Jake Skogan is the real deal and a class act. I got to hear him speak after the game and it was a joy to hear a young man praise God, his coaches and everyone else besides himself. Coach Wadley and Coach Skogan are class people and are both great coaches. It has been a priviledge to watch Temple the past two years, the players and coaches show sportsmanship and play the game like it is suppose to be played. Hope to see you next year in the Championship game again.

[Edited by Greenfieldfan on 3-25-03 2:04P]