Tennessee, the Premier State for Girls Basketball?

[HUCK]

I believe Tennessee is the premier state for girls basketball. This is why!

 

1) For right now we have the number one program in the country, Shelbyville.

 

2) The competition in Tennessee is so tough that the number one team in the country lost twice before the new year.

 

3) Tennessee teams travel all over the country to compete in the top level tournaments. Cleveland @ Pinkerington, Shelbyville and Oak Ridge @ TOC Great teams also come to Tennessee. the Nationsbank Tournament in Greenville draws great teams from all over!

 

4) The top college team is located in Knoxville with the greatest female coach in the history of the game. (A little bias)

 

5) Tennessee has some of the best high school coaches also. examples- Insell @ Shelbyville, Harlow @ Bradley, Burkey @ Greenville, Rogers @ Clarkrange, and many many more

 

Why or why not do you think this is the premier state?

[barb]

Nationsbank Tournament in Greenville

that would be the Greene County Bank Ladies Classic in Greeneville, Huck

[ccalum]

Tennessee HS BB is good, but not as good as it was 15 or so years ago. Many states have caught up with us. It can mainly be seen in recruits. When Pat Summitt isn't focusing in TN for players (with the exception of Fuller, but she is the first big instate recruit in a few years), there must be greener grass elsewhere. Just my opinion.

[IAMANWS]

Your state has dominated in the past but surrounding states have made a move. Georgia has come miles and it shows in their college team as are the Mississippi teams. Alabama Crimson Tide Women still stink (Moody is bad) but their high schools are much better. UT has dipped down and got a few over the years from us. But the main difference in your high schools and ours are size. Yall may have one or two schools per county and in our state we may have 8-10 county schools and a couple of big city schools. Our talent is spread out more. The bad thing is we have a lot of players on teams that should be in the stands. But look how your teams that come south fare when matched up equally. I think you will see what I mean.

[barb]

Yall may have one or two schools per county and in our state we may have 8-10 county schools and a couple of big city schools. Our talent is spread out more.

You really need to come to upper East Tennessee where geographically it is necessary to have 4 or more schools in most counties. Greene County, for example has 4 county schools and 1 city school, the largest with less than 800 students. Yet there are at least 2 of these schools (South Greene and Greeneville) that have consistantly competitive teams and repeat frequently at the district and regional championship level. Tennessee is an incubator for fine women's basketball. It begins with local rec leagues, elementary and middle school, jr.high and high school. And no, not all of them are hot DI prospects, but an awful lot of the go on to play at the next level. Just because they don't play for Pat Summitt doesn't de-value their talent. After all, she has a limited number of scholarships and there are thousands of talented girls across the country to recruit from.

 

As far as their being a "premier " state for women's basketball I would have to say New York and Florida and would have to share that honor with Tennessee.

[IAMANWS]

When you say 800 students are you talking about 9 or 10 through 12, or K through 12? For example, a 3A school in Alabama will have a max of 1000 students, K throuth 12. That will mean about 300 9 through12. Most of Tennessee 2A schools would be big 6A schools in Alabama. It's not a big deal, it's just the way somebody chose to do business in the state. Makes for a lot of great county tournaments, etc...

[IAMANWS]

Indiana and Michigan also.

[caramelcutiepie]

California is probably 1st or 2nd right now...There have been several players in recent years (Diana Taurasi) and some now (a couple of kids at Tennessee and other top colleges) that have been really top players. Most of the college coaches are really heading out West and getting a lot of players...so much so that California fans and coaches at California colleges are begging their recruits to stay in-state, if not at their schools, then at other schools in-state. The top guards from the last couple of years and both of the top guards from the class of 2004 and 2005 are from California--Sade Wiley-Gatewood, a senior,who committed to Tennessee as a freshman and Erika Arriaran who is the top junior in the country. Plus, two of the top junior recruits are twins Courtney and Ashley Paris, also from California.

Edited December 5, 2003 by caramelcutiepie

[trojanbob]

You have to realize that volume of possiblities increases the # of players. Comparatively population wise if UT gets five recruits from California for every one from TENN. That is true if you are truly a national recruiting team i.e. Norte DAme in football. There are 3 times as many people in the New York City metroplex as in Tenn. I hope we all realize the population distribution here, before we talk about some places being better.

[gpascott]

There may be states that have more talent due to numbers, but there isn't any state that has more intensity for girls high school basketball than Tennessee.

[therickbol]

His point is valid...yeah California has more big recruits because California has a much bigger pool to choose from

 

Tennessee might be falling behind some other states in terms of the athletic ability of girls basketball players (something that can't be helped) but the quality of the players and programs is top notch

[godsent5]

Tenn. is very org. But we need a more althletic game for alot of D1 schools. To many coachs teach the player's to shoot from (THE POCKET LIKE GIRLS BBALL) 'CAN WE ALL SAY - BLOCK SHOT' IN DI BBALL. IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE GAME AND RECRUITING FOR THE GIRLS

TO SHOOT LIKE BOYS (WITH L NOT V SHAPE SHOOTING POSTION). :justwrestle:

Edited December 9, 2003 by godsent5