10U State Tournament

[caramelcutiepie]

Congrats to the West TN Lady Tigers and Memphis Elite. What are you guys feeding those girls over there in West TN?

We're feeding to them everyday the fact that those in other parts of the state doubt their ability to compete statewide. Not much has differed in AAU in the past several seasons...West Tennessee has produced several fine AAU teams for years. Yet, during the high school season, we can't buy any respect...even though we sent a team to the finals this year who should repeat and could possibly win the whole thing...

 

A mouthful of that will make a lot of kids and programs hungrier...

[briank]

I don't see many Memphis seniors signing college scholarships. If they are so

dominate, why are so few signing?

[tyjacks]

briank,

The reason there may not be many college signees is because most of the players are freshmans, sophmores and Jr's.

[briank]

REALLY! Read my post. I'm referring to the "seniors" out of Memphis. Every

year it seems the West Tennessee teams do really well in the AAU (especially the

younger age groups). By the time they are seniors, you don't see that many who

sign college scholarships. I'm wondering why...............

[caramelcutiepie]

REALLY! Read my post. I'm referring to the "seniors" out of Memphis. Every

year it seems the West Tennessee teams do really well in the AAU (especially the

younger age groups). By the time they are seniors, you don't see that many who

sign college scholarships. I'm wondering why...............

That is absolutely False! You don't see them signing with anyone because you don't make it a point to see. We have sent between 15-25 over the last 3 years alone. This year, we had about 7 or 8 sign Division 1 scholarships (probably more)

 

Off the top of my head for this year they were:

Lakira Boyd--MTSU

April Nathanial--Missisippi State

Alexandria Hagler--Mississippi State

Demetrice Preyer--Arkansas (or Arkansas State)

April Eason (University of New Orleans)

Gresh Gorman (University of Memphis)

Caryn Robinson (UAB)

 

There were a few more, but I don't know them off the top of my head. Next year, keep your EYES open for the Class of 2005, because you'll see 11 or 12 sign Division 1and possibly that many for the year after (2006). Plus, all of these girls are from ONE city and have to compete against each other every night, most in the same district, 16AAA. the reason you don't know about our signings is the same reason you don't know about our teams...there is a bias against West Tennessee and Memphis and that's all there is to it. But we don't care...THE FUTURE LOOKS EVEN BRIGHTER and we'll continue to send several do Division 1 schools every year.

[trojanbob]

One reason many people don't see many west Tennessee signees is because of the poor coverage of high school athletics by the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The paper does an injustice to all sports an thier athletes, besides football, in thier coverage.

Another reason many don't know about west Tennessee hoops is because aside from about 6 people there are no post from the west Tennessee Memphis area. I know that the highway 45 corridor is highly represented on CoachT. Martin, Gibson county, Obion and all the way down to jackson, but when you get to the Memphis area 4 people produce most of the post about high school girls hoops.

 

Division 1 signees

Lakira Boyd-Kirby-MTSU

Amber Bacon-Millington-Austin Peay

Dee Pryor-Central- Univ. of Ark. at Little Rock

Caryn Robinson- Central-UAB or Birmingham Southern

Sherronda Watts-White Station-Ark State

Taryn Towns-Bolton-Samford

Brittany Smith-Hamilton-Southwest Louisianna

Univ. of Memphis has wasted a scholarship on a girl from SBEC

April Eason of Melrose signed somewhere last week and I don't have details.

Proche Willis of Kirby is undecided as yet to my knowledge.

 

Division 2 signees

Michelle Steele-Houston-Christian Brothers Univ

Pen Anderson-Bolton-CBU

Kristen Kirkland will sign with CBU or Harding Univ Friday.

 

There are others that I don't have information about, again because of press coverage. Each smaller town has their own paper and pumps up the local stars and thier accomplishments. Then those stories are picked up by Nashville, Chatanoga and Knoxville papers and their athletes get more exposure. Not to say anything bad about that situation but those are facts that can't be disputed.