Who will be Miss Basketball 2004-05 list

[caramelcutiepie]

Oh don't get me wrong...Cait is more than deserving of the award...my initial post was to reference the fact that LaToya probably won't get a fair deal in the matter...heck, she wasn't even nominated for Miss Basketball last year and was named as one of the top players in her class according to USA Today and Student Sports. I only meant to point out that the hype over Cait will hurt LaToya more than it will help Cait who is a good player in her own right. Also, I wanted to point out that it has been doubly hard for LaToya to get her respect from Tennesseans than it has for Cait. I'm pretty sure you can't disagree with me on this. Not that she cares...nationally, she's a very decorated athlete, no question and as a person, she could care less about any award and comes to expect this type of stuff in-state. I just think its somewhat disrespectful that people are already giving the award to Cait and the fact that their opinions seem to mirror those of the sportwriters is a grim reality...the writing's on the wall.

 

It tests the credibility of girls basketball in our state as to whether politics are involved or not...its not me saying that, but its hard to dispute it with others on a national level when the questions are asked about players who shine and are known nationally, but are shunned by representatives, media or otherwise, within their own state. It's a truth, a sad one at that, and if you open your eyes, you know it as well as I do. This didn't turn into a discussion about LaToya vs. Cait until you stated your opinion (which you are very entitled to) that you felt Cait was better. I responded to that statement on why I thought LaToya was better (my opinion). This is not in intention to down Cait or say that she is not a very good candidate for Ms. Basketball because she is...I just think that no way does LaToya get a fair chance and in accordance to what everyone else is saying, I am prophetically (and sarcastically) stating before the start of the school year, "Congratulations, Cait, on winning Miss Baskeball for 2005."

 

It really is irrelevant to use the fact that the boys winners are from West Tennessee a lot of times...Most of the state championships in both AA and AAA come back to Memphis every year and most of your high profile boys players are out west...that's a given and the whole thing would look like a total farce if they weren't selected...a lot of people's credibility would be in question and since the stakes of boys basketball are a lot higher, I think the picks are fairer in that sense.

[TdTbb]

Cutie...just curious, what is LaToya's assists per game, steals per game and "turnover to assist ratio" per game. I know Coach Summitt looks at those numbers closely for a point guard.

[caramelcutiepie]

By the way, I think that ALL of the coaches look for that in a point guard...not just Summitt...its pretty much a given...if you can't take care of the basketball and can't defend, then 9 times out of 10, you're not a point guard...and that's just the basics.

 

I understand your curiosity and since I'm a nice person, I took the liberty to find the season stats and some online to make sure the stats were accurate from both the season AND the USA Basketball Development Olympic Festival that invites the nations top 48 seniors to Colorado to compete.

 

Her high school stats from this past season were: 23 points, 10 assists, 6 steals and 5 rebounds per game. Pretty good stat line for someone who has a whole lot of talent around her including another former USA Today All-American in Jessica Jackson.

 

I couldn't get the turnovers from the high school season but I do have turnover and assist stats from the usabasketball.com website and I'm sure the numbers are pretty comparible if not better during the season. She took care of the basketball up there in Colorado and rarely turns it over in high school or summer ball where the competition is not as stiff as when you're facing your peers--the top players in the nation.

 

She had 17 assists to 6 turnovers at the festival in 4 games (everyone else played in 5--she had to sit out a game for unspecified reasons). That ratio was good enough for the second best ratio at the entire festival (out of 48 people) at 2.83 assist to turnover ratio. She had 9 assists in the bronze medal game alone. She also averaged 2 steals per game up there which is not bad considering the playing time is divided pretty evenly.

 

She deserves every accolade that she receives and rightly so...plus, she was one of the most highly recruited kids to ever come out of this state.

[tnwareagle]

Not really arguing with you, BUT using your reasoning on the boys, in that most championships are brought back to West Tennessee so therefore they are deserving of the postseaon awards, well, I think most girls championships are brought back to Middle Tennessee. So using that reasoning, the Miss Basketball Award should be given to Middle Tennessee. Don't take me the wrong way; I am not arguing that Bullard is not good enough. I am arguing that the winner is NOT given to a player just because there are more voters in East Tennessee. Those same voters vote for the boys and girls. There is a lot more to Mr and Mrs Basketball than just stats. Classroom and community work is also involved. Stats should play a minor role in the choice, because everyone knows stats can be "inflated." Also, especially in the assist category, people caount assists in different ways. I don't think it is a "gimme" on who will win. I think season will tell and a deserving girl will win. Don't count Alysha Clark out quite yet either.

Edited October 25, 2004 by tnwareagle

[Grads13]

not only does Cait deserve Miss basketball, but shes more than earned it...not only did she lead a team last year that had 6 seniors, she broke the scoring record for over 1,000 points in the middle of her sophmore year..being a leader as a sophmore and already having college scouts at her practices and games. Dont try to compare her to someone she hasn't been up against. maybe this year we will see, but stats dont prove everything...although im petty sure Caits are the best around..She's an all around player, and i mean come on now...she picked her college at the end of her sophmore year so she could concentrate on her team and her high school career, she could have waited and saw how many coaches would have came to Tn to see her and all the publicity but she didnt....even as a freshman she got a lot of publicity, no matter what a good player like cait is going to have the publicity...she doesnt choose to have it...Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I might be a little bias bc i know cait and i had the privlege of playing with her, but I know she works hardier than anyone i have ever met and deserves whatever life hands her. GO HHS!!! Good luck Cait !

[Sidetrain]

Back on the front page

[Hhsbball40]

Gotta give props to my girl Cait..I have never met a player quite like Cait..Yeah so she is gonna be a Lady Vol? It's a big deal but she is an awesome basketball player. She did lead a team with 6 seniors and she did it gracefully. She was young and yet still took responsibility in what she had to do. She works hard day in and day out. She has an awesome work ethic and she never gives up. She deserved miss basketball last year but she was just a sophomore. She is one of the best point guards in the nation and I'm sure many will back me up on that. I've never played or seen anyone with her ability at her age. She is a teenager so don't sit here and say she'll only get the award because she's going to be a Lady Vol. Girls don't need to read that about themselves. If she wins the award then she has earned it more than one time around.

[Sidetrain]

Good article in "Basketball Time in Tennessee" about Caitlyn McMahan. I would suggest it to any player to read. But "The Tennessean" had a nice article on Thursday about Alysha Clark. Both of these players are winners and team players, if either one wins Miss Basketball they are will deserved.

 

LaToya Bullard has got alot of press here in Mid-TN

 

That the reason I wish there was a publication that would cover girls basketball though out the whole state not just only West,only Middle,only East TN. This state has to many good players that people in East Tn don't here much about West Tn or the other way.

 

Could someone tell me who controls the voting on Miss Basketball? Is it a mixer of West, Middle and East? Is it a panel made up of Newspaper writers? If so how do you know there is equal rep. on it?

[options86]

The voting doesn't make much sense anyway. Last year Clarkrange went to state and won a state championship. Michelle Snow was great and consistent throughtout the whole season and tournament. She lost to someone who didn't even make it to state. I also don't think she even had better stats. Seems odd that this is voted on before the state, and it doesn't allow for a player who steps it up in state to get extra points. It's politcal and basic propaganda anyway. i hate to agree with a few on this board, but it doesn't always go to the deserving, but to the one with the most hype.

 

I also think you are a fool if you count Brandi Brown out of the running. Great athlete. Faboulous hands, shot, ball handling skills, height, and has a vertical. Supporting cast is iffy, but they did look pretty good so far. They definitely are a sleeper. Wonderful to watch her play.