Top 6 Memphis teams

[BigPoppa]

Opperman, Trader B, what do you guys think of Harding Academy? Are they the best D-II team in your area? I have heard some good things about them. Can they finish 2nd in the D-II tourney (since BA's gonna win it again anyway)?

[TraderB]

Opperman, Trader B, what do you guys think of Harding Academy? Are they the best D-II team in your area? I have heard some good things about them. Can they finish 2nd in the D-II tourney (since BA's gonna win it again anyway)?

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BigPoppa,

 

Sorry, I don't know anything about Harding Acadamy. I haven't followed D-II basketball this year.

[gomab2]

Thanks for the info on Donald Boone...

[TraderB]

Good comments...but I think Mitchell should probably be ahead of Hamilton after beating them twice.

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Good point, Opperman.

 

I wan unaware that Mitchell had beaten Hamilton twice. I thought they split 2 games.

 

In any event, the bottom-3 Memphis teams in my ranking are really interchangeable, IMO. Mitchell & Fairley are practically identical in their syles. White Station is too one-dimensional offensively, but could beat either of these 2 teams, due to superior coaching (W.S. new coach is basically a clone of his former boss, coach Tippet).

 

As you can tell, Opperman, I firmly believe that STRATEGY (coaching) is a major deciding factor in games where the teams are basically equal to one another. Because of this, Mitchell and Hamilton will lose more than their fair share of close games.

[Opperman]

As you can tell, Opperman, I firmly believe that STRATEGY (coaching) is a major deciding factor in games where the teams are basically equal to one another.  Because of this, Mitchell and Hamilton will lose more than their fair share of close games.

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I'm a Bartlett guy, you don't need to convince me about the importance of strategy.

 

I've only seen four city teams that don't look lost against a solid half-court defense -- White Station, Raleigh-Egypt, Ridgeway, and Central. Pretty much everybody else just trusts their athleticism to work in the halfcourt -- which works ok if you've got a Thad Young or a Brandon Powell, but not so well if you don't.

 

Has Hamilton actually gotten worse in terms of coaching under Lawson? I know while Anderson was there, if you were patient and could pass and catch, you could get a layup on them every possession, because he NEVER quit trying the 1-3-1 trap. They won games, but that wasn't hard with the talent that he always had.

[Opperman]

Opperman, Trader B, what do you guys think of Harding Academy? Are they the best D-II team in your area? I have heard some good things about them. Can they finish 2nd in the D-II tourney (since BA's gonna win it again anyway)?

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IMO they're the #2 D-II team in the area and won't beat the #1 (Briarcrest) because of matchup problems.

 

Harding is good -- outstanding 3pt shooters all over, and 6-1 junior SG Mariun Price is one of the top pure scorers in the state. They're solid on defense, but they have nobody taller than 6-3 and nobody who's really good in the paint.

 

Briarcrest only has a couple of perimeter shooters, but they've got a 6-6 210 junior who can really play and a 6-5 335 offensive tackle who is a great low-post scorer.

 

I think whichever of Harding and Briarcrest is on the side of the bracket away from BA has a pretty good chance of getting to the finals. Briarcrest has a (slight) chance at an upset, but they'll have to shoot really, really, really well.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

Briarcrest has the top two three point shooters in Shelby County according to percentages as of last week. I'd say thats shooting the ball.

[Opperman]

Briarcrest has the top two three point shooters in Shelby County according to percentages as of last week.  I'd say thats shooting the ball.

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Yeah, but they don't really have anybody else who can shoot outside other than those two. Couple of solid PG's, but their game is getting it inside to set up Spach and Tapley to hit the open three.

[TraderB]

I'm a Bartlett guy, you don't need to convince me about the importance of strategy. 

 

I've only seen four city teams that don't look lost against a solid half-court defense -- White Station, Raleigh-Egypt, Ridgeway, and Central.  Pretty much everybody else just trusts their athleticism to work in the halfcourt -- which works ok if you've got a Thad Young or a Brandon Powell, but not so well if you don't.

 

Has Hamilton actually gotten worse in terms of coaching under Lawson?  I know while Anderson was there, if you were patient and could pass and catch, you could get a layup on them every possession, because he NEVER quit trying the 1-3-1 trap.  They won games, but that wasn't hard with the talent that he always had.

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Opperman--man, you Bartlett guys really seem to know your basketball! That's a great observation about certain city teams vs solid half-court defenses... Hmmm, I had never really thought about it before. But, you know what...I'm a Collierville guy. Yet, I agree with you. 100%.

 

Yes, Opperman. Hamilton is WORSE now than under its former coach, IMO, if you can imagine that! They're still vunerable to patient, half-court oriented teams.

 

Coach Lawson's only apparent stategy seems to be..."Hey, we've got more talent than you...I betcha' we'll outscore you. Catch us--if you can!"

 

Basically, the coach stands there and yells, the whole game--talking loud, but saying nothing. Yet, when he NEEDS to be yelling something significant, such as slow down, one shot, "time-out" (to draw up a key play), etc...he just stands there like a deer caught in headlights! Additionally, his team often seems very disorganized, during games. They lack direction. They frequently take ill-advised shots. This usually results in players being caught out of positon, which then leads to easy buckets for the opposition....This is how teams often manage to make up large defecits to Hamilton, in a SHORT amount of time!

 

Opperman, if you've ever wondered WHY Hamilton has lost so many close games (go check out their scores. You'll see what I'm talking about)....NOW you know!

 

--TraderB

Edited February 1, 2005 by TraderB

[realdeal02]

Traderb it's nice to bash Hamilton and their inexperienced coach who's inherited Ted Anderson's talent, but at the end of the year they'll be in the thick of things. Talent doesn't always win games in Memphis' simply because the kids on Raleigh Egypt White Station etc. have just as much heart as the kids from Fairley or Hamilton. With all said, Hamilton plays a run-and-gun style but in order to beat them you must do three things. 1. Control the backboards 2. Play solid team defense 3. Control the tempo. Most teams in the state can't do so against Hamilton. If Hamilton makes it out of Memphis they might cut down the nets in Murfreesboro.

[TraderB]

Traderb it's nice to bash Hamilton and their inexperienced coach who's inherited Ted Anderson's talent, but at the end of the year they'll be in the thick of things. Talent doesn't always win games in Memphis' simply because the kids on Raleigh Egypt White Station etc. have just as much heart as the kids from Fairley or Hamilton. With all said, Hamilton plays a run-and-gun style but in order to beat them you must do three things. 1. Control the backboards  2. Play solid team defense 3. Control the tempo. Most teams in the state can't do so against Hamilton. If Hamilton makes it out of Memphis they might cut down the nets in Murfreesboro.

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Realdeal02,

 

Please allow me to address 3 issues, relative to Hamilton & its Coach:

 

1) We're actually in agreement about Hamilton's possible destiny---- Here's what I stated about them, in earlier posts: "...Hamilton (& Fairley) will go to Sub-State....I wouldn't bet against Hamilton, should they make it to the 'Boro..."

 

2) My INTENT was not to "bash" Hamilton & it's coach (to me, "bash" suggests a certain attack--embellishing the negative, IGNORING the positive) ------ My intent was to provide unbiased, truthful, complete information...

 

My comments about Hamilton & it's coach are the unbiased TRUTH, not just my opinion. How can speaking the whole TRUTH be considered "bashing?" Mind you, I spoke of BOTH positives and negatives (SEE PAGE 1, of this topic)...

 

3) I've seen Hamilton play on 5 seperate occasions. Hamilton's (& its coach's) strengths & weaknesses were on FULL display (and VALIDATED, repeatedly), for anyone who paid atttention to those nuisances...I reported truthfully on the things that Hamilton consistently displayed, each game--good, bad or indifferent.

 

Trust me, RealDeal02-- I've got NO bone to pick with Hamilton or its coach. I just call 'em like I see 'em. Heck, I'll be right there pulling for Hamilton, or any other Memphis team, should they make it to the 'Boro!

 

Lastly. Regardless of how one categorizes my comments about Hamilton & its coach, please remember--EVERY team has strengths and weaknesses. Championship teams ACKNOWLEDGE their weaknesses, then take the necessary steps to correct them...

 

--TraderB

Edited February 2, 2005 by TraderB