JimThorpe

The center is back?  The big white kid?  We must have misunderstood.  That being the case the matchup is an even bigger problem this year.  Of the two the tall one is the one I'd be most worried about.  Oh well, lots of fun basketball between now and then.  

3 hours ago, AggiesAreWe said:

How about we remember who Silsbee lost to graduation?

5 players who are playing college ball.

Willie Jones - QB at Texas State

Calvin Tyler - RB at Oregon State

Michael McCain - Safety at SFA

Bruce Newton - CB at Louisiana College

Trejan Harris - guard at North Platte Nebraska

 

That's a ton of talent gone off a 4A team. All 5 are missed very much.

This current team is very good and can still accomplish their main goal. But it will not be as easy as it was last year. Silsbee will have to play harder and smarter than they did last year. Gone are the days of cruising to wins over good teams.

Unlike last year's team, this team needs to "stay in it's lane". Good thing now, there is only one lane left in the season.

Really brings home just how impressive the programs are at Argyle.  Those kids came within one jump shot of sending us packing.  And the week before their girls had won the championship.  

9 hours ago, Silsbeealum14 said:

Brazosport lost 1 "main" guy !!! Who else ?

They lost the guard who scored almost half their points in the finals and they lost their center.  We got the center in foul trouble fairly early and he eventually fouled out. 

We ate lunch with them on the way home from San Antonio the Sunday after the game.  It was accidental of course, just happened to pick the same little restaurant.  But we met the whole team and of congratulated them on their fantastic season.  Found out they were graduating the guard and the big man.  But here they are again.

Next Tuesday will be very interesting.  It's clear that this team will have to dig deep.  They won't be running past everybody like last year.  That playoff run was phenomenal, beating decent teams by 40 points.  The point differentials were staggering right up to the Yates game.  That's not going to happen this year.

A close win will do nicely.  I'll be deciding whether or not to go in the next 15 minutes.

The latest poll is very interesting.  I think they got it just about right.  There's probably not more than a 10 point difference between No.1 and No. 10 when everybody is playing their best.  It's a real horse race this year.  Interesting to see Brazosport climb up to 5.  They lost so much to graduation and yet here they are again.  Looks like a program is blooming.  

I wonder about Hardin Jefferson.  I can't help thinking maybe they are a little better than the No. 20 spot.  We'll find out a lot next Tuesday.  That game will be played with playoff intensity.

51 minutes ago, Kountzer said:

Devin needs to play inside and let Bush and handle the outside.

We'll see.  It will be interesting.  Coach may come up with some unique small ball strategies.  Maybe play everybody at and above the free thrown line in hopes of making the opposition bigs play defense out there.

I'm just saying that from appearances it looks like 12 guards warming up before a game, 12 good guards mind.

28 minutes ago, winwin said:

So just to be straight on my upcoming rankings....Center beat Silsbee, HJ SMASHED Lufkin Hudson and Center squeaked by Lufkin Hudson. Ok....

It means that the Hawks are underrated of course!  They should be ranked much higher.  And it means that the Silsbee / HJ game will be competitive and not because Silsbee is weak but because HJ is also strong.  How's that for diplomacy?

3 hours ago, Tigers94 said:

Not having Bruce Newton, Michael Mccain and Calvin Tyler hurts. They may not have lit up the scoreboard on most nights, but their play is sorely missed. We need some lockdown defenders.

Boggles my mind how we can't get at least one decent sized kid to play the post this year,

Anyhow, there's no reason for them not to be motivated now. They know they can lose to another 4A team. A few of our players have talked the talk about how they know they're winning another state title this year. Time to make it happen.

I expect a solid showing in Dallas.

 

I've asked Santa for a post, or at least a strong forward.  I'm not holding my breath though because I've been a little naughty this year.  Maybe somebody else should try.  It's not too late to Fedex a letter to the North Pole.

Watching people on the other side watch the Tigers warm up is fun.  They keep looking at the dressing room door in expectation of seeing the posts and forwards to come running out.  "That's not the whole team is it?  You say they are ranked No. 1 in 4A?  Seriously?  Where are the rest of them?" 

Let's face it.  We suit up 12 guards.  Okay, 11 guards and a small forward, but he looks like a guard.   We do have a couple of very nice sized guards.  And everybody on the team seems to have learned to play taller than they are to compensate.   It's really a blast to watch.  In the La Marque game Braylon Bush, all 5'6" of him, went over a much taller guy's back and blocked his layup!  Braylon got him with the body but he did block the shot.  That kind of thing is priceless.

Come to think of it, I'm glad the Tigers don't have much size.  I really am.  Cause if they did the whole season would just be formality.  It's much more interesting this way, there's some real drama.  If they had a true post it would be like, there's a basketball season with a bunch of games - then there's a playoff thingy - then the Tigers drive home with their championship trophy.   Ho hum.

54 minutes ago, kingjames said:

We wanna be number 1 after the second week of March 

Yes, winning a second Championship is vastly more important.  But it has been fun to carry that No. 1 moniker.  

Well, that'll probably be it for the No. 1 ranking.  And that's a little disappointing.  If we had won this one and showed well at the Dallas tournament we would have kept it till our last game.  I sure hope we get to play Center gain.  That would be a fabulous rematch.  And on a neutral court with everything on the line.

2 hours ago, Tigers94 said:

 

Midlothian Heritage was one missed basket away from beating Denton Guyer this year.

Silsbee is gonna have some work to do if they make it past Yates and get to state.

Didn't know that, knew they were good.  That is interesting.  Based on proportional comparison that makes Midlothian at least a 20 point favorite over Silsbee.  Guyer is ranked No. 6 nationally according to Maxpreps.

In contrast to what the TABC thinks, Maxpreps has Center at No. 27 and Midlothian at No. 28 state wide.  Silsbee is a No. 68 just below Argyle.  They have Wylie at No. 46

I'll admit that Silsbee doesn't look that good right now on paper.  Easy to see how a computer would put at least 4 4A teams above us.  

So, according to the computer code at Maxpreps the No. 5 Tigers will be facing the No. 1 Rough Riders tonight.  

This is the same Maxpreps that has TABC No. 2 Yates at 101 and No. 3  Seminole at their No. 188.  Well, homo sapiens are flawed creatures after all and subject to fits of emotion.

I'd love to go but I don't think I can make it.  I've got elf work to do all week.  I think it will be a close game and fun to watch, worth the drive.  It's the intangibles.  Long uncomfortable bus ride in gloomy weather.  School tomorrow with finals coming up.  Unfamiliar surroundings.  Christmas stuff on their minds.  That's a lot of junk for a teen to deal with.  It's a scenario for a possible upset, unlikely but possible.

15 hours ago, AggiesAreWe said:

Also remember this, some are talking about players being hungry. Well Silsbee has one particular player who is very hungry since he did miss half of district and all of the playoffs last year.

Yes, young Mr. Devon has had a very interesting high school basketball experience.  To say it's been eventful is a huge understatement.  We all remember the terrifying injury in the championship game in 16.  And as for last year.  Well.  I'm reminded of Patton's quote after he'd been sacked for slapping a soldier, "I wish I'd kissed the son of a b_____".

I think it's fair to say that there is one Tiger who holds, shall we say, special feelings about the possibility of a repeat?

11 minutes ago, ST413 said:

Don’t drive up there for an evening game if you consider evening after 5,  at least by the schedule it’s at 4:30 As one of those holiday afternoon games.

Center's schedule is showing Freshmen and JV games starting at 4:30.

Yates.  So much can happen between now and then.  It would be a great rematch.  So would Argyle - that was a cliff hanger.  Do I want to think about all that right now?  

Anyway we have more immediate issues at hand.  The Tigers travel to Center to face the 5th ranked Roughriders on the 19th.  A long way to drive on a Tuesday evening for a December game but it should be interesting.  How many will venture forth?

I was at the Wax game last year in Dallas.  That was a fun game.  Both teams were really playing. 

If Silsbee had a post they could play with anybody.  He wouldn't need to score, just defend and get rebounds.  The 4A division would already be decided.  But they don't.  So it will be very interesting.

BISD needs to combine Ozen and Central and put the main main campus on Concord and call it .......  wait for it......... FRENCH HIGH SCHOOL!!!!!!!

And the mascot?  Why the BUFFALO OF COURSE!!!!!!!  The French Buffs are back!   "It's the best school I ever knew!"

Wouldn't that be a hoot?  After all these years.  And which Beaumont school was the last one to win a football championship?  (even though it was a tie) Why the French Buffs of course!  It'll never happen but it would be fun wouldn't it?   

16 hours ago, Hupernikomen said:

Nobody is discrediting Carthage..as I stated I don't believe they have an offense that is unparalleled in history of 4A football, and gave a couple examples of at least some that are equal to the current unbelievably talented Carthage offense.  Do you think this Carthage offense is head and shoulders above any offense in 4A history?

 

I don't know how good they are.  I only saw the Silsbee game and that was some sort of outlier that can't really be used for analysis.  The Silsbee defense was in some kind of fog from the very start.  Carthage scored only 7 points in the first half against Henderson.

A little disjointed- the newbies got significant playing time which is good 

I'm a Tiger fan who was in Lufkin last night.  What are you guys complaining about?  Ha!

In one sequence Carthage got possession and scored on the first play.  And on their very next possession the Bulldogs scored on their first play. On both occasions they took possession in their own territory.  How's that for a defensive breakdown?

I think that there are still 5 top 10 teams.  Carthage, La Vega, Kennedale, Stephenville and Liberty Hill.

To me La Vega's 33-14 win over Canyon Lake is almost as impressive in it's own way as the holocaust in Lufkin last night.

5 minutes ago, MBaller#1 said:

Hurry up and fly the football guys to San Antonio before the games today lol.

I wonder what the rules are for how soon they can play?   Maybe they should take a few days before jumping back in the fray.  What happened last night had to have taken something out of them.  It had to cost something.  But kids are resilient and playing basketball will be the best therapy.

19 minutes ago, Silsbee92 said:

Don't bite on BadSanta comments.

Team could play with anyone in Texas and I'd go watch.

Besides...nobody but your own failure in y'all's way now.  Most everybody lost tonight.

Not really.  The other 8 remaining top 10 teams were playing each other so that means 5 top ten teams are still in it.  And La Vega won handily, 33 -14 over Canyon Lake.

I don't know what the takeaway is except that was the worst defensive performance I've ever seen in person...  in any sport.  Or maybe Carthage is the the magic dragon of offense, I don't know.  I'd like to ask a Carthaginian if they were able to score on ever 2nd or 3rd play against the worst defense they played this year, I mean the second worst defense, not Silsbee.  I doubt it. 

Of course the coach called it off but absent that decision the only thing that could have governed their scoring was simple caloric intake.  You're going to use up your fuel eventually.  No, on second thought that wouldn't have stopped their scoring.  Because the Silsbee defense was running around and expending calories as well, doing whatever it was they were doing, while Carthage was playing football.  So yea, the Bulldogs might well have scored 128 points.  I'm betting that would have been a school record.  Is 64 points a school record for a half?  In a playoff game?  In the third round?

But kids are nothing if not resilient.  The Tigers can simply forget it ever happened.  And that's what they should do because it was a freakish phenomenon that will never be repeated.  That first half was the worst defensive performance in the history of the school and something that bad will simply never happen again.  And since it was so ridiculously bizarre and since it will never happen again the best thing is to just forget about it.  There's nothing to learn from it and nothing to take away from it.  If you get hit by a meteor would you alter your lifestyle so that you don't get hit by another meteor?  Of course not.