JimThorpe

Last year walking to the parking lot in Lufkin I was thrilled for the Tigers but I had a feeling this would be the story in 2023.  McDermott, Lewis and Walker would all be back for one thing.  And it was Washington’s severe lack up depth that got us to San Antonio last year. That wasn’t the case this year.  McDermott wasn’t so desperately missed every nanosecond he wasn’t in the game.  
 
Still the Tigers might have won.  They had some problems but had a chance to break thru.  They just didn’t get the bounces.  The Eagles can’t play any better than they did today.  Yet it was still competitive.
It was great to see Bottley get recognition as all tourney.  He played his heart out in both games and was very effective.  That pass late in the game last night was something.

BTW is a much better matchup against FF than we are.  FF beat BTW by 10 I’m the season opener for each.
But that was then.  I think that if the Eagles play as well against FF as they did today (and get the same refs they had today:  sorry can’t help myself) they can win. 

One observation.  I didn’t appreciate how good Hardin Jefferson is.  They played us about as tough as Furr did.
 
Jacksonville too for that matter.  
 
And lowly Liberty out scored us in one quarter.
Conclusion?  There’s good 4A basketball in East Texas.
 
 
 
 
 

I've predicted the spreads within a point or two for the first three games.  I figured all three Silsbee opponents would play their best game of the season against the Tigers and that's exactly what happened.  If you watch the Jacksonville YouTube you'll hear their play by play guys say it right out loud, this game was the best Jacksonville played all year.  And we saw for ourselves last night with HJ.  It was touch and go against a team Silsbee beat by 21 earlier and who barely got past Chapel Hill.  And Liberty?  That had to be the best game they played all year, or maybe in several years.  

And I expect that Furr, like the others, is going to play their best game of the season against Silsbee.  Furr will not have a letdown.  They will play better than they did in either game against Washington.  I feel this is so because they are a very consistent team.  Early in the district season they beat Washington by 1 and late in the district season they lost to Washington by 1 in overtime.  So far in the playoffs they've won by 37, 31 and 25.  As the competition got a little better the spread dropped by exactly 6 points each time. 

The Tigers on the other hand, have been demonstrating some inconsistency.  They play great one moment and sputter the next.  Of course their sputtering is better than some teams best.  It's like Tigers95 said, if the Tigers win it will be ugly.

My heart doesn't like it but my head says Furr by 5.  

All that said the mathematics favors Washington to win the region.  This is true simply because their semi opponent Center, though a good team, is second tier.  For all intents and purposes Washington is already there.  Silsbee and Furr have to go through each other to get there.  Washington needs to avoid a letdown on Friday and play a great game on Saturday.  Silsbee and Furr have to play 2 great games.
 

I've predicted the spreads within a point or two for the first three games.  I figured all three Silsbee opponents would play their best game of the season against the Tigers and that's exactly what happened.  If you watch the Jacksonville YouTube you'll hear their play by play guys say it right out loud, this game was the best Jacksonville played all year.  And we saw for ourselves last night with HJ.  It was touch and go against a team Silsbee beat by 21 earlier and who barely got past Chapel Hill.  And Liberty?  That had to be the best game they played all year, or maybe in several years.  

And I expect that Furr, like the others, is going to play their best game of the season against Silsbee.  Furr will not have a letdown.  They will play better than they did in either game against Washington.  I feel this is so because they are a very consistent team.  Early in the district season they beat Washington by 1 and late in the district season they lost to Washington by 1 in overtime.  So far in the playoffs they've won by 37, 31 and 25.  As the competition got a little better the spread dropped by exactly 6 points each time. 

The Tigers on the other hand, have been demonstrating some inconsistency.  They play great one moment and sputter the next.  Of course their sputtering is better than some teams best.  It's like Tigers95 said, if the Tigers win it will be ugly.

My heart doesn't like it but my head says Furr by 5.  

All that said the mathematics favors Washington to win the region.  This is true simply because their semi opponent Center, though a good team, is second tier.  For all intents and purposes Washington is already there.  Silsbee and Furr have to go through each other to get there.  Washington needs to avoid a letdown on Friday and play a great game on Saturday.  Silsbee and Furr have to play 2 great games.
 

Washington had a good crowd in Lufkin last year.  That might be an indicator. 

They may (and should) clear but the Friday ticket is for both games.  So after the Tigers win a hard fought game we can get our nachos and Cokes and settle back in around the periphery to watch a good game and size up the competition.  Silsbee people know the drill.

It's just that I'd have liked to have seen both games, that's all.  I don't see what's wrong with that.  There are lots of back to backs all over the state.  Been to one myself this year.  This one would have been an area showcase.

But the kids are the thing and the coaches are making decisions in their teams best interest and I respect that completely.  EC is a very good venue and I'm not complaining one little bit.  There will be a line but we'll all fit.  Plus they have good nachos and at a better price than the Montagne. 

There was no service charge for online tickets.  Just $8.  It didn't let me pick a seat but gave me a weird seat in a corner.  I'm sure they won't be checking that.  A 7000 seat arena will swallow two 4A second round playoff crowds.  

It's a long drive but it is a great venue.  Better I think than Sam Houston.  And it's much much better than the site for the Region Tourney.  It's closer for us than Bryan.  And I notice that there aren't any events scheduled for March 3rd and 4th.  C'est la vie.

Liberty was opportunistic and got A LOT of breaks and apparently they were good enough to take advantage.  They almost lost the ball, but didn't, about 40 times it seemed.  And they turned a bunch of those favorable bounces into points.
The first quarter was almost too good, shades of the best of McCain/Adams/Bush days.  I guess a letdown is always possible after a quarter like that and it came and it was a humdinger.  Outscored by Liberty in the 2nd quarter?  And halftime didn't fix it much they came out flat and the lead shrunk to 13 in the third, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one getting the funny feeling in the pit of my stomach.

The line was what? 36?  A 45 or even 50 point win wasn't out of the question.  But I had a feeling something would happen.  I didn't know what, but something.  In the prediction thread I said around 30, maybe a few more.  

I haven't followed Liberty at all so #3 was a complete surprise to me.  He was all over the place against the No. 3 team in the state.  Is he always like that?  Based on his performance tonight I think he could start for almost all 4A teams in the state, including the Tigers, or if not start then be the 6th man.   I'm watching him warm up, non-descript, wearing glasses, kind of nerdy actually.  And he's introduced as a start.  Hmmm, I wouldn't have figured that.  And then he comes out and basically keeps his lowly 4th place team in the game till they can catch their breath.  I wonder if there may have been a basketball camp or two in his past.  

Also of interest to District 19  are the results of tonight's playoffs for first first place in Districts 17 and 18.  17 is between Center and Chapel Hill and 18 is between Bullard and Jacksonville tonight.  The winner ends up in the bracket with arguably the easiest road to Region and the other will likely face Hardin Jefferson and Silsbee in succession though the order flips.  

The rankings show Jacksonville at 16, Bullard at 17, Chapel Hill at 18 and Center at 22.  And each has split with the other.  

Nobody is looking past any game at this point.  But these 4 teams know how to interpret a bracket chart.  The inevitable conclusion is that the winner has a reasonable shot at Region and the loser doesn't.  That makes these sort of early play-in game for Region.  The winner doesn't face a Top 15 team until Region.  The loser faces Silsbee and then Hardin Jefferson in succession.  I'm sure they'll be played with a little more intensity than simply a game to see who gets to put another year on a district championship banner. 
Lots of serious playoff basketball in Region 3 tonight. 
 

I went ahead and signed up.  Watched a good bit of the HJ - Lumberton girls game.  

They're ranked No. 2. and that must mean something.  They haven't lost a game since November.  That was to 4A Washington, a quality team but one I'm sure they'd like back.  Shouldn't have happened.  

Big win for the Raiders who just locked up 3rd place and a date with Hamshire Fannett or less likely HJ.  If they play that whole game like they the first half against Silsbee last Tuesday the Raiders have a shot at the second round.    

Bridge city will meet Jasper on Friday to decide 4th place in the district.  They'll have to play better than this to win but they can do it.  

Big win for the Raiders who just locked up 3rd place and a date with Hamshire Fannett or less likely HJ.  If they play that whole game like they the first half against Silsbee last Tuesday the Raiders have a shot at the second round.    

Bridge city will meet Jasper on Friday to decide 4th place in the district.  They'll have to play better than this to win but they can do it.  

By 1 point.  These two are about as close as you can get.

Barring upset it looks like the Tigers will face 4 of 6 good teams depending on which ends up winning their districts.  
Round 2 Jacksonville or Bullard
Round 3 HJ or HF or Bullard or Jacksonville
Region Semi  Furr or Washington
Region Final Furr or Washington.  

Jacksonville is not ranked but they just beat 12th ranked Bullard on Tuesday by 17 points so I call them a good team.

Jacksonville and Bullard are tied at 6-1 in District 18.  Washington and Furr are tied at 12-1 in District 21.  HJ is in the drivers seat in 20 with a one game lead over HF and the rematch at home.

 
 

And just like that it’s 30.

Yes.  This is the danger time for the Raiders.   LCM kept it pretty close and then just like that it opened to a 28 point lead in the third.  

Yes.  This is the danger time for the Raiders.   LCM kept it pretty close and then just like that it opened to a 28 point lead in the third.  

Dunk count is 2-0 LCM if anyone is interested.

Now the Tigers are putting on a show.  3 dunks i quick succession.  77-31 4:02 remaining.
 
 
 

58-26 at the end of three.

Troy just dunked one and hung on for the tech.  Who can blame him.  The first of many?

Sounds like a great experience for the Tigers and the Twolves.  Neither rain nor snow nor heat nor gloom of night shall stay this basketball kids.

Don’t ask about the dunk count.  They’ve got a bunch we’ve got none.