Tonight’s games (1-29)
Jan. 29, 2008 @ 11:57 p.m. by JoannaWhew! What a night of high school basketball.
I don’t care if you like girls basketball or not, but South beating Heights has to catch your attention. The Heights girls, who I bet will still go on to become the first 6A team to win three straight titles, got upset by South in overtime. Let me be the first to point out that I JUST wrote how I was disappointed by South. Well, consider my reaction premature. For the Heights fans, I’m not taking pleasure in your defeat, but as I’m a sportswriter, I like to see some drama playing out in the City League. Frankly, there’s no drama if you beat everyone.
So does this mean that Andover Central, a 4A team mind you, becomes the state’s top-ranked team? (The Jaguars smacked Rose Hill tonight.)Â I don’t see how they can’t be. Andover Central proved itself by beating a strong 5A team in Bishop Carroll, so I say, props to the Jags.
Also on the girls side, Carroll beat Goddard. Nice win, not exactly a perfectly-played game, but nice nonetheless for the Eagles.
South boys continued their top-notch season by beating Heights, exacting some revenge for a 12-point loss in the season opener. It’s a nice win for a team that has been playing some awfully good basketball.
There were some not-so-exciting games, though. Southeast over West 93-40. Ugh! And that was without a banged up Jordan Cyphers. Carroll beat Goddard for a much-needed win, but, my goodness, it was dull. I struggled to stay awake. Even the student sections were quiet. Never a good sign.
Wichita Trinity also avenged its season-opening loss, handling Belle Plaine 60-39. Oof.
Overall, an interesting night.
I do have a couple observations. I thought that there was going to be an emphasis on keeping coaches in the coaches’ box. Doesn’t seem to be. Everyone I’ve seen this year takes the same liberties they have every year. Not that I care, just don’t say it’s going to be emphasized and then it’s not.
Players, stop whining to the officials. Ask a question, fine. But let your coaches whine. It’s what they get paid all those thousands of pennies for.
I still hate double fouls. I think they’re stupid, and they happen way too much in high school. Although nothing trumps the double foul on a block-charge. Horrible!
Fans, where are you? I understand that the girls tournaments don’t draw well. Fine. But Northwest at Southeast was poorly attended last week. And tonight at Carroll, there was a strong crowd for the girls game from Goddard, but the fans were quiet. Why? The most I heard was the one kid calling out “Julia” as in Julia Marshall when she shot free throws. That’s it. Boring! Basketball should be fun, yet there I am in the Concrete Cave at Carroll and nary a headache pain started. I remember when I’d get a headache just walking into that place because of the terrible acoustics that rattled my poor brain.
That’s all for tonight.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:55 am
I was at the Heights-South game and there was a great atmosphere for both the boys and girls games. Southeast games seem to be well attended no matter where they are. Double fouls are stupid in high school, at the heights-South boys game last night a kid from Heights full on decked Russell from South so he Russelll pushed him and it was a double foul, one on Heights for the swing and one on South for the push, if they called the swing in the first place it wouldnt escalate.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Has there ever not been a dull moment at any game played at Carroll. It gets loud in the gym but Carroll has always played grab and hold basketball and it makes for an ugly game. Plus, Goddard boys are struggling to shoot the ball this year and it makes for boring games. I have never seen a coach so frustrated.