At the Barbershop - 2/5/10

Feeling sick for two weeks can leave you a lot of time to think.  And since my mind is going 100 miles an hour on a normal day, the last thing I need is time to think.  Lewis Black once hypothesized that hearing the dumbest thing he’d ever heard could be the possible cause of an aneurysm.  Now I’m not saying that one of my thoughts may be the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard.  But with a wife and two children that I’d still like to spend a few more years with, I’m not taking any chances.  We’re taking a trip to the barbershop so I can purge myself of potentially lethal thoughts.  If one of them causes you to have an aneurysm, I apologize.  But I don’t think you can prove anything.

We’ve become accustomed to having great girls basketball in the Ozarks.  Last years results, 3 state champions and a local team in all 5 state title games, are just the latest proof of that.  So let’s focus in on just the small school (classes 1 & 2) girls teams right now.  There’s no doubt we’re loaded with talented teams again.  Sparta, Laquey, Walnut Grove, Purdy, Osceola, Verona, Miller, & Eminence have all been state ranked.  But the way these teams and others can put up points is especially amazing this year.

Everyone knows about the scoring exploits of Miller’s Hannah Wilkerson, but the Lady Cardinals are averaging over 70 ppg with players like Betsy Epps and Nicole Adams also averaging double figures.  Verona and Purdy both feature multiple players who can have a huge game at any time.  Eminence with sisters Brooke and Kelsey Williams, Humansville with Kayla Bays and Arianne Henry, Chadwick with Erika Davis and Krystyn Dollarhide.  All can put up a big number on a given night.  And the most explosive team in the Ozarks is the Richland Lady Bears who are averaging almost 80 points per game over the last 8 contests (including a win over class 3 ranked Cuba) and feature 4 players that have scored 30 points or more in a game at least once this year.  And a host of other teams are capable of putting up a big number also such as Hartville, Dora, Thayer, Liberal, Stoutland, Galena, Clever, Seymour, etc.  It’s a scoring paradise this year.

So here’s my dream.  It’s not a big one, but it’s mine.  I would like to replace a few of these smaller tournaments that are played each year with one big Olympic style tournament of top teams.  Start with 12 squads.  For instance this year would be the eight teams that have been ranked plus Humansville, Richland, Seymour, and Chadwick since I’m focusing on offense.  Or you could throw a Hartville, Thayer, or even Couch in if you want more quality.  You get the picture.  We divide the teams into two 6 team pools and play them round robin style.  The top four teams from each pool move on to bracket play with #1 playing #4, and #2 playing #3 from the opposite pool.  It would take three weeks to play it all out, but just imagine the incredible basketball you’d see.  This would be a mini state tournament with a few built in rivalries.  It would be fantastic.  All that talent in one competition?  Basketball Nirvana.

Now we’ve been lucky to see a number of these matchups already this season.  Miller/Purdy, Purdy/Verona, Sparta/Laquey, etc.  And I don’t expect anyone to run out and get this arranged.  The point is that we’re looking at some historical scoring levels in small school girls basketball this year.  And we should all enjoy it as much as possible.  While a good number of these teams have underclass talent leading the way, who knows if we’ll see this kind of convergence of offensive exploits again.  Of course if someone wanted to arrange a tournament like this in the future, I’d appreciate a mention on a program page somewhere and some good seats.  Naming it after the genius who conceived the idea would be too much.

• Before we leave the topic of girls basketball, I really have to ask a question.  When a team or individual has great success, you always have people who are jealous and like to be vocal about it.  But why is it that the words directed toward a successful female player or team are so much worse than at a male player or team?  Last year some of the things said about Whitney Edie, Fair Grove, and Nixa were just terrible.  This year Hannah Wilkerson seems to have the target on her back.  Trust me, I couldn’t live with myself if I posted some of the comments that have been sent in.  These young ladies work their tails off and most of them are just fantastic kids.  Yet some people seem to think that they have the right to absolutely vilify them in public.  Why?  It’s disturbing.  If you have to hate someone like that, don’t direct it at a teenage girl.  I suggest the New York Yankees.  They always deserve it.
• A few records items from the championship game of the Marionville Tournament that Verona won 96-84 over Miller.  Verona’s Jessica Smith put her name in the record books with her 30 of 39 free throw performance.  Her 39 free throws shot is a new state record, and her 30 made is second all time.  Coach Ryan Yates may want to get paperwork ready for points scored in a quarter also as the state record is 27.  Also in that game Hannah Wilkerson put up 54 points.  That’s one of the 40 best performances in state history.  And the 180 combined points from both teams is the eighth highest total ever for a regulation game.  Millers 41 points scored in the final quarter is the 11th best total ever.  And the 71 combined points scored in the fourth quarter is a a state record, as is the 116 points scored in the second half.
• Been busy with the junior high scene the last few weeks as my son has entered the world of junior high basketball and my family hats first claim on my time.  It’s been interesting to see some future stars, but I’m ready to get back into some high school gyms too.
• Most entertaining coach I’ve ever seen in person?  Hands down it’s Eddie Bowling.  Coach Bowling spent 20 years at Crocker before retiring in 2002.  He coached a number of sports but I most remember his frenetic sideline dancing as the head girls basketball coach.  He would jump, yell, stomp, squirm, beg, plead, throw things, turn red in the face, and generally do anything and everything to exhort his players, admonish the referees, or make his point.  Watching him at work was every bit as fun as watching the game.  And he knew how to coach also winning over 400 career games in both basketball and softball.  Today many schools wouldn’t even tolerate a coach with antics like Coach Bowling.  But at heart he was a good man, was beloved by his players, and is still an active part of the Crocker community.  I’m glad I got to watch him in his prime.
• All you fans in football crazy towns, you can’t watch Friday Night Lights on NBC without drawing parallels to people in your town.  It’s impossible.  You all know a Buddy Garrity in your town.  You’ve all had a Tim Riggins on your team.  It’s OK.  Admit it.  You’ll feel better.
• Here’s a article from the Lake Sun-Leader in Camdenton on a town trying to get football and getting an assist from the son of a Missouri legend.  A group of Mack’s Creek citizens are trying to convince the school board to install football.  Acting as an advisor for the group is Jeff Shore, assistant football coach at Camdenton and son of head coach Bob Shore.  One possibility that wasn’t brought up in the article was 8-man football.  Macks Creek is within driving distance of a few 8-man teams.  Could this be the beginning of the 8-man game in the Ozarks?
• My rankings for best league discussion boards in the Ozarks.
  1. SCA – Lots of established posters, witty exchanges, very informative, well organized, some very heated discussions, but in the end they act like a family.  My favorite.
  2. Frisco League – Tons of information including game stats & reports although it can be delayed.  Could use a little more structure, and some of the posters can be harsh, but the wealth of information available makes up for it.
  3. Ozark Conference – Another well organized board with a good amount of information.  A very established group of posters, but man, they can be downright brutal.
  4. Mid-Lakes – Still in it’s infancy.  Hopefully some Mid-Lakes fans will get behind it and get it going.
• Next Friday the winter championship season gets under way with wrestling districts starting.  The weekend of the 18th through the 20th we have state championships for both wrestling and girls swimming and diving.  The 20th, class 4 and 5 basketball districts start, followed by classes 1, 2, and 3 the 27th.  Didn’t we just start the winter sports season?
• Speaking of wrestling, Seneca is ranked #1 in class 1 and Neosho #1 in class 3 as we approach districts.  A good number of other squads have a chance to make some noise at state.  But both the Indians and Wildcats appear to be for real having both won prestigious tournaments and having strong lineups from top to bottom.  Seneca’s district is in Blair Oaks, and Neosho will be at Carthage.
• Here’s a little game I like to call ‘First Five’ where I list the first five things that come to my mind when I think of a topic.  Today we’re going to do most underrated basketball players in the Ozarks.
  • BOYS
    1. Clay Crouch – Wheatland
    2. Levi Cook – Crane
    3. Pat Poston – Richland
    4. Jordan Stauffer – Thomas Jefferson
    5. Kyle Poynter – Houston
  • GIRLS
    1. Najee Donson – Rogersville
    2. Lauren McCurry – Pleasant Hope
    3. Annie Armstrong – Kickapoo
    4. Kayla Dooms – Ava
    5. Erika Davis – Chadwick
• I’ll have my latest OS.Net basketball rankings coming out soon.  I was just about to let fly before I came down sick.  Since then, a few things have happened that changed some things around.  I also still have some emails to respond to.  Thanks for being patient.
• And finally, I’ve seen some impressive feats in my life.  But making a shot from half court blindfolded and ending up with a trip to the Final Four may just top them all.