Burke County hoops

[FreedomAlum]

Who all is in the Christmas tournament this year? I hope freedom girls can give eb a game and possibly pull it off. I'm happy for east burkes being successful but for fans there to say last year's team was the best in burke county history. No disrespect but Idk about that being the case.

Not even remotely close to being true. At least four of Freedom's state title teams would have run them off the court, including the undefeated 2016 team.
Probably the only one they could have beaten was the 1989 team, but you have to remember that all those women are in their 50s now.

 

[heelsfan28655]

Best team I saw was 2002. People say the 1995 team was the best. As far as player I'd say Kerri gardin hands down was the best girls player ever in burke county. Best shooter may be ali Ford.

 

[FreedomAlum]

1994 or 2016. Both had three girls who played D1 and another who played D2. 1994 also had Natalie Watts (Whitaker) who could have played in college, I’m certain of that. But she concentrated on academics and she’s Dr. Whitaker DDS today, which was surely the best choice. The 1994 team blew out Fayetteville Sanford in the state title game and they had a girl who played at UConn. The 2016 team didn’t even have a close game until the state championship game, and then that was just because N. Guilford made a comeback. But Freedom won and they had the Cunane girl who played for State and then briefly in the WNBA.
Kerri Gardin was easily the best girls player from this county of all time. I think Braelyn Stillwell is a baller, but she just can’t dominate a game the way Kerri could.

 

[DEER0526]

1994 or 2016. Both had three girls who played D1 and another who played D2. 1994 also had Natalie Watts (Whitaker) who could have played in college, I’m certain of that. But she concentrated on academics and she’s Dr. Whitaker DDS today, which was surely the best choice. The 1994 team blew out Fayetteville Sanford in the state title game and they had a girl who played at UConn. The 2016 team didn’t even have a close game until the state championship game, and then that was just because N. Guilford made a comeback. But Freedom won and they had the Cunane girl who played for State and then briefly in the WNBA.
Kerri Gardin was easily the best girls player from this county of all time. I think Braelyn Stillwell is a baller, but she just can’t dominate a game the way Kerri could.

What if’s! They don’t mean anything. But what would teams do with Stillwell “if” she was 5’10”? No-one stops her now… 23-10-8-6, is a normal stay line at 5’3”. I’m not a EB fan, just a BB fan!!!

 

[DEER0526]

By the way I agree with Gardner being the best!

 

[FreedomAlum]

What if’s! They don’t mean anything. But what would teams do with Stillwell “if” she was 5’10”? No-one stops her now… 23-10-8-6, is a normal stay line at 5’3”. I’m not a EB fan, just a BB fan!!!

All those Freedom teams won state championships, mostly at the 4A level (2016 was 3A). Let Stillwell and the Lady Cavs win a title, and we'll talk. But I saw all of those teams play including last year's East Burke girls and they wouldn't get within 20 points of any of those Lady Patriot squads. Braelyn Stillwell IS a baller, but I think she probably gets a D2 scholarship (right now she's got offers to places like Lees-McRae and Montreat), those other girls (Tiana Tate, Erika Mathies, Natasha Davis, Amaryah Corpening, Ariyana Williams, Madison Ervin and Kerri Gardin, just to name a few) played D1 and most started at that level. This is apples and meteorites.

 

[DEER0526]

I’ve been around a long time, I watched Freedom win boys and girls titles in the 90’s, I know they’ve had great teams, but flatter me and give me a hypothetical answer to this question. How does Stillwell do what she does at 5’3”? Or what would teams do to stop her if she was 5’10”. EB isn’t as good as those teams, but she is D2 only because of size. No one stops her!

 

[FreedomAlum]

I’ve been around a long time, I watched Freedom win boys and girls titles in the 90’s, I know they’ve had great teams, but flatter me and give me a hypothetical answer to this question. How does Stillwell do what she does at 5’3”? Or what would teams do to stop her if she was 5’10”. EB isn’t as good as those teams, but she is D2 only because of size. No one stops her!

If Stillwell was 5”10’ she’d have every ACC coach camped out at her door.
But she’s only 5”4’ and it is what it is.
She’s fast, smart and makes great decisions with the basketball. She has a great shot from behind the arc and she has a nice touch around the basket. She sees ways to get to the basket that other players don’t. But I wouldn’t take her over Kerri Gardin and I don’t know if she’s better than Ariyana Williams was when she was playing for Freedom. That’s my honest opinion, no disrespect to her at all.

 

[FreedomAlum]

Freedom played host to E. Burke tonight. In the girls game I have to say that the Lady Patriots let one get away. They led by as much as 17 and were up 10 with 5 and a half minutes left in the game. But they went to a zone and Braelyn Stillwell had to think her Christmas came a week early. She hit a three, got a steal and hit another and then knocked down a third after a fruitless Freedom possession. So that made it a one point Lady Patriot lead with about 4 minutes left. Then she got the “and one” three point play and the Lady Cavs would never trail again. Freedom tied it with about a minute and a half to play, but E. Burke converted at the end to take the 62-55 win. This could have been a huge win for Freedom’s girls and they played lights out for 3 1/2 quarters, so they need to keep that up.
In the boys game it was a little sloppy and Freedom was never in any danger. Amore Connelly had 15 points, all in the third quarter, including a dunk. But Barger Shook avenged that for the Cavs. About the best I can say is that Freedom played well enough to win (64-47) and that they should be rested for the Christmas tournament next week.

 

[Titanman27]

Freedom played host to E. Burke tonight. In the girls game I have to say that the Lady Patriots let one get away. They led by as much as 17 and were up 10 with 5 and a half minutes left in the game. But they went to a zone and Braelyn Stillwell had to think her Christmas came a week early. She hit a three, got a steal and hit another and then knocked down a third after a fruitless Freedom possession. So that made it a one point Lady Patriot lead with about 4 minutes left. Then she got the “and one” three point play and the Lady Cavs would never trail again. Freedom tied it with about a minute and a half to play, but E. Burke converted at the end to take the 62-55 win. This could have been a huge win for Freedom’s girls and they played lights out for 3 1/2 quarters, so they need to keep that up.
In the boys game it was a little sloppy and Freedom was never in any danger. Amore Connelly had 15 points, all in the third quarter, including a dunk. But Barger Shook avenged that for the Cavs. About the best I can say is that Freedom played well enough to win (64-47) and that they should be rested for the Christmas tournament next week.

I look forward to seeing the likely matchup between the Lady Titans and Lady Cavaliers in the Mcdowell Christmas tournament

 

[Titanman27]

Of course we have to play Avery first who is also pretty good.

 

[FreedomAlum]

Of course we have to play Avery first who is also pretty good.

Yes-surprisingly good. I think they already beat Ashe and they demolished Rosman tonight.

BTW, in our loss tonight, Stillwell set a new state record for points in a quarter with 30. She did it in the fourth quarter as E. Burke doubled their score from 31 to 62, which means one other player had one point.
The record was over 30 years old and held by a player at Bunker Hill who had 28.
Edit-now I see that she tied that state record.

 

[heelsfan28655]

I'm glad to see the cavs have success but the love fest certain pages have for them drives me insane. One page called her the goat. Maybe for eb yes bur county wide maybe top 10 but the goat is Kerri followed by Davis and have to include Ford in there too.

 

[heelsfan28655]

Don't take anything away because they have a good team and great player but I don't see them winning the state.

 

[FreedomAlum]

I'm glad to see the cavs have success but the love fest certain pages have for them drives me insane. One page called her the goat. Maybe for eb yes bur county wide maybe top 10 but the goat is Kerri followed by Davis and have to include Ford in there too.

If I had to compile an all time team of Burke girls players I could put together a team of 15 girls from Freedom who all played D1 over the past 40 years.
I would certainly make room for Stillwell on that team, but you’re right about the GOAT. She was officiating the game tonight.

 

[heelsfan28655]

Freedoms coach would have to be up there too. She was a great shooter. Ali Ford is up ( had she had better help they could have won one).

 

[DEER0526]

Does anyone have any Burke Cty all time stats? I’m not a Burke guy, so I’m just curious about her pts and assists! Not for arguments sake just where she ranks…

 

[heelsfan28655]

I'm sure the leading scorer is probably Ali Ford. 2nd I think may be Ariana Williams I'm sure Kerri gardin and natasha Davis is up there as well.

 

[FreedomAlum]

Does anyone have any Burke Cty all time stats? I’m not a Burke guy, so I’m just curious about her pts and assists! Not for arguments sake just where she ranks…

There used to be a display outside the gym at Freedom that had Ali Ford’s stats. I think he’s had over 2500 career points and I believe she’s in the NC record book among the players with the most threes made in a career. I don’t think that really tells the whole story though and I would have her and Stillwell on par as players. Ford played multiple sports at the collegiate level for Elon (starter in basketball and then on the softball team), so she had real athletic cred as well.
Kerri Gardin was just a force of nature on the court and I can’t begin to compare her to other players.

 

[Titanman27]

Maxpreps has East Burke ranked 11 in the state. It seemed a little high to me considering how many great girls teams there are.

 

[NCprepbball]

Some teams haven’t played the minimum amount of games yet to be ranked.

 

[Titanman27]

Some teams haven’t played the minimum amount of games yet to be ranked.

I get that but I think 11 is still high compared to some others who have rankings already.

 

[eb1977]

You know when you have one of the best basketball players on your team when your archrival schools
starts bringing up older players that they think were better. If I'm not mistaken, I think that was Kerri Gardin refereeing the game with freedom and she couldn't stop Stillwell from scoring 42.

 

[FreedomAlum]

You know when you have one of the best basketball players on your team when your archrival schools
starts bringing up older players that they think were better. If I'm not mistaken, I think that was Kerri Gardin refereeing the game with freedom and she couldn't stop Stillwell from scoring 42.

Yeah-she was being a fair and impartial referee. Good luck to Stillwell trying to do that to a team with Gardin playing center.
Great job on it taking half a century to get to a state finals BTW.

 

[heelsfan28655]

How can you call us rivals when pretty much the whole 50 years we have owned grease burke. Look at the all time series, look at total conference championships, regional championships and overall state championships. Freedom is far superior In basketball than least burke will ever be. Win a state title then talk. No one ever said Stillwell wasn't a great player but for people to say she's the best ever, anyone who knows anything about basketball knows that isn't true. And dingleberry, how could Kerri as a ref stop anyone from scoring.i can name a few others I've seen that were better besides Kerri. Ali Ford aryiana Williams Erica mathes natasha Davis. And i can name several teams that would put a running clock on this year's and last year's east burke teams. Yes yall are good now but look at the weak competition and oh by the way when yall do lose are yall going to cry and blame the refs like yall do all the time and did last year when a real team dominated you. Good luck on the season but come talk when you have won 5 state championships.

 

[jb4inhickory]

Bandys 49 East Burke 36. Coach Helms at it again.

Sorry about the false information. WHKY.com has it backwards I guess based on Titanman post and East Burke actually won 49-36.

 

[Titanman27]

Bandys 49 East Burke 36. Coach Helms at it again.

That's incorrect. East Burke won 49-36.

 

[FreedomAlum]

The 50th annual Freedom Christmas Tournament kicked off today and both Patriot squads got nice first-round wins.

The Lady Patriots were all over Kings Mountain and won 67-11. There really isn't much to say as the Lady Mountaineers were overmatched and Freedom was able to play everyone with all but one player scoring. I think the Lady Patriots will play East Rutherford tomorrow night.

In the boy's game Bessemer City gave Freedom a nice game for the first quarter, but the Patriots slowly pulled away and eventually won 91-54. Freedom got great balance with four players in double figures, led by Kobe Johnson with 21 and ten Patriots getting into the scorer's book. The Patriots had five first half dunks, with three coming from Amore Connelly, including a nice windmill on a breakaway, but missed all they tried in the second half. Still, it was fun to watch. Freedom will take on T.C. Roberson in the semifinals.

 

[Titanman27]

The 50th annual Freedom Christmas Tournament kicked off today and both Patriot squads got nice first-round wins.

The Lady Patriots were all over Kings Mountain and won 67-11. There really isn't much to say as the Lady Mountaineers were overmatched and Freedom was able to play everyone with all but one player scoring. I think the Lady Patriots will play East Rutherford tomorrow night.

In the boy's game Bessemer City gave Freedom a nice game for the first quarter, but the Patriots slowly pulled away and eventually won 91-54. Freedom got great balance with four players in double figures, led by Kobe Johnson with 21 and ten Patriots getting into the scorer's book. The Patriots had five first half dunks, with three coming from Amore Connelly, including a nice windmill on a breakaway, but missed all they tried in the second half. Still, it was fun to watch. Freedom will take on T.C. Roberson in the semifinals.

TC is a bit of an enigma. They have some good players but can have real trouble scoring. McDowell beat them by 30 or so and I expected a close game.