Post your SMC predictions top to bottom both boys and girls. Write in a little bit about each team as well. Definitely going to be an exciting year of basketball. Lots of new coaching faces as well around the SMC.
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Very good analysis. You really know our local teams. Spot onBOYS
I think there will be a lot of parity and whoever wins it will have to earn it every night. I don't think there will be anybody who will be on Lincoln Charter or Prep's level when the playoffs come (hope I am wrong), but the conference race should be a lot of fun.
I would say Cherokee is the favorite. They lost some very talented players, but they were so deep last year that they still return a lot of talent. They do have a new coach, the new coach is a state champion.
2-5, not necessarily in this order:
Hayesville--Lost most of their roster, but what they do return is an experienced D1-bound PG, and a great PG can win you a lot of games in high school (especially at the 1A level).
Swain--surprisingly good early last year, then sputtered some down the stretch. They were a young team that only had one senior on the roster, and they have all the pieces you need to be a top team (good guards who can score it, 6-6 center, secondary scoring options).
Rosman--lost a 20+ point per game scorer, but return two other guys who averaged about 35 a game combined, and who complement each other very well (point guard who can score it or facilitate, and blue collar forward who can get his points in the offense or off the offensive glass) so I don't expect too much of a drop off.
Robbinsville--young team with a new coach and lost a lot of practice to football last year, should be better this year.
6-7 Andrews and Murphy, but unlike the last few years when the SMC has been pretty top-heavy, I think the teams in the bottom of the league will be dangerous and able to knock off the teams I am picking above them. One reason I am picking Andrews low is uncertainty about Parker's health, but if he recovers from his football injury, Andrews returns a backcourt with three solid and varied scoring options, and will be tough if they find a front court solution. Murphy should improve with their coaching change, but this was a team that lost to every member of the Little Smoky last year, and I just don't see them back to glory from that overnight when so many teams return so much.
GIRLS
1. Cherokee--undefeated in the league last year, conference POY and 2 other all conference players back. Would be crazy not to pick them as favorite.
2. Murphy--young team returns everyone and was dangerous late last year (7 over 2 upset in SMC tourney). Things were already looking up even before they added a coach and player(s) from HD.
3. Andrews--over half the roster was 9th and 10th grade last year, and still had best record of Andrews girls team in 15 years or so. Return all-conference center who averaged double double and most of rest of roster, and have good momentum from solid playoff showing.
4. Swain--very young team last year that probably would have been my pick at #2, except their best player transferred to Carolina Day. Still return pretty much the entire rest of their rotation, though, and will be tough.
5. Hayesville: Everybody back, well-coached team.
6. Robbinsville--Really struggled late in the year last year, and graduated two 1000 point scorers. But I also realize they haven't had a really down year in over a decade, so I'm prepared to be wrong here...
7. Rosman--Also feels strange to pick the Tigers this low, but they have a new coach, were up and down last year, and were one of the only SMC teams to really rely heavily on seniors last year, so they were hit harder than others by graduation.
Very good analysis. You really know our local teams. Spot on
We are excited about this group of young men in Middle School. I'm really hoping they continue to mature and add this group to the Freshman class I think they will be a force to reckon with in a few years. They really love roundball. I really see some nice changes in our athletic programs for the next few yearsI appreciate that WildcatFan. And i don't think your Cats will be picked near the bottom for too many more years...looks like there's some real talent at the middle school right now.
Boys
1/2 Rosman or Cherokee
3/4 Hayesville or Swain
5 Robbinsville
6 Andrews
7 Murphy
POY Candidates (in no order): Josh Cottrell, Harper Reese, Deland Thomas, Tye Mintz
Cherokee- returns decent amount of players. Mintz and Straughn are both solid returning players for the braves, plus the addition of the younger guys and a transfer they should be solid yet again. New coach is a winner and will continue that.
Rosman- has the best duo in the conference in Reese and Thomas. Both have great size for their positions. Also Thomas has a younger brother that i would guess would be on varsity. I question their depth as they didnt have much last year.
Hayesville- have a very solid point guard. But other than that i am not sure what they have. JV team was decent and they only return two other returning varsity players outside of Cottrell. But i would never count coach cottrell out as he has proved to win with any team he has been given.
Swain- they were one of my highest teams at the beginning but questioning more now. Shuler is not playing this season which is major downfall for them. Little doesnt play on fridays either. Although they still return the bradley brothers, which are both all conference type players. Treadway is back after a season ending injury last year. Also i think younce really improved in the latter half of the season last year.
Robbinsville- have great size inside and theoretically ahoukd be best rebounding team in the conference. This is due mainly to Adams, Hemphill, Long. They have a great athlete in Jumper, but dont know if his skills have improved or not. Guard play is a ?
Andrews- new coach should start to head program in the right direction. Pyle and Parker are good players for them.
Murphy- new solid coach. Do not know about their players, but would say the new coach will get a couple more athletes out.
I'm with you brother. I've been wrong about my own team too. I thought I had a peg on a few teams this year but it looks like they proved me wrong. That's why you play the game !Already looks like I was wrong about Robbinsville girls, I'm sure I'll be wrong about a few more of my picks too...
cherokee beat AndrewsIf the Citizen-Times score is correct, big win for Andrews tonight over Cherokee and congratulations are in order for SouthTexasCoach.
Hayesville beats Andrews by 15, Cherokee beats Hayesville by 40, then Andrews beats Cherokee...looks like a wild year in the BSMC.
cherokee beat Andrews
Ah. AC-T was reporting as Andrews 63, Cherokee 61. Sorry for the confusion.
Great game but so disappointing for the game to be decided by a loose ball foul with 4 seconds left. It happened right in front of me. Two young men hustling their tales off. It has to be a no call in that situationObserveandreport.....very good game on the boys side.....but Cherokee got us by 2....63-61 unfortunately.....went down to the wire...cherokee went to the line with 4 seconds left and wins it.
Lol, only 3 games played last night. We don't have a JV girls teamCorrect! Cherokee beat Andrews (all 4 games)
Last years game was exciting. If you recall that game broke the 3 point record.I agree with that super intense second half. Poor cherokee couldn't buy a basket or free throw early. Not sure how many they missed but it has to be 20 or more. Tough call at the end seemed both teams in foul trouble all night. Seems like Andrews always gives us fits down there. Last years game was close too
Great game by our girls too. Running clock early.
That's when the 3 top scorers came in and people started sneering in disbelief at the coach. He did pull them out quickly but was it because people sneered about it. The Braves 2 no string was dismantling our 1st with ease. In my opinion it was to much.Not sure what game you watched but our girls rolled every player in the first half I think and the starters barely played in second half. And I know I didn't see a press in second half. In fact all zone. The starters did come in to start the 4th but played like a 2 min of a running clock. Even if they played more with the limited game time they have had maybe he wanted to give them minutes.
And im willing to bet our boys game will be nowhere close to that the next time.
Im not full of myself just not sure if they could play a worse 3 qtrs. maybe it was exams all day or something but they were so flat early. That's why I love basketball any given night good luck to you guys over the break.
As I mentioned he was subbing 5 at time. Correct me of im wrong but they barely scored in second half and starters played limited in 3rd and very limited in 4th still not sure how it got to this I seen nothing out the way from either team. Clean game with nothing out the way.
Like mont said he Prob needed some minutes just to let them go it's only the 3rd game and we're almost to Christmas
Yeah we had finals too and wouldn't have won anyway. Our girls played the night before and looked good and just looked plum ugly last night. No excuse for them not to hustle and just throw the ball away. I'm sorry I have such a strong opinion about the game. I have watched the old HD coach, now the Murphy Coach do this and Hayesville boys coach also. They have done it for years. No sore loser just grew up in a different era and it's hard to swallow. It sure is not pointed towards the players. All the teams that I just mentioned are great. I guess Coach Solesbee taught me this years ago when all the schools in those days showed respect. I actually hate to see teams do it to a Coach that has coached for 45 years at our school. Ok. Enough of my rant. Play on !!!
It was to give those girls a break.. they was tired...
Due to the flu outbreak Robbinsville has been decimated athletically. School has been shut down the rest of the week. So the much anticipated girls game for Friday is cancelled. I personally haven't been to any games but from what the community has said the girls are returning to former form.
5peat?Middle school lady knights running through the conference. double digit wins vs everyone. hope we have a Xmas tourney with some teams that can push us.
#Gofor5peat!!!!