D4 District Final Waterford Lady Cats vs Lucasville Valley

[sportsmr]

Waterford is a very good team with some very talented athletes. They should make a very nice run in the tourny, but pressing with a 35 point lead is uncalled for.

[browns4ever]

I read the article in the paper on the game and the posts here. I did not attend the game nor am I a fan of either team. I have coached at the varsity level in the past, and I know one thing. As you coach, you are worried about the performance of your team -the score is secondary. Much time and energy is put into a game and the stress level is tremendous, especially when a season is on the line every game. The upmost respect is paid to each oponent. Many hours of preparation, scouting, scheming go into each game. At the district championship level every team is considered worthy, especially if they are relatively unfamiliar. The coach expects the highest intensity from his players and himself during the game. At no time leading up to the game does a coach prepare for "what to do if the game turns into a blowout". Most coaches who get to this level will not want to communicate in any way that it is OK to "ease up on the intensity". I read that the game was relatively close at the half, so I imagine the coach didn't breathe a sigh of relief and surrender to the fact the game was won until long after the fans did, probably with a few minutes left in the game. Also, I agree with not wanting to get a player hurt, but coaches often rotate groups of players (ie 1st string, 2nd string) and this "franchise" player may have simply been part of a group being rotated throughout the end of the game? I was at the wrong end of many blowouts, but I have delivered just as many. It is not fun to be beaten by a huge margin. But the Valley girls knew that they got beat by a very good team, and they, themselves, won many games this season. I do not imagine that they complained about losing a hard-fought competition, and if they are a young team, will use this as a measuring-stick for next year.

[sportsmr]

Nobody expects for a coach to ask his team not to play hard or turn down the intensity, but 30 mid way thru the 3rd quarter and still pressing is uncalled for. The game was already sealed up at that point. This game was never close at any point past first quarter.

[hoopitup]

Browns4ever: Well said. I'm pretty sure that the only time the Wildcat coaches saw Valley play was in the District semi-final game vs Green. Now I have been around basketball for a while and I really don't think you can evaluate a team based on that game or any one game for that matter.

Drayer was out almost the whole second quarter with 2 fouls. Waterford was only up 12 at halftime and had really not gotten into any kind of rhythm. King sat out the last few minutes of the 3rd quarter to get a break. King dominated the 1st half. Drayer dominated the second half. It is hard to stop any one of these girls. If you key on one there are others who can step up and score. Waterford needs all their players....yes it would be terrible if any of these girls got hurt and couldn't play in the next game but coach Close used his entire bench throughout the whole game.

The Regional semi-final game is going to be HUGE for Waterford. They will be challenged in every way. I don't think that there is anything wrong with trying to prepare your players for that.

Valley has a very young team and a very bright future ahead of them. A lot of talent in those young ladies.

[browns4ever]

I thought I read 12 at half. I've been to the convo many times and have seen a 12 point lead dwindle in 2 or 3 minutes. District level basketball is very competitive. Like I said, wasn't there, but I have been there. I've had to appologize to coaches after the game. Never thought we'd be ahead by thirty, so my reaction may not have been as quick as the people (fans) who weren't worrying about 500 other things going on during a game. I've had coaches appologize to me for keeping in their best players way after they should have. I've been around long enough to understand how this happens. I just smile and say "you really kicked my butt tonight, coach". Then I remember any indiscretion until I can get even. Sometimes I never do. Some teams just always beat you. But this is high school sports. They are always fun.

[olay135]

My thoughts after this game were WOW!!!!! The Lady Cats really could have won by more but they were actually being nice by not running up the score. And if anyone wants to look at something unsportsmanlike I will tell you all a story. After the game I was walking to my car which was parked at Peden Stadium. As I was walking across the street I was cussed at and spit on by the Valley fans who were already in their cars. I was wearing a green shirt to support Waterford and had done nothing to the Valley fans. So way to NOT show class from the Valley fans.

[Steely Dan]

If memory serves me correctly, this game was 12-7 at the end of the first quarter. Over in the first quarter? That's a bunch of B.S. You are trying to paint a picture that you were never in the game and that Waterford just poured it on and buried you from the get-go. Typical "woe is me", I want sympathy........

You got beat by a much more talented team, that was well-coached to boot. I can't believe the amount of whining about this game. You sure as hell didn't see any whining from the Wellston folks when they got beat 98-4 by South Point. And that was a regular season game.

Like I have said, you make it to the district final, you better be ready to play. One team was ready, and it showed in the final score.