Apollo 48 Mason County 36

[strike-3]

Sounds like sour grapes to me. I'm sure Apollo's players will be happy to play whatever way Coach Hopper want's them to, if it helps them to earn a ring. If some fans don't like it then too bad. I guess they could run a gun and play the way the opponet wants them to, but then they might be home already. If you have a big lead why not try to shorten the game. Your opponet can't beat you without the ball. The game of basektball is not just about offense, (at least not below the NBA level) maybe some blame should be placed upon Mason Co. They didn't do anything to take the ball away from Apollo. I guarentee that if Apollo is able to get a lead today, that Hopper will do the same thing, and he won't care how many people boo, or if no one shows up. As long as they win the end justifies the means.

 

You might be surprised that this style of play is the exact opposite of what Apollo wanted to do at the beginning of the season. They tried to play a full court up tempo style, and Coach Hopper would sub in 4 at a time every 3 minutes or so. I looked a lot like a Hockey line change. This worked pretty well at the start of the season, as they started 10-1, but after Christmas, they kind of lost focus and hit a pretty bad dry spell, going 7-8, so Hopper changed his style and obviously found something that worked. Since right before the start of the post season they have started to slow it down and have gone 8-1 down the stretch.

[mhighfield]

Sounds like sour grapes to me. I'm sure Apollo's players will be happy to play whatever way Coach Hopper want's them to, if it helps them to earn a ring. If some fans don't like it then too bad. I guess they could run a gun and play the way the opponet wants them to, but then they might be home already. If you have a big lead why not try to shorten the game. Your opponet can't beat you without the ball. The game of basektball is not just about offense, (at least not below the NBA level) maybe some blame should be placed upon Mason Co. They didn't do anything to take the ball away from Apollo. I guarentee that if Apollo is able to get a lead today, that Hopper will do the same thing, and he won't care how many people boo, or if no one shows up. As long as they win the end justifies the means.

 

You might be surprised that this style of play is the exact opposite of what Apollo wanted to do at the beginning of the season. They tried to play a full court up tempo style, and Coach Hopper would sub in 4 at a time every 3 minutes or so. I looked a lot like a Hockey line change. This worked pretty well at the start of the season, as they started 10-1, but after Christmas, they kind of lost focus and hit a pretty bad dry spell, going 7-8, so Hopper changed his style and obviously found something that worked. Since right before the start of the post season they have started to slow it down and have gone 8-1 down the stretch.

I agree Apollo should get all the credit I dont like the slow down game either but if its what gives my team the best chance to win so be it i would do it also.One thing thats been forgotten is Apollo hit some very timely 3 also in this game to keep that little padding in the lead they needed to keep it slow.

[striker]

Apollo is not a fun team to watch. Anyone who says otherwise must be a fan of the team and not a fan of basketball.

 

I agree, they did what they had to do to win and that is all that matters. Mason Co. was too young and without a key player, too much to overcome tonight.

[striker]

I agree. If every team took the same 'gameplan' into Rupp Arena that Apollo did then the "Greatest Show in Hoops" would quickly become the "World's Largest Napping Session".

 

I applaud their coach for somehow being able to motivate his kids to play this way. If I were a player, I would be ticked off if my coach was so unconfident in my abilities that is game plan was to get an early lead and then take the air out of the ball.

 

I can only imagine what he told his kids at halftime. Probably something to the effect of "OK guys, we have them just where we want them. 8 point lead. Now lets go out there and rebound, walk the ball up the floor and hold it for two minutes. YEAH. Let's go".....

 

As a player this is exactly how I want to play the game.

 

I don't care how much any of you want to argue about them winning the game is all that matters. I agree with you. BUT, let's hope in the future more coaches don't take this strategy with them to Rupp Arena or it would certainly ruin the tournament and cause attendance to die.

Again,

[mcpapa]

You do what you have to do to win, if that means hearing a scattering of a few boos because of it, then fine.....

 

If holding the ball for a while is "bush league", and it wins, so be it. I'd rather be "bush" league and win then be "classy" and lose...., and in all honesty, I dont see how it's bush league....

 

What Apollo did was impose their will on Mason County while using the rules to their advantage; they can't be faulted for that. As long as there is no shot clock and you have the lead - boring or not - playing stall ball can be a very effective tactic. Although I don't personally like to watch slowdown games; had the shoe been on the other foot and Mason County was shortening the game, I probably would have been cheering the tactic!

 

 

On a side note, my daughter was selected in this game to participate in the Army National Guard's halftime shootout. Pretty neat hearing her name announced and watching her make a few easy baskets on the Rupp Arena court!!

[striker]

I'm tired of this talk about teams holding the ball ... those teams have a game plan and are trying to win, not necessarily entertain those of us that are fortunate enough to be in Rupp Arena.

 

Anyone that watched Graves-South Laurel and Apollo-Mason and didn't appreciate the quality of basketball and the hardnosed play of each team ... well, you're not really a basketball fan.[/QUOTE]

:thumb:

[bcfan24]

What Apollo did was impose their will on Mason County while using the rules to their advantage; they can't be faulted for that. As long as there is no shot clock and you have the lead - boring or not - playing stall ball can be a very effective tactic. Although I don't personally like to watch slowdown games; had the shoe been on the other foot and Mason County was shortening the game, I probably would have been cheering the tactic!

 

 

On a side note, my daughter was selected in this game to participate in the Army National Guard's halftime shootout. Pretty neat hearing her name announced and watching her make a few easy baskets on the Rupp Arena court!!

 

:thumb:

 

I'm all for fast paced play, I love watching it (huge Gonzaga fan), but some people have got to realize that different coaches have different strategies of winning...

 

BTW, glad to hear about your daughter, I'm sure that's something she'll never forget....

[Devilman]

Congradulations to Mason County on a fine season, Good Luck to Micah Turner in your future endeavors.:thumb: