I think that Dixie won the strategy battle. CovCath isn't very big and they made themselves smaller and Dixie killed them inside.

 

There seems to be some real bad body language amongst the CovCath team. SOme of the players seem to really get a lot of flack from the staff when they come off the floor.

That's because every player has a coach. Wow how many coaches are on that sideline??

That's because every player has a coach. Wow how many coaches are on that sideline??

 

I did notice alot of coaches on the CovCath sideline. I didn't notice very much coaching going on though when a player left the game. One big guy seemed to be doing some but that was it.

 

My impression of the team is they do not look like they are having fun playing.

No matter how well CovCath has played this season, from the opening tip they just didn't look like themselves, while Dixie looked like a tall poised polished team playing with utmost confidence.

 

While the Blue Colonels looked lost in how to penetrate Dixie's zone, so was I because it looked locked up at every angle, and when it came time to rebound all I could see were a sea of Red Colonel arms and hands up higher at the boards as if adults were playing kids. It didn't hurt Dixie at all that they were connecting on their shots, and that CovCath had little to no effect in stopping them. The wounds were getting cut deep, early and often.

 

If these two teams were to meet again in the 9th Region tournament, I still don't know exactly what the Blue Colonels could do to erase the height advantage that Dixie has unless they immediately get them into foul trouble, and that's a lot to tackle entering a game when the trees are everywhere. Even from where I was sitting the forest looked daunting and impenetrable.

 

We've all seen it before where when same teams meet that the outcome can be so very different, and we all have respect for Coach Ruthsatz and know that he's probably not stopped thinking about a potential different approach in the event of a rematch. That's why he's the coach and I'm not, because I honestly don't know what could be done for a better outcome.

 

Judging by what we saw of Dixie in that one game, they looked like the deal, and no question a team poised to be cutting down nets. I've been waiting all season for them to get a signature win to prove themselves, and shut my mouth, they most certainly did, and not bad timing either going into post season play.

 

Anyone who has doubted them earlier on can cease and desist that kind of talk immediately. They've joined the party in a big resounding way.

 

The rating system now to me looks something like this:

 

1A

1B

1C

2 Holmes

 

But remember Holmes just beat Dixie last week. :idunno:

 

1)Dixie

2)Cov Cath (*)

3)NCC

4) Holmes

1)Dixie

2)Cov Cath (*)

3)NCC

4) Holmes

 

Sorry, I messed up

 

1) Dixie

2) CCH (*)

3)NCC (*)

4) Boone

5) Cooper - if McNeil is healthy

6) Holmes

Came out flat = we got our butt kicked and need an excuse for why.

 

Came out flat is nothing but an excuse 99% of the time it is used by players/teams/fans.

 

I disagree with this strongly.

Most of the time "coming out flat" equates to not having a healthy respect for your opppnent. I do think teams defnitely come out flat. That's often when upsets occur and when that happens, it makes sporting contests all that more compelling. It should not be used as an excuse. The mental aspect of sports is nearly as important as the physical. If you're not prepared mentally, shame on you. You just lost to a better prepared team that game. End of story.

 

Fixed that for you. I also don't see why it is some insult to a team that pulls an upset. If the better team is mentally and physically prepared to play, there will be no upset. The better team does not always win. The better prepared team does. That doesn't mean that a coach screwed up and didn't have his team getting into the right positions. It means that his players didn't play with maximal effort either mentally or physically, if not both. It happens and credit to the team that pulls the upset, but playing flat does happen and it leads to what we see here.

My impression of the team is they do not look like they are having fun playing.

 

Would you be having fun if you were getting a beat down on the court?

Would you be having fun if you were getting a beat down on the court?

 

It's not just one game. Same with the Cooper game.

I know CVH was getting over an illness which may be why his game was off but no excuse for the rest of the team that played like they have never faced a zone in their life. I noticed the team didn't get out of the locker room until halftime of the second game so I'm sure many not so good things were talked about then. Hopefully they will bounce back for senior night and be prepared for tournament time!!