What are the "obvious reasons" for the "clunker?"

....

 

No offense, but I loathe threads like this.

 

The state assembled 128 teams into 16 regional tournaments and played a single elimination tournament....Owensboro was the last team standing. They win. They are state champs. They didn't have to beat the other 127, they just had to beat every team in front of them without losing a single game. They did. They win.

 

There are countless teams that can play a "what if" game, Trinity among them, but at the end of the day, Owensboro is the KHSAA State Basketball Champion. Period.

 

So, in other words, yes.

Trinity may have had the best talent but they didn't have the best team.

At any given moment you or your team can be the "BEST". Owensboro was the best when it mattered, so yes to end the year, they are the BEST.

It all depends on context I think. From late February to Mid March, Owensboro was the best team in the state. I think that is what matters most.

 

So even if T was the best team from October 15 through the day before they lost, it does not really matter as February- March is the time where they get a real opportunity to compete against the best.

 

If any Owensboro players read this thread, I say to them be proud. You were the best team in the state of Kentucky when the time came to see who the best is. It is an experience they will never forget.

Yes, they won it so they need to be congratulated. I do like their team very much and they worked hard on a well deserved championship. If you didn't get there you are not in the discussion.

How can the best team not be Owensboro? I'm confused. It's not like we'll agree on who the best team was before the tournament. Owensboro won the whole thing fair and square and earned the right to be called the best team in the state.

 

What he said. :thumb:

How can the best team not be Owensboro? I'm confused. It's not like we'll agree on who the best team was before the tournament. Owensboro won the whole thing fair and square and earned the right to be called the best team in the state.

 

Here's where I'll disagree slightly: single-elimination tournaments are always going to be inherently flawed as a way of determining a champion. One game has any number of twists and turns that could cause them to go the other way. I'd submit that in any number of cases in the history of the tournament the team that was the best for the entirety of the season failed to win the state tournament at the end of that year because one wrong call or one missed step can change the whole thing around.

 

We'll always have these debates at the end of a single-elimination tournament.

 

However, Owensboro earned the right to be called the "state champion" -- no small task, to be sure -- and no one else can claim it.

They were the best at the most opportune time. Something 200+ other teams in the state can't say, and every one of them had their fair chance. Other things can be debated for sure, but there's no debate that they took the trophy back to Owensboro.

Here's where I'll disagree slightly: single-elimination tournaments are always going to be inherently flawed as a way of determining a champion. One game has any number of twists and turns that could cause them to go the other way. I'd submit that in any number of cases in the history of the tournament the team that was the best for the entirety of the season failed to win the state tournament at the end of that year because one wrong call or one missed step can change the whole thing around.

 

We'll always have these debates at the end of a single-elimination tournament.

 

However, Owensboro earned the right to be called the "state champion" -- no small task, to be sure -- and no one else can claim it.

The cream always rises to the top is the way I see it. Single-elimination tournaments are no more flawed than the regular season games people use to base their opinions on teams they may think are better than Owensboro.

The cream always rises to the top is the way I see it. Single-elimination tournaments are no more flawed than the regular season games people use to base their opinions on teams they may think are better than Owensboro.

 

Regular seasons with unbalanced schedules are also inherently flawed as a way of measuring best teams, but that wasn't really my point.

 

In the end, it's really hard to win a single-elimination tournament. You have to be able to run through several consecutive rounds playing against teams of differing styles and skill types. Having a team that can run any gauntlet like that is worthy of praise. They're an absolutely deserving state champion.

It doesn't matter. All that matters is that Owensboro won the State Tournament. All else is irrelevant fluff.

I personally thought Owensboro had the toughest schedule through the S16 as well. Hopkinsville probably had the hardest schedule to get to the finals (TCHS, OHS, CCH) and Owensboro had the 2nd most difficult. If you win the tournament with one of the hardest draws...you are the number 1 team in the state.

I'll be regarded as the worst team in the state all year long if it means I'm cutting down the nets at Rupp.

I personally thought Owensboro had the toughest schedule through the S16 as well. Hopkinsville probably had the hardest schedule to get to the finals (TCHS, OHS, CCH) and Owensboro had the 2nd most difficult. If you win the tournament with one of the hardest draws...you are the number 1 team in the state.

 

Boyle County had the toughest Sweet 16 draw. No one else is close.