There were reports earlier this week that Paducah Tilghman football star Josh Forrest might be wavering on his commitment to the University of Kentucky, but Forrest seems to have nixed those by issuing invitations to his national letter-of-intent signing on Feb. 5. The invite said that Forrest will indeed sign with the Wildcats.
Still, there are indications that Forrest will take a visit to Central Florida this weekend.
Tilghman coach Randy Wyatt told Rivals.com that Central Florida isn't a threat to Forrest's commitment to Kentucky. "My understanding is it's more like a vacation for him," Wyatt was quoted as saying. "He wants to go to Disney World. That's all I'm going to say about it. He's Kentucky-bound."
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Murray-Calloway ... round one
Murray and Calloway County, as schools, are separated by a little over a mile.
In the various state girls' basketball rankings, they're even closer.
Murray is the defending First Region champion. Calloway, which fell to Murray in overtime in last year's regional final, has a Division I signee, returns a bit more on paper and is, at least in some quarters, the regional favorite.
So ... who wins tonight's game at Murray's Tiger Gym, the first of two regular-season showdowns between the two teams?
Does it really matter, given that conventional wisdom has them meeting four times this year, including the district and regional finals?
You bet it does.
"This year, it's even more important to get the number one seed (for the district tournament)," Calloway coach Scott Sivills said. "You don't want to be the two-seed and have to play Marshall County on their court in the first round of the district."
Sivills also makes another point that it is arguably the First Region's biggest regular-season game in years, perhaps even close to two decades. For the first time in recent memory, the region has two teams ranked in the state's top 20 in the Cantrall and Litkenhous ratings.
So ... how big is it?
"It's a big game, but it's not the end of the season," Sivills said. "I think sometimes you can make this out to be too big and your players play tight.
"Our players are excited about it, because it's Murray and because it's the first time we've played them since the regional finals. But they're not as jacked up as the media and the parents and the fans."
Murray coach Rechelle Turner's answer to the question was laced with a little humor.
"Everybody gets real excited about it, and I'm not sure why," Turner said with a smile."These two teams gave everybody four classic match-ups last year, and this is the first time we've seen them this year."
Could we see another foursome this season?
"If that means we're both in the regional finals, I'll take it," Turner said. "I'm not sure I would necessarily pick them as the team I would want to play four times."
On paper, it's a tough game to call. After battling through some sickness and injuries early in the season, Murray hit its stride just before Christmas, going 3-1 in Lexington Catholic's Republic Bank Holiday Classic and later winning its own Lady Tiger Classic, beating a strong Grayson County team in the championship game.
Two of the Lady Tigers' three losses are to defending state champions. Guard Haley Armstrong and point guard Janssen Starks lead the way, and 6-foot-3 Sian House is a strong defensive presence in the paint. In recent weeks, Murray has gotten more offensive production from forward Shelby Crouch and defensive whiz Amanda Winchester lately.
Calloway's Averee Fields, a West Virginia signee and the returning Paducah Sun All-Purchase Player of the Year, is her usual self, averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game. Point guard Taylor Futrell is averaging 11 points per game, and guards Abby Futrell and Karlee Wilson have made significant strides. Forward Alyssa Cunningham, sidelined by mononucleosis in the postseason, provides solid work in the post..
"My uncle, who has coached for 40 years, told me after the regional final last year that we would be much when our sophomores became juniors," Sivills said. "And he was right. We're seeing that on the floor."
The Lady Lakers' only loss was to a team from Connecticut in a post-Christmas tournament in Orlando, Fla., and Calloway owns two wins over a Martin Westview squad that's been in the Tennessee Class 2A final four the last two years.
In the various state girls' basketball rankings, they're even closer.
Murray is the defending First Region champion. Calloway, which fell to Murray in overtime in last year's regional final, has a Division I signee, returns a bit more on paper and is, at least in some quarters, the regional favorite.
So ... who wins tonight's game at Murray's Tiger Gym, the first of two regular-season showdowns between the two teams?
Does it really matter, given that conventional wisdom has them meeting four times this year, including the district and regional finals?
You bet it does.
"This year, it's even more important to get the number one seed (for the district tournament)," Calloway coach Scott Sivills said. "You don't want to be the two-seed and have to play Marshall County on their court in the first round of the district."
Sivills also makes another point that it is arguably the First Region's biggest regular-season game in years, perhaps even close to two decades. For the first time in recent memory, the region has two teams ranked in the state's top 20 in the Cantrall and Litkenhous ratings.
So ... how big is it?
"It's a big game, but it's not the end of the season," Sivills said. "I think sometimes you can make this out to be too big and your players play tight.
"Our players are excited about it, because it's Murray and because it's the first time we've played them since the regional finals. But they're not as jacked up as the media and the parents and the fans."
Murray coach Rechelle Turner's answer to the question was laced with a little humor.
"Everybody gets real excited about it, and I'm not sure why," Turner said with a smile."These two teams gave everybody four classic match-ups last year, and this is the first time we've seen them this year."
Could we see another foursome this season?
"If that means we're both in the regional finals, I'll take it," Turner said. "I'm not sure I would necessarily pick them as the team I would want to play four times."
On paper, it's a tough game to call. After battling through some sickness and injuries early in the season, Murray hit its stride just before Christmas, going 3-1 in Lexington Catholic's Republic Bank Holiday Classic and later winning its own Lady Tiger Classic, beating a strong Grayson County team in the championship game.
Two of the Lady Tigers' three losses are to defending state champions. Guard Haley Armstrong and point guard Janssen Starks lead the way, and 6-foot-3 Sian House is a strong defensive presence in the paint. In recent weeks, Murray has gotten more offensive production from forward Shelby Crouch and defensive whiz Amanda Winchester lately.
Calloway's Averee Fields, a West Virginia signee and the returning Paducah Sun All-Purchase Player of the Year, is her usual self, averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game. Point guard Taylor Futrell is averaging 11 points per game, and guards Abby Futrell and Karlee Wilson have made significant strides. Forward Alyssa Cunningham, sidelined by mononucleosis in the postseason, provides solid work in the post..
"My uncle, who has coached for 40 years, told me after the regional final last year that we would be much when our sophomores became juniors," Sivills said. "And he was right. We're seeing that on the floor."
The Lady Lakers' only loss was to a team from Connecticut in a post-Christmas tournament in Orlando, Fla., and Calloway owns two wins over a Martin Westview squad that's been in the Tennessee Class 2A final four the last two years.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Big three, round two ...
It wasn't so shocking that Marshall County beat Paducah Tilghman, but how the Marshals did it.
Marshall didn't shoot the ball well from the perimeter, as it was thought it would need to — the Marshals hit just 2 of 14 tries from 3-point range in Tuesday night's 51-47 win. And they outrebounded a bigger, stronger Tilghman squad by a considerable margin.
They did it with defense, too, keeping Josh Forrest out of the lane for much of the night and not letting the Tornado shooters go wild from the perimeter, and their depth was clearly the equal of Tilghman's, with reserves Chase Clark, Peter Northcutt and Drew Williams providing quality minutes.
Stephen Atkinson had 24 points and 14 rebounds, is averaging a double-double and has put himself in the conversation for The Paducah Sun Purchase Player of the Year award. Guards Chase York and Cole Nelson were able to provide board support.
As for Tilghman — well, the Tornado missed a chance to possibly put the game away late in the first half, when Cody Schultz tried an alley-oop pass to Josh Forrest on the break with Tilghman up 29-18 and threatening to blow open the game. The move backfired, and the Marshals scored twice late in the half to cut the deficit to seven.
Was the Tornado a bit fatigued from a tough stretch of three games against solid opposition — district rival Heath, Graves County and Marshall — in a span of five days? Perhaps, especially since Tilghman was beaten back down the floor two or three times for Marshall baskets in transition in the fourth quarter.
And, of course, there is Tilghman's Achilles' Heel — the free throw line. The Tornado was 8-for-18 from the line, with Forrest going 3-for-12. In a close game, foul shooting is always going to give the Tornado's opponent a chance to sneak off with a win.
Marshall didn't shoot the ball well from the perimeter, as it was thought it would need to — the Marshals hit just 2 of 14 tries from 3-point range in Tuesday night's 51-47 win. And they outrebounded a bigger, stronger Tilghman squad by a considerable margin.
They did it with defense, too, keeping Josh Forrest out of the lane for much of the night and not letting the Tornado shooters go wild from the perimeter, and their depth was clearly the equal of Tilghman's, with reserves Chase Clark, Peter Northcutt and Drew Williams providing quality minutes.
Stephen Atkinson had 24 points and 14 rebounds, is averaging a double-double and has put himself in the conversation for The Paducah Sun Purchase Player of the Year award. Guards Chase York and Cole Nelson were able to provide board support.
As for Tilghman — well, the Tornado missed a chance to possibly put the game away late in the first half, when Cody Schultz tried an alley-oop pass to Josh Forrest on the break with Tilghman up 29-18 and threatening to blow open the game. The move backfired, and the Marshals scored twice late in the half to cut the deficit to seven.
Was the Tornado a bit fatigued from a tough stretch of three games against solid opposition — district rival Heath, Graves County and Marshall — in a span of five days? Perhaps, especially since Tilghman was beaten back down the floor two or three times for Marshall baskets in transition in the fourth quarter.
And, of course, there is Tilghman's Achilles' Heel — the free throw line. The Tornado was 8-for-18 from the line, with Forrest going 3-for-12. In a close game, foul shooting is always going to give the Tornado's opponent a chance to sneak off with a win.
BCS musings ...
Five consecutive "national champions" from four different schools.
Without question, the Southeastern Conference has again proven itself as college football's league without peer.
Auburn is certainly a deserving champion, having beaten three top-20 opponents within the SEC and containing an Oregon offense that was considered the nation's most explosive, holding it to well under half its typical point total.
And, given that Oregon took the Tigers to the wire, scoring the game-tying touchdown before falling on a last-second field goal, it's safe to declare the quacky Ducks as the nation's No. 2 team, right?
Well, maybe not.
The voters went with Texas Christian, the nation's only other undefeated squad, as the runner-up, but the vote here is for Oregon. I like the Horned Frogs, but remember that they barely escaped the Rose Bowl with a win over Wisconsin. And frankly, Oregon's close call with Auburn looks like the more impressive bowl performance.
• The play was officiated correctly, but Auburn freshman Michael Dyer's run after he was dragged down by a defender on the Tigers' game-winning final drive is an example of a rule that, while properly enforced, needs to be changed.
Why is it that a runner can be tackled and totally prone on top of a defender, but he isn't considered down because his knee isn't touching the ground? He's no longer in position to gain yardage, and he would be on the ground if not for the defender below him.
Oregon's defense certainly thought Dyer was down, and rightfully so. And while players are told to go until they hear the whistle, sometimes a player doesn't necessarily hear it. And in that case, it's understandable why one would be afraid to hit a running back who gets back to his feet and off a prone defender — if he makes considerable contact with such a running back, and the whistle had actually blown, he would surely be flagged for a personal foul, a 15-yard penalty.
• Who is the nation's second-best team? My vote goes to Alabama — yes, the same Crimson Tide that lost three games during the regular season.
Alabama fell at South Carolina a week after pummeling Florida while the Gamecocks had an off-week, then lost a close game at LSU and a one-point decision to Auburn, the eventual national champion.
If the Tide played Auburn right now, on a neutral field, I would take Alabama. And if we had a real national championship tournament, Alabama would be just as much a threat to win the title as anyone — Auburn, Oregon, TCU included.
Without question, the Southeastern Conference has again proven itself as college football's league without peer.
Auburn is certainly a deserving champion, having beaten three top-20 opponents within the SEC and containing an Oregon offense that was considered the nation's most explosive, holding it to well under half its typical point total.
And, given that Oregon took the Tigers to the wire, scoring the game-tying touchdown before falling on a last-second field goal, it's safe to declare the quacky Ducks as the nation's No. 2 team, right?
Well, maybe not.
The voters went with Texas Christian, the nation's only other undefeated squad, as the runner-up, but the vote here is for Oregon. I like the Horned Frogs, but remember that they barely escaped the Rose Bowl with a win over Wisconsin. And frankly, Oregon's close call with Auburn looks like the more impressive bowl performance.
• The play was officiated correctly, but Auburn freshman Michael Dyer's run after he was dragged down by a defender on the Tigers' game-winning final drive is an example of a rule that, while properly enforced, needs to be changed.
Why is it that a runner can be tackled and totally prone on top of a defender, but he isn't considered down because his knee isn't touching the ground? He's no longer in position to gain yardage, and he would be on the ground if not for the defender below him.
Oregon's defense certainly thought Dyer was down, and rightfully so. And while players are told to go until they hear the whistle, sometimes a player doesn't necessarily hear it. And in that case, it's understandable why one would be afraid to hit a running back who gets back to his feet and off a prone defender — if he makes considerable contact with such a running back, and the whistle had actually blown, he would surely be flagged for a personal foul, a 15-yard penalty.
• Who is the nation's second-best team? My vote goes to Alabama — yes, the same Crimson Tide that lost three games during the regular season.
Alabama fell at South Carolina a week after pummeling Florida while the Gamecocks had an off-week, then lost a close game at LSU and a one-point decision to Auburn, the eventual national champion.
If the Tide played Auburn right now, on a neutral field, I would take Alabama. And if we had a real national championship tournament, Alabama would be just as much a threat to win the title as anyone — Auburn, Oregon, TCU included.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Big three, round one ...
In a stretch of seven days, the First Region's top three teams are squaring off in what amounts to a midseason round-robin — Paducah Tilghman came from behind to beat Graves County 90-81 on Saturday night and visits Marshall County on Tuesday night. The Eagles, who have already lost to Marshall once this season, host the rematch on Friday night.
Some observations after round one:
Tilghman coach Brad Stieg seems to have settled on a starting lineup that includes three guards, with Cody Schultz and Trevonte Cole (who combined to go 10-for-20 from 3-point range) flanking point guard Josh Forrest and versatile forward Darrius Brown in a sixth-man role. Earlier in the season, Brown was in the first five, with Schultz coming off the bench.
"In the First Region, teams are going to pack it on us with that lineup," Stieg said. "This gives us two shooters to spread the defense, and I like all the things that Darrius does for us coming off the bench."
DeShawn Jackson has turned in some solid work as the top guard reserve, and Tilghman can still call on DeCarida Key as a swingman and two bigs off the bench in 6-4 Chavion Harper and 6-7 Devin Wilson.
Tilghman's ferocious fourth-quarter run shows that the Tornado's "A" game is the region's best, but there are still some defensive issues to address.
As for Graves, it's been a pair of really frustrating losses in the region, the first one to Marshall in the championship game of Graves' TimePiece Holiday Classic in mid-December. In both games, the Eagles held double-digit leads in the first half on their home court, fueled for the most part by dead-eye perimeter shooting.
Graves was 9-for-16 from beyond the arc in regulation against Marshall, then went 0-for-7 from long range in the overtime, falling 63-57 after being outscored 8-2 in the extra four minutes.
The Eagles held a 15-point lead on Marshall early in the second quarter and had Tilghman down 38-24 with less than three minutes left in the first half — at the time, Graves had hit seven of its 12 3-point attempts.
Is there a moral to the story? Perhaps, in that as long as the Eagles' four-guard lineup is shooting the ball well from the perimeter, Graves is a dangerous team, not to mention that athletic center Aaron Cooper is having a splendid season — he had 23 points and 17 rebounds against Tilghman's big front line.
And the depth issue is something with which the Eagles will have to contend. Guard Mason Beale and forward Travis Beck are the best bets off the bench, but they may not be ready to handle major minutes just yet against the likes of Tilghman.
Stieg has taken to calling his team "a work in progress" and, in a sense, the Eagles' bench brigade is, too.
Some observations after round one:
Tilghman coach Brad Stieg seems to have settled on a starting lineup that includes three guards, with Cody Schultz and Trevonte Cole (who combined to go 10-for-20 from 3-point range) flanking point guard Josh Forrest and versatile forward Darrius Brown in a sixth-man role. Earlier in the season, Brown was in the first five, with Schultz coming off the bench.
"In the First Region, teams are going to pack it on us with that lineup," Stieg said. "This gives us two shooters to spread the defense, and I like all the things that Darrius does for us coming off the bench."
DeShawn Jackson has turned in some solid work as the top guard reserve, and Tilghman can still call on DeCarida Key as a swingman and two bigs off the bench in 6-4 Chavion Harper and 6-7 Devin Wilson.
Tilghman's ferocious fourth-quarter run shows that the Tornado's "A" game is the region's best, but there are still some defensive issues to address.
As for Graves, it's been a pair of really frustrating losses in the region, the first one to Marshall in the championship game of Graves' TimePiece Holiday Classic in mid-December. In both games, the Eagles held double-digit leads in the first half on their home court, fueled for the most part by dead-eye perimeter shooting.
Graves was 9-for-16 from beyond the arc in regulation against Marshall, then went 0-for-7 from long range in the overtime, falling 63-57 after being outscored 8-2 in the extra four minutes.
The Eagles held a 15-point lead on Marshall early in the second quarter and had Tilghman down 38-24 with less than three minutes left in the first half — at the time, Graves had hit seven of its 12 3-point attempts.
Is there a moral to the story? Perhaps, in that as long as the Eagles' four-guard lineup is shooting the ball well from the perimeter, Graves is a dangerous team, not to mention that athletic center Aaron Cooper is having a splendid season — he had 23 points and 17 rebounds against Tilghman's big front line.
And the depth issue is something with which the Eagles will have to contend. Guard Mason Beale and forward Travis Beck are the best bets off the bench, but they may not be ready to handle major minutes just yet against the likes of Tilghman.
Stieg has taken to calling his team "a work in progress" and, in a sense, the Eagles' bench brigade is, too.
Cardinals reaching a bit ...
Check out the St. Louis Cardinals' projected everyday lineup, and there is a discernible pattern.
Ryan Theriot at shortstop?
Skip Schumaker at second base?
Lance Berkman at an outfield corner?
If I'm on the pitching staff, I'm filing a grievance with the players' union.
Defense appears to be optional next season for the Cardinals, who have apparently decided that fortifying the offense was the most important mission of the offseason. Whether that has been accomplished is still in doubt.
First, let's look at the infield. The trade for Theriot wasn't necessarily a bad thing — Blake Hawksworth is your run-of-the-mill middle reliever and spot starter — but the decision to play him at shortstop and trade defensive whiz Brendan Ryan reeks of spite and desperation.
Theriot is the kind of hustler Cardinals fans love, but his actual performance isn't one that you should fall in love with. Theriot came up to the Cubs as a second baseman that had shown the ability to get on base, and while he had a couple of decent years after being moved to shortstop, his defense is better suited for the right side of the bag.
Now 31, he has precious little time left as a regular, and the Cardinals are gambling that Theriot will rediscover the batting eye he showed in 2008 and 2009.
If Theriot was playing second, the move would make more sense. He could provide a solid glove and would certainly be a defensive upgrade on Schumaker, the converted outfielder who plays second like ... well, a converted outfielder. Like Theriot, Schumaker took a nosedive offensively last season, and his downturn was as big a reason as any for St. Louis' disappointing season.
Theriot at second and Ryan at shortstop was a middle infield the Cardinals could live with, but Tony LaRussa seemed bent on getting rid of Ryan, whose bat died a predictable death in 2010. Ryan hit over his head in 2009, but he's better than he showed in 2010 — his true level of ability is somewhere in the middle, and his glove is among the best in the game.
So why the trade to Seattle? It seems more about personality than performance. Ryan had some run-ins with teammates, star pitcher Chris Carpenter in particular, but I'm betting that Carpenter wishes he had Ryan's glove behind him by May.
Bottom line — Ryan and Theriot up the middle make much more sense than Theriot and Schumaker. Throw in the uncertainty at third base, where David Freese was one red-hot weekend away from being thoroughly mediocre, and the Cardinals still don't have enough bats to back up Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Colby Rasmus and give a fine pitching staff the run support it needs.
That is why the Cardinals added Berkman, whose bat looked noticeable slower last year. That could have been because of his age (Berkman turns 35 next month) and it could have been due to some early-season knee problems. Berkman claims his knee is better and says he's lost some weight, which could save the knee some wear and tear.
But Berkman is a first baseman, which means in St. Louis he has to move to the outfield. Berkman hasn't played in the outfield since 2007, and he needs to be platooned at this point. He's always been a much better hitter against right-handed pitching, but his work against lefties has deteriorated to the point that he needs a partner, a role that Allen Craig might fill.
Again, these moves are an indictment of the Cardinals' farm system, which has deteriorated to the point that they couldn't provide a prospect of enough quality to get Jake Westbrook from Cleveland at the trade deadline last season — instead, they had to pony up Ryan Ludwick to the Padres.
There are no position players on the horizon that appear ready to contribute in the next 2-3 years, and the Cardinals have had to resort to taking chances on aging veterans like Theriot and Berkman.
Part of coaching and building a successful team in any sport is putting players in positions best suited for their skills, giving them the best chance to make a solid contribution. It's hard to see that the Cardinals have done that as spring training approaches.
Ryan Theriot at shortstop?
Skip Schumaker at second base?
Lance Berkman at an outfield corner?
If I'm on the pitching staff, I'm filing a grievance with the players' union.
Defense appears to be optional next season for the Cardinals, who have apparently decided that fortifying the offense was the most important mission of the offseason. Whether that has been accomplished is still in doubt.
First, let's look at the infield. The trade for Theriot wasn't necessarily a bad thing — Blake Hawksworth is your run-of-the-mill middle reliever and spot starter — but the decision to play him at shortstop and trade defensive whiz Brendan Ryan reeks of spite and desperation.
Theriot is the kind of hustler Cardinals fans love, but his actual performance isn't one that you should fall in love with. Theriot came up to the Cubs as a second baseman that had shown the ability to get on base, and while he had a couple of decent years after being moved to shortstop, his defense is better suited for the right side of the bag.
Now 31, he has precious little time left as a regular, and the Cardinals are gambling that Theriot will rediscover the batting eye he showed in 2008 and 2009.
If Theriot was playing second, the move would make more sense. He could provide a solid glove and would certainly be a defensive upgrade on Schumaker, the converted outfielder who plays second like ... well, a converted outfielder. Like Theriot, Schumaker took a nosedive offensively last season, and his downturn was as big a reason as any for St. Louis' disappointing season.
Theriot at second and Ryan at shortstop was a middle infield the Cardinals could live with, but Tony LaRussa seemed bent on getting rid of Ryan, whose bat died a predictable death in 2010. Ryan hit over his head in 2009, but he's better than he showed in 2010 — his true level of ability is somewhere in the middle, and his glove is among the best in the game.
So why the trade to Seattle? It seems more about personality than performance. Ryan had some run-ins with teammates, star pitcher Chris Carpenter in particular, but I'm betting that Carpenter wishes he had Ryan's glove behind him by May.
Bottom line — Ryan and Theriot up the middle make much more sense than Theriot and Schumaker. Throw in the uncertainty at third base, where David Freese was one red-hot weekend away from being thoroughly mediocre, and the Cardinals still don't have enough bats to back up Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Colby Rasmus and give a fine pitching staff the run support it needs.
That is why the Cardinals added Berkman, whose bat looked noticeable slower last year. That could have been because of his age (Berkman turns 35 next month) and it could have been due to some early-season knee problems. Berkman claims his knee is better and says he's lost some weight, which could save the knee some wear and tear.
But Berkman is a first baseman, which means in St. Louis he has to move to the outfield. Berkman hasn't played in the outfield since 2007, and he needs to be platooned at this point. He's always been a much better hitter against right-handed pitching, but his work against lefties has deteriorated to the point that he needs a partner, a role that Allen Craig might fill.
Again, these moves are an indictment of the Cardinals' farm system, which has deteriorated to the point that they couldn't provide a prospect of enough quality to get Jake Westbrook from Cleveland at the trade deadline last season — instead, they had to pony up Ryan Ludwick to the Padres.
There are no position players on the horizon that appear ready to contribute in the next 2-3 years, and the Cardinals have had to resort to taking chances on aging veterans like Theriot and Berkman.
Part of coaching and building a successful team in any sport is putting players in positions best suited for their skills, giving them the best chance to make a solid contribution. It's hard to see that the Cardinals have done that as spring training approaches.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Murray State-Austin Peay ... under further review?
It will be interesting to see if there are any repercussions from the controversial flagrant foul called on Murray State guard Isacc Miles in Saturday's ESPNU-televised Ohio Valley Conference rival Austin Peay, and the manner in which the officials arrived at the call.
This is the scenario which led up to the call: Murray had cut a 15-point Austin Peay lead to three and had possession of the ball with less than two minutes remaining. Miles caught pass from a teammate and, defended closely by Austin Peay's Josh Terry, held the ball over his head and turned into him in an effort to clear some space.
Terry fell back as if he had taken an elbow to the face, although television replays were inconclusive as to the extent of the contact. An official blew the whistle to stop play, but the play was later ruled an inadvertent whistle and a media timeout was called.
During the timeout, according to ESPNU announcer Mark Adams, a former college coach, he called an official to him to ask for an interpretation of the call — not an uncommon action among media types. I've done it myself on occasion.
According to Adams, the official then asked him if there was contact on the play, and Adams replied that there was and then asked the official "The call is reviewable, correct?"
Sometime, in the aftermath of the discussion, the officials decided to review the call. Miles was later assessed the foul, his fifth of the game, and Austin Peay was awarded two free throws and possession of the ball, standard procedure for an intentional or flagrant foul.
Did Adams' query intitate the review? Judging solely by his comments — Adams told the story three or four times during the ESPNU broadcast — it appears that may have been the case.
Adams isn't out of bounds for doing what he did — after all, he's simply doing his job. I wonder, however, if the OVC and perhaps the NCAA might review the situation and issue a clarification on the proper procedures for reviewing the call.
In these situations, my mantra is consistent — as long as the officials get the call right, nothing else matters. But I'm not sure that there was actual contact, and Miles' action seemed rather innocuous. Regardless of whether or not that is a point of emphasis for officials this season, as Adams maintained, Miles' actions certainly didn't appear to have any intent.
Murray coach Billy Kennedy was gracious in his postgame comments, refusing to blame the officials for the loss, and I'm not making that claim, either. But there is little doubt that the events changed the game on three levels — instead of Murray having possession of the ball and trailing by just three points, Austin Peay was shooting free throws and had possession.
Miles, who was 6-for-8 from the field and had 14 points and three assists, was done for the day, and the call also sapped any momentum the Racers may have garnered during its run.
Strange things often happen when the Governors and Racers get together, and this one just adds another chapter to the story.
This is the scenario which led up to the call: Murray had cut a 15-point Austin Peay lead to three and had possession of the ball with less than two minutes remaining. Miles caught pass from a teammate and, defended closely by Austin Peay's Josh Terry, held the ball over his head and turned into him in an effort to clear some space.
Terry fell back as if he had taken an elbow to the face, although television replays were inconclusive as to the extent of the contact. An official blew the whistle to stop play, but the play was later ruled an inadvertent whistle and a media timeout was called.
During the timeout, according to ESPNU announcer Mark Adams, a former college coach, he called an official to him to ask for an interpretation of the call — not an uncommon action among media types. I've done it myself on occasion.
According to Adams, the official then asked him if there was contact on the play, and Adams replied that there was and then asked the official "The call is reviewable, correct?"
Sometime, in the aftermath of the discussion, the officials decided to review the call. Miles was later assessed the foul, his fifth of the game, and Austin Peay was awarded two free throws and possession of the ball, standard procedure for an intentional or flagrant foul.
Did Adams' query intitate the review? Judging solely by his comments — Adams told the story three or four times during the ESPNU broadcast — it appears that may have been the case.
Adams isn't out of bounds for doing what he did — after all, he's simply doing his job. I wonder, however, if the OVC and perhaps the NCAA might review the situation and issue a clarification on the proper procedures for reviewing the call.
In these situations, my mantra is consistent — as long as the officials get the call right, nothing else matters. But I'm not sure that there was actual contact, and Miles' action seemed rather innocuous. Regardless of whether or not that is a point of emphasis for officials this season, as Adams maintained, Miles' actions certainly didn't appear to have any intent.
Murray coach Billy Kennedy was gracious in his postgame comments, refusing to blame the officials for the loss, and I'm not making that claim, either. But there is little doubt that the events changed the game on three levels — instead of Murray having possession of the ball and trailing by just three points, Austin Peay was shooting free throws and had possession.
Miles, who was 6-for-8 from the field and had 14 points and three assists, was done for the day, and the call also sapped any momentum the Racers may have garnered during its run.
Strange things often happen when the Governors and Racers get together, and this one just adds another chapter to the story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)