After watching the first round of the Sweet 16 I have two conclusions.
(1) This is the most balanced Sweet 16 in my memory.
(2) The officials are not going to let you play defense this year. It seems most every team's strategy is simply to penetrate to the lane. The first brush with a defender results in a 2-shot shooting foul. In past years, once you got to the Sweet 16 the officials would let you play a little.
What defense? It is non existant to a lot of teams in how they play today.
Your exactly right about the defense and the calls, the kid #22 from Cav Cath last night was a master of drawing the foul, if he got close to anyone he leaned into them and got the calll, which is an excellent strategy when the refs are holding the reigns as tightly as they are in this tourney.
How can you play Defense when this is the way the games are being called?
I think we got the memo and left our defense at home this time.
Slide your feet show the ref you hands by keeping them active and spread and stay striaght up on the shot. Any ref will tell you that's how to not commit fouls
The last three fouls called against Smith from CC were exactly that. he had position,hands were up and offensive player initiated the contact. Smith fouling out was the difference in the CC Cov Cath game. But the game has turned more and more in favor of the offense
If you play defense in Kentucky you will be setting on the pine fouled out watching the game !!!!!!
The refs from the 10-11 region seem to allow more contact. Which in turn creates a better flow to the game and allows kids to actually play a little D
Something ain't right about all of the fouls....I'm just wondering if ref's are being graded the more fouls you call the more state tournament you get to call :yikes: sure hope not
That's the way it was called in the 13th this year. Julian Tackett apparently demanded that this year after seeing last year's state tournament. That's what the assigning secretary in the 13th told me. I agree though the 11th Region guys didn't call it that way in the regional.
I think the game changed a lot in the late 80s though with all the hand checking and slapping out front. This may be more like it was played before that. It's hard to remember.
All I know is it is frustrating to watch.
There was 197 fouls called in 4 games yesterday at Rupp.
Have you not watched Trinity?
Do you know how the referees are chosen? Mr Tackett dies t even go out to watch any unless it's a visit to All A. Boucher went to every region but Julian doesn't if you are a football baseball assignor and ref basketball he'll take you. Use to be if you wet in top 3 in shape you had a chance. Not in the last 4 years he had ruined it .