[An Observer]

Good first game for Lady Panthers!

[sprucepinetiger]

Good first game for Lady Panthers!

I knew it was bad, but I didn't know how bad. A glance at Pike Central's roster on khsaa.org shows six 6th graders and six or seven 7th graders. All but two of them are from Mullins. Did Mullins win the 6th and 7th grade Pike Co. tournaments this year? What is going on at Pike Central and Mullins? One 8th grader by the way.

[Bizzle]

It is a sad thing that younger kids are on the team but the 6th graders will never see time in ANY Varsity games so don't let the roster fool you. As for there only being 1 eighth grader, there were only 2 or 3 that showed up to try outs. IMO, the 6th and 7th grade talent is much better than the 8th grade talent from JC or Mullins and Kimper for that matter. We have too many people around here that expect positions to be given to players based on their age/grade, rather than them earning a spot through work and outplaying the younger kids in practice and in the games. From the first scrimmage game to the last game vs. Piarist I have noticed some improvement, but not significantly enough to make any regional progression. By no means am I saying that Piarist is a good team but I did see some good things with a ton of things that can be corrected. There were only two 7th graders that got in during the game against P-ville and when they did you can tell a huge change in the game speed. The 7th graders actually picked it up and made the opposing team play faster and under pressure more than the HS girls.

[sprucepinetiger]

It is a sad thing that younger kids are on the team but the 6th graders will never see time in ANY Varsity games so don't let the roster fool you. As for there only being 1 eighth grader, there were only 2 or 3 that showed up to try outs. IMO, the 6th and 7th grade talent is much better than the 8th grade talent from JC or Mullins and Kimper for that matter. We have too many people around here that expect positions to be given to players based on their age/grade, rather than them earning a spot through work and outplaying the younger kids in practice and in the games. From the first scrimmage game to the last game vs. Piarist I have noticed some improvement, but not significantly enough to make any regional progression. By no means am I saying that Piarist is a good team but I did see some good things with a ton of things that can be corrected. There were only two 7th graders that got in during the game against P-ville and when they did you can tell a huge change in the game speed. The 7th graders actually picked it up and made the opposing team play faster and under pressure more than the HS girls.

After making the comment before concerning the roster, I did a little research. I had pointed out something that has apparently been going on for years. I should have checked it out before making the comment like I did. It's been done that way for years and will continue to be done that way. Although that could explain why the program is in the shape it's in, but then again who really knows for sure. I wish Pike Central the best of luck and will not comment any more concerning this matter.

[Creek Freak]

I know the little point guard brings lots of energy when she enters the game and would actually expect her to get playing time. I was shocked to learn the amount of jr high girls making the team. I know the number of girls coming out for basketball seems down and would add to these numbers, plus some of the other girls quit, making this a very tough situation.

[Salimander]

I knew it was bad, but I didn't know how bad. A glance at Pike Central's roster on khsaa.org shows six 6th graders and six or seven 7th graders. All but two of them are from Mullins. Did Mullins win the 6th and 7th grade Pike Co. tournaments this year? What is going on at Pike Central and Mullins? One 8th grader by the way.

Unbiased people with no ax to grind can watch the feeder programs over the last years and see that the problem is the degree of emphasis of basketball. Seeing how Mullins girls have destroyed Johns Creek and Kimper the last three years (and even Kimper has beaten Johns Creek) it seems that what's going on is a lot more emphasis on basketball at Mullins than at Johns Creek. Kimper even seems more focused on building basketball than JC. As far as whining about young players...we haven't seen and will not see any 6th graders play JV or Varsity at PC this year. Yet those 6th grade girls are on the roster so they can practice and watch most every day to get better even though they have no chance to play JV or Varsity this year. So does it really seem right to bad mouth those girls for giving up a lot of time to PRACTICE to improve? Maybe if the 8th grade girls at all three feeders worked that hard at their game you wouldn't be so bitter and your ax wouldn't be so sharp!

[sprucepinetiger]

Unbiased people with no ax to grind can watch the feeder programs over the last years and see that the problem is the degree of emphasis of basketball. Seeing how Mullins girls have destroyed Johns Creek and Kimper the last three years (and even Kimper has beaten Johns Creek) it seems that what's going on is a lot more emphasis on basketball at Mullins than at Johns Creek. Kimper even seems more focused on building basketball than JC. As far as whining about young players...we haven't seen and will not see any 6th graders play JV or Varsity at PC this year. Yet those 6th grade girls are on the roster so they can practice and watch most every day to get better even though they have no chance to play JV or Varsity this year. So does it really seem right to bad mouth those girls for giving up a lot of time to PRACTICE to improve? Maybe if the 8th grade girls at all three feeders worked that hard at their game you wouldn't be so bitter and your ax wouldn't be so sharp!

Well Salimander, Do you have an ax to grind? As I had put in my previous post I will no longer talk about this situation. And for the record, I don't whine, I state facts and people hate it when you do that!! Good Luck to your girls at Pike Central, and have a Merry Christmas!!

[Mr. Pike Central]

Don't look now but our girls have won 2 straight games!

[sprucepinetiger]

Don't look now but our girls have won 2 straight games!

You're right Mr. Pike Central, two in a row. Nice job, maybe they can build on this for down the road.