Looked back at one of the first comments of the season. Jets will not get to 10 wins this year (8 currently) but are playing their best ball of the year the last 5 games. Cedarville is a rematch from earlier, was close then, think it should be closer this time.
Cross County Conference 2019-2020
- Thread starter BucksFan937
- Start date
BucksFan937
Well-known member
I saw Cedarville won 49-38. Still a nice run to finish the season for FM. Cedarville is a very good team with 3-4 very nice players. Nothing to be ashamed of.
BucksFan937
Well-known member
Best of luck to National Trail, as they are the final conference team left. They play their District Championship game on Saturday against Anna. National Trail is going to need their best game of the year to possibly take down Anna.
Anna will be the toughest team they have had to play. In comparison I would say that Versailles is the toughest team that Trail played this year, and they lost to Versailles in OT. Anna handled Versailles easily and beat them 51-37. Trail also played Miami twice this year beating them by 10 points one time, and the 13 points the other. Anna beat Miami East by 28 points at Miami East. I know that doesn't mean everything, and it's why we still play the game. I just wanted to see some common opponents and to see how they did.
Anna will be the toughest team they have had to play. In comparison I would say that Versailles is the toughest team that Trail played this year, and they lost to Versailles in OT. Anna handled Versailles easily and beat them 51-37. Trail also played Miami twice this year beating them by 10 points one time, and the 13 points the other. Anna beat Miami East by 28 points at Miami East. I know that doesn't mean everything, and it's why we still play the game. I just wanted to see some common opponents and to see how they did.
Anna 65- Trail 50.
Trail is like many teams that have well above average offense, they seem to fail to develope the defense required to stop another well equipped offensive power like Anna. Anna has quickness all over the floor unlike Trail has seen this year. Pulling for Trail but unlike Versailles, where you primarily only have to stop the point guard, Anna has athletes at most every position.
Trail is like many teams that have well above average offense, they seem to fail to develope the defense required to stop another well equipped offensive power like Anna. Anna has quickness all over the floor unlike Trail has seen this year. Pulling for Trail but unlike Versailles, where you primarily only have to stop the point guard, Anna has athletes at most every position.
BucksFan937
Well-known member
Sadly, I agree. I will be rooting for Trail, but I think Anna is going to be too much. I know Trail has been well ahead of everyone else in the CCC this year, but I still don't feel they are as good as they were last year because of their depth. I feel like outside of Woodall/Harrison the rest of their team is very average and that could be a problem for them against Anna.
yakyak
Well-known member
I saw Covington play against TC and that is a program trending up. The lost some pieces for next year, but really like what I saw from there coach against TC. Both TC and Convington were fairly evenly matched, and when the game finishes that closely you know both coaches did a good job.
Let me get my annoying TC plug in there===
TC was excellent against a "better" JC team. This may have been Coach Z best year coaching. He played a freshman a lot, a soph a lot. Had major injuries to key, key seniors. That team had a state team if everyone stayed healthy.
They lost a ton of seniors. But they have a JV team that has won a lot of games last two years, and maybe the best 8th grade class in the D3-D4 area. (They beat all d1 schools this year, only losing to Dunbar by 4.) Next year will be rough with so few varsity minutes returning, but the year after and beyond looks amazing.
Bring that up here with the huge upside to the Tri Village team and Mami East, Milton etc etc, some great coaches at Cov, MV and others, February is going to be super exciting (I thought this year was great) for years to come.
Let me get my annoying TC plug in there===
TC was excellent against a "better" JC team. This may have been Coach Z best year coaching. He played a freshman a lot, a soph a lot. Had major injuries to key, key seniors. That team had a state team if everyone stayed healthy.
They lost a ton of seniors. But they have a JV team that has won a lot of games last two years, and maybe the best 8th grade class in the D3-D4 area. (They beat all d1 schools this year, only losing to Dunbar by 4.) Next year will be rough with so few varsity minutes returning, but the year after and beyond looks amazing.
Bring that up here with the huge upside to the Tri Village team and Mami East, Milton etc etc, some great coaches at Cov, MV and others, February is going to be super exciting (I thought this year was great) for years to come.
From what I saw of JV basketball this year, TC has one intangible you can't coach to a great degree- being able to shoot the ball accurately. Those kids mature a bit over the year and add a capable playmaker to the group and who knows, next year may work out fine. Much better shooters on their JV team than varsity with the exception of the Gray kid.
yakyak
Well-known member
I hope your right. I alway worry when there are just not a lot of minutes returning. It takes a while to get to the varsity game speed. The only luck is the conference is so awfull, they have time. That is a double edged sword though when you face some of the CCC teams TC has to adjust on the fly as their conference is so poor most of the time. (Always a few exceptions, DC, EC, XC sometimes )
BucksFan937
Well-known member
National Trail faces #1 seeded Anna tomorrow at Vandalia Butler. What are the thoughts on the game? I know Trail is going to need to play their best game of the year to keep this one close.
My thoughts. Trail has had a very good year and has a CCC title to hold onto as well as district runner up.
Anna is just in a different gear late in the season and short of shooting 75% for the game Trail can not keep up with their team speed. Guessing at a score is just that, a guess. I see both teams as offensively strong, but will Trail try to slow it down , limit possessions and hope to sneak past Anna? That is what we dont know.
I will say the same 65-50 Anna that I said earlier. But, instead of low scoring first half, then increased offense second half, I think the first half will yield more points in this one with Trail staying close. Slow the game down in the second half until around the fourth quarter when they are down by 10 and then have to speed the game up at which point game over.
Two offensive minded teams are the hardest games to predict. Way too many things can ebb and flow in such a game, and I may look pretty silly by the time all is said and done.
Anna is just in a different gear late in the season and short of shooting 75% for the game Trail can not keep up with their team speed. Guessing at a score is just that, a guess. I see both teams as offensively strong, but will Trail try to slow it down , limit possessions and hope to sneak past Anna? That is what we dont know.
I will say the same 65-50 Anna that I said earlier. But, instead of low scoring first half, then increased offense second half, I think the first half will yield more points in this one with Trail staying close. Slow the game down in the second half until around the fourth quarter when they are down by 10 and then have to speed the game up at which point game over.
Two offensive minded teams are the hardest games to predict. Way too many things can ebb and flow in such a game, and I may look pretty silly by the time all is said and done.
BucksFan937
Well-known member
I agree with what you are saying. Trail is going to need Harrison/Woodall to combine for 50 points and get the rest of the guys to play well to have a chance. I don't know much about Anna, I just know they are really good. I would guess that if they scouted at all, they will be focusing on stopping Harrison. That could be an interesting thing to watch. I plan on being at the game tomorrow, so I'm looking for it. If I was to guess a score, I'd say Anna wins this one by 15-20.
BucksFan937
Well-known member
Halftime
Anna 32
Trail 29
Trail played a good half. But they are just hanging on in my opinion. They need a big 2nd half.
Anna 32
Trail 29
Trail played a good half. But they are just hanging on in my opinion. They need a big 2nd half.
BucksFan937
Well-known member
Anna 69
Trail 54
Final. Trail put up a good fight. Anna was just too much in the end. It was a close game until the end and Anna extended the lead when Trail was playing desperate.
Trail 54
Final. Trail put up a good fight. Anna was just too much in the end. It was a close game until the end and Anna extended the lead when Trail was playing desperate.
Bless Em All
Well-known member
Deer Park is likely up next. Anna loses that one. DP is TALENTED.
Trail did score more first half than second, and margin was spot on at 15. Wish I could always get them that close. It helps when you have seen both teams play before. Emanuel vs Cincinnati was a shot in the dark for me as I had no idea Cincinnati was that good. Also, Emanuel showed exactly what I was concerned about as their coach does not make mid game adjustments well, and plays it out the way they drew it up, believing they made the best game plan originally and that's the one they went with.
Deer Park is talented, however, I give Anna a chance. Anna plays better defense than most high scoring teams like to see, and they are disciplined. So talent vs discipline. I will go Anna 73- 69.
BucksFan937
Well-known member
Anna actually plays Stivers first on Wednesday night. If they win they would face the winner of Deer Park/CHCA. I think Anna has a good shot to beat Stivers. I was impressed with Trail staying as close as they did with Anna, but I was at the game and I'm pretty sure that everyone there realized that Anna was the better team and Trail was doing all they could to keep it close. I thought Trail played a great game, and that's what it took to keep it close.
Anna was just too tough though. They started 5 Seniors, and they were strong, tough and athletic. They scored in a hurry and knocked down a bunch of shots. They didn't have a ton of size, but they played deep into their bench. It's always interesting to see how a team like Anna matches up with very athletic teams like Stivers and Deer Park. At this point, anybody can win but I do think I'm going with Anna over Stivers by 5-10 points in the Regional Semis.