Class A Tournament: Thursday Four Preview
The four teams comprising the “Thursday Four” of the A Bracket followed very different paths to the State Tournament. An asterisk * indicates the previous opponent is still alive in the tournament.
Monterey (Already doubled win total from 2016-2017 of 15 wins)
- PATH
- W,Gordonsville
- W, Jackson County
- W, Pickett County
- W, Whitwell
- W, Hardy Memorial
- W, Clay County*
- W, LEAD Academy
- PEAK– Late February. The 30-win Wildcats lambasted a tricky Pickett County team February 20th to secure a 6A Championship.
- PLOP– February 10th a disturbingly bad Page squad ruined Monterey’s Valentine’s Day planning sessions.
- PROUDEST MOMENT–March 5th. By defeating LEAD Academy, Monterey and MHS Head Coach Adam West vaulted the Wildcats into state for the first time since 1978.
- PREDICTION– Monterey contends early but the M.A.S.E. front line runs away, 62-73. Neither Monterey nor M.A.S.E. brings state veterans to The Murphy Center. These are two upstart programs ready to crash the party. Sadly one will not make it past Thursday morning.
M.A.S.E. (Won 14 total games from 2013 thru 2016)
- PATH
- W, KIPP-Memphis
- W, Manassas
- L, Douglass*
- W, Power Center
- W, MAHS
- L, Douglass*
- W, Middleton
- PEAK–February 27th. The Mets easily crumbled MAHS , a team they narrowly lost to November 28th, in the Region 8A Semifinal. That win secured placement in sub-state and M.A.S.E. needed little help against Middleton.
- PLOP–December 8th. It is patently unfair to label any particular point of this special M.A.S.E. season a disappointment, but to fulfill this exercise there was a single two-game losing streak at Douglass followed by at Manassas. Neither team had a bad season and Douglass is deservedly the Class A favorite to win it all.
- PROUDEST MOMENT–Now. This the Mets first appearance in the state tournament and with the upcoming graduation of Arecko Gipson Jr., Kobe Brassell, Martez Cathey, Reginald Lee, Karl Johnson, etc. it could be the last for a few years. Their taste of that sweet cake needs to be quick and filling.
- PREDICTION– M.A.S.E. allows a blowout to get close in the third quarter before burying the 30-win Wildcats, 73-62.
Columbia Academy (Located less than 50 miles from Loretto High)
- PATH
- W, Culleoka
- W, Mt. Pleasant
- W, Richland
- W, Jo Byrns
- W, Mt. Pleasant
- W, McEwen
- W, Summertown
- PEAK–Now. Columbia Academy captured 11 wins in their last 11 contests. The Bulldogs are streaking at the right time.
- PLOP–November 20th. Franklin Road Academy had a nice team, but Columbia Academy players surely regret that 16-point loss.
- PROUDEST MOMENT–December 8th. Columbia Academy dropped their state opponent Loretto 64-61 in the daunting Barn. At the very least it gave
- PREDICTION–Columbia Academy zones Loretto out of their rhythm and wins, 59-53.
Loretto (Back for third time in four seasons)
- PATH
- W, Collinwood
- W, Summertown
- W, Clarksburg
- W, Wayne County
- W, Summertown
- W, McEwen
- PEAK– March 1st. Collinwood and Summertown both won 19+ games and Loretto dispatched of each in the playoffs. In fact, the Mustangs finished 7-1 against those capable District 12 foes in 2017-2018.
- PLOP–None. Not a single bad loss scars the Loretto portrait of excellence.
- PROUDEST MOMENT–Advancing to state is not a novelty for Loretto, but the run up included another nice win over Wayne County in the R6A Semifinals.
- PREDICTION–Loretto loses to Columbia Academy in a low-scoring game, 53-59. The last month showcased a Mustang team defeating opponents by 26.3 points per game.
|
|
|||||||
|