SCORE THREAD: 1A BOYS FINAL(Friday 5:15) Emerson and Bay Round 2

[Thechosen1]

Thoughts?

[hawgfan15]

It is going to be a lot closer than it was last year. I have a feeling this game will be decided in the last few minutes.

[BlackMamba]

Gonna be a good one, both teams are playing quality basketball right now

[@CurryLegion]

I'm taking Bay by 20.

[Thechosen1]

I'm taking Bay by 20.

Agree. Better coaching wins this one. The finals was tonight

[PuddlePirate12]

Better coaching eh?

[BlackMamba]

I don't think that's a knock on Emerson's coach at all, coach Brannen is playing in his 4th state championship game. I think Emerson has a great coach and I'm looking forward to a great game this weekend

[smackdat014]

Better coaching?? Really?? I'm not saying Brannen isn't a good coach at all but Coach Nix does a great job with what he has... He is defiantly doing more with less

[Jonnyboy1215]

Emerson by 5.

[PuddlePirate12]

Coaching is equal. Yeah Brannen has won but past accomplishments will have no affect on the outcome. It's all about who can coach the players they have right now the best. And in that aspect the two have to be equal. Both great coaches but Brannen is not better at coaching than Nix. Nix will win championships in his career. Whether it's at Emerson or not idk but I like their chances this year. I'll take Emerson by 7

[Silky Johnson]

it comes down to what Bay has planned and if they can execute. Tonight wasn't a perfect performance by any standards. Bay missed many FT's down the stretch at first and were out of position defensively plenty of times. They kept fighting and hit big shots to match GP and keep scoring with them. Even when things seemed to go other way they trusted in their teamwork and stepped up to hit big shots. After Layne hit a couple deep 3's to give Bay the lead for good you could tell by the look on their faces that GP hadn't been in that situation. That can hurt a team that's undefeated and stomping people. Once they got down 6-8 pts and had to play from behind it was a foreign to them and they couldn't catch up because they started to get desperate and take shots Bay wanted them to take.

[PuddlePirate12]

Well atleast Emerson hasn't been blowing anyone out all season

[BannerChaser95]

Puddle, I'll be there in my maroon/ black and yellow. But I'm going to say bay by 5 and I'm only doing that because the defense Emerson plays is exactly like guy, I'm taking bay to pull t out on freethrows but this year will not be like last year Imo, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Emerson goes out and plays like they're capable and can shoot like they want to win, win they're on, they're ON. I just think bay is to fundamentally sound

[Piratepride#3]

 Emerosn by 6

[Chicky]

Better coaching?? Really?? I'm not saying Brannen isn't a good coach at all but Coach Nix does a great job with what he has... He is defiantly doing more with less

+100

[HorseFeathers]

I'm taking Bay by 20.

They find out that Watson has some elgibility left?

[yesteryearman]

I don't have a dog in the fight, I am from southern Arkansas and support basketball from around here, and all I want to see and hear is that Bay fans will recognize that Emerson does deserve to be there, whether Guy would have beaten Emerson or not.  Emerson played the schedule handed to them and won them all, and yes Bay played a tougher schedule.  Bay may win the game by one or by twenty, but I just don't want to get the impression that Emerson is looked down on because they don't have the tradition or recent titles or because they are not Guy or there is a perceived difference in coaching.   Bay definitely has a great team, and coach and if they are able to beat two undefeated teams then they deserve to be in the history books.  And I believe that most Bay fans have the proper respect for Emerson and Emerson surely has a deep respect for Bay.  As far as the game itself, I believe it will be closer than last year, but Bay will just be several points better.   It's a game between two schools who deserve to be there and one team has to win, and that will be because they are a little bit better and not because one of them doesn't deserve to be there.   So just give the matchup the respect it deserves and don't belittle either team by implying the championship game was on Saturday nite.

[Sportzman12]

If someone says Emerson doesn't have a championship tradition, somebody doesn't know too much about 1A. Emerson has almost always been a contender, even before Bay started winning ships

[John M.]

Bay by 11

[HorseFeathers]

If someone says Emerson doesn't have a championship tradition, somebody doesn't know too much about 1A. Emerson has almost always been a contender, even before Bay started winning ships

Track doesn't count

[NEA Razorback olfan]

Bay by 12

[Moonshiner]

Track doesn't count

Emerson has been a consistent class A basketball contender for many years. They do have better success in track, but they are kinda like Kirby.  Always in the mix.

[Thechosen1]

Not dogging Emerson or anything but I don't see how you pick against bay right now after that win. Imo guy beats Emerson by 15 or 20. But different matchups but guy and Emerson play a lot alike.

[Pirate1992]

Being too cocky , & showboating doesn't win championships .. & GP was all that. From what I saw GP had the best team in the playoffs but this game ment more to Bay it was pay back & to shut GP mouth from what happened earlier in the season.. I'm unhappy we have a rematch it won't be like last year I promise you.. Tyler's no Colton Watson .. I'll take Emerson by 2 in OT

[arstatechamp13]

It'll be a game down to the end.

[BoxNOne]

Bay by 10.

[Thechosen1]

Being too cocky , & showboating doesn't win championships .. & GP was all that. From what I saw GP had the best team in the playoffs but this game ment more to Bay it was pay back & to shut GP mouth from what happened earlier in the season.. I'm unhappy we have a rematch it won't be like last year I promise you.. Tyler's no Colton Watson .. I'll take Emerson by 2 in OT

He's not far behind, the way Crain Layne and Utley are playing is hard to handle them guys are playing their best basketball around the right time. Utley really had a good game last night he's a good player and an even better kid.

[Batman44]

I predict that this time next year Bay will be looking at a 3peat.

[@CurryLegion]

My prediction of Bay by 20 isn't because of coaching. I think both coaches do a great job. I got the opportunity to watch both semifinal games yesterday and I was impressed with all 4 teams that played. I am a 3A basketball guy, but since I live in North Central Arkansas I'm surrounded with 1A teams so I get the opportunity to watch a lot of teams from 1A. I say that, to say this, all 4 of these teams could compete in 3A and be successful. In fact I think Emerson has proven that, as has Bay, I'm not sure of Guy Perkins and County Line as to what they're schedule consisted of, but there is no doubt in my mind that they could hang with teams such as Charleston, Osceola, maybe even Cedar Ridge. I just wanted to say that I was very impressed with the 1A basketball I saw yesterday, and I think that each team should be proud of themselves and proud of the seasons they had. Now for why I predict Bay by 20. I just think Bay is wayyyy too talented to lose this game. I mean, they have 5 guys on the floor that can go get a bucket of you need one. They can hit the three ball, and they have a very talented big man in Crain. They also play very hard. Now with that being said I'm not knocking Emerson or saying that they don't do or have any of those, because they do. I just think Bay has more talent, and I think it is going to overtake Emerson in this one. I did think that #20 , Revels (I think) was a very solid player and started to take over the game yesterday. He had 17 at half. Jefferson got in foul trouble early and had to sit, but came back with a strong 2nd half. #40 could be deadly from 3 and I know he isn't afraid to pull it. If those three can all have big games then this game could be very close, in fact Emerson could win it, but I just think that Bay will be too much for them. Bay is well coached, and will have a great game plan, and so will Emerson. I'm excited to see the results of this one, and regardless of the outcome these kids should be proud they made it here. 👍🏼 to 1A Boys Basketball

[Silky Johnson]

Bay played a Forrest City team without Pritchett and barely lost, that team beat Hot Springs and is in the 5A title game. They beat EPC 2x with neither game at home and that EPC team is in the 2A title game. I just think Bay will be extremely focused but Emerson won't be a pushover. Some stats from last night: Taylor Layne 26 points, Tyler Pritchett 24 points, Jonathan Crain 16 points and 12 rebounds ( back to back double-doubles), and Dustin Utley had 11 points and 12 assists. That's another double-double and shows how well Utley can share the ball and find an open man.

[Batman44]

Bay played a Forrest City team without Pritchett and barely lost, that team beat Hot Springs and is in the 5A title game. They beat EPC 2x with neither game at home and that EPC team is in the 2A title game. I just think Bay will be extremely focused but Emerson won't be a pushover. Some stats from last night: Taylor Layne 26 points, Tyler Pritchett 24 points, Jonathan Crain 16 points and 12 rebounds ( back to back double-doubles), and Dustin Utley had 11 points and 12 assists. That's another double-double and shows how well Utley can share the ball and find an open man.

[Thechosen1]

In fact bay should've beat Forrest city. They led the whole game, and Crain had 38 pts

[Pirate1992]

He's not far behind, the way Crain Layne and Utley are playing is hard to handle them guys are playing their best basketball around the right time. Utley really had a good game last night he's a good player and an even better kid.

Yeah your right but you missing one thing GP doesn't play defense at all & Crain is only the one I'm worried about .. Emerson will put enuff defense on everyone else.. But the won't have an answer for #20 T Rev.. If Emerson hit their free throws &  stay outta foul trouble they'll win. & No he's no way near Watson.. He could pour in 50pts easy a game of he wanted to..lol

[Thechosen1]

I agree Emerson will be better defensively. But I doubt they make bay turn it over much in the 1-3-1 half court trap. Utley can handle it too good. Bay will have to stop revels he's a really good player without a doubt and Jefferson has improved too. The question is, is does Emerson want revenge from last years beating or does bay have too much heart. Pritchett is a good player and he's the type of player when he gets hot he stays hot and he can put up some numbers.

[Pirate1992]

Triangle in 1 will solve all that.. & will protect the post..

[@CurryLegion]

Triangle in 1 will solve all that.. & will protect the post..

Is Emerson only going to play 4 players???

[Thechosen1]

It's easy to say it but not easy to do

[Pirate1992]

They have did it b4 I Dnt see why they can't again..  Y'all acting like it's just go be impossible for Emerson to win.. Guy did beat them by 20 remember.. We all don't  kno how these kids go come out and play. We going by our feelings & thoughts. & all that bout being well coached thats BS. That only apply with fundamentals & not cracking under pressure.. Its all on the shoulders of these kids & who can put the ball through the hoop more than the next team..not the coaches..

[PuddlePirate12]

I imagine Bay will run something like box and one, triangle and 2, or man up 3 and stick 2 in the lane. Emerson has seen a lot of that this year. Probably more so than last year. I think they'll be a little more prepared for it. And honestly Bay was just a better team that wanted it more last year. IMO the teams are pretty even this year and Emerson wants it way more this year than they did last. Not that Bay doesn't. It will be a good game. Hope they put it on Saturday so I can go

[Pirate1992]

I imagine Bay will run something like box and one, triangle and 2, or man up 3 and stick 2 in the lane. Emerson has seen a lot of that this year. Probably more so than last year. I think they'll be a little more prepared for it. And honestly Bay was just a better team that wanted it more last year. IMO the teams are pretty even this year and Emerson wants it way more this year than they did last. Not that Bay doesn't. It will be a good game. Hope they put it on Saturday so I can go

need to be Thursday puddle so I can go.. Have to work this weekend..lol.. & most deff it's go be a dog fight.. Hats off to both teams to repeat a finals again..

[PuddlePirate12]

They're meeting at 2:30 to announce it. I heard rumor 1a boys would be on Saturday this year but that probably means it'll be Thursday lol

[Pirate1992]

Yeah I heard sometime Sat also..  I'm go keep an eye on the AAA web site for date & times

[PuddlePirate12]

I may find out before they actually post it. I'll let you know as soon as i find out

[Pirate1992]

Ok great thanks

[yesteryearman]

I imagine Bay will run something like box and one, triangle and 2, or man up 3 and stick 2 in the lane. Emerson has seen a lot of that this year. Probably more so than last year. I think they'll be a little more prepared for it. And honestly Bay was just a better team that wanted it more last year. IMO the teams are pretty even this year and Emerson wants it way more this year than they did last. Not that Bay doesn't. It will be a good game. Hope they put it on Saturday so I can go

I think definitely the teams are more evenly matched than last year.  They would have to be when you take away a once in a lifetime type player in Watson.  I think that Revels and Jefferson match up fairly well with Pritchet and Lane.  Likely though the edge with the remaining guys goes to Bay.  I just don't see Bay blowing Emerson out throughout the game.  If it ends up a double figure game likely it would be at the end, like the Guy game.  I don't know how much the competition edge that Bay enjoys really means in a one and done type game.  Bay surely won't wilt under the pressure of the game and will remain steady and focused like they always do.  I think that because Emerson has played a number of close games this year against quality competition, and granted not against the competition that Bay has played, Emerson maybe won't get overwhelmed if things get very difficult and they get behind.  All in all, I think that Bay wins, but should be a much better game than last year.

[PuddlePirate12]

The difference is in Crain. Emerson has 2 large boys but not even as large as GPs. And Crain was eating him up. They'll have to figure something out there. Utley will score it if you leave him open but he's looking to set ppl up. And McFadden can score. I still like Emerson's chances. Revels is playing well and honestly Jeffers has stepped his game up big time in this state tournament. If he didn't have 3 cheap fouls in 2 minutes against CL he likely would've had 30. If they were to win it he would have to be MVP IMO. But let's just worry about winning it lol. If Revels and Jeff stay out of foul trouble it will be a really good game. If the refs are looking to get Jeff out again it won't be close.

[LHHC]

Wonder who's the better recruiter?

[yesteryearman]

According to AAA website, Friday 5:15

[Silky Johnson]

LHHC GTFO no one was recruited from either team but Bay beat a team who had I know 1 guy on a 5A state tourney team last year. if you aren't a Bay or Emerson fan your team is sitting at home or watching in the stands, hope you have a comfortable seat.

[LHHC]

LHHC GTFO no one was recruited from either team but Bay beat a team who had I know 1 guy on a 5A state tourney team last year. if you aren't a Bay or Emerson fan your team is sitting at home or watching in the stands, hope you have a comfortable seat.

Must've touched a nerve