With basketball season in full swing and district play ramping up, UCR’s Rusty Ellis and Michael Lindsay have graded each team’s performance to this point. Grades were decided upon using multiple factors including win-loss records, quality of wins and preseason expectations for each school.
Tigerettes: B-
Overall Record: 6-10 (0-1)
Key Wins: Smith County, Eagleville
Reasoning: The Gordonsville Tigerettes have a very simple belief: If they can make it to the district semifinals, they will make it to the region semifinals. Head coach Jake Dillard echoed that sentiment before the season and based on the stretches they’ve put together, it’s a scenario that seems likely. They’re just three wins off of last year’s total, so they could surpass that if they continue improving.
How to Improve: Come through on that first statement, and make it to the region semifinals, which would give you a chance at a substate game if you can pull an upset. And from there, who knows? Postseason time around here is all about who catches fire at the right time.
Tigers: A
Overall Record: 11-4 (1-0)
Key Wins: Jackson County, Van Buren County, Smith County (twice)
Reasoning: Head coach Greg Bibb believed before the season that this team could win the district and the early performances show that could very well be the case. Brayden Holliman is one of the most underrated players in the area, and the Tigers boast really solid depth for a 1A team. Add in some good wins, and this is a team that could be really dangerous come February.
How to Improve: We’ve already given out our lone A+ on the boys side and it’s really hard to improve on an A. Simply put, win the district, make the region championship and give yourself a shot to go to Murfreesboro. There, anything can happen and it all comes down to who’s ready to play.