Sweet 16: Lionettes Top Warren Co.

Comment   Email   Print
Related Articles
Junior Justin Tobin prepares to defend against Warren County Tuesday. Tobin scored five points.
Cannon County split its non-conference doubleheader against Warren County with the Lionettes capturing their fifth straight win and ninth in 10 games, but the Lions fell short in the nightcap at Robert A. Harris Gymnasium Tuesday (Jan. 3).

Lindsey Reed scored 14 points and Abbey Sissom finished with 11 as Cannon County improved to 16-3 with a 43-34 win. Jordan Hollis also enjoyed a solid night with eight points and helped key a strong defensive effort. The Lionettes raced out to a 16-4 first-quarter lead but stalled offensively after the opening stanza.

Cannon County's strong defense never really allowed Warren County to make a threatening run but the offensive lapse did let the Lady Pioneers get back into the game late in the fourth quarter.

The Lions dropped 61-44 decision against the Pioneers with Cory Henley leading the way with nine points. Brad Hutchins tallied 8, followed by Tommy Mitchell with seven, Zach Higgins with six and Justin Tobin with five.

Cannon County trailed by 10, 34-24, at the half but shot just 1-of-12 from the field in the third quarter and trailed 45-26 after three frames. The Lions (6-13) put forth a valiant comeback effort that saw them narrow the deficit to seven, 51-44, with less than two minutes remaining; however, they could get no closer.

(Full recaps of each game will run in the Jan. 10 edition of The Cannon Courier.)
Read more from:
CANNON SPORTS
Tags: 
None
Share: 
Comment   Email   Print
Members Opinions:
[Delete]
January 04, 2012 at 10:31am
The boys game could have been a lot closer had the coach knew what he was doing. I have been at several of the games this year and I had no idea what rotation Mr. Rigsby is doing. It never makes sense. I don't think there has been the same starting five for two games in a row any game this year.
I think his comments to the players a few weeks ago that he was in the "top ten of coaches" in the state of Tennessee is a figment of his own imagination. It must be nice to be a legend in your own mind.
January 04, 2012 at 12:37pm
You THINK his comment was...maybe you should KNOW what his comment was before you start blasting someone in a public forum. How did you know that comment was even made? Did you hear it first person? Probably not. However, it is always easier to type your opinion behind a screen name. My question to you is, if last night would have resulted in a win would he still not know what he was doing? Since you know how to win, what rotation would you recommend? Come on and offer some positive advise. People like you give sports a bad name! It is always the coach's fault when you are losing, but I guess the parents' can take credit when you are winning since you did have the children. Support the team as a whole...players and coaches! They are young, and everyone knew this was going to be an adjustment year after losing 8 seniors last year!
[Delete]
January 04, 2012 at 3:38pm
Well chewielouie it seems to me the only one hiding behind a screen name is you. Otherwise you have the dumbest parents in the world if they actually named you chewielouie.
Had Mr. Rigsby won last night it would have been a miracle and not because of the lack of losing 8 seniors. He has some good talent this year but lacks the ability to coach them. Screaming at the boys during games, throwing his towel across the floor like a two year old, calling a 13 second timeout at Boyd Christian and looking to the stands during the Coffee county game and asking Coach Dodgen what to do is not a very good coach in my opinion. The best coaches and ones who are truly in the "top ten" in the state of Tennessee know how to coach in the years they lose eight seniors. It seems to me Mr. Rigsby is using that as an excuse if that is what you think is the problem. As far as a line up goes, I would suggest he get 7 to 8 core players who play together consistently and let them learn to be a team instead of subbing them out with freshmen. He has six or seven juniors who will be back next year and they spend as much time on the bench as the freshmen do with the exception of one or two. And to prove my point, he had the Hutchins boy on the bench for the first 14 minutes of the game last night and he come off the bench and scored six and got three rebounds in two minutes.
Good coaches know how to coach. Bad coaches know how to blame and scream and screaming isn't coaching. Also how do you know he didn't say he was in the "top ten" of coaches in the state of Tennessee? Were you in the locker room? Did you hear something in person that was different than what was told to me? I doubt it very seriously.
January 04, 2012 at 4:21pm
My parents aren't dumb, because they taught me to not to answer a question with a question. Did it ever cross your small mind that maybe COACH Rigsby had a reason for sitting Hutchins out for the first 14 minutes?! Maybe you need to ask him about that before you start saying he doesn't know what he is doing or that he just forgot about him. To correct you again, COACH Rigsby doesn't lose or win ball games by himself. It is a team effort. Sounds like to me you are one of those "my child does no wrong" parents. I was at the Coffee County game, and COACH Rigsby looked at Coach Dodgen and asked what to do about the refs not with his players. Everyone in the gym saw how one-sided the refs were being. Even the Manchester radio mentioned how Cannon County wasn't getting any calls. Once again, are you sure Coach Rigsby said he was one of the top coaches in the state? You keep banking on that but have no proof it was even said. And do we really need to get into the whole freshmen vs. juniors conversation. Come on! Just because they are juniors does not mean they are entitled to anything. Just like, just because you are able to type your opinion on how to coach does not mean you are entitled to coach or qualified for that matter. Stops acting juvenile and manipulating small pieces of a big puzzle that you don't know anything about. Good luck to all the CCHS ball players (freshmen through seniors) and the coaches! By the way, you still haven't told me how to win.
[Delete]
January 04, 2012 at 5:02pm
Wow this whole conversation has got me hungry for pancakes!what about u Sally k?

[Delete]
January 04, 2012 at 7:05pm
Seriously, are you kidding me!!! Leave the players and coaches alone. I am sure they are working hard everyday. Sally I hope you come to the game Friday and continue to sit with your group behind the bench and keep us updated on what is said in the locker room and on the bench your CNN reporting is great!
[Delete]
January 04, 2012 at 10:53pm
I generally tend not to reply to these online posts as I believe if I have an opinion I will write a column and publish it in the Cannon Courier; however, in this instance I feel compelled to reply. Personally, I don't believe Coach Rigsby needs anyone defending him as the job he does on the court - and in the classroom - speaks for itself. I'm not into the business of rating coaches as far as who is best in the state and so forth, but I believe Cannon County has an outstanding coach in Matt Rigsby.
Not sure if there is a rating that has Rigsby in the Top 10 anywhere, but I do know there is a District 8-AA Coach of the Year plaque hanging in his office.
Really, digesting locker room comments of a high school coach with his team on the web is unacceptable but that's an entirely different issue. The player, manager or assistant coach who walked out of that locker room and repeated anything that may have been said in that postgame meeting along those lines to a parent, family member, friend or co-student should turn in his uniform and quit the team and the individual who took the information and put it on the web should be ashamed. Instead of doing that, you should teach the person who shares that information that a locker room is sacred. That is for players and coaches and there should be a level of trust inside those walls. Unless something inappropriate or offensive is stated, what is said between those walls should stay between those walls. Those conversations are reserved for the team.
That being said, I have seen all but two CCHS boys basketball games this season. I have seen tremendous progress in this team since the start of the season. Aside of poor, poor performances at Upperman and against Cumberland County in the Sun Drop Romp, I believe the Lions have competed and, of late, have been more competitive to the finish.
I agree with chewielouie about the Coffee County game. At Coffee County, Rigsby turned in the direction of Coach Dodgen and Principal Tim Knox and asked, "what do I do?," referencing what he felt were one-sided calls against the Lions.
In reference to Brad Hutchins. I agree with you SallyK that he is a potential difference maker on the court. I also believe no one knows his or her team better than the head coach. I asked coach Rigsby following the game about Hutchins' lack of playing time and it was for disciplinary reasons. Again, Coach Rigsby needs no justification. He also realizes Hutchins is one of the more talented players but it is also important that a coach have discipline and teach his players accountability.
As far as losing eight seniors as an excuse? HA!!! No excuse, just an absolute fact. When you lose eight seniors, including five starters and your top seven overall performers, from one of the best teams in school history, you will have growing pains the following year in most cases. Not only did CCHS lose eight seniors but they lost more than 90 percent of the team's scoring and rebounding. Two years earlier that same nucleus of kids struggled through an 11-win season but progressively became better. I see this group doing the same.
As far as what year a student-athlete is in school should have no bearing on his/her playing time. Either you are good enough or you are not. If a freshman is better than the senior, play the freshman. It's not about rewarding longevity, it's about playing the best players.
I think part of the measure of a good coach is does the team improve, compete and play hard? The answer to all three is yes in the case of this Cannon County team.
Powered by Bondware
News Publishing Software

The browser you are using is outdated!

You may not be getting all you can out of your browsing experience
and may be open to security risks!

Consider upgrading to the latest version of your browser or choose on below: