icu812
02-22-2007, 10:59 AM
Simply Put, Region II Is Best Of Its Kind In Class 3A
By CHASE COLSTON
Staff Writer
Just like those pancakes you love to eat at IHOP, Class 3A Region II is stacked in boys basketball.
Again.
"Oh man, there are some loaded teams in here," said Chapel Hill coach Mike Brewster. "There's not a weak team in the bunch."
Let's take a quick journey throughout the region, just to see who the teams are and the opponents they'll soon have to deal with:
On the top side of the bracket, you have District 12-3A champion Kennedale, defending state champion No. 5 Dallas Roosevelt, as well as powerhouses Pittsburg, No. 17 White Oak and No. 4 Chapel Hill.
Stay seated. The ride's not over yet.
Last year's state finalist, 11-3A champion (over Roosevelt) No. 6 Carrollton Ranchview highlights the bottom part of the bracket.
But don't forget about No. 12 Princeton, No. 14 Spring Hill, perennial contender Dallas Madison, Glen Rose (top five much of last season), 2005 state champion Van and 13-3A winner Kemp.
In case you weren't counting, that's six ranked teams in the region, the past two state champions and a plethora of other units that are looking to make some noise.
Also, all four of the teams - Roosevelt, Chapel Hill, Princeton and Bullard - that made the regional tournament last year are all back in the playoffs.
So would it come as a surprise to see the state champ come out of this region again?
"I think that there are four or five teams in the region that have a legitimate shot to be favored at the state tournament," said Spring Hill coach Keith Taylor, whose team bested White Oak for the 15-3A title.
"Then there's a good group under that are capable of beating anybody on a given night. It's going to be tough to advance to each round."
You also don't have to search outside the region to find the premier 3A players in the state.
Said Pittsburg coach Tim Ender: "I just think it's the best. It's a combination of athletic ability and kids that work hard and have a love for the game."
To provide an insight on the talent level, take a quick visit to some of the region's teams:
Chapel Hill: Junior star Chris Mass, one of the area's top players, averages just under 20 points and nine rebounds per game. He is complemented by point guard T.J. Riley (16.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3 steals per game) and point Jaafar Brown (15 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 blocks per game).
Pittsburg: Brothers Kendall Wright and Carlos Brown make up arguably the best backcourt in the area. Wright leads the area in scoring (30 points per game) and 3-pointers made (120), while Brown averages 17.5 points per contest. Post Mark Farmer totals 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.
Spring Hill: Josh Brewer (20.3 points, 6.4 rebounds) leads the Panthers in scoring and rebounding, while Kevin Robbins (14.2 points, 4.3 assists) was crucial in Spring Hill's district-clinching win over White Oak.
Van: Coach Jerry Cassell always gets the most out of his players, and that has been the case this season. Jermie Calhoun, a junior stud known for his football talent, is a beast down low and has been the team's leader.
White Oak: Colby Carr (16.6 points) and Blake King (13.3 points) make up a backcourt tandem that is as dangerous as any other in the region.
And that's just a small look around here. If you want to take a look at the Metroplex, you'll find Roosevelt's Cedric Robinson and Vincent McNeil, Ranchview's trio of Demarcus Wilson, Brandon Williams and Armon Freeman, as well as Princeton's Chase Spruiell.
Robinson (14.9 points per game) and Williams (13.9) are the top two 3-point shooters in the Dallas area. McNeil averages 10.1 points and 8.1 assists per game and Wilson and Spruiell are consistent 20-points-per-game scorers.
When Brewster faced the question of describing the talent level in the region, he was almost speechless.
"I would sure like to put our group (from the region) together and go play against other regions," Brewster said.
Most of the teams in the region are also quite familiar with each other. Chapel Hill beat Pittsburg and Van twice each this season, as well as Spring Hill with White Oak.
Roosevelt beat Pittsburgh, 90-81, in a high-octane non-district game, while Roosevelt and Ranchview split the district title.
The two were in separate regions last year, and Roosevelt triumphed over Ranchview in the state championship.
"The whole region's up for grabs," Ender said. "Whoever plays the best any given night and whoever wants it the most is definitely going to be the one who comes out on top."
By CHASE COLSTON
Staff Writer
Just like those pancakes you love to eat at IHOP, Class 3A Region II is stacked in boys basketball.
Again.
"Oh man, there are some loaded teams in here," said Chapel Hill coach Mike Brewster. "There's not a weak team in the bunch."
Let's take a quick journey throughout the region, just to see who the teams are and the opponents they'll soon have to deal with:
On the top side of the bracket, you have District 12-3A champion Kennedale, defending state champion No. 5 Dallas Roosevelt, as well as powerhouses Pittsburg, No. 17 White Oak and No. 4 Chapel Hill.
Stay seated. The ride's not over yet.
Last year's state finalist, 11-3A champion (over Roosevelt) No. 6 Carrollton Ranchview highlights the bottom part of the bracket.
But don't forget about No. 12 Princeton, No. 14 Spring Hill, perennial contender Dallas Madison, Glen Rose (top five much of last season), 2005 state champion Van and 13-3A winner Kemp.
In case you weren't counting, that's six ranked teams in the region, the past two state champions and a plethora of other units that are looking to make some noise.
Also, all four of the teams - Roosevelt, Chapel Hill, Princeton and Bullard - that made the regional tournament last year are all back in the playoffs.
So would it come as a surprise to see the state champ come out of this region again?
"I think that there are four or five teams in the region that have a legitimate shot to be favored at the state tournament," said Spring Hill coach Keith Taylor, whose team bested White Oak for the 15-3A title.
"Then there's a good group under that are capable of beating anybody on a given night. It's going to be tough to advance to each round."
You also don't have to search outside the region to find the premier 3A players in the state.
Said Pittsburg coach Tim Ender: "I just think it's the best. It's a combination of athletic ability and kids that work hard and have a love for the game."
To provide an insight on the talent level, take a quick visit to some of the region's teams:
Chapel Hill: Junior star Chris Mass, one of the area's top players, averages just under 20 points and nine rebounds per game. He is complemented by point guard T.J. Riley (16.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3 steals per game) and point Jaafar Brown (15 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 blocks per game).
Pittsburg: Brothers Kendall Wright and Carlos Brown make up arguably the best backcourt in the area. Wright leads the area in scoring (30 points per game) and 3-pointers made (120), while Brown averages 17.5 points per contest. Post Mark Farmer totals 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.
Spring Hill: Josh Brewer (20.3 points, 6.4 rebounds) leads the Panthers in scoring and rebounding, while Kevin Robbins (14.2 points, 4.3 assists) was crucial in Spring Hill's district-clinching win over White Oak.
Van: Coach Jerry Cassell always gets the most out of his players, and that has been the case this season. Jermie Calhoun, a junior stud known for his football talent, is a beast down low and has been the team's leader.
White Oak: Colby Carr (16.6 points) and Blake King (13.3 points) make up a backcourt tandem that is as dangerous as any other in the region.
And that's just a small look around here. If you want to take a look at the Metroplex, you'll find Roosevelt's Cedric Robinson and Vincent McNeil, Ranchview's trio of Demarcus Wilson, Brandon Williams and Armon Freeman, as well as Princeton's Chase Spruiell.
Robinson (14.9 points per game) and Williams (13.9) are the top two 3-point shooters in the Dallas area. McNeil averages 10.1 points and 8.1 assists per game and Wilson and Spruiell are consistent 20-points-per-game scorers.
When Brewster faced the question of describing the talent level in the region, he was almost speechless.
"I would sure like to put our group (from the region) together and go play against other regions," Brewster said.
Most of the teams in the region are also quite familiar with each other. Chapel Hill beat Pittsburg and Van twice each this season, as well as Spring Hill with White Oak.
Roosevelt beat Pittsburgh, 90-81, in a high-octane non-district game, while Roosevelt and Ranchview split the district title.
The two were in separate regions last year, and Roosevelt triumphed over Ranchview in the state championship.
"The whole region's up for grabs," Ender said. "Whoever plays the best any given night and whoever wants it the most is definitely going to be the one who comes out on top."