Is the talent level closer now than it has ever been between 3A and 5A

[PoppaBearstarr]

Give me your thoughts. Basketball ONLY. I know it's not when you carry a fourty man roster like in football

[the wise one]

its not in my openion but there are some exceptions because i believe that silsbee is just as good as any 4a in setx with the exception of ozen

[CATMAN]

Give me your thoughts. Basketball ONLY. I know it's not when you carry a fourty man roster like in football

NO IF THEY PLAY THE 5A SCHOOLS IN THE TOP 10

[bullets13]

maybe locally, THIS YEAR.  Silsbee is up, Ozen appears to be a bit weaker than in the past... still, if you take the #1 team in 3A, they'll get demolished by the top teams in 5A year in and year out.

[Master T]

I wouldn't really say that. But you have to say that the bigger the school is the more talent they have. But in some exception I could say that Silsbee has been playing like they were the big school in this area. In 3A there are some teams that could beat a top 10 team in 5A. I believe it really have to do with the classification of every school and how many talent they have.

[HJ-Hawks25]

Silsbee just has tremendous athleitc depth in basketball...They have 4 kids on their JV dunking.

[Master T]

I believe it is because of the level of how many coaches recruits players now days. You could take a small school coach and he'll go and search for athletes. As he recruits many athletes he can competes at the level of higher classifications. A 2A school has some new players this year and dominated all the small school teams in the area and they can hold their own with some 4A and 5A schools. They have more athletes than they started out with from last season. And that what makes them a whole lot better because of recruitment and it keep the smaller schools competing with bigger schools.

[Guest tigersvoice]

I believe it is because of the level of how many coaches recruits players now days. You could take a small school coach and he'll go and search for athletes. As he recruits many athletes he can competes at the level of higher classifications. A 2A school has some new players this year and dominated all the small school teams in the area and they can hold their own with some 4A and 5A schools. They have more athletes than they started out with from last season. And that what makes them a whole lot better because of recruitment and it keep the smaller schools competing with bigger schools.

What? ???

[Bobcat1]

WHAT??  ???

[w518991]

I believe it is because of the level of how many coaches recruits players now days. You could take a small school coach and he'll go and search for athletes. As he recruits many athletes he can competes at the level of higher classifications. A 2A school has some new players this year and dominated all the small school teams in the area and they can hold their own with some 4A and 5A schools. They have more athletes than they started out with from last season. And that what makes them a whole lot better because of recruitment and it keep the smaller schools competing with bigger schools.

What? ???

That's ridiculous name one school or player

[BLUEDOVE3]

I believe it is because of the level of how many coaches recruits players now days. You could take a small school coach and he'll go and search for athletes. As he recruits many athletes he can competes at the level of higher classifications. A 2A school has some new players this year and dominated all the small school teams in the area and they can hold their own with some 4A and 5A schools. They have more athletes than they started out with from last season. And that what makes them a whole lot better because of recruitment and it keep the smaller schools competing with bigger schools.

You need to stay off that pipe!

[whsalum]

This question has 2 different answers.If you look at at top 10 teams statewide your 5-a clubs will just about always be stronger,simply because of the numbers.Locally it's a different animal.Year in and year out there are usually small school clubs around here that can compete with the West Brooks,Memorials and Centrals of the world.I gotta say this year the talent level seems to be down in just about every classification with the exception of Silsbee.I know it's definitely down on the small school side 1-a and 2-a.

[shorttexas1]

I like Silsbee.  They have always had good talent, especially when they played in 4A.  I think they are so well coached (by the assistant) and the various athletes make them very togh to beat.  I believe a Boutte coached Ozen team will beat Silsbee every time reguardless of a close score.  I am not quite sure, but I believe Westbrook will not lose to Silsbee.  Central should be better than they play, but that is another subject.  Memorial is decent and I think they would play well and maybe beat Silsbee.  With that being said outside of WB(maybe) and Ozen(maybe with the loss of Boutte), none of these teams will make it out of the first round or second round of the 4A and 5A playoffs.  Because 4A and 5A are just that good. 

The Talent gap is not closing because for every Silsbee there are 10 Orangefields, Pecos, Sangers, etc..  Silsbee could not beat the 5A programs in the top 50 in the State.  Locally, I am happy that Silsbee is competing... They are lucky the Beaumont schools have mediocre coaching especially now with Boutte gone. And the other 4A programs in the area are not basketball schools, so they tend to make Silsbee look GREAT!  No disrespect!

[AggiesAreWe]

Silsbee has been playing high quality basketball long before they dropped down to 3A 5 years ago. The Tigers have a very good tradition on the court, many playoff appearances and championships(just not the state kind, yet ) I too agree that Silsbee could not compete on a regular basis to the top 5A schools and some of the 4A's.

This year, Silsbee has a very good team, one that I think will make it back to Austin and play for the state championship. We are not going to have teams every year like this one, but Silsbee has a very well established program and with the fact that we are 3A, I believe the Tigers will compete on the state level for many years to come.

Short, I have seen West Brook and Memorial play this year along with seeing my Tigers several times. Silsbee will beat WB at the Brook and would beat the Titans if they were on the schedule. Silsbee is the better team in regards to those schools.

[Bucof2010]

We dont have very good 5a schools locally and we have a very good 3a school so I think locally yes but statewide not at all.

Master T...WTH?

[shorttexas1]

Silsbee has been playing high quality basketball long before they dropped down to 3A 5 years ago. The Tigers have a very good tradition on the court, many playoff appearances and championships(just not the state kind, yet ) I too agree that Silsbee could not compete on a regular basis to the top 5A schools and some of the 4A's.

This year, Silsbee has a very good team, one that I think will make it back to Austin and play for the state championship. We are not going to have teams every year like this one, but Silsbee has a very well established program and with the fact that we are 3A, I believe the Tigers will compete on the state level for many years to come.

Short, I have seen West Brook and Memorial play this year along with seeing my Tigers several times. Silsbee will beat WB at the Brook and would beat the Titans if they were on the schedule. Silsbee is the better team in regards to those schools.

I did not say Silsbee could not beat WB and/or Memorial... But I think WB would win and maybe Memorial right now... Both teams are playing well now and Brook is playing way better since getting the football boys.  Again, Silsbee has a great team this year but that doesn't change the fact that the talent gap is enormous between 3A and 5A... Like I have said before, Silsbee will not play against any McDonalds All Americans or any of the top 100 kids in the nation in 3A... But those kids are there in the 5A and 4A programs!

[AggiesAreWe]

Silsbee has been playing high quality basketball long before they dropped down to 3A 5 years ago. The Tigers have a very good tradition on the court, many playoff appearances and championships(just not the state kind, yet ) I too agree that Silsbee could not compete on a regular basis to the top 5A schools and some of the 4A's.

This year, Silsbee has a very good team, one that I think will make it back to Austin and play for the state championship. We are not going to have teams every year like this one, but Silsbee has a very well established program and with the fact that we are 3A, I believe the Tigers will compete on the state level for many years to come.

Short, I have seen West Brook and Memorial play this year along with seeing my Tigers several times. Silsbee will beat WB at the Brook and would beat the Titans if they were on the schedule. Silsbee is the better team in regards to those schools.

I did not say Silsbee could not beat WB and/or Memorial... But I think WB would win and maybe Memorial right now... Both teams are playing well now and Brook is playing way better since getting the football boys.  Again, Silsbee has a great team this year but that doesn't change the fact that the talent gap is enormous between 3A and 5A... Like I have said before, Silsbee will not play against any McDonalds All Americans or any of the top 100 kids in the nation in 3A... But those kids are there in the 5A and 4A programs!

I know you didn't say the Tigers couldn't win, but you are picking West Brook to win and PAM would win if them and the Tigers were to play. I disagree with those picks, I think Silsbee is better, this year. I watched WB at the YMBL with their football players, I still think Silsbee takes them. We will see on Jan. 2 when the Tigers come visit the Bruins.

Maybe Silsbee and PAM can schedule a warmup game at the end of district play, providing Memorial has the luxury to do so.

[PoppaBearstarr]

Well from listening to Master T it explains a lot, "more recruiting for smaller schools" maybe that explains all the move in's each year.....lol

[shorttexas1]

Man I remember the Thadeous Holden, Louis Arline, and Lil' Mon (because I can't remember his real name) '98 team, they were 4A then. That went undefeated and lost in the first round... That was the best team out of Silsbee, just slipped up against a Cleveland team they blewout twice.  They beat WB, Central, and Lincoln that year.  Lincoln went to the regional finals in 4A, WB went two rounds deep, and Central went three rounds deep.  So I know Silsbee has the talent to compete against great talent.  But the area is not that strong like it was in that era, not even Ozen is ranked in the top 25 in 4A. So if Silsbee beats WB, Central, Ozen, or Memorial what does that mean?  The talent gap has closed between 3A and 5A.... Not hardly... Just means that they beat some mediocre teams that can't compete in 4A or 5A THIS YEAR either.

Ignore Master T... He knows not what he says!

[AggiesAreWe]

Man I remember the Thadeous Holden, Louis Arline, and Lil' Mon (because I can't remember his real name) '98 team, they were 4A then. That went undefeated and lost in the first round... That was the best team out of Silsbee, just slipped up against a Cleveland team they blewout twice.  They beat WB, Central, and Lincoln that year.  Lincoln went to the regional finals in 4A, WB went two rounds deep, and Central went three rounds deep.  So I know Silsbee has the talent to compete against great talent.  But the area is not that strong like it was in that era, not even Ozen is ranked in the top 25 in 4A. So if Silsbee beats WB, Central, Ozen, or Memorial what does that mean?  The talent gap has closed between 3A and 5A.... Not hardly... Just means that they beat some mediocre teams that can't compete in 4A or 5A THIS YEAR either.

Ignore Master T... He knows not what he says!

That '98 team was special, one of the best teams to come out of Silsbee and Southeast Texas. They were ranked #1 all year and also was ranked in the top 25 nationaly.

Short, you are wrong about what team they lost to in the first round. They lost to Tyler Chapel Hill, 68-65. They did blowout Cleveland twice that year. Silsbee was 31-0 entering that playoff game, then one and done. Truely one of our most dissappointing losses in Silsbee basketball history. I went on to the state tourney that year (like I always do) and all 4 teams in the tournament Silsbee would have handled. It was a shame.

[Guest tigersvoice]

Man I remember the Thadeous Holden, Louis Arline, and Lil' Mon (because I can't remember his real name) '98 team, they were 4A then. That went undefeated and lost in the first round... That was the best team out of Silsbee, just slipped up against a Cleveland team they blewout twice.  They beat WB, Central, and Lincoln that year.  Lincoln went to the regional finals in 4A, WB went two rounds deep, and Central went three rounds deep.  So I know Silsbee has the talent to compete against great talent.  But the area is not that strong like it was in that era, not even Ozen is ranked in the top 25 in 4A. So if Silsbee beats WB, Central, Ozen, or Memorial what does that mean?  The talent gap has closed between 3A and 5A.... Not hardly... Just means that they beat some mediocre teams that can't compete in 4A or 5A THIS YEAR either.

Ignore Master T... He knows not what he says!

If you are implying that Silsbee's first round loss was to Cleveland then that is incorrect.  The loss was against Chapel Hill, a school located near Tyler, and the game was played at Lufkin.  Kept waiting all game for Silsbee to turn it on and blow those guys out.  Apparently they can't read in Chapel Hill because those players were not in awe of Silsbee's undefeated record at the time.  I believe that this was the time that the Silsbee coach at the time either did not or could not schedule a "Keep warm" game between the season finale and Silsbee's first round game.  Tough, tough loss when the expectations were soooooooooo high.

[Master T]

I never implied that I was bashing other teams shorttexas1.

[shorttexas1]

I stand corrected Chappel Hill it is.. It was the following year they lost to Cleveland in the Regional Quarters after blowing them out twice that year!

[shorttexas1]

I never implied that I was bashing other teams shorttexas1.

I was speaking on small school recruiting... That idea is absurd.  Maybe from each other but not from the bigger districts... It is absolutely no exposure for the kids in the small school divisions!  So a kid would not leave the large divisions for 3A and lower!

[BLUEDOVE3]

We dont have very good 5a schools locally and we have a very good 3a school so I think locally yes but statewide not at all.

Master T...WTH?

Good point!