January 2nd Games Thread

I made the trip down to Marion last night. The Watauga girls actually played like they wanted to be there and like they still cared about what was going on. I don't know where that came from and why they decided to do it against one of the best teams in the state, but it was nice to see. They still got beat by 35pts, but almost everyone was expecting more. Maybe they will turn the tide and play a little better the rest of the year. I think that it really helped that they were able to keep it close early with their spirited play. If what happened in the 2nd half would have happened in the 1st half, it would have been a 50-60 point win.

It was nice to see the ladies play with some passion.

 

I was extremly pleased/ shocked with that game. McDowell In my opinion did not take Watauga seriously. They thought it would be a cake walk. Luckily for them coach silver got in there heads at the half. What a great effort. Hopefully this will cool down the thoughts that Dixon needs to go. Because he's doing as well as anyone can in that position. However I will say that if Watauga had played like they did last night vs Ashe and Avery we would have beaten those squads. I really think this team could come out and beat ACR Friday. It's at home, they will be back in school and focused on the routine and hopefully can come out with a win.
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Good points. McDowell ended the Freedom game with a bad quarter and it cost them the game. They started out the Watauga game the same way. I guess we tend to forget that McDowell is a very young team and they are going to have these moments. I agree with you 100% about coach Dixon. I attend a lot of games and like to study other coaches. I have always been impressed with Coach Dixon. He has been on the recieving end of some big loses against some great teams and he still conducts himself as a gentleman{which is more than I can say about other coaches like the Foxes }. Watauga has some good talent on the floor and they will only get better as they mature.

 

Watauga Girls

I do not have a player on this team

I do read this forum for scores (and so do the players by the way)

I have not attended every game but have gone to most games including the Mcdowell game

And I felt that I needed to put my two cents in also since I have been involved with watauga athletics for some time and everyone knows how hard it is to win and Coach here let alone lose and Coach here.

I do know from experience what Coach Dixon and Coach Eggers are doing for this program - yes they have a lot of seniors on this team but - there are only a few of them playing - this is a very young team and at one point in the McDowell game he had 2 Freshman, a sophmore and 2 juniors on the floor. Coach Dixon has coached my son for one of the Storm teams and took a team that did not win any tournaments thier first year to placing in several tournaments and winning a few. He loves those kids and my son still talks about how much fun it was to play for him. He knows basketball. He and Coach Eggers have invested a lot of time into the girls traveling AAU teams and they are starting to see good results from those teams. He has to be given time it has only been 3 years and there is a lot of negativity all around him and this program. There has been for years - most parents do not even appreciate that he took this program after the coach scandal here and after they ran out Coach Moretz. They will do the same thing to this staff and it will send this program even farther into a tailspin. The parents in this town are not only unrealistic they dont have any clue of the time this staff puts into getting this team better and how tough of a schedule they have every year. And as you can see it is only one person on this forum that is blantanly negative.

It was a well coached game by the Lady Pioneer staff - the Hamilton Girl was the difference in the 2nd half as her inside play was really good and opened up the outside more in the 2nd half. The girls that are playing seem to respond very well to coach Dixon and played with a lot of enthusiasm.

I hope he gets a chance or even wants it - I cant imagine having to coach under such counterproductive criticism.

 

Canfieldledge:

Amen, AMEN AMEN!!!! The Watauga coaching staff had a game plan and executed it. Thats what slowed McDowell down. Coach Dixons heart is bigger than many coaches and he will not quit. He needs his players to show the same amount of heart and mental toughness. They need to give it 100% every day as well. Lets get a big crowd out tomorrow night to support the Pioneers. They could really win this game.
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