Weather and Exams

Any coach who coaches during the winter months faces several obstacles when they are trying to get on a roll. First off basketball now -a -days starts in mid November and there is the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.

You have three weeks and think that you are finally finding some rhythm and here comes the Christmas Holiday and another ten days. The new year brings on exams and yes snow days.

Tonight marks the third Friday night of the conference season for Big East teams. The first conference game was two weeks ago tonight and the following Monday was suppose to start exams. Monday through Thursday exams and let's play basketball Friday night which happened. Unfortunately snow threw a monkey wrench in the schedule which had to postpone this past Tuesday's conference game.

The result leaves Rocky Mount with seven conference games after tonight to play in three weeks. Tonight they host Southern Nash which will leave five of the seven remaining games on the road. Oddly all three games in which they have played have been at home on Fridays.

The boys have struggled to find their identity in this world. This team has had a hard time bearing the label defending state champs. The girls on the other hand are probably the best in the conference so road games will not wear on them like the boys who are in a more even league. I doubt whether the girls will go through conference undefeated but they will not lose many between now and the playoffs.

I would suspect the girls will finish up as the #1 seed which will provide them at least one home game. Should they last during the first couple of rounds then by the third round when the better teams in the area are all that is left whether they play on the road or at home will be vital for them without a big center. The girls played a full court pressing game which will keep them in games with teams that have a big center but big centers also slow our offense down going to the basket.

The boys are faced with needing to finish first or second during the league race. This team is probably not good enough having to play every playoff game on the road and advancing very far. 1-1 in the league tonight really starts their push for the playoffs. In a bunched up race like this year's Big East seems to be a three way tie for third during the regular season and you might not even make the playoffs despite the conference tournament being in your house.