surry

To be honest, this conversation started because I made reference to how tightly the game was called. Until you defended the officials, I made no case other than that. Do I feel like Alleghany turning the ball over in the 4th was a big problem? Sure. Do I think they would have done that if they had their core players in the game absolutely not. One fact that has remained true for 2 years, is that Alleghany is a team that is almost impossible to press with success if they have their top 7 players in the game. They were caught without their core in the game due to foul trouble and an injury, and the press all of a sudden became effective. I can assure you that Coach McKnight has taught his kids how to break a press. There is a reason that teams do not press them, because you cant press their core. The press was effective against the Trojans second unit, and the come back was made possible by that fact.

It would have been interesting to see how effective the press would have been if the game would have been called like a basketball game rather than a chess match, and Alleghany did not have 4 starters on the bench with 4 or 5 fouls.

And please do not misunderstand, I think the lady official that called that game is one of the best officials in the area, but if I never run into the short official again, I would be just fine with that.

The foul on the 3 was bad. Ashe kid wasen't touched. But that wasen't the lady or the young guy's fault. The short guy under the hoop should have never blown it. No reason to throw those two under the bus for the transgressions of 1. And maybe the fact that it wasen't Spider and the usual Wilkes band of refs Ashe & Alleghany normally gets, they weren't used to the hands off calls. Still, no reason to blame the officiating for why the game was close. Alleghany threw the ball away or chucked 3s the whole 2nd half. I'm telling you, they will get another loss to somebody other than Starmount if they arn't taught how to break a press.

Oldblueridge you are absolutely correct. As an Ashe fan I loved the fact that our boys were making a comeback, but as a true basketball fan it was down right embarrassing. That was the worst called game I have witnessed in a very long time. If I was one of the officials and watched the game on tape, I would be horrified that I actually received a paycheck for calling that game. They were bad on all accounts but any Ashe fan would have to admit that they were very one-sided especially when it came to fouls.

I hope you are not insinuating that those are considered better officials. They were very inconsistent and two of the refs even got into it. One official had a player get bumped right in front of him, and he did not call it. The official had to call it from across the floor. Don't know if he went brain dead or what, but she had to bail him out. Apparently that made him mad because a few possessions later, Ashe shoots a 3 right in front of the lady official with no one within 3 feet of the shooter. The other ref who was under the basket, calls a foul that he had no chance to see even if there had been one. It obviously was very embarrassing to her. Her face turned red and she said to a fan, Did I miss something. You are right that those games will happen, but please do not indicate that it was because there was better officials calling the game. Quite honestly, I found it to be an embarrassingly poorly officiated game. To your point, I have found it amazing how some crews have adjusted to the new hand check rule and others have not. Makes it difficult for the players.

The officials called it tight thats for sure. But those nights are going to be there. Esp as you get later in the season when you get better/low level college officials who call the new hand check rules tighter. Just one of those things. I thought ashe was dead in the water but Alleghany couldn't handle the press in the second half. Threw the ball away on multiple trips. Ashe built too deep a hole in the first half to dig out of.

Very efficient first half, but lots of foul trouble in the first half for Alleghany. Foul trouble got much worse in the second half. Santos missed about half the game with foul trouble. Avery Hash missed about a quarter with a sprained ankle. Hanks fouled out with 4 to go. Ashe made 5 4th quarter 3's. One of those nights when the officials played a huge role. Must have been 60 free throws between the two teams.

The TROJANS beat the HUSKIES by 4. Seems as though after looking at the box score that the TROJANS had a comfortable lead and almost let Ashe come back.

Who won?

Big game tonight in Ashe county as the two mountain members get if on for the second time.

Alleghany will be trying to bounce back after their loss to Starmount of Tuesday, and Ashe County will be trying to keep the momentum going that they gained by beating West Wilkes on Tuesday.