Robservations: Keeping stars in is risky
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Tuesday night in Murfreesboro, Warren County’s Lady Pioneers and their fans unfortunately saw a prime example of a dominant player leading her team, when Riverdale’s Krystle Horton lit up the nets for 30 points to propel her team to a 61-29 victory.
To repeat, just for emphasis, she had 30 — by herself. Warren County had 29 — as a team.
Now, before you begin thinking this column intends to run down the Lady Pioneers, let me assure you that’s not the case.
Instead, this column intends to point out a few facts, and ask a simple question.
First, the facts: Horton is very good, and she’s already committed to continue her career on the Division I college level at MTSU. She’s a contender for Miss Basketball, and based on many experts’ opinions, she’s got a good chance of winning that award.
More facts: Horton had 14 points by halftime of Tuesday’s game, helping her team to a 31-14 lead. By the end of the third, Riverdale was up 20, and she had 22 points.
Now, the simple question: Why did she play in the fourth quarter?
None of us are Riverdale’s coach. That distinction goes to Micheal Burt, whom I’ve known since I covered his freshman Lady Warriors years ago. And through all those years, I’ve never known him to be a show-out, or rub anyone’s face in it when his team wins.
But for the life of me, I can’t figure out why he didn’t pull his star player Tuesday night, when everyone in the gym knew he had the game well in hand.
The best theory I can come up with is the Miss Basketball award. I’m sure 30-point nights are the kind of things that make voters’ eyes light up when they cast their ballots.
But imagine if while coming down from the layup that gave her points No. 29 and 30, she had twisted an ankle, and missed the rest of the season.
There goes the district title, the Miss Basketball award, and possibly a college scholarship — all because no one wanted to call the dogs off.
By the way, for the record, Horton did leave the game after making her 30 points, which came with about four minutes or so left in the fourth quarter. But as she headed for the bench, starter Andrea Dowell re-entered the lineup.
Maybe she’s up for some kind of award, too.
• Horton, as we’ve established, did whatever she wanted with the basketball all night long Tuesday — but she wasn’t the highlight of the night.
Reese Bishop lit up the Warriors for 34 points, driving to the basket from every angle imaginable — but he wasn’t the highlight of the night.
The Warriors received a pair of technical fouls, leading to 11 Pioneer points — but even that wasn’t the highlight of the night.
No, the highlight of the night took place just before the beginning of the boys’ game. It didn’t involve any player from either team, and it wasn’t seen by more than a few people who just happened to be paying attention.
WCHS baseball player Matt Brown picked up a loose ball as the Warriors finished their pre-game warm-ups, and instead of tossing it to a manager, decided to launch a shot at the basket, hitting nothing but the bottom of the net.
No big deal, right? Well, Matt wasn’t on the court, or even standing just outside it. Instead, he was standing in the second row of the bleachers, on the far end — probably 25 feet away, and 10 feet or so behind — the basket.
Now that was one for the highlight reel.