Texas High School Basketball Team Beat Another Team 100-0

[citykid09]

Texas high school basketball team beat another team 100-0

Why do they feel the need to apologise?

"On its Web site last week, the Covenant School of Dallas, a private Christian school, posted a statement regretting the outcome of its Jan. 13 shutout win over Dallas Academy. "It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened. This clearly does not reflect a Christlike and honorable approach to competition," said the statement, signed by Kyle Queal, head of school, and board chair Todd Doshier."

http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=904560

So is it un- "Christlike" to win and win well? Makes no since to me at all.

And now they fire the coach for disagreeing

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...781526.html?npc

[BryanS]

I find this whole ordeal amusing... The question is: Did he put in the "B" team? If he did... and they whipped the other team 100-0... then NO ONE can complain. However, if he kept his "A" team up into the last 4 mins of the game... more even handed coaches would not do that... mainly because - not that you're beating the crap out of the other team (which is good) - but that you aren't giving all of your team (i.e. the B team) a chance to do it.

Back in my football days, when we had about a 21 point lead, the B team started going in, and stayed in, until that margin shrunk... and then the A team went back in... In basketball, I would say 30 to 40 point margin for your A team. What did this coach do with his A-B teams? Can't really find any info on that...

[Jeebus]

The girls of Dallas Academy all have some sort of disability. Basically, it was the equivalent of the Texans playing any local middle school team in terms of ability.

It was supposed to be understood that Dallas Academy played not to win, but to just to be able to play. Shutting them out by 100 points didn't show that the other team were better athletes - it showed they were jerks and bullies.

[citykid09]

The girls of Dallas Academy all have some sort of disability. Basically, it was the equivalent of the Texans playing any local middle school team in terms of ability.

It was supposed to be understood that Dallas Academy played not to win, but to just to be able to play. Shutting them out by 100 points didn't show that the other team were better athletes - it showed they were jerks and bullies.

My bad, I didn't read the part where it said the Dallas Academy girls had disabilities. Why where they playing the other team if that was so? That changes everything I thought about the story.

[LTAWACS]

The real question here is:

Why where they playing them in the first place?

[Jeebus]

Its a parochial league I believe.

[kylejack]

This game never should have been arranged. I support the girls playing their hearts out, and if they had gone easy on them it would have been obvious and that would have been truly embarrassing for the girls being catered to.

The blame falls on the organizers of this. Don't send a team that's training to be the best in to play patty cakes with a disabled team.

And yes, the coach put the bench-warmers in.

[pineda]

a letter written by the fired coach

[Heights2Bastrop]

The UofH at least let Tulsa score 6 points in a 100-6 win back in 1968. But then, that was a football game.

Trivia: Who scored the last touchdown for the Cougars that day?

[Fringe]

Some Dallas Academy students have learning disabilities. Probably mostly dyslexia and that kind of stuff. They were not physically handicapped. As for the Covenant School's B team, from what I read they only had a total of 8 players so it's not like they could take out all their starters.

This kind of stuff happens every day for small private schools, although not always as lopsided as this. I don't think the coach should have been fired. Sounds to me like he did what he could to keep from scoring that much but how do you tell a bunch of eager young girls NOT to score.

I'm sure neither school had any control over the schedule and I'll bet the Dallas Academy team is used to getting beat. Reminds me of when Rice plays UT in football every other year. By halftime UT is usually subbing in their third string and cheerleaders. They could easily score over a 100 points if they wanted to. Guess Rice does it for the revenue because it's hardly a fair challenge.

[TJones]

Citykid,..... edit for content. Ck read the rest of the story.

[Jeebus]

The letter, I'm not buying it - and here's why:

The Game. The game started like any other high school basketball game across the nation. The teams warm-up, coaches talk, the ball is tipped, and then the play begins. We started the game off with a full-court press. After 3 minutes into play, we had already reached a 25-0 lead. Like any rational thinking coach would do, I immediately stopped the full-court press, dropped into a 2-3 zone defense, and started subbing in my 3 bench players. This strategy continued for the rest of the game and allowed the Dallas Academy players to get the ball up the court for a chance to score. The second half started with a score of 59-0. Seeing that we would win by too wide of a margin, running down the clock was the only logical course of action left. Contrary to the articles, there were only a total of four 3-point baskets made; three in the first quarter, and only one in the third quarter. I continued to sub in bench players, play zone defense, and run the clock for the rest of the game. We played fair and honorably within the rules and in the presence of the parents, coaches, and athletic directors for both Covenant School and Dallas Academy.

1. It took you 3 full minutes of play, and 25 points to realize that the other team was no match for your offensive and defensive ability? B.S.

2. 59 points in the first half? You scored 34 points in the first quarter and then 24 in the second quarter. Okay, I can see a pattern developing BUT..

3. 29 points in the third quarter? At what point was enough, enough?

4. Finally in the fourth quarter we see the results of running the clock - something that should have been done in the first quarter.

They might have played fairly - but it was far from honorably.

And last, but not least:

Dallas Academy, from their website:

Dallas Academy offers a structured multisensory program for students with diagnosed learning differences in grades 3-12.

We believe that structure and a caring, experienced staff are the main factors for success at the Academy. The classes provide a quiet, nurturing environment to students who in the past have had trouble with concentration and short attention spans. Many of these boys and girls are very frustrated and have not been successful in previous school settings.

The multisensory approach is especially beneficial to those students who have been diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other learning differences.

vs..

Dallas Covenant:

Distinctives:

Established in 1993, The Covenant School is classical, Christ-centered, and college preparatory. But what is this school really like? What sets it apart? Covenant is:

Comprehensive. With an integrated K-12 curriculum, Covenant has award winning programs in academics,the arts and athletics.

Proven. 100% college-bound, Covenant graduates attend schools such as Davidson, West Point, Vanderbilt, University of Virginia, as well as Texas A&M, Baylor, The University of Texas and Southern Methodist University.

Inspired. Masters in their disciplines, Covenant teachers partner with parents to mentor students in and out of the classroom.

Relational. Covenant is an active community of like-minded families that pray for, encourage, and support each other.

Covenantal. With a rigorous academic program, Covenant is committed to educating the children of families together.

Diverse. Covenant students represent a wide spectrum of cultures and livelihoods.

Independent. Free from church or denominational affiliation, Covenant attracts Christians from many traditions.

Winsome. While ordered, Covenant's culture is not rigid. Faculty and staff promote an environment of grace and joy.

Visionary. Covenant is building a K-12 campus in the heart of North Dallas to advance its educational mission.

I don't see anything about learning disabilities in there. Just go take a look at the two sites and decide for yourself if it was wrong that he was fired. I don't think so.

[kylejack]

The letter, I'm not buying it - and here's why:

1. It took you 3 full minutes of play, and 25 points to realize that the other team was no match for your offensive and defensive ability? B.S.

2. 59 points in the first half? You scored 34 points in the first quarter and then 24 in the second quarter. Okay, I can see a pattern developing BUT..

3. 29 points in the third quarter? At what point was enough, enough?

The coach benched the starters and put in the bench warmers. He changed up the defense. What more can you expect him to do? Intentional air-balls? Throwing the ball into the stands? Passing the ball directly to someone on the other team? Things like that would have been obvious to the girls that were getting beat, and in my opinion that would be far more embarrassing than mere losing. There's 15 minutes in a quarter, right? So that's one shot per minute (slightly less, as a few 3s were made). Seems pretty modest to me, especially considering that there is a shot clock forcing them to shoot after 24 seconds.

They might have played fairly - but it was far from honorably.

Playing down to someone is a way of telling someone that you consider them inferior, that you pity them. These girls train to win, and its not right to put them in there and tell them to air-ball the shots, or to stand there filing their nails while the other team took a shot. If they had stood there and just watched the other team take shots, that would have been dishonorable, and disrespectful of their opponents. There's nothing dishonorable about scoring or blocking, two things which are part of playing the game.

Whoever set this game up is to blame.

[RedScare]

The coach benched the starters and put in the bench warmers. He changed up the defense. What more can you expect him to do? Intentional air-balls? Throwing the ball into the stands? Passing the ball directly to someone on the other team? Things like that would have been obvious to the girls that were getting beat, and in my opinion that would be far more embarrassing than mere losing. There's 15 minutes in a quarter, right? So that's one shot per minute (slightly less, as a few 3s were made). Seems pretty modest to me, especially considering that there is a shot clock forcing them to shoot after 24 seconds.

Playing down to someone is a way of telling someone that you consider them inferior, that you pity them. These girls train to win, and its not right to put them in there and tell them to air-ball the shots, or to stand there filing their nails while the other team took a shot. If they had stood there and just watched the other team take shots, that would have been dishonorable, and disrespectful of their opponents. There's nothing dishonorable about scoring or blocking, two things which are part of playing the game.

Whoever set this game up is to blame.

Umm, actually, there are times in life when you DO call off the dogs. Full court press scores 25 points in 3 minutes? That's a basket every 15 seconds! By the way, there are 8 minutes per high school quarter. To score 29 points in the 3rd quarter with only one 3-pointer, means players scored every 35 seconds. They weren't stalling. They weren't even passing. They were scoring at will.

[kylejack]

Umm, actually, there are times in life when you DO call off the dogs. Full court press scores 25 points in 3 minutes? That's a basket every 15 seconds! By the way, there are 8 minutes per high school quarter. To score 29 points in the 3rd quarter with only one 3-pointer, means players scored every 35 seconds. They weren't stalling. They weren't even passing. They were scoring at will.

Even still, 24 second shot clock, and the other team wasn't scoring at all. Other team puts up a shot, misses, ball gets taken back down the court, 24 second shot clock, shoot and score.

Besides, he did call off the dogs. He put in the three second-string he had available and changed up the defense. Not much more he can do except tell them to miss shots, which would be silly. The other coach said his girls took 7 shots. If they can't score even 1 out of 7 times, more shots is not going to do much except embarrass them, especially if the girls who are supposed to be defending them are just standing there with their arms at their side.

You can't take a team that's been trained to be competitive and expect them to know how to play poorly without making it look like they're going easy on the other team. Furthermore, high school athletics is not just about feel-good. Some of these girls might want to go on to college programs, and there's no telling if a scout has slipped into the stands. Its not the best time to be intentionally bricking shots and standing around instead of defending.

If the other team was really so inadequate, the organizers never should have arranged it.

[RedScare]

Umm, no 24 second shot in high school ball. I have played and coached basketball. There is really no way to score 100 in a 32 minute game without aggressive play. I have no qualms with running up the score in pro ball (where you seem to be getting all the rules you are spouting), but in prep school ball, sportsmanship comes into play. I don't fault the girls. I fault the coach. Coaches who cannot grasp the concept of sportsmanship should coach in a different league.

I'm quite sure the girls will get over it. I've been on both the winning and losing end of blowouts, and I am not damaged goods. But, I also remember clearly how the team that scored 81 on us did it. Full court press and pressure defense, and loads of fast break layups. The coach is engaging in revisionist history here.

[Jeebus]

There is a big difference between showing mercy and showing pity.

Showing mercy would be setting up a passing game, with only outside shots to keep the score down. Asking the players to purposely mess up would be a poor attempt at showing pity.

Red, thank you for bringing more high school rules to light that help expose this coach.

Don't fault the organizers. Otherwise Dallas Academy would have no one to play.

[kylejack]

But, I also remember clearly how the team that scored 81 on us did it. Full court press and pressure defense, and loads of fast break layups.

How dishonorable of them. How shameful. I mean to think, a fast break layup.

[RedScare]

How dishonorable of them. How shameful. I mean to think, a fast break layup.

Think what you like, but that team was running up the score on purpose. They never made lame excuses that they were trying to hold down the score, like your hero did. And, as the 2nd best team in our Catholic league, we were not about to cry foul, either. They were out to make a point, they made it, and we took our lumps. And, they beat our butts twice more, though in the championship game, we held them to 50 by taking the air out of the ball.

By way of contrast, this coach claims it was an unavoidable accident against a team in his league that has not won a game in 4 years. And, even though I pointed out that they scored that 100 points in HALF the time that you thought they did, you still claim it was reasonable.

This coach should stick to little league baseball, where unsportsmanlike conduct is appreciated.

[kylejack]

This coach should stick to little league baseball, where unsportsmanlike conduct is appreciated.

There was nothing unsportsmanlike about the conduct. Scoring a point, blocking a shot, there's nothing unsportsmanlike about that. Unsportsmanlike is throwing elbows, cheating, trash-talking. Sounds to me like the losing coach needs to work on some skills training.

[RedScare]

There was nothing unsportsmanlike about the conduct. Scoring a point, blocking a shot, there's nothing unsportsmanlike about that. Unsportsmanlike is throwing elbows, cheating, trash-talking. Sounds to me like the losing coach needs to work on some skills training.

There was a time when it was considered unsportsmanlike to continue viciously beating an opponent once the outcome was no longer in doubt. That you no longer think it is speaks to the world we now live in.

And, again, I do not blame the girls for doing what their coach told them to do.

[Jeebus]

There was nothing unsportsmanlike about the conduct. Scoring a point, blocking a shot, there's nothing unsportsmanlike about that. Unsportsmanlike is throwing elbows, cheating, trash-talking. Sounds to me like the losing coach needs to work on some skills training.

Yes, you're right. The coach needs to teach these kids with learning abilities that any disability no matter physical or mental should be no excuse to perform at the next level.

[memebag]

From the Dallas Academy site:

Dallas Academy is proud to offer a wide range of competitive high school sports as a member of Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS). The school is class 2A in football (six man) and 3A in all other sports. Besides football, Dallas Academy has competed in: baseball, basketball (including boys varsity, girls varsity and JV boys), cross country, golf, soccer (co-ed), softball, tennis, and volleyball (girls only). Occasionally, the low level of interest and participation from students prevents a team from being fielded in a particular sport for a specific year. The many banners around the gymnasium indicate the competitiveness of the programs. Individual athletic honors are also achieved and are highlighted (for more recent years) on the Student Achievements page.

I see "competitive", "competed" and "competitiveness" in there as selling points for the Dallas Academy athletics program. There are three other pages on their site that promise competitive sports.

How can they deliver on that promise if their opponents don't compete with them?

[BryanS]

He put in his second string, he says. When a team starts running away with a win... most coaches put in their second strings to A.) give them a chance to play and B.) make the game a little more competitive. So if you put your bench warmers in the game... and they beat the fire out of the other team... what could you do? You've met your obligation to at least try to be fair.

In my years playing sports... never, ever has any coach of mine said: ease up! don't score! fumble the ball! fumble! You don't go to football/basketball practice, where getting the snot knocked out of you really does happen... and then, come game time, play like losers.

[TJones]

. Just go take a look at the two sites and decide for yourself if it was wrong that he was fired. I don't think so.

I think it was totally inappropriate to fire him. We teach our kids to "Do your best!" "Be a winner." everyday. All they did was chunk up 3s the whole last quarter, they weren't even going to the hole to make an easier basket.. The stars had apparently just aligned right for that team to do 100 points. They weren't even playing real defense against the other girls, they just couldn't make a shot. The other coach should have saved his team a little embarrassment and said, you know what, enough is enough, we forfeit. It is ok to forfeit, especially when so obviously overmatched.

[RedScare]

In my years playing sports... never, ever has any coach of mine said: ease up! don't score! fumble the ball! fumble! You don't go to football/basketball practice, where getting the snot knocked out of you really does happen... and then, come game time, play like losers.

Ha! I have. When I was 8 years old, we beat another team 56-0 in little league baseball in 7 innings. Our own parents were rooting against us, and cheering when we made an out. Even at 8 years old, we understood the difference between a competitive victory and stomping an opponent in the dirt. We did not celebrate after that game.

[TJones]

Ha! I have. When I was 8 years old, we beat another team 56-0 in little league baseball in 7 innings. Our own parents were rooting against us, and cheering when we made an out. Even at 8 years old, we understood the difference between a competitive victory and stomping an opponent in the dirt. We did not celebrate after that game.

Your own parents "Boo'd" you? That explains Soooooo much.

Hey Red, I found a pic of the team I think you guys beat.

[kylejack]

Yes, you're right. The coach needs to teach these kids with learning abilities that any disability no matter physical or mental should be no excuse to perform at the next level.

The girls have all kinds of disabilities, including dyslexia (something which would not inhibit athletic ability) and etc.

I've already said that the organizers are to blame. If the girls were truly disabled to the point where they couldn't score a single shot, the organizers should not have made this pairing.

Ha! I have. When I was 8 years old, we beat another team 56-0 in little league baseball in 7 innings. Our own parents were rooting against us, and cheering when we made an out. Even at 8 years old, we understood the difference between a competitive victory and stomping an opponent in the dirt. We did not celebrate after that game.

You went 56-0 in a baseball game? How shameful. How dishonorable. How unsportsmanlike.

[RedScare]

Your own parents "Boo'd" you? That explains Soooooo much.

Hey Red, I found a pic of the team I think you guys beat.

They didn't Boo us, but they cheered the other team, which by definition, meant cheering when we made an out.

It was so traumatic!

[TJones]

The girls have all kinds of disabilities, including dyslexia (something which would not inhibit athletic ability) and etc.

I've already said that the organizers are to blame. If the girls were truly disabled to the point where they couldn't score a single shot, the organizers should not have made this pairing.

You went 56-0 in a baseball game? How shameful. How dishonorable. How unsportsmanlike.

Well, you know, with dyslexia, maybe the girls thought the team with the lowest score wins ?