Setting a state scoring record in high school basketball can be fun, if the other team is relatively competitive. But Houston’s Yates High School is taking some heat at this hour for its 170-35 win over Lee High School on Tuesday night; a game which included a fight, and featured Yates continuing to press the whole way, albeit with second- and third-stringers toward the end. The halftime score? That would be 100-12. Both the final and halftime results were single-game state scoring records.
So, is the Yates coach wracked with remorse? Nope. He’s defending his team’s Little Bighornesque victory.
From the Houston Chronicle:
In the third quarter, a fight erupted after an intentional foul was called on a Lee player. After breaking up the fight, the referees told both coaches they would have to play just five players the remainder of the game. The other players for both teams spent the rest of the second half sitting in the stands.
“I feel very disrespected right now,” Lee coach Jacques Armant said. “I don’t understand why Yates just kept scoring and pressing when they were up so much. These are kids. It isn’t good to do that to other young men.”
Well, I would tend to agree. At what point does it stop being a high school basketball game, and starting being a mugging? Well, they stole the ball again … and hey! My underwear’s missing!
Last season, the Lions went 34-1 on the way to winning the Class 4A state championship. The one loss was a 78-76 decision to Elsik in the Houston Independent School District Tournament. That night, coach Greg Wise said he let his kids down by telling them to put on the brakes.
According to a commenter, Yates was up by nine in that game when they “put on the brakes.” What? Who lets up in a three-possession game? Dummkopf.
“We practice running, pressing, trapping every day,” he said. “If we get to a game and I tell them not to do what we do in practice, I am not coaching well. I am not leaving my starters in the whole game. We have 15 guys, and all 15 play.”
Wise said he shouldn’t have to tell his “third line” they can’t go out and score.
“They work really hard in practice, and when they go in, they deserve the chance to play hard and compete, too,” Wise said. “We are looking for another state championship, and we can’t get that unless we are continuing to get better and perfect our game. We aren’t scoring on other teams out of disrespect.”
Wise also possibly disagrees with the kneel-down play in football, and the concept of taking prisoners in war.
***
Yates sets Texas scoring record in 170-35 win [Houston Chronicle]
-
- Tim - Jan 7, 2010 at 2:24 PM
-
If you have ever seen Yates play you know that he play’s 15 kids because off the style of ball. Those last 5 or 3rd string are as good or better than many other varsity teams around the state. That is what makes this so egregious those kids can still flat out play his top 15 are better than the top 1-5 at many schools. Playing his 3rd string doesn’t bail this team out. This is terrible and if a coach was made to resign after winning 100-0 up here in Dallas how is this any different. Listen to the words of the District chair and principals, nothing will happen because they want to protect their golden goose. At this level of High School sports, this is acceptable, at the level all the rest of us coach and play at this would cost us our jobs and more importantly our reputations.
-
- Devil's Advocate - Jan 7, 2010 at 3:18 PM
-
Bill, you did read what this coach said, correct? As a coach yourself, you should know better than most that you coach your whole team, from the best player to the worst, to play the same. I am in total agreement that he should tell his third-stringers to play as fiercely and as competitively as if they were the first-string squad in a championship game! That’s what you teach these youngsters, to win! Whose fault is it that the other team couldn’t hang? Not the winning team’s fault. Not the winning coach’s fault. If anything, the fault should be put on the losing team for not playing harder. Look, if these teams were so mismatched, they would probably be playing in different divisions. But they were scheduled to play each other for a reason, and that reason is that they were obviously close together as far as talent goes. I mean, you surely wouldn’t pit the LA Lakers against the Holy Sisters of the Poor, right? No high school athletic programs would allow that kind of mismatch to begin with.
Besides, what if the winning team were to just stand aside and allow layup after layup by the other team, just to make the score a little tighter. That wouldn’t be right, either. And, I’m quite sure the losing team’s coach would beg the other team to not make it look like they were handing the game to them. As a player, you either play all out, or you don’t play…..it’s that simple!
-
- Paul - Jan 7, 2010 at 4:45 PM
-
As the losing coach I would have instructed my players once we were down by 50 to foul the opposing players each time they got the ball forcing them to the line and to the point of causing each of my players to foul out.
-
- Ben - Jan 7, 2010 at 4:53 PM
-
I can’t believe the majority of people blogging here are in support of this. Sports is not just about winning. **** it, sports are a waste of time anyways. Athleticism doesn’t teach you anything. It keeps you in shape. “It teaches team-building” you say? Yeah so does a good education in which team projects are put together (this happens on every level of education) and in a job. Sports are a ****** waste, and whole lot of you are pathetic jocks that wish they were still in high school. Get a life.
You know what would really teach these kids something? Go read a book. Go act in the school play. Go learn to play an instrument. Go learn to better yourself in any respectable way. Beating up on some poor kids who clearly aren’t nearly as athletic as you just teaches them that it’s okay in society to “be the best you can be” when being your “best” only demeans everyone else around you.
You probably are all also conservatives, in love with the Bush family, love hunting and fishing, think every gun you buy should come with a free bottle of booze and spent the best days of your life playing football in high school. ******* pathetic. You’re the problem with society. You’ve ruined our country. Go **** yourselves.
-
- Mykster - Jan 7, 2010 at 4:54 PM
-
I find it strange how people defend the feelings of the players on the losing team, but not those of the 3rd stringers on the winning team. In a close game they probably get next to no playing time, so when they get a chance to get some extended time, it’s likely to be a game they are well ahead in. And then they should never show their abilities to press for 2nd/1st string by playing hard???? Sports are competitive, and sadly not for everyone. Or rather, everyone needs to find their own level – and some of these boys may just not be High School standard.
If score doesn’t matter, why do they keep it?
-
- Baller - Jan 7, 2010 at 5:42 PM
-
Are you people really that retarded? They weren’t going for the win. They were going for two things: a state record and total humiliation of the other team. This is classless coaching. I’m going to put it in all caps for you: “YATES RAN A FULL COURT PRESS THE ENTIRE GAME”. For those of you who are not familiar with Jack Yates High School, they are high school basketball’s 500lb gorilla. Their third string can beat 90% of this nations schools. The full court press used after the 100-12 half-time score was just taking a piss on someone you’ve already knocked out. If I’m reading my local Houston paper correctly, there were still 1st stringers in during the 3rd and 4th quarters. Also, you can tell that Wise had no real answer when he responded with having let down his team last season by putting on the brakes with a 9 point lead against Elsik, a much higher caliber team than Lee. This is bad sportsmanship by the coach, period. No one should blame the players, just Wise. There was a reason a melee broke out during the game and it stems from the lack of respect given to the much weaker team. Once you start making sports only about winning, then comes the cheating, maligning and violence. Then everyone loses. Yates Ballers, please bring the State Championship back to Houston but do it with class, respect, honor and dignity. Those qualities will bring you more in life than the trophy.
-
- baller - Jan 7, 2010 at 6:00 PM
-
Asten,
Why didn’t we just drop another 10 A-bombs on Japan then, if we’re going to go by your example? Use better analogies and some decent grammar, Dolt!
-
- 0bama - Jan 7, 2010 at 6:09 PM
-
I’m just going to go out on a limb and predict that LEE is a black school. Correct me if I’m wrong.
-
- Baller - Jan 7, 2010 at 6:16 PM
-
Nate,
Competitive Drama….Really. You’re bored aren’t you? I’m A-okay with the drama thing (my daughter are into it big time)but that doesn’t really apply here. A contest that is determined through judges scores vs. a contest that is proven point by point for a set time limit are two completely different animals. I don’t see how a blowout in a drama competition and a basketball game compare.
-
- Ken - Jan 8, 2010 at 2:33 PM
-
An oppertunity to show a bit of sportsmanship was lost here. Yates could have played just as hard when Lee crossed hal court point. The Lee coach lacks and showed no class on his part.
-
- jj - Jan 11, 2010 at 7:07 PM
-
everyoen thats complainin bout the coach runnin up the score is just mad cuz lee got woopped… lee is obviously garbage if they lose by over 100 points, even in hs… thats just sorry.. the coac hhad his third line in and they played hard, lee played hard, lee stilll got destroyed, sad. You practice how u want to play.
-
- Spacey - Jan 13, 2010 at 6:19 AM
-
You sound like a loser coach.The sportsmanship was all there if you are looking at it correctly.He placed in the third string players and all.The other team coach could have quit if he wanted to save the embarrasment.What message was he sending to his players.No one seems to be thinking about that.
-
- Gator Marco - Jan 14, 2010 at 4:39 PM
-
There are plenty of ways to work your second and third teamers hard, without running up the score.
The Yates coach taught his players nothing by overwhelming an inferior opponent. Unless avery kid on the Yates team is a young Kobe Bryant, they will eventually run into someone bigger, faster, better. Will they have learned how to handle themselves on the losing end? Obviously not.
-
- Charles Darwin - Jan 15, 2010 at 5:25 PM
-
I’m amazed that there are so many defenders of the winning coach’s behavior. Obviously we’re not evolving very rapidly.
-
- Dan - Jan 15, 2010 at 9:04 PM
-
Can’t believe there are so many losers on here. Any respectable coach would be ashamed. You see this in college and even at the professional level. You just don’t run it up. The killer is running the press the whole time. Why do you think you always see teams killing the clock when you get that far ahead? What a loser coach and program he runs.
-
- Chris B - Jan 18, 2010 at 4:02 PM
-
I’m shocked that anyone would defent this coach. I’ve been on both sides of this issue as a parent – seeing my son’s team get destroyed by a coach who wouldn’t let up, and seeing my son’s team win easily with their starters benched and their 3rd five playing only half court defense – NO PRESSING.
The result of routs where the winning team keeps the noose tight is always bad emotions that cause rough play that can easily lead to fights and injuries. When a coach has his players play hard but pulls off the press and trapping, the resulting play is still high effort basketball.
When one team doesn’t let up even though they are routing their opponent the risk of someone getting hurt is significantly increased. IMO this coach is cultivating an environment that is creating greater opportunity for harm.
I’m sure Yates 3rd five gets plenty of quality work in practice guarding their 1st five. What Yates coach did was disrepectful at the least…negligent at the most.
-
- Marchelle - Jan 21, 2010 at 11:01 AM
-
In our society today no one should be that aggressive or mindless of people feelings. These are kids for God sake treat them as such. I can not belive that coach honestly thinks that what he did was okay. These kids had to go before their peers with their heads hung down. What was he thinking? What if it was his son on the team; would it be acceptable? Now coach think to yourself how many of those KIDS did you discourage not to even try to pursue their dreams. How much of their confidence did you take away? IT IS JUST A GAME NO ONE IS GETTING PAID. ONLY THE PROFESSIONALS! THIS WAS SOMETHING THE KIDS WHERE PROUD OF BEING A PART OF. PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE WHY SO MANY OF OUR YOUTH TURN TO THE STREETS AND COMMITT CRIMES.
-
- Marchelle - Jan 21, 2010 at 11:12 AM
-
In our society today no one should be that aggressive or mindless of people feelings. These are kids for God sake treat them as such. I can not belive that coach honestly thinks that what he did was okay. These kids had to go before their peers with their heads hung down. What was he thinking? What if it was his son on the team; would it be acceptable? Now coach think to yourself how many of those KIDS did you discourage not to even try to pursue their dreams. How much of their confidence did you take away? IT IS JUST A GAME NO ONE IS GETTING PAID. ONLY THE PROFESSIONALS! THIS WAS SOMETHING THE KIDS WHERE PROUD OF BEING A PART OF. PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE WHY SO MANY OF OUR YOUTH TURN TO THE STREETS AND COMMITT CRIMES. People you cannot not be that simple not to know that this man wants another state championship. Therefor he is only going to have the best on that team. Playing his third string was like playing his starters.
-
- USAretired - Jan 23, 2010 at 11:52 PM
-
I don’t watch, play, or like sports. I have no problem with what the coach did. I think the problem with so many of the babified slacker young adults today, is attitudes like the ones I have seen in this thread. Blaming the winning team for playing their best? If the losing team didn’t want to have any more points scored on them, then they should either play harder or forfeit.
-
- JJL80922 - Jan 25, 2010 at 12:24 AM
-
My beef is with the officials. They should have grabbed both coaches at half time and said enough is enough. It’s a high school game, not a pro game.
The only time you are disrespected is when you allow yourself to be disrespected. The losing coach should have pulled his team at half time and packed it in. He allowed his players to be abused for another half.
We have twisted sports in this country. The point of almost every sport is to be the fastest or to score the most points possible. Either we have lost our competitive edge or some people, in the sporting world, are looking to hard at the over/under and not on the actual game.
Oh, and if your boss walked up to you and said they were doubling your salary, not a soul on this board would say, “Oh No Boss, I am making WAY too much money. Take some back.” You would have to be an idiot or a Saint, and there are only a few Saints in the world today.
And if you are one of these self-flagellating simps on this board, I suggest you check out wretched excess areas like Dubai, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Monaco, France and China, before you start heaping tons of abuse on America for being greedy and overly officious with it’s money.
-
- carlos - Jan 26, 2010 at 3:42 PM
-
couldn’t have said it better. but trying to convince these knuckle heads any different will never happen. just be glad you’re not married or have to live with them.
-
- Kelvin - Jan 26, 2010 at 3:44 PM
-
First of all, I work at Yates and a proud alumni. Second, if a child that is far down on the bench, who work just as hard in practice and have the same abilities as the starters, when the coach puts them in they want to shine like the starters. They are trying to be seen by scouts as well. When I played football at JY, we averaged 63pts a game, did you see anyone complain….? We were winning 56-0, 63-7, 76-0, etc. did anyone from the other team complained….? I helped out with baseball last year and we called a game in the 2nd inning cause we were losing 26-0…….did anyone complained……? MAN UP MAAAAANNNNNN!!!!!! you have to take the bad with the good, suck it up, evaluate what went wrong, correct it at practice, and move on to the next game….
-
- Pat - Jan 26, 2010 at 4:19 PM
-
The only sporting event that I know that has a “mercy rule” is Little League baseball. It’s like the the bumber stickers you see that came out after the one’s that recognize honor students for simply attending school.
-
- Pat - Jan 26, 2010 at 4:39 PM
-
Unfortunately this tactic doesn’t work well in lopsided matches. A team must field at least 7 players or forfeit the match. I’ve refereed several matches that when the winning team was down to the minimum 7 players they continued to score. The only remedy is to have the team play keep away and practice their passing skills.
-
- john - Jan 27, 2010 at 5:51 PM
-
I noticed you brought up the mentally handicapped team that got blown out by over a 100 pts recently. I bet you thought that was okay too. While I sometimes worry that our kids are not competitive enough these days, I would rather have a kid with a little compassion for his fellow man than a egotistical bully anydays. In all likelihood, none of the players on the wiinning team will make the pros. The rest are going to learn a very different life lesson after they leave high school.
