Have we seen the end of dominant teams?
Southeast Missouri basketball teams are taking a cue from college football.
For every step forward, there's a step back. For every thrilling win against a top-ranked teams, there's a loss that raises an eyebrow.
Take a look at any of the top teams in our latest Top 25 poll — or for that matter, any team in the Top 25 — and you wonder who will and won't be left standing at the end of the season. The past college football season was one of the most up-and-down rollercoaster rides in history (lest we forget South Florida, California and Boston College each took turns at No. 2 in the polls last season), and Southeast Missouri basketball is on the same path toward an anything-goes finish.
Sikeston is the latest team to step forward and show (possibly) the most staying power after wins over Charleston and Fredericktown, but those are teams that have shown their own soft spots along the way. There was a time when a win over Charleston, Jackson, Scott County Central and Notre Dame had the power to make or break a team's season. But has the mystique worn off?
More than a decade ago we watched teams coached by Ronnie Cookson, Lennies McFerren and Steve Burk all push winning streaks well into the double digits. Their teams generated excitement, their fans flocked to sold-out tournament games at the Show Me Center, and they turned gyms in Morley, Charleston and Jackson into arenas where fans crossed their fingers and hoped just to get in the door.
Watching the region's traditional powerhouse teams face uncertainty with every game makes the sport exciting, but it begs the question: Have we seen the last of the true powerhouse teams in our region?
2 comments:
An end? I don't think so. The traditional powerhouse programs have not always been on top; they have down years, too. Case in point: SCC was down for several years but are now bringing the program back to its powerhouse status. Charleston is down a little this year as compared to the last 5 or 6 but in a few years, they will be back on top, as well, when the jr high team becomes varsity level.
So, just because there is more parity this season does not mean that the era of powerhouse teams has ended.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Scott Central win out all the way to the state championship game if they can get by Charleston on Friday night. That would leave them with a mere 2 losses on the season. And, they could be a powerhouse team for the next few years with the up and coming talent.
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