Beal,Bouchard and Worster All End Their Seasons With a Loss And Players Should Not Have to Foul Out

After having great individual and team regular seasons, the three highest scorers in Eastern Maine this season all ended their seasons with loses.

Tough way for Beal and Worster as they are seniors while Bouchard lives another season.

Of the three only Beal had an outstanding performance in a loss.

He had 38 points in JB loss to upstart Easton.

Bouchard had only 10 points on 2 for 8 shots from the floor. This was not his fault as he only got 8 shots and they were guarding him with a 6’1″ defender. Houlton did not post Bouchard up at all.

Your best player has got to get off more than 8 field goal attempts if you expect to win.

Worster was saddled with foul trouble, but after missing a layup in the open court in the fourth period he immddiately fouled in frustration and that was his 4th foul and a few seconds later fouled out on a foul called along the baseline. He fouled out with 4 minutes to go in regulation. He sat quite a few minutes in the first half because of foul trouble and of course did not play in the ovetime and he managed only 11 points.

So between Eastons strategy of holding the ball, Bouchard not getting enough shots off against Penquis and Worster being in foul trouble it did not end well for these three outstanding scorers.

Again, how many tournament games over the years have been decided by who is playing or not playing because of foul trouble, poor coaching startegy or good coaching strategy?????????????

Playing in one and done, lose and go home games is alot different then playing in regular season games. Outstanding players carry big targets on their backs and are expected to carry their teams in win or go home situations.

We have to remember that these are only 15, 16 or 17 year old student athletes and they need help to lead their team to a championship. Help by good officiaitng, good coaching and good team play.

I have always maintained that players should not foul out, but instead coaches should have the right to keep the player in the game after his/her 5th foul so long as the coach knows that the 5th foul and any foul after the 5th results in the opponents getting 2 shots and the ball at the spot of the foul on each and every foul after 5.

If the coach takes the player put on the 5th foul there is no 2 and the ball penalty.

This means that the coach has to decide if the player is needed that much, that the coach wants or can risk the penalty of 2 and the ball.

Also, strategy comes into play. Does the coasch keep him in the game, take him out and then put him back in to avoid the 5th foul penalty, does the coach go zone to protect the player with 5or 5 plus fouls?

Does the opponents try to go right at the player with the foul penalty in effect?

The old CBA (Continental Basketball Association used this rule on the 6th foul for years and it worked out very well.

Games should not be decioded by who is playing or not playing because of foul trouble.

No other sport eliminates players for too many fouls. In football you can hold 20 times in a game and be penalozed for each hold and the only way you cannot play is if your coach decides to take you out. So 20 holds in football no penalty of being tremoved from the game and a basketball player holds 5 times in basketball and is disqualified.

I would like to see Maine try this CBA Rule in High school Basketball.