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It may only be Feb. 5, but it is never too early to start talking about sub-state basketball.

For both the Louisburg boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, a state tournament berth is a definite possibility, but for different reasons.

The girls face probably one of the toughest, if not the toughest, sub-state in Class 4A at Ottawa. Not only do the Wildcats have 14-0 Paola atop the rankings right now, but they also must contend with Ottawa (who they have lost to already) and Fort Scott which also already has 10 wins.

The Wildcats sit with an 11-2 record right now and head into a big game with Eudora on Friday night. Depending on how the rest of the season goes, they could be seeded anywhere from No. 2 to No. 4. They have an outside shot at a No. 1 seed, but Paola would have to stumble twice, including their head-to-head matchup Feb. 20.

For the boys, their sub-state is wide open and the Wildcats currently have the No. 2 seed with a 7-6 record on the season, just one game back of Ottawa’s 8-5 mark. Fort Scott, Paola and even Osawatomie have a shot if a team plays well enough on a given night.

Ottawa’s current record would land it probably a No. 3 or 4 seed in most sub-states, but this one is weaker than normal. Of course, the sub-state is at Ottawa, so that probably gives the Cyclones the advantage, but the Wildcats are starting to come together and could make some noise as well.

Who knows what will happen? Any ideas?

Oh, on a side note, check this excerpt from Becky Tanner at the Wichita Eagle. What a coach wouldn’t do to gain an advantage. Wow!

After the St. John High School boys team had won the state basketball championship two years ago and was runner-up last year, the team went just 7-6 through last week.

So the coach tried something different: hypnotism.

Most team members underwent two 45-minute sessions last week to increase their concentration and focus. It’s not clear what happened during the sessions; the therapist who led them wouldn’t say, and the coach did not return phone calls.

Monday night, the school board voted to stop the sessions.

“It won’t be going on any more at school,” said superintendent James Kenworthy. “If parents want their child to do that, they can contact the licensed therapist on their own.”

Hypnotizing students perhaps sends the wrong message to students and surrounding schools, said Kenworthy, who has requested a transcript of the sessions.

“At the high school level, it’s not appropriate. We are trying to get kids to understand who they are and what they are. It may give kids a mixed message if you can’t do it on your own.”

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