Predictions to win Division 3 Districts??!!!

[UNC_23]

What're your predictions for the teams to be winning districts this year??!

[UNC_23]

It's tough to say who will win it when the season hasn't even started yet, but as of right now there are a couple of teams that may stand out...A team that is more than usually always there is Ironton...They will be a tough competitor this year with the transfer of Lamb....Also, North Adams will be looking very good this year...I got a chance to watch them play a couples times over the summer and they looked pretty good to me...

[theassassin]

how many teams go out this year?
ironton, na and piketon should be good. maaybe throw alex into the mix. portsmouth could make some noise also

[TAR HEEL FAN44]

Wheelersburg, Oak Hill, and Peebles...Alot of good teams out there. But you have to play the season, because you never know what could happen. You have some teams alot of people would pick last and then get on a good run and surprise alot of people.

[theassassin]

did oak hill move back to diii this year?

[Brick Tamlin]

I thought Oak Hill was D4?

[Eaglesnest]

Oak Hill is D4

As for D3, very tough year come tournament time.

Ironton, Portsmouth, North Adams, Minford, Burg just to name a few locals with the potential to make alot of noise...

[UNC_23]

Yes, Portsmouth will be very good this year...Returning all their starters....Could be a good year for them...But who knows...Colud have a cinderella team this year??! .....I did get to watch them play over the summer...They did look pretty good to be...They got some nice bigs down low...and quick guards...I had the chance to make it up to Portsmouth over the summer when they were having a shootout and they played North Adams...It was a very good game but i think NA won by about 5 or so...Portsmouth had everybody there...and NA was without that Rothwelll boy???

[trojandave]

North Adams will be very good this year...most likely SHL Champions......Kraig Unger could very well be the SHL Player of the Year, maybe even the District POY.........as far as my Portsmouth Trojans go, we should be very good.........but we need to commit ourselves to defense more.......that is why NA beat us during the summer.......talent wise, I don't think there's a more talented starting 5 in SE D3, but we have to prove ourselves on the court......talent on paper is just that.....I do know this, we have had 6 straight losing seasons at Portsmouth, but this year we are really excited about this group of kids.......there's a lot of people in town looking forward to seeing our Trojans have a good team again..........

I think Portsmouth scrimmages North Adams in November..........

If we commit ourselves on the defensive end, there's not one D3 team that Portsmouth can't beat.

[roundingthird]

Piketon will be tough this year.

[trojandave]

As far as other teams besides North Adams and Portsmouth, I think Fairland will be good with 3 starters returning, including Cole Hatfield, Ironton has 3 starters back with the addition of Michael Lamb in the middle and Malcolm Morrison at the point, Piketon has a number of returnees, including point guard Evan Legg, and should be a strong contender for the SVC crown. Although Wheelersburg lost a lot from last year(8 seniors), they are the Burg and will have a competitive team......sophomore Andy Stegman should have a big year for WHS.

The D3 tourney at Athens is always very competitive, and it should be no different this year.

[Ironman92]

I don't think the SHL has a POY.

Peebles will be tough....Lawhorn is keeping them very quiet......

[UNC_23]

Peebles has a lot of talent....One thing they should work on would be their defense...they don't hustle after many loose balls and they don't crash the boards very hard...Their bigs need to develop a little more if they won't to be district contenders.....I look for Portsmouth to be a team to watch...They lost a tough one last year to Zane Trace but I think it should be a different outcome this time around...One team I like going to the convo and watching is Ironton...I like the way they push the ball and get it up and down the court...And giving them a bigger body this year, with the transfer of Lamb, that will help on both ends of the court....So i plan on watching them this year....One last team i have my eye on are the Green Devils of North Adams....i get the chance to watch them every year they come up to the convo...It seems like they make it there quite a lot!...I do believe they only graduated one senior that got a significance amount of playing time..So i believe they should very well be a district contender...Unger is a tremendous player and has good court vision and looks to get everyone envolved...and also has the capability of getting it done himself..He is a VERY well rounded player...GOOD ATHLETE....And from my understanding, the rothwell boy is playing??

[Ironman92]

Last I heard from a good source was that he is playing.

Let's recall how well Peebles stayed with Ironton last year in the districts. They missed a mess of open shots they hit often during the season. Seems like they lost their legs a bit in the 2nd half....but Lawhorn will be trying to score a great deal and those kids will be in shape for sure.


They have a few great players and the Justice kid seems like one of those players that can seemingly will his team to a victory.

[peeblesbuck]

Ironman 92

You are absolutely right and Lawhorn is keeping things very quiet around Indian Country in Peebles. The boys had a great summer. Coach Lawhorn doesn't believe in going to team camps and shoot-outs and wants to use his time in getting practice in.

You are also correct in the statement about the Indians wanting to run this year and having their legs in shape. They will be in as good of shape or better than any team they play.

They will have to be better defensively this year and on the boards as was mentioned. I definitely think they will be much stronger in those areas this year and one reason is just the fact that they are all a year older physically and mentally and they did not lose any of their top 8 players from last year.

Team chemistry will be important this year on this team and if these kids and parents understand the role they need to play then this team will be very good. I think Coach Lawhorn will have this area very much under control.

It sounds like some of the top contenders for this year's District Championships are: Portsmouth (especially with the new kid and all their returnees), North Adams (if the Rothwell kid is out and performs well), Piketon, Ironton, and Peebles. Fairland would be right on the cusp of this list as well as Wheelersburg. You can't count out the Burg at that time of the year. Even though they are young and have some kids out injured this year, Coach Barrick is one of the best coaches around and will have those kids playing good basketball at tourney time.

[EasternDspy]

Garaway and Fort Frye are my favorites out of the east.

[trojandave]

I remember watching Peebles vs. Ironton last year, and the Indians gave the Fighting Tigers a good game until IHS pulled away in the 4th quarter. Peebles and Portsmouth are two teams that need to step up their defense......both teams have enough offense to carry them a good distance in the tournament.

[olay135]

North Adams will be awesome this year. Craig Unger can put up like 30 a game easy.