... Portsmouth ? #1? ... not sure you can put the Trojans of Coach Collins anywhere BUT #1 to start the season - returning 5 of there top 7 players from a final four team? don't even go there - they're #1 to start the season, the top spot is theirs to keep or lose ...
Dion McKinley,Wayne Evans, Mason Jordan, Zaide Whitley, Seth Batchett seniors who have been to the SHOW and want to go back ... the BIG question mark for Portsmouth will be whether they have anyone who can handle the ball under pressure, anyone who can push the ball in transition, anyone who can put the ball in the hands of Mckinley,Evans where they can get get it done offensively ... is that person to be Whitley? started the season last year injured, this go around he will be healthy ... the potential is there ... time will tell if all the pieces are there for another post season run ...
... Chillicothe ? #2? could have gone either way with Chesapeake BUT I looked at the "potential" of
Zach Johnson and the "potential" inside domination of now senior
Malik London ... obviously 2 players do not a TEAM make HOWEVER when one of the players is 6-8, athletic, "potentially" dominant on the inside at BOTH ends of the floor ... I think it was a good preseason spot for the Coach Kelloughs boyz ... the cast of characters MUST be developed BUT with Johnson and London time is on the Cavs side ...
... Chesapeake ? #3? again could have very easily been in the 2 spot ... Coach Davis has another outstanding lineup ...
Austin McMaster - might be the POY Below the Line this season => yeah, he's that good at both ends of the floor, inside/outside, offense/defense AND at 6-5 or 6-6 a wingspan that makes him play even bigger ... I look for
Javon Thompson to step up offensively for the 'peake along with senior PG
Patrick Hentz ... Hentz will handle/distribute the ball AND be in double figures offensively ... Coach Davis needs quality minutes from
Eric Kennedy/Brandon Noble/Nate Jones and some of the other juniors (Walters/Lindsey/Duttfield) ... the Panthers will be looking to move up not down all season ...
... Logan Elm? #4? hey I have that much respect for Coach Stiverson and his staff AND the Braves play DEFENSE!!! the Stiverson defensive RULE of holding an opponent to less than 50 points means something , this is engrained in the Red/White players at all levels, the "bump and slide" man to man D ... I don't even have to name names because it doesn't matter who is on the floor - they WILL play D or they won't play ... I look for more offensive production this season for LE , last season the Braves played the D BUT had a tough time coming up with their own 50+ ppg at the offensive end of the floor ... B
lake Riffle/Eli Pritchard/Anthony Vagnier will have to be the nucleus for the Braves ... looking forward to seeing some of the youngsters step up, fill the shoes of Braves past ... will get to see LE in action vs my Purple in a scrimmage format in a week or so, we'll see first hand how the offense looks for the Braves ...
... Ironton? #5? ... Coach LaFon plays everyone who dresses, the managers and even some guys out of the first row in the stands <so it seems anyway> ... okay he plays a lot of bodies ... the Tigers I'm sure will be playing a schedule heavy with "foreign" teams from across the river ... look for IHS to be led by Mr. Intensity
Zac Carter at PG and Trey Fletcher in the paint , both OUTSTANDING and BOTH only juniors <he types shaking his head> wow ... add to that pair more of that outstanding junior class talent -
Nick Culbertson, Trevor White and Senior (lone senior!!!) Nolan Johnson ... the Tigers have the goods for sure to move UP the Elite 8 rankings with pressure on the ball defense, an offense which looks to make you pay for every mistake scoring out of transition ... this season the Tigers MIGHT just be able to play in the half court as well with the Carter/Fletcher combination ... the "potential" is there ...
... Eastern Brown? #6? ... it's all about "potential" again BESIDES EB has THE tallest coaching staff in Southern Ohio!!! ...
Coach Beucler is one of those coaches that every parent wishes their sons had as a coach - coaches the entire 32 minutes winning or losing ... emphasizes solid defense ... EB struggled offensively last season BUT will be battle tested and laden with seniors this season ... l
ed by Jordan "Max" Payne lets add
Conner Purdin, Brandon Belcher, (jr) Chase Lawson, Daniel Faul, Brett Stout, (jr) Josh Boudreau => ALL will need to step up offensively for EB to reach their "potential" ...
... Warren? #7? ... Coach Maddox & staff will need to replace some big shoes inside and out this season (Grant Venham/Austin Cunningham/Jon Mitchell)... the Warriors have tons of upside going into this season with the likes of
Dylan Leffingwell (jr) , Tyler Ward, Jeremy Hastie, Josh Winland, Austin Henthorn, Jace Knost, Bradley Proctor making up the senior group supported by Coach Duckworth's boyz from last season's JV squad sophs Evan French/Reese Patton BOTH WILL BE IN THE LINEUP for big minutes ... add Evan Yabs/Chas Miller (strong) et al ... should be one of the deepest squads ever for Coach Maddox ... more importantly one of the best TEAMS as well ... don't be surprised to see WHS move UP the rankings AND give PHS/CHS a run for the SEOAL crown ...
... Huntington? #8? (Last yr, 9-5, 13-8)- The Huntsmen have a new coach in
Travis Rinehart, who will bring intensity and fire to fill in where Coach Uhrig left off. There won't be much of a drop off in passion, if any. They return Dylan Gragg(17.3 and 8.5 rpg in his 2 varsity seasons) who dominates on the inside and point man Bryce Vickers(10.9 ppg, 30 3's, 3.1 spg) add a supporting cast of
Jacob Kellough/Brian Hall both sophs. Look for the Huntsmen to be THE team to dethrone Piketon in the SVC this season ...