Best Big Men in Area

[crazymidgets]

Amazing wow, saying Southworth isnt athletic? Polished maybe not on the offensive side of the floor, but absolutely created havoc on the defensive side of the floor this past yr. Dr. Lou your right this guy knows nothing!!!!
Im not from Piketon but watched several games last yr. if Southworth was on the floor no matter who they were playing he was one of the TOP ATHLETES on the floor!!!

[all-time athlete]

I've played with Hank a few times this summer and he is getting pretty freakin good....he is gaining speed, his jumping has improved vastly, he's much stronger, and his jump shot is looking good.....maybe im just getting older and worse but I have a feeling 1 on 1 nobody in the league will be able to guard him this season

[JIMMY THE GREEK]

nice profiling there with the "tall and black"

Athleticism to me is about body control, agility, grace, coordination, etc.

Southworth is fast...straight line fast. I'll give him that. But what does he really get out of his size on the basketball floor? he doesn't dominate on the glass, he doesn't block shots, he doesn't score in the post or driving to the basket, or really even in transition. and this is at the SVC level. So if he is so athletic what exactly is he doing out there? just running around? B/c i've seen guys like Ray Chambers dominate games because of their athleticism. Andrew Burleson from Wheelersburg years ago used to get out on the break and dominate with athleticism or beat people with his body control and ability to maneuver, jump, and position. He was fluid and he could move. Southworth is not fluid IMO. Like i said, either he's not that athletic or he doesn't have very good basketball instincts because he doesn't seem to do much with it. Maybe i have high standards but he just doesn't scream athlete to me.

Dave...i'm intrigued by this Mckinley kid b/c i can't say that i recall much about him. Only got the chance to see portsmouth once this year so maybe thats the reason. But i'm definitely going to keep an eye out for him b/c i know you know your stuff!

Apparently you haven't seen Southworth and Brush this summer, Slam dunks, blocking shots, running the floor. And Southworth is such a great athlete he has already been offered DI Football scholarships. I think you will see a different player this season.

[bengalfan76]

DShanton3 I respect your basketball knowledge, however I have to disagree with your evaluation of Southworth. He was the fifth option on a very good offensive team. Southworth often drew the assignment of guarding the other teams best offensive threat that often kept him out of position to rebound. If you watch the Redstreaks last year you would have seen an offense evolving around Smith, Brabson, and Legg.

I don't think Race ( White or Black) needs to be in this conversation. NO Need for That Crap. So if someone disagrees with the ability of your player and that makes them a racist. DShanton is not racist. Blind maybe

[eagles73Taylor]

Some stats from the weak SVC last season, remember this league only sent 3 teams to the District Finals! LOL

Southworth, in the SVC
1. 3rd in Rebounding at 8.6 per game.
2. 8th in FG percentage at 62-124 48.3%
3. 7th in Steals at 2 per game.
4. 2nd in Blocked Shots per game at 2.8

I agree with most on here, he isnt a polished offensive player. However, he was asked to guard perimeter players like Roll of Adena and more than held his own. He doesnt show you fluid moves in the post, because he was not relied upon to do so, as has been pointed out.

Do I think he is the best big man in the area, no of course not. He is a solid post player who is tenacious on D and the boards. However, to say he isnt athletic because his lateral movements arent up to your standards doesnt say much to me! lol

[Kickinurz]

Southworth is one hell of an athlete... period.

[tap in bogey]

Wow! I never thought I'd hear someone say Southworth isn't athletic. Amazing.

[bucking red]

Sam Cook from Rock Hill is a beast down low.When he gets the ball down on the block he is virtually impossible to stop.

[bobcatfan4728]

Vlade Divacs, Wellston

I don't think jimmy's floor can hold up to the big flopper. Always like seeing him play though.

[WitnessProtection]

Vlade Divacs, Wellston

I don't think jimmy's floor can hold up to the big flopper. Always like seeing him play though.

Glad somebody appreciated my joke. I was beginning to feel old for a while.

[Trimble Juvenile]

small school? easy guthrie trimble no question.

[jgordon0315]

Dion Mckinley is a more skilled big man but Tre Underwood will be a beast for the Portsmouth Trojans this year. Teams from the surrounding areas will have their hands full with those 2.

[therepublican]

Andy Stegman and Hank Lesley are the two finest "Big Guys" around the area that I have seen. Btw, Stegman is only a Junior and if anyone has watched him, he has one of the best pivot moves under the basket that I have ever seen from any post player in a long time!

[ovc fan]

I was at the shootout in Chesapeake earlier this year. Granted Portsmouth didnt have all their players their but they were embarassed by the Peake. Held to 3 points in the first half. And a panther kid who is only going to be a sophomore scored over 20 against one of the Trojan big men cause he could shoot from more than 5 feet from the basket.

[trojandave]

I was at the Chesapeake Shootout also, and Portsmouth had only 1 of my projected starting 5 there..... sophomore Dion McKinley........and the rest were mostly sophomores, some of whom will be on the JV squad. Forrest Johnson, London Malone, Wayne Evans, and Tre Underwood were not there.

The Panthers completely demolished us.......but there was a good reason for it.

Chesapeake played Portsmouth at Shawnee State......I was there......and beat the Trojans 46-38......PHS didn't have Tre Underwood or Wayne Evans, two kids who will be starters this coming season.

When Portsmouth went up to OU a week later, we had my projected starting 5......including Underwood and Evans........and played MUCH BETTER.......Waverly beat us 46-34 at Shawnee State and then the Trojans beat them at OU. It made a big difference to have our starting 5 there.

In both shootouts Chesapeake had virtually their whole team there, but at Shawnee State I didn't see Austin McMasters there. He will give the Panthers some good size inside and he has a nice jumper also. I think that CHS will win the OVC in 2009-2010 and I told Coach Ryan Davis that he has an excellent chance to advance to the regional. I believe the format this year is that 3 teams will advance to the regional from the SE D3 district tournament.

[trojandave]

jgordon0315 is right about McKinley and Underwood playing together.......they will give the Trojans a more formidable frontcourt than what Portsmouth had last year.....even with the graduation of standout Anthony Williams. I can see both adding up to about 17-20 rebounds a game and about the same number of points. Defensively they will play very respectable against any of their opponents.......Tre did a very good job vs. Andy Stegman at the OU shootout.......that showed me right there that we will be able to D up good post players. Dion had a number of blocked shots at the various shootouts.

I just hope both have an injury free football season.

[ovc fan]

Why did Wayne leave Ironton and go back to Portsmouth? Him and McMaster from Chesapeake played AAU together this year. Watched them play in a tourney in Huntington and it wasnt even worth the money to see. They beat everybody by at least 40 points or more. Heard they finished 2nd in Cincinnati and 2nd in Morgantown and won a few others. I just hope Wayne can stay out of trouble. He seems like a good kid but has had a rough life.

[trojandave]

ovc fan: Wayne actually came back to Portsmouth from Ironton.......he went to Ironton after the 7th grade.......the 7th grade Trojans he played on went undefeated........and he moved back to Portsmouth because of personal circumstances........I have talked to Wayne in a positive way and feel that he could be a tremendous basketball player.......he was outstanding at the OU shootout........I told him to keep his grades in good shape because he may just have some college coaches looking his way by his senior year.

[gymrat]

My top three that I have seen in person are:

Malik London, Chillicothe: 6'8'', Sophomore-to-be, On ESPN's watch list to be a top 100 prospect in the nation for his class. Plays in the All-Ohio Red AAU program with future Buckeye players like Jared Sullinger, and Jordan Sibert. Best Freshman defender I have ever seen. (Ive seen Yancy Gates, Mullens, Koufos, and many others all as freshman and throughout high school. Even saw Oden in Indy 1 time in high school). Being recruited by schools such as Ohio State and Xavier. No matter what anyone else in SEO does or has done, No one matches this resume that he has built as a freshman.

Hank Leslie, Northwest, 6'5'', Junior?, Only player on Northwest. Played his but off against Chilli last year despite the 50 or so point blow out. Plays with a high motor, fights for rebounds, strong, great touch inside.

Caleb Southworth, Piketon, tall, Senior, Fast and strong, lacks agility and basketball "feel" from what I saw. In the two games I saw of him he played well in spurts but disappeared for spurts as well. Don't know why he isn't more polished because he has a quality coach but if he were more polished he would be my number two.

I have not seen Stegman and the Mckinley kid from Portsmouth has potential but those three, and maybe Stegman(I can't rule him out since I haven't seen him), are the class of SEO. No one else, IMO, comes close.

[claypantherfan]

I have seen Malik London play and have played against him and both i was not impressed by his skills as one of the better big men i would rather put Stegman up there in the top 3 then him maybe he is 4 or so but when he gets stronger he will be something to try handle