Pfloyd's Elite 8 of Southern/SouthEast Ohio - Preseason

[Ironman92]

"Next Katie Smith"

No pressure! lol

A better chance of a kid becoming a future US President than the next Katie Smith.

[93Bulldog]

Now I92 ... You didn't see this girl, she was dominant over a court full of boys during halftime of one of the games ... Fourth grade girl that could dribble, pass, rebound, shoot ... the works and even had the built kind of like Katie - Not skinny, not big, just solid ...

BUT .....Your right, the next Katie Smith is almost impossible ... It would have to be Lebron James sort of thing when talking about the next Jordan ... I just don't see it happening with another Katie Smith though. Candice Parker, players like that are great and will be great but Katie Smith just had some many other intangibles besides being able to shoot a basketball or dunk or run up and down the court super fast ... I always said, Katie Smith is lady version of Larry Bird (My favorite player of all time of course) ... High hoops IQ, Great passer, great shooter, great leader, good rebounder ... The works! Hard to duplicate players like that.

Floyd .... Check your SEO preps E-mail, I sent ya some classified info on the where a'bouts of the DOG and what ive been getting my nose into when it comes to SEO sports. ... lol

[Ironman92]

Not to mention 3 gold medals (should've been 4), multiple championships and womens professional basketball's all-time leading scorer....and a WNBA Finals MVP (should be 2)

Katie Smith was the most dominating high school athlete I've ever seen.


I don't believe I'll see another Katie Smith in my lifetime in SE Ohio......I'll hope for a Jamie Lewis.

[Dshanton3]

Pfloyd...I love the list although i would swap LE and Zville at the top. Heck i'd even put LE as preseason number 1 on expectations but respect the State Champs staying at the top until knocked off. That being said mark my following words.

LE will be the favorite and may very well beat Chilli in their early season matchup. Chilli will be searching for their identity, new kids will be stepping into new/expanded roles from last year and they will have their lumps early on. Heck even stacked Chilli teams have struggled early in the year the last couple of seasons under Coach K. but what have we learned from that? that Coach K gets his teams playing their best ball late in the year and they are going to play a schedule that will prepare them and help them grow. Once the kids get the gist of what they are suppossed to do and what their spot on the team is, they will be a force going into the tourney. Portsmouth, LE, Zville, etc are all teams that have a great chance to deal Chilli a loss early in the year, but come feb. my money is on the Cavs! London will be brought along slowly splitting time on JV/varsity to start the year (by plan), but he'll be a household name by the end of the year with his ability to alter shots and effect the game on D alone.

Dont get caught up in what Chilli does in dec. they'll be just where they should be come the end of the season. this team will have growin pains.

TrojanDave has every right to be so optimistic about his Trojans. they are absolutely stacked this year. The key will be discipline on the court. if the kids are coached well, responsive to the coaching they get, and willing to sell out on the defensive end, they will be a force in SE ohio. esp at D3.

[bman]

Chilli deserves the No. 1 ranking. They are the state champs.

LE doesn't mind the roundball waiting for a bit. Football run is amazing - 0-10 to 12-0.

[Brick Tamlin]

Let's move this topic to the top and see what everybody's thinkin....

[LetItRide]

Oah Hill that far down the list is crazy!!!! You will find them near the top of the list by years end.

[Ironman92]

Well, technically since there are 70 teams in the district....not including Zanesville, 7th is pretty far up the list.

I'd have Oak Hill behind Chilly, Logan Elm, Ironton....but the Oaks will have every chance to prove themselves.....and I expect them too with that returning group.

[pfloyd]

... it will ALL come down to "what takes place when the opening tip goes up" folks ... the list is just my way of putting down on "paper" so to speak where the best in Southern/SouthEastern Ohio are "fairly" starting the 2008-09 campaign ... there will be surprise teams, teams that we expect to "move up the list", others that will drop down and off the list ... it's one "old man's" beginning point for the teams Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line ... "crazy"??? come on that's a little harsh - for some one with less than 10 posts to come on here and bash someone's opinion - state your opinion, back it up with facts - people will respect you more and welcome your posts ... as I92 posted - 7th "ain't" a bad starting point ... my Ouija Board HAS been known to make a mistake or twelve - it's as old as I am ...

[mikepike]

I think you have the Red Streaks too high. #5? 20-0 season? Possible, but I want to see them in action first. They have some talent, but teamwork and defense are the keys. Jordan Miller is out due to a football injury, a few others limping around as well. 5 of 6 non-league games are away from the friendly confines. Coach Lisath and staff have high hopes for this year, but it's about taking one game at a time. Go Streaks!

[LetItRide]

Pfloyd,

Just getting started. You will hear more from me.

[ZvilleBlueDevil]

The nov 19th scrimmage@ Logan Elm will let u know the Ville derserved the ranking Dshanton3 i watched the Ville take down Logan Elm at the Wheeling Shootout this summer and it was convincing Prati was scoring at will and soph Tanner Gibson showed his range and quickness and yes i believe the Ville reloaded so we will see...

[gymratt]

The nov 19th scrimmage@ Logan Elm will let u know the Ville derserved the ranking Dshanton3 i watched the Ville take down Logan Elm at the Wheeling Shootout this summer and it was convincing Prati was scoring at will and soph Tanner Gibson showed his range and quickness and yes i believe the Ville reloaded so we will see...

Preseason scrimmages mean NOTHING. I am sure there were players missing. They are simply a way to get more bawsketball experience for kids and start working on the on-court relationships. BAD TEAMS beat GOOD TEAMS in SCRIMAGES all the time. IMO the top 3 are as they should be. It may not end the season in that order, (Chilli could be 2, the ville could be 1 or 3, LE could be 1, etc.) but IMO those ARE the best 3 regardless of order in all of SEO.

As was said before, I too would not be suprised if chilli loses a few early but mark my words. We will see the 3rd straight Ville-Chilli DOC AND Chilli will not lose a game after mid-January to anyone untill the postseason.

[ZvilleBlueDevil]

Gymrat: just stating a fact and yes i believe there players were there ...Congrave,Amann,Hauserman the big kid...the kids i remember

[pfloyd]

... It doesn't matter the year of late - there are some "programs" that are TRUE hoops programs = where fundamentals are TAUGHT to every player that goes through the systems, the most talented are "expected" have great fundamentals to go with their physical abilities ... it's how the best of the best get better - they are not left to "just get by" they are EXPECTED to get better so TEAM can compete on the BIG stage - championship games/district ,regional,state competition ... the coaches of these programs KNOW that no matter how good a player(s) they have are , there are always better - the only way to compete and compete successfully is through the preaching/demanding of solid fundamentals at both ends of the floor ... in my opinion it's automatic - Zanesville under Coach Aronhalt AND his staff (junior high & up) has created THE PROGRAM in all of the posting area ... Logan Elm with Coach Stiverson as head coach & his staff is right there with Coach Aronhalt and the 'ville ... parts are interchangeable from year to year - you as a fan of the game know every year what you will see every year from these programs - DEFENSE,DEFENSE, DEFENSE (did I mention DEFENSE) , perimeter shooting, rebounding, TEAM play, solid fundamentals at both ends of the floor, kids that have been taught "the game", taught the "nuances" of their positions , a different level of basketball when the players know the game, have the fundamentals that allow for this next level to be reached ... Chillicothe under Coach Kellough is getting the Cavs to this same "system" status - this year will tell us a lot about the Kellough "program" imo ... if you watched any of the CHS post season games you saw where the kids had bought into the defense that was needed to be State Champions - taking the talent that was there , harnessing it for the TEAM ... TEAMS win vs all levels of competition - beating those that they ARE better than , not just competing with but beating those that are better physically/talent wise than they are as well ...

... Chillicothe , Zanesville, Logan Elm ...pencil them in at the top every year ... you won't be wrong very often ...

[pfloyd]

A couple of the "under the radar" teams to watch this season ... Chesapeake and Fairland ...

... look for the 'peake to improve on last years 17-6 record ... only 3 seniors lost to graduation (I know Shoemaker/Rase were big losses) ... but coming back from last seasons roster -

Drew Brock 11
Peter Hintz 11
Nathan Copley 10 ... 3-ball threat
Matt Angle 12
Caleb Freeman 12
Kyle Webb 12... gets to the FT line
Bryan Ross 12... 3-ball threat
Aaron Donahue 12
Trent Saunders 11
Colton Lindsey 11
Travis Zimmerman12

... the Panthers are one of those teams definitely on our radar to keep a close eye on this season down on the river ...

... Fairland - the Dragons lost one of the best "in the paint" players in Southern Ohio last year in Dustin Bumgardner ... put that alongside the transfer of Michael Lamb to Ironton and you have most schools in panic mode BUT looking at my napkin stats from last season the Green & White are a team to watch THIS season ... Bumgardner was the lone senior from last season ... Lamb although at 6-5 , was not an inside presence ( he WAS and IS a premier perimeter scorer from behind the arc) ... the cupboard isn't bare - look for Cole Hatfield to be THE on court leader for FHS this go around - I like this kid - he can handle the ball, not afraid to take it to the rim - he has good size at 6-2 ... the rest of the FHS cast of characters off of last years roster includes :

Zach Jordan 12
Ethan Long 12
Hatfield 12 ... gets to the rim
Tyler Godby 12
Chris Ward 12 ... 3-ball threat
Matt Bloomfield 11
Chad Fisher 10
Kyle Riley 11
Eric Salyers 12
Adam Berry 12
Joe Stewart 11
Don Ntontolo 12

... I like this team STILL ... look for Cole Hatfield and Zach Jordan to keep the Dragons as more than a blip on the radar down Lawrence County way this season especially if they can get some board work from Long & Company in the paint ...

[pfloyd]

... another one of the "treehugger" teams to watch is Peebles ... the Indians made it to the Convo last season losing to Ironton to finish the season at 11-12 ... one of the youngest teams around last season, led by then freshman Blake Justice ... B. Justice is now a year older and I'm sure has grown from the 6-0 from last season ... the young man has the all around game knocking down 4 treys/23 points in his Convo debut last March ... Justice & Co. will STILL be young coming into this seasons campaign BUT with a year under their belts for experience, a trip to the Convo - I look for Blake Justice & Co. to find their way back to Athens in March ... & Co. includes starters:

Nathan Stephens 11
Tyler Arnold 12 ... 2nd or 3rd option scoring for the Indians
Andrew Seaman 11 ... 3 point shooter as well
Evan Meade 12
Blake Justice 10 ... does it all, deadly from 3 point range ...

... hmmmm all 5 starters are back for 08-09 ...

add the rest of the supporting cast from last season -

Tyler Caudill 12
Andy Countryman 10
Drew McFarland 11
Josh Lennert 12
Eric Collier 11
Dylan Brown 10
Billy Hoggard 12


... I92 was right - Peebles WILL climb the list this season ... some things never change - seems Peebles ALWAYS knows how to get to the Convo ...

[pfloyd]

... let's continue a look down the treehugger list at teams that we will keep a close watch on ... Vinton County ...

... Coach Combs has put up the best record in Southern/Southeastern Ohio the last 2 years 20-0, 19-1 during the regular season - reaching 20 wins both seasons ... the Vikings lost major contributors from last seasons team - Dustin Guthrie, Ryan Stewart, Andrew Eberts, Michael Dixon, Ben Batey - that's a whole lot of talent to replace without a falloff in performance on the court ... a 20 win season again? not going to happen ... 15+ wins? with the coaching of Coach Combs, the tradition that has been created at VC, the expectations for making an impact in the districts at the Convo - the Vikings will be just fine ... with potentially the one of the best backcourts in Southeastern Ohio in Andy Grillo and Ethan Allen I look for VC to use the quickness out front to pressure opponents and push the ball this season ... Jake Prater showed himself to be more than able work the paint at times last season, the addition of little Guthrie (Dylan) will add a needed outside shooting threat for VC , with little Guthrie's size he will be able to be effective in paint as well ...

... from the 07-08 roster ...

Andy Grillo 11
Taylor Reed 11
Ethan Allen 11
Dylan Guthrie 11
Jake Prater 12
Brandon Clark 12
Steven Thompson 11

... not sure there is any coach in Southern/Southeastern Ohio who wouldn't want to start the season with Grillo, Allen, Guthrie and Prater as cornerstones to start the 08-09 campaign ... I will looking to see where the points will come from, consistent perimeter shooting from more than one player , I see Grillo and Allen being able to get to the rim AND live at the line this season ... bottom line VC and Coach Combs will do just fine as they learn to believe in themselves as a TEAM that will be able to get it done without the likes of the lineup from last year ...

[PunkyBrucester]

I like it.

Look for Peebles to jump into the Top 8 pretty early in the season.

Waverly will be a team to watch for by the end of the season. One outstanding player per grade, a good coaching staff, and some very good athletes to go along with the big 4.

[pfloyd]

... Warren HS ... one of 5 SEOAL teams that made it to the Convo last season taking part in District play ... Coach Maddox has since taking the helm at Warren Local seemingly always puts a a quality product on the court no matter the talent level ... never any one standout player - year in year out the Warriors can be counted on to be physically strong on the court, a team that pounds the boards, tough on the defensive end of the floor, one of those teams that scores in spurts - a 10 to 12 point run out of the tough defensive pressure is the norm for a Coach Maddox ball club ... I don't see anything different coming at the competition this season ...

... players in the spot light this season include Grant Venham, Jonathon Hebb, Eric Hoon, Brandon Fivecoait ... the Warriors have early tests with a good Belpre team coming to the WarriorDome to open the season followed by 2 SEOAL foes Marietta and a big game AT Zanesville that starts a 5 game road swing ... I look for the Big Bad Blue to improve on last seasons 14-6 regular season record in 08-09 ...

Grant Venham 10
Austin Cunningham 10
Devan Anderson 12
Clay Ellenwood 11
Jonathon Hebb 12
Brandon Fivecoait 11
Boyd Brown 12
Justin Hilverding 10
Eric Hoon 12


... as has been pointed out the Warriors of Coach Maddox are in the middle of the SEOAL pack to start the season ... that 3rd game of the season vs the 'ville at Zanesville will tell us a lot about this years Warren squad ...