Portsmouth Trojans 2024-25

[Pinwheel]

All due respect to all the Trojan posters. But this last paragraph above, starting with Go Trojans is my personal opinion also. This is my thoughts ,everyone has there own thoughts here. But look at Portsmouth girls team , lots of talent on girls team and highly seasoned and a record of winning seasons by there Coach’s that produce a high quality team on the court. good luck to everyone in the coming years!

Pretty sure Portsmouth Girls team 3,4,5 years ago was only winning 2-3 games total for the year. Trojandave would know better records but the same coaching staff then to now. They have a great team now! This was not the case 5 years ago. Just stating facts. Give the guy a chance. Their 8th grade team is really good with 1 one of the best players in SE ohio coming up!

OMG ,FINALLY!!!
THE TRUTH RIGHT HERE COACH AMY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT COACH, AND SHE TO WALKED INTO A NOT SO GOOD PROGRAM "EVER" ,SHE DID NOT DO A BAD JOB BUT THE HORSED WASN'T THERE. WHO HELPED HER GET STARTED TO BE WHERE SHE AT ???? HMMM,IN COMING FRESHMAN CLASS THHAT WAS TALENTED AND THEY PLAYED AS "FRESHMAN STILL HAS SOPHMORE AND FRESHMAN PLAYING TODAY.STOP HATING ON A COACH SIMPY CAUSE YOU DONT LIKE HIM FOR PERSONAL REASON NOBODY LITTLE JOHNNY GOING TO NBA IF YOU DONT LIKE HIM MAYBE APPLY FOR THE JOB WHEN ITS OPEN AGAIN AND WE WILL SEE YOU PLAYING FOR A STATE TITLE IM SURE

[trojandave]

The Trojans' season came to a crashing end last Friday as the South Point Pointers thumped PHS 49-30 @South Point. For the 3rd time in 4 years, SP has eliminated the Trojans in the tournament, and has now won 4 in a row vs. PHS in the postseason (2017, 2022, 2023, 2025). Portsmouth's 30 points was the fewest in a tournament game since 2005. Also, PHS has been to the Convo only twice in 10 years (2017, 2024). The Trojans haven't won a district title since 2012, when they finished State Runnerup.

Malachi Loper had 10 points to end his career with 1,186 points, which puts him 9th all time in PHS history.

[trojandave]

Baseball16 and Pinwheel: Good posts by both of you. It wasn't long ago that when Amy Hughes took over the girls program, she had the task of building a program that had been a cellar dweller in the OVC. Now look at the Lady Trojans now: they are a powerhouse that has been to a Final 4 and is the heavy favorite to get back there again. With what PHS has coming back for next season, it should be more of the same.

As I posted above, PHS has only been at the Convo twice in 10 years. For those who think that Aaron Smith is the problem, just consider that stat. It is unfair to Aaron for anyone to dismiss him as a competent coach. The Trojans lost 2 All-Ohio players from last season (DeAndre Berry 23 PPG 2nd team all-Ohio, and Donnovan Breech 13 PPG Honorable Mention all-Ohio. PG Isaiah Lewis also graduated.

Fast forward to this year; Logan Adkins was slated to be a starter but was hurt during football season and never played in a game. Another starter, Luke Stine was injured in the very first game, and didn't play the rest of the season. In addition, Coach Smith had several transfers, a few of which had little varsity experience. I point these things out because they're facts, and not excuses. Leading scorer Connie Thomas missed at least 4 games with injury. I don't agree with everything Coach Smith does during games, but I have sense enough to know that 1 year is too small a sample size to say he shouldn't be the Trojans' HC. PHS also lost 3 OT games and another by a buzzer beater. The team could have had 10 wins with a little better fortune.

With what Aaron has coming back, the bar should be set higher next season. The varsity only loses 2 players who combined for only about 15 PPG. Returning PG Connie Thomas and 2 guard Daequan Woods combined for an average of around 30 points, and both had several games above 20 points. Logan Adkins will be back and should fit in nicely as a scoring wing. The JV went 10-8, the first winning season in many moons, while the incoming freshmen just won the OVC going undefeated. I think it would behoove Aaron to bring up several of those freshmen because their upside can only be a positive for next year's varsity.

I am quite sure that Aaron will evaluate the whole program from top to bottom, starting with himself. He is a Trojan and knows the expectations set before him. Year 2 should be a lot better, because there won't be as many unanswered questions with so many players coming back and a full year of experience that Aaron how has.

[Crab's Brother]

You have to give the guy a chance to turn it around. That is for sure.

But unless he has two D1 nephews coming up in the system, I wouldn't bank on a turnaround story like the girls program.

[BuckeyeBlood]

If you fire Smith after only 1 season it will set the program back even more. Let him get his touch on the team. He took over this team officially in what? August or September? He had very little time to make the team his team. I get it he was on staff before but he wasn’t the guy, now he is. The Trojans return some nice pieces in Thomas, Woods, a healthy Adkins. Kayleb Johnson & Dee Parker will give good minutes off the bench, Dukes if he returns as well. Berry & Greene are 2 of the incoming freshmen who can play varsity right away. If next season isn’t an improvement then I will be severely shocked.

[trojandave]

BuckeyeBlood: Good post and your points are spot on. Crishawn Dukes will be a junior, and he definitely will fit in the varsity rotation. You make a great case about Mekhi Berry and Joe Greene. No question they are varsity ready, and will seriously push for starting spots, since we lose Brewer and Loper from this year's starting 5.

[trojandave]

Summer schedule for the Portsmouth Trojans:

Wed. June 4.........at Washington CH 9 AM
Thurs. June 5........at Rock Hill
Fri. June 6...........at Shawnee State
Sat. June 7...........at Shawnee State
Wed. June 11........at Ohio Dominican
Thur. June 12........at Rock Hill
Sat. June 14.........at Rio Grande
Tues. June 17........at Eastern Brown
Thurs. June 19.......at Rock Hill
Fri. June 20..........at North Adams
Thurs. June 26.......at Rock Hill

The dates at Rock Hill are most likely a summer league; don't know all the teams participating.

Coach Smith has a busy schedule lined up for the Trojans. Times for the dates listed are not known yet.

[BandWagon]

Any update from today’s scrimmage

[trojandave]

The Trojans opened their summer schedule with a convincing win over Washington CH @ WCH. PHS started 3 freshmen, Mekhi Berry, Joe Greene, and Liam Livingston. Rounding out the starting 5 were the 2 leading scorers from last season, Connie Thomas and Daequan Woods. A total of 12 kids made the trip.

The format was three 20 minute periods.

Connie Thomas made a 3 pointer at the buzzer to give PHS a 28-27 win after the 1st period, then the Trojans really took control with a 48-22 advantage in the 2nd 20 minute period. In the 3rd period, Coach Smith emptied the bench and WCH ended up winning with a 39-33 edge. Overall, PHS outscored WCH 109-88.

The 3 freshmen played very well at both ends of the court, while Thomas led the team in scoring, and Woods playing a solid all around game. Berry not only scored inside, but knocked down several 3's, as did Joe Greene, who tallied 5 trifectas. Livingston didn't score much but he is very much improved in all aspects. The bench kids all made some good contributions, and they should provide some good depth for Coach Smith.

Coach Smith employed all man to man D with some full court pressure which caused numerous WCH turnovers.

A total of 12 players made the trip, including Tyshon Henderson, JJ Henderson, Jayden Harrington, Fernando Poxes, Dee Parker, and Tyreke Lewis. Crisshawn Dukes came but did not play due to a wrist injury.

Don't know how the OVC will play out next season, but I can say with some confidence that Portsmouth will be the quickest team in the conference.

All things considered, a very good start by the Trojans to get things going in the right direction.

[trojandave]

Portsmouth upped its summer mark to 3-0 as they defeated Coal Grove 33-24 and host Rock Hill 40-28 in the Rock Hill Summer League last night. The Trojans' tenacious defense won the 2 games, as the offense was sluggish throughout the night with too many players standing around in the half court. The D, though, led by Daequan Woods and Dontavion (Dee) Parker, hounded, scrambled, and created havoc which created turnovers leading to buckets. That level of defense will give Portsmouth a chance to beat anybody on their schedule, but the offense has some things to smooth out.

The starting 5 was the same as it was vs. WCH......Connie Thomas, Daequan Woods, Mekhi Berry, Joe Greene, and Liam Livingston. There were a total of 13 players that showed up. PHS plays next Wednesday at Ohio Dominican University for 3 games, then will play at the Rock Hill League next Thursday.

Any games I attend I will post results.

[trojandave]

This week's schedule for the Trojans:

Today 6/11.......at Ohio Dominican: vs. Grandview Heights, Johnstown Northridge, and another team.....first game at 2:50 PM
Tomorrow 6/12..at Rock Hill: vs. Northwest and Huntington St. Joe.....play at 7:45, and 8:30 PM
Saturday 6/14...at Rio Grande: opponents TBD......play at 9:00, 11:00, and 1:00 PM

Any results I get I will post them.

[art_vandelay]

Is Adkins going to be able to go any this summer or just gonna take it easy for the season? Will be a key piece for the Trojans.*

[trojandave]

Art: The earliest that Logan will be available is August, and that is still uncertain. He should be medically cleared by the start of basketball season.

The Trojans had a rough time up at Ohio Dominican, as they were blown out in 3 straight games, vs. Grandview Heights, Grove City Central Crossing, and Dayton Northridge (coached by Jeff Lisath). The only detail that I could gather is that the Trojans are still struggling offensively.

Tonight they travel to Pedro for the Rock Hill League, vs. Northwest at 7:45 and Huntington St. Joe at 8:30.

[jgordon0315]

I heard Jeff refused to coach the game against the Trojans out of respect for the kids. And Northridge was said to have been the best team up there.

[trojandave]

The Trojans pushed their Rock Hill League mark to 4-0 as they easily defeated Minford 43-24 and South Gallia 60-32. Coach Smith had 8 players available, including the "Fab Four" freshmen of Mekhi Berry, Joe Greene, Liam Livingston, and Manny Thomas. I can never recall a PHS summer team in which half of the available players were freshmen. They more than held their own, and one of the highlights of this group was an alley oop pass from Manny Thomas to Mekhi Berry, who slammed it home.

Connie Thomas, Daequan Woods, Crisshawn Dukes, and Tyreke Lewis rounded out the rest of the team. The quickness that these players displayed was non-stop, and in turn it caused numerous turnovers, many of which were in the backcourt. This group might comprise the quickest team in PHS history. No doubt I believe they're the quickest team in the OVC.

There was much better team play in the halfcourt last night, as everybody got involved in the offense. Some good assists, good skip passes, and unselfish play was pleasant to watch. Rebounding is still a concern, as the only real size on the team is freshmen 6-3 Mekhi Berry and 6-2 Liam Livingston. This team has bouts of inconsistent play, but with 4 freshmen on the team, that's understandable. The potential (there's that word again) is exciting because one can watch these kids mature basketball wise.

PHS travels to Rio Grande for 3 games on Saturday, at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 1:00 AM. Opponents TBD. I will report results on Monday.

[trojandave]

The Trojans won all 3 games at Rio Grande Saturday, as they bested Symmes Valley 45-38, Lathan Western 60-33, and Point Pleasant(WV) 55-35. PHS is now 7-3 in all summer games, including 4-0 in the Rock Hill League. The offense has looked much better than it did 2 weeks ago, as there is much more ball sharing in the half court to go along with a tenacious defense which fully utilized the Trojans' quickness. The D caused a multitude of turnovers which created fast buckets. The Trojans are looking more and more like a team in which everyone is involved.

The "Fresh Four" (fresh for freshmen) of Mekhi Berry, Joe Greene, Liam Livingston, and Manny Thomas have excelled so far, and have been a huge factor in the improvement of the varsity play. They fit in very well skill wise with the upperclassmen, and don't show any signs of nervous play. No doubt they will play a major factor in the success of the 2025-26 Trojans.

10 players made the trip......seniors Connie Thomas, Daequan Woods, and Tyreke Lewis, juniors Crisshawn Dukes, Jayden Harrington, and Fernando Poxes, and the "Fresh Four".

PHS travels to Eastern Brown on Tuesday to play 3 games, vs. Oak Hill at 11:30, Eastern Brown at 12:30, and Lynchburg Clay at 2:30.

[trojandave]

The Trojans won all 3 games at the Eastern Brown Shootout, beating Oak Hill 58-37, host Eastern Brown 60-57, and then ended with a 48-41 win over Lynchburg Clay. Other than the Ohio Dominican Shootout in which PHS went 0-3, the Trojans are 10-0 as they have gone unblemished at Eastern Brown, Rio Grande, and the Rock Hill League. The Eastern Brown win was probably PHS's best win of the summer considering that the Warriors were playing on their home court. EB coach Rob Beuchler has 480 wins in his stellar career. EB would be a very competitive team in the OVC.

Today the Trojans' consistent pressure D proved to be the difference, as they struggled with layups and FT's. Still, they showed a lot of fight, especially in the Eastern Brown game in which the Warriors led for much of the game. Rebounding is an area in which the Trojans need to improve on. Still, it was a good day for a Trojan team that looks every bit the part of a squad that can post a winning season in 2025-26.

[SHACFan]

The Trojans won all 3 games at the Eastern Brown Shootout, beating Oak Hill 58-37, host Eastern Brown 60-57, and then ended with a 48-41 win over Lynchburg Clay. Other than the Ohio Dominican Shootout in which PHS went 0-3, the Trojans are 10-0 as they have gone unblemished at Eastern Brown, Rio Grande, and the Rock Hill League. The Eastern Brown win was probably PHS's best win of the summer considering that the Warriors were playing on their home court. EB coach Rob Beuchler has 480 wins in his stellar career. EB would be a very competitive team in the OVC.

Today the Trojans' consistent pressure D proved to be the difference, as they struggled with layups and FT's. Still, they showed a lot of fight, especially in the Eastern Brown game in which the Warriors led for much of the game. Rebounding is an area in which the Trojans need to improve on. Still, it was a good day for a Trojan team that looks every bit the part of a squad that can post a winning season in 2025-26.

Trojans looked strong, Eastern always looks strong especially in the summer. Lynchburg Clay is a dark horse in the league, a lot of pieces there once they figure it all out. Eastern is super deep several young players will be pushing for time under Coach Beuchler. Portsmouth is talented, a lot of interesting first and second round tournament matchups in the southeast.

[BigLeagueChew]

The Trojans won all 3 games at the Eastern Brown Shootout, beating Oak Hill 58-37, host Eastern Brown 60-57, and then ended with a 48-41 win over Lynchburg Clay. Other than the Ohio Dominican Shootout in which PHS went 0-3, the Trojans are 10-0 as they have gone unblemished at Eastern Brown, Rio Grande, and the Rock Hill League. The Eastern Brown win was probably PHS's best win of the summer considering that the Warriors were playing on their home court. EB coach Rob Beuchler has 480 wins in his stellar career. EB would be a very competitive team in the OVC.

Today the Trojans' consistent pressure D proved to be the difference, as they struggled with layups and FT's. Still, they showed a lot of fight, especially in the Eastern Brown game in which the Warriors led for much of the game. Rebounding is an area in which the Trojans need to improve on. Still, it was a good day for a Trojan team that looks every bit the part of a squad that can post a winning season in 2025-26.

What kind of size does Portsmouth have?

[PTrojan59]

The Trojans won all 3 games at the Eastern Brown Shootout, beating Oak Hill 58-37, host Eastern Brown 60-57, and then ended with a 48-41 win over Lynchburg Clay. Other than the Ohio Dominican Shootout in which PHS went 0-3, the Trojans are 10-0 as they have gone unblemished at Eastern Brown, Rio Grande, and the Rock Hill League. The Eastern Brown win was probably PHS's best win of the summer considering that the Warriors were playing on their home court. EB coach Rob Beuchler has 480 wins in his stellar career. EB would be a very competitive team in the OVC.

Today the Trojans' consistent pressure D proved to be the difference, as they struggled with layups and FT's. Still, they showed a lot of fight, especially in the Eastern Brown game in which the Warriors led for much of the game. Rebounding is an area in which the Trojans need to improve on. Still, it was a good day for a Trojan team that looks every bit the part of a squad that can post a winning season in 2025-26.

What kind of size does Portsmouth have?

Not much unfortunately. Incoming freshman Berry is likely to be the tallest kid on the team unless something changes from now until November, he’s 6’3, and still growing of course but other than that a few kids around 6’1-6’2 but most under 6 foot, TrojanDave would know better than I would though.