Jeff Lisath Is The Portsmouth Trojans Coach

[BuckeyeBlood]

Portsmouth dropped Spring Valley from its schedule last week and due to the
inability to compete with a competitive squad. Did the first five transfer out???

Yeah they all said to hell with it and transferred out. Said they were dumb to even go through the summer with the new coach and he’s a bum….you’re a moron.

Nasty response to an honest question. Through you're sarcastic response, you're basically saying it's true that Coach Lisath dropped Spring Valley because he couldn't compete with the team he has. Didn't Spring Valley play at Portsmouth last year? Oh well...so glad football doesn't drop teams they don't think they can beat.

Honest question my ass buddy. You don’t come on here and honestly ask if all 5 starters transferred. Why would any of them work out all summer with the new coach and then decide to transfer? I have no knowledge of him dropping Spring Valley in basketball nor do I really give a darn. SV wasn’t that good last year, watched them play the Trojans who also were not very good. Came away unimpressed. If SV was dropped I’d almost guess the competition picked up was probably better. Not sure what your point was in bringing up them playing at Portsmouth last year? Since when is it a rule saying you can’t drop a team or you have to sign a multi year contract? Face it, you’re a moron who came on here to try and start a transfer rumor or maybe you’re just dumb, suppose it’s the same really.

[ItsMyOpinion]

Picking up Stivers School of the Arts will defnitely help with the win total. I believe they were 3-17 last year.

[trojandave]

ItsMyOpinion and Hoops360: Stivers' 3-17 record playing the Dayton City Schools would probably translate to 10-10 in the SE district. I can bet that the Dayton City League is way more competitive that any league in our district. In fact, Montgomery County has produced more state champions in boys basketball than any other county in Ohio. Stivers won 4 state titles long ago and has 8 state tournament appearances.

Here is the 2023 standings in the Dayton City League, with league record 1st and then the overall record:

Dunbar...................9-1, 20-7
Meadowdale............9-1, 16-7
Ponitz...................6-4, 16-8 (Ponitz formerly Dayton Patterson)
Belmont................4-6, 6-17
Thurgood Marshall....1-9, 6-17 (Thurgood Marshall formerly Dayton Colonel White)
Stivers..................1-9, 5-19

I'd like to see any team in the SE district play in that league night in and night out. 39 of the wins by those teams listed came outside the conference. One of Stivers' losses was to Miami Trace 58-45 and MT was rated #8 in Pfloyd's Elite 8 final poll with an 18-4 record.

The Stivers' game most likely is a result of Coach Lisath's relationship with his fellow coaches in the Dayton area. Maybe Stivers requested a game with the Trojans.

[Hoops360]

Yeah they all said to hell with it and transferred out. Said they were dumb to even go through the summer with the new coach and he’s a bum….you’re a moron.

Nasty response to an honest question. Through you're sarcastic response, you're basically saying it's true that Coach Lisath dropped Spring Valley because he couldn't compete with the team he has. Didn't Spring Valley play at Portsmouth last year? Oh well...so glad football doesn't drop teams they don't think they can beat.

Honest question my ass buddy. You don’t come on here and honestly ask if all 5 starters transferred. Why would any of them work out all summer with the new coach and then decide to transfer? I have no knowledge of him dropping Spring Valley in basketball nor do I really give a darn. SV wasn’t that good last year, watched them play the Trojans who also were not very good. Came away unimpressed. If SV was dropped I’d almost guess the competition picked up was probably better. Not sure what your point was in bringing up them playing at Portsmouth last year? Since when is it a rule saying you can’t drop a team or you have to sign a multi year contract? Face it, you’re a moron who came on here to try and start a transfer rumor or maybe you’re just dumb, suppose it’s the same really.

Obviously this hit a nerve with a coward who can only call people names while hiding in his home. Portsmouth did drop Spring Valley even though my Trojans owed them a return game. The question was why would Portsmouth drop a team that you say "were not very good." A team doesn't drop a team that they can beat - even though you suggested they "picked up a better team." Maybe that's why Portsmouth has posted at the OHSAA website that they are looking for games. Do your homework before getting on here and showing your lack of intelligence.

[trojandave]

Hoops360: You are correct about the OHSAA website about Portsmouth looking for games......2 dates are listed, 12/2 and 12/22. The Stivers game is tentatively scheduled for Dec.22, and I believe from what I've been hearing that Dayton Northridge may be the 12/2 game, although not officially confirmed.

I wish we played Spring Valley also, but schedules change sometimes when a new coach comes in. Coach Lisath has his own ideas about who he would like to play. Like I said above, maybe Stivers asked for a game with the Trojans and Jeff didn't want to say no to their coach whom I quite sure he's good friends with. Same with Dayton Northridge, and they have many of the same kids that he coached last season.

Look for quite a different schedule next season.......more non-conference games outside the SE district, with the exception of getting Chillicothe back on the schedule.

[Prime Time]

TroajDave, Was Ashland Ky and Huntington WvA Pony Express always on the Trojans schedule. Mason County Ky, Would any Cincy schools be a option!

[BuckeyeBlood]

Nasty response to an honest question. Through you're sarcastic response, you're basically saying it's true that Coach Lisath dropped Spring Valley because he couldn't compete with the team he has. Didn't Spring Valley play at Portsmouth last year? Oh well...so glad football doesn't drop teams they don't think they can beat.

Honest question my ass buddy. You don’t come on here and honestly ask if all 5 starters transferred. Why would any of them work out all summer with the new coach and then decide to transfer? I have no knowledge of him dropping Spring Valley in basketball nor do I really give a darn. SV wasn’t that good last year, watched them play the Trojans who also were not very good. Came away unimpressed. If SV was dropped I’d almost guess the competition picked up was probably better. Not sure what your point was in bringing up them playing at Portsmouth last year? Since when is it a rule saying you can’t drop a team or you have to sign a multi year contract? Face it, you’re a moron who came on here to try and start a transfer rumor or maybe you’re just dumb, suppose it’s the same really.

Obviously this hit a nerve with a coward who can only call people names while hiding in his home. Portsmouth did drop Spring Valley even though my Trojans owed them a return game. The question was why would Portsmouth drop a team that you say "were not very good." A team doesn't drop a team that they can beat - even though you suggested they "picked up a better team." Maybe that's why Portsmouth has posted at the OHSAA website that they are looking for games. Do your homework before getting on here and showing your lack of intelligence.

Bud I’m not hiding from anyone. You want some smoke let’s meet up. That said if anyone here is showing a lack of intelligence it would be you. The moment you made your initial post about all 5 starters transferring it was clear you were either a troll or dumb. I have came to the conclusion you are just dumb. You have no idea who they dropped SV for, you haven’t seen the full schedule. I never said they could beat SV, I said I watched them against a not very good Portsmouth team and came away unimpressed, didn’t seem to be very good either. Maybe you should start to reread poop before you post?

[Prime Time]

TrojanDave, Even go as far as Logan WVa, Williamson WVa to get a quality of play from that region. Washington Court House Glad to see Coach Lisath trying to improve schedule. You have to beat the best, to be the best! I can see the Trojans regaining prominence in 2-4 years,if not sooner. My take is what do you get by playing teams of equal or less talent. But if you get beat by playing up, you soon see a improvement of overall play of team. Swagger of past Trojan teams said it all!

[Mission15]

Honest question my ass buddy. You don’t come on here and honestly ask if all 5 starters transferred. Why would any of them work out all summer with the new coach and then decide to transfer? I have no knowledge of him dropping Spring Valley in basketball nor do I really give a darn. SV wasn’t that good last year, watched them play the Trojans who also were not very good. Came away unimpressed. If SV was dropped I’d almost guess the competition picked up was probably better. Not sure what your point was in bringing up them playing at Portsmouth last year? Since when is it a rule saying you can’t drop a team or you have to sign a multi year contract? Face it, you’re a moron who came on here to try and start a transfer rumor or maybe you’re just dumb, suppose it’s the same really.

Obviously this hit a nerve with a coward who can only call people names while hiding in his home. Portsmouth did drop Spring Valley even though my Trojans owed them a return game. The question was why would Portsmouth drop a team that you say "were not very good." A team doesn't drop a team that they can beat - even though you suggested they "picked up a better team." Maybe that's why Portsmouth has posted at the OHSAA website that they are looking for games. Do your homework before getting on here and showing your lack of intelligence.

Bud I’m not hiding from anyone. You want some smoke let’s meet up. That said if anyone here is showing a lack of intelligence it would be you. The moment you made your initial post about all 5 starters transferring it was clear you were either a troll or dumb. I have came to the conclusion you are just dumb. You have no idea who they dropped SV for, you haven’t seen the full schedule. I never said they could beat SV, I said I watched them against a not very good Portsmouth team and came away unimpressed, didn’t seem to be very good either. Maybe you should start to reread poop before you post?

Ahh Yeah Fight Time lol.

[PTrojan59]

Obviously this hit a nerve with a coward who can only call people names while hiding in his home. Portsmouth did drop Spring Valley even though my Trojans owed them a return game. The question was why would Portsmouth drop a team that you say "were not very good." A team doesn't drop a team that they can beat - even though you suggested they "picked up a better team." Maybe that's why Portsmouth has posted at the OHSAA website that they are looking for games. Do your homework before getting on here and showing your lack of intelligence.

Bud I’m not hiding from anyone. You want some smoke let’s meet up. That said if anyone here is showing a lack of intelligence it would be you. The moment you made your initial post about all 5 starters transferring it was clear you were either a troll or dumb. I have came to the conclusion you are just dumb. You have no idea who they dropped SV for, you haven’t seen the full schedule. I never said they could beat SV, I said I watched them against a not very good Portsmouth team and came away unimpressed, didn’t seem to be very good either. Maybe you should start to reread poop before you post?

Ahh Yeah Fight Time lol.

Nothing like 2 grown men calling calling out one another on a lack of intelligence but yet wanting to fight on the internet. Lol

[trojandave]

PrimeTime: We last played Ashland (KY) in 2002, and Huntington (WV) in 1994. Portsmouth leads the series against both, 46-28 vs. Ashland and 19-13 vs. Huntington. PHS beat Williamson (WV), which had 6-11 Danny Moses, back in the 70's. They also beat Williamson in 1994 and scored 100 points to beat them, with freshman Jerry Jackson making 2 FT's to get the 100 points. The last time the Trojans played Mason County (KY), it was in the early 80's, I believe 1982. I remember driving to the game going the wrong way on a one way street in downtown Maysville. PHS won the game, and is 5-0 all time vs. the Royals. We played Mason Co. at PHS in the 70's, with sharpshooter Ronnie Lyons, who scored a bunch of points but PHS won the game. People have told me that Lyons would shoot just after he crossed half court.

By the way, we played at Spring Valley in football last season, but there was no return game by SV this season. Don't know what the contract situation was, but PHS had to pick up Greenup County for the 3rd game.

Schedules changing from year to year happens all the time......coaches talk, contracts are not renewed for whatever reason, teams may be looking to add another home game, and there may be transportation considerations like high mileage or bad roads. So Portsmouth not renewing Spring Valley and picking up Dayton Stivers for a home game is not a big deal. I never thought that mentioning that we picked up Stivers would cause such a ruckus.

Let's all have a group hug.......GO TROJANS!!

[trojandave]

One of the most interesting road games I've ever experienced was the Trojans playing at Man (WV). Very small town; their nickname is the Hillbillies and they played in a really old gym. The guy who ran the clock was dressed from head to toe in camouflage. To get to Man was a drive over some very crooked roads, with some rocky cliffs almost hanging over the highway. We won the game, but to this day playing at Man is near the top of the list of places I'd never thought that the Trojans would play there. PHS also played at Tolsia, down Rt.52 in WV in the early 2000's, with Larry Berry as one of our best players. We beat a very good Rebels team.

Anybody who has driven the back roads of West Virginia knows what I'm talking about when it comes to traveling through the Mountain State. Beautiful state, and beautiful people, but a road map shows that there's not a straight road in the entire state. A nickname well earned.

I remember the Trojans going all the way to Findlay (OH) for a game in the early 70's with Pat Spriggs as one of our best players. The Trojans beat the Trojans (Findlay's nickname) 73-66. That might be the farthest in-state game PHS has ever played, along with a game at Canton McKinley. McKinley beat us by about 30 in Canton, but the next year we lost by only about 9 points at PHS to the Bulldogs......and McKinley is the winningest HS boys basketball program all time in Ohio, and until a few years ago had an all time winning pct. of almost 76%, which was #1 in the USA.

Just recently Coach Eugene Collins took the Trojans to Florida 4 times to play in the KSA Classic in Orlando. PHS went 8-4 in those 4 trips, winning their division the 1st time they went there. Played teams from all over the USA, including Los Alamitos (CA), which at that time I believe was ranked in the top 25 of the nation. We lost 55-38. Beat teams from Pace (FL), Cinnaminson (NJ), Owen County (KY), Staten Island (NY).

The Portsmouth Trojans have a long history of playing teams outside the SE district. No doubt that scheduling up through those years helped PHS win 4 state titles and make 15 state tournament appearances, with a 16-11 record all time in state tournament play. Coach Lisath wants to get back to the state, and one of the ways he feels to accomplish that is to challenge his kids with a difficult non-conference schedule.

[Prime Time]

Amen, TrojanDave, I'm positive that under Coach Lisath the Trojans are just beginning to be a force in the state again.

[Prime Time]

Wouldn't it be awesome for Portsmouth to play one of there old league rivals. Such as Middletown, Hamilton , Springfield or Lima. I know those schools are much bigger now but would be nice to play one of them again for Portsmouth fans .Look what Ironton has done in football by dropping out of league to play who they want. Portsmouth in basketball only could make a case in basketball such as Ironton, what's good for one team should be good for another if that team would pursue this. Just a thought, but until Portsmouth improves this should be on table
For
Future consideration

[trojandave]

Malachi Loper, who played soccer and basketball at Clay HS, has transferred to PHS for the 2023-24 school year. Clay discontinued its soccer program, so Malachi enrolled at Portsmouth to play both sports. He is a junior, and will play guard for the Trojans. He is fully eligible to play this school year. He will be a good scoring option which the Trojans are in need of.

He had a very good sophomore season at Clay, and was awarded the following:

Team Offensive Player of the Year
Team MVP
Southern Ohio Conference 1st team
Southeastern District 3rd team
Southeastern District Sports Writers Honorable Mention

Malachi averaged 17.6 PPG last season as a sophomore, and just over 11 PPG as a freshman.

Welcome, Malachi to Portsmouth HS and Trojan Nation!!

[Sportsfan007]

Loper is a great addition for the Trojans. Everything Coach Lisath wants in a player, Loper has it. This will be great for their depth this year and will even be better for next season. He deserves it. Good Luck Mal

[trojandave]

Portsmouth's 2023-24 schedule is posted on MaxPreps. New additions to the schedule include Lawrence County (KY), Dayton Stivers, and Columbus Linden McKinley. The Trojans will also have Wheelersburg, Minford, Portsmouth West, North Adams, and Notre Dame on the non-conference slate. The OVC schedule will have the usual 14 games.

[trojandave]

LeMarcus Parker transferred from New Boston and is a junior. He's about 6-0, and has a nice all around game, especially his handles. He will be a great fit for Coach Lisath's run and press style.

[wipala]

Ttt

[trojandave]

Good to have Marquez Locklear back at Portsmouth. He is a sophomore who played 8th grade hoops for PJHS and I felt was the best player on the team. He transferred to Columbus his freshman year but is back now. He has grown some since I last saw him play in 8th grade and looks to be about 6-0 or 6-1. A really good athlete who is currently playing backup QB for the football team.

The basketball numbers for the Trojans are much better now than they were at the start of the summer, with Malachi Loper, LeMarcus Parker, and Marquez Locklear all coming in for the 2023-24 school year. Kayleb Johnson, a sophomore football player who didn't play last season, has said he is going to play and that adds yet another very athletic player to the program. He has come to open gym. He plays several positions on the football team.....DE, LB, RB, and punt returner.

Also, the Columbus Linden McKinley game is part of the Buckeye Elite Showcase which will be played at Shawnee State.