Pfloyd's Elite 8 of Southern/Southeast Ohio- Preseason 23-24

[pfloyd]

I’m ready Pfloyd!!

My Dragons of Fairland return 3 starters and an extended bench. Holdouts who didn’t play the last year or 2 have returned and will be the keys to how good this team can be. Dragons will have their tallest roster they’ve had in some time. Throw in the explosiveness and scoring of Allen, Buchanon, and Davis and they’ve got a good recipe for returning back to what’s expected of Fairland Bball. The coaches believe as well as FHS has a very competitive schedule opening with North Adams on 12/2. The OVC is stacked yet again and they’ve got non conference games with NA, Burg, Northridge, Webster, EBrown, Unioto, and Linsley from Wheeling to name some.

Can’t wait for some Bball!! Go Dragons!

... saw the "size" that the Dragons have this season to go with Allen, Buchanon and Davis - I know Coach Speed said last season - he wished they had "a big" down low - looks like his wish was granted! ... as you pointed out on the other thread - chemistry will be the "key to success" for the Dragons - have to have it , when I think of Fairland -chemistry has ALWAYS been a major part of the equation for their success on the hardwood ... I'm assuming that a couple of the returnees to the hardwood have played alongside the current squad from last season ... the 3 point shooting from last year let FHS down at times - when the 3 ball was falling the Dragons could play with anyone ... when it wasn't - it was one and done, as scrappy and hardnosed as Steeler Leep was inside - he didn't have the size to battle vs size under the boards ... Great to see Bryson Hunt back! love his hustle on the court , adding some experience to go with his 6-2 frame ... will see the Dragons at Shawnee State vs Unioto! - a great matchup for BOTH teams !

[Hookshot]

This has to be the highest preseason ranking Marietta has had in a long time. Love to see it! The potential is there for this Tigers team to be an Elite 8 team by the end of the season imo and hopefully we are able break our Convo drought come tournament time.

I totally agree pioneer19, with the coaching staff (Coach Gardner and Coach Warner) - the discipline, the buy in is there - saw it last season ... all of the elements are there with size, ballhandling, defensive pressure ... definitely looking forward to seeing the Tigers this season in action... MHS plays Warren twice (they split last year) and Vinton County which a preseason Elite 8 team as well ... lots of opportunity to move up - I believe the Tigers play an always good MVL John Glenn squad too ... fun times ...

I posted this on another thread:

Marietta Tigers - Coach Gardner and Coach Warner have brought the intensity, discipline back to the hardwood in Marietta... Coach Austin Gardner's Tigers will make the D2 side of Hoops in Washington County NOT just a Warren Warrior showcase ( MHS split the home and home last season putting it on WHS 67-46 at the Tiger's den in Marietta) ... MHS lost 2 starters off that club (AJ Graham & Isaac Koast) to graduation but return experience, size, and quickness at both ends of the floor :

Returning starters:
Elija Lieras-Kelly ... 5-11 ...sr
Izak Krighton ... 6-5 ... sr
Alex Kendall ... 6-7 ... sr

Seth Britton ... 6-0 ... jr
Landon Koscho ... 5-10 ... jr

I believe Tigers will be without four of their top eight players from last year’s club, including some of their best shooters and ball handlers. Agree Gardner and Warner have achieved a great turnaround but they will need to do an even better job of getting the most out of their players this season just to equal last year’s won-loss record.

[pfloyd]

This has to be the highest preseason ranking Marietta has had in a long time. Love to see it! The potential is there for this Tigers team to be an Elite 8 team by the end of the season imo and hopefully we are able break our Convo drought come tournament time.

I totally agree pioneer19, with the coaching staff (Coach Gardner and Coach Warner) - the discipline, the buy in is there - saw it last season ... all of the elements are there with size, ballhandling, defensive pressure ... definitely looking forward to seeing the Tigers this season in action... MHS plays Warren twice (they split last year) and Vinton County which a preseason Elite 8 team as well ... lots of opportunity to move up - I believe the Tigers play an always good MVL John Glenn squad too ... fun times ...

I posted this on another thread:

Marietta Tigers - Coach Gardner and Coach Warner have brought the intensity, discipline back to the hardwood in Marietta... Coach Austin Gardner's Tigers will make the D2 side of Hoops in Washington County NOT just a Warren Warrior showcase ( MHS split the home and home last season putting it on WHS 67-46 at the Tiger's den in Marietta) ... MHS lost 2 starters off that club (AJ Graham & Isaac Koast) to graduation but return experience, size, and quickness at both ends of the floor :

Returning starters:
Elija Lieras-Kelly ... 5-11 ...sr
Izak Krighton ... 6-5 ... sr
Alex Kendall ... 6-7 ... sr

Seth Britton ... 6-0 ... jr
Landon Koscho ... 5-10 ... jr

I believe Tigers will be without four of their top eight players from last year’s club, including some of their best shooters and ball handlers. Agree Gardner and Warner have achieved a great turnaround but they will need to do an even better job of getting the most out of their players this season just to equal last year’s won-loss record.

Kendall is big literally and figuaratively - as he can score inside and has a nice midrange jumper ( that at the FT line step back jumper) ... Kelly did not start the 3 games I had eyes on but played significant minutes - not an outside shooter but is quick to the rim ... I think the discipline that is now part of the TEAM makeup ingrained through the Gardner/Warner brain trust ... I may be wrong but I think with the structure from the coaching staff - perimeter scoring will come from the ranks imo ... we'll see ...

[pfloyd]

Friday Nov 3rd - opens the first official day for Boys BB according to OHSAA ...

[pfloyd]

5 weeks until we tip it off on the 2023-24 regular season ... heading for Eastern Pike, Western Pike, Huntington, Piketon get together on the opening Friday night on Dec 1st ... have circled Miami Trace @ Unioto on Saturday Dec 2nd as my second stop on the opening weekend...

[pointers87]

@pfloyd South point is scrimmaging Jackson at Jackson on the 28th. Going to be a fun one to watch!

[pfloyd]

@pfloyd South point is scrimmaging Jackson at Jackson on the 28th. Going to be a fun one to watch!

... that's a great preseason matchup ... if I've been reading between the lines on here - SP has key players dealing with injuries etc. - hopefully ALL of that goes away in the next 5 weeks as the teams round into hoops shape ... good stuff pointers87! thanks for the headsup on this Tuesday the 28th scrimmage! do you have a tip off time for it down in the Apple City?

[pointers87]

Give them a few weeks and we should be ready to roll. 6 p.m. is what I was told.

[pfloyd]

Give them a few weeks and we should be ready to roll. 6 p.m. is what I was told.

6pm, Tuesday 11/28/23- thanks!... good to hear that the injuries/etc. will not be a factor right from the "git go" ... pointer87 - with Childers transferring out/taking his 6-6 size to a foreign country (Huntington WVa), Do the Pointers have more size down low - Haney 6-3/Lovely 6-3/ Carter 6-3/Vance 6-2/Hanshaw 6-3 - anyone stepping into that BIG role down low with a 6-6 ish frame?

[Whs95fan]

Will be interested to see who Warren ends up starting this season, 1-2 potential starting spots up for grabs.

[pfloyd]

Will be interested to see who Warren ends up starting this season, 1-2 potential starting spots up for grabs.

... agreed Whs95fan ... when you have a 9-10 man rotation not sure "starting" is an issue as much as who is on the court in crunch time ... lots and lots of talent ... I'm hoping Lupardus & Wells can be the complimentary BIGS down low alongside Taylor ... I thought Chase would be more of an offensive threat inside for WHS last season ... looking for Lupardus and Wells to be bigger offensive threats down low ... Stadelman and Trent Taylor are THE guys but Cressey came on big down the stretch ... I just think the natural development as the WHOLE group of sophs now juniors will make Warren the #1 team I have them ...

[pfloyd]

Missing the input from the Northwest Territories with the loss of bman this fall ... and so far daniC hasn't contributed AND I haven't seen anything from I92 either! ... feeling like I'm flying solo out here LOL ... maybe as the football season winds down and the upcoming hoops season draws near we will get their insight and expertise ...

[peake71]

I believe The Peake will be better than last years squad. We only lost 2 seniors, who didn't play alot after mid season due to injuries. With the freshmen who played learning under fire as they say got valuable playing. Adding a another freshmen to the team who will play considerable minutes.
Some of the upcoming scrimmages include Oak Hill, Portsmouth Notre Dame and Portsmouth West at home and TBD at Waverly with Peake and Chillicothe.

[BallDontLie]

Shac coaches had their preseason meeting/prediction vote last night which ends up setting the matchups for the preview. Boys preview will be November 24th at Peebles.

Coaches vote/prediction for the league this year
Big school:
1. North Adams
2. Eastern
3. Peebles
4. Lynchburg-Clay
5. West Union

Small school:
1. Fayetteville
2. Fairfield
3. Manchester
4. Whiteoak
5. Ripley

Schedule for the 24th:
5:00 pm Ripley vs West Union
6:00 pm Whiteoak vs LC
7:00 pm Peebles vs Manchester
8:00 pm eastern vs Fairfield
9:00 pm North Adams vs Fayetteville

[pfloyd]

I believe The Peake will be better than last years squad. We only lost 2 seniors, who didn't play alot after mid season due to injuries. With the freshmen who played learning under fire as they say got valuable playing. Adding a another freshmen to the team who will play considerable minutes.
Some of the upcoming scrimmages include Oak Hill, Portsmouth Notre Dame and Portsmouth West at home and TBD at Waverly with Peake and Chillicothe.

The Peake will be solid for sure - I like Oldaker/Thacker/Shockley/Maynard with Skeens getting lots of PT last season ... the OVC is going to be like running the gauntlet ! not just for a stretch of "a few games" but for the entire season of league play! going to be fun to watch - hopefully teams keep doing the free live streams - Fairland did a great job with their broadcasts, PHS ... wish I was closer to be able to get down to the river for more games during the week nights ... keep us up to speed on your Panthers peake71 !!! miss the Beasts of the Southeast get together !!!

[pfloyd]

Pfloyd.......I haven't seen any mention of last seasons D2 Regional finalist, Fairfield Union. What's your take on their upcoming season?

Sorry Smeltzy didn't respond right away ... the Falcons have questions to be answered - Coach Shaeffer lost a bunch of seniors including the big man in the middle Ted Harrah BUT more importantly - FU lost their 3 year starter at PG Brennen Rowles ... on the positive side! and there IS a big positive side - FU has 2 of the BEST players in SEO returning - Caleb Redding and Caleb Schmelzer - BOTH are outstanding!!! BOTH will be counted on for THE points this coming season ... BOTH have to up their games - Schmelzer has to BE the guy down low around the basket , has to take on more of the scoring than even he did last season - he has ALL KINDS of talent, almost unstoppable at the rim, can hit the perimeter shot as well ... the biggest question mark is PG? new player moving up? over the summer Caleb Redding was going to be the guy running the point - during the regular season it's tough to take the ball out of his hands as an offensive perimeter threat from 3 point land turning him into a distributor of the ball ... he's a big body who can score in the paint IF he is posting up his defender ... Last season, defense was what FU hung their hat on ... defense will have to be just as good this season imo ... I will be watching FU to find out where the points are going to come from outside of Schmelzer and Redding ... looking for the NEW GUYS who will have to step up , into the roles of defenders and scorers ... the coaching isn't in question - Coach Shaeffer/Coach Helber are 2 of the best in SEO Ohio ... do they have the players to fill out the roster who can be the role players that allow the Big 2 to do their thing BUT bring scoring to the offensive end ...

[Meech]

Will be interested to see who Warren ends up starting this season, 1-2 potential starting spots up for grabs.

... agreed Whs95fan ... when you have a 9-10 man rotation not sure "starting" is an issue as much as who is on the court in crunch time ... lots and lots of talent ... I'm hoping Lupardus & Wells can be the complimentary BIGS down low alongside Taylor ... I thought Chase would be more of an offensive threat inside for WHS last season ... looking for Lupardus and Wells to be bigger offensive threats down low ... Stadelman and Trent Taylor are THE guys but Cressey came on big down the stretch ... I just think the natural development as the WHOLE group of sophs now juniors will make Warren the #1 team I have them ...

Gotta be Sealey

[Meech]

What does Fort Frye and Point Pleasant have this year? Or is the TSL a clear cut two team race between Marietta/Warren?

[pfloyd]

What does Fort Frye and Point Pleasant have this year? Or is the TSL a clear cut two team race between Marietta/Warren?

Meech- good question! FF has the basketball pedigree year in year out ... PP beat Warren at Point Pleasant last season if I'm remembering correctly - I don't know if that translates into being "good" or was a 1 game deal ... I totally forgot that PP & FF ARE in a league with Warren and Marietta - the Twin State League ... I used to rank Wahama High School when they played in the TVC ... I may have to present this to the committee of one as to if we rank FF and PP ...

IF that is the case WE NEED INFO on both Point Pleasant and Fort Frye heading into the regular season ... dang ! Fort Frye, Point Pleasant, and Ripley ... Ripley moving to the SE District while PP stays a foreign country (WVa) high school, FF remains in the East District ... getting too complicated for this old man LOL ...

[pfloyd]

Shac coaches had their preseason meeting/prediction vote last night which ends up setting the matchups for the preview. Boys preview will be November 24th at Peebles.

Coaches vote/prediction for the league this year
Big school:
1. North Adams
2. Eastern
3. Peebles
4. Lynchburg-Clay
5. West Union

Small school:
1. Fayetteville
2. Fairfield
3. Manchester
4. Whiteoak
5. Ripley

Schedule for the 24th:
5:00 pm Ripley vs West Union
6:00 pm Whiteoak vs LC
7:00 pm Peebles vs Manchester
8:00 pm eastern vs Fairfield
9:00 pm North Adams vs Fayetteville