Burg Freshman

[Pirate Baller]

Don't know anything about the Ironton players, but Holden is the real deal. If Pirates don't make Regionals/State during next 4 years with talent coming up, something is wrong.

[FalconFever02]

Don't know anything about the Ironton players, but Holden is the real deal. If Pirates don't make Regionals/State during next 4 years with talent coming up, something is wrong.

It's amazing how people think it's just that easy.

[burgpirater]

Hasn't the current coach had them in the district tournament the past 3-4 years? Also with much less talent then they had the previous 10 years or so?

Football and Baseball make it OUT OF DISTRICTS every year. Maybe years ago District Tourney was good enough. It isn't anymore. We expect to be there. Current coach can't get kids to play. Only 4 parents showed up to a parent meeting for 8th grade basketball bc it's just not interesting enough. It's not baseball or football. That's the problem. People just aren't excited or care about Basketball. Hoping the Holden boy and his dad can redeem the basketball program

Regionals every year in a sport like basketball I feel is unrealistic, but I see what you are saying with the community interest.

You do understand Wheelersburg gets the best athletes, year in and year out, in the county. Right? There's a reason we're in the Regionals and beyond nearly every year in Baseball and Football. Yes, making the District should happen every year for us. Two years ago we made a decent run with the new coach but we had the Miller boys, Spradlin, Widdig, and several other great athletes. We went as far as we should have went. Last year we did OK with the talent we had, but lets not sugarcoat it and forget we had the best draw of any team around. In the sectional final as well as the District semi's we faced teams that had combined won 8 games total. I'd hope we could beat those teams.

Luckily Holden is finally in the program, both the boy and his dad and Rodney can finally work his way into being the Head Varsity coach.

[Buramgerdin]

People often make the mistake of predicting potential high school success based off of middle school success. I have seen it a million times. You cannot predict high school success off of what kids did in middle school. Middle school is all about which team has the hairiest legs and under arms. High school is about coaching and players developing.

Ironton is a good example. The senior class from last year was very good in middle school. Only 2 of those kids were good in high school and one that dominated in middle school was just a decent high school player as he was the same exact size as he was in the 8th grade, and 19 years old I might add. When was the last time Chesapeake had a great middle school team? How many times have you seen Chesapeake have a dominant big in middle school? How about high school? Every year Peake has a few good bigs in high school.

Holden will grow and develop. Dad will help him become a very good high schooler. He will be the best player hands down in 3 years.

[Falconfan14]

[

quote="12gauge"]Who cares if he's a "true" freshman.There arent any redshirts/greyshirts,The kid is a Freshman,that makes him a true freshman.There are rules on this and as long as he's within those rules he's good to go.

[/quote]

It matters when you are trying to project how good a player will be when he is a senior. A 14 year old freshman has a lot more room for improvement than a 16 year old freshman. Im saying this in general not with regards to any particular players.

[Pocket Aces]

HC Ater is one of the top five HS coaches in SEO IMO

[BURGerandfries]

HC Ater is one of the top five HS coaches in SEO IMO

His knowledge of the game is through the roof, I won't deny that. But his lack of managerial skills and his ability to burn bridges wherever he is at really, really hurts him. Everywhere he has been so far, the number of athletes in the program have drastically dropped. That has to tell you something...

[The Nature Boy]

Some kids may not be as smart as others. One of them deals 6th grade was the 3 best years of their life.

[fbnut]

HC Ater is one of the top five HS coaches in SEO IMO

His knowledge of the game is through the roof, I won't deny that. But his lack of managerial skills and his ability to burn bridges wherever he is at really, really hurts him. Everywhere he has been so far, the number of athletes in the program have drastically dropped. That has to tell you something...

You could say the same thing about the burgs previous coach. The burgs problem is that football and baseball have blown up. The burg has athletes but they lack basketball players.

[burg1]

Burg Varsity will start slower this year with most players still playing football, but IMHO Holden and the others will be in basketball shape by mid-December. Varsity team will be much taller than recent years. Many 6'2" plus. There will be 4 starters who slam it down at will. They will be a young team this year but in next couple years should be one of the best around. Issue is though that as you get closer to accomplishing a state title, you have Cleveland and big city teams with multiple starters who are D1 recruits playing you. Burg can do it though, and it will be an exciting ride! Just my 2 cents

[IBTT]

I'm hearing some of the burg people say that Holden is going to be what his dad was. That may not be what happens. His dad was raised in Atlanta and had to grow up with a dad who was a state trooper. He played ball against kids in some tough neighborhoods against stiff competition and their wasn't AAU ball back then. He made it where he got because he had the desire and heart and toughness and grit to go up against that competition and the body.

Tanner Wilson' is 6'2" and his grampa was 6'6" and played basketball and baseball. Was offered a contract to go pro in baseball. He turned it down seeing how little it paid back then. His Other grandpa has numerous world records in powerlifting as does two of his cousins. Ethan Wilson is 6'1" and his dad is about 6'3". Ryan Bryant is already 6'4". Humphreys at 6'2". Charlie Large, Aiden Barnes and Kyle Adkins are all 6'0"" tall if not a bit taller along with Tye Gunther at 5'11". I don't see any of these freshmen lacking height from Ironton.

Considering most of these kids have been going up against high school varsity players for the past two to three years and some have done very well while others have improved drastically and have made up the majority of the game speed, I believe some of this group will play a role in the beginning of the year, while all of this group along with maybe a couple others might step up later on. Should be fun watching these teams in southern Ohio play. Sounds like a lot of teams will be loaded for years.

[BURGerandfries]

HC Ater is one of the top five HS coaches in SEO IMO

His knowledge of the game is through the roof, I won't deny that. But his lack of managerial skills and his ability to burn bridges wherever he is at really, really hurts him. Everywhere he has been so far, the number of athletes in the program have drastically dropped. That has to tell you something...

You could say the same thing about the burgs previous coach. The burgs problem is that football and baseball have blown up. The burg has athletes but they lack basketball players.

Go ask majority of the players, that played for Barrick, what they thought of him. They LOVE him. He is a great coach. We were absolutely stupid for getting rid of him. The problem was....this younger generation and their parents can't handle someone yelling at their kids and being intense. The issue wasn't with Barrick.

[fbnut]

His knowledge of the game is through the roof, I won't deny that. But his lack of managerial skills and his ability to burn bridges wherever he is at really, really hurts him. Everywhere he has been so far, the number of athletes in the program have drastically dropped. That has to tell you something...

You could say the same thing about the burgs previous coach. The burgs problem is that football and baseball have blown up. The burg has athletes but they lack basketball players.

Go ask majority of the players, that played for Barrick, what they thought of him. They LOVE him. He is a great coach. We were absolutely stupid for getting rid of him. The problem was....this younger generation and their parents can't handle someone yelling at their kids and being intense. The issue wasn't with Barrick.

Early in his career at burg yes but not the latter. The last 4-5 years at the burg I think you would get a different response than what you would have got early in his time at burg.

[BURGerandfries]

I just don't think that's on him fbnut. I don't know how a guy can lead a couple teams to a State Tournament and then all of a sudden kids can't handle the way he coaches and people don't like him. He didn't change the way he coached soooo what's that tell you....It was on the kids and their parents. That's what changed. The last 4-5 years you'd get a different response because those people can't handle it. Soft! That's why they didn't accomplish much

[fbnut]

I just don't think that's on him fbnut. I don't know how a guy can lead a couple teams to a State Tournament and then all of a sudden kids can't handle the way he coaches and people don't like him. He didn't change the way he coached soooo what's that tell you....It was on the kids and their parents. That's what changed. The last 4-5 years you'd get a different response because those people can't handle it. Soft! That's why they didn't accomplish much

No harm in disagreeing

[breadandbutter7]

Holden is a true freshman, and he will continue to shock everyone as he grows.

[Falconfan14]

I don't doubt he will be a great player but if you are 19 when you graduate I don't consider that a " true freshman ". Like others have posted if you fall within OHSAA guidelines it doesn't matter how old you are. I guess in todays society the ones that will be 17 when they graduate we should call them "true 7th or 8th graders" when they are in 9th grade..Lol

[Pirate Baller]

Don't know anything about the Ironton players, but Holden is the real deal. If Pirates don't make Regionals/State during next 4 years with talent coming up, something is wrong.

It's amazing how people think it's just that easy.

Don't know who you rootin for (minford?), but at least one trip to Regionals or State in 4 years with a kid like Holden and the other athletes ain't too much to ask for at Burg. That's just how I feel

[Buramgerdin]

PirateBaller, I don't that is too much to ask at all. Portsmouth always has a team, so they will have tot go through Portsmouth the next four years, but I just don't see anyone else putting up a fight at all against Burg until they get out of the region. Peake has a strong program and always develops players, but I don't see Ironton improving at all as the kids have quit growing already.

[IBTT]

PirateBaller, I don't that is too much to ask at all. Portsmouth always has a team, so they will have tot go through Portsmouth the next four years, but I just don't see anyone else putting up a fight at all against Burg until they get out of the region. Peake has a strong program and always develops players, but I don't see Ironton improving at all as the kids have quit growing already.

Glad you have all the answers. TW at Ironton who recently broke his ankle was told by the Marshall Team Doctor who did his surgery that he had 2 - 2 1/2 inches of growth to go. EW has grown two inches this year. RB grew four inches this year. The rest of the kids are all at or right at 6 foot.

If I was looking at the area schools in Scioto and Lawrence county after this year I would have to say Ironton is the strongest team in the area for years to come. Fairland and Chesepeake would be next followed by Portsmouth who always will find a way to win with Eugene coaching them.

This year Portsmouth is the early on favorite, but I believe Chesepeake, Fairland and Ironton all will have a shot at them.

I seriously doubt burg will be mentioned in any talk over the next 4-5 years about being in the top area basketball teams even if Holden turns into an OJ Mayo.

After the transfer rule comes into effect next season I doubt wheelersburg will see any playoff wins in football for a while either. That is if what I was told tonight was at all true. Division 2.