... Pfloyd's Elite 8 of Southern/Southeastern Ohio Week #1...
1. Chesapeake ... (1-0) ... the 'Peake - my preseason #3 - hosted preseason #1 Wheelersburg in both teams opening game of 2009-10 ... the Burg started strong with an 8-0 run before CHS settled down following Nathan Copley's left side runner to take the lid off the basket at the home end of the floor starting a 8-4 run by the 'peake to end quarter number one 8-12 WHS ... quarter two saw the Peake take control of the game led by Austin McMaster's 7 points as CHS started working the ball inside out - better ball movement for the Panthers led to a 26-21 Panther lead at intermission ... Chesapeake showed flashes in the 3rd period of what those of us in the cheap seats are expecting from Coach Davis' squad in all 4 quarters of play - ball movement, pressure defense, finding players on the floor where they can get to the rim, scoring out of transition - in quarter 3 the boyz in White & Purple put on a show outscoring WHS 20-10 with all of the "pieces" contributing McMaster 7 points/Kennedy 6/Saunders 6/ Copley only 2 pts but controlled the boards in starting a handful of transition baskets by the 'Peake ... 46-31 the peake after 3 ... the final stanza had Wheelersburg close the gap in the last 5 and half minutes as both Kennedy and Copley fouled out for Chesapeake (Stegman picked up his 5th foul for the burg at the 3 minute mark as well) ... in the end it was Chesapeake going to 1-0 to start the season ... CHS takes on a very good Ironton team on the road Tuesday night before playing a very talented and physical Waverly Tiger team at the Convo on Saturday ... until then the 'Peake moves to the one spot after the first weekend of hoops in Southern/Southeastern Ohio ...
2. Warren Local ... (1-0) ... SEOAL contender the Warren Warriors picked up their first win of the season at the expense of the TVCs Meigs Marauders 63-48 ... fighting a slow start in this one - Coach Maddox's boyz did what we have become accustomed to - scoring in spurts, scoring out of transition ... the Warriors after trailing Meigs to open the first quarter went on a 21-4 run in quarter two to take an eight point first half advantage 32-24 ... the Blue opened the 3rd as they had ended the half - with a run - the Warriors started the second half 6-0 to push the lead to double digits 36-24 , one which they would add to with an 8-0 run in the 4th to close out Meigs 63-48 a final ... a key to the Warriors transition game is defensive pressure - WHS forced 21 MHS TOs ... offensively Warren Local was led by Austin Cunningham's 19 pts/5 rbs/3 stls/2 treys , Greg Venham added 19 pts/9 rbs/5 stls, Brandon Fivecoaite 11 pts/10 rbs to round out the 3 headed attack of the Warrior Blue ... Warren entertains Fort Frye Tuesday, before welcoming Maysville to the Warrior Dome Friday night ...
3. Logan Elm ... (1-0)... the Braves of Coach Stiverson traveled to their "home away from home" for their season opening contests - the Zane Trace Tip Off Classic - to take on the "upstart" Waverly Tigers ... the Tigers entered the game with the hopes of making a statement by knocking off one of THE "Programs" in Southern/Southeastern Ohio - Logan Elm ............................... and then they woke up ......... Logan Elm "schooled" Waverly in every phase of the game - ball movement, pressure defense, basketball fundamentals, rebounding position, on court communication, offensive spacing - you name it ... the Red and White played at a level in this first game of the season that , imo, Waverly "hopes" to be by seasons END ... the Braves looked that good ... Logan Elm taking this one going away 55-38 ... remember the names Adam Blake 11 pts (2 treys on an off shooting night)/Pritchard 17 pts/ Whaley 6 (2 treys)/Hauserman (6pts) /Elswick 7 pts with a trey/ Fulton/Thomas( 6pts) ... no super stars BUT the best TEAM I watched play this weekend ... Amanda Clear Creek comes calling Thursday night , with Saturday setting up for a rematch of last years D2 Semi Final vs the Cavs of Chillicothe ...
4. Piketon ... (1-0) ... the Streaks coaching staff had to be pleased with the Piketon performance vs a very good Hillsboro squad as the PHS boyz took control early on in this one taking a 16-9 lead to open the 1st quarter, 28-20 at intermission, 48-32 after three before adding 20 more points in the 4th to put the boro away 68-50 ... Piketon is a very solid ball club - good defensive club especially with Brush on the floor, balanced scoring Evan Legg 17/Jamie Helton 17/ Caleb Southworth 14/Lewis 8/Vulgamore 5/ Brush 3 (7+ blocked shots) ... pfloyd imos - Southworth/Brush outstanding defensive duo when both are on the floor, Brush HAS TO not only STAY ON THE FLOOR (as in stay out of foul trouble) but has to STAY ON THE FLOOR when playing defense ... Evan Legg is one of if not THE best pg in Southern Ohio ... he separates himself from all others by not only being able to distribute the ball, handle the ball, shoot the deep ball , he shoots the medium range shot as well as anyone I've seen - a lost art at all levels of the game ... Piketon takes on their #1 contender in the SVC Zane Trace Tuesday night at home before hitting the road vs a scrappy Huntington Ross ball club on Friday night ...
5. Chillicothe ... (1-0)... Coach Kellough's Cavs hosted Xenia HS this weekend at the Hat ... the Cavs were led by Michael Turners 23 points ... not much to complain about in the shooting department as CHS shot a blistering 78% from 2 point range on the night ... Malik London 12 pts/Ragland 10/Johnson 9/ Brandon Beverly 7 pts ... Cavs win 67-53 ... on the negative side CHS turned the ball over 29 times on the game while shooting just 6/17 from the free throw line ... Cavs will need to take care of the ball as they travel to Logan Elm Saturday night 12/12 - should be a dandy ...
6. Peebles ... (1-0) ... defeated Southeastern Ross 77-38 led by Blake Justice's 21 points ... the Indians take on Ripley Friday night before traveling to the Convo to play Zane Trace Saturday evening ...
7. Zane Trace ... (0-1) ... the Pioneers played good enough to win their opener vs the Bulldogs of Bloom Carroll but after 4 quarters and 3 over time periods ZT ended up on the short end of the 69-73 score Friday evening at the Zane Trace Tip Off Classic ... ZTHS was led by Kirk Maxwell's 24 pts/ Derek Cochenour 15 pts, 4 treys/Rick Chamberlin 12 pts ... Trace was 8/27 from behind the 3 point line on the game ... but shot themselves in the foot with untimely TO's and 17/27 from the foul line (missing 4 of 5 FTs in the first OT period ... not much time to lick their wounds from the opening game loss as the Pioneers travel to Piketon Tuesday night before taking on their 2nd top 8 foe of the young season playing Peebles on Saturday at the Convo ...
8. Wheelersburg ... (0-1) ... the Pirates looked very UN-burglike in losing their opening game to Chesapeake 62-53 ... a very anemic offensive performance - showcased by "one on one" basketball, very little TEAM play at either end of the floor , poor to no ball movement that never got the ball into the hands of their returning big man 6-6 Andy Stegman ( Stegman 11 pts in the first half/ 2 FTs in the last 2 qtrs) , newcomer to the Orange & Black Andrew Bendolph led the scoring for the Burg with 15 points ... WHS will look to rebound as the TVCs Federal Hocking Lancers visit the Burg Tuesday night before local SOC foe Northwest comes calling Friday ...
... there you have it - the first installment of Pfloyd's Elite 8 in Southern/SouthEast Ohio Week 1 ... as for the rest of the teams looking to position themselves to move into the top 8 as the season goes along - let's look at the Treehugger Wannabees List ...
Treehugger Wannabees
Vinton County (1-0)
Hillsboro (1-1)
Waverly (0-1)
Oak Hill (1-0)
Logan DNP
Ironton (0-1)
Athens (1-0)
Belpre (1-0)
Southern (1-0)
Marietta (1-0)
Lucasville Valley (2-0)
Reedsville Eastern (2-0)
South Point (0-1)
Washington CH (0-1)
Manchester (1-0)
Federal Hocking (1-0)
Greenfield McClain (1-1)
Fairfield Union (1-0)
Alexander (1-0)
Fairland (1-0)
Symmes Valley (0-1)
Northwest (1-0)
Jackson (1-0)
Gallia (1-0)
Circleville (0-1)
Coal Grove (1-0)
Huntington (1-0)
Ironton St. Joe (1-0)
White Oak (1-1)
Sheridan (1-0)
Teams on the End Table
Portsmouth (0-0) DNP
Meigs (1-1)
Westfall (0-1)
North Adams (0-1)
Trimble (0-1)
Portsmouth Clay (0-2)
South Gallia (1-1)
... (let me know if there are any corrections that need to be made or any glaring omissions from the lists ... the committee of one -me - thanks you)...
