Ironton 2010 - 2011

[Gray Fighting Tiger]

I thought Ironton always had their own officials...

for all sports...

at all locations.

At least that's what certain opponents fans persisted in posting, along with other inane claims.

But as far as the outlook for next season...

as a casual observer, I'd have to say the future is very rosy. Ironton could go 6' 4", at least, across the front line and there are some good ball handlers back. I don't think it's much of a stretch to think the Fighting Tigers will be challenging for the regional title again; and hopefully more.

[86Tiger]

Ironton has looked good in the recent shootouts they have been to. Friday at Dennison they were 4-0 and beat 3 Div I schools. Go Tigers!!!!!

[biggdowgg]

who were the d 1, schools they played?

thanks

[ohbuckeye2]

Ironton has looked good in the recent shootouts they have been to. Friday at Dennison they were 4-0 and beat 3 Div I schools. Go Tigers!!!!!

Who was on the Tigers Roster for the Shoot Out??? Who did they play???

[Daniel Larusso]

Anybody know what the independent schedule is gonna look like for next season?

[biggdowgg]

must be a lot of top secret stuff here

[ohbuckeye2]

must be a lot of top secret stuff here

Yes Sir............ Found out some great info and I'll just say this, it's going to be another great year in Tiger Country .

GO TIGERS.............

[biggdowgg]

should be two...no wait, we only play you all once this year in basketball....but it should be a dandy.....

I hate losing the other game, these are my two favorite games of the season.

[pembrook burrows III]

Agree, OHbuckeye1, there are lots of reasons for fans to be optimistic about Ironton basketball as the 2010-2011 school year draws nigh. Reasons for optimism include:

1. At least 3 returning starters from a team that reached the Elite Eight in Ohio last year, including Malcolm Morton, Zac Carter, and Travis Elliott.
2. The return of some strong substitutes poised to play big-time roles in the program this year, including Trey Fletcher, Josh Murphy, Charles Stewart, Nick Culbertson, and others.
3. Some positive reports about the team's performances during the summer shootout season.
4. A national runner-up trophy shared by some of the talented sophs (Fletcher, Carter, Culbertson, Trevor White) as members of the Tri-State Express 15u USBA team.
5. The ongoing presence of Coach Mark Lafon, who has garnered 2 Regional Tournament appearances and one SEOAL title during his 5 years in Tigertown.
6. The opening of the sparkling new high school facilities in Ironton.
7. The return of the Tigers' own high-octane holiday tournament, the Ironton Classic.
8. A schedule that will be chock full of state tournament title contenders, including the mighty Chesapeake Panthers, traditional powerhouse Portsmouth Trojans, and the imminent return to glory of Coach Barrick's Wheelersburg Pirates.

That is enough to whet any hoops fan's appetite for the upcoming season. Some questions which, if answered in the affirmative, could lead to even more excitement once the leaves are off the trees include:

1. Will sharpshooting Tommy Waginger be available for basketball duty this year, or will he concentrate on football?
2. Are there other gridders with proven basketball talents who will be on the hardwood in 2010-2011, such as Michael Lawless?
3. How healthy will the swift Dion Brown be, and will he make his much anticipated debut in orange and black sneakers this winter?
4. Which underclassman has made the biggest "jump" in the offseason, as there is usually one guy in every program who is totally unrecognizable from the year before?
5. Can we expect any move-ins with a mania for roundball when classes convene in 36 days?
6.Will Coach Lafon be able to lure more big name teams again to the Conley Center for the Ironton Classic?
7. Will the schedule be as appealing this year now that Ironton has returned to independent status?
8. Can anyone beat the mega-talent-laden Chesapeake Panthers led by Coach Davis, or the Portsmouth Trojan colussus being assembled by Coach Collins under the watchful eye of trojandave?

This stuff is way more exciting than "The Decision." And while we're waiting anxiously for that first tip-off tossed up in the air by Tommy Hardy, we still get to celebrate another fall of crunching Tiger football played spectacularly (and without a single logo or letter of the alphabet appearing on any player's uniform) under the lights on Bob Lutz Field at Tanks Memorial Stadium.

So who needs summer?

[trojandave]

Pembrook Burrows III: I don't think there's any question that your Fighting Tigers are going to have a very strong club in 2010-2011........I would say that among Ironton, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake, who are my 3 SE District favorites to play for the D3 regional title, that IHS has the deepest roster of the 3 teams........I think that the starting 5's of Portsmouth and Chesapeake are very comparable to Ironton, but right now the Trojans are probably going no more than 3 deep off the bench, and I'm not sure about the Panthers' depth at this point, although they probably won't be as deep as IHS. I look for Coach Lafon to have a lot of kids available for duty off the Tiger bench, and would safely assume that Ironton will employ a lot of full court pressure to wear teams down.

Also keep an eye on Piketon and Peebles.......I saw them this summer and both are going to be good teams that will win their respective leagues and will play at the Convo come March.

I am excited about the Trojans.......I think our starting 5 is outstanding, and while our bench won't be as deep as Ironton's, the kids subbing in will give us good minutes and have shown that this summer.........what really gets me enthused is that our program looks to be on the rebound for the next several years, given that 6 of our top 8 will be back for the 2011-2012 season and that our junior high has a lot of talent.

Portsmouth had an OUTSTANDING summer........yes, it is only summer ball, but what I saw would make even a pessimist optimistic.

I can just imagine the atmosphere for the Portsmouth at Ironton game next season......it is always hot in the Conley Center, but it will be boiling with the quality of both teams, the intensity of the rivalry, and with what most certainly will be a huge crowd making the gym walls shake with noise........it will be the only regular season game between the two, and a preview of a possible postseason matchup.

That game has the makings of the "game of the year" in the SE district in 2010-2011.

[avalanche]

I would like to think the big 3 for chesapeake are more talented then anyone else, but Ironton has the most depth all together imo.

[TribeManiac10]

I would like to think the big 3 for chesapeake are more talented then anyone else, but Ironton has the most depth all together imo.

Bendolph, Evans, and McKinley are nipping closely at their heels though

[jgordon0315]

Let's see, the best point guard(Andrew Bendolph) in Southeastern Ohio...coupled with the second best big man(Dion Mckinley) in Southeastern Ohio, behind only Malik London of Chillicothe...then add those two with Wayne Evans, who I predict will avg around 15 ppg...And we're not nipping closely at anybody's heels. Those 3 are the head of the pack, when it comes to a "Big 3."

[Charge]

Watching last years regional game between these two schools, I give the edge to Peake in the big three, but Ironton is deeper.

[ohbuckeye2]

Everyone's talking about the big "three", who cares there's 5 players on the Court at any given time....... . Ironton can start a pretty darn good 5 and bring players off of the Bench without hardly any drop off in talent, if any at all (that could be starting on most any Team in the area). Irontons Bench will be deep this year.

[TribeManiac10]

Let's see, the best point guard(Andrew Bendolph) in Southeastern Ohio...coupled with the second best big man(Dion Mckinley) in Southeastern Ohio, behind only Malik London of Chillicothe...then add those two with Wayne Evans, who I predict will avg around 15 ppg...And we're not nipping closely at anybody's heels. Those 3 are the head of the pack, when it comes to a "Big 3."

McMaster would be the best player on the trojan squad, Evan Legg is a better all-around point than Bendolph, and I would take the bigger and more physical Copley over Wayne Evans. Now on to the one point I agree with you on....

As far as skilled post men go I agree that McKinley is about as solid as they come here in SEO, I would even rather have him than London, but I would not sleep on Kennedy for a second. He is physically bigger than McKinley and, like Dion, has a solid midrange game.

Starting lineup: Advantage Portsmouth
"BIG 3": Giving the slight edge to Chessy...when it comes tournament time I think I will go with the trio that has had the most success in that category

[jgordon0315]

There is no way Evan Legg...whom I abosolutely love his game...is better than Andrew!!! All around, let's compare...better shooter may be the only category I would give to Legg. But it's not like Andrew can't shoot. Better floor general...Andrew...better ball handler...Andrew...better defender...Andrew (hands down). I can hardly comment on Mcmaster cause I'm not as aware of his game, don't even know what position he plays...But if he's a point guard..and isn't better than Legg...then there's no way he'd be the best player on the Trojans...so if you will, give me a scouting report on Mcmaster, Tribe, lol! J/K...Forgive me, cause I'm still trying to get my mind around that Mcmaster would be the best player on PHS, those are big words!...But I'll keep a watchful eye out to see how he does this year...we'll see..should be fun! And as far as Ironton goes...Ironton hoops is gonna be scary for the forseeable future. And so should the Trojans!

[85inside]

If Portsmouth comes together as a team, they will be a State contender. Chesapeake, being the regional champ, will be the certain front runner. Ironton will have a good mix of experience back, but many of their major contributors will be very young.

[pembrook burrows III]

I found this recently updated informaton on the Ironton Classic website. It looks like some quality teams will be playing in the Classic again this year, including a couple of prep schools:

2010 Boys Teams (Subject to Change)

Ironton High School, Ironton, Ohio
Brook Point High School, Stafford Virginia
Princeton High School, Cincinnati, Ohio
Our Savior New American, Long Island, New York
Portsmouth Clay High School, Portsmouth, Ohio
Huntington Prep, Huntington, WV
Mountain State Academy, Beckley, WV
Chesapeake High School, Chesapeake, Ohio
St. Joseph Catholic High School, Ironton, Ohio
Africentric High School, Columbus, Ohio
Campbell Memorial, Ohio

2010 Girls Teams

Ironton High School, Ironton, Ohio
Huntington High, Huntington, West Virginia

[pembrook burrows III]

I see from another thread on SEOPS that Ironton will play 2 games in the National Hoops Classic in Wellston on January 8 & 9, 2011. The opponents will be New Concord John Glenn and Dayton Stivers. Nice.

By the way, my research indicates that Ironton Classic participant Brook Point from Stafford, VA is coached by Joe Kania. If I am not mistaken, Joe was a coach at Ironton St. Joe some years ago.

The Our Savior New American squad out of Long Island should offer some interest to local fans. A 2007 article says the squad then included 4 players taller than 7-0, one 6-11 player, and 2 6-6 players. It appears that many of the players were from overseas, including several from the Sudan.

http://www.i95ballerz.com/story%20-%20o ... 20crew.htm