Pioneer Valley Offseason BUZZ

[J8fusl]

Dont know if Lang will be as good as you all think this year. He will be a shut down defender and good rebounder but he is not a great shooter, and does not fit well with this team. He can penetrate and create very well. also shoots better off the dribble. Overall better player with the ball in his hands. With smith it wont be in his hands, so he is less of a threat because he is a weak shooter. Plus for the first time ever i dont think basketball is his favorite sport. He will work hard but 8 ppg tops add about 7 rpg and guard the other teams best non post scorer. So not a top player in the league

[PvcBball]

Monroe Central- Jacob Ring Sr 5-9, Jim Baker Sr 5-11, Korey Lafferre Jr 5-9, Tyler Kinchen Sr 6-0 (if he plays, if not Curtis Nixon So 6-1), CJ Wise Sr 6-6. Not a stretch to think that this team can compete with the best of the PVC

[newlex/sheridan]

Heard they had a good sophomore. Wise could have a big year. Think they will have a nice year again too.

[3 for me]

Looks like everyone with the exception of Central should start their seasons a little early this year.

[mdp21]

I'm gonna go out on limb here and say River will be in the top half of the PVC

They didn't get alot of playing time together, but they learned alot from the fine groups before them, as they are all juniors and of course from the great gentlemen that coach them. They have all played together since they've been freshmen and earlier.

Terrible....They won't be ! 6th or 7th in the PVC...thats a laugher
I think someone should do some more homework...

Those terrible young men will get your attention here pretty shortly !

Thanks and God Bless

[newlex/sheridan]

Did someone call them terrible? I don't feel like reading all the way back through to find it haha. Talked to the brother today, said Caldwell will have 27 kids trying out for the middle school teams this winter. Pretty good numbers when added to a nice frosh class and a few nice sophs. Good luck to all the teams this winter. Hope to catch a few games if possible.

[soon 2b champs]

I know for a fact that River wont be at the bottom. The jv kids(who are all jrs.) pushed their vasity team last year. The jv kids beat them in practices and scrims. quiet a bit. I dont think last years river team was at the bottom. I do believe this group of kids won the freshman title. Romick wanted Brett Price to be a true point guard and get the last years sr. the ball. I do recall, both tucker brown and jordan potts were out with concussions, during the ovac game vs barnesville. I do remember Romick telling price to just go out and play basketball like he knows how. Price ended up having 20 points and lead the pilots to a victory against a very good barnesville team. It wouldnt suprize me if River won the PVC this year and watch out for next year, when all these boys are sr.

[EasternDspy]

Let's be realistic those awesome River JV ballers could not beat FFs JV.FF has by far the best player in the league in Shon Smith.

[newlex/sheridan]

Smith is the best returning player, not by far but is the best on paper. Kids develop over the course of a year and realistically, JV ball means nothing. Established programs do typically have better JV squads because the better kids aren't moved up and often times you get juniors playing on the reserve squads. JV means nothing as far as the win and loss records are concerned, development in the off season is the most important thing.

[I drain 3's]

Weichman has the potential to surprise some people this year. Wouldn't be surprised if he's up in the top 5 players in the league.

[mdp21]

Seems to me, EasternDspy may be a little biased...Nobody referred to river as awesome first of all, and I know 2 years ago as freshmen they beat Fort Frye ! And anyone that spends any amount of time around varsity and jv basketball knows that the underclassmen that dress varsity get 1, sometimes 2 quarters of JV ball, and some don't play jv at all...which was the case with about 4 sophomore boys last year...2 boys 1 quarter, 1 boy 2 quarters, 1 varsity only...

Shonn is tough, no denying that ! My son plays on the same team with him in parkersburg.

Have a nice day and god bless...

[mdp21]

Smith is the best returning player, not by far but is the best on paper. Kids develop over the course of a year and realistically, JV ball means nothing. Established programs do typically have better JV squads because the better kids aren't moved up and often times you get juniors playing on the reserve squads. JV means nothing as far as the win and loss records are concerned, development in the off season is the most important thing.

Right On !!

[EasternDspy]

Fort Frye just is not a one man team with Schwendeman,C.Lang,Eddy,and Shon Smith.Add the fact that they return the leagues best coach.The returning league champs should be the favorites again.

[newlex/sheridan]

I agree, they have the best returning player and coach and eddy would have to be listed as a top player as well. However, the other two you listed are an unproven sophmore and a senior who played reserve ball last year. I tend to believe that Trail, returning essentially their entire team, would have to be listed as the favorite. Could the Fort win it? Heck yes, and it won't surprise me if they do, but so can about everyone but Frontier this winter. Should be some fun games to watch.

[mdp21]

I don't recall anyone saying The Fort was a one man team...?
I only commented on the post about River being terrible and that they could possibly finish last...i guess one injury, and anyone in this conference could finish last...River already has 2 injured basketball players, due to football injuries...ACL and Rotator or Seperated Shoulder... 1 a starter and the other 6th man.

[Phoenix]

if the injuries are to serious players, the only teams contending will be fort frye, MC, and trail. Fort Frye has the edge IMO, with shon smith and zach eddy. kyle schwendeman will be a surprise for people. i think he should have played over hilverding last year. FF will be a 3 point shooting team. but everyone said that 2 years ago, and they had their worst season in 15 years.

[newlex/sheridan]

I have heard Caldwell has 21 kids in grades 9-12 playing basketball. Pretty solid numbers for a small school. Will let you know more when we scrimmage them with River View and Fairfield Christian on the 26th

Virgil, I would imagine Caldwell would have been able to compete with River even if the Pilots have everyone healthy considering they beat them in Hannibal and lost a 3 point game to them at home last winter. Caldwell returned 5 of the top 7 from last season, though they are young after that.

[EasternDspy]

I'm not buying River.Trail has some decent guards but not sold on Patterson and Larrick.Caldwell should be improved but will be streaky and Weichman needs to have a big year.Frontier is a year away but Jefferson is a baller who added a perimeter shot.Shenandoah is hard to predict 5 new starters.Monroe should be good but not deep enough.

[newlex/sheridan]

I would say that all things considered, outside of possibly Trail, nobody in the PVC has proven depth this season. When you get outside of the first five for most of the teams it is anyone's guess as to how young and unproven players will perform. Some will surprise and step up, I'm sure of that. Jefferson was a nice defender and athlete a year ago, will be interesting to see how much he has improved his offensive game. I would say that Larrick (easily the leagues biggest kid and a returning starter) along with Patterson, who is also a returning starter, will do some good things this winter. Realistically, nobody knows how things will play out, any of these teams could surprise people.

[EasternDspy]

Jefferson scored 11 ppg and was the teams 2nd leading scorer.Burnoni was a big disappointment at 6 ppg.Jefferson scored lots of his points around the rim on junk.Not sure he can create his own shot.Not sure Frontier has the guards to get the ball up the court.Jake Minder the returning pg quit.Starters will be Merckle 6-2 Jr,Eddy 5-6 Jr, Eddie Salazar 5-6 Jr,Drew Schneider So 5-8,Jefferson 6-1 Jr